"Disobedient Christians"

Many people proclaim themselves to be Christians, but few truly are. Yes, many have heard the messenger, but few abide in the message. I, myself am one, but only because I lost faith.

A true Christian is a follower of Christ, who holds and abides in his teaching. Yes, they have been crucified with Christ, and they no longer live but Christ lives in them. Jesus said in Luke 6:46-49, Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? He warns in verse 49 about those who hear the messenger (him) but does not follow the message. See below Matthew 7:21-23 and 25:31-46.

Matthew 7
21 Not everyone who says to me "Lord, Lord", will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."

Matthew 25
The Final Judgment

31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?" 40 And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

41 Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me." 44 Then they also will answer, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?" 45 Then he will answer them, saying, "Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me." 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

As you see here, self proclaimed Christians will be rejected by Christ on the Final Judgment. Because not everyone who says, "I am a follower of Christ", truly does follow Christ. Most of these preachers are misleading their flock, with false teachings. They are not teaching the love, compassion, the mercy and forgiveness of Christ. They are not teaching the love your neighbor as yourself. Look here at Hebrews 13.

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.

Most self proclaimed Christians set in the pews in their comfortable churches and they don't think or remember those who are in prison. Except maybe to cast stones and set in harsh judgment of those convicted, and confined to these cages. No, God forbid you ask them to share, or show you some Christian love, mercy and compassion such as Jesus wrote about here in Luke 6:27-36.

Luke 6
Love Your Enemies

27 But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Loving your enemies and loving and doing good to those who do not love you. Most Christians do not abide by these teachings of Christ. No, most are too busy sowing, reaping and hoarding away monetary and materialistic earthly treasures. For their minds and heart are captivated by the here and now, so they are storing up for themselves earthly treasures. And we see what Jesus says about that here. Matthew 6:19-21 and Luke 16:13.

Matthew 6
19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 16
13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Most Christians are busy chasing the mighty dollar. They are far less focused on showing love, compassion and mercy, for their heart is stuck on these worldly goods.

A lot of people think that faith and faith alone will get them into heaven. See what Jesus says here in Matthew 5:16 and what James says in 2:24.

Matthew 5
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

James 2
24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Both of these coincide with what Christ is saying in Matthew 25:31-46. A true follower of Christ who abides in his teachings and is obedient to Christ, will produce the good works, through the love, mercy, compassion and grace they have in their heart. Most of you people are deceiving yourself. See 1 John 2:4-6.

1 John 2
4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

You look in these churches and you don't see people who are imitating Christ. You see preachers lying to people, telling them give me one dollar and Christ will repay you by giving you two back. You see cons, manipulation, evildoers. See Eph 2:1-10, 4:17-32.

Ephesians 2
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 4
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ - 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

A true follower of Christ, those who are standing on his right in MT 25:31-39, abide in Christ and apply these scriptures to your right! Those who think you can rely on John 3:16 and that you can just confess your sins, have lost your mind! And you can't blame the pastor or anyone other than yourself, the teachings of Christ are there for you to read and study. So you only have yourself to blame! Faith is a beautiful thing. Wish I had it, but let me tell you, "Faith is garbage without 100% obedience to Christ!" And I say 99% of Christians are disobedient. They only apply the teachings that suit them. This was just something that I felt compelled to share.

Please take care and remember "many will come but few will be chosen". Will you be on Christ's right, MT 25:31-39, or the left with me? The unfaithful.

In peace + love
Ronald W. Clark Jr.