All believers have times of spiritual dryness when we merely go through the emotions. We attend church, pray, serve, give, raise our hands, and sing, but it all feels like a meaningless ritual because God seems far away. Thankfully, these times pass. Another group, who I most fear for, also goes through the same motions and wears the label of Christian. However, saying I’m a Christian is not the same as being a follower of Jesus. Three verses I’ve always found thought-provoking are Jesus’ warning in Matthew. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS’ (Mat 7:21-23).
We could paraphrase this for today; they will say, “I’m a Christian and a prophet. I have the power to command demons and even perform miracles. Surely, I’m accepted by God.” A student shared that to pacify his teenage sons he went with them to hear a well-known standup comedian. He thought it would be fine since the individual claimed he was a Christian, went to church, and often guest hosted a Christian talk show. “Dr. G, I served in Iraqi around lots of degenerate and foul talking soldiers, but I have never heard anyone as vulgar and immoral as this comedian. I finally walked out. How can he claim to be a Christian?” Thirty-two percent of the world’s population (2.2 billion) claim they are Christians with 70% of Americans who identify themselves as Christian. This comedian is one of hundreds of people in the spotlight, not including those we never see, whose everyday life doesn’t match their label. How many of 223 million Americans who say they are believers are unaware of their true spiritual condition and only saying, ‘Lord, Lord’? Jesus said, those who do the will of My Father . . . enter the kingdom of heaven (v21). Note the adjective Jesus added, many will say; many and not a few.
The saddest lesson from these verses comes from those to whom Jesus says I never knew you. They apparently believed they were good Christians. Yet, asserting that you’re a Christian and practicing lawlessness is incompatible. You will know them by their fruits (Mat 7:20). It is safe to say that since 9-11 God has been attempting to get America’s attention. Since then, both here and around the world, tragedies and disasters have increased exponentially. George Barna reported after 9-11 that millions of people returned to church, yet two months later attendance was back to pre-attack levels. So, God continues His efforts of getting our attention. In just the past 30 days, 56 quakes 5.5 and greater have shaken our planet. The news organizations never report a majority of events—just too many. I could fill this page with statistics, but that’s not the point. We must recognize the Lord is still shaking us because He loves us, and desires we repent and not merely go through the motions.
Going through the motions is nothing new. Note these warnings to Israel (from Message Bible translation). Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings-meetings, meetings, meetings-I can’t stand one more (Is 1:13)! Use your heads! Do you think you can rob and murder, have sex with the neighborhood wives, tell lies nonstop, worship the local gods, and buy every novel religious commodity on the market and then march into this Temple, set apart for my worship, and say, “We’re safe!” thinking that the place itself gives you a license to go on with all this outrageous sacrilege (Jer 7:9)? Jesus quoted from Isaiah, These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it (Matt 15:8).
The Lord also sought to get Israel’s attention by bringing invasions by their enemy, famines, locust, drought, plagues, exile, etc. With every warning, a promise followed. Paul writing about the last days says, For men will be . . . lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power (2Ti 3:2, 4, 5). They have a form—they look like—and go through the motions. A good summary of His promises to Israel and the church is, If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chr. 7:14 NIV).
Several applications apply to us. If you are going through a time of spiritual dryness, keep going, it will pass. However, if you are unsure whether or not you are only wearing the label Christian going through the motions, ask the Holy Spirit to show you, repent and become a follower of Jesus. You can know. For our nation, the Lord won’t stop until He has our attention.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Is God trying to get your attention? Is He shaking your life? God loves you, desires that you repent, honor Him from your heart, and with your whole life.