Almost A Christian
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Acts 26:28
What a sad fact that “almost” is as far as MOST people ever get to being a true Christian! Hell is full of people right now who were “almost” persuaded – people who made it right to the door, but did not enter in. Instead they “went away.” Many, Jesus said in Luke 13:24, “shall seek to enter in and shall not be able.” Jesus said also to a certain scribe in Mark 12:34: “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” He was close, but he had not entered in.
A rich young man came to Jesus in Mark 10:17 and asked what he should do to inherit eternal life. The man appeared to be as sincere as he could be. He was not a low-living sinner, but a self-righteous man of character who was seeking eternal life. If this scene would happen in almost any modern church he would be ushered right on into the kingdom with a few verses of Scripture and a sinners prayer. He would be persuaded that he has done all that is necessary by simply coming as he is and accepting a few facts about sin and the Savior, but this would be totally contrary to the normal working of God as demonstrated by Jesus in this passage. This young man was certainly close to the door, but it is very important to realize that he did NOT enter in. He WAS seeking eternal life and was brought face to face with Jesus, but he went away and did NOT enter in. There are MANY people who get this far, but turn away and are not saved.
He went away grieved because the cost was too high. He wanted to add God to his life, but not at the cost of giving up what he had. What this young man was really looking for was someone who could help him figure out how to have God’s blessings AND at the same time keep all that he already had. “ONE THING thou lackest,” Jesus said, so he did come very close to being saved, but he went away grieved and he did NOT enter in. This is precisely the place where MOST people stop and turn back. When we stand in the judgement before God the final verdict for the great majority of the professing Christians of our day before they are cast into the lake of fire will be that they were “almost a Christian.” It may be revealed in that day that many of them stopped short with only one more thing lacking, but they failed to enter in. They kept what they had at the cost of their soul.
Many people are in love with the IDEA of God and of being a part of God’s people, but they are not really interested in a relationship with God, and certainly not interested in giving Him complete control of their life. Therefore, they spend their life trying to figure out a way to have God AND keep control of their own life at the same time. These people may be close, but they have not entered in. It is a sad thing, but the world is full of false prophets and false professors of religion who will aid them in their rebellion against God. There are multitudes of people like this who give comfort and aid to one another in their quest to merge worldliness and godliness into one religion that will give you the “best of both worlds,” so you can do as you please here on earth and then inherit eternal life, also. This way might seem right to men, but it is not the way of God. This rich young man was not the only one who has “went away” from Jesus grieved because his demands were unacceptable to them.
Being “almost persuaded” is not enough. If you die in that condition you will perish forever in hell, no matter how close you were to being converted. There will be people at the Great White Throne Judgment who heard the Word of God and feared God, and did many things, but refused to abandon their own selfish interests. Here are a couple of examples:
For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. Mark 6:20
Herod was a wicked man who was living with his brother’s wife in an adulterous relationship. We are told that Herod knew that John was a holy and a just man and that he feared John and was glad to listen to him. He observed John and did many things when he heard him even though John’s message to Herod was very negative and condemning –“it is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.” But in spite of his regard for John as a man of God and his willingness to listen to the Word of God, the bottom line was that his sin ruled him to the end, even to the point of having John killed. Herod did not enter in.
Felix was another man who got close but did not enter in.
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. Acts 24:25
Felix trembled at the Word of God when he was brought face to face with the fact that he would face God one day. He did not rail on Paul or scoff at the message, but simply postponed dealing with the issue “at this time.” He promised to call Paul later, but we have no record that he ever did so and no reason to believe that he did. This is a very common reaction to the Gospel and it shows another way that many come so close to becoming a Christian, but never do.
Thomas doubted – but he overcame that. Peter denied the Lord, but he overcame that, also. Philip just didn’t understand, but he finally did. But Judas did not overcome the obstacle that shut him out of heaven. He professed to others to love Jesus, and betrayed the Lord with a kiss, but stood with the enemies of God. He kissed the door of heaven, but kept his heart in the world. True salvation will deliver you from any sin or shortcoming, but it cannot deliver you until you turn loose of the world and all the cords that bind you there.
There are many obstacles that keep a person from entering into the kingdom of God: family and loved ones and long-standing opinions and estimation of them. It is never easy to accept the fact that you have been wrong about someone you love and especially when it comes to their standing with God. You have a hard time accepting the fact that the loved one whom you have always considered to be saved really is not. This one thing is enough to keep most people from entering in. Most people simply define salvation by what they see in someone they regard and love instead of what the Word of God says about it. Selfish interests and affections are another obstacle to salvation. Many people stumble here because they will not turn loose of something – they mean to bring it in with them, but they can’t. So they spend their life trying to rationalize and formulate a way to keep what they have and yet have what God has, too. These people do not enter in – they simply hang around close to the door and listen to the counsel and comfort of other false professors and false prophets who say “peace, peace” when there is no peace, and keep hoping they make it in somehow. God is never a reality in their life and Heaven is never really a certainty for them in their heart even though they profess that it is with their mouth.
False religious leaders are a major obstacle to those who would enter in. They make the way easy and without cost. According to many of them, if you repeat a sinners prayer and simply profess that you are a Christian, then you are. They proceed to give assurance through intellectual exercises and wresting the Word of God to accommodate their perverted Gospel. This gives a false hope that is almost impossible to ever escape from. Therefore, these false prophets have blocked the way to eternal life for those who might have entered in. How heavy is the judgement of God going to be for those who are thus guilty of the souls of men!
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. Luke 11:52
These are people who are themselves deceived and are on the outside, also. They only preach what they have experienced themselves and that is the standard they present to everyone else. So everyone who listens to them stays on the outside, also. They may be close to the door, but they have not entered in because they were hindered.
What about you? Have you truly entered into the kingdom of God, or are you tarrying at the door? Have you truly given Jesus everything or are you still clinging to something in your heart that you insist on clinging to and taking in with you? It could be some habit or lust you are addicted to, or some right that you refuse to surrender about the way you live your life, or the way you identify yourself with your dress and your conversation. It could be your philosophy about life and religion that you refuse to lay down, or the pride of your heart that will not allow you to surrender all because of the ridicule and scorn you might face from your friends and family. The stakes are very high in this matter and there are many that are not going to tell you the absolute truth about being saved. Most are going to try to make it easy and refuse to tell you what you have just read, but Jesus did not draw back from telling the truth to sinners and to professors of religion, and so any true man of God should tell you the truth, also.
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Luke 13:24
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:9
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 2 Cor 13:5
Please do not end up being one of those who was “almost” a Christian. Do you have real biblical evidence that you are truly born again? Examine yourself honestly in the light of God’s Word and then surrender your heart and life completely to Jesus Christ. There has never been a person who has truly done this who has regretted it later. Your blinded eyes are truly opened and you find eternal life and true assurance. You must come to the point where you step over the line and make Jesus your choice forever, and forsaking all others, keeping yourself only to Him.
Mike Miller
Saturday, August 14, 2010