How long might one live with some persons who are looked upon as very good Christians, and not know whether they had any souls or not! Sir Richard Hill
Christianity is rare in modern America, if not in the world. So much false religion, which includes so many branches that thinks of itself as Christian, is rampant in the nation. Perhaps it would be much more accurate and to the point to say that so much false religion that things itself as Christian is rampant in the professing churches. It would also be accurate to say that so much false religion that thinks of itself as Christian is rampant in the pulpits in the professing churches and in the conferences of the day. One could say, in line with the quote above, how long might one live with some elders and preachers who are looked upon as very good Christians and elders and not know whether they had any souls or not.
It seems that as long as a person is a moral person and makes some kind of profession of faith in Christ or at least of a creed that person is considered to be a Christian. If a person is involved in social activities and is involved in a professing church that person is a really good Christian. In other words, it appears that as long as a person is moral and is involved in something thought of as Christian that person is considered to be a Christian. But Scripture is full of places where men are to search themselves to see if they are Christians and of standards to discern if one is a Christian or not.
But taking the name of Christian upon oneself in baptism or profession is a far different thing than being one that God has taken, regenerated, and made that person a partaker of divine life in Christ. No one who has the slightest idea of what hell is really wants to go to hell, but the truth of the matter is that if people had even a slight idea of what heaven would be like they would not want to go to heaven either. Heaven is a place that is all about the greatness and glory of God in Christ. Heaven is a place where the angels fall before the living God and cry out about His holiness and glory constantly and they love it. Heaven is a place where proud and self-centered people would hate because it is not about them. Heaven is a place where those who love their own self-righteousness and good works will hate because only the righteousness and works of Christ will be exalted there.
If heaven is a place as given above, then we can know that not many people on earth have heaven (Christ) in them now. People would rather talk about themselves and their own works rather than the righteousness of Christ. People would rather exalt themselves and seek honor for themselves in “church” and all other places rather than abase themselves and honor and exalt Christ. It is also true that some love to abase themselves but in doing so they are seeking honor and glory in a different way. In many ways this shows how the statement of Sir Richard Hill (from above) is so accurate and is a devastating point. True Christianity is at such low ebb today that a person can be thought of as a very good Christian without even being one. True Christianity is at such low ebb today that a man can be considered to be an outstanding minister and not even be a true Christian. True Christianity today is at such low ebb that a man can be a successful minister and speaker at conferences selling millions of dollars of books and tapes while not even being aware of the nature of true Christianity.
The nature of Christianity is not easily faked with those who truly have Christ, but those who are without Christ in truth are easily deceived. True Christianity is not just about a benevolent God who winks at sin and hopes we will get better, but it is about a holy, holy, holy God who hates sin and His justice and wrath is only satisfied by Christ. This infinitely glorious God takes sinners and dwells in them and works Himself and His glory in them because of Christ and by the Spirit. It takes a spiritual eye to see the truth and reality of this, though the natural man will hate the true Christian and perhaps may think of the true Christian as narrow at best and perhaps even as a heretic. Jesus said that His followers would be killed by those who thought they were serving God. People should and even must examine themselves to see if they have Christ in truth or whether they are deceived. Jesus warned that many would be deceived and He also warned that many would strive to enter in and would not be able. While those were not nice and polite things (according to modern thinking) to say, incarnate love (Jesus Christ) spoke them. So many today are satisfied with being nice and not satisfied with the rudeness of true Christianity. It may be rude to say, according to modern thinking, but those people hate God and Jesus His Son.
God Loves... Himself 
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