« ALAS! WILL NO ONE RID ME OF THIS MEDDLESOME ..BRIAN». Henry II, 1170

I am convinced that in the name of Christianity there are many places that call themselves churches and they’re not churches. 

And they have men leading them who call themselves pastors and they’re not pastors. 

And they have congregations who call themselves Christians and they are not Christians. 

They’re not churches, they’re not pastors, and they’re not Christians and yet they proudly post the label Christian. 

This then, begs the question:

“So how can we spot someone who is deceived and deceiving?”

Let me give you a few suggestions. Here’s what to look for.

* PEOPLE WITH PURELY ACADEMIC INTERESTS IN SCRIPTURE

These people, such as NT Wright, are more involved in theology as an academic interest, than for personal holiness. I hate to say it, but seminaries and pulpits all over this country are filled with professors who have an academic interest in Scripture. They have an academic interest in theology, who don’t know God at all. And so whatever they think the Bible means, is probably not what the Bible means, since the natural man even though he’s a scholastic, cannot understand the things of God.

It’s no wonder that seminaries full of unsaved professors can’t get the gospel right, can’t get Genesis right, can’t get the Old Testament right, can’t get anything right because unregenerate people no matter how well they’re educated or theologically trained still can’t get it right. Because, as 1 Corinthians 2 says, only the Spirit of God knows the mind of God and only the Spirit can give understanding.
* PEOPLE ONLY INTERESTED IN THE BYPRODUCTS OF FAITH, NOT IN CHRIST

These people are not consumed with the glory and the honor and the wonder and the beauty and the magnificence of Christ. They’re not consumed with honoring Him, loving Him, oserving Him, obeying Him, submitting to Him, exalting Him, proclaiming Him, worshiping Him, confessing Him.

They’re only there for the byproducts of that which is attached to Him…give me blessing, give me spiritual experience, give me a spiritual high, give me good feelings, give me healing, give me prosperity. So you look for the people who are looking for all the byproducts that they want in their unredeemed condition, rather than Christ.
* PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE COMMITTED TO CHURCHES THAN SCRIPTURE

These people who are more committed to denominations, movements, and groups because it very likely is a social thing that entertains. Oh not just purely social, but it’s sort of social with a spiritual twang, you know? Ah, it feels good to be involved in a GOD THING! And you even hear people say that. Hey, come and meet with us, we have a God thing going here. It’s a kind of a God social amalgam. And that’s what they’re committed to, not to the Word of God.
How could you be committed to God and not to His Word? How can you say, “Oh yeah, I really want to connect with God.” Okay, you want to connect with God? Here’s what God says. 
“Confess your sin, repent and embrace His Son as your only hope of salvation. “That’s the first thing He says. And if you don’t agree to do that, you’re going to hell forever.
* PEOPLE OVERINDULGENT IN CHEAP GRACE
These people lack penitence. With true Christians, there’s just an ongoing brokenness. There’s just an ongoing kind of recognition that they fall short. But these  Cheap grace folks are going to defend their right to conduct their life in a certain way, and live a certain way because of grace, sort of super-grace, indulgent grace, and they lack penitence and brokenness and a measure of humility.

True believers are the ones who hate their sins, and always confessing their sins and thereby, 1 John 1, we give evidence of being ones that are always forgiven.
*  PEOPLE WHO SEE GOD AS A MEANS TO THEIR OWN ENDS
These people are “me” centered instead of “God ” centered. I want to be…I want to get to God because I’ve got all these deals that I want to do, I’ve got all these plans, I’ve got all these dreams, I’ve got all these ambitions and hey, if you tell me God will help me get there, that’s Joel Osteen. He’s a heretic. That’s not Christianity. And that is not a church. It’s heresy. God is not the genie in your bottle who jumps out when you rub it and says, “Tadaa three wishes.” That is not Christianity.
* SO, WHAT’S THE TAKEAWAY FROM ALL THIS?
Well, it’s clearly evident that nothing in these five groups has anything to do with Christianity! They don’t even approximate true Christianity. We need to pray for these people and need to help them see the genuine article.
You would think that someone like myself who has spent a portion of my lifetime trying to share the gospel, and explain what it means to genuinely repent, and what it means to genuinely believe, and put your faith in Christ, would be welcome.
The fact is I am considered to be a troublemaker by many religious folk. They are fixated with rebuking me or blocking me, or getting rid of me!
I’m treading, as it were, on people’s feelings, I’m invading the comfortable bed of their tolerances, I’m being divisive. But then, presenting the truth always does that!