Here are some suggestions.
Churchgoer: "Thank you I go to church"
You: Thats great do mind if I ask you a quick question?
Churchgoer: Sure
You: Do you put your hope for salvation in the Word of God or the Words of man?
Churchgoer: The Word of God
You: Have you read thought the New Testament from beginning to end?
If they say yes , you can go right to well then Im sure you know the Bible teaches...
Most of the time they will say Well, most of it or No or Some of it
Then you can reply Then how would you know if you are saved if you dont know the Words you base your salvation upon?
or
How do you know if your pastor or denomination is telling you the truth if you dont know if there are Scripture that contradict what they are telling you since you havent read them?
and
Would it be safe to say then that you spend more time watching T.V. or playing golf, etc. then reading the Bible?
and then continue with some of the following,
Are you aware that the Bible teaches that there are multitudes of religious people and church members who are not going to heaven and are not really Christian. If you read the Bible you would see it describes these people as "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (II Tim.3:5). They think they are Christians, and have the outward form of Christianity, but it is only an empty shell, with no power to keep them from sin, no power to cancel their guilt, no power to give them peace of mind or joy of heart, and no power to give them eternal life. "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him" (Titus 1:16). They have just enough of the form of Christianity (going to church, paying tithes, sponsoring a child) to deceive them, just enough to make them think that all is well between their souls and God, when in fact nothing is well. Could you be one of these people?
and/or
Do you know Jesus said Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 If you will examine the teachings of the Bible for yourself, you will discover that very few are living according to what is written in it. Very few follow God's ways. First of all, according to the Bible relatively few will enter heaven; only a "few" of those who claim to be God's people will actually enter his kingdom. Secondly, sin in your life is what will keep you from heaven whether you profess to believe the gospel or not. Finally, many people tolerate sin in their lives because of their ignorance of God's Word and because they have been deceived by a great number of false teachers. Jesus didn't hesitate to proclaim to people that the path leading to hell is traveled by many more people than the path to heaven (Matt. 7:13-14). He said that only a few find the gate that leads to eternal life. Are you one of the many or one of the few? Are you sure you are one of the few? What makes you so sure? How are you different from the many who confess Christ as Lord? What stands you apart from the rest of the people in your church who call Jesus Lord? Jesus said most of them are going to hell.
and/or
Did you know Jesus said So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:3) Have you forsaken all? If so- Like what? then when they answer you can say How about........ (whatever the Spirit speaks to your heart)
and/or
You may be thinking that because you have agree to certain facts of the Gospel or have said a sinners prayer or been baptized in a church or your pastor said you would rule and reign with Jesus, that you will be saved from God's wrath--you may think that you will be numbered among the "few" based on these assumption, but this is not what the Bible teaches. Many of the very people who claim to know and love God draw near to him merely with their lips, but deny him by their actions (Titus 1:16).
and/or
Did you know the Bible teaches very few people accept the truth that can set them free from sin (John 8: 31-36) that is why so many find themselves still in slavery to sin, still serving the devil (1 John 3:8). The Bible says that because many people continue to be evildoers, Jesus will forbid them to enter the kingdom of heaven even though they call him "Lord" (Matt. 7:21-23). Are you one of the many people who claim to know God but are unaware what God actually says about who will enter his kingdom? Think about it, my friend. How many people in America have a Bible or has access to a Bible. How many people read it? How many people who say they are Christians read it as much as they should? If you surveyed professing believers, many of them would admit that they do not read their Bibles as much as they know that they should. Do you read your Bible as much as you know you should? Do you know the good that you ought to do but do not do it and thus sin against God? (James 4:17). Are you one of those people who claim to live by every word of God (Matt. 4:4), but throughout the supposed many years of being "Christians" never even read every word of God? These people prove by their actions that they are not seeking to please God because they do not make every effort if even minimal effort to find out what is written for them in His Word. God says, "my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). Are you one of these people? Please let me help you. Hand them a pocket New Testament.
and/or
Think about this, "few" diligently read, study and obey their Bibles, the "many" rely almost solely on their churches to make up for their lack of knowledge of God's Word. They look to their pastors, priests, and other ministers to teach them what God's Word says, but most of these pastors, priests, and ministers are NOT teaching the truth of the Gospel. the Bible actually predicts that only a few will be teaching the truth of God's Word, while there will be many deceivers in the world (1 John 4:1). Over and over the Bible warns of the danger of trusting what any person says without comparing it to God's Word. It says that we need to "test everything" (1 Thess. 5:21). It is necessary to examine everything we hear or read and compare it to the Bible to see if it is true because Jesus said to "watch out for false prophets" (Matt. 7:15) and that many will come to deceive you (Matt. 24:4-5, 24). The Bereans were commended for receiving the Apostle Paul's message with great eagerness and for examining the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11). After he said farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul knew that false teachers would arise (even from among the church) and distort the truth of God's Word (Acts 20:29-30). For three years and with many tears Paul warned them night and day to be on their guard (Acts 20:31)! Paul also writes warnings of a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but will gather to themselves a great number of false teachers who will tell them what they want to hear (2 Tim. 4:3). Infiltrating modern Christianity, many false teachers have come and have deceived many people just as the Bible predicted (2 Peter 1-2). If they would have taken heed to the Bible's multiple warnings of false doctrines and diligently studied and obeyed the Bible they would not have been deceived. Can you honestly look me in the eye and say that you are one of the "few" who diligently reads, studies and obeys their Bibles, or are you one of the "many" who rely almost solely on their churches to make up for your lack of knowledge of God's Word and look to your pastors, priests, and other ministers to teach you what God's Word says? You know what Jesus said about the many and the few!
and/or
Think about all the people in your church and all the people you know who say they are Christians and even yourself and then consider the Bible teaches there will be many hypocrites that claim to know God and yet deny him by their actions God says, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Isaiah 29: 13). These people the Bible talks about claim to do "all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31) and yet do most things for the purpose of bringing themselves glory, success, entertainment or pleasure with no thought for the many other things that God would have them do. The false "gospel" that many false teachers are preaching deceives people into thinking they can live their lives for themselves. This is an outright contradiction to the true Gospel of the Bible which declares that Jesus died for us so that we would stop living for ourselves and start living for him (2 Cor. 5:15). False teachers teach that you can keep sinning and have heaven too, but the Bible says "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness" (2 Tim. 2:19). This false live for yourself and still go to heaven gospel appeals to the masses by allowing them to do what they want to do--and so they embrace it without question or searching the Scriptures for themselves. This false gospel is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a death sentence that deceives many people into thinking that their souls are secure and in right standing with God when they are not. These poor deceived people who cling to unbiblical teachings and refuse the truth are among the "many" who Jesus said would try to enter through the "narrow door" and not be able to (Luke 13:14). They try, but only half-heartedly. They seek, but only when convenient. They follow God, but only when they are not following their own appetites and desires. They claim to know God, but in actions they deny him (Titus 1:16). They seem eager to know God's ways, but they end up doing as they please and living for themselves (Is. 58:1-4). And since their mind is on earthly things, "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame" (Phil. 3:19).
Which group are most of the people in your church and most of the people you know who say they are Christians in--the many or the few? Which group are you in--the many or the few? Are you in the remnant that is serving God not only in word but in deed or the multitude who is not?
_________________
Patrick Ersig
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