The 2 biggest risk for Christians when the Lord comes back for His Bride is for them:
- Being lukewarm (Revelations 3:15) or
- Having the Lord say “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23).
This is a subject that many don’t hear preached often from the pulpit, but it is something that all should be cognizant of because of the major risks & implications involved.
Risk #1: Being Lukewarm
Many believe that today’s church is the church of Laodicea that Jesus gave a warning to in the book of Revelations chapter 3 verses 15 & 16. Here is the scripture:
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. (Revelations 3:15-16)
Being lukewarm is a very serious thing. It can mean different things to different people, but two of the main characteristics of being lukewarm are:
1) Being both a lover of God and a lover of the things of this world.
2) Both living by Grace and living under the Law of Moses.
Being both a lover of God and a lover of things of this world
The Lord told us to not love the world or the things of this world (1 John 2:15)and he gave us many points of not being conformed by this world. But many today use God as a tool of obtaining the things of this world rather than using God to help separate them from the things of this world. Many focus on living through the morals, principles, & traditions of this world. They do not live according to sound doctrine found in the Holy Scriptures. They love the world and the things in it. Many of them don’t even want the Lord to come because of the feeling of missing out on them reaping the benefits they’ve worked so hard for. They want to hold on to their future in this world for self-fulfilling purposes. They ignore the Lord and His promises for the world. They are tied between the world and God. They do not fully understand that this world is against God. They are lukewarm and run a very major risk of the Lord rejecting them at His calling.
Both living by Grace and living under the Law of Moses
Scripture tells us consistently that we do not live by the Law, but we live by Grace (Romans 6:14). That we are saved not by our works, but by our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Many today follow the Law in specific circumstances. They feel that they are justified by their works and have a false sense of godliness & pride in themselves because of it. By living under the Law we actually reject God’s gift of Grace because it’s a free. It is not earned or rewarded from our works. Christians living under the Law, though it seems noble, are rejecting God’s free gift of grace. This makes Jesus’s sacrifice irrelevant. Jesus would not have come and fulfilled the Law and save us from it, just so we can continue to be trapped in bondage to it.
Risk #2: “I Never Knew You”
The last great risk is from the Lord saying “I never knew you”. The unfortunate real fact is that this will happen for many Christians. Here’s the scripture:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)
There are many Christians today that practice religion more than living by faith & sound doctrine. Many Christians practice paganism unknowingly or ignorantly, but nevertheless feel that they are worshiping God when they are not. There are many that will say that they’ve cast out demons in the Lord’s name. That they have prophesied in His name. Believing that they worship in the Lord’s name. But because they were not following sound doctrine and in fact were following the traditions of men, they never actually knew the Lord. Though their religion told them they did.
This is a horrible fact that Christians need to be aware of because many have been doing things so long as part of tradition. They never knew that our traditions make the Word of God of no effect (Mark 7:13). They feel because many churches do the same thing, they are justified or are doing things the right way. But these things are contrary to the Lord and He in fact has spoken & warned us about these things in His word. Many would know if they focused on God’s Word and not solely on the message from their pastor. Especially because it’s prophesied that the shepherds will be leading the sheep astray (Jeremiah 50:6).
The fact of the matter is that the Lord saying “I Never Knew You” will happen to many that practice religion in today’s churches. Those that feel they are righteous because they tithe & regularly attend church functions. Those that blindly follow their pastors without reading the Word for themselves. Those that don’t focus on having a personal relationship with Jesus. Those that don’t break away from all these traditions that come from man, not God. They run the risk of never actually knowing the Lord, but only knowing tradition that has nothing to do with what God has told us. On His day when he calls His church home, many of them will not get the call and will question & ask the Lord “Why! Why! Why! He will say:
“I never knew you”
In Closing
While this message is not a message that many would like to hear, it is the message that many need to hear. The Lord is coming soon. The church needs to break away from all traditions of men (Colossians 2:8). They need to break away from the love of the things of this world (1 John 2:15-17). They need to follow God in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). They need to renew their minds in the Word of God and bring every thought captive to Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:5). Break bondage that has trapped them for many years. Bondage & traditions that has kept them out of alignment with the Word of God.
Become more humble and be willing to say to yourself:
“Maybe I don’t know the Lord the way I should”
“Maybe I have been following tradition & religion, instead of focusing purely on relationship”
Come to this understanding so that you will be saved and never hear the Lord say “I never knew you” and that you were lukewarm. These are great risk for Christians in the church. There are many other warnings in the book of Revelations chapters 2 &3 addressed to the seven churches. The simple to do item after receiving this message is this:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV)
Have a conversation with the Lord and make sure that these risk are no longer a concern for you and those you love. God Bless!
Please read any of the following articles that may help break bondage coming from the traditions of men
Christians Need to Know the Pagan History of Christmas
What It Means for Christians to Not Be of This World
