"The CHURCH is UNSAVED" - Andrew Strom.
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
-by Andrew Strom.
It is an interesting fact that Charles Finney spent his entire ministry
preaching to professing Christians. And yet he was called the
greatest 'evangelist'! What he was doing was evangelizing the
church people - because he found that most of them were not living
in a state of true salvation at all. The church was 'unsaved'! Thus his
first calling was to the believers of his day - to see them converted.
-Just like Jesus and the apostles were called first to the Jews - the
'believers' of their time. Finney found himself preaching piercing
salvation messages his whole life in church buildings, Bible Colleges
and so-on. The "Christians" must be saved.
Actually, you see this pattern in most Revivals down the centuries.
In many cases, what Revival was, was the church coming into true
SALVATION for the first time. They THOUGHT they were saved
before, but they had been under a delusion. When the 'Revivalist'
arrived and preached to them, suddenly they saw that they were
undone and in a lost state, and multitudes were converted. Revival
almost always begins with the church.
I believe it is no different today, especially in America where church
attendance is very high (-around 40 percent) - the highest percentage
in the world. Everyone agrees that there is a lot of 'nominal' Christianity and
'social' Christianity going on - as well as a huge number of people who attend
churches where they are told they are 'saved' when clearly they are not.
It is difficult not to come to the conclusion that most of these churches
are like "holding pens" for the damned - telling people that they are
'OK', when in reality they are headed for destruction. Personally, I find
this very hard to take. What will God do to the preachers who are
lulling the flock to sleep in this way? And when will men be found who
will dare to tell the "Christians" that many are not 'saved' at all - but
still in their sins? -Such is the role of the true prophets of God.Such
is the role of the coming "John the Baptists".
Of course, Finney was hated and despised by church men for saying
such things. How DARE he preach in such a way that assumed that
many 'fine church members' were unsaved? How offensive and ill-
mannered! But Finney had such a passion and a burden to REACH
THE 'CHRISTIANS' with the gospel. -And this was exactly what God
had called him to do.
Today we see exactly the same thing in the West as Finney saw in
his day. We see a church that is very largely UNSAVED. A truly
"saved" church (in the New Testament sense) behaves and looks and
sounds utterly different to what we have today.
Even in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles we often find many
"previously-saved-but-no-longer-walking-in-it" believers. Friends, this
is not a state of 'salvation'. The Bible is very clear that only those
who CONTINUE in New Testament Christianity and who "overcome"
will be saved. These people are lost. You are either walking as a 'new
creature' in love with Christ or you are not. If you are not walking in it
then do not assume you are "saved" - no matter what some preacher
tells you. It is all or nothing with God. The Bible tells us to "work out
our salvation with fear and trembling". I would be very surprised if
more than a quarter of the West's so-called "Spirit-filled" believers
are actually walking with a clean heart before God. What on earth do
they think will happen to them on Judgement Day?
Added to this, we have millions upon millions of 'mainline' believers
who literally NEVER get the opportunity to find out about "FULL"
salvation. -The Holy Spirit is never made real to them, and many have
never been fully BAPTIZED in water, either.
Now, we have already discussed in the past how people became
Christians in the Bible. We know that there were THREE THINGS
that always needed to happen when someone wanted to become a
Christian in the New Testament. - (1) Repentance, (2) Water Baptism
and (3) Being filled with the Holy Spirit. -Every time, these were the
three things that happened STRAIGHT AWAY. (-See Acts).
As I have said before, the doctrine of "Asking Jesus into your heart"
does not exist in the Bible, and personally I would come very close
to calling it a lie from the pit of hell, because it falsely assures people
that
they are "saved" just because they have 'prayed a little prayer'. It is very
dishonest and totally unscriptural.
So we know that a basic "New Testament Christian" is someone
who has (1) Repented, (2) been Baptized (immersed) in water, and
(3) been Filled with the Holy Spirit (-accompanied by 'tongues', as
far as we can tell in Scripture).
So how on earth do we reach all these vast millions who are being
duped with this half-Christianity of "Asking Jesus into your heart" -
but never hear the full gospel? What on earth can be done to get
this message through to them?
This is a burden that is very much on my heart. And I am convinced
that only the coming "John-the-Baptist" ministries will have the
anointing to break through the walls of 'Religion' to reach these people
with the truth. We are talking about millions upon millions of precious
souls here. And they are people who DO BELIEVE in God. But they
have been lied-to, and the real truth has been denied them.
I am convinced that the coming harvest will BEGIN IN THE CHURCH.
It will begin with converting the "CHRISTIANS". -This has always been
God's order. "First in Jerusalem, then in Judea...."
I am deeply burdened for the church in the West. Let the new "Charles
Finneys" arise. Let the trumpet sound go forth. The message of
PIERCING REPENTANCE must be heard in the land once again.
And the idol of "Mammon" must surely be one of it's key targets.
I am convinced that such prophets must arise for Revival to come
to the West in these days. "For the word of God is quick and
powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword." -May this mighty
sword be brought to bear on the walls of Religion and false
'assurance' in these days.
God bless you all, my friends.
Kindest regards in Christ,
Andrew Strom.