There was this guy I once knew. He went to the bible study my wife and I attended. He was always talking about things that he and his partner went through on the job. For some reason I thought he was a police officer. I pictured him like Starsky and Hutch.
But I was wrong. He was an insurance agent.
The thing was… I knew his name, he knew mine… we understood each other and had good conversation. I just had a wrong view of who he really was.
And so it is with so many who confess to be Christians…
They speak of knowing Jesus, but have a wrong view of who Jesus is. But does that mean that they are not saved? Are these the ones that Jesus says that He will say “I never knew you” to? Are they ignorant (choosing to ignore) or are they unlearned (having not heard).
Yes, there are those who are caught in belief systems that contradict the identity of Christ and who willingly choose to ignore the truth, holding more to their system than to the cross.
But there are those who are in those systems and are unlearned… having never heard the truth they trust those who are in roles of authority and who are the teachers above them. (One of the reasons why we should not all be teachers… James 3:1) And it is the teachers who spread these systems that will have the greater condemnation.
But what would Jesus say of those who are unlearned in the Truth, confessing Jesus, living as Christians, but having a wrong idea of who He is…
“And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.” Mark 8:38-40
Sometimes it is really difficult for us to love like Jesus. Sometimes we want so much to get people saved we forget that Jesus died for them. We lose patience.
Plant the seed… water it with love… let God give the increase.
SDG
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