Religious But Lost

Religious But Lost

It was a moving testimony. It triggered a real spiritual awakening on campus. I remember well. We had a guest speaker present a series on the “Danger of an Unconverted Ministry.” The speaker shared his personal testimony about growing up in a Christian home, attending church, and going on to Bible College and Seminary. He became ordained in an evangelical denomination and accepted a call to become a pastor. It was during this pastorate that he realized he wasn’t really converted. He wasn’t saved! His story was gripping to all us pastor-wanna-be’s. The response was soul stirring. This speaker did ultimately come to repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ. But not before he came to the realization that he must be born again!

Such was the case of Nicodemus when confronted by Jesus:

“Marvel not that I say unto thee, ye must be born again.”
- John 3:7

Now put yourself in Nicodemus’ shoes. You are the “cream of the Jewish crop.” You could not dream of having life any better than this: You are a Jew, a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin (the highest legal, legislative and judicial body of the Jews), and the most renowned Bible teacher of your day – the “Billy Graham” of first century Jerusalem. Can you imagine being Nicodemus and having Jesus tell you that all of this is not enough to get you into the kingdom of God? This is precisely what Jesus did in John 3:16, the most widely quoted verse in the entire Bible:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

If a man like Nicodemus is not good enough for the kingdom of God, then who is? There are millions just like Nicodemus -- people just like the pastor who spoke at my college -- who are diligently striving to do good things for God so that they can get into heaven. It’s sad how so many religions -- and cults! – have at their heart a philosophy of good works – the notion of doing good and “religious” things to make yourself worthy of heaven. But what did Jesus teach? Follow the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus yet again:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

It’s very simple. It’s incredibly clear: We can do nothing to receive eternal life except believe! Being religious is not the same as being a Christian. A few years ago, a book was published (based on the Book of Romans) entitled “How To Be Christian Without Being Religious.” It attempted to show that you could be a Christian without having to act “religious.” The sad truth is that more people in our world are Religious Without Being a Christian. They are lost.

So, I ask you, “Are you religious but lost?” Multitudes of good religious people are not going to make it to heaven -- people who trusted in their works to get them to heaven, rather than in His work—the work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. One more time:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

-- Pastor Mark