“These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.” (1 John 2:19 nlt)
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus delivered some sobering words to the people who followed Him: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21 nlt).
Many people in the audience that day believed that upholding the Law of Moses—that is, being “good enough”—was the ticket to the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus helped them see that changing their entire outlook was necessary. They needed to repent.
Four chapters earlier, He said to the Pharisees and Sadducees—the people whose entire lives were dedicated to upholding the Law of Moses—“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God” (Matthew 3:8 nlt). The proof of a changed life is found in a person’s response to sin. Those whose faith is genuine will be profoundly affected when they give in to sin. They will repent and restore their relationship with the Lord.
Look at David’s words after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband to be killed. “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night” (Psalm 51:1–3 nlt).
Look at the apostle Peter’s reaction after he denied being a follower of Jesus three separate times: “And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly” (Luke 22:62 nlt).
The cost was too great for us to take sin lightly. Isaiah 53:5–6 says, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all” (nlt). First Peter 2:24 says, “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed” (nlt).
People who claim to be believers, but then fall away and never come back, were not, in fact, believers. That’s the point John makes in 1 John 2:19: “These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us” (nlt). True believers will bemiserable in sin and eventually will beat a path back to the cross of Calvary. True believers will repent and receive God’s forgiveness.
Reflection question: What does genuine repentance look like in your life?
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Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
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