Christianity

NOT FOR EVERYONE

"For many are called, but few are chosen”

(Matthew 22:14)

True Religion

• is not “come as you are; leave as you please”

• is not “its all good with you and with me”

• is not “what do I believe the church should do for me?”

• is not a fast food joint• Is not a catering service for the

wishes of man• Is not a “quick fix” for life’s

problems• is not “let’s all agree to disagree”

True Religion – Luke 14:25-2725 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.27 "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

True Religion

• Come & hear; investigate; purge & practice– “So then, my beloved brethren, let

every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (Jas. 1:19)

– “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness” (Jas. 1:21)

– “. . . receive with meekness the implanted word. . .” (Jas. 1:21)

– “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (Jas. 1:22)

True Religion

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;

24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does

(Jas 1:22-25, NKJV)

Christianity is NOT for everyone!

• NOT because God doesn’t want everyone saved– HE DOES! 1 Timothy 2:3, 4

• NOT because Jesus hasn’t provided a way for all to be saved– HE HAS! Hebrews 2:9

• NOT because God’s commandments are TOO burdensome– THEY ARE NOT! 1 John 5:3

Christianity is NOT for everyone!

• BECAUSE:“. . .this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (Jn. 3:19).– Those in love with evil

cannot become Christians!

Being A Christian. . .

is not for those who defend denominationalism– denominationalism is built upon division

• in belief• in practice• in authority

– “that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10; cf. Jn. 17:21)

Unitarianism, faith alone, etc.Sprinkling, mechanical music, dance, etc.Creeds, tradition, etc.

Being A Christian. . .

is not for those who are not teachable11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles,

some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of ChristEphesians 4:11-13

FOR WHAT?

How the Lord sees the unteachable:“Don’t give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls to pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them and then tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6, GWV)

– for pressing the claims of the gospel, some return insult and injury

Being A Christian. . .

is not for the

MAJORITY–God’s people have always

been in the minority

Deuteronomy 7:7

“The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples” (NKJV)

1 Peter 3:20

“who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water” (NKJV)

Matthew 7:13, 14

13 Go in by the narrow door; for wide is the door and open is the way which goes to destruction, and great numbers go in by it.14 For narrow is the door and hard the road to life, and only a small number make discovery of it. (BBE)

By What Are WeMotivated?• If the majority of people will

not listen/obey, what should motivate us to teach?– we ought to imitate God’s

desire for all men (1 Tim. 2:4)– we need to help the few get to

heaven who want to(Heb. 10:24)

– we need to deliver our own soul (cf. Ezek. 2:1-7; 33:7-9; 1 Tim. 4:16)

“The best of them is like a

brier; The most upright is sharper

than a thorn hedge; The day

of your watchman and

your punishment comes; Now shall

be their perplexity.”

Christianity

NOT FOR EVERYONE

"For many are called, but few are chosen“

(Matthew 22:14)

Is Christianity For You?