Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Do You Know Jesus?

"Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn." -- Matthew 13:30

Every Sunday there are folks in church who aren't saved. No. I'm not talking about those who don't claim to know Jesus. I'm talking about people who call themselves Christians. Surprised? I'm sure a lot of other people are too, including a few who think they are Christians.

See, some people believe that going through the motions makes them a Christian. So they attend church most Sundays. They may give money. They may even volunteer on a committee or two. They do what they're supposed to do. Or what they think they're supposed to do. Church is just another job, an obligation, in a life filled with responsibility.

But they've never given their hearts to Jesus. They'll tell you about Jesus, much like a student reciting the answer to a teacher's question. They don't read and study the Bible. They may pray in public but they don't understand prayer that comes from deep within us. They've never felt that gut-wrenching grip that comes when a Believer holds on to Jesus with everything in her might.

It's heartbreaking really. How do you witness to someone who thinks he already has all the answers? How do you explain how it feels when the Holy Spirit enters your body? How do you tell them the difference between knowing who Jesus is in your mind and knowing Him as Savior and King in your soul?

Of course, some of the non-believers are truly good folks who don't understand. Others, no doubt, are blinded by a Satan intent on leading Believers astray. Sometimes you can tell the difference by a person's actions. A Christian lives life differently from a non-Christian. Other times it's impossible to tell who is and who isn't a Christian. No one knows our hearts except the Father.

Jesus has promised that one day He will return and sift through the crop of Believers, separating the "weeds" from the "wheat." Then, and only then, will we know for sure who among us is a Believer. In the meantime, each of us should ask God to search deep within us and remove any doubts. We should cry out to Jesus, not only for ourselves but for those around us who truly don't know our Savior so that they, too, might know His goodness and salvation.