Watch Out for the False Christian
Jude 1:10-11, Part 1
Do you recall the last worship service you were at? You observed that guy or that gal, which made you think twice. The ones that are always there, and even though they regularly attend, they just seem to be going through the motions. It might even be you, or it may be me.
You may find yourself questioning: Why am I here? Am I saved? Why are we doing this again? Am I in sin?
How did I get to this point, where I am questioning my faith and commitment? Can I know for sure my place in the Church?
Three clear passages encourage us to observe our place in Christ.
1) Ask the Lord
"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart." [Psa 26:2 KJV]
David's prayer emphasized his desire to be found in the company of the Saints and not gathered together in the company of sinners or bloody men. "But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me." David sought the Lord's acceptance.
2) Self-Evaluation, Worthy to Worship, and part of Christ's body, the Church
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. [1Co 11:28 KJV]
Paul wrote to the Corinthians to emphasize that communion and fellowship are the exclusive territory of those who are part of the body of Christ, the Church. Take a few moments to look at 1 Corinthians 11. If any person partakes of the cup and the bread in worship and communion with Christ, and yet they are not genuine believers, they put themselves at significant risk!
How so?
They make themselves guilty of the body and blood of the LORD. - verse 27.
They eat and drink damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lord's body. - verse 29
Many of them are sick and weak, and others have died for their lack of discernment. - verse 30.
They are judged and condemned along with the world. -v 32.
There would be no reason to examine or judge ourselves if attending worship services was enough. If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged (along) with the ungodly. -verse 31.
3) Corporate Examination - All of us!
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"
[2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV]
In writing to the Corinthians again, Paul reiterates the need for the Church body to examine those claiming affiliation with Christ and His bride. If you recall, Paul's first letter addressed the acceptance of sexual and moral sin and the need to rebuke and remove unrepentant sinners from the congregation. His second letter reproved the leaders for not welcoming the repentant back into fellowship.
As we've been working our way through Jude, the letter reintroduces us to three examples of ungodly men who departed from the presence of the Lord. Like some found in our churches, Jude warned the genuine faithful to watch out for, be on guard, and look for certain types of men and women. The admonition to us is this: Do not depart from the Lord!
The three examples are given in just two short verses.
"But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. [Jde 1:10 KJV]
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core." [Jde 1:11 KJV]
These three embody the Individual, the Prophet, and the Leadership. The body of believers in a nutshell.
I've spent the last two months struggling with the portrayal of Cain in the Scriptures. The more I pondered and meditated on his life and experience, the more troubled I became. Why? Because of the same inquiries I had of Cain, I find the need to ask them all over again of myself and the Church bodies I have attended.
How is it possible that Cain, the firstborn of Adam and Eve, should have fallen so far away from the LORD? Consider the experience of Adam and Eve, who walked with the Lord in the garden in the cool of the day. An intimate face-to-face experience with their maker daily. Imagine meeting with Christ and physically experiencing him.
Somehow, Adam failed to transmit his faith experience to his son, the next generation, and what I would assume to be a godly seed. What was missing in their lives?
I was discussing this with a friend and fellow pastor, and he brought up the silence of the Word concerning Adam and Eve after they first sinned. While God provided a blood sacrifice and covered their sin, nowhere in the Bible do we find their repentance!
Jude makes clear that Cain was ungodly, and other passages make clear that Cain's offering was not accepted because he wasn't part of God's house. God told Cain to repent before Abel's murder. "If you do well and are right or righteous, won't your sacrifice be accepted? Examine yourself, Cain. If you are not right, sin lies at the door and wants to control you. Cain, you should master your sin, or your sin will master you.
After Cain murders Abel, God judges Cain. Cain then admits his position in the LORD. "From your face, God, I will be hidden," and "Cain went out from the presence of the LORD" (Genesis 4:14, 16)
Cain was of the wicked one, not of God. Why did Cain kill his brother? Because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous. (1 John 3:12)
When the Lord examined Cain, he asked, "Where is your brother?" Cain refused the exam, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Cain was one of those folks we see in Church going through the motions while their hearts are far from him.
"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:" [Isa 29:13 KJV]
Cain went to that worship and communion service, but why? Was it because he was expected to? Was he there for the optics? Would it look bad if he didn't offer something to commune with God? At that time, the household of God was small; four persons were called to worship. Examining oneself or one another was pretty simple then.
What then? Should we hide out in a large congregation or play the hypocrite in a small fellowship to hide our false religion? God forbid! Christ calls all men everywhere to repent! His desire is that none should perish or suffer eternal condemnation.
What must we do?
Return to the LORD
1) Pray with David,
"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart." [Psa 26:2 KJV]
2) Come to worship in the Spirit and in Truth.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup. [1Co 11:28 KJV]
(3) Watch out for "Cain" in your Church body.
Cain was of the wicked one, the destroyer. The wicked one comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He is a deceiver.
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" [2Co 13:5 KJV]
Cain killed Abel because Abel's works were righteous! Let that one sink in. Are you upset with others in the body because they're doing it correctly and following hard after the Lord? Do you want to destroy their ministry or faith because you envy them?
God forbid anyone claiming the name of Christ would find themselves identifying with Cain. Cain made his decision for Christ, and we all do. Cain departed from the presence of the Lord and found himself hidden from the face of the Lord.
So, where did Cain go wrong? Cain only played the part without a change of heart. When we come to Christ, our hearts are turned from stone into hearts of flesh and blood. We each follow the call to worship and communion from the heart. A righteous man confesses his sin, and being cleansed from all unrighteousness, he receives complete forgiveness because of the righteousness of Christ's shed blood.
"We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death." [1Jo 3:14 KJV]
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. [1Jo 5:2 KJV]
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. [Jhn 14:21 KJV]
How can you be sure you are in Christ and a part of His body, the Church? Love your neighbor, love the Lord, abide in Christ, and keep His Word. Don't be like Cain; don't depart from the presence of the LORD.
Check your position in Christ. Ask the Lord to examine your heart. Examine yourself and ask the Lord to assist you as you examine your life. Look around your fellowship and accept valid criticism.
Most importantly, repent and believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. There is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved. Without Christ's death and resurrection, you are still dead in your trespasses and sin. We are only made righteous by the righteousness of Christ.
There is no hope apart from Christ.