We have Hollywood actors, singers, TV personalities, and other worldly people claiming to be Christians. I believe it would be unlikely you are a Christian and, at the same time, be a part of Hollywood or be famous.
I believe people have the wrong concept of Christianity, and you can blame that on worldly denominations and churches that don’t teach the truth. Their water-down version of Christianity is an abomination to me, let alone to God.
The idea that’s been floating around that if you are a Republican, you’re a Christian is a lie and nonsense. Being in a certain political party has nothing to do with you being a Christian. Nothing!
If you are on a TV news outlet, it would almost be impossible to be a Christian and read the lies and garbage that the news outlets come up with.
Again, these famous Republicans on the news claim Christianity.
Being a Republican is okay, way better than a Democrat, but that does not make you a Christian.
The Bible teaches that you will know them by their fruits. Not by what political party they’re in or what news outlet they’re on.
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
If you’re unsure of the fruit you can find them in Galatians 5.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Peter 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears,
2 Timothy 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
I firmly believe that Jude 1:2 is precisely what the church needs to return to, which is to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints,” not the watered-down version being taught today.
Jude is believed to have written his epistle between AD 67 and 80. An observable decline in the teaching of what was salvation prompted his writing. This raises the question: How far off is the teaching of what is salvation in present-day churches?
Jude 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Jude 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Jude 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
The scripture in Philippians 2:12 is a great guide for ensuring you have real salvation.
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
The essential point here is to approach this with both fear and trembling.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Psalms 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
What is the fear of the Lord?
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Arrogancy means to be lifted up, be raised up, be exalted.
Froward mouth means a perversity or fraud mouth.
This is a good example of people who become famous that are arrogant and fraudulent.
Jude 1:2 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
I will write down a few scriptures, and you can decide if these celebrities or many who appear on what is supposed to be Christian TV or are on what are supposed to be Christian websites are real Christians. I believe you will come to the same conclusion as I do.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and money.
John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
1 John 3:17 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
The world doesn’t hate these famous people; it loves them!
The only ones who will disagree with this are churchgoers who are worldly and don’t go by the word of God. They don’t care for the truth that teaches they aren’t themselves Christians, and the worldly people that they follow are not Christians.
2 Timothy talks about churches that do not teach the Bible but are more interested in the world and filling seats.
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.
I read on a so-called Christian site that a great Christian boxer is retiring. I don’t believe you can pound someone’s face in and call that Christian or loving your neighbor.
Romans 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
It has become ridiculous and right-out evil what some denominations call Christian and the excuses they use to make it sound like it’s Christian.
You must be an individual who puts the word into action, not just someone who passively listens to it.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
The lukewarm church has its own definition of a Christian, but it differs from the Word of God’s definition of a Christian.
Revelations 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
It has become that you are a Christian without any evidence of living by Christian values. The new false teaching is everybody is a Christian without any fruits just by saying you are one. Just claiming to be a Christian does not automatically make you one.
The lukewarm denominations consider it a significant event when a celebrity declares they are Christian. However, an individual’s worldly status has no relevance to Christ, nor is He interested in their fame.
From Bartenders to sports figures, movie stars to worldly singers to politicians, to world leaders are proclaim to be Christians. However, their actions and behaviors do not demonstrate the qualities and virtues associated with the fruits of the Spirit as described in Christian teachings.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
The term “Christian” means Christ-like or like Jesus. It’s difficult to assert that these worldly individuals are anything like Jesus. If your perception of Christianity is distorted by what you see in lukewarm churches and read about on supposed to be Christian sites, you need to spend more time reading the Bible.
Studying the Word instructs us to delve into the depths of the Bible and discern it correctly.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The scriptures in 1 John clearly reject the notion of famous individuals labeling themselves as Christians.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
The word Christian was first used in Antioch for real followers of Jesus, not just someone saying I’m a Christian.
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Before then, they were called the way because they were of a certain way and different from worldly people.
Acts 9:2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
And what way was that? Jesus said he was the way.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus’ way, Jesus’ truth, and Jesus’ life to come unto the Father.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1 Peter 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
1 Peter 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1 Peter 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Many will go to the lake of fire, but only a few will find the truth.
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Many claim to be Christian but Jesus never knew them.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work sin.
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