Not Everyone Who "Says"

I've been reading through Jeremiah this week and am struck by two things. First, I noticed that I understood it a lot better than I had the last time I read it. That is something I love about studying the Bible and ancient history. You generally don't realize you are making tiny, incremental steps forward in your understanding. Then one day you read a passage of Scripture and it opens up to you! We tend to be so impatient and want to understand it ALL ... NOW. But it just doesn't happen that way. It takes time and perseverance. And so often we are impatient and give up too easily. Trust me when I tell you it is WORTH every bit of patience and perseverance!

Secondly, I couldn't help realizing how many similarities the self-proclaimed "Christian" culture has with OT Israel. Like them, how many don't really fear God at all? How many "name the name", yet take Him for granted, ignore Him, shake their fist at His authority... and still expect His tolerance and continued blessing, as if He owed them or as if He couldn't see the true condition of their hearts. Look at these verses and tell me what you think...

"... the dread of Me is not in you" (2:19)
"... you refused to be ashamed" (3:3)
"...They have lied about the LORD And said, "Not He; Misfortune will not come on us" (5:12)
"The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so!" (5:31)
"...They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush." (6:15)
"Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail..." (7:8)
"Do they spite Me?" declares the LORD. "Is it not themselves they spite, to their own shame?" (7:19)

And how do you tell the difference between a "professor" and a true follower? Jesus Himself told us in Mt.7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me..." If we truly trust in Christ's atonement for forgiveness, it is displayed in our obedience. "Jesus ... said..., 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.'" (Jn. 14:23) Sobering.