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No Longer a Bystander
Columns on the intersection of religion and culture
The Unsaved Christian
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” [1]
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Not many things worried Jesus. But he seemed nervous about the destructive power of fake followers. He warned his disciples several times that some among them would betray him, they would stop following him, in today’s lingua franca,[2] “defriend” him. They would appear to be his followers, they would participate in “Christian” activities and missions, but when it came right down to it, they didn’t believe in Him. That word believe is loaded. We will get back to it.
It must be acknowledged that the problem of fake followers of Jesus is not new. History is dotted with this human problem of following the crowd without thinking. Celsus, a Greek philosopher and opponent of early Christianity, boasted of convincing Christians to recant their faith and to openly worship Caesar. He found when under threat, many Christians would capitulate, anything to take the pressure off. Many modern philosophers do the same but have substituted the ancient stretch rack with grades and admittance into PhD programs. When under duress, it is common for people to walk away from Christ. Dropouts and disaffiliation—the ones and the done’s, the duh’s, and the never dids’ walking away from the very presence of Christ.
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“For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him. Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.” At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe and we know you are the Holy One of God.”[3]
Checking a lexicon for the word, πιστευουσιν, in Greek, usually translated believe leaves much to be desired. It only gives a lexical meaning. The word’s history along with context is much more important. It is better understood to be following, loyalty, or allegiance. You might say, faith is following, faith is obeying, faith is submission and allegiance to Jesus. It is clear that to not believe was demonstrated in fake disciples walking away from him.
Leaders of experience can view a crowd of “Christian”[4] people and know that there are many reasons for their presence in a worship or meeting venue. They also know that as soon as they offend or challenge long held assumptions some of the crowd will disappear. There were hundreds who chased Jesus around wanting something from him and he knew that he could thin the herd quite easily. He knew when He started talking about drinking his blood and eating his body that many would desert him. It was well known to his followers and certainly to John, who authored the gospel years later, that Jesus knew that they would leave. The amazing fact is, having already known the identity of his fake followers, they left on their own. He didn’t run them off—they made the decision.
What this episode does is introduce history and the church to the existence of this unsavory character among us called a fake follower, or a fan, or an admirer of Jesus. They no longer follow Jesus because he challenged their will. Jesus was telling them that he required their allegiance, body and soul, complete submission of their wills to his. This often is a deal breaker for those who just love Jesus until he stops giving to them what they decided they needed from him. They are thinking he gives me hope to see my dead family members again, he helps me deal with my losses in life, he can provide food and shelter, healing and health, joy rather than sorrow. But then he asks for everything—my will, my agenda, my right to make my own decisions—that is too much. I’m out’a here. He asked me to take up my cross and follow him to the place of the skull—it’s fanatical, it’s cultish, it’s not practical.
The Apostle Peter spoke for the truly “Christian” follower with words that describe us. Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe and we know you are the Holy One of God.”[5
An indicator that you have given yourself to Jesus is when you see no alternatives that make sense to you anymore. Judas was in such despair he hung himself. Peter fell apart in the courtyard of Caiaphas, denied Jesus three times, and went to the dark side. Once you have been reborn—and at this point Peter had as much of God as God had revealed in this pre-Christian, pre-Church era—you can’t turn back. There is no place to go! Peter and the inside circle were without options. We have the advantage of knowing about his denials and Judas’ betrayal, but Jesus already knew about it as well. Peter spoke for us. We’ve got no place to go, it’s too late, I’m in forever, I can’t get out, I don’t want out. One of life’s saddest sights are once vibrant Christian leaders, authors, pastors, who give up the faith and walk away. They became sad shadows of what they once were. Their lives are diminished, their impact most often gone, and they pathetically attempt to stay in the spotlight. But once you’ve had God’s blessing and he controls the spotlight, all other lights are dim.
You can’t make yourself a disciple.
For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him. Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”
The first mistake we make in interpreting Jesus’ teaching is attempting to squeeze it into 21st century theological categories. Our minds experience a bit of theological vertigo, the hermeneutical room begins to spin, we grab on to what is familiar to stabilize ourselves.
It appears at first to say it is all predestined, that the high Calvinists are right.
The truth is that both things are true, this is why it is all called a mystery. A mystery so profound that it can’t be discovered by great detective work. It must be revealed.[6] The mystery is that salvation is a collaborative effort. God initiates, he includes our will without violating it. It is so profound that we can only participate knowing we have chosen, but God was behind it all along.[7] We humans want God to break it down and give us percentages of who did what in human salvation. No, God says, I want you to live as though both things are true. Yes, I planned it, and yes, you choose it every day and what you decided matters and makes a difference. This is why it is called a mystery. Get on your knees world, it’s the smart place to be.
When we, those who admit that we belong to God and are called to his service, get into conversation with a person interested in becoming a follower of Christ they often will say, “I would like to believe, but I can’t.” Our impulse is to encourage them to give it a try. But I would advise against the “give it a try” approach. Because the first step toward Christ is repentance. And repentance is clearly a work of the Holy Spirit.[8]
For we would be asking them to do something they cannot do, to make themselves a Christian.
I’m not saying this because I am a new or old Calvinist, because I’m clearly not, at least most days. I find that some days I am quite in tune with predestination and others when I am powerfully on the human will side of the argument. The reason for this is that both are taught in scripture and we live life in the middle voice. Some days I’m very much in the active voice, it’s up to me. And other days I am in the passive voice, I’m a meat puppet being manipulated by current events. But in the end, I throw up my hands because the truth is we live in the middle voice where there is mutuality of responsibility and action.
I think it was Saint Thomas Aquinas who wrote, “God moves our will without violating it.” I believe that, I just can’t explain it. When someone says, “I want to believe, but I just can’t.” I would make sure they understood both the gospel aboutJesus and the gospel of Jesus. The gospel about Jesus is the one told by the apostles after his crucifixion and resurrection, ascension and promise of return. The gospel of Jesus is the one he taught while on earth. My prayer for many whom I call friends is, “Lord, I can’t make it happen, they can’t make it happen, but I would love to be there when it does happen.”
This way we can avoid creating a church populated with people who have been persuaded they are followers of Jesus by adoption of a formula, ritual or a magical prayer. If becoming a Christian a transaction then it becomes a commodity—an all-access pass to eternity, a chip to cash in at death, a way to cover all bases.
Millions have learned that they can become Christians and not follow Jesus. Yes, that is a major problem with recruiting people with a gospel that does not result in discipleship. This is what Jesus is speaking against at the end of his magnificent treatise, The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters five through seven. While his is a pre-Christian moment, and what we think of church and church membership and salvation is, to some degree, not relevant to the discussion, there is much that Jesus teaches us that is true about humans and religious choice.
Here it is, directly from the source’s mouth!
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name an performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.” [9]
What Does This Mean?
The most frightening part of this statement is that Jesus actually meant the very words he spoke. This scrambles the minds of most exegetes, because it means that a lot of theological categories are under threat. Jesus says you have to live your discipleship to make salvation real and to get you into the Kingdom life. Some people attempt to get around the performance issue by claiming this means living in the Kingdom beginning right now, while we are still living on earth. While this could be an element of his meaning, I think we know that interpretation would make Jesus words quite esoteric, refined theologically, and of interest only to scholars. I would suggest that the words are plain in their meaning, applicable to everyone, and teeth rattling to 21st Century Christians. Let me put it another way, the free ride is over, time to pony up, Church!
What true disciples and false religious disciples have in common.
Two people can sit side by side in church, one being a true believer, the other only appears to be a follower of Christ. Because they are emotionally invested in their church, everyday activity doesn’t reveal their hearts.
1. Both are orthodox in theology
2. Both are emotionally involved in the church
3. Both are working and serving in the church [10]
These are good things and should not be discounted as beneficial to the church and the people doing them. However, there are some warning signs among those who have the appearance of the genuine article. Jesus tells them, “I never knew you.” What Jesus meant by this statement is elusive and I don’t want to be too esoteric. I think, however, some speculation will be required. Knowing God is a priority, it started in the Garden of Eden, it was lost there, and humans have been seeking God ever since. Jesus was not espousing a certain theological point in the sense of a what is a creed, such as the Apostles’ or Nicene in nature. It is a simple idea, “I know who you are, I know about you, but I don’t know you as someone the Father has given to me. You are not one of my sheep, you do not hear my voice, I do not have your full allegiance. You are just following me for your own reasons and benefits. You only do my will when it suits you and fits your priorities. I admit it, this is my understanding on the general teaching that surrounds this statement. For people who do know him and hear his voice, follow him, and obey him, here are some qualities that reveal true disciples or Christians.
What sets true disciples apart?
1. They have surrendered control of their life
“As Jesus stated, the Kingdom of Heaven is only for those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven.” We can use God or serve God. There is a very big difference between the two, even though at times, it is very hard to see it in one’s self. I think the most common way to see it is to ask of myself, “I love God, I want all the benefits that God provides, I enjoy his people and the work, but if it doesn’t pay off for me and improve my life and help me reach my goals, I might need to walk. I reserve the right to make certain decisions for myself and what is in my best interests.”
2. They have abandoned self-will
Partial obedience is disobedience, delayed obedience is disobedience. Self-will is the progenitor of refined forms of disobedience. King Saul was commissioned by God to defeat the Amalekites. It’s was not a pleasant task and many of us like Saul, didn’t have the stomach for it. Allow me to quote the order:
“Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.” [11]
God also told him to warn the other nations so they could escape the punishment. Saul did that and then destroyed the Amalekites. But he spared the king’s life and many of the animals. Saul firmly believed he had obeyed God and even improved on what God told him to do by sparing a few animals for the purpose of sacrifice and worship. Samuel came and spoke God’s great dismay and disappointment to Saul and spoke the famous words that have echoed down through the corridors of history, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” [12]
Samuel tells Saul what was really in his heart, rebellion and stubbornness. Saul thought his actions were even better than God’s orders and his compassion was greater. Self-will is hubris, it is pride, it is elevating ourselves into the place of God and assuming we know what he knows.
3. Understand the cross
This seems to be an obvious point. The understanding of the cross is not found in a textbook but can be found in experience via the new birth. Without the supernatural capacity provided by the residency of the Holy Spirit, the meaning of the cross will elude any person. There are two ways to understand being a Christian. The first, which is quite common, is if I believe the right things, go to the right church and participate with the right people, God will accept me and bless me. He will save me and keep me safe. That effort eventually fails, because it is based on performance, achievement, and religious status.
The other way makes real Christians. It says, God accepts me, he has called me and saved me. Now, I will follow him and serve him as a way of saying thank you. When I understand that Jesus died the death that I should have died so I can life, then my only sensible response is to choose to make my life a living sacrifice and live my life as an offering to him.
A true story.
I had a friend who was living a double life. He was an apparently Godly man in his eighth decade of life. Yet, at night he drove around and engaged in perversity of various kinds. He was arrested one evening by a police officer disguised as a prostitute. After speaking with him and his wife, I was convinced that he was repentant and could now, because his secret was out, be held accountable. The entire congregation knew what had happened because arrests were published in the local paper. As a young pastor I decided to have him confess his sin before the congregation and to ask for forgiveness. We held the service and he did speak of his repentance, his shame, and his double life. He confessed it all to the congregation. I asked the congregation to come forward, if they were ready and able to extend a hand of fellowship and forgiveness as he began his rehabilitation and restitution process. Then I preached for a while about the cross. Finally, I pointed out that if you are scandalized by this hideous act of our shamed, but repentant and forgiven brother, and you just can’t bring yourself to forgive him—then you don’t understand the cross! It could be that you will need some time to get there, to process the shock and the shame. Eventually however, when you understand the cross, you will find forgiveness and reconciliation easy. Some of the people’s faces were flush with anger as I spoke those words. Then I told them why, “Because you think your sin isn’t as bad as his. You think you are a better person, you couldn’t be that evil, that broken, that lost.” I also mentioned that the clergy quite often are the most pompous and scandalized. I am happy to say that even though I was hindered that evening by my youth and inexperience, I spoke the truth, and I have never forgotten the lesson. Oh, almost forgot to say that prior to that service, the entire board of directors of the church attempted to stop me from holding the service, I held my ground —I knew they couldn’t fire me before the service started —too much paperwork. His wife told us that he completely changed in many ways after that, and he lived a Godly life the rest of his days.
Bill Hull
January 2023
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