Before I was born again some family members who didn't approve of me, claimed to be Christian and attended church faithfully.
After I became born again my life changed completely and my family members still didn't approve of me. It was strange because I thought that when they found out I was a believer they would be excited and we would have something in common and perhaps be able to build a relationship. I was very naive in those days thinking that if someone was a Christian they would be kind and loving.
I believed God gave all believers "the fruit of the Spirit", but found out that very few people I knew had this fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law."
I thought they were unkind to me because I wasn't a Christian. I found out that they were unkind and unloving because they wanted to dislike me no matter what I did. As the scapegoat of the family it seemed as though they chose to see me the way they wanted to see me, that is unworthy of love.
What I discovered was that when I began to read the Bible and believe God when He spoke, it made them angry. I came against divorce and remarriage because God was against it. I didn't watch certain things on television because I was sensitive to what God thought of what I did. I didn't preach at them, I just addressed things as they came up to me.
I didn't believe all the psychology everyone was teaching in the churches and I began to notice my Christian family violated more scripture than they obeyed but lived lives that were not horrendous but not all that much different from the unsaved friends I moved on from. In fact, they seemed to enjoy the unsaved family members more than they did those who were deeply Scriptural.
Then one day as I was praying, the light bulb went on in my mind. I realized that it was possible that my "Christian" family may never have been born again. They were so proud of how good they were and how well they fit into the modern church that they elevated themselves to a special status, intensely convinced they never needed to repent, or at least acted as though they didn't. They treated the Bible like it was a book of suggestions that they could ignore, or edit in and out whatever they pleased.
The things in life that I moved away from they still loved. The ways from God's Word that I wanted to obey Him, they mocked. I began to ask; "what part of the Bible do they actually obey?" Yes, they didn't commit crimes but they were mean and rude to those they wanted to dominate. They were superficial and phony to those they wished to impress.
Never at any time when I have been with them did I see the fruit of God's Spirit. All I saw were rude comments, joking, prideful boasting, and worldliness. They never brought up the name of Christ and when I did they acted embarrassed.
Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law."
I asked myself; "wouldn't it make sense that when one believer meets another believer that the Spirit of God in one would leap for joy at the presence of the Spirit of God in the other? I confess that I feel nothing when in their presence except the sense of wanting to flee. We seem to have nothing in common not even Biblical principles that should dominate our lives.
I remember the account of John the Baptist in his mother's womb leaping for joy at the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary. The Spirit of God can be sensed in believers, it brings great joy and connection to all who have the Spirit of God in them.
Sadly too many people who think they are saved have never been born again and yet God said; "you shall know them by their fruit. " You know, all those lovely character qualities of Christ Who lives in us. Love, Joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, and self-control, seem to be absent from so many people who attend church gatherings every single week.
I fear more are lost than are saved in our day. And, so many believe they are going to heaven but will hear terrifying words on judgment day.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “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. 22 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?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
They do not break the laws and commit crimes of this world, but they hate the commands and principles of God every day as they walk in their pride about how good they think they are and ignore the principles and commands of God they don't like.
Little do they realize Jesus Christ is the very essence of His Own Word, to deny His Word is to deny Him.
Matthew 10":32-34 "32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. 34 Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.…"
I thank the Lord I found Christ in spite of my cultural Christian family experience. I know if I had thought their brand of Christianity was the real thing I would never have trusted Christ.
Praise God for His Word!!!!
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