Before I was born again I lived a life of sin, full of sadness and practices that I thought would bring me out of that sadness. But the ways I chose didn't help they only harmed me further. The more I tried to fix what was broken with humanistic thinking the worse things became.
As the years went by the Lord gave me experiences in life to show me things I had never seen before. He gave me insight into why humanity acts the way they do and that no one has the heart of gold that they want to pretend they have.
What I didn't expect was that those who said they were Christians remained jealous and mean toward me as though there had been no change. They seemed to have developed a hatred toward me for my new joy and peace which they seemed to lack. My eyes were opened to the truth around me and I could Spiritually see the anger in the hearts of those who said they were Christians.
These people didn't commit crimes but they lacked the love of the Lord for one another. They were rude and mean to anyone who spoke of the Lord openly and who was full of joy, as though they resented that they did not possess what the new believer had. These people don't seem to have a story to tell of their sinfulness before they were saved nor are they openly honest about themselves with anyone.
To this day, I remain convinced that no one can become born-again without the same brokenness that I felt on that day the Lord saved me. There is never a reason for anyone to maintain pride in themselves for their own goodness because it does not exist.
The human heart loves to appear good on the outside while on the inside rottenness and self-exaltation flourish. Most unregenerate criminals in jail for their crimes would tell you they are basically good people. Those who have never committed crimes and have lived decent lives as far as we can see will tell you the same thing, that they are basically good people.
Sadly a basically good person could never be arrogant and full of themselves nor could they boast about themselves. Born-again believers authentically changed by Christ know what they came out of, are grateful for His mercy, and can share openly many things that the Lord delivered them from.
I see so many people who attend churches without conviction of their sin of pride, without love and tenderness toward others. I see them hating on people over silly things while rejecting God's word as they claim they follow the Bible.
2 Corinthians 10:17-18
"17 Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."
God said clearly in His Word that no one is righteous and the human heart without Christ is desperately wicked. Those who want to believe they are perfect without flaws are proving they are wicked by their propensity to exalt themselves as gods just as Satan convinced Eve to do in the garden.
Romans 3:9-20 "9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Everyone who claims to be a Christian should have fallen on their knees as I did all those many years ago. Even if they didn't rob anyone, kill anyone, or do anything against society that proved the criminality in their hearts, they did exalt themselves as though they were gods. They elevated themselves above others and judged the flaws of others that they had and still have until they repent in brokenness.
Romans 1:18
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness."
Romans 2:1
"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."
Romans 3:19
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
Romans 3:23
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
I worry more about the pretenders in the church than I do about unbelievers in one sense only, that the pretender believes they are going to heaven therefore they are harder to reach for Christ than the one who knows they have never trusted Christ.
In my estimation, the most frightening passage in God's Word is the one that says many will think they are going to heaven who will be rejected and turned away thinking they are going to heaven because of their own goodness.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
No one will stand before the Lord and say something as silly as "But Lord, I was a good person."
Psalm 51:17
"17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
2 Corinthians 7:10
"10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death."
Evidence of a broken heart over sin is the humility that comes with the fruit of the Spirit of God when Christ moves into our hearts.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Hallelujah, Christ changes those with a broken heart but resists those who are proud of how good they think they are, pride leaves when humility comes.
