Who is Israel-15

The concept of a remnant is critical in understanding the major problem in the church today! How many who actually attend some church are truly born again? This is not a trivial question. Let us look at what Jesus taught to the Jews in His day in His longest recorded teaching, which is the ‘Sermon on the Mount’.

Matthew 7:13  "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 7:14  "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 

Most people have heard messages on the ‘Sermon on the Mount’. But, how many of put these words together to understand the immense problem of false religions?

What is the percentage distribution between many and few? Clearly it is not 50/50, nor is it 80/20. Based on surveys, the messages of false teachers and their followers, and experiences within churches I have attended it is more in like 97/3. This is the many contrasted to the few, the wide and the narrow. Just like with the previous posting on the 7000 who had bowed before Baal among millions.

This becomes even more alarming in the following verses.

7:15  "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 7:16  "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 

7:17  "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 7:18  "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 7:19  "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 7:20  "So then, you will know them by their fruits. 

Here we read one of Jesus’ many warnings on false teachers. These are the teachers leading people the many into Hell.

7:21  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 

This warning begins with the many who reverently address Jesus as Lord, Lord. They clearly know His name, what He has done, and who He declares Himself to be. Yet, simply declaring His name means very little in this world and nothing toward your eternal life. Obedience is what truly matters.

7:22  "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 

This is a very impressive list of significant accomplishments. If they stood before your congregation, what would you say of think? Most likely the majority of those in attendance would think well of them and be impressed with their ‘fruit’. Pay attention to the words, on that day. That implies judgment day.

7:23  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' 

This would be the greatest shock anyone could face in their entire lives. At the end of their lives, as they assumed they actually had been doing the Lord’s work, they stand condemned and sentenced to Hell!

Notice what the Lord did not say. He did not call them liars. He did not say it was not enough fruit. He went right to the main and only condition they did not meet. They were never known by the Lord!!! Oh, He knew them, He knew everything about them, but He had never entered into a personal, life changing, relationship with them. They had never fully surrendered their lives to Him. They were and are members of the many!

1 John 3:4  Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 

John 14:15  "If you love Me (the LORD), you will keep My commandments. 

More next Saturday