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They All Aren’t Saved
Just because people attend your church, serve, and give, don’t assume they are saved.
My father-in-law was a deacon in his church for years before truly understanding the grace of God.
One of my greatest fears is that many of our churches are full of people with a false spiritual confidence.
I like to tell young preachers, you don’t fail when you invite people to repent and follow Christ and no one responds. You fail when you don’t invite people to repent and follow Christ.
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How true! My grandfather used to tell me that “assumption is the lowest form of human communication.” Never, ever assume. Far better to ask and have someone say, “Of course Jesus is my Lord,” than to assume they have made this decision only to have them miss out on an eternity with God.
Craig, just want to tell you how much young pastors like myself (on the other side of the world!) appreciate your honesty, truth, & example. Love your blog. Keep it up mate…you have a grateful generation coming up behind you. Adam
Right on the point Craig!
I just want to add something that God has put in our church heart: We’re not going to “invite” to follow Jesus anymore. We’re going to “challenge” the braves to follow him. An invitation has a “fun and have a good time” sense in it, but a challenge says “oh, yes, there is a crown, but you’ll have to fight for it’.
Don’t get me wrong, i’m not saying that “inviting” is wrong (not at all). I just want to share with you what we think was the way of Jesus: challenging people, daring people to be like Him and pay the price, challenging to let the confort.
Great point Craig!
Blessyou!
Craig
Who was Jesus concerned about and continually praying for, it was the anointed (elect or chosen, not the world)
John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
I’ve heard people say, I share the Gospel when I feel the spirit lead. Isn’t one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit to point people to Christ? When would the Spirit not prompt me to share the Gospel? I hope you keep pounding this message home.
“I like to tell young preachers, you don’t fail when you invite people to repent and follow Christ and no one responds. You fail when you don’t invite people to repent and follow Christ”
This is an amazing quote!!! Thanks
Well said!
[...] to Pastors and Worship Leaders Alike 2009 April 2 by Haemin From Craig Groeschel’s latest Swerve entry: Just because people attend your church, serve, and give, don’t assume they are [...]
It’s about being real and honest. Let go deeper and challenge others!
I love Keith Green’s take on this topic: “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian in as much as going to McDonald’s makes you a cheeseburger.” Good stuff!
The most haunting words in the whole Bible are, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” I’d either have to think Jesus was kidding or be a real jerk to not (like chejoo said above) challenge or dare people to know Him for real at every opportunity.
Amen. I have quite a few relatives that religously go to church but unfortunately do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. Pastors, please don’t assume everyone has made that decision.
Awesome stuff Craig and chejoo!
Thanks Craig, your posts this week have been great! You and your team are being a good example of communicating the truth efficiently to the people of our generation, but you’ve also proved it can be done without compromising the truth itself!
Hey Craig first of all I want to thank you for being a good example for me to strengthen my faith in Christ and keep pursuing my relationship and faith.
I just wanted to know is wrong to force somebody to believe in Christ?
Craig, thanks for the encouragment to continue to invite people to follow Christ even if no one responds. This is an area in ministry where it is so easy to give up.
I also have to say that I’m reading your “Confessions” book, and I think you are crazy! In a very very good way, that is. Just the headline on the back “Is the real you getting lost because the fake you is just so annoyingly impressive” gave me courage and hope for another week. I annoy me but your book doesn’t. It challenges me deeply.
[...] I like to tell young preachers, you don’t fail when you invite people to repent and follow Christ and no one responds. You fail when you don’t invite people to repent and follow Christ. -Craig Groeschel [...]
Craig,
I couldn’t agree with you more! As usual - spot on…
Praying dangerous prayers for churches all over the world and those who are given the opportunities to preach/teach and help others see Christ!
And, as always, you are appreciated beyond words. You/yours remain in my daily prayers.
Camey
To me it is an odd and an inadequate idea that there is, for everybody, a sudden point labelled ’saved’. I am not alone, I know, in having followed a deepening path of faith since I was about three. Was I saved then, when I first had an intuitive insight into the love of God? Just because it was not an adult understanding? Surely not, for then all our Christains who are cognitively impaired would be far from Christ which we know is not so. This has not stopped my faith form being made deeper and wider over the course of time.
Saved is not an end point. Saved is a journey. Christ is, as he says, a way. It is unhelpful to thing of those we speak to as ’saved’ or ‘unsaved’ - we need to learn to think of how we can help them and what we can learn from them.
sorry - typo - ‘was I unsaved then, just because it was not an adult understanding.
New attenders aren’t afraid to admit they don’t know and aren’t afraid to ask questions. It’s when they attend for a while that it stops–there’s an expectation that they know and understand…and are saved. You are right on–many are not. And many are simply too afraid to admit they’re not or to ask more…
Rosemary said,
I think you brought up an interesting point…
No one can really know who is saved or not, but..
Does a cognitive recognition of the truth equal salvation…?
Jesus didn’t seem to think so…
I think Jesus taught that the journey both ends and begins at salvation…
It means the self-willed journey, self lead, and self taught comes to an end in surrender to following Christ…
At that point a new journey begins, one which is Christ led, Christ taught, and Christ willed…
There is no “in between” being taught by Jesus anywhere… though there is in some seminaries and church cultures….
In fact what Jesus did teach was while many people had an intellectual surrender, or a verbal surrender, did not make them one of His followers…
In fact Jesus said plainly… “if anyone one wants to be my disciple, they must take up their cross daily and follow me…”
“Anyone who puts their hand to the plow and looks back isn’t fit for my kingdom…”
Jesus mandate was always surrender… nothing more, nothing less, however…
You can’t surrender to what you don’t trust, and you can’t trust what you don’t really believe…
There is no room with Jesus to call yourself his follower if you don’t surrender, because surrender implies trusting and believing in Him…
Though it may feel odd or inadequate to call someone “saved”… the apostle John didn’t have a problem using that label… and ensuring others that they have the hope of eternal life, and have escaped the wrath of God 1John5:12-14…
However when he wrote those things, he also meant much more than just a verbal, or intellectual ascent… he meant surrender through faith…
Are you implying that ALL are not saved?