3 Questions

"Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God" John 3:3..."Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Luke "Did you receive the Holy Spirit since you believed?" Acts 19:2...."It is amazing how church people who have been left alone so long and not disturbed from the pulpit react when such pointed questions are asked: they resent them as intrusions into their private and personal affairs." Vance Havner

Havner once wrote that he believed that three questions should be emphasized in any Christ centered church; Have you been born again?... Is Jesus your Lord?... Have you been filled with the Spirit? Simple questions that are too infrequently asked of most members of a fellowship, if they are asked at all. We don't mind if these questions are asked of the unchurched and unconverted, but let them be asked of us and for sure, the one who asks is poking the hornet's nest.

We have slipped into the deception of believing that because someone is regularly seen in worship services, they would answer yes to all three of the questions. To ask them is seen as rude, even judgemental. We say our job is to love everyone and let God decide who is, and who is not His. This is a cop-out of the highest order. Of this Havner says, "If this is as serious as we say, isn't it important enough to bring to the attention of every soul knowing that any one of them might be in eternity before tomorrow?" I'm convicted by this question. How about you?

The fact of the matter is, in the majority of evangelical fellowships, only the first question is much asked, and even that one comes forth in a watered down manner. We encourage people to "choose Jesus," as if we're doing Him the greatest favor in the choosing. Somehow we forget the Scripture that tells us that He chose us even before we knew Him. We invite the lost to come to Him, but usually don't tell them why they must, and the consequence of refusing to do so. There is no conviction of and confession of sin. There is no true repentance. Therefore there is no true transformation. They've believed on a Savior who has yet to actually be their Savior. That's why the first question must be asked in such a way that it pierces the heart of the one who is asked.

As for the second question, is He our Lord, we give almost no thought to it when we say that He is. The reality is that Jesus is welcome in many fellowships as Savior, but not as Lord. This is not new. The crowds were with Jesus as He healed them, fed them, and provided for them. In John 6, when He called them to total surrender, most turned back. Our flesh doesn't have a problem with the Jesus as Savior Package. It's with the Jesus Is Lord one that it rebels. Our flesh knows that a death sentence has been pronounced upon it when He truly becomes Lord.

The last question may be the most avoided of all. We have so little understanding of what it is to be filled with the Spirit. Certainly bad teaching has given rise to excess in the ministry and understanding of the Holy Spirit, but Scripture is clear that there is a work of the Spirit that ushers in the fullness of His life and power. It enables us to live an overcoming life and frees us from the control of our flesh with all its impulses. This fullness gives us the power to live in the victory we are called to, commanded to in Scripture. The weakness of so many believers today testifies to the lack of His fullness in so many lives.

These questions demand answers. Yes, they can make us uncomfortable, to as Oswald Chambers put it, "shuffle our feet in His Presence." But if the church in the west is to be what He has purposed us to be, they must be addressed. We can be sure, there will be backlash from those comfortable in their "faith," but who is it that we serve?

I'm not proposing some kind of inquisition here. Just a commitment to address these questions from our pulpits. Havner tells of a missionary who in the field, after each service of whatever church she was in, stationed herself at the door and asked each as they left, "Have you been born again?" In some way, that, and the other questions must be asked whenever we proclaim His Word and Truth. Is it being asked in your fellowship? What do you suppose would be the answer if it were? What would be the answer from you? Are you truly transformed? Is He truly your Lord? Do you truly walk in all the fullness of the Holy Spirit?

Blessings,

Pastor O