This post features three brief videos that show well-known nominal Christians who believed they were converted but are presently leaving the church.
The vlogger who made the videos, Polite Leader, posted these with a slightly different emphasis, but in watching them I was troubled that these people are victims of the modern false gospel: easy believism; revivalism and prosperity theology.
How can I say that they are victims? These people never heard the true gospel message. They likely attended churches that presented one of the many forms of the false gospel. Hence, the foundation of their faith was built upon sand, not the rock of biblical doctrine.
Consider just a few scriptures, of many, on the matter; these scriptures talk about true conversion that happens when the biblical gospel message is presented and believed.
1Pe 1:5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
Jas 1:18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us His true word. And we, out of all creation, became His prized possession.
Php 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
2Pe 1:10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.
2Pe 1:11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:12 Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught.
In the following 10 minute video, Lisa Gungor, author, musician and songwriter, talks about the struggle of belief that she and her husband are currently experiencing:
The following 6 minute video is about Marty Sampson, music leader at Hillsong church who is “losing his faith.” As you listen, note his scant understanding of biblical doctrine; if you are versed in scripture, it should be very apparent to you:
The following 6 minute video is about Josh Harris leaving the church, divorcing his wife and possibly coming out as gay.
This video focuses on LGBT issues and apostasy. I am using it herein in reference to the latter; as I said above, I believe that he is an example of a false convert and a victim of the modern gospel:
In closing, I want to refer readers to two posts that talk about true conversion: see categories, Conversion Testimony, for the conversion story of Charo Washer, she had been in the ministry with her husband 12 years before she was converted. Also, the post on the sinner’s prayer, see: categories, Gospel message, it is among those posts and has a white face like this post.
The post on the sinner’s prayer lists famous preachers like Calvin, Wesley…who went through a “struggle of faith” that lasted more than 20 years in Wesley’s case. In that post, the 5 steps of the struggle of faith are identified. Those steps were developed by Jonathan Edwards who conducted studies on true and counterfeit conversions that occurred during the great awakenings of 1735 and 40. (I advise readers to examine their faith to see what step they are on.)
How can this be when believers say they are born again by a decision these days? Because present day believers are not biblically literate? There are few pastors / teachers who understand what it means to be truly born again…. If you read the posts on the modern gospel as recommended below, you will find that during the past 200 years, there has been a series of false gospels presented to potential converts. It certainly would have been very easy to have been self-deceived during the entire 19th and 20th centuries, to date.
The solution is biblical literacy and abiding in the means of grace ordained by God to convert and sustain the new Christian.
The truths from these two posts demonstrate that the above post is accurate about the “modern” church.
STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS:
***See, categories, Gospel Message to explore the series on the FALSE MODERN GOSPEL MESSAGE
***See, categories, Prosperity Preachers to explore their FALSE, poison doctrine that puts one on the broad road to eternal destruction and simultaneously fleeces one of his assets
***All emboldening and underscoring is mine