Coasting Your Way to Heaven....

Sunday I heard a sermon by a local preacher. I was more than a little confused by and concerned about what this preacher taught his congregation. The preacher is doing a sermon series on the letter to the Romans. This particular Sunday he preached on Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." The sermon was about believers being free from the condemnation due us because of the finished, atoning work of Christ. However, he made a statement that I totally disagreed with and found it contradictory to what Scripture actually teaches. Normally, if I didn't agree with something I would study it further, perhaps agree to disagree, and go on my merry way. But I feel that this is a very important difference and I also think it is a very dangerous teaching to whomever might hear it. I am afraid it is not an isolated case of false teaching. I have heard it preached in many churches I have visited.

The preacher said that no Christian will suffer condemnation because Christ suffered the condemnation for us. I agree with that wholeheartedly. However, he began saying that it didn't matter what type of Christian you are. He said you could be a church going Christian or not, a tithing Christian or not, and neither of you would suffer condemnation. I still agree with him on these points. The Bible never put tithing or church attentance as a condition for salvation.....BUT the next thing he said was quite surprising..."You can have fruit in your life or you might not ever have one piece of fruit in your life...it doesn't matter. You still will suffer no condemnation." This is where I disagree. He went on to say that there were some people who had the idea that once they got "saved" they could live how ever they wanted and just "coast their way to heaven." On the contrary another believer may live a Christlike life and show good fruit, but neither believer will be condemned. At first I couldn't believe what I was hearing preached. But it occured to me that he was serious when several "amens" echoed throughout the church. That was even scarier when I realized all these people in his congregation agreed with him. I completely disagree with him and think his teaching is dangerous. Here's why:

The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is a free gift given to us through the grace of God. We do not deserve it, and we never will deserve it. But the Bible is also clear when it says that there is more to salvation that merely believing that Christ is the Son of God. Scripture says even demons believe that and they tremble. The only way to be saved is through faith and repentance. Repentance is an active word. You have to do something...You have to realize that you are a sinner and you turn from your sins and practice those things no more. Now I am not saying that if you sin after accepting Christ you would lose your salvation...God forbid. Christ knew we would sin after we were saved and He promised to mediate for us and forgive our sins.

However there is a difference between living for God and occasionally falling into sin and on the other hand never turning from sin and continuing to live to self. The verse that the preacher used spoke of no condemnation to those in Christ, but the rest of the verse that the preacher ignored said..."who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." When the preacher said one could accept Christ and show no fruit and coast to heaven, with no threat of condemnation, he was dead wrong. Christ is clear that when someone is saved his life is changed and sin no longer has a hold on that person. We, as Christians, are to strive for godliness daily. God did not spend so much scripture talking about holy living and fruits of the Spirit as just options for believers. He never said, "You can either live for God or live for yourself. Your pick. But don't worry, as long as you answer the altar call, you can coast your way to heaven, and there will be no condemnation for you." I believe this teaching is dangerous because so many people, especially young people, are willing to believe it. They may be convicted to get saved, but instead of repentance and faith, they are told they don't have to change their lives. Because of this they go on living without the fruit of the Spirit, because the Spirit is not there. Yet they are tricked into believing they are on their way to heaven, and they never repent.
The Bible is very clear on this subject. Here are a few verses to back up my position. This is too important of an issue to overlook.

Matthew 7:16-20
"You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs or thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit....Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. "

Romans 6:1
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin , that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

Romans 6: 21
"What fruit had ye then in those things wherof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."

Romans 8:13
"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."

James 1:22
"Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves"

1 John 1:6
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness we lie, and do not know the truth: But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."