What is your profession of faith worth?

Over half of the population in America adheres to some form of religion,  with many claiming to be a Christian based on a verbal commitment made by them to Christ.  The true Gospel of Jesus Christ is not based on a verbal profession or an action performed by the sinner, it is based on grace that is made available because Christ has been crucified and rose from the grave. Sin has been atoned for by God's own Son;  Paul Washer accurately tweets this 'Christ not only died for our sin, but because of God’s character: God cannot justify the wicked w/o satisfying the demands of His justice.'
We are sinners, dead in sin, in bondage to sin which has power over us. How can someone in this dead state of bondage merely say they believe and commit their lives to Christ and it be real? If we have no power over sin, how can a verbal profession free us from our bondage to sin and transform us? It can't, which is why a profession of faith is worthless unless there is evidence God has regenerated you.  So, what is your profession of faith worth? NOTHING...after all, even demons acknowledge Christ is the Son of God.  In Mark's Gospel, a man has an unclean spirit, this demonic spirit cries out  "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" - Mark 1:24 Here a profession of who Jesus is is acknowledged by an evil spirit.   Another instance of demons believing is found in Luke 4:41,  'Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ. ' I have encountered those who use the 'Roman Road' {Romans 10:9-10} as an evangelistic tool and argue all one has to do is confess with their mouth and believe in their heart, or their heart of hearts that Jesus is Lord and presto!! Instant Christian.  What do they make of this -   'You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. ' - {James 2:19} Demons believe, they acknowledge Christ is 'the Holy One of God', the 'Son of God', and they shudder  [ meaning ' to shudder, to be struck with extreme fear, to be horrified]as they claim this.  Christians in America profess Christ and do not even bat an eyelash, it's just empty words spoken from deceitful lips that verbalize a thought produced on a whim; there is no deep understanding of the Holy One of God, there is no fear of who God is.  A dumbed down society repeats phrases and prayers like a parrot repeats what it hears over and over and over.

Demons have an understanding of who God is, and they are terrified. How will God distinguish between demons, who profess Jesus as the Son of God and shudder, and Christians, who profess Jesus as the Son of God, and do not shudder?  The fact that Christians do not shudder is evidence they have no understanding of who God is; His holiness - being set apart, exalted high above His creation, being pure, without sin, detesting sin, being repulsed by sin, His righteousness, His power, His majestic presence which causes men to fall to the ground as though they were dead.  Job  knew what it meant to fear God, 'therefore am I troubled at His presence: when I consider, I am afraid of Him'. -Job 23:16
The Apostle Paul’s terrifying encounter with the Holy One of God can be read in Acts 9:4, ‘and he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, ‘Saul, Saul, why persecute thou me?’ And he said, ‘who art thou Lord? And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, who thou persecutes. It is hard for thee to persecute against the pricks. And he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what wilt thou have me do?’ Acts 9:4-6 Paul was terrified  at the appearing of Christ and the words He spoke. It knocked him to the ground, this proud religious Pharisee was leveled and brought down by a Holy God.
 Notice how others responded when they saw the Lord Jesus, men such as the Apostle John; 'and when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. He laid his right hand upon me saying unto me, "Fear not; I am the first and the last". Revelation 1:17. Seeing Christ caused John's knees to give, his breath to become shallow, his heart to race, his strength to leave him; he literally collapsed from holy fear.
Daniel's encounter is similar, from Daniel chapter 10, starting with verse 5 'Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: his body was also like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel alone saw the vision; for the men that were with me saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell upon them so they fled to hide themselves. Therefore, I was left alone and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.' verse 11- 'and he said unto me, 'O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto you and stand upright, for unto you am I now  sent.' And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then said he unto me, 'fear not Daniel'.
Again, fear and a jelly-like state overcame Daniel, all his human strength was drained out of him and replaced with a fear few grasp; the only reason Daniel and the others did not die of fright is because they were strengthened by the power of Christ...  what chance does a  Christ rejecting sinner have when he/she stands before the bar of God?


Paul Washer explains what distinguishes a true believer from one who merely gives lip service in his article entitled "The" Gospel' {found in the 69th edition of Heartcry Magazine},  'In the Gospel of Jesus men are taught that a mere profession of faith alone is no sound evidence of salvation. Jesus warned that not everyone who says to Him 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those whose lives are marked by obedience to the will of God'.  Those who are deceived will accuse Paul Washer of teaching salvation by works,  ignorance is the reason for this misunderstanding.  This is what our Lord was saying in John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."  Only a heart transformed by the power of God can walk in obedience to the will of God.  The problem is that the true Gospel is no longer taught; we have a watered down, shallow,  accursed gospel that is wildly popular everywhere and produces more goats than any fertility drug could ever produce.  How sad is it that demons have a deeper theology than most professing Christians!

Examine yourselves, test yourselves to see if you are in fact a true, born again child of God. Go to His word, cry out to Him. Read 1 John and compare your life to it. What is in your heart, what do you love, what consumes your time, finances, thoughts? What is the first thing on your mind when you get up and the last thing when you lie down?
This is no light matter, eternity is forever...