In the day in which we live, one of the important tasks of Ambassadors for Christ is to face professing Christians with the fact they have never been regenerated. They don't show the characteristic signs of regeneration e.g. prayerful humility; a thirst for God's word personally and corporately; a growing love for others as described in 1 Corinthians 13; an increasing desire to know Jesus Christ more intimately. In other words, “if there's no smoke in the chimney there's no reason to think there is a fire in the fireplace.” Many “Christians” today say they have been “converted”...that is, they see some kind of advantage of being biblically influenced...they may become active in some “do goodism” that has the facade of being Christian...they have adapted a Christianized lingo...they have even learned how to “make-believe” pray...but honestly, they still live and talk like the world. I call them “almost Christians.” They have never come to the place where they have become utterly crushed because of their sin and receive the forgiveness only Jesus can give. They do not know the presence of the Spirit nor are they willing to be directed by Him. This situation is the disaster of evangelicalism today...in fact, the designation “evangelical” has lost its defining identity of true, regenerated believers. Living under the umbrella of “evangelicalism” has become a dangerous and self-deceiving place to be these days

How dreadful and terrible it will be when so many self-proclaimed “evangelical / almost Christians” find themselves confronted by Jesus Christ and sentenced to an eternity in hell because they refused to believe themselves to be totally lost sinners in need of God's only provision. Matthew 7:21-23 should strike terror in the lives of many of today's “evangelicals” -

21  “Not all who sound religious are really godly people. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,' but still won't get to heaven. For the decisive question is whether they obey my Father in heaven. 22 At the Judgment many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we told others about you and used your name to cast out demons and to do many other great miracles.' 23 But I will reply, ‘You have never been mine. Go away, for your deeds are evil.' (The Living Bible paraphrase)

My prayer for you and me this day is this: Lord, we know about self-deception and how easy it is to be self-deceived. We know folks who profess to follow Christ but their profession is self-deceived. They still want to be in control of their lives and agendas and are unwilling to humbly fall on their knees before the Lord Jesus and give themselves over to the Christ who died on a cross for them. Use us Lord to make this clear. Use us to bring others to true repentance and Spirit led lives. Empower us...embolden us to speak the truth in love. Use us as Your ambassadors to preach the gospel in all its wonder, mystery, and clarity. We pray for salvation for those “almost Christians.” Amen.