America's Only Hope!: Part 3

America's Only Hope!: Part 3 Brad Reiches Oct 24 2006 01:56AM October 24, 2006 GodThoughtsWired! The following series of messages is based on George Barna's most recent research on the American Church:  "The State of the Church:  2006, A Report from George Barna."  All statistical data has been taken from this 62 page report, available to the public at www.barna.org. "America's Only Hope..." THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY INTO THE AMERICAN CHURCH PART 3 The final statistic that Barna's research provides us reveals that, at best, only 9% of today's self-defined Christians are going to Heaven...AT BEST!  Put another way, only 9% have a set of beliefs and values that are consistent with biblical definitions, commonly referred to as biblical Christianity.  In his survey, Barna set forth a Bible-based, nine-fold definition of an Evangelical, born again Christian.  This definition included the following: A personal commitment to Jesus Christ. The belief that after death they will go to Heaven based upon their confession of sins and acceptance of Jesus as Savior. Strong agreement that the Bible is totally accurate. Strong agreement that they have a strong responsibility to share their faith. Strong agreement that their faith is a very important part of their life. Strong agreement that Satan is a living being. Strong disagreement that Heaven can be earned through good works. Strong agreement that Jesus, while on earth, lived a sinless life. Belief that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing creator of the universe. While "The Barna Group definition of evangelicals is radically different from the loose terminology utilized by the media to describe some ill-defined segment of Christians," nonetheless, as defined here (with the very strong backing of scripture to affirm and confirm such definitions as biblically based and correct), among the 84% of self-defined Christians in 2006, only 9% (less than 1 out of every 10), at best, have the biblical assurance that they are what the Bible calls "Born again Christians," fully assured of eternal salvation when they die, as opposed to the eternal separation from God that Jesus warned against (see Matthew 25:41,46). A FINAL INTRODUCTORY NOTE:  According to the statistical data, "there has been no significant change in the percentage of unchurched adults during the past decade" (page 36).  While, "Prolific growth has...occurred among those who are associated with non-Christian faith groups, escalating from less than half to about six out of ten in the past decade," no significant evangelistic inroads have been made in the United States of America.  And even if the statistics indicated otherwise, of what value would this kind of church growth suggest.  Is it not as A.W. Tozer suggested more than fifty years ago?   "It is my considered opinion that under the present circumstances we do not want revival at all.  A widespread revival of the kind of Christianity we know today in America might prove to be a moral tragedy from which we would not recover in a hundred years." "Keys to the Deeper Life," A.W. Tozer, p.19   Are we not currently experiencing the "moral tragedy" that Tozer spoke of right here, right now in The United States of America?  And is it not true, do the statistics in this survey not confirm that Tozer's voice spoken more than half a century ago, was indeed, spoken under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit that annointed countless prophets before him, "There is little doubt that the teaching of salvation without repentance has lowered the moral standards of the Church and produced a multitude of deceived religious professors who erroneously believe themselves to be saved when in fact they are not.... ("The Root of the Righteous," p. 44). Brothers and sisters, if the United States of America has any hope of escaping judgement in the Twenty-First Century...NO, let me re-state that, IF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS ANY HOPE OF ESCAPING UTTER AND ABSOLUTE OBLITERATION AND ANNIHILATION, then the American Church must, once again, be evangelized.  BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY must be re-introduced to the American Church if the American people are to have any hope.   Brothers and sisters, The apostle Peter once said, "It is time for judgement to begin in the household of God" (1 Peter 4:17). Just in case you haven't picked up on it yet...JUDGEMENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN!