I never cease to be amazed at the carnality that I see in the Church. It absolutely saddens me to no end. I see "so-called" Christians that I have personally ministered to for years and I must confess that, I truly doubt if they have really been born-again. I think that I know what Paul meant when he said to the Galatians, "I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain" Galatians 4:11.
In the end, I can only look at the fruit that I see in their lives. Of course, today that's not a very hard thing to do because you only have to take a quick glance at their Facebook and MySpace (if you feel spiritually secure enough to venture to the latter) accounts to see it for yourself. Truly, out of the mouth proceed the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Luke 6:45) and a man is known by the "Facebook" friends he keeps.
Jesus said in Matthew 12:33, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit." The Bible makes it abundantly clear that good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit. It further emphatically says that it is impossible for good trees to produce bad fruit and for bad trees to produce good fruit (Matthew 7:18). And yet, these same self-proclaimed "good trees" are producing bad fruit. Oh, don't get me wrong, they are "good" and "moral" people by the worlds standards.
I must ask why and I must conclude in the end, that we have become such a worldly bunch. Many times, our chief aim is to walk like'em, talk like'em and indeed look like'em. Our sinful culture ensures absolute conformity. Anyone who is different will stand out and receive their justly deserved criticism. I am convinced and know that it is tool of Satan himself.
Christians have got to come to the realization that God has indeed called us to be different. Jesus said in Luke 6:22-23, "Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. (23) "Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets." The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? (15) Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? (16) Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. (17) "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. (18) "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty."