WHY AREN'T YOU A CHRISTIAN?

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. This would be a good question for all of us to ask all of our
      friends, neighbors, and relatives.
      1. If you are not a Christian, it would be a good question to  
         ask yourself.
   B. I heard of an old gospel preacher once who always asked those
      with whom he came in contact if they were Christians.
      1. If they said they were not, he would ask them why they were
         not.
      2. If they said they were, he would say, "How do you know
         you are."
      3. He converted a lot of people that way. We need more like
         him.
   C. In this lesson we want to consider some reasons why some aren't
      Christians.

I. SOME ARE NOT CHRISTIANS BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF RIDICULE.
   A. Some are afraid of ridicule from friends and associates.
      1. The church is unpopular with most; it will always be
         ridiculed by some. 1 Pet. 4:4
         a. We must not be ashamed of ridicule and persecution.
            Jesus said - Luke 9:26. It will be an awful thing for
            Jesus to be ashamed of us.
            (1) It is a terrible thing for us to be ashamed of Him
                and His words.
            (2) Do you refuse to be a Christian because you are
                ashamed of Him?
   B. Some are afraid of the ridicule from parents or relatives.     
      Often their ridicule is the harshest.
      1. Again, listen to Jesus - Matt. 10:34-37.
         a. We cannot obey parents when their wishes are in
            opposition to the will of God.
            (1) What if they asked you to steal, lie or kill? 
            (2) There is no less consequence if they wish that you
                do not obey the gospel; their wishes are in
                opposition to the will of God.
         b. Remember, you shall give an account of yourself in that
            last great day. Rom. 14:10-12

II. SOME ARE NOT CHRISTIANS BECAUSE THEY ARE WAITING FOR A SPECIAL   
   CALL.
   A. This comes from a misunderstanding of the Scriptures; it has   
      its roots in errors of denominationalism.
      1. God makes no "special calls" to men and women today. God
         does not operate a department store.
         a. Men are called by the gospel. 2 Thess. 2:14 These
            brethren had been called by the gospel, and so it is with
            all men. God is no respecter of persons.
         b. Men are to come to Jesus. Matt. 11:28-30
         c. In the parable of the great supper, the servant was sent
            out to invite. Luke 14:17 This influenced our song, "All
            things are ready."
         d. Heaven invites. Rev. 22:17 This is the way the book of
            God ends. It is heaven's invitation to all to come. God
            invites. The Lord invites. The Holy Spirit invites. The
            church invites.
      2. Let us not sin by saying this is not enough, and that we are
         waiting for a "special call." The Lord is running no
         "specials."

III. SOME MAKE EXCUSES ON THEIR OWN WEAKNESSES FOR NOT BECOMEING A   
  CHRISTIAN. (If one has weaknesses, that's all the more reason he  
  ought to obey!)
   A. "I'm not good enough."
      1. Becoming a Christian is what makes us "good."
         a. The betrayers and murderers of Christ were not very
            "good" but by the gospel they were pricked in their
            hearts and were told what to do. Acts 2:37-38
         b. All men have sinned (Rom. 3:23) and if you are ever
            saved, it will be because you have obeyed from the heart
            the gospel (Rom. 6:17-18).
      2. If you were already "good enough," Christ did not need to
         die.
         a. Christ died for sinners (Rom. 5:8), even the chiefest (1
            Tim. 1:15).
         b. Jesus said - Matt. 9:13
   B. "I don't know enough."
      1. If one waits until he knows all the Bible, he will never    
         obey.
         a. If you are of the age of accountability, and have average
            intelligence, you will hear enough in this one sermon to
            obey.
         b. The Eunuch (Acts 8), the Pentecostians (Acts 2),
            Cornelius and his household (Acts 10), Lydia and the
            jailor (Acts 16), all heard only one sermon, and they
            understood enough to obey.
         c. They will stand in judgment against you. The Lord often
            taught this principle - Matt. 12:41.
            (1) They shall rise up in judgment against you, because
                they obeyed after one sermon, but you have heard
                more.
      2. Obey, to be put into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27) and then grow as
         a babe in Christ (1 Pet. 2:2).
   C. "I couldn't hold out."
      1. Jesus would answer by saying, "O, ye of little faith."
         a. The Lord gives strength and help. Phil. 4:13; 1 Cor.
            10:13 To think otherwise is to distrust God.
         b. Christians are kept by the power of God through faith. 1
            Pet. 1:5; Phil. 2:13
         c. God commands nothing that is impossible for us to do.
            His commands are not unreasonable. Rom. 12:1 He
            does not ask too much. 1 John 5:3
         d. He will help us. Isa. 41:13
         e. He knows we will not be perfect, but he wants us to try
            to do our best.
      2. Sometimes people must drive their cars toward home on a
         dark and treacherous night. They can't see all the way home
         before they start, neither can they see every curve,        
         dangerous place, or the on-coming traffic from the          
         beginning, but they start. They will pass over those things 
         as they come to them, and through the blessing of God they  
         return home safely. So it is in living the Christian life.

IV. TOO MANY HYPOCRITES.
   A. Some say they are not Christians because there are so many
      hypocrites in the church.
      1. There is no sound reasoning to this excuse.
         a. Sure, there are some hypocrites in the church, but there
            are more out of the church.
         b. If one needed a job, and was offered one in a factory, he
            wouldn't say, "I won't work there because there are
            hypocrites there."
            (1) If one needed some groceries, and had the money
                to buy them, he wouldn't say, "I won't go there,
                because there are hypocrites there."
         c. The excuse of hypocrites in the church will be a very
            weak excuse in the day of judgment. 
            (1) Does one expect to be given heaven because of the
                hypocrisy of others?
            (2) Will he say, "Lord, I didn't serve you because of the
                hypocrites and therefore I deserve heaven."
      2. It is better to put up with a few hypocrites in the church  
         for a little while, than to be with all hypocrites for      
         eternity.
         a. We are not minimizing hypocrites; God has a place for
            them (Matt. 18:6-7), but as we said, it is better to put 
            up with them for a little time than forever.

V. TOO YOUNG, TOO OLD.
   A. Some make the decision that they are too young to become
      Christians (this is an acceptable decision for the very young);
      however, some even after five or ten years are still abiding by
      that decision.
      1. There are some fundamentals that the young need to know
         and experience.
         a. They need to know that they are sinners and feel the
            conviction of guilt--i.e., laboring under the guilt of   
            sin. Matt 11:28-30
         b. They need to know that Jesus died to save them; thus,
            they must know some fundamentals about the
            atonement sacrifice of Christ.
         c. They must know what obeying the gospel does for
            them--that it adds them to the church; thus, they must
            know some basics about the church.
   B. Some make the excuse that they are too old.
      1. An older lady, after she had received much teaching, made
         the excuse, "I'm just too old to be active in the church
         anymore."
      2. Those who have obeyed at the eleventh hour (Matt. 20:6,9)
         shall rise up in judgment against her and against all who
         make this excuse.
      3. A church bulletin by the name of "Belmont Bible Banner"
         reported that a woman by the name of Louise Dickerson was
         baptized at age 90.

VI. NOT READY YET.
   A. It is evident that they are not ready yet or they would obey.  
      Lack of faith is the only thing holding them back.
      1. Let us ask, "If you are not ready, how long will it take you
         to get ready?"
         a. It would not take you long to get ready if you wanted
            to.
      2. If you are not ready, you should get ready and stay ready.
         Matt. 24:44
         a. Be careful lest the cares, riches and pleasures of this
            world keep you from getting ready. Luke 8:14
         b. Be careful lest you be "cumbered about much serving"
            and fail to "choose that good part." Luke 10:38-42
         c. Be careful lest you be like the five foolish virgins who
            were not ready when the time came. Matt. 25:1-13
      3. You might be too busy to get ready to become a Christian,
         but you wont' be too busy to die and face God in judgment.
         a. When will you be ready? Next week? Next month? Next
            year? We hope that God will grant you that much time,
            but no one has the promise of that much time.

VII. SOME THINK THEY ARE ALREADY A CHRISTIAN.
   A. Many do not become Christians because they think they are
      already Christians.
      1. They have been deceived by the man-made doctrine of
         "salvation before baptism."
         a. This is the very prevalent doctrine of "faith alone" or
            "accept Christ as your personal Savior."
         b. These have been baptized, but it was only to put them
            into a particular denomination. They thought they were
            saved before they were baptized.
      2. One is raised to walk in newness of life. Rom. 6:3-4 He does
         not have the new life before baptism.
         a. One has remission of sins when baptized, not before.
            Acts 2:38
         b. We are baptized "into" Christ. Gal. 3:26-27 Thus, one is
            not in Christ before baptism.
         c. One is made free from sin when he obeys from the
            heart. Rom. 6:17-18
   B. This is a serious problem and everyone needs self-examination
      about their own condition. 2 Cor. 13:5
      1. Many need to be baptized again to become Christians.
      2. We are not emphasizing "re-baptism," but "right-baptism."
         One is the baptism of men, the other the baptism of Christ.
         One will save; the other will condemn.
      3. We encourage you to receive the baptism of Christ so that
         you can become a Christian.

Concl.
   A. Why aren't you a Christian?
      1. "All things are now ready."
   B. Don't hide behind feeble excuses; they will not stand in the
      judgment.
      1. Obey the gospel and thereby become a Christian.

Chart:
WHY AREN'T YOU A CHRISTIAN?
Ridicule
Special call
Weaknesses
Not good enough
Don't know enough
Can't hold out
Hypocrites
Not ready yet
Already A Christian