In His last prayer for His disciples Jesus uttered these words, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me..and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one” ( John 17:21-22).

This passage is being  used in the most perverse manner to bring all religious groups together in the name of peace and unity. To everyone who answers this call, the admonition is proclaimed, “we must put aside our differences and come together for the common good of humanity”. This refrain is so good-sounding that untold numbers who call themselves ‘Christians’ are deceived, joining this anti-Christian movement, yea, even in the name of Jesus. Our Lord and Savior foresaw exactly such a time when He answered the question of His disciples as to what will be the signs of His second coming. He warned, “Take heed that no man deceive you..for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5). He felt that the issue of deception will be so prevalent and powerful in the closing scenes of earth’s history that he repeated the same admonition three more times (Matthew 24:11, 15 and 24).

The adherents to this call of ecumenism are told that doctrine does not matter…only let’s come together and  love each other is the constant appeal. The problem with this phenomenon, particularly for Christians, is that Jesus Himself reveals to us what is the most  distinctive doctrine of the Christian faith. He teaches, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). How can one cast that aside, join in that movement, and still call themself Christian?

If you would talk to any Christian, he/she would have no problem in telling you that they are ‘born again’. Indeed, many will refer to Jesus’ conversation with the Jewish theologian, Nicodemus, who came secretly to ask of Jesus how he may truly obtain eternal life (John 3:2-7). Of course, Jesus’  answer was, “you must be born again” (John 3:7). To most, and rightfully so, this is certainly what they believe as they come to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior from sin.

Unfortunately, however, this is where the overwhelming majority of them stop. They fail to grow up in Christ. When a child is born, if he/she fails to grow up, either cognitively or physically, he/she is diagnosed and considered handicapped, even if referred to by some other politically correct term. When a Christian claims to be born again but fails to grow up in Christ, so is he/she spiritually handicapped. This condition leads to mass deception, the very thing that Jesus warned about some two thousand years ago. It is over masterly prevalent today in Christendom. Deception is simply believing something to be true, when in fact it is a lie.

In joining hearts and voices with his Master, the Apostle Paul also warns, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ…and no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Such are the ones to whom many Christians adhere,  trust, follow and parrot their errors. Too many ‘born again’ abandon the standard by which all  teachers and preaches MUST be judged:”To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

But Jesus counseled through His servant, Paul, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). He continued, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). It is thus, that  growth, which should be the natural progression from being born again is effected. Without it, stagnation and retardation are inevitable. Deception then claims its easy prey.

Consequently, we hear the ever popular refrain, ‘I am born again, saved by grace and don’t have to keep the law’. Nevertheless, the very Paul  whom they reference in this area  is grossly misunderstood and  misquoted. He declares, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we establish the law”, (Romans 3:31). He reiterates, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:1-5). In other words, the counsel is to become more like Jesus, through God’s grace, by obeying His law.

Another reason for denying the binding claim to keep God’s law is that we are under the ‘New Covenant’ and God’s law does not apply.  But, God prophesied and Paul confirms, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people” (Hebrews 8:10). Despite the undeniable Biblical  evidence, the born again Christian who fails to grow up will passionately deny his/her obligation to keep God’s law. Sadly this is what we are confronted with throughout a large swat of Christendom. 

In addition to the above, perhaps some of the most popular  deceptions resulting from lack of growth, are the truth about God’s Sabbath, the millennium, the true state of the dead, the second coming of Jesus and understanding the book of Revelation among others. The end result is to ignorantly separate God’s righteousness from His truth, His commandments from righteousness, His love from His justice, sin from death, and His grace from His law. As a direct consequence  of of not studying to know what the Scriptures teach on these very vital salvitic issues, the very foundations of the Christian faith is shattered. Hence,the ‘born again’ who chooses not to grow up becomes a willing prey of the enemy of our souls; fervently believing they will be saved in God’s kingdom. But, Jesus Christ Himself lays out the ultimate outcome of growing up in Him versus remaining a perpetual infant: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:1-2). If you fail to grow up, you wither and die.

As we open the Bible we are presented with a picture of perfection (Genesis Ch.1-2). A perfect world is called into existence by a perfect God who created a perfect couple and instructed them to obey His perfect law. The record reveals, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26-27).

Then something terribly happened in chapter 3. It is called sin, going against the the commandments of God (1 John 3:4). The consequences for such an act is death…complete separation from God and His universe; not life in a different sphere as so many ‘born again’ Christians believe. They repeat the doctrine of the enemy of their souls which he taught our first parents: “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). The wise man Solomon corrects the record. Says he, “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.  Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6; Psalm 146:4; Job 7:8-9).

The ONLY remedy for this devastation of the human experience is Jesus Christ who was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8) and presented to the first couple, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15, 21). The Apostle Paul presents it very plainly, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). As that Gift was about to be presented in person to fallen sinful humanity the angel announced, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins” (not in their sins) (Matthew 1:21). Obviously, the reason for which He came is to restore humanity back to the perfection in which He created us.

His transformed follower, Peter, emphasised, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:21-23). By following Jesus’ divine example, the Edenic image of God  in man, marred by sin,will be restored.  But he must not just be born again; but grow up into the full statute of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished by  truly believing that it can happen and subsequently exercising the most powerful endowment God has given to all of us…the power of choice.

God’s thoughts for us is infinitely higher than our thoughts for ourselves. He require godliness, holiness, perfection. Hence His last prayer on our behalf, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent Me” (John 17:21).

The end is at hand; yet too many claiming to be born again, refuse to grow up. Growing up means believing God’s word and cease imbibing in error.  This is what Jesus prayed for on that fateful night as He faced the cross of Calvary. It was not for His people to cast aside their peculiarity so that they can unite with the man of sin; but rather for them to study His word so that they would be  like Him  when He appears ( 2 Corinthians 3:18, 4:6; 1 John 3:2).

Dear God, in the name of your Son and my Savior, Jesus Christ, please fulfill my greatest need and your deepest desire: To become more like You.