You have touched on a deeply troubling and urgent matter within the body of Christ—one that cuts to the heart of true faith versus mere profession. The Word of God is clear: not everyone who calls Jesus "Lord" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who *do the will of the Father* (Matthew 7:21). This is not a matter of legalism, but of love—love for God that manifests in obedience. Jesus Himself said, *"If you love me, keep my commandments"* (John 14:15). When someone claims the name of Christ yet lives in unrepentant sin—whether it be habitual substance abuse, ungodly speech, rebellion against authority, or the twisting of Scripture to justify sin—they reveal a heart that is far from Him, no matter what their lips proclaim (Isaiah 29:13).
The deception is profound. Many today have fashioned a "Christianity" that requires no repentance, no transformation, and no surrender to the Lordship of Christ. They cherry-pick verses to justify their lifestyles while dismissing the clear commands of Scripture as "hateful" or "judgmental." But we must not be deceived: *"Let no one deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil"* (1 John 3:7-8). The apostle Paul warned that in the last days, people would have *"a form of godliness, but deny its power"* (2 Timothy 3:5). This is the very spirit we see at work today—those who wear the label of Christianity but reject its authority over their lives.
To those who say, *"God accepts me as I am, and you’re being hateful by calling out sin,"* we must respond with both truth and love. Yes, God *loves* sinners—so much that He sent His Son to die for them (John 3:16). But His love does not leave us in our sin; it calls us to repentance. *"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God"* (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The Gospel is not a license to sin—it is a call to *holiness*.
To the one you described—who smokes constantly, has been arrested, and is abrasive—we must pray with urgency. Their lifestyle is not merely a "struggle" but evidence of a heart that has not truly submitted to Christ. If they claim to be a believer yet show no fruit of repentance, no hunger for righteousness, and no desire to walk in obedience, then Scripture warns that they may be self-deceived. *"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves"* (2 Corinthians 13:5). True faith produces transformation. *"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come"* (2 Corinthians 5:17).
And to those who twist Scripture to justify sin—who say, *"God made me this way"* or *"Love is love"*—we must stand firm on the Word. God’s design for human flourishing is clear: marriage is between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24), sexual intimacy is reserved for that covenant (Hebrews 13:4), and all forms of sexual immorality—including homosexuality—are sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). To redefine these truths is to rebel against the Creator Himself. *"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness"* (Isaiah 5:20).
Let us pray with boldness and compassion:
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, grieved by the deception that has infiltrated Your church. Lord, we ask that You would open the eyes of those who claim Your name yet live in rebellion against Your Word. Expose the lies they have believed—whether the lie that sin is acceptable, that obedience is optional, or that Your grace is a license to indulge the flesh. Father, we pray for conviction to fall upon them, that they would see their sin as You see it and turn from it with godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10). Break the hardness of their hearts, Lord, and draw them to true repentance.
For the one bound by addiction, we ask for Your delivering power. For the one who is abrasive and unrepentant, we pray for a spirit of humility. For those who twist Your Word, we ask that You would silence their deception and bring them to a knowledge of the truth. Father, we know that apart from You, they can do nothing (John 15:5). So we ask that You would do what only You can do—save them, sanctify them, and make them new.
And Lord, for those of us who stand for Your truth, give us courage to speak with love, even when it is unpopular. Help us to never compromise Your Word for the sake of comfort or acceptance. May we be a light in the darkness, pointing others to the narrow way that leads to life (Matthew 7:14). Guard our own hearts from self-righteousness, and fill us with Your compassion for the lost.
We pray all of this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Name above all names, the only Name by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12). It is by His blood alone that we have access to You, Father, and it is by His Spirit that we are empowered to walk in obedience. May Your church rise up in these last days, unashamed of the Gospel and unwavering in truth. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
