Three Types of People Who Call Themselves Christians

By Geneva Yoder

November 1, 2010

The Lord revealed three different scenes to me. Each of the three scenes had a car traveling down a road that had 55 mph speed limit signs posted periodically, as many of our roads do.

• The road represents this life and our travel through this life.
• The 55 mph speed limit signs represent God's law or commandments.
• The policeman represents God who knows everything.

Scene #1 is a picture of Christians living under the law.

Scene #2 is a picture of Christians living under a false gospel.

Scene #3 is a picture of Christians living in the true gospel.

In the first scene I saw a man driving down a road in a older model, dull, gray colored car. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly and leaning forward in a posture of frustration. He was gritting his teeth in impatience and anger because everything in him wanted to go faster then 55 mph.

By sheer force of his will he made himself obey the law even though he hated it and he was not always successful in his obedience. He obeyed the speed limit because he did not want to pay the ticket that would be the consequence of his disobedience. Secretly, if he would have thought he could get away with it, he would have gone just as fast as his unsaved heart desired to go, but the tickets were expensive and he knew he always had to struggle to come up with enough to pay them. So he forced himself to go 55 mph, but he greatly resented it and he also resented the speed limit law and the policeman who was always watching.

This as a picture of a Christian living under the law.

In the second scene there was a woman driving down the same road in a late model sleek red convertible. Her hair was blowing in the wind and she had a scarf around her neck that was blowing backwards as she drove along. She was happy, smiling and singing with the radio that was turned up. The song that was playing was about freedom and I heard "I'm free, I'm free!"

She was going at least 75 mph with no concern at all, because she had been taught, and she believed there was a kind of magical bubble around her that she called "the blood of Jesus". Because of this bubble she was sure the policeman would not even notice her speed, but if by chance he did notice, it would be nothing to worry about.

Her tickets, past, present and future had already been paid for and if she did get a ticket, she believed the policeman would just credit her account and it would be cleared off of her record. She personally never had to deal with a ticket and they really didn't cost her anything. She had no respect for the speed limit law and no fear of the policeman.

This is a picture of a Christian living under a false gospel that is prevalent in America today. It sells books by the millions and fills churches numbering thousands and is sending people to hell.

In the third and final scene I saw another man driving down this road called life. He was driving a nice, blue car that was luminous in color. The sun was a little low on the horizon and emitting warm, golden beams that were shining through his windshield and onto his face. His countenance was a picture of peace and joy. He had one hand on the steering wheel in a very relaxed posture and he was enjoying the drive immensely.

There was a small smile on his face, and as I looked at him, I could see he was in "another world". I knew he was in sweet fellowship with the Spirit of God and they were talking to each other and enjoying each others company. Even though his thoughts were somewhere else, he was driving in a safe and orderly fashion. He was driving 55 mph but he was not aware of it. In fact, he was hardly aware of the speed limit signs as he passed them because there was nothing in him that desired to go faster then 55 mph.

He had made the decision to obey a long time ago and it was now so much a part of him that he hardly ever thought about obeying or not obeying.

Those old desires had been crucified with Jesus on the Cross when he had realized his lost condition, fallen at the foot of that cross and repented of his sins. He had been converted and God had given him a new nature.

God's nature and this man now hated any thing that broke the sweet communion and the relationship he enjoyed daily with the Lord. He still had to go back to that cross sometimes to deal with things but he knew he would always be lovingly met there and changed again and even more to a new level of glory that would result in ever sweeter fellowship. He no longer served the slave master called Sin or the insatiable appetites for the things that are of "this world" that are called Flesh and he was free from bondage to the Law.

This is a picture of a Christian living in the true gospel. Sadly, it is a gospel no longer clearly declared in much of America today.

Quoting Martin Luther "Anywhere the truth of the Gospel is boldly and clearly declared, there will be conflict."

 

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