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JULY MESSAGE: Suppose-to Christian
Many people have said, “I follow Christ.” When I asked them, “what does it mean when you say
that?” They give me a long list of acts that they are suppose to do. Here is a list of the “suppose
to,” “alms” they believe all Christians are suppose to do …
You are suppose to …
• Do the “sinners prayer”
o Confess you are not perfect – a sinner
o Believe that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected as the scriptures say
o Invite Jesus into your heart as Lord
o Confess Jesus to the world
• Go to Church
• Get Baptized
• Pray daily
• Give Tithe offerings
• Be nice to everyone
• Help your friends in need of help
• Forgive and love your enemies
• Read your Bible, daily
• Worship
• Visit the sick
• Give to charity
• Help the helpless
• Forgive all those that offend you
We have many in the Church that are likewise doing all the things that you are suppose-to do as
Christians. But Jesus will tell many of these in that day, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity. (Mat. 7:23). So the question is, if a person is doing all the things that they are
“suppose to” be doing, why would Jesus say “depart from me…”?
What is the big difference between those “doing all they are suppose to be doing” and those that
enter into the Kingdom of God? The answer is in Mat 7:23, “… I never knew you …” Jesus is
saying, just as he told the Pharisees, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye
are like unto whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead
men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” (Mat.23:27). As repeated throughout the New Testament,
you can’t earn your way into heaven through works – a suppose-to life. It’s not your works that
gets you into heaven, it is your heart.
Romans 10:9 states, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
The key words are “… Jesus as Lord.” Many confess Jesus “is” Lord, but not Jesus “as” Lord.
There’s a big difference. In Mat. 7:21, Jesus said many in that day will say, “Lord Lord…” It’s not
knowing that “Jesus is Lord” that gets you into heaven. . It is having Jesus AS Lord. So what’s the
big difference? When Jesus becomes your Lord, you will change the “suppose to” list to a “want
to” list. That is, when you know Jesus as your Lord, you will
• Want to go to Church
• Want to get Baptized
• Want to pray daily and MORE
• Want to give Tithe offerings
• Want to be nice to everyone
• Want to help your friends in need of help
• Want to read your Bible, daily
• Want to worship
• Want to visit the sick
• Want to give to charity
• Want to help the helpless
• Want to forgive all those that offend you
• Want to …
This may not happen all at once, but you will see a renewing of your mind as you get closer to
Jesus. You will see the transforming power of Jesus as evident by an ever changing life. The
suppose-to list becomes a want-to life.
Mat. 10:38 reads, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”
That’s the big difference between “suppose to Christians” and “want-to Christians.” Suppose to
Christians, like the Pharisees, do the law – trusting that in itself is sufficient Good followers, great
works, but they don’t take up the cross.
What is taking up the cross? The next scripture, Mat. 10:39 answers this question, Jesus said, “He
that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” When you die
to yourself, “loseth his life for my sake,” you are saying, Jesus you are my Lord; not is, but ARE my
Lord. Have you made Jesus your Lord? Do you serve the Lord because you’re suppose to or
because you want to.
Romans 12:2 reads that you are to “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The
suppose-to Christian believes that doing the suppose-to list, that they have been renewed. And
maybe some are saved. Living the suppose-to life steals the victory of Christ in your life. Want-to
Christians walk in the victory of Jesus and are excited to be a child of the King.
Today, if you do not know Jesus as Lord, either by never accepting Him as Savior or you are living
a suppose-to Christian life, then it’s time to get Jesus AS your Lord.
If you are not sure, please pray …
Lord, my heart is not sure where I stand with you. I don’t want to live a suppose-to life, but I want
you to be my Lord, completely. I want to walk a victorious life in Jesus. Please help me die to self
and come alive in you. Change me into that which is pleasing to you. Direct me and guide me into
your service. Change me O God and forgive me of my sins. In Jesus name, AMEN
In closing,
Ps. 37:4-5. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the Lord: trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Many people have said, “I follow Christ.” When I asked them, “what does it mean when you say
that?” They give me a long list of acts that they are suppose to do. Here is a list of the “suppose
to,” “alms” they believe all Christians are suppose to do …
You are suppose to …
• Do the “sinners prayer”
o Confess you are not perfect – a sinner
o Believe that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected as the scriptures say
o Invite Jesus into your heart as Lord
o Confess Jesus to the world
• Go to Church
• Get Baptized
• Pray daily
• Give Tithe offerings
• Be nice to everyone
• Help your friends in need of help
• Forgive and love your enemies
• Read your Bible, daily
• Worship
• Visit the sick
• Give to charity
• Help the helpless
• Forgive all those that offend you
We have many in the Church that are likewise doing all the things that you are suppose-to do as
Christians. But Jesus will tell many of these in that day, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity. (Mat. 7:23). So the question is, if a person is doing all the things that they are
“suppose to” be doing, why would Jesus say “depart from me…”?
What is the big difference between those “doing all they are suppose to be doing” and those that
enter into the Kingdom of God? The answer is in Mat 7:23, “… I never knew you …” Jesus is
saying, just as he told the Pharisees, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye
are like unto whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead
men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” (Mat.23:27). As repeated throughout the New Testament,
you can’t earn your way into heaven through works – a suppose-to life. It’s not your works that
gets you into heaven, it is your heart.
Romans 10:9 states, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
The key words are “… Jesus as Lord.” Many confess Jesus “is” Lord, but not Jesus “as” Lord.
There’s a big difference. In Mat. 7:21, Jesus said many in that day will say, “Lord Lord…” It’s not
knowing that “Jesus is Lord” that gets you into heaven. . It is having Jesus AS Lord. So what’s the
big difference? When Jesus becomes your Lord, you will change the “suppose to” list to a “want
to” list. That is, when you know Jesus as your Lord, you will
• Want to go to Church
• Want to get Baptized
• Want to pray daily and MORE
• Want to give Tithe offerings
• Want to be nice to everyone
• Want to help your friends in need of help
• Want to read your Bible, daily
• Want to worship
• Want to visit the sick
• Want to give to charity
• Want to help the helpless
• Want to forgive all those that offend you
• Want to …
This may not happen all at once, but you will see a renewing of your mind as you get closer to
Jesus. You will see the transforming power of Jesus as evident by an ever changing life. The
suppose-to list becomes a want-to life.
Mat. 10:38 reads, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”
That’s the big difference between “suppose to Christians” and “want-to Christians.” Suppose to
Christians, like the Pharisees, do the law – trusting that in itself is sufficient Good followers, great
works, but they don’t take up the cross.
What is taking up the cross? The next scripture, Mat. 10:39 answers this question, Jesus said, “He
that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” When you die
to yourself, “loseth his life for my sake,” you are saying, Jesus you are my Lord; not is, but ARE my
Lord. Have you made Jesus your Lord? Do you serve the Lord because you’re suppose to or
because you want to.
Romans 12:2 reads that you are to “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The
suppose-to Christian believes that doing the suppose-to list, that they have been renewed. And
maybe some are saved. Living the suppose-to life steals the victory of Christ in your life. Want-to
Christians walk in the victory of Jesus and are excited to be a child of the King.
Today, if you do not know Jesus as Lord, either by never accepting Him as Savior or you are living
a suppose-to Christian life, then it’s time to get Jesus AS your Lord.
If you are not sure, please pray …
Lord, my heart is not sure where I stand with you. I don’t want to live a suppose-to life, but I want
you to be my Lord, completely. I want to walk a victorious life in Jesus. Please help me die to self
and come alive in you. Change me into that which is pleasing to you. Direct me and guide me into
your service. Change me O God and forgive me of my sins. In Jesus name, AMEN
In closing,
Ps. 37:4-5. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the Lord: trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.