Church Labels

 I started reading again through Matthew’s gospel and paused in chapter three. The context of verses 8-10 is the baptism of John in the Jordan of those who came to him. Some of those who came were the religious folk – Pharisees and Sadducees. John told them:

“You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

I paused here because there’s a principal in this text of which we should all be aware – and be warned. It is not enough to say we are Catholic, or Baptist, or Methodist, or we are ‘whatever.’ Labels will not get us into heaven. Only repentance and obedient faith gain us entry into heaven. The Lord Jesus warned His listeners often enough to get our serious attention:

“Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; 27 and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’ (Luke 11:24-27)

Church labels matter nothing. Only ongoing repentance and faithful obedience pleases our Lord and guarantees eternal life.