According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2010), Christianity remains the dominant world religion proclaiming 2.18 billion Christians around the world; nearly a third of the global population of 6.9 billion in 2010. These statistics raise a number of issues. What is the criterion that qualifies one as a Christian; baptism, generational inherited status, a pledge of allegiance to God? Who sets the standard? Is everyone who claims to be a Christian, in point of fact, a Christian? How can we recognize a true believer in Jesus Christ?

The claim of every believer is rooted in the belief that Jesus Christ died for their sins and rose again the third day; but is that premise alone sufficient? The scriptures tell us that the demons also believe and tremble (James 2:19) for they know their fate is eternal torment (Matt 8:29). Therefore, we can conclude that recognition alone is inadequate, and there remains some other requirement/s.

Martin Luther, challenged by these same questions through an empty vacuum of dead rituals and the witness of irreverent trading of indulgences he observed operating within the Catholic Church searched the scriptures for evidence of their significance. He concluded that salvation was, in fact, a precious and personal matter between God and man and based on faith alone – so priceless was this gift it could not be purchased or contributed to in any way through man’s own works. He penned his Ninety-five Theses on his findings and nailed them to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg on Oct 31st 1517, bringing the Catholic Church into crisis and birthing the Reformation of the church and subsequent Protestant faith movement.

For those who have completed the transitional journey to determine the one true God, accepting Him to be the God of the bible and having pledged their allegiance to Him have thus entered His Kingdom domain. They know in their heart that God through His love for humanity and a deep desire for a personal relationship with each one of His creation, sent His only and precious Begotten Son Jesus Christ to purchase redemption for mankind, wrought through the cross at Calvary and completed by His resurrection.

Therefore, a third of the world population claim to serve this God of the bible who left His heavenly Kingdom domain and came down to earth as a man, to depose the government of this world cosmos; Satan (who became the god of this world by usurping this authority from Adam and Eve: Gen 3) with the intent to repossess the land and establish His Kingdom on earth through His people. What we witness instead is a delinquent world where legislation has stooped to new levels of depravity, with the legalization of abortion, the unheard voice of the victim and the promotion of human rights for the criminals. The legalization of murder of the most innocent and helpless in society, the unborn child (approximately 125,000 abortions performed daily), reflects the desensitization of the human conscience for the selfish advancement of ‘choice’ when we sin. The protection of the wicked gives pedophiles free rein in communities to continue to prey on the vulnerable to generate a new lineage of victims ( police study suggest UK have 250,000 pedophiles). Political correctness asserts corruption, affording the victim of its abuse no voice and promotes societal delinquency reflecting the further decline of the depravity in man. Is this the Kingdom we offer?

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