2 Peter 2:20 KJV
[20] “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”
Escaping the world’s corruption is not the finish line but the beginning of a new life in Christ. It is possible for an individual to experience conviction without true conversion. A person is not saved because they have been exposed to spiritual things, heard preaching, read scriptures, or even made changes in their lives. They need more than knowledge of the Lord; they need a relationship with Jesus Christ. There are many who have tried Jesus but never trusted Him.
Salvation is a personal relationship and cannot be replaced by a set of rules. An individual may escape the pollution of this world by a lifestyle change, but that will not replace their true need. Man does not need reformation; he needs redemption. He must be born again and receive a new nature in Christ.
The problem is that unless an individual gets born again, they will return to their old life. They will become entangled again in what they once escaped, only to go further into bondage. The latter end will be worse than the beginning. We have seen this many times in church. Someone comes in, acquires a little bit of religion, and desires to live a Christian life. Then, in no time, they are nowhere to be found. They have vanished and returned to the life they lived before.
I’m glad Jesus knows how to set you free from whatever binds you. You may be reading this devotional, and you know about Jesus Christ, but you do not know Him personally. Do not be overcome by whatever is holding you back from confessing your need for Christ. Repent of your sins and believe that Jesus will save you. If you will call upon Him in faith and repentance, He will save your soul.
I have seen people who were raised in church with a religious background, but they were not saved. They would not confess Christ because of the pride of religion. They were too afraid of what others would say about them, rather than what Christ knew about them. I’ve seen the Holy Spirit deal with lost religious people in church services. I have watched them come to the altar, and when asked why they came, they turned Him away and responded with a religious answer instead of a truthful one. Dear reader, I do not know why God led me down this path in today’s devotional, but I’m certain that someday, someone will read it and know that it is for them personally.