Simply Angie
For years, there was one passage in the Bible that would make me tremble a bit, even as a devoted believer. Every time I read it, I felt a slight shaking of my confidence in my own eternal security. It’s found in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus says:
I used to read that and think, “What if that’s me? What if I’m somehow deluding myself into thinking I’m doing my best to please Him and He still says He doesn’t know me?” I pictured these ‘many’ as sincere souls that somehow were denied the gift of eternal life out of some mysterious self-deception. As a follower of Christ, committed to a life of service to Him, that passage made me feel uneasy, and was difficult to reconcile with the character of the God that I saw through the rest of the Scriptures. This warning, in fact, was spoken by the very Saviour about to suffer for my sins through His desire to redeem me. He said it, but what did He mean? Context MattersAs we’ve been discussing, the context of Scripture matters. The Holy Spirit reminded me recently to look at the context of Jesus’ words and, as usual when I do that, the puzzle pieces fell into place. Look with me at the verses immediately before those.
As the world has grown darker and the “religious” stage has grown strangely louder, the Spirit of God has pulled back the curtain of understanding for me. I realized this isn’t a verse meant to terrify the genuine, struggling sheep, trying to follow the Good Shepherd; it is a warning against the hijackers. He’s letting us know that there will be many false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing, pretending to be Christians - they are not simply misled, they are ravening wolves! The Counterfeit and the Real
Think about a counterfeit $100 bill. It’s designed to look, feel, and “talk” like the real thing. It’s passed off in broad daylight to buy things of value. The original person passing it isn’t acting with genuine ignorance and sincerity. They are deliberately using the image of something valuable to get what they want. Unfortunately, once the counterfeit gets into circulation, it’s much harder to detect. Many are fooled by it and trustingly pass it on. It takes a very discerning individual to spot the fraudulent notes and bring them to light. We are living in an era of The Great Hijack. Everywhere we look - on social media, in podcasts, in the political arena, and sadly even in many churches - people are “passing” the name of Jesus to buy influence. They use the vocabulary of the Kingdom to reach a “niche market” of Christians, while their lives, their fruit, and their alliances tell a completely different story. Forms of GodlinessI’ve been grieved lately watching prominent “Christian” organizations and leaders who seem to think the Name of Christ is a brand they can slap onto anything. We see events billed as “Christian Revivals” or “Faith Summits” where the headliners openly despise the Gospel, or where role models are featured whose entire careers are built on vulgarity and values that are in direct opposition to the Word of God. Astonishingly, there are even voices claiming that war and the destruction of innocent lives can somehow serve the glory of God and His kingdom in this age. The logic seems to be: “As long as we say we’re for ‘Western Values’ or ‘Christianity,’ it doesn’t matter how we live, how we talk, or who we align with.” But the Bible warns us about this exact “Hijack” in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Paul tells us that in the last days “perilous times” will come because men will be:
Paul concludes that these people will have a “form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” His instruction to us isn’t to “build a bigger tent” for them or to “find common political ground.” His instruction is blunt: “from such turn away.” An outward appearance or claim of godliness that is not followed up with the power of a changing life that is being transformed and sanctified into the image of Christ is a deception that must be identified and shunned. These "hijackers" aren't just confused; their influence is actually destructive to the faith of those following them. Defining “Iniquity”When Jesus says, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity,” in Matthew 7:23, the word for iniquity (anomia) literally means lawlessness or wickedness. Iniquity isn’t just ‘sinning’; it is living as if there is no Law to begin with. It describes people who want the benefits of the Name of Jesus without the authority of the Word of Jesus. They want the “Christian” vote, the “Christian” money, and the “Christian” platform, but they want to live as if God’s standards of holiness, modesty, and speech don’t exist. They are fakes. They are “paste jewelry” being sold as diamonds. A Note to the SheepIf you are a “baby Christian” or someone who hasn’t spent much time “rightly dividing” the Word, it is so easy to be led astray by a loud voice, a “Lord, Lord,” or a snippet of Scripture out of context. We are called sheep for a reason. But Jesus didn’t give us Matthew 7 to make us doubt the security and soundness of our salvation; He gave it to us, so we wouldn’t be fooled by the false prophets, the hijackers. He was warning us to be careful and look beyond the surface. I think He was also warning them that no matter who they may fool down here, when they stand before Him in the day of judgement, He won’t be fooled. In the coming weeks, I want to look deeper into how we can spot the “Great Hijack” in our own lives and in the world around us. We’ll look at the difference between a struggling saint - who needs grace - and a deliberate deceiver - whom we are called to turn away from. But for now, let this be our starting point: Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” belongs to Him. And not everyone who uses His Name represents Him. Jesus didn’t give this warning to unsettle His sheep, but to protect them. We cannot be for Christ and for the world at the same time. And we must not allow His Name, His Word, or His Gospel to be used as tools for influence, power, or agenda. It’s time to stop accepting appearances and start discerning truth. Blessings, Just like a puzzle, the more pieces of Scripture we see together, the clearer the picture becomes. Don’t settle for isolated verses - look at the whole counsel of God. Talk to you again soon. Can’t wait?
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Saturday, March 28, 2026
The Great Hijack
