Many previously authentic disciples of Jesus are now singing, “I once was found and now I'm lost.”

Christians are falling from the faith at a pace I haven’t seen in my fifty plus years on the earth. From disillusionment to deconstruction to surrendering to habitual sin, people are giving up on God (or completely redefining Him).

The slow fade from being wildly alive in Jesus to abandonment of faith is a strange and usually methodical process. The enemy knows how to hit, where to hit and when to hit to bring the most destruction to someone’s relationship with Jesus.

I’ve seen it time and again, and it’s tragic. Those who slip, slide or full-on fall away have had their lives infiltrated by wicked schemes of deadly, evil spirits. Imaginations weren’t taken captive and decisions are made from a wounded, disenchanted, disgusted heart.

The fear of the Lord isn’t there. The satisfaction of a life with Jesus eludes them. Joy, peace and victory are nowhere to be found. Supernatural Holy Spirit power is no longer experienced. Faith in the Word of God is gone. Woundedness and despair are intense.

The deconstruction pandemic that’s playing out in this end-time season must be responded to. We can’t allow the enemy to compromise the faith of people that God loves so deeply.

While it would seem the answer would be clear, to burn hot for Jesus day and night, it’s not as simple as that.

I’ve known many on-fire, radically devoted, Holy Spirit-driven, tongue-talking, compassionate, loving, zealots for Jesus who ended up falling away. It’s stunning.

Here’s the question: For those who are currently burning for Jesus, how will you ensure you aren’t the next casualty?

Unsaved Christians

Do we understand the threat of sin in the lives of Christians?

Our journey into a critical revelation of eternity begins here. The casual, presumptive disposition of so many has resulted in a severe threat to their salvation. In fact, the contagious nature of this mind-set puts millions of people at risk. These are people, mind you, who are either convinced or unconcerned about their salvation.

This truth (and it is most certainly truth) is so casually ignored, or so violently refuted, that, as Scripture so tragically reveals, Hell enlarges to hold all who are flooding into it.

There is a glorious salvation to be had, and the enemy has tainted powerful, life-giving theologies in an attempt to counterfeit them—and draw people away from the one true God. God’s passion is for people to be wildly in love with him, and that is what the enemy is afraid of. Instead of radical intimacy and passionate obedience, people are falling for a lesser false-doctrine that communicates God’s apparent affirmation of them and affection for them—and it is resulting in a faux closeness to him for millions of “Christians.”

Our salvation is glorious and it is also weighty. We can’t presume upon it or take it lightly. I suggest it’s possible that most people who are convinced of their position in Christ would actually be in Hell if they died today.

The concept of unsaved Christians seems contradictory. I understand that. A Christian is a follower of Jesus. I am suggesting that there are many followers of Jesus, many who name the name of Christ, who are living their lives following him in an unsaved condition.

A massive and increasing number of Christians have been lulled into a slumber regarding the reality of salvation. They have a reputation of being alive but are dead because of their sin. The common presumption is that if we pray, read our Bible, go to church, and identify ourselves as Christians, then we are automatically exempt from condemnation. The problem? Too many have misunderstood just what it means to be in Christ Jesus. Tragically, it’s true that countless professing Christians are actually living in a place of condemnation because they aren’t truly in Christ Jesus. We can’t just call ourselves Christians and presume that we are truly in Christ.

My life and ministry have been marked by a troubled spirit and an unrelenting passion for extreme surrender, zealous prayer and an unapologetic call for passion, repentance and holiness. I understand just how separated, intense and broken we must be to truly be counted among the saved—or, I at least have an understanding of the type of deception that is causing people to remain careless in their walk with Jesus. To be a true follower of Jesus requires more than many of today’s theologies are communicating, and that does indeed both anger and wreck me. Anything short of radical just can’t be promoted anymore!

Why is my spirit troubled? Because I am convinced that a shocking percentage of professing Christians are on their way to Hell. We must exhort one another into radical faith.

These are people who believe they are in Christ Jesus—but are not—and who are heading to a Judgment Day that will stun them.

Today the world is watching as millions of people are following Jesus with no cross on their backs, and this is the heretical deception that must be exposed. God will, in time, reveal the wheat and the tares.

I'd encourage you to dive deeper into this topic by reading my newest book, Staying Saved. The topic is so critical that I'm making the downloadable version free, with no strings attached.

Go to www.burton.tv/saved to download your copy today.