…The Hard Truth with Dr. Kennedy Musonda, Ph.D.
The Men of God who do not know God make their converts twice the children of hell than themselves, said Jesus to the Scribes and Pharisees in Mathew 23:15.
In other words, the Scribes and Pharisees did everything to win a convert but instead of making the convert a child of God, they made him twice the child of hell than themselves. The implication is that they made converts twice as bad and as evil as themselves. As a Hebrew phrase, being twice as evil means to deserve hell because of extreme wickedness.
Barnes Commentary argues that Scribes and Pharisees got converts to multiply their numbers or to gain a financial advantage over them under several pretenses and “when they had accomplished that, they took no pains to instruct them or to restrain them.”
The converts had renounced their old ways and thought they were coming to God but instead, they joined an evil group that pretended to be holy.
Matthew Poole’s Commentary on this same verse argues that the goal of the Scribes and Pharisees was not to turn men from sin unto God, but merely to convert them to an opinion so that they get a financial advantage over converts and never regarding their souls more, “nor to press upon them the reformation of their lives, that they might be saved.”
The picture painted in Matthew 23:15 is a mirror of the prevailing situation today. Many people get converted from their former religions or denominations to the new ones thinking they are turning to God. Actually, the opposite is true: they are just jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
It also applies to other people who have not necessarily changed their religions or denominations but believe that they are serving God in their current churches when they are being made twice children of hell than their leaders. They become twice children of hell as their leaders because they go to extremes to please them.
They are ready to do whatever their leaders tell them. A video was circulating on social media not long ago showing a so-called man of God telling his members to eat grass. We have read and watched many abominable things that are being done in the name of God and yet, members in those churches think they are serving God.
If you are in a religion or Christian denomination where they are not pointing you to Jesus and asking you to repent of your sins and live a holy life, you are in the wrong place. If you belong to a church but you can be living in sin and there is no difference between you and a non-believer, then, you are also a non-believer. Eventually, you might be turned twice into the child of hell than your leaders.
The Bible says in 1 John 3:7-10 (NLT), “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning.
But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born in God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them.
So, they cannot keep on sinning because they are children of God. So now, we can tell who the children of God and who the children of the devil are. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.
They are many people who use filthy language, are sexually immoral, liars, drunkards, and yet they are comfortable going to church thinking they are going to heaven.
The Bible says that they that commit sexual immorality, uncleanness (like watching pornography), sorcery, rage, envy, lying, corruption, hatred, drunkenness, attend wild parties and commit other sins, will not enter the Kingdom of God whether they go to church or not, but their place will be in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Gal. 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8).
Let him who has ears hear what the Spirit is saying (Revelation 2:7, 11,17, 29; 3:6,13, 22).
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About the Author: Dr. Kennedy Musonda, Ph.D., is a Bible Scholar, Pastor, and International Consultant in Development. He holds two bachelor’s Degrees in Theology and Social Work, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management Studies, Two master’s degrees in Social Work and Business Administration, and two Ph.Ds. in Business Administration, with one specializing in Management. He is currently pursuing a Master of Theology.
