The Real Issue

Last week I was reading an excerpt from John Piper’s newest book entitled Finally Alive, and as usual it gave me something to think about (The book is set to be released in about a month).  Here is the question I have been pondering: Are born again people in our churches permeated with worldliness, or is the church permeated by people who are not really born again?   I in no way ascribe to the idea of perfectionism.  As Christians, we will always struggle with sin and we will always need to fight the desires of our sin nature.  But is the reason why so many church members appear to imitate the world due to the fact that they were never really born again to begin with? 

I acknowledge that it is possible for both statements to be true, but which is more likely to be the real issue?  If we look at Scripture and see the changes that salvation brings to a life as well as the warnings concerning those who claim to believe in Christ but have really never been born again, I think we would have to conclude that the real issue is that our churches are permeated with people who have never really been saved!   

Any thoughts?