Part five
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE TRULY BEEN BORN AGAIN?
- If a person has made a decision for Christ at any time in their life, they are saved.
- If a person has been baptized he is saved.
- If a person lives right and goes to church he is saved.
Well, it is surley possible that any of the above folks could be saved but if they are resting upon the outward actions only for their salvation, there would be a need to examine their thinking.
I personally believe, salvation is a gift from God. I believe that He in His wisdom saves those whom He in His wisdom saves. He brings those whom He wills to be saved to Himself. Personally, I do not believe that God leaves that decision up to man to make totally on his own.
I do believe that many made a decision that they would like to be saved, until they realized what that means. I have given the plan of salvation to many, who went right along with what I was saying and even prayed the prayer. But they were not saved. Why? Good question. But in many cases they really didn’t believe what they were doing. And God hadn’t opened their heart unto salvation.
Of course, you could ask the question, if a person went forward in a service as a response to the invitation of the preacher, and prayed the sinner’s prayer, why wouldn’t they become saved? Most people would think every one that is saved in a revival in the Philippines, or New Zealand, or Mexico are going to be saved. Some believe every person who walks the aisle in a Billy Graham meeting is going to be saved. I only wish that every person would be saved.
So if they have the mind to be saved, why then aren’t they. Some believe they are. They say, it’s not a matter of what happens necessarily after this event, that you are saved. I have had mothers say of their adult children. "My son was saved when he was five?" And her son has not been in church since he was a child. I think many do what they believe they are told to do to be saved, but are not saved.
"But the idea of "saving faith" apart from good works, is ridiculous. The saved man is not a perfect man; but his heart's desire is to become perfect, he is always panting after perfection, and the day will come when he will be perfected, after the image of his once crucified and now glorified Savior, in knowledge and true holiness."We cannot be saved by or for our good works, neither can we be saved without good works. Christ never will save any of His people in their sins; He saves His people from their sins." Charles Spurgeon
"There is no one who can live in sin,——drinking, swearing, lying, and so on,——who can truly declare that he is one of the Lord's chosen people."Charles H. Spurgeon
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/
A SALVATION THAT IS BIBLICAL IN CHARACTER IS A GIFTED OF GOD BY HIS WONDERFUL GRACE. BY WHICH GOD SAVED US FROM HIS WRATH AND GIVES US A NEW NATURE. THIS IS CALLED "BORN AGAIN." THE NATURAL RESULT IN THIS MAN’S NEW LIFE IN CHRIST WILL BE AN REPENTANT HEART OF HIS OWN SINFULNESS. AND THERE WILL BE A WILLINGNESS TO BE OBEDIENT TO THE WILL AND PURPOSES OF GOD. WE COULD CALL THIS THE LORDSHIP SALVATION POSITION. FAITH, REPENTANT, OBEDIENCE. THESE ARE EVIDENCES OF A PERSON BEING BORN AGAIN IN TO CHRIST.
[Charles E. Whisnant]
A WILLINGNESS TO TURN FROM SELF’S ITINERARIES AND BE COMPLIANT TO THE WILL OF GOD. THIS BEHAVIOR WILL START TO OCCUR AT THE MOMENT OF THE NEW BIRTH EXPERIENCE. ITS CALLED THE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE. THE FOCUS OF LIFE WILL BE AS "WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS." Ephesians 2:10. THE TERM IS LORDSHIP SALVATION.
{Charles E. Whisnant}
- WHEN DOES THIS BEHAVIOR START IN THE LIFE OF A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN BORN AGAIN? AT THE MOMENT OF SALVATION.
- HOW MUCH OBEDIENCE WILL THERE NEED TO BE IN ORDER FOR A PERSON TO BE SAVED?
- HOW MUCH OF HIS PERSONAL LIFE HAS TO BE FOCUS ON BEING OBEDIENT TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST? 10% 20% 90% 100% 110%?
- HOW MUCH EFFORT DOES A PERSON GIVE IN LIVING LIFE? HOW MUCH TIME DOES A PERSON GIVE IN HIS OWN PURSUIT, CHASE OF HIS OWN LIFE’S GOALS?
- CAN A PERSON BE SAID TO BE SAVED, IF HE DOES NOT GIVE 100% OF HIS EFFORT IN THE LIVING A CHRISTIAN LIFE?
Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant Proof Checked by Charlity Whisnant
