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HOW TO BE SURE YOU ARE GENUINELY SAVED Part 4

May 7, 2012 by Pastor James 0 Comments

To determine the genuineness of one’s faith in Jesus Christ, you must turn to the Bible and examine the objective biblical evidence that identifies authentic salvation. In the Book of 1 John, the Apostle John gave a list of spiritual character traits of biblical salvation. The third characteristic of the genuinely saved is a lifestyle of obedience to the Word of God (1 John 2:3-6). In fact, the lifestyle of the believer should reflect the obedient life of Jesus (2:6). In His incarnation among men, Jesus was the model of perfect obedience to God the Father (Heb 4:15). He never once violated the Word of God. Without a doubt, Christians are not perfect like Jesus, for we commit acts of sin. However the believer’s life will be characterized by an ongoing pattern of obedience to the Word of God. There will be an ongoing desire to please the Lord (Col 1:10).

Here is the difference between a Christian and non-Christian, a person genuinely saved will repent of their sin (1 John 1:5-10), and again seek to live in obedience to the Word of God. The true believer will never perfectly obey the Word of God, but his life will be characterized by an ongoing pattern of obedience (1John 2:3,5). In contrast, the non-Christian’s lifestyle will be characterized by ongoing disobedience to God’s Word. The unregenerate individual does not genuinely concern himself with living in obedience to the Word of God.

The truth is many people believe themselves to be a Christian, but in reality they do not routinely obey the Lord to keep His word or to do His will, thus betraying their unregenerate condition (Matt 7:21-22; Luke 6:46). A note of clarification, people are not saved because they seek to obey the Lord by keeping a list of do’s and don’ts, but genuinely saved people will seek to live in obedience to the Lord.

The Apostle John’s point is those who profess faith in Jesus Christ and yet do not live in ongoing obedience to the commands of the Lord (1 John 2:4) are lost. He stated that they are liars and do not possess saving faith. American churches and society are full of individuals who adamantly profess faith in Jesus Christ yet their lives are not characterized by an ongoing pattern of obedience to God. Once more, those who know the Lord will seek to live in obedience to His Word (2:5). The Lord Jesus stated “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine…” (John 8:31b).

For your own sake, honestly evaluate yourself to see if there is an ongoing pattern of obedience to the Word of God in your life. Ask yourself the question, ‘Is there a pattern of ongoing obedience to the Word of God in my life?’ Many who profess to be a Christian and yet their life is not characterized by an ongoing obedience to the Word of God are self-deceived and lost. Consider the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The Lord said: Because these people approach Me with their mouths to honor Me with lip-service– yet their hearts are far from Me, and their worship consists of man-made rules learned by rote—“ (Isaiah 29:13 CSB).

“To believe in Christ is to obey Him.  Not to believe in Him is to disobey Him”.  (by Steven J. Lawson). 

 

Read Part 1 of this series HERE

Read Part 2 of this series HERE

Read Part 3 of this series HERE

 

American Christianity, Examine Yourself, Teachings for the Believer, Truth
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Many Are Decieved

April 4, 2012 by Pastor James 1 Comment

A friend sent me this quote from John Owen’s book, ‘Spiritual-Mindedness’. John Owen lived and ministered in the 17th century and yet this quote is spot on concerning many in the church of the 21st century. American churches are full of individuals fitting Owen’s discerning description.

 ”Many greatly deceive themselves when hearing the Word preached. They agree with the holy truths in their understanding and assent to them as good ‘ideas’. But these truths are not allowed to impress themselves on their consciences nor to judge their present state and condition before God. They think they believe, but in reality they do not. They hear, understand, assent to, and often approve of the things preached, but still they do not believe them so that the truth rules in their hearts. If they really believed the truth as they say they do, then they would judge themselves in the light of it. They are like a man who looks at himself in a mirror, and then goes away and immediately forgets what he has just seen (James 1:23-24). They hear the Word and agree with it, but their minds are so filled with other interests that they soon forget what they have heard.” —, John Owen

 John 8:31 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine…”

 Does this describe you? Is your life ruled by the Word of God?

American Christianity, Examine Yourself, Teachings for the Believer, Truth
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HOW TO BE SURE YOU ARE GENUINELY SAVED Pt 3

November 15, 2011 by Pastor James 0 Comments

THE FRUIT OF ADDRESSING PERSONAL SIN

As we think about how to determine if one is truly born again, we must continue to examine the biblical fruit which always accompanies authentic salvation. The Apostle John lists another fruit or evidence of biblical salvation as the acknowledgement of personal sin (1 John 1:5-2:2).

What do I mean by a personal acknowledgement of sin in one’s life? John indicates in (1 John 1:5-2:2) that a person who is saved will not continuously live in darkness (sin), but they will consistently seek to walk in the Light where God dwells (holiness, purity). But when a true believer does sin, they acknowledge their sin to God. Also, they do not deny that they have sinned, but confess their sin to the Lord, who forgives and cleanse the believer of all unrighteousness (1:9). The word confess in (1:9) means to fully agree with God concerning the nature and vileness of your sin, as well as, to take full responsibility for your sin. The man Job in the Old Testament is a good example of how a New Testament follower of Jesus Christ will seek to walk before the Lord (see Job 1:8).

The Apostle Paul exhorted people to examine themselves to see if they were truly in the faith. Paul stated, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you– unless indeed you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

Other posts in this series:

Read Part 1 of this series HERE

Read Part 2 of this series HERE

Read Part 3 of this series HERE

Read Part 4 of this series HERE

American Christianity, Examine Yourself
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Are They Really in a Better Place?

September 15, 2011 by Pastor James 0 Comments

As a pastor, I’ve been called upon numerous times to minister to families in times of physical death.  In presiding over funerals, I have encountered many disturbing things, such as, shouting angry people, individuals coming close to physical blows, intoxicated individuals, feuding families, the deceased purposely buried in the wrong plot, and people objecting to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

However, the one thing, which is most disturbing, is one particular comment often expressed by Christians and lost people alike, which is to the effect, that every deceased individual, professing Christian or not, is in a better place (Heaven) or they are no longer hurting physically, again, because they are “in a better place”.

This alarming remark reveals an incorrect understanding of biblical salvation, and indicates that scores of people in our society have a latent belief in universalism. What does Read more…

American Christianity
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How To Be Sure You Are Genuinely Saved Part 2

July 28, 2011 by Pastor James 0 Comments

“These things I have written to you who believe

 in the name of the Son of God,

so that you may know that you have eternal life”

- 1 John 5:13

Are you struggling with doubts as to whether or not you are genuinely born again (John 3)? If so, please know that it is indeed possible to determine your true spiritual state.  The first article in this series began by asking the following questions: Can a person know that they possess saving faith? Is it possible for an individual to know that they belong to Jesus Christ? If so, is there an effective way to measure an individual’s profession of  faith to determine its authenticity?

 The answer to all these questions is a resounding “Yes!”  The New Testament Book of 1st John lists several objective truths for correctly ascertaining the existence or absence of true saving faith. The first fruit or evidence of saving faith is…

 THE FRUIT OF A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS CHRIST

 Where biblical salvation is concerned, it is necessary for an individual to correctly comprehend the correct identity of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-4). Why is this important? For one thing, it is imperative that you go to the right person for salvation. You must be sure that you are seeking the Jesus of the Bible. People believe all sorts of incorrect things about the person of Jesus Christ, and often times they teach other folks these same false notions.  For example:

  •  The Mormon cult teaches that Jesus is the half-brother of Lucifer, the Devil. The Mormon Jesus and the biblical Jesus are completely different. The Jesus of the Bible is uniquely God’s Son, he does not have a brother (John 3:16, 18).
  •  The Jehovah Witnesses (The Watch Tower Society) who teach that Jesus is not the God of the Old Testament, but a lesser being or little god, created by Jehovah. Where did such a notion come from? The Jehovah Witnesses have embraced, hook, line, and sinker, an ancient heresy known as Arianism, which denies the deity of Jesus Christ.

 But those are groups that are known by most to be outside of the true Christian faith, right?  But many who would appear to be inside mainstream Christianity have false ideas as well…

  •  Many believe Jesus was merely a good man, teacher, or prophet (Matt 16:13-16), and thus they reject Him as being God incarnate, and of divine nature.
  •  Others dream up their own Jesus, one whom they can manipulate and manage. They often superimpose their own beliefs upon their fabricated Jesus so that He is in line with their ideas and desires. 
  •  Many try to simplify (and thus distort) His teachings, as can be seen by the common notion that to become a Christian one must start by learning to “love God and love others” or that the Gospel message is, “God is love”.

 Because of these things, it is imperative for an individual seeking to obtain salvation to seek the real Jesus!  The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is both 100% God (Col 1:19; 1John 4:15) and 100% Human without the sin nature (Hebrews 4:15; 1John 4:2-3), with which the rest of humanity is born into this world (Rom 3:10, 23). When Jesus Christ is erroneously identified, salvation becomes impossible. A fictional Jesus is not a savior simply because He shares a name with the Biblical Jesus!  The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus is both Savior and Lord and you must go to Him for salvation as such (Romans 10:9-10, 13; 2Cor. 4:5). Yea, He is absolute and sovereign Lord and you must seek Him alone for salvation (Romans 10:9-13; 1Cor 12:3; 2Cor 4:5; Luke 6:46).

 If you desire for Him to saved you, then you must approach Him in repentance and faith (Mark 1:15). Once more, salvation is only found in the person of the true Jesus Christ and in no other (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom 10:9-13). This is the first mark of a true Christian. Stay tuned for part 3!

 

Read Part 1 of this series HERE

 

 

Read Part 3 of this series HERE

 

Read Part 4 of this series HERE

 

Examine Yourself
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How To Be Sure You Are Genuinely Saved Part 1

July 14, 2011 by Pastor James 0 Comments

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

Can a person know that they possess saving faith? Is it possible for an individual to know that they belong to Jesus Christ? If so, is there an effective way to inspect an individual’s profession of faith to determine its authenticity? The answer is yes to every question. However, before we begin listing the biblical evidence supporting the existence of true saving faith, one must fully considered several other related issues. Please carefully consider the following truths.

One’s Spiritual Identity Is Discernable – Matthew 7:15-20

In this scriptural passage, Jesus made a straightforward statement concerning identifying a person’s spiritual character. He taught that an individual’s spiritual identity is discernable by the fruit they produce in life. The fruit a person bears in life will be consistent with their true spiritual nature. In other words, a saved person will always bear good fruit, and a lost person will always bear worthless or bad fruit. A fruit tree is evaluated based on the fruit it bears and not on itsoutward appearance.

Jesus Warned of False Faith – Matthew 7:21-23

The Lord also issued a very sober warning concerning counterfeit faith. He cautioned that people could believe themselves to be a Christian, and yet possess false faith. In fact, in (Matthew 7:21-23), Jesus was speaking to religious minded people; who thought they possessed true saving faith, and they did not. This is a very frightening truth, which you must fully consider. You must be sure that you have come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, and that you have come to Him, on His, which are repentance of sin and complete reliance upon Him alone for salvation (Mark 1:15). A person does not want to be wrong about their spiritual condition before God; the consequences are devastating and eternal. The Bible plainly states that all unregenerate or lost people, upon their physically death, will spend eternity living and suffering in the Lake of Fire (Revelations 20:11-15). Therefore, if you are lost you must seek the Lord until He saves you (Isaiah 55:6-7); for He is the only One who can save you (John 6:44; 14:6; Romans 10:9-13).

Assurance of Salvation

You can know that you have been born again. The Apostle John wrote the Book of 1 John to provide a means of objectively measuring one’s faith. In fact, in the book, the Apostle gave a list of biblical indicators, which validate the existence of genuine salvation. On the other hand, if the biblical signs of true salvation are not consistent in one’s life it indicates lostness. Check back for updates to this article, as I will begin listing these biblical indicators in the coming days.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!    –  2 Corinthians 13:5

 

 

Read Part 2 of this series HERE

 

Read Part 3 of this series HERE

 

Read Part 4 of this series HERE

 

Examine Yourself
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The Spiritual Condition of Natural Man

May 18, 2011 by Pastor James 3 Comments

Have you ever heard the Word of God preached and felt incredibly convicted by it?  Have you ever then paused to look around and notice that others sitting nearby seem not to have noticed that the Word was even being preached?  Some are dozing off, others are playing games on their iPhone and still others are yawning and staring at their watch.  It makes you wonder, doesn’t it?  How can some people be repeatedly exposed to the Word of God and not be deeply convicted by it?   It’s true, though!  Some people can regularly hear God’s Word and not feel the slightest guilt regarding their own sinfulness or lostness. The answer to the above question is really very simple; the Bible teaches that all men are born with the spiritual inability to respond to the Word of God (John 6:44; 6:65).  They are “unregenerate”, and all unregenerate men are completely unable to spiritually respond to God’s Word in a saving or satisfactory manner, that is if they are left to themselves.

 Why is this so? The Bible teaches that universally all men are evil and sinful (Gen 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-19, 3:23; Mark 7:20-23) and are so from conception (Psalm 51:5). When Adam and Eve sinned against their Creator-God (Gen 2:17; 3:3; 3:6-8) the entire human race was plunged into a perpetual state of sinfulness (Rom 5:12). This spiritual condition is often referred to as the depravity of man (Rom 1:28; 1 Tim 6:5; 2 Tim 3:8).

 Now this biblical truth teaches that all men are completely corrupted by sin.  In other words, men are not just a little sinful, but completely sinful.  Let me illustrate this truth with the color blue.  If sin were the color blue, then all men would be completely blue, both inwardly and outwardly. Thus, sin has completely corrupted man’s entire being; it has corrupted man intellectually (Rom 3:11; Eph 4:18; 1 Cor 2:14-15), physically (Rom 6:23), volitionally, and emotionally. 

 Often people will admit to being a little sinful, but they frequently reject the idea that they are totally corrupt inwardly due to indwelling sin. But the very idea of a person suggesting that they are just a little sinful is like a pregnant woman saying she is just “a little pregnant”. All men are completely sinful, not just a little sinful.

 The Bible refers to this type of person as a “natural man” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Such an individual is unconverted or unsaved, thus lacking the spiritual life and insight to understand the truth of God.  The Scriptures have a great deal to say about such an individual’s spiritual state of being. The Bible unequivocally assesses and describes the spiritual state of the natural man in the following ways.

 The natural man is spiritually dead (Eph 2:1)

The apostle Paul writing to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 2:1 referenced their pre-salvation spiritual condition. He highlighted the fact that all unsaved people are completely dead spiritually. They are spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins. What did the apostle mean by someone being dead in trespasses and sins? To begin answering this question, we will examine exactly what it means to be spiritually dead.

The human race has not always been dead spiritually. At the beginning of the human race God created all men to be free of sin and to be spiritually alive. But God warned man to not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:17).  As we all know, this command was not kept.  As a result:

 The natural man is spiritually blind (Eph 4:18)

 The natural man is enslaved to sin (John 8:34; Romans 6:17-18)

 The natural man must be delivered from the powers of darkness (Col 1:13)

 The natural man is incapable of knowing or discerning spiritual matters (1 Cor  2:14)

 The natural man is incapable of changing himself spiritually (Jere 13:23)

 The natural man is defiled in conscience (Titus 1:15-16)

 In short, the Bible paints a hopeless picture concerning the natural man.  That is why God must be the one who rescues the sinner from his spiritual plight (John 3:3; Titus 3:5).   I truly hope you come back soon!

Truth
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Truth

Nothing But The Truth

April 23, 2011 by Pastor James 0 Comments

Have you ever heard it said, “What’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for me”?  This is a common belief in our day and age, but can it even be possible?  Can absolute truth be relative to each person?  Read more…

Truth
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