Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? - Religion - Nairaland
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| Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by An2elect2(f): 5:39am On Jul 16, 2017 |
The New Testament is replete with warnings and indications that many who claim to be Christians are not Christians in actuality. The professing church is full of people who claim to have faith, show some appearance of sincerity, but then stray away after false teachings and/or worldly pleasures. It is essential for Christians to maintain a biblical worldview about these people--they did NOT "lose their salvation." Here is a difficult fact: just because someone gets really excited about Jesus for a while does not mean that they're genuinely saved. In fact, the Bible describes how eerily legitimate the counterfeit Christians can appear. But appearances are deceiving; a child of Satan can be extremely religious, completely through the power of the flesh. There's nothing unexplainable about a worldly person adopting a radically new lifestyle--it happens in cults all the time! Unbelievers can kick in their addictions too! Pagans know how to put on an external show. Becoming attached (or even obsessed) with a religious movement does not mean a person has been born of the Holy Spirit! Just look at the Biblical descriptions of false converts: -honor Jesus, but only with their lips (Matt 15:8 ) -worship Jesus, but in vain (Matt 15:9) -have 'faith,' but not saving faith (James 2:19) -have 'grief,' but not godly grief (2Cor 7:9-10) -receive the word with joy, but for a while (Luke 8:13) -have the appearance of godliness (2Tim 3:5) -follow after signs (John 2:23) -desire power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:19) -desire to inherit a blessing (Heb 12:7) -call Jesus 'Lord, Lord' (Matt 7:21) * * * * * * * * * * We are not surprised at the passion and religiosity of the children of darkness. False teachers and evil workers can be every bit as hard-working as a genuine saint of God, and sometimes even more knowledgeable about Scripture. They can appear to be wild about "Jesus" (a caricature of the real Christ). They can show sincerity for humanitarian causes (so do unbelievers). They can reform their lives (so do cult members). They can preach eloquent sermons that have a lot of truth in them (exactly as expected from Satan's deceitful workers). These outward signs do NOT guarantee a spiritual reality. The Bible guarantees us that Satan will be mimicking Christianity (2Cor 11:13-15; Acts 16:16). Stop being surprised! In Jesus' own words, He calls false converts: -sons of the evil one (Matt 13:38) -"I NEVER knew you." (Matt 7:23) * * * * * * * * * * Apostle John delivers a helpful final word on the subject. First John 2:19 "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us." * * * * * * * * * * What are the marks of a true Christian? A true Christian believes in the true gospel of the true Christ: that Jesus Christ bore the wrath of God in place of sinners, died and rose again. The sinner who believes the gospel is made into a new creation (2Co 5:17), sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14), and spiritually transformed to have a new direction toward holiness and a Christ-centered worldview. A true Christian recognizes his utter sinfulness, crying out for God's mercy (Lk 18:13). A true Christian holds fast to the truth and abides in Christ's word (Jn 8:31). A true Christian has turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18). A true Christian has genuine faith that produces good works (Jms 2:17), and bears fruits which keep with repentance (Mt 3:8 ). A true Christian does not love the world or worldly things (1Jn 2:15), but instead loves Christ before everything (Lk 14:26-27). A true Christian is characterized by love of righteousness and loves other Christians, embraces what is good, and shuns what is evil (Rom 12:9). A true Christian expresses a pattern of obedience to Christ (Jn 14:15). The Christian will not be perfect, but certainly changed! Amen // Grace Multiplied // 1 Like |
| Re: Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by An2elect2(f): 5:45am On Jul 16, 2017 |
| Re: Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by Nobody: 6:05am On Jul 16, 2017 |
hmmm on the judgement throne we shall all know who a real christian is. |
| Re: Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by hopefulLandlord: 6:06am On Jul 16, 2017 |
hmmmm |
| Re: Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by branhampaul: 6:42am On Jul 16, 2017 |
Believe in Allah, or you are going to hell to be tormented by 72 Demons.! |
| Re: Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by An2elect2(f): 8:21am On Jul 16, 2017 |
Dlordsamurai:Don't worry about others until you are sure of your calling (if you have been called) |
| Re: Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by hopefulLandlord: 8:25am On Jul 16, 2017 |
branhampaul: Hahahahahahahahaha, came to post something similar 1 Like |
| Re: Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by An2elect2(f): 8:43am On Jul 16, 2017 |
It's so sad that many professing Christians have not this Christ full of power and grace and assurance and peace. These things that we say are real and we have seen Him and we know Him. The reason we are always hammering on this is because we have seen him for ourselves and our lives have changed. Everyone who encounters Him would change! This is the God who took on flesh to die for sinners that they may have life. This is that Jesus that was spoken of the prophets. The Father, the everlasting God and prince of Peace. I would only call for a debate if I wasn't sure of this. God lives in us. Brethren if the Holy God is in you how can you not change? And do you know His dwelling in us is our only hope of glory! Do not be deceived brethren , no self righteous person, fornicator, adulterer, liar, gay/lesbian, thief and all those that practice evil will inherit the kingdom of God. Be sure of your calling. You know yourself. Can a man deceive God? |
| Re: Forget About Atheists, Are You Really Saved? by An2elect2(f): 12:25pm On Aug 09, 2017 |
A testimony from a Christian brother, Heshimu Colar. My Testimony by Heshimu Colar [b]"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. When I first began to preach or do what people call preaching, I did not know ALL of God's messengers are sent to constantly without wavering set forth the Lord Jesus Christ, that glorious Person who finished the Work of redemption. Foolishly, rather than turning all eye's on Him I pointed sinners to the filth of their nature, religious duties, and dead doctrines that can never save. Like the rest of this lost religious world I grabbed John 14:15 "If you love me, keep my commandments", and tried to teach people how to obey Jesus the example without setting forth Jesus the Mediator, Giver of life, and Righteousness for sinners. Rather than "He that believeth on the Son hath life", it was believe AND do certain things or die. Exhortations to purify the heart by not getting angry, lying, or lusting would come with the disclaimer of "No, we can't keep the law perfectly, but we've got to keep the law". Really, do you believe that nonsense? Since when did God start accepting anything short of perfect holiness by those joined to His law? Yet, It wasn't until I heard the Gospel preached in power and the Scriptures opened that I saw the righteousness of God and Him just and the justifier of filthy sinners, which believeth on Jesus! The more the Gospel came exalting Christ, the more faith and love, His new commandments (I John 3:23), were obeyed from my soul (I Pet 1:22). Christ Is All! These new covenant commandments which by the Spirit free us from the law of sin and death CANNOT be obeyed apart from the preaching of the cross (not a block of wood, but blood redemption for God's elect by God Himself manifested in the flesh). If I preach "Don't be proud in the name of Jesus", that doesn't cause you to love Christ. You'll love your fair show of meekness and despise others who lack your religious exterior. Yet, the preaching of the cross is the Wisdom and Power of God whereby we LOVE His Son NOT by what we do, but by the Spirit making known what Christ has done for us. "We love him, because he first loved us." This love is the gift of God springing out of a new heart and is NOT produced or increased in any way by our keeping the law of the old covenant. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." It doesn't matter how religious or rebellious you appear. God is ONLY accepting faith in His Son for it is by faith alone that we love God, "and the law is not of faith" (Gal 3:12). What is of faith? The Gospel! Yes, believing God executed holy vengeance upon His only Beloved for my sake is what the Gospel demands of every sinner and gives all God's elect. It is by this faith that I serve God acceptably, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and endeavor to put on love which is the bond of maturity. This is the new covenant. Don't let my glorying in the liberty wherewith Christ has made me free ignite false accusations of lawlessness; for though He has freed believers from the law that condemns He has bound our hearts unto Himself by chords of love. He is our Master, our All, our Life. Yet, He constrains me not by works, but by love; not by the law where I have knowledge of my sins, but by grace where I have the knowledge of His love for me which redeemed and liberated me from bondage to sin. I have a new man with a new law whereby I "serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter (Rom 7:6)." God promises in the new covenant that the power of His Grace and our knowledge of Grace shine "Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:11-12)." Reader, you too must be dead to the old covenant by the body of Christ lest God smite you with the eternal curse. You must be dead to all thoughts of seeking justification, sanctification, or glorification by your good works. If you do ANYTHING to get right with God or stay right with God, Christ shall profit you nothing (Gal 2:21/Gal 5:3-4). You have made God a liar because you believe not "that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life (I John 5:10-11)." It doesn't matter what name you call it (Calvinistic, Baptist, Sovereign Grace, or Reformed) or how many times your preacher says "Christ" in a sermon. If the message is not Christ and Him crucified it is not Gospel, and you are being led to look away from the Lamb of God unto your own misery. We at The Only Gospel are determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We believe the Gospel is the Power of God unto salvation from start to finish. The Gospel sanctifies babes in Christ as well as fathers in the faith. The Gospel convicts of sin as we see Christ the Blessed giver of life is crucified at the hands of sinners; He is crucified according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God because there is no other way for Him to be holy and forgive such enemies. The Gospel conforms us into the image of Christ as "we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (II Cor 3:17-18.)" The Gospel is enough; The Gospel is Christ; The Gospel, by the grace of God, will ALWAYS be our message to you. The Only Gospel. [/b] http://pristinegrace.org/media.php?id=273 |
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