WHY DO YOU THINK you are saved? It’s true, it’s only through the blood of Christ you have salvation. You cannot save yourself and there’s no goodness in you to live right. You say, “I’m saved! I’ve received Christ”; but does your life bear fruit of the world and your flesh? Have you turned away from your sin and are you running toward His commands? Where’s the Spirit? Where’s the change? The Holy Spirit is an agent of change. He changes the heart and the mind, translating you from death into life. If your life looks like the world, then why? And I repeat, where’s the Spirit of God in your life? I John tells us that if we continue to live a life of sin, we do not know God. We lie and the truth is not in us.
“Whoever abides in Him does not (continue a life of) sin. Whoever (continues to live in his) sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.”
I John 3:6
Where’s the fruit of righteousness? “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,” (Matt 3:8) The word “repent” means to change your mind and your will. Our will is strong. Repenting is a turning away from sin and your own will to live for Christ and obey His will. Your life is supposed to bear fruit that you’ve repented of your past life of sin and now live according to His righteousness. It doesn’t mean we always live perfectly, just that we are on a different path. We might fall, but we rise up quickly, repent and continue on that path of righteousness. We definitely do not love our sin, we hate the foul stench of our flesh.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” I Corinthians 6:9-11
Scripture reveals there must be a change in our sin nature. “And such WERE some of you”, we were something before coming to the cross of Christ and we are now something new after going through the cross of Christ. This is the gospel. “Receiving Christ” with no change is not salvation. The grace that God gives teaches us to live holy and righteously. Grace is not just the forgiveness of sins, but the power to overcome every sin and every temptation. Where’s the Holy Spirit in your life? Saying you are a believer and living like one are two different things. This is not a legalistic thing- this is a Holy Spirit thing.
“Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity (a life of sin).” II Timothy 2:19
AND this is how you will be known.
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