This article is an excerpt from: Virgins, Talents, and Judgement
What is necessary to be saved:
a. Be born again from above.
“‘You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].’” – Jesus, in John 3: verse 7
John 3: verse 3
3 Jesus answered him,
“I assure you and most solemnly say to you,
unless a person is born again
[reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified],
he cannot [ever]
see and experience the kingdom of God.”
b. Love God with all of you, not just parts.
““You shall
love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and
with all your soul, and
with all your strength, and
with all your mind; and
your neighbor as yourself.”
– Jesus, in Luke 10:27.
The real kicker – is “your neighbor”. Isn’t that the true test of a true faith? People are often just plain difficult to love!.. with 1 Corinthians 13 type love. The true believer will strive to be more and more loving of his “neighbor”.
Philip said to him,
“If you believe
with all your heart,
you may.”
And he replied,
“I do
believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
– Acts 8:37
c. Actually follow Christ with your life totally given to Him.
“…Faith without works is dead.”
– James, in James 2:14-26
“Not everyone who says…
but only he who does…
– Jesus, in Matthew 7: verse 21
Folks! You can NOT fake it with God. He knows your heart.
Faking = Still lost
You can talk like/smell like/pray like/look like/act like/dress like/preach like/give money like/claim church membership like/go to church like… but if your heart is not genuinely His, “with all your heart…”, then you are not saved. You are a God damned “believer”.
What you do
shows what you are:
either
born again — or not.
- Where is your heart?
- Where are your allegiances? (your… loyalty, faithfulness, obedience, devotion?)
- To what, to who, are you allied?
- Who do you love most?
Even voting shows where your heart is! Would Jesus vote what you vote for?
Christians do not want to force others to follow Christ. That would not be what Jesus would do! Jesus would not pass laws to force Christian mores on a population. But He would not vote for what is evil in His sight. Are you following Christ when you vote for unbiblical laws?
Does your vote show you are following what Jesus taught? ___
Would Jesus vote for killing babies before they leave the womb? No.
Would Jesus vote for politicians who promote and stand for abortion? No.
Would Jesus vote for those who practice sex outside of marriage? No.
Would Jesus vote for normalizing same-sex acts? No.
Would Jesus vote for legalizing same-sex marriage? No.
Would Jesus vote for legalizing gambling? No.
Would Jesus vote for laws that oppress the poor? No.
Would Jesus vote for politicians who support violent protestors? No.
Born again folk can be wrong. Certainly. But a pattern is telling. A pattern of behavior reveals the heart. A pattern of following what Christ taught against, is a pattern that reveals a heart that is NOT following Christ.
For Further Reading: Signs of an unrepentant heart
Who do you think you are? Are you fooling yourself?
Who do you think you are following when you vote for what Christ taught against? You certainly are not representing Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14-21) with that kind of vote. Don’t fool yourself. Is your life pattern a pattern of Christ’s?
For Further Reading: Voting while set on God’s will, His values, and His purposes
d. Do the will of God, not just claim to be a Christian.
“21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only he who does
the will of My Father
who is in heaven.”
– Source: Jesus, in Matthew 7: verse 21
24 “So everyone who hears
these words of Mine
and acts on them,
will be like a wise man….
26 And everyone who hears
these words of Mine
and does not do them,
will be like
a foolish (stupid) man….”
– Matthew 7:24-27
Don’t be stupididiotic!
e. By your fruit you are known …as to your true salvation or false claims.
Matthew 7: verses 16-20
16 By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them….”
False prophets, and false believers are revealed now by the type of fruit they produce right before your eyes.
Is the path you walk on wide? Sure as hell better not be.
13 “Enter through the narrow gate.
For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel
is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss,
and there are many who enter through it.
14 But small is the gate
and narrow and difficult to travel
is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life,
and there are few who find it.
– Matthew 7: verses 13-14
FOR MORE:
Practicing Sin – Not Following Christ
The non-stop work of God inside you and me
There is a broad road that says heaven but goes to hell
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