Who Is Truly Saved?
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. (Luke 18:16-18)
ALL WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS are not “genuine believers.” The key to entering Heaven is attitude, submission to what God has provided for us for salvation. God has provided a Savior who died on a Roman cross in fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy. He is God’s only provision for salvation. Submission to Him as Lord and Savior is essential for eternal salvation.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE SOMEWHAT RELIGIOUS. God looks on the heart and man looks on the outward appearance. We cannot always look at the life of a person and know if they are saved. We can estimate (only) by using the yardstick God has given us.
●HAS THE INDIVIDUAL HUMBLED HIMSELF/HERSELF TO THE MESSAGE of the Cross as a little child humbles and submits to a mother or father? That childlike attitude of humility and trust is required of one coming to God. Jesus said that without this child-like attitude toward God, one cannot enter the kingdom of God.
“JESUS HAD TAUGHT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO BE HUMBLE BEFORE GOD. In these verses He compared that humility to childlikeness: And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer (allow) little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. (Luke 18:15-17) (See also: Matthew 19:14 and Mark 10:14.)
“IN THESE WORDS, JESUS WAS STATING THAT A PERSON MUST COME TO HIM in humility in order to enter the kingdom. Children come with expectation and excitement. They come realizing that they are not sufficient in themselves. They depend totally on others. If these same attitudes are not present in adults, they can never enter into the kingdom.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary)
●HAS THE PERSON REPENTED? (Repentance means “a change of mind that results in a change of conduct and lifestyle.”) There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:1-3)
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:4-5)
●IS THE PERSON FOLLOWING AFTER PEACE AND HOLINESS?
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:14)
●IS THE PERSON ABIDING IN THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST?
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
●DOES THE PERSON HEAR THE VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD? My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27)
●IS THE PERSON BOTHERED BY THE SINS AROUND HIM/HER? (God) turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) (2Peter 2:6-8)
WE MIGHT NOT THINK LOT WAS SAVED, SINCE HE CHOSE TO GO TOWARD SODOM and live there. But Peter tells us how miserable he was in living there. But Lot’s wife was a different story. She didn’t want to leave Sodom. She lingered behind and God turned her into a pillar of salt. Jesus said of her: Remember Lot's wife. (Luke 17:32)
IN EZEKIEL'S DAY, GOD TOLD HIM TO: Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. (Ezekiel 9:4) The lives of these people were spared because they were bothered by the sins going on around them. Makes you wonder about the people of today, does it not? Who is bothered by the sins of our day?
●GOD KNOWS THE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO HIM. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2Timothy 2:19)
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT SHEEP AVOID MUD HOLES AND PIG PENS. But pigs are at home in pig pens and mudholes. Pigs thrive on wallowing in mud. Sheep avoid getting mud on their coat. God has chosen to call his people: “My sheep.” You can be saved while you are in the pig pen, but you will make a genuine effort to get out of the pig pen. You definitely will prefer not to stay there.Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2Corinthians 13:5)
KNOWING WHETHER YOU ARE A GENUINE CHRISTIAN IS A SERIOUS MATTER. If Christ is in you, there will be some characteristics in your life, in your appetites, in the kind of people you enjoy being with. If you are a reprobate, one who is the opposite of a Christian, then you need to know about it.
IF GOING TO CHURCH AND HEARING THE WORD OF GOD BOTHERS YOU HERE, it would bother you in Heaven. If Amazing Grace and There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood bothers you here, you would not like it in Heaven, either.
IF YOU ARE NOT HUMBLE, YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITH GOD, including Heaven. James wrote: … God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6) Paul said: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
DO YOU SEE WHY I KEEP SAYING THAT A PROUD MAN/WOMAN CANNOT BE SAVED? God resists him/her. God gives His grace to people who humble their hearts. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
WE ARE NOT SAVED BY DOING GOOD THINGS AND AVOIDING BAD THINGS. We cannot do good things well enough to be saved by them. But good things (by God’s definition) will be in the life of one who is a genuine believer in Christ. It’s not my word. It’s what the Bible says. It is good to go to the altar at church and pray and perhaps even weep. But our salvation goes deeper than that. We must be converted. We must genuinely repent of our sins. We must genuinely receive Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives. We must be “born again” by the Spirit of God.
WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH WITHOUT WORKS. BUT WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH A FAITH...THAT WORKS.
●For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)
●For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
●Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
●Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
November 14, 2019 – THURSDAY
A.M. Ezekiel 7-9 P.M. Hebrews 10:24-39
Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
A Good Verse to Memorize:
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13) (Write verse on scrap of paper and put in your pocket to memorize.)
Song for Today:
Just As I Am (3:30) (Samonte – Mennonite Choir)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxA0TFe3-Uo
You may need to adjust your volume.
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