In reference to my previous post on are you really saved?... on Wednesday, September 03, 2008 (Click here for reference)
Just to recap on some questions that has been on my mind, ever since abt a mth ago when i encountered an article abt a Christian minister converting into a devout Muslim sheik ... it made me questioned if some "Christians" out there really are saved in the first place? Bcoz it is certain that once Christ is TRULY in us..WE CAN NEVER LOSE OUR SALVATION....unless we disown God(by our own will)..and that is PROMISED to us in the WORD of GOD.
Imagine this scenario... one day in heaven... the people we have been going to church with since young are not all there...and maybe we see only 10 out of 500 people in our church? Scaryyy thought right....
So the reason why i'm sharing this is mainly for "Christians" out there... some may have been going church all their life, some even serve in the church.... BUT... at the end of the day.. were they saved in the first place? Remember the Lord said the road to Heaven is NARROW... not many will enter the kingdom of God at the end of their life EVEN though they may "think" they receive Christ in their hearts....
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 8-9 (NIV)
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
"Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." Ephesians 2:7-10(The Message)
From this scriptures... Jesus Christ starts changing us from the inside out... We are than made and destined to do certain things for Christ. What things? Actions(its an active word) that reveal our love,our faith,our forgiveness,and so on. And we got the CHOICE...to live against that destiny or live with it... If we live with it...we EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL HEALTH!This can be summarized as...Our Salvation is by GRACE ALONE(v.8)..BUT... those good works that we would do are a RESULT of what God will make in our hearts to do after our salvation...(V.10)... thus, this is one way of seeing if your really saved?
And then going to the next point...
Read James 2:14-26 (for whole context)
"...(v.4)What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ...
(V.17)In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
This verse make me wonder if some people just say they have "FAITH" in God... but.... if they don't act out their Faith... it is the same as NO FAITH AT ALL! So are this people save in the end? Well i question?So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.James 2:17 (NLT)
(v.19)You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. ...
Below Extract Bible commentary of James 2:17
(Click here for full commentary)
(Click here for full commentary)
One must also consider Ephesians 2:8, 10, which tell us that salvation is by grace through faith, and that the Father created us for good works, which He prearranged for us to perform. Therefore, how can a person with a dead faith, one that produces no works, be in God's Kingdom, since he would be failing to do the very thing for which God is creating him in Christ?
The root of this issue is that people have a dismally vague knowledge of what sin is, as well as an equally weak appreciation for the dangerous filthiness of sin, which can prevent us from entering God's Kingdom. We live in an exceedingly sinful nation in which we are confronted by sin from every quarter, including from within. Sin is so blatantly exhibited that most people seem to treat it with casual indifference
So many are unaware of what sin is that they ignorantly participate in it. Television and movie "entertainment" overflows with it. In fact, sin is woven so tightly into the fabric of movies and TV shows that one could wonder if any other subject material exists. Personally i would say even a common WORLDLY lifestyle out there like "clubbing" is one form of place where the devil can so smartly deceive us that is perfectly normal even if we go in for the right reason (yeaa right for the latter)... you will never know..how such influence from this society today that can cause sinful natures to creep in and then bring us away from our LORD...
"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."Hebrews 6:10-12
"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:36
The author of Hebrews predicts grave punishment for one who has
"....has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" Hebrews 10:29
If you have stumbled by what i shared so far... read below what the Scripture that give an example of what we Christians should be doing...."....has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" Hebrews 10:29
"It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passion, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, Titus 2:12"
After further reading of Titus.....The below verse is something God warn me and others out there who try to be too intellectual with the Word of God.... and i'm wary that I might fall into it if I dwell to much of certain biblical controversies...
"But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Titus 3:9"
When the grace of God towards mankind has been declared, the necessity of good works is pressed. Those who believe in God, must make it their care to maintain good works, to seek opportunities for doing them, being influenced by love and gratitude. Trifling, foolish questions must be avoided, and subtle distinctions and vain inquiries; nor should people be eager after novelties, but love sound doctrine which tends most to edifying.
Anyways for everyone out there... if you are stumbled by all that i have written here about your Faith... ..
what i can assure you of is as long you truly believe Jesus Christ that he is your LORD and SAVIOR from your heart, and that he died for our sins, and that your TRULY repentant of your sins and that our LORD has forgiven them all on the Cross which he has gave eternal life...
And another thing we should take note that when we serve in church, it is OUT OF THE LOVE FOR GOD! and not for the praises of men...this is a common reason i believe many people serving in church fall into...
Then well... i guess i can assure you on that, but thats just my opinion of the first step....at the end of the day..you need a personal assurance from the LORD himself.=)
Well we all need to continue SEEK GOD earnestly everyday! and we need to have this FEAR OF THE LORD before He can show himself to you... remember GOD PROMISE US this... so hold on to those promised and you will see our LORD rewarding you one day!
"... "Never will I leave you;never will I forsake you."..Hebrews 3:5" 11Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:10-14
(The verse above shows that if we disowned God... we will lose that salvation)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes(believing) in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
Scriptures that use the present participle of the word "believe", which some interpreters take to mean a continual, progressive nature. Thus, these verbs could be translated "is believing" or "is continuing to believe".The present participle interpretation is noted in brackets..Click here for further references of "Conditions to be saved(methodist theories)"
"Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time— this Message that I proclaimed and that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by which your life has been saved. (I'm assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and not a passing fancy, that you're in this for good and holding fast.)" 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (The Message)
Its true that God's grace will always bring us back on the right track....BUT... like i shared i hope everyone out there reading this won't take our salvation for granted.... only God knows at the end of the day if we really were JUSTIFIED and SAVED into his kingdom... so lets persevere in our Faith by disciplining our self to be rooted to His WORD and let the FIRE of GOD burn in our hearts everyday to keep that Passion for him! Let's pursue that Holiness that we are all called to be!"By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:2"Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time— this Message that I proclaimed and that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by which your life has been saved. (I'm assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and not a passing fancy, that you're in this for good and holding fast.)" 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (The Message)
Would love to hear your opinions on what i just shared in the comment box below...
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