There is a joy and excitement over our new creation when we have been changed by Christ. If someone does not change at all, even remaining sullen, then I have to believe Christ never came to live in them. There are also those who are in the church many years who remain arrogant, pious and joyless.
I also wonder about those who become more rude and demanding about particular rules that man has placed on them. They have joined a club with man made rules but there is no sense of the Holy Spirit that convicts of sin or great joy of what they have been saved from, that is their sin and hell.
Another phenomena I have seen is the excuse making that many pretenders do, claiming that they are under grace so it doesn't matter how they live. Anyone who wants to remain sinful has not been born again. When Christ changes us into a new creation we develop a hatred for sin, even if we sin it feels ugly and we want victory over it.
In fact when some people have been in the church many years but are embarrassed at the mention of Christ's name there is something amiss. Many of these people don't believe they have sinned badly enough to go to hell. They are missing the point, that is even the slightest sin of lying, gossiping or indifference to God's commands are enough to keep one out of heaven.
When we become born again we are different, excited for our new freedom and joy. When this is absent I am suspicious. Born again believers know that they are sinful and it is only Christ's blood that covers our sinfulness. It is Christ who must cleanse us from our sin, this cleansing continues for the rest of our life as long as we are on this earth.
We are cleansed in direct proportion to how often we confess sin. If we do not confess sin we do not grow in holiness. Every sin we commit as a believer,. if not confessed will lose us rewards in heaven and lost blessing on this earth.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Many born again believers remain spiritual babies all their lives because of their inability to own their sin and confess it. It must be confessed to be cleansed and for growth to occur.
1 John 1:9 "1
"9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
There are many baby believers in the church and many pretenders, they look very similar, it is difficult to tell them apart. It is important that each born again believer evaluate their own life to judge if they are in obedience. It is the pretenders responsibility to ask themselves if they were ever born again and make a choice, either to become so or leave the church.
Matthew 13:24-30
Tares among Wheat
"24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.
26 But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.
27 The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.
30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.""
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