Sunday, July 14, 2024

Authentically Born Again or Pretending?

I have heard "Christians," say, "my sin was not so bad as the sins of others", as though that makes them superior. I am here to tell you that no born-again believe who came to Christ in brokenness over their sinful nature and has been changed by God would never even joke about this matter. They would know repentance brought them to a place of humility without an attitude of superiority above anyone else.
Romans 3:23
"23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
No born again believer can remain angry and vengeful after God changed them into a new creation. Those who elevate themselves and others they choose to elevate above others have never been changed into a new creation by Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
No born again believer would ever be full of pride to the point of looking down their nose at anyone else.
As born again believers who have been changed by Christ care nothing about being elevated above others, rather we desire for others to find forgiveness as we had to be forgiven through admitting our sinfulness and trusting in Christ to change us.
Those who never thought they needed forgiveness, elevating themselves as good people because of their deeds, or should I say deeds that others could see while hiding their unrepentant hearts are not born again.
This is why God said in His Word; Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
The hardest people to reach with the gospel are those who have attended church all their lives, learned the right things to say and do, thinking that was giving them salvation because of how others viewed them but never saw themselves as wretched sinners in need of the Savior. These people are very proud of themselves and feel superior to others. These are those who will not see heaven.
When a person has been changed by Christ through their confession of their own wretchedness they will want to glorify Christ not themselves.
Romans 8:17
"And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

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