Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Saying It Doesn't Make It So

No child of God will walk away from Him. When we chose to trust Christ He merely gave us what we wanted and that was to be changed into a new creation by Him. Even though we are weak and fail at times, we are still continually being cleansed until the day we die. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance. 

Ephesians 1:13-14 "13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."

If someone walks away without a conscience over it, then they were never born again, they were only pretending or responding to an emotional hype, they never had it in their heart. They were never broken over their sinfulness and they never trusted Christ to change them.

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.’"


If anyone has a strong desire to return to the world, loving things that God hates, then that person never wanted Christ to begin with, they only wanted God for the safety they thought they would have or to elevate themselves in the eyes of others. 

When our motive to be close to God is to be accepted without desiring to please Him, then God will not save us, change us or answer our prayers.

John 9:31 ""We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him."

So many people today call themselves Christian because it makes them feel safe, good about themselves and special, but in their heart they have no inclination to seek God about anything. When they are confronted over a sin or wrong attitude they fight and devour those who try to help them grow in holiness. 

When we see these things, we know we have met someone who has an ulterior motive to labeling themselves "Christian", which does not please God.

Matthew 15:8 "'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME."

Saying "I am a Christian", does not make us Christian,
Saying "I love you" does not prove that we love.
Saying "I am a hard worker", does not mean we are hard workers.
Saying "I am a good person", does not make us a good person.

Do we see the face of our culture in the above sentences? Many people think that all they have to do is say something and that makes it so. Most of the criminals in jail will claim they are basically good people.

Evidence is required for the claims of these things. When we say "I love you", there has to have been a lifestyle of consideration and concern for the one we say we love. When we say "I am a hard worker", there must be evidence that others can see that prove it. 

Our culture no longer understands that in order for something to be true, it must be more than words, there must be attitudes and actions that back up our claims. It is better to keep our mouths shut while obeying God, we really are what we live, not what we say.

There is an old saying that goes like this; "your actions speak so loud, I can't hear a word your saying."

If you are a hard worker then you won't need to say it, others will see it. If you love God's way, there won't be a need to brag that you love, others will know it. If you say "I am a Christian", the evidence will be that we obey God as a matter of lifestyle, even if we fail we will be grieved over our sinfulness and desire to be delivered from the sin. 

A true believer never gives themselves excuses for their sinfulness while remaining in it, they are ashamed and want to be cleansed. When confronted they don't fight and argue they are ashamed, confess and turn from their sin.

John 14:23 "Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."

1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

Hebrews 12:6 "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."

1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."

If we love God it will show in that we obey Him as a matter of lifestyle, we will love the Word of God and we will love other believers. Our love will include correction when necessary as well as comfort in hard times. 

If there is no love for God's Word, no love for the brethren and no desire to move forward in holiness, then there is no salvation, not that we earn salvation by these things but that salvation produces these things in us.



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