One of the things that happened to me when I became born again was that the "Christians" in the family threw my past sins in my face as though I had not stopped or repented, as though they had never needed to repent or have never sinned.
It was then that God opened my eyes to the self-righteous ones who were elevated in their own eyes. Because of the Bible and my experience of repentance I know it is not possible to be born again without having become broken over our sinfulness.
Those who hold themselves in high regard because they thought they were so good all their lives have yet to be born again.
These people do not understand that it is not the "big sins" that keep us out of heaven, its all sinfulness within our being. One of those sins is the sin of pride causing people to believe they were good enough or did enough good deeds to gain heaven.
Those who have had to repent and trust Christ would never look at another believer with disdain based on past sins. Everyone has past sinfulness that needs to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ through faith in Him.
Romans 3:23 "23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
The devil was thrown out of heaven because of pride! Pride in self alone will keep someone from becoming born again.
No one can save themselves, even believing in the Lord Jesus Christ will not save anyone, it is the desire to be changed by Him that proves the belief in Him.
Many people say they have believed who have no fruit of the Spirit. It is the fruit that is the evidence of the salvation of a believer. These are character qualities of Christ that can only be recognized by other believers.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
No one can save themselves by being good enough or by declaring loudly that they are a Christian. We become born again by realizing our own complete helplessness and by believing in Christ to cleanse us.
Those who judge the sins of others that have been forgiven by God through repentance have failed to see their own sinfulness.
We can only have a heart for the lost and desire to show them the way of salvation when we know what we had to do to become born again. Those who are self-righteous will never have a heart for the lost. They will do one of two things, they will embrace the unsaved sinner to be friends with them or they will look down at them as though they are superior.
The superficial pretender will have many friends who are just like them, without dedication to the Bible. They have a form of religion but have never been born again.
Often self-righteous "Christians" love the presence of the unsaved because that is who they are most comfortable with, they are discomforted in the presence of authentic born again believers. They love superficiality and slap-happy fun that the unsaved community has to offer. However, they avoid being with those who are "fanatical Bible believers", the ones who are always bringing the Scripture to bear on every situation, every discussion, and to every gathering.
If you have been rejected by other "Christians" for speaking Biblese count it all joy that you remained faithful to God's Word.
We can tell the difference between an authentic believer and a pretender by the presence or lack of the fruit of the Spirit. We can also tell by their demeanor when we bring up the subject of Christ and His Word. Those who are authentic believers will love to hear about Christ but the pretenders will be very uncomfortable, even raging at the mention of God's Word.
Since we are living in the end of the end days we will see far fewer authentic believers than there are pretenders. Pretenders will dominate everything and will not listen to God's Word.
Here is a snapshot of the mentality of our days of apostasy:
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "2 Timothy 3:1-5
King James Version
3 This know also, that in the last days "perilous" (ragingly insane) times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
If we love those who are unsaved we will tell them the truth so that they can become born again and experience the joy of walking with Christ and the blessing of heaven in the future.
