Knowing Who is of Christ and Who is Not

Another wrong teaching out there!

That we cannot know the heart of someone, only God knows that, when He gave us the character qualities to look for. It would make no sense to show us the character qualities and then tell us we can't know them.

Monday, December 14, 2020

Knowing Who is of Christ and Who is Not

Do not be deceived by those who claim you cannot know the heart of another person.

Jesus Christ is God and lives in born again believers. He told us how to tell if someone is authentic or not so that we would not be deceived.

Matthew 7:15-20

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thornbushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits."

Only God knows the heart and He tells the born again believer who is one of them.

Galatians 5:22-23

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

These are the fruit of the Spirit and we can discern them in others, this is why God told us what to look for, so we will know who is of us and who is not. We aren't completely blind in knowing who is born again and who is not.

Consequences of Pride

Those who become angry at a correction are those who know they are guilty.

An innocent person who is falsely accused does not become angry they become shocked and curious wanting to know why someone would believe they are guilty of something they didn't do.

Outbursts of anger is a sign that there is already anger inside all the time. Those who have no anger inside do not automatically pop off when challenged about anything.

Ecclesiastes 9:6-7 "…8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one. 9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool."

Proverbs 29:8-10 "…8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.…"

Whatever emerges from us in any situation is the proof of our character. If rage, then we know God has sent someone to challenge us so we can see our real selves. It is only through confession that we will improve and grow in holiness.

Mankind tends to elevate his own opinions of themselves. We tend to believe we are better than we are and more accomplished than we are, the truth is God knows who we are and wants to show us so we can pray to be sanctified, changed to grow in holiness.

Those who boast and those who rage are of the same sort. These are people who have an elevated view of their own importance and must convince others. Notice too that their elevated view is not based on reality but rather on how they wish to believe about themselves. Their belief about themselves does not have to be based on anything real, only that they want to "feel" they are special and superior.

This mentality of superiority demonstrates a person who is insecure. A person who has confidence in their life has no need to boast or swagger as though they are better. A secure mature personality is comfortable with their own accomplishments and not embarrassed about their failures because they know failures teach important lessons.

When a narcissist fails they cannot admit it because they think it makes them a worthless person. They think others are unworthy of respect and honor if they fail in some way. They treat people disrespectfully when they see them as beneath them, to avoid facing their own demons.

Someone who loves does not treat anyone disrespectfully but will be bold and tell the truth. The narcissist will see honesty as an attack against them.

Brothers and Sisters, seek God with all your heart and you will see yourself in truth, the good and the bad. The good to praise God for His kindness in changing us and the bad to be cleaned further.

James 4:7-9 "7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.…"

Only the humble can submit themselves to God, only the humble can submit to others and only the humble can admit their flaws to be cleansed growing in holiness. If we believe we have arrived at humility then we have not seen ourselves in truth. No one has arrived and will not until the Lord takes us out of this world.

Every time we think we have discovered everything about ourselves that needs to be cleansed God sends more circumstances to reveal our inner heart so that we can see what we have suppressed. All our experiences in life that we cannot control are sent from God to change our flawed character.

1 John 1:9

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

No one will be cleansed if they will not confess their sins and flaws. We must obey God and confess. No Spiritual growth will occur in those who will not confess their sins.

1 John 1:7

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."

The Holy Spirit will go silent in His children who will not admit their sin. When we will not consult God He will go silent within us, leaving us to our own foolish devices.

1 Thessalonians 5:18-20 "…18 Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt,…"

Don't silence the Holy Spirit by ignoring the Word of God or dismissing and rejecting a correction.

Only a Fool Denies God

The fool "says" there is no God but knows in his heart that there is one, the connotation here is not that he does not believe but he refuses to acknowledge. It's sort of like a child standing in front of their parents and declaring to their parent you are not real, you don't exist. This way they can feel justified in ignoring all your instruction and correction. We see this in children all the time now.

Farmer For God