Christ is Always the Focus in the Born-Again Believer

The sin of pride in those who believe they have never done anything big will keep that person out of heaven. Pride of goodness must be expunged from a person before they realize their need for Christ.

So many people who decided to be Christians have never been cleansed from their sin to become born again. They act as though they have joined a club and are going to live their life in their own effort better than they did before. This mentality fosters and grows arrogance.

These people decided for one reason or another a Christian association would make for a better life, but they were never "contrite" in their hearts. They were never crushed over their sin, as the word contrite conveys.

These people begin to build pride in themselves as they believe their choice to associate with Christianity gave them special status in the community, conveying a pius mentality, a superior attitude, often creating an "us versus them" frame of mind leading only to a false and even destructive Christian witness.

I have met many of these people who judge others as inferior to them, even though the people they judge have been cleansed and free of past forgiven sins that the pius ones wish to hold over their heads the rest of their lives.

There can be no attitude of superiority in the heart of a Christian when they know they had to be broken themselves at one time in order to be cleansed by Christ.

Those who think their sins were not so terrible and that they have earned their way through their pretense of a good person, will be chastised by God if they are born-again, if they are not born-again they will see the fires of hell.

Yes, it is sad and very true that there are some born-again folks in the church who elevate themselves as though they have always been good. No one has always been good, no one has always been Christian, everyone had to come to Christ in brokenness over their sin, knowing it is only Christ Who saves, they cannot save themselves. They are not special because they have become a Christian, only Christ in any believer is special. It is only by His grace that He changes us into a new creation when we confess our sinfulness and trust in Him to change us into what we should be, an ongoing work of Christ in our lives all of our lives.

Hallelujah, what a joy when we let go of pride, we have no need to be special or above anyone else, we are happy and content to be nothing while Christ is everything in us.

John 3:30-31 "30 He must increase; I must decrease. 31The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all."

A Testimony of God's Grace and Salvation

A dear brother, Terry, asked for testimonies of our salvation on his page. I took that opportunity to share mine, here it is:

Christ saved me from a life of sin and sadness. After I trusted in Him, He saved me from the sin I was involved in that was destroying my soul. After salvation, the peace and joy rushed into me like a flood causing me to begin the evangelistic work on my husband for the next few years.

Those were hard years because he no longer liked me anymore, even though he loved me. After several years of putting up with my yammering about Christ, the Lord told me to stop working on my husband. God said in my heart; "when you are ready to quit and just pray, then I will begin my work." I obeyed and then I could see my husband becoming curious and eventually born again.

So often we don't think it's enough to give the gospel message to someone once, we must hammer them with it as though it is us who will make the difference. It has to be Christ, I learned to speak the truth once to someone and then let go and let God. One of the most valuable lessons of my life.

1 Peter 3:1 "In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives,"

It really is true that "actions speak louder than words."

Our lives speak more to a community than anything we would tell the people. We must speak the gospel too, but if our words do not match our lifestyle then the words are null and void.

My husband could not see the change in me through all the nagging, it was when I went quiet that he began to see the change in my life.

All that was back in our twenties. we have been married 50 years walking with God together most of it and growing closer to Him and each other every day. We have had struggles on and off as we both grew in the Lord, there were things the Lord has to cleanse from us.

I worry about those who don't think they have anything to be cleansed after salvation. Our entire life is one of confession and cleansing if we desire to closely walk with Christ.

1 John 1:9

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

This passage in First John is written to born-again believers.

Galatians 2:20

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

2 Thessalonians 2:13

"But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth."

Because our flesh is still sinful it must be continually dealt with, the Spirit in us wars against our flesh.

Galatians 5:16-18 "16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.…"

When we freely confess as the Holy Spirit convicts us of a sin, then He will cleanse us of that sin. However, if we do not confess sin we will not progress in holiness. We become a useless vessel.

May we be quick to hear the Holy Spirit when we sin and quick to confess it to be cleansed. This leads to a guilt-free blessed experience as we walk in obedience to Christ. Our flesh can be weak but we have the strength to overcome it in the Holy Spirit Who lives in us. Hallelujah!

For the Believer in Christ Hope Really does Spring Eternal!!!!

For the born-again believer, trials do not devastate they strengthen. Because we know Christ nothing removes our faith or our hope.

 
Romans 5:1-6
5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we celebrate in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only this but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."