They also teach that God definitely loves all the unsaved, helps them and is pleased with them. This also creates complacency and causes people not to search for God.
Despite evidence to the contrary, people continue to believe that they are definitely saved and that God is helping them in the ways that the Bible promises. It is a bit like someone in the middle of a drought who believes that it is raining, even though the ground is bone dry, their crops are wilting and the sky is blue. As a result they do nothing about saving their crops or stock. If they came to grips with reality and stop falsely believing something nice is happening, they could save their crops by irrigating or move their stock.
If they don't, their produce will die. Categories of Christians It is debatable who you would actually call a Christian. People could be considered a Christian because they believe that the Bible is the word of God and claim to be a Christian. However, that does not mean they are a true Christian.
Five categories could be considered. A nominal Christian - a person who calls themselves a Christian and believes that the God described in the Bible is the true God. However, they are not obeying God and born again like described in the Bible.
A Sunday Christian - someone who regularly goes to a church and believes that the Bible is the word of God. However, they do not practice Christianity outside the church as the Bible commands and are not obeying God, or are born again as described in the Bible.
A Bible study Christian - someone who regularly goes to Bible studies and listens to Christian ministries and attends churches. However, they follow the teachings of the mainstream church and the mainstream evangelists, but not necessarily what the Bible truly says.
They claim to be born again and led by God. However, they are not obeying God and born again as described in the Bible. Committed Christian - someone who believes in the true interpretation of the Bible. These people are really committed and offer to share the information at truechristianity. They have a good chance of being saved. However, there is no hard evidence that they are truly born again or that God is guiding and helping them with their daily needs as explained at truechristianity.
These people know the truth and how God wants them to obey him. However, on many occasions they fail to practice it, even though they may willfully try to obey God.
I know of several genuine people in this category. Truly born again Christian -someone who believes in the true interpretation of the Bible and has hard evidence that God guides and helps them in their daily needs as promised in the Bible.
They have a true relationship with God unlike the above categories that probably only imagine that God guides them. These people, with help from God, normally manage to practice what God commands. The apostles fit this category. However, I do not know anyone alive today that has produced the evidence that they are in this category. Hopefully this will change soon.
A Noticeable Difference Between Believers and Unbelievers Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 28 suggest that there should be consistent blessings for the people obeying and walking with God. Nobody that we know has produced the evidence that they have these consistent blessings. The second part of the chapter indicates curses and problems for the people disobeying God and not doing his will.
This second part probably describes the lives of everyone that we know because they have not produced any evidence to us to indicate otherwise. Today there is no noticeable difference between the unbelievers and the people who claim to be born again and have their prayers answered. The percentage of desirable outcomes and undesirable problems they receive is similar. The difference between the Godly people in the Bible and the so called Christians today is so huge, it is like the gulf between Heaven and Hell.
Today believers live similar lives to unbelievers. Many people believe that God is definitely working in someone's life if they took the first steps to salvation and their life changed for the better. For example, if they overcame a bad habit. But unbelievers also have times in their life where they dramatically change for the better , while many who claim to be believers experience no significant change in their lives. Some unbelievers are lovely, caring people who would save anyone's life at the expense of their own and volunteer in dangerous situations to help the poor.
Other unbelievers have made wonderful discoveries to help people. If these people had accepted Jesus, many would say that they are inspired by God and that He is working in their lives.
Godly qualities therefore do not always mean that God is in someone life and that they are saved. Salvation is not an emotional time where you come to God once and then deliberately disobey him. You can lose your salvation as shown in 2Peter and Hebrews Supernatural Signs The Apostles were divinely led to make daily decisions and to find what they needed. They had visions. Their prayers were consistently answered and they operated using supernatural gifts such as healing.
In my lifetime, I have not seen the miraculous healings and signs that the Apostles regularly manifested. I challenge anyone to provide evidence that they have God's supernatural gifts so that they occur consistently. If you believe that the above things are happening supernaturally today it is vital that you read the chapter titled "A Powerful Challenge to Bring Revival. If you claim that your prayers make a noticeable difference, please come and visit us so that you can provide the evidence and help people in our area.
This is not about seeking a sign. This is about seeking to be led by God and have a relationship with him.
It is also about seeking godly people to have fellowship with so that they can encourage us. God said that we should move in his spirit and desire spiritual gifts 1Cor We should not seek a sign by itself.
The sign should not be the thing that totally influences us. The most important thing is seeking and obeying God. It is also important to find fellowship with genuine believers who obey God. The Bible says that there will be certain supernatural signs that accompany those that believe. However, the signs themselves do not necessarily indicate that people are born again Matthew Therefore the Bible warns about only seeking signs by themselves.
The Bible says to try or test the spirits 1John It also says to be vigilant 1Peter Salvation also involves obeying God so it is important that we insure that a person is obeying God and has the fruits before we believe that they are saved.
If people do not believe that signs are important, they deny the power of God. The Bible warns us about people who have a form of Godliness but deny its power. This description fits most of the churches today. Ignoring signs means ignoring evidence. It also means ignoring or removing many Scriptures, which is wrong. We are commanded not to take anything away from the word. Luke Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Matthew Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this [which is done] to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Matthew And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. That is why we need to keep seeking God and searching. In Philippians we are told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The Need to Find Genuine Believers Some people say that you don't need to find, work and live with genuine believers to show you how to walk with God or help you do his will. That is a bit like saying that you can learn how to land a specialized aircraft by just getting someone to explain how, without ever seeing the aircraft.
Many have tried to go it alone and have not succeeded. They become deceived that God is leading them when He is not, and as a result are led into error. It is psychologically difficult to seek and obey God when you do not know of anyone who has succeeded. Finding someone who successfully has a true relationship with God would motivate us.
They would teach us their methods and help us make the correct decisions. It is very difficult for us to practice what God wants us to think in a difficult, ungodly and negative environment.
We really need some people who are definitely walking with God to motivate us. The Bible says that we need fellowship with genuine believers. The Bible promises, that those with the Holy Spirit are able to operate with God's gifts to break curses and cast out demons that prevent us from obeying God. In the Bible demon possession and the casting out of demons was very common.
It is therefore likely that almost everybody is either possessed by or seriously affected by them. As a result we are bound to do things we do not wish to do and struggle to obey God. If we can find the true believers who are casting out demons, they could set us free so that we could walk with God.
Oppressive circumstances and curses may then not affect us. If we could find those that could produce the evidence that God is in their lives, you would think that their interpretation of the scriptures would probably be correct and that their life would be right with God. They could help guide the people who wanted to believe the truth but were confused about the correct belief to follow, due to the different scholars interpretations and doctrines that contradict.
Prayer Should Make a Difference The Bible promises that the prayers of those who obey God should make a noticeable difference. The following scriptures also indicate that prayer has a powerful affect. If God does answer your prayers, you should receive a greater percentage of desirable outcomes than could possibly happen naturally to unbelievers.
Also you should have a lower percentage of undesirable outcomes than the unrighteous. The difference should be very noticeable to anyone you work with. It should be able to be measured and proven by anyone like it was with the Apostles. People should realize that the outcomes cannot happen naturally or by chance, but instead are divinely inspired.
If this cannot be proven, it is probably just imagination, deception or the placebo affect. Therefore the people who claim to be led by God, may not have a relationship with God at all. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Matthew Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Because nobody has produced this evidence to us, it could indicate that nobody that we know is considered to have the righteousness of Christ and be born again in God's sight.
Unlike today, supernatural activity consistently occurred all through the Bible. The Bible did not say that this would stop. It would cease at certain times or places, but this is not saying that it will not be occurring anywhere in the world.
The scripture at 1Cor probably indicates that gifts will cease or fail in churches because they are disobeying God. The Apostles were using God's power in the name of Jesus to consistently set people free, but where is that consistency today? For Jesus and the Apostles healings were widespread. Luke And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where. Matthew And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
If supernatural healings occur consistently today where are the medical records? You would think that they would indicate supernatural healings or healings at a higher rate than would happen naturally. You may claim that prayers are answered, but it could be a natural occurrence as well, and what about the majority of prayers that are not answered? In the Bible the people of God easily produced the evidence they were of God when their prayers made a noticeable difference.
Scriptures state that God does not answer or even hear the prayers of those who are disobedient to God. Psalm If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]:" This could indicate that nobody that we know including us is born again or right with God. This is because salvation is conditional on obedience to God, and that nobody that we know has demonstrated to us that their prayers make a consistent difference.
The only time I have seen prayer make a noticeable and measurable difference has been experiences that others and I have had in a Pentecostal church, where we have fallen down under the power of God while being prayed for. There were also other supernatural physical effects in us such as wrenching of the body. This was probably demons in us reacting to the power of God during prayer. These demons appeared to be stirred up but were not cast out.
The same people were affected in similar ways time and time again but were not healed. We never received the things that we prayed for. Who is Truly Led by God There are many lovely caring people who are seeking to obey God and searching for the truth. Their desire is to study God's word. However, this is different to being divinely led by God, himself. If someone is truly led by God the decision or belief they claim God led them to should always be correct, because God does not make mistakes.
Many people claim to be divinely led and study God's word. They claim God led them to a certain belief. However, their belief often turns out be wrong. Almost all of the people who claim to be Christians and to be led by God, disagree on important beliefs and decisions.
It is probably not God who is leading them at all, because you would think that the one true God would lead people to the one truth that would not contradict itself. The Bible says God and the Holy Spirit will not cause confusion. James But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Possibly the only people who are born again and truly led by the Holy Spirit don't have these problems most of the time. It is likely that everybody we know is only led by their imagination and not by God at all. Mainstream Church Deception of a False Revival to Gain Members and Funds People claim that many good things are happening in today's mainstream churches. It appears that the apostate church has deceived them into believing this so that it can be promoted and funded. People get excited about a healing or an answered prayer, but fail to comment on the majority that are not.
They believe that there is a widespread revival when there is none. As a result people become satisfied with mainstream evangelists and the apostate church. Therefore they will not search for true Christianity and salvation. People are leaving the mainstream churches in droves. Especially the mainstream Pentecostal churches. The reasons are normally not because they have been offended by being corrected, but because they have been deceived and given false hope by the Church.
One of the main criticisms of the mainstream Pentecostal churches is that people do not tell the truth. People claim that they are healed when they are not, and promise healing without delivering. They claim that wonderful things are happening everywhere today. If they were honest they would have more support and a better name, and encourage people to search for the truth. They should be saying that only a very small percentage of people are healed, a lot of our prophecies which we claim are from God turn out to be wrong and the world is almost totally evil.
Therefore we must be doing something wrong and it is possible that none of us are saved yet so, we need to seek more and obey God. I would like to say there are many people saved today and that we are definitely saved, but I can only follow the Bible, observe what is happening today and give an honest opinion. Over Emphasis on a Few Verses. So if we remain in the Age of Grace, we can only be forgiven of our sins. But since our sinful nature remains rooted within us, we still endlessly reveal our corrupt satanic disposition.
Only in this way can we cast off our corrupt satanic disposition and recover the original likeness of the first created humans. Only then will we truly be saved. Only in this way can we truly be purified and saved by God completely. Through the above fellowship, we know that in the Age of Law, man could be saved because of his obeying the law. Then, in the Age of Grace, because of their belief in the Lord, men could obtain the salvation of the Lord and have their sins forgiven if they came before Him to confess sins after they sinned.
However, in the final age, Christ of the last days, Almighty God, has expressed a variety of truths and has done the work of judgment and chastisement to remove sins. At that time, those people who devoutly served Jehovah God held on to the viewpoint that men would be saved if they called on the name of Jehovah.
Only those who follow the footsteps of the Lamb are the overcomers. What Does Being Saved Mean? A one-click subscription to the latest spiritual devotional resources helps you be closer to the Lord! I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy. All rights reserved.
By Liu Jing. Show more. Join Online Meeting Group Did you know? Deep down, we know there is more to salvation than that. Salvation is both forgiveness of sins and walking in an abiding relationship with The Father, Son, and Spirit. Remember how Scripture says that we are saved by faith?
Faith is not merely a mental assent to the divinity of Jesus. Faith is walking in a living relationship with Jesus. So, what does it mean to walk in the light? A central part of how we love each other is by obeying His commands. This then is how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. This means we must walk in truth and holiness, not in doctrinal errors and sinful living. In fact, if we say we are perfectly walking in the light and are without sin, we are actually lying and showing we are not truly saved by God 1 John When we sin, Jesus is right there, being our propitiation the sacrifice which turns the cursed into the blessed 1 John But again, we must not settle in sin and confession without repentance, for John goes back to obedience 1 John The Bible does not say we will be sinless once we are saved.
But the Bible does say we should be sinning less and less after we are saved. We are justified at the moment of our conversions, and when we are justified we will always begin down the road of signification as well Hebrews Justification is what God proclaims us to be and what he fully gives us in Christ.
Sanctification is the process of becoming holy and learning to live from the blessings we have fully received in Jesus. In 2 Peter , for example, Peter says:. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
There will certainly be moments of backsliding for Christians. But you should have assurance of faith and know you are truly saved by God if your life has changed and if you are seeking to walk in the light more and more and not less and less as your life progresses with Christ.
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