WORDS OF VICTORY
Knowing You are a Genuine Believer Part 1
March 20, 2014
From the Pastor's Keyboard:
Is it possible for a person to know beyond the shadow of doubt that they are saved? Do you know for sure? Below is a conversation I had on Facebook with a grammar school friend I hope will be a help to you:
His Question:
Hello Friend, I see a lot of posts here by you and others about people who are professors of Christ and not true believers. How can I make sure that I am a genuine Christian?
My Response:
Hey,
Hope all is going well with you. A genuine believer is one who has repented of sin and has trusted Christ. This is evidenced by a changed life with new desires toward Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and not the things of the world. The little epistle of 1 John gives several evidences of salvation – walking in the light of Christ, honesty regarding sin, keeping the commandments of God – to name a few. The believer also has the Holy Spirit inside to guide and teach, and he will also have a desire to meet with God's people for worship and preaching. My big concern with the idea of professors stems from modern Christianity which offers a "get out of hell free card" as salvation but not a relationship with Christ. There are many who, at the Judgment, will profess to Christ that they preached, cast out devils, and worked in his name, only to hear him say he never knew them (Matthew 7:21). How could this be? They simply repeated a prayer or responded to the idea that "Christ has a wonderful plan for your life" (which, by the way, he DOES have a great plan for one who is a believer) without ever getting to first base, i.e., dealing with their sin. Christ's purpose on the earth was to fulfill the Old Testament law and to die for the sins of mankind. According to Romans 4:25, he was raised from the dead for our justification, that is to give us a perfect standing before God. Any gospel presentation which does not deal with the sin issue is no gospel at all and is deceptive. I'd look at my appetites: do I love God or the world? Would I rather watch football or read my Bible? Would I rather go out with friends or go to revival meeting? Football and friends are not bad, but they ought to pale in comparison to the love of a believer for his Saviour. Look at your desires and compare them to the Bible, the book of 1 John in particular since it's specifically written to "little children" (1 John 2:1), those who've recently trusted Christ, and be honest with what you find. God's word is the only standard by which judge our salvation, not the experiences of others; his word is a trusted friend to pillow the head on in this world. What is your attitude toward the Bible? Do you love and cherish it as God's love letter from heaven, or does it have no more meaning than any other book, or even a book of sentimentality? I know that you know who Christ is, but what is your attitude toward him? Jesus himself posed the question, "What think ye of Christ, whose son is he?" (Matthew 22:42). That answer to that question in genuine faith will determine the eternal destination of everyone on earth. I know I have been long, but I hope this helps focus your thinking. If you need me, don't hesitate to message back or call. Take care.
As I told my friend, measure your desires with what the Bible says. God's word cannot lie, and it will not change to please any man, you or me. If you would like to know Christ, please let us help you by contacting us at Email God Bless you.
In the surety of Christ\'s Blood
Pastor John
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