Are you a Christian?
by Tyler Zach
A church member was talking to his pastor one day about his struggles. He was continually committing adultery and his wife didn’t know about it. The pastor replied by saying, “You do know that there are no adulterers in heaven, right?” The guy became very uncomfortable and said, “But I thought that you teach that you can’t lose your salvation once you believe in Jesus.”
And the pastor’s reply is beautiful. He said, “A faith that justifies is also a faith that sanctifies.” This statement means that if you do in fact have a faith that has justified you, a faith that has brought you from death to life, and is the same faith that resurrected Jesus from the dead, then there is no questions that this faith will sanctify (cleanse, purify, perfect) you.
This means that if you aren’t experiencing continual transformation in the sinful patterns in your life – then chances are you are not a Christian. Because if you have been justified by God to be with Him forever, then that same power should be working to perfect you.
No one will ever be perfect in their lifetime as Christ was, but you should experience transformation. Everyone is called to meditate on their life every day to see if they are being transformed by God.
Perhaps this is part of the reason for the following verse in the bible:
“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
- Philippians 2:12-13
We like to teach assurance of salvation now days with great confidence – but I’m afraid that too many people are “falsely assured”.
They think that having a knowledge of God will win them to heaven. This is certainly not the case. If we see sanctification happening in our life, then it is a good sign that we have been justified – that our belief of God is not just in our head, but in our heart.
Do you enjoy and delight in God more today than you did yesterday?
You may struggle with many sinful habits like I do. But do you see God slowly transforming those areas of your life? Are you letting Him?
A church member was talking to his pastor one day about his struggles. He was continually committing adultery and his wife didn’t know about it. The pastor replied by saying, “You do know that there are no adulterers in heaven, right?” The guy became very uncomfortable and said, “But I thought that you teach that you can’t lose your salvation once you believe in Jesus.”
And the pastor’s reply is beautiful. He said, “A faith that justifies is also a faith that sanctifies.” This statement means that if you do in fact have a faith that has justified you, a faith that has brought you from death to life, and is the same faith that resurrected Jesus from the dead, then there is no questions that this faith will sanctify (cleanse, purify, perfect) you.
This means that if you aren’t experiencing continual transformation in the sinful patterns in your life – then chances are you are not a Christian. Because if you have been justified by God to be with Him forever, then that same power should be working to perfect you.
No one will ever be perfect in their lifetime as Christ was, but you should experience transformation. Everyone is called to meditate on their life every day to see if they are being transformed by God.
Perhaps this is part of the reason for the following verse in the bible:
“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
- Philippians 2:12-13
We like to teach assurance of salvation now days with great confidence – but I’m afraid that too many people are “falsely assured”.
They think that having a knowledge of God will win them to heaven. This is certainly not the case. If we see sanctification happening in our life, then it is a good sign that we have been justified – that our belief of God is not just in our head, but in our heart.
Do you enjoy and delight in God more today than you did yesterday?
You may struggle with many sinful habits like I do. But do you see God slowly transforming those areas of your life? Are you letting Him?
posted by Tyler Zach at 1:59 PM
1 Comments:
Good Word Brother Tyler. :)
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