Ascetic X
Well-Known Member
I agree that once saved, always saved. If we are born again, I do not think the new birth can be aborted.
But how do we know absolutely for sure that we really got born again?
The nightmare is to think you got saved, and you have some works that seem to verify your salvation, but you did not make it into heaven.
Can a person get born again, act like a Christian for a while, then spend most of their lives backsliding, and die in their sins?
When we examine our lives, do we see strong evidence that we truly experienced a new birth resulting in a changed life?
Or did we say some prayer inviting Jesus to come into our heart, then assume we had a ticket to heaven in our back pocket, but lived in sins, that we excused as simply not being legalistic, and just enjoying life?
How often did we exercise pious self-restraint vs. practice gleeful self-indulgence?
Have we exhibited a devout, sincere, dedicated, reverent, holy life of purity?
Or have we been just as worldly as any unsaved person, except we agreed with a Christian creed as head knowledge, without true behavioral transformation?
How seriously have we attempted to prevent souls from heading to eternal hell?
How consistently have we obeyed the commands of Jesus?
Our entrance into heaven will not be due to our good works, but if we have very little in our life that indicates that we loved God more than anything or anyone else, what do we think our verdict will be at the throne of judgment?
Hypocrites generally tend to be totally unaware of their hypocrisy. The Pharisees were completely certain that they were correct and Jesus was wrong.
Saying Jesus is Lord is different from actually behaving as though Jesus is your Lord.
Have we ever ruthlessly probed our soul to see if any of it conformed to the image of Christ?
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. Test your own selves. Know ye not yourselves how Jesus Christ is in you, unless ye be reprobates?
Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Matthew 7
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
But how do we know absolutely for sure that we really got born again?
The nightmare is to think you got saved, and you have some works that seem to verify your salvation, but you did not make it into heaven.
Can a person get born again, act like a Christian for a while, then spend most of their lives backsliding, and die in their sins?
When we examine our lives, do we see strong evidence that we truly experienced a new birth resulting in a changed life?
Or did we say some prayer inviting Jesus to come into our heart, then assume we had a ticket to heaven in our back pocket, but lived in sins, that we excused as simply not being legalistic, and just enjoying life?
How often did we exercise pious self-restraint vs. practice gleeful self-indulgence?
Have we exhibited a devout, sincere, dedicated, reverent, holy life of purity?
Or have we been just as worldly as any unsaved person, except we agreed with a Christian creed as head knowledge, without true behavioral transformation?
How seriously have we attempted to prevent souls from heading to eternal hell?
How consistently have we obeyed the commands of Jesus?
Our entrance into heaven will not be due to our good works, but if we have very little in our life that indicates that we loved God more than anything or anyone else, what do we think our verdict will be at the throne of judgment?
Hypocrites generally tend to be totally unaware of their hypocrisy. The Pharisees were completely certain that they were correct and Jesus was wrong.
Saying Jesus is Lord is different from actually behaving as though Jesus is your Lord.
Have we ever ruthlessly probed our soul to see if any of it conformed to the image of Christ?
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. Test your own selves. Know ye not yourselves how Jesus Christ is in you, unless ye be reprobates?
Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Matthew 7
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.