bornagain11
Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2008
- Messages
- 80
The Bible teaches that no one can be saved without repentance--a changed mind about God, life, sin, Jesus Christ, etc. And this changed mind will always result in a changed action as the repentant sinner turns to God for salvation, and God gives him new life in Christ.
The evangelist’s goal, according to Christ’s Great Commission, is to make disciples of all nations. “Repentance and remission of sins” is to be preached in the name of Jesus Christ (Lk. 24:46-47). The soul winner’s goal is to preach the gospel in such a way that men see their sin and need of salvation and are brought to repentance and faith. It is to the repentant believing sinner that God gives salvation.
The sinner does not have to change his life in order to be saved. God does the saving and the life changing. A changed mind is required, though. The individual that has never changed his mind about God, sin, Christ, and the Bible, has never been saved. The changed life is the evidence and fruit of repentance. Repentance is not a sinner changing his life; it is a sinner yielding to God, surrendering to God, so that God can change his life.
SALVATION REQUIRES A NEW BIRTH
“Jesus answered and said unto him Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3).
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are made new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availed any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Gal. 6:14,15).
Regeneration is God’s work. A man cannot work up the new birth, nor can he work for it. God gives the new birth as a gift of grace. But He only gives it to those who repent and place full confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ.
This shows why many make professions but never seem to be born again. They have not repented, and they have never, therefore, been regenerated. They are still lost. The new birth is God giving a person a new nature; how could this new nature fail to produce a new life? Could God live within an individual’s heart without being evidenced in that person’s daily life? The Bible teaches that this is not possible.
WHAT CHANGES DOES SALVATION BRING?
What changes can we expect the new birth to make in a person’s life? Following are some changes emphasized in the Bible.
A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH AND ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent” (John 17:3).
The regenerated person has become a child of God. Jesus is his Savior. The Spirit of God has taken up permanent abode in his heart. He desires to know God and seeks to do so. Where does this leave the professor that cares nothing about knowing and pleasing God?
A LOVE FOR GOD’S WORD
“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47).
The individual that is born again hungers after the Scriptures. The Bible is God’s voice, and the regenerated man loves God’s voice. It is God’s law, and the regenerated man has God’s law written upon his heart. A person’s attitude toward the Bible and sin is a strong indication of his spiritual condition.
A LOVE FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14).
A new attitude toward God’s people is a mark of a born again person. He that does not love to be with the brethren is not passed from death unto life.
A LOVE FOR GOD’S WAYS
“He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God” (2 John 11). this means a child of GOD does not practice, or make a habit of sinning, he hates sin, sin destroys family's, relationships and if its not dealt with it will kill your soul. a child of GOD does everything he can to stay away from sinful and evil people places and things that are not pleasing to the lord Jesus Christ.
The new birth, then, is the implanting of God’s nature into the soul of a true believer. It is God dwelling within. And this new nature can be observed from without. If God dwells within, a person’s life will be changed. The person who shows forth no change in his attitude toward God, God’s Word, God’s people, and God’s ways has no Bible basis whatsoever for claiming to be saved and on the way to heaven.
SAVING FAITH WORKS
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone... But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:17,20).
A faith that does not work is a dead faith. The individual who professes to be saved, but who is not interested in Christ and the things of God, has a strange kind of “faith.” It certainly is not saving faith.
Such a person claims to believe that God hates and judges sin as the gospel teaches, yet he does not tremble about his own sinful ways. The unchanged professor claims to believe that Jesus suffered a painful, bloody death to set him free from sin, yet he continues in the very things that required Christ’s death. He claims to believe that the resurrected Christ gives victory over sin, yet he says he simply cannot give up his sin. He claims to believe that Life is in Jesus alone, but he spends no effort to seek and know Christ in daily life; rather, he continually feeds from the cesspools of the world. He claims to believe that God’s wrath is revealed against the ways of this world, yet he refuses to leave his worldly pleasures fornication adultery hate envy lust and pride. He claims to believe that the Bible is God’s Holy Word, the only Book in the world that has eternal value, yet his mind is filled with anything and everything but the Bible.
Does such a person really have faith? No; he whose faith is not evidenced by a changed life and a love for the things of God has no true saving faith. The person who professes to have faith in Christ but who continues to walk far from God’s ways is not someone who has lost his salvation; he is of that sad number that have never possessed salvation.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRICKED BY THE MASTER LIAR AND DECEIVER SATAN, TO FOLLOW THE WORLD AND NOT CHRIST. GOD SAYS THIS SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE BY PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY DECEIT, ACCORDING TO HUMAN TRADITION, ACCORDING TO THE RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD, AND NOT ACCORDING TO CHRIST. COLOSSIANS 2:6-8).
FOR of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with SINS, led away with DIVERS LUSTS, EVER LEARNING, AND NEVER ABLE TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.(2 timothy 3:1-7).
FOR the time will come when they will not ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE; but after their own LUSTS shall they heap to themselves TEACHERS, HAVING ITCHING EARS; AND they shall turn AWAY their EARS from the TRUTH, and shall be TURNED UNTO FABLES.(2 timothy 4:3-4).I pray for all my family and friends that GOD would open there eyes and heart to the truth.
IN meekness instructing those that oppose themselves: if GOD peradventure (perhaps) will give them REPENTANCE to the acknowledgement of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the SNARE OF THE DEVIL, WHO ARE TAKEN CAPTIVE BY HIM AT HIS WILL." 2 TIMOTHY 2:25-26.
Most people I talk to don't want nothing to do with GODS ways or his word, for he is HOLY. But most people I talk to believe in a GOD created in there own minds, and one that allows them to have as much sex outside of marriage, lying is okay and cheating on each other is okay as long as you don't get caught. hating someone because that person did you wrong or hurt you, getting drunk partying using filthy perverted language, emailing dirty jokes watching porn and using GODS NAME IN VAIN. Yes these people that I talk to really believe that they know GOD, love GOD, pray to GOD, and are going to be with a holy and righteous GOD forever in his kingdom. FOLKS you are deceived and have been trapped in a deadly trap by Satan himself you are blind and lost and walking in darkness.
But if our GOSPEL be hid, it is hid to them that are LOST: IN whom the god of this world Satan) has blinded the minds of them which believe not, least the light of the GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE UNTO THEM. FOR we preach not ourselves, but CHRIST JESUS THE LORD; and ourselves your servants for JESUS SAKE.
found this article and thought it was good. Let me know what you think.
The evangelist’s goal, according to Christ’s Great Commission, is to make disciples of all nations. “Repentance and remission of sins” is to be preached in the name of Jesus Christ (Lk. 24:46-47). The soul winner’s goal is to preach the gospel in such a way that men see their sin and need of salvation and are brought to repentance and faith. It is to the repentant believing sinner that God gives salvation.
The sinner does not have to change his life in order to be saved. God does the saving and the life changing. A changed mind is required, though. The individual that has never changed his mind about God, sin, Christ, and the Bible, has never been saved. The changed life is the evidence and fruit of repentance. Repentance is not a sinner changing his life; it is a sinner yielding to God, surrendering to God, so that God can change his life.
SALVATION REQUIRES A NEW BIRTH
“Jesus answered and said unto him Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3).
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are made new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availed any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Gal. 6:14,15).
Regeneration is God’s work. A man cannot work up the new birth, nor can he work for it. God gives the new birth as a gift of grace. But He only gives it to those who repent and place full confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ.
This shows why many make professions but never seem to be born again. They have not repented, and they have never, therefore, been regenerated. They are still lost. The new birth is God giving a person a new nature; how could this new nature fail to produce a new life? Could God live within an individual’s heart without being evidenced in that person’s daily life? The Bible teaches that this is not possible.
WHAT CHANGES DOES SALVATION BRING?
What changes can we expect the new birth to make in a person’s life? Following are some changes emphasized in the Bible.
A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH AND ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent” (John 17:3).
The regenerated person has become a child of God. Jesus is his Savior. The Spirit of God has taken up permanent abode in his heart. He desires to know God and seeks to do so. Where does this leave the professor that cares nothing about knowing and pleasing God?
A LOVE FOR GOD’S WORD
“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47).
The individual that is born again hungers after the Scriptures. The Bible is God’s voice, and the regenerated man loves God’s voice. It is God’s law, and the regenerated man has God’s law written upon his heart. A person’s attitude toward the Bible and sin is a strong indication of his spiritual condition.
A LOVE FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14).
A new attitude toward God’s people is a mark of a born again person. He that does not love to be with the brethren is not passed from death unto life.
A LOVE FOR GOD’S WAYS
“He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God” (2 John 11). this means a child of GOD does not practice, or make a habit of sinning, he hates sin, sin destroys family's, relationships and if its not dealt with it will kill your soul. a child of GOD does everything he can to stay away from sinful and evil people places and things that are not pleasing to the lord Jesus Christ.
The new birth, then, is the implanting of God’s nature into the soul of a true believer. It is God dwelling within. And this new nature can be observed from without. If God dwells within, a person’s life will be changed. The person who shows forth no change in his attitude toward God, God’s Word, God’s people, and God’s ways has no Bible basis whatsoever for claiming to be saved and on the way to heaven.
SAVING FAITH WORKS
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone... But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:17,20).
A faith that does not work is a dead faith. The individual who professes to be saved, but who is not interested in Christ and the things of God, has a strange kind of “faith.” It certainly is not saving faith.
Such a person claims to believe that God hates and judges sin as the gospel teaches, yet he does not tremble about his own sinful ways. The unchanged professor claims to believe that Jesus suffered a painful, bloody death to set him free from sin, yet he continues in the very things that required Christ’s death. He claims to believe that the resurrected Christ gives victory over sin, yet he says he simply cannot give up his sin. He claims to believe that Life is in Jesus alone, but he spends no effort to seek and know Christ in daily life; rather, he continually feeds from the cesspools of the world. He claims to believe that God’s wrath is revealed against the ways of this world, yet he refuses to leave his worldly pleasures fornication adultery hate envy lust and pride. He claims to believe that the Bible is God’s Holy Word, the only Book in the world that has eternal value, yet his mind is filled with anything and everything but the Bible.
Does such a person really have faith? No; he whose faith is not evidenced by a changed life and a love for the things of God has no true saving faith. The person who professes to have faith in Christ but who continues to walk far from God’s ways is not someone who has lost his salvation; he is of that sad number that have never possessed salvation.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRICKED BY THE MASTER LIAR AND DECEIVER SATAN, TO FOLLOW THE WORLD AND NOT CHRIST. GOD SAYS THIS SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE BY PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY DECEIT, ACCORDING TO HUMAN TRADITION, ACCORDING TO THE RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD, AND NOT ACCORDING TO CHRIST. COLOSSIANS 2:6-8).
FOR of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with SINS, led away with DIVERS LUSTS, EVER LEARNING, AND NEVER ABLE TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.(2 timothy 3:1-7).
FOR the time will come when they will not ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE; but after their own LUSTS shall they heap to themselves TEACHERS, HAVING ITCHING EARS; AND they shall turn AWAY their EARS from the TRUTH, and shall be TURNED UNTO FABLES.(2 timothy 4:3-4).I pray for all my family and friends that GOD would open there eyes and heart to the truth.
IN meekness instructing those that oppose themselves: if GOD peradventure (perhaps) will give them REPENTANCE to the acknowledgement of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the SNARE OF THE DEVIL, WHO ARE TAKEN CAPTIVE BY HIM AT HIS WILL." 2 TIMOTHY 2:25-26.
Most people I talk to don't want nothing to do with GODS ways or his word, for he is HOLY. But most people I talk to believe in a GOD created in there own minds, and one that allows them to have as much sex outside of marriage, lying is okay and cheating on each other is okay as long as you don't get caught. hating someone because that person did you wrong or hurt you, getting drunk partying using filthy perverted language, emailing dirty jokes watching porn and using GODS NAME IN VAIN. Yes these people that I talk to really believe that they know GOD, love GOD, pray to GOD, and are going to be with a holy and righteous GOD forever in his kingdom. FOLKS you are deceived and have been trapped in a deadly trap by Satan himself you are blind and lost and walking in darkness.
But if our GOSPEL be hid, it is hid to them that are LOST: IN whom the god of this world Satan) has blinded the minds of them which believe not, least the light of the GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE UNTO THEM. FOR we preach not ourselves, but CHRIST JESUS THE LORD; and ourselves your servants for JESUS SAKE.
found this article and thought it was good. Let me know what you think.
