Are you REALLY saved, born again, a CHRISTIAN?
God’s question to you is not, “What are you doing?” but, “Why are you doing it?” It is possible
to be exactly like a true saint in every outward detail, but for a fundamentally different
reason. Man looks on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart. Men judge you by
the ways and means you live out life, God looks at the reason and purpose for which you
are living. Almost any means of religious service can be counterfeited by a deceived person,
but unless there has been a change of heart, or ultimate purpose, nothing he does is
true religion. He is possibly intensely religious, but still may be totally selfish. The true test
of real faith is, is he or she motivated basically by hope and fear, or love?
The natural state of all men before true conversion is wholly selfish. (I Kings 11:9-Il; 15:3; 2 Chron. 12:14; Ps.28:3; 66:18; 78:37; 95:10; Jer.17:9-10; Ezek. 14:2-3; 18:30-32; Mt. 5:27-30; 9:4; 13:15; Mk.3:5; 7:18-23; Lk.21:34; Acts 8:21; 18-24; Rom. 2:4-6; Heb.3 :17-15)
A man who lives in a converted state is not supremely selfish, but loving, or benevolent.(Mt. 22:36-40; Mk. 12:28-34; Lk. 10:25-28; Rom. 13:8-
10; Gal. 5:14; I Tim, 1:5; Jas.2:8-10)
1.The counterfeit convert obeys God, not because he loves Him, but because he hopes to get something good out of it for himself. The true child of God delights in doing God’s will.When Christ and the Gospel is loved for their own sake, there is no weariness or struggle inserving. His commandments are not grievous. (I Jn. 5:3; Matt. 11:30; 23:4; Lk. 11:46) Do you enjoy Christianity or do you serve God basically only for what He can do for you?
2.The counterfeit convert is moved by his convictions, not his affection. His “faith” is the religion of fear. He is driven by warnings, not drawn by the love of God. (Jn. 10:3-5; 2 Tim.1:7; John 10:14,16,27-28; 3:29-30) He regards the law of God for fear that God will pass him by if he does not, but he does not LOVE to do what God requires in His law. He is filled with the spirit of fear, lest he make the wrong move or do the wrong thing. God is not a loving and compassionate heavenly Father to him, but a stern, exacting taskmaster. (1 Pet.2:7; Heb. 10:7) He is more or less strict in religion according to what he knows to be right,and more or less miserable to the degree his conscience bothers him. He knows what is right, but does not have a heart to do it. The more he knows, the more miserable he becomes.
(Matt. 23:23) Here is a key difference. The true saint prefers obedience; the counterfeit purposes or intends it, but usually fails to do so. He knows he should, like Paul before his conversion, (Rom.7), but fails, because his heart is not in it. (Ezk. 33:31-32; Matt.21:28-31; Lk.6:45-46)
3.He is not only afraid of hell but of punishment, judgment and disgrace in men’s eyes. He still lives for himself, thinks of himself, and seeks his own happiness and safety supremely These fears keep him outwardly moral. He keeps up a kind of obedience that is formal,heartless, loveless and completely worthless. (Matt. 15:1-20; 23:4, 13-33; Gal.4:3-12; 8:4-6)His happiness in religion is only his hope of heaven or reward
4.The counterfeit keeps on sinning, because he does not really hate sin; only punishment for it. The true child of God is more afraid of sin than punishment. He does not ask, “If I do this, what will happen to me?”, but feels, like Joseph, “How can I do this wicked thing and sin against God?” (Gen.39: 7-9; Ezek. 8:12; Job.31:33-34; Rom. 2:16-29; 2 Tim. 2:19) The counterfeit keeps committing the same sin by convincing himself that God will forgive him eventually and he can always repent of it afterwards.Because the counterfeit lives in known sin, he likes to hear sermons on the security of the believer; on God’s grace and mercy, on His long-suffering. His only trouble is that he does not realize the majority of these scriptures do not apply to him, because he is not saved at all! Proof positive of this is his love of sin more than God; he likes to be soothed along in it, not shocked out of it; comforted, not challenged; assured, not examined. His conscience bothers him so much already that he cannot stand sermons that throw further light on his true state. (John 3:19-20; 9:39-41; 12:44-48; Matt. 13:40-43)
5.True Christians enjoy giving and helping others more than being helped by others because they love. Their hearts are set on the highest good, and their deepest, sheerest joy is to be able to do it. (Matt. 20:28; Mk. 12:42-44; Lk. 3:11; 2 Cor. 12:9-13; Heb. 12:2) Counterfeit converts are always looking for ways to get from others whatever they can. Especially is this true in daily business, if selfishness rules our conduct there with men, as sure as God rules we are selfish before Him. A man in the religion of fear finds it hard to give anything of his to God. He may have to, to keep his reputation, but it bothers him no end. (Lk. 6:30-35; 16:11-16 Matt. 25:41-45; I Jn. 3:16-17) The counterfeit never enjoys self-denial. If a man
sets his heart on anything, he enjoys everything he saves for it and the more he saves from other things to give to this, the more he is pleased. The phony finds it hard to give to Christian work, it is easy to see that his heart is not in it. It gives him a pain in the neck to give to God. He cannot understand the joy of unselfish giving , to advance God’s kingdom, because it drains resources from his own little world where he rules as king. (Deut. 15:7-11;Matt. 10:9; 13:44-46; 19:29-30; Luke 12:13-34; 16:19-25; 18:18-30)
6.The counterfeit is chiefly afraid of hell himself, and when he is strongly convicted he is afraid that others may go there too. The true saint prays for the sinner because he has a sense of the evil of sin which sinners commit, the counterfeit because he has a fear of the terrors of hell. The phony prays for a sinner’s safety. The Christian prays for safety from sin. Christians feel compassion for the sinner, but grieved anger on God’s behalf for the sinner’s rebellion. The man in the religion of fear feels more sorry for the sinner than for God, because he shares his sin and sympathizes with him. A counterfeit can never understand how God could allow a loved one to go to hell. They feel more for the “loved one” than for the God whose heart the rebellious “loved one” has broken. Christ’s words commanding supreme love of His followers over all other earthly loves have no meaning to them. They do not supremely love Him; they love themselves, and everything connected with their own happiness. ( Matt. 6:33; 22:36-40; 10:37-39; Lk. 14:25-26)
It is not extravagant to say that the religion I have described appears to be that of a very large majority in the church. To say the least, it is to be feared that a majority of professing Christians are of this description. To say this is neither unloving nor censorious. This religion is radically defective. There is nothing of true Christianity in it. It differs from Christianity as much as the Pharisees differed from Christ, as much as the Gospel faith differs from legal religion, as much as the faith of love differs from the religion of fear. Now, let me ask you,
to which of these two classes do you belong? Is Christ the center of your life, or are you trying to fit Him in for your own happiness? God knows if your faith is the religion of fear. Why be afraid any longer? Why try to find happiness in serving yourself? Will you come, and trust Him simply as a child, to live no longer for yourself, but to live in love for God and His glory?
Real Christians Love Jesus with all of there heart and Love people as they would love themselves. Therefore the obedience to the commands of Christ are summarized in these.
In christ
to be exactly like a true saint in every outward detail, but for a fundamentally different
reason. Man looks on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart. Men judge you by
the ways and means you live out life, God looks at the reason and purpose for which you
are living. Almost any means of religious service can be counterfeited by a deceived person,
but unless there has been a change of heart, or ultimate purpose, nothing he does is
true religion. He is possibly intensely religious, but still may be totally selfish. The true test
of real faith is, is he or she motivated basically by hope and fear, or love?
The natural state of all men before true conversion is wholly selfish. (I Kings 11:9-Il; 15:3; 2 Chron. 12:14; Ps.28:3; 66:18; 78:37; 95:10; Jer.17:9-10; Ezek. 14:2-3; 18:30-32; Mt. 5:27-30; 9:4; 13:15; Mk.3:5; 7:18-23; Lk.21:34; Acts 8:21; 18-24; Rom. 2:4-6; Heb.3 :17-15)
A man who lives in a converted state is not supremely selfish, but loving, or benevolent.(Mt. 22:36-40; Mk. 12:28-34; Lk. 10:25-28; Rom. 13:8-
10; Gal. 5:14; I Tim, 1:5; Jas.2:8-10)
1.The counterfeit convert obeys God, not because he loves Him, but because he hopes to get something good out of it for himself. The true child of God delights in doing God’s will.When Christ and the Gospel is loved for their own sake, there is no weariness or struggle inserving. His commandments are not grievous. (I Jn. 5:3; Matt. 11:30; 23:4; Lk. 11:46) Do you enjoy Christianity or do you serve God basically only for what He can do for you?
2.The counterfeit convert is moved by his convictions, not his affection. His “faith” is the religion of fear. He is driven by warnings, not drawn by the love of God. (Jn. 10:3-5; 2 Tim.1:7; John 10:14,16,27-28; 3:29-30) He regards the law of God for fear that God will pass him by if he does not, but he does not LOVE to do what God requires in His law. He is filled with the spirit of fear, lest he make the wrong move or do the wrong thing. God is not a loving and compassionate heavenly Father to him, but a stern, exacting taskmaster. (1 Pet.2:7; Heb. 10:7) He is more or less strict in religion according to what he knows to be right,and more or less miserable to the degree his conscience bothers him. He knows what is right, but does not have a heart to do it. The more he knows, the more miserable he becomes.
(Matt. 23:23) Here is a key difference. The true saint prefers obedience; the counterfeit purposes or intends it, but usually fails to do so. He knows he should, like Paul before his conversion, (Rom.7), but fails, because his heart is not in it. (Ezk. 33:31-32; Matt.21:28-31; Lk.6:45-46)
3.He is not only afraid of hell but of punishment, judgment and disgrace in men’s eyes. He still lives for himself, thinks of himself, and seeks his own happiness and safety supremely These fears keep him outwardly moral. He keeps up a kind of obedience that is formal,heartless, loveless and completely worthless. (Matt. 15:1-20; 23:4, 13-33; Gal.4:3-12; 8:4-6)His happiness in religion is only his hope of heaven or reward
4.The counterfeit keeps on sinning, because he does not really hate sin; only punishment for it. The true child of God is more afraid of sin than punishment. He does not ask, “If I do this, what will happen to me?”, but feels, like Joseph, “How can I do this wicked thing and sin against God?” (Gen.39: 7-9; Ezek. 8:12; Job.31:33-34; Rom. 2:16-29; 2 Tim. 2:19) The counterfeit keeps committing the same sin by convincing himself that God will forgive him eventually and he can always repent of it afterwards.Because the counterfeit lives in known sin, he likes to hear sermons on the security of the believer; on God’s grace and mercy, on His long-suffering. His only trouble is that he does not realize the majority of these scriptures do not apply to him, because he is not saved at all! Proof positive of this is his love of sin more than God; he likes to be soothed along in it, not shocked out of it; comforted, not challenged; assured, not examined. His conscience bothers him so much already that he cannot stand sermons that throw further light on his true state. (John 3:19-20; 9:39-41; 12:44-48; Matt. 13:40-43)
5.True Christians enjoy giving and helping others more than being helped by others because they love. Their hearts are set on the highest good, and their deepest, sheerest joy is to be able to do it. (Matt. 20:28; Mk. 12:42-44; Lk. 3:11; 2 Cor. 12:9-13; Heb. 12:2) Counterfeit converts are always looking for ways to get from others whatever they can. Especially is this true in daily business, if selfishness rules our conduct there with men, as sure as God rules we are selfish before Him. A man in the religion of fear finds it hard to give anything of his to God. He may have to, to keep his reputation, but it bothers him no end. (Lk. 6:30-35; 16:11-16 Matt. 25:41-45; I Jn. 3:16-17) The counterfeit never enjoys self-denial. If a man
sets his heart on anything, he enjoys everything he saves for it and the more he saves from other things to give to this, the more he is pleased. The phony finds it hard to give to Christian work, it is easy to see that his heart is not in it. It gives him a pain in the neck to give to God. He cannot understand the joy of unselfish giving , to advance God’s kingdom, because it drains resources from his own little world where he rules as king. (Deut. 15:7-11;Matt. 10:9; 13:44-46; 19:29-30; Luke 12:13-34; 16:19-25; 18:18-30)
6.The counterfeit is chiefly afraid of hell himself, and when he is strongly convicted he is afraid that others may go there too. The true saint prays for the sinner because he has a sense of the evil of sin which sinners commit, the counterfeit because he has a fear of the terrors of hell. The phony prays for a sinner’s safety. The Christian prays for safety from sin. Christians feel compassion for the sinner, but grieved anger on God’s behalf for the sinner’s rebellion. The man in the religion of fear feels more sorry for the sinner than for God, because he shares his sin and sympathizes with him. A counterfeit can never understand how God could allow a loved one to go to hell. They feel more for the “loved one” than for the God whose heart the rebellious “loved one” has broken. Christ’s words commanding supreme love of His followers over all other earthly loves have no meaning to them. They do not supremely love Him; they love themselves, and everything connected with their own happiness. ( Matt. 6:33; 22:36-40; 10:37-39; Lk. 14:25-26)
It is not extravagant to say that the religion I have described appears to be that of a very large majority in the church. To say the least, it is to be feared that a majority of professing Christians are of this description. To say this is neither unloving nor censorious. This religion is radically defective. There is nothing of true Christianity in it. It differs from Christianity as much as the Pharisees differed from Christ, as much as the Gospel faith differs from legal religion, as much as the faith of love differs from the religion of fear. Now, let me ask you,
to which of these two classes do you belong? Is Christ the center of your life, or are you trying to fit Him in for your own happiness? God knows if your faith is the religion of fear. Why be afraid any longer? Why try to find happiness in serving yourself? Will you come, and trust Him simply as a child, to live no longer for yourself, but to live in love for God and His glory?
Real Christians Love Jesus with all of there heart and Love people as they would love themselves. Therefore the obedience to the commands of Christ are summarized in these.
In christ
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