Are You Sure

I read a devotional this morning by Rick Renner that told of a startling truth which is very important and should not be taken lightly, so I thought I would add my two cents, so to speak on this subject.  This may shock some people, but there may be some people, and maybe many that go to church weekly, that think they are born-again but are not.  There are people that are full of religion but they have never had a personal relationship with the Lord.  This is the most important question you will ever ask yourself, am I truly born-again?

In 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 it says this, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Born-again believers, or Christians, are brand new on the inside.  The Holy Spirit has given us new life and we are changed, not just rehabilitated or just reeducated, we are a new creation in Christ with God’s seed within us.  We haven’t just learned the language and we don’t just walk the walk or talk the talk because of just learning it by mimicking someone else or by being around others that are believers, no, we change because of God’s seed within us.  I am not saying if you are a true believer that you should never learn from other godly people and let them be examples for you, but if all you’re doing is imitating them, then you haven’t been truly changed on the inside.  People can put on a front and even act, talk and dress like a Christian at times when others are watching, but what about the times you spend alone or times when you are not in church, are you like a chameleon, changed by your surroundings trying to fit in?  Do you just conform to whatever situation you find yourself in at that time?  Let me ask you this; do you still habitually sin?  Have your perspectives and attitude changed or are you still doing the same things you used to do?

Read what it says in 1 John 3:3-10, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”

When you are born-again, you won’t habitually sin or make a practice of it.  So if there is no change taken place in your life and you are sinning like you did before you claimed to be born again, then you better do as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”

Just because you find a mouse in the cookie jar, doesn’t make him a cookie anymore than a person that just goes to church makes Him a believer.  Like I said, don’t treat this lightly, it will make the difference where you spend eternity; with the Lord or forever separated from Him in a place of torment.  If this message bothers you, don’t get angry, proud and puffed up, but humble yourself before the Lord and repent, which means to turn away from your sins, and ask the Lord to forgive you and to be your Lord and Savior and to come into your heart and life and make you a new creation.  Take your time and let the Lord fill you with His peace, love and joy and then go forth rejoicing and share with others what the good Lord has done.  Find a church that preaches the Word of God and start growing in the faith.  May you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!