In order to be saved or found we must first be lost.  Was there ever a time in your life when you were lost?  That you realized you were a sinner and headed for hell?  If you answer no, then you are not saved.  Jesus came to seek and to save those are lost.  Luke 19:10.  In order to be saved you must first be lost.  I John 1:8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”  Failure to realize that we are a sinner is a sure sign we are not saved.  Romans 3:23 Says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:10 tells us there are no righteous people.  Only through Jesus can we be declared righteous, because of what He has done.  We all are sinners.  Some of us are sinners saved by grace. Ephesians 2:8,9 says that salvation is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. Once we are lost and realize that we are a sinner, the next question is have we ever been saved.  I am not talking about walking an aisle, being baptized, shaking the preacher’s hand, repeating a little prayer after someone, signing a tract, speaking in unknown tongues (gibberish), having a feeling, or anything else that some people rely on for salvation.  I am talking about have you ever came to the point where you realized there was nothing you could do to save yourself. You were headed for a Christless eternity in hell.  Have you ever fell before God and cried out have mercy on me oh God?  Have you repented of your sins and given your life over to God, accepting His gift of Salvation.  Have you truly been converted?  Have you ever been truly saved or are you missing the mark by about 18 inches?  With the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  Salvation is a change of both our hearts and lives.  We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. Some people wonder how they can know they are saved.  They have cried out for mercy and forgiveness yet they lack assurance of salvation.  First of all God cannot lie.  John 3:16  says that if we believe on the Lord Jesus will not perish, but have everlasting life.  I John 4:14 tells us how we can be sure we are saved.  Romans 8:9,10 back up this litmus test.  If the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, then you are saved.  If you do not have the Holy Spirit, then you are not saved.  Salvation requires faith in God.  And without the Holy Spirit you cannot have faith. Galations 5:22,23 Tells us that one part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is faith.  Salvation truly is a gift of God and not of works.  Salvation hinges on God and not man.  Thank goodness it does otherwise we wouldn’t have eternal life.  The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is how we know we are saved.  He produces fruit in our lives, He convicts us when we sin, He chastises us and brings us back into the pathway of light.  Let’s not quench the Holy Spirit through unconfessed sin in our lives.  If we are children of God then He will let us know.

Children when they misbehave are chastened, scolded, or spanked.  They are not allowed to continue doing what is wrong.  Our Heavenly Father treats His kids the same way.  Hebrews 12:5-8  Tells us that those who are saved will be chastened when they sin.  Job 5:17 says that “happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.”  Proverbs 3:11 States, “For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”  This is another way we know that we are saved.  When we step out of fellowship with God, does He chasten us?  If the answer is no, then no you are not saved. The Holy Spirit convicts through the inward man, the Father chastises through both actions we can tell that we are saved.  Now this doesn’t mean to go out and sin to see if the Holy Spirit will convict you or to see if you will get chastised.  That is about as smart as a kid running out into the middle of a busy intersection to see if they are a kid.  Since the Holy Spirit indwells the believer the best thing to do is to pray to God and ask Him to show us whether we are saved or not.  If we aren’t we need to throw ourselves on God’s mercy and ask Him to save us.

Next week we will look into some basic doctrines of the Bible that are essential in being effective soul winners.  But as soon as possible we need to make sure we are a fisherman and not a fish.