| True and False Conversion A new born Christian needs to be reassured alot in their faith. A baby can't digest the same foods an adult does. So let's keep it simple. Let's drink some milk here. Let's talk about true and false conversion. If someone is really saved then there will be a definite change. The Bible says, "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62 A person doesn't become lost at the drop of a hat and they do not get away with murder. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 1 John 2:3-5 If someone continues in crime, fornication, adultery, rape, murder, theft, homosexuality, false religion, occult, pornography, and more, then it is a sure sign that they were not truly converted to Christ. They do not know Jesus as Savior, Lord, and God. If someone is actually converted to Christ then the person will be convicted of the Holy Ghost when they have a desire to sin or after they have committed sin. In a true conversion, there will be an overwhelming desire to stop sinning! Don't get me wrong. We all do sin. We all have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. But, we do not have a license to sin! Do I believe we will only lose some Godly rewards if we continually sin without repentance? No! I believe you are in danger of God's judgement now and for eternity! Whether someone was saved or not or is saved or not is evident in their actions both inwardly and outwardly. Is there godly sorrow when after you know you have sinned? If so, this may be a sign that you have had a true conversion experience. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we come before you now confessing all sin. God, I sinned against you. I repent of my sin. I ask you for forgiveness. Please destroy any and all holds the devil was given when I sinned. I plead the blood of Jesus over me. Give me the strength to serve you Jesus. Teach me your ways. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. If you have prayed this prayer, please let me know via email. Also, I recommend that you ask family and friends to keep you accountable in the areas of your weaknesses. Number one, be accountable to God and your local church pastor. -- Jeremy Brown 2003 ________________________________________________________________________ From Pastor Dave Wade of California Dear Jeremy, I am ever in awe to see the abundance of material that you put forth. Truly you are driven with purpose and a fire to please god, in that your focus for the duration of our relationship has been to "know God" and "make Him known", an admirable ambition and life�s goal. Each document you send me often, if not always, sends me to the bible searching, and that is indeed a good thing. You challenge me in many ways, some being, to benchmark your words against the truth of god, to objectively critique whether or not your documents have met "your" desired goal, whether they might be tempered at bit, augmented with the truth of god, just many many things, I am spurred to do in review of your communications. Thank you for this. Always take my responses, not as an attack, but as a brother wanting the best for his brother and the endeavors of his brother. God is so patient with each of us. He wants only the best for us. Jeremiah 29:11. He wants peace in our hearts and an expected end, that being, to be with him for eternity. As believers, we all have several things in common...we have a common salvation, we have a common Savior, and we have a common future. We also have a common problem...the problem of sin. Let us not confuse our common problem with sin with a false conversion, or wolves among us. True and False Conversion Isaiah 50:11 �Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass [yourselves] about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks [that] ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.� (King James) �But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment.� (New Living Translation) It is true there are many religious folk who think the are saved, and appear to be saved, but in reality the fire within them is not that of the Lord but a fire of their own kindling, and sparks created by themselves, going through the motions of being a Christian, and/or even doing the right things for all of the wrong reasons. While �faith without works is dead, the bible warns us not to look to deeds or acts alone to determine a persons fortitude or faith. So many people are simply Matthew 6:1-2, 5, 16 Jesus condemned some people for doing good things such as giving alms (giving to the poor), praying, and fasting. Why? Because they were doing these things for the wrong reasons. Jesus referred to these people as hypocrites�people who pretended to have certain qualities when they do not have them; people who try to appear righteous but are not. Matthew 6:2, 5, 16 The reward for people who do good things to be seen by others is that they will be seen by others. To please God, we must purify our motives for serving and performing other good works. Matthew 6:19-21 In this sermon, Jesus taught about what we should value most��� treasures in heaven, Matthew 6:33 Jesus promised that if we �seek � first the kingdom of God,� we will be given all other things that we need. Many of us have gained a testimony of this promise. Worldliness turns our loyalty and service away from God. Some ways in which we might be tempted to seek the things of the world before the things of God include waiting to pay tithing until after we buy the things we need or want or deciding not to serve a mission because of a desire for worldly things. Matthew 7:13-14 As Jesus neared the end of his sermon; he taught that entering the kingdom of heaven required one to enter at the strait gate and the narrow way. Rejoice for the true deceivers will be weeded out as chaff on the day of judgment. Matthew 7:22 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? Matthew7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I believe benevolence is a key attribute which can be used to detect a true conversion from a false one. However, with this said, I was and still am quite rough around the edges yet. As were the disciples even unto their death. But a common thread that is apparent from the centurian with the sick servant to John�s revelation of what heaven will be like is that thread of benevolence and charity towards others, not seeking reward but only to let the glory of god be shown. �1Timothy 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 1John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. Now let us look to a common thread amongst us that is often confused with a lack of salvation and/or a loss thereof. SIN Romans. 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH SIN. That struggle with sin should not cause us to question our brother and sisters salvation. (that is God�s sovereign post) When we see sin in a person�s life we should remember the grace Jesus has shown us: Romans 5:21 that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. and remember who has power over sin. And mostly pray. Pray for guidance from god in helping that person. 1Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. DO WE QUESTION PAUL THE APOSTLES SALVATION? Then why should we question another�s? Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Romans 7:25 thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Let us all work out our salvation. Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Once gained. We have Salvation. We need never fear losing it. (as with all things given freely we can return it if we choose) But fear not, for no man can take your salvation from you. That said, let us strive to improve our relationship with our creator. Deepen it, and draw closer. That is the essence of �working out our salvation� 1Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. One of the greatest stumbling blocks to spiritual maturity is failing to deal with the sin in our lives. We should never take sin lightly or minimize its effect in our lives. Sin is the internal enemy of our development into spiritually mature Christians. We are aware of its presence We know that we must keep it in check. The question is How? Ps. 119:9, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy Word." We must study our Bible in order to take heed to our daily life - Why? So we don�t go astray. The truth of the word of god protects us from being led astray by misleading maps or plans. Unless we know the true map for our lives. . . God�s plan we can be led astray by false maps. So, we must study the Word of God and watch our lives carefully. We must realize that there will be opposition. Ps. 119:51 � The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law. Ps. 119:61 � The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law. Ps. 119:69 � The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart Ps. 119:78 � Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts. Ps. 119:85 � The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. Ps. 119:110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts. What is the common denominator in each of these verses? The only thing that kept him from falling as a result of this opposition was the Word of God! Know that our own hearts are evil. Do not wander from the truth of God. Ps. 119:10 � With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. It is our natural tendency to drift away from full and joyful obedience to the Word of God Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 1. Deceitful and desperately wicked! We only wind up deceiving ourselves when we fall to sinful desires. Paul is saying, "Don't fool yourself into thinking you can get away with sin"--but we do just that! Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:4. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. To overcome the traps of the world we must stay close to the word of god. Seek him in his truth. Its there. You will find it! Jeremiah 29:13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." John. 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." When the Word of God becomes something that we treasure and enjoy; we will see the victory over sin in our lives. The believer's life is a walk, and that walk suggests progress. There is no excuse for a believer not making spiritual progress in their lives. God has given us His Word as well as, the Holy Spirit, to guide us and direct us in the paths we should follow. . He has also provided a means whereby we can be and are forgiven of sins. 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Remember: Sin is the internal enemy of our development into spiritually mature Christians. We must realize that there is opposition from the outside world also. And we must recognize that within, our own hearts are evil and wicked. For us to overcome sin in our lives we must totally depend upon Jesus Christ and His Word. The Word of God will reveal to us our sin. (God's Word is our standard) The blood of Christ will cleanse us. We must strive to make progress in dealing with the problem of sin. If tonight you are struggling with problems of sin in your life? Why not apply the Bible answer and gain victory in your life? Do not give up! Paul asked the question: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Ro. 6:1-2 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy Word." What is your need tonight? Why not come and get things settled with the Lord? Lord I pray for my brothers and sisters that they fight the good fight and that you would empower them with all that is necessary to overcome their urges to sin. Lord myself as well, thank you for your patience in my life. In Jesus name. Amen ________________________________ Links connected to the subject line: Assurance The Gospel According to Grace by Chuck Smith Salvation Eternal Security in Obedience Once Saved Always Saved 2 3 4 True and False Conversion by Ray Comfort Hell's Best Kept Secret by Ray Comfort BACK |
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