Many Christians profess Christianity is like other religions because they
have never been born again. When you accept Jesus Christ as savior, admit
that you have sinned, recognize your sin, repent from your sin, and ask
Him to forgive you, and you do this sincerely, He does. From that moment
on, you are sin-free, and are alive again in eternity because you have
been born again spiritually.
All who are born again spiritually have the relationship with Jesus Christ
which is ongoing because He comes into your heart and resides with you
permanently. You are no longer alone, and He is there continually to
guide you from within.
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Many people who profess to be Christians have never been born again, as
you can witness this by the fruit they bring forth. Profanity. Name
calling. Arguing. Strife. Belittling. These are all marks of the carnal
nature, and not the gentle spirit of the born again nature which teaches
in love those things which are above, and bring forth unto eternal life.
http://biblehub.com/kjv/1_corinthians/3-3.htm
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying,
and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
The Lord commanded us to teach, not debate. To teach, not argue. To
teach, not browbeat or expect the non-believers to behave in non-sinful
ways. But for the wise, the truth-seeker, they will hear these words
of warning and will already know within them their truth, because they
come from God, and it is God who affirms within them this truth (that
we are each a sinner, and each need to be forgiven, and that there is
only one way to be forgiven, and that is through Jesus Christ).
Jesus commanded us to teach such things in our life. To go out into
all the world and make disciples. This is a purposeful effort with
our lives, not one subject to personal interpretation. He must be
first, and from within His firstness then flows our life, poured out
as a living sacrifice offering unto Him.
biblehub.com/kjv/matthew/28-18.htm
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given
unto me in heaven and in earth.
Jesus is the one in full authority. He is the one from whom we
(Christians) must take our cues.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.
Faith comes first, and it is the born again nature which works through
conviction unto the sanctification of one's life, while the inertia of
their former life works against them. The two are in a battle, but he
who follows God's Holy Spirit has the victory, because Christ is greater,
and His Spirit is triumphant in all things.
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We can test who people are by their witness, by the example they have
set forth by the things they do in their life ongoingly.
Jesus said:
http://biblehub.com/kjv/matthew/7-16.htm
http://biblehub.com/kjv/matthew/7-20.htm
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of
thorns, or figs of thistles?
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Examine the fruit of those people who profess to be Christians, and see
if they are consistently leading you to repentance, to salvation in
Jesus Christ, to forgiveness of others, to loving others, to leading
them as Christ would lead them, or if they are yet worldly.
God has given us each faculties to know the truth of these things, for
all who are truth-seeking. The rest will remain blinded by their own
pursuit of deception and lies, and will never come to know.
God knows the heart of each person, and He guides all who seek the truth
to find the truth, so that they too will be saved. The rest, however,
will perish because they will not come to Christ, will not believe, and
will not be saved.