TEST YOURSELF OF YOUR OWN SALVATION
Perth Fellowship
LESSON THIRTEEN
HOW CAN WE KNOW ABOUT OUR OWN SALVATION.WHAT DOES IT
MEAN TO SAY “I AM SAVED”
The word saved is commonly used amongst the born again Christians without thinking much about it. When somebody donates a kidney to a person who lost both the kidneys, the one who escaped death by receiving the kidney would tell others that the donor ‘saved’ my life. Similarly if someone pulled away a person from an about to hit train the one who escaped would say ‘that man saved me’. So saved is always used to depict the escape from a very fatal or a very serious life situation. So what does it means when we say that ‘Jesus saved me’.
When man sinned and disobeyed, God became the enemy of the mankind. (Romans 5.10, Colossians 1.21,) .Out of His great compassion and love, God wanted to save mankind from His wrath and indignation by sending His own Son(Jesus) to die a substitutional death for the sins of the mankind. Those who are accepting this promise of reconciliation would escape from Gods fury. Those who are not accepting this grace of reconciliation is automatically under the wrath and indignation of God (John 3.36).So Jesus saves means, Jesus saves from the wrath of God which is going to fall upon the human race (1Thessalonians.5.9)
The wrath of God towards the disobedient was demonstrated two times in the history of the mankind. First during the time of Noah, when the entire world population was drowned by God to death (Genesis 7.21-23). Second time during the time of Lot when the entire population of the sinful cities were burned by God to ashes (Genesis 19.24-25). When Bible says about the future wrath which is yet to come at the return of the Lord, the entire sinners of the world will try to escape by hiding in caves and ask the mountains to hide them from the wrath of God, but they could not (Revelation 6.15-17).
Bible says that those forsaking the sinful ways (repent) and giving their life to Jesus (accepting the substitutional death of Jesus and making Jesus the Lord of their life) can be saved from this wrath of God which is going to be revealed soon. God has declared escape from His wrath, to those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3.25, 26). Therefore Jesus saves means, He saves from the wrath of God which will soon be revealed to the entire humanity (1Thessalonians 1.10, 5.9). A Christian lives to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even who delivers from the wrath to come (1Thessalonians 1.10).For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation (clearly says salvation is escape from wrath) through our Lord Jesus Christ (1Thessalonians 5.9)
There are four different categories of people in the world.
1. Those who are sure of their salvation and living a life worthy of the Lord. (Mt 7.14)
2. Those who are sure of their salvation but not leading a life according to the truth
(Mt 7.24)
3. Those who are ignorant of the salvation but desire to know and want to be saved
(Acts16.31).
4. Those who do not want to know the truth and is rebellious (Exodus 5.2, 4)
Let us consider each category one by one.
Category .1
These are the people who are born of the water and Spirit (Born again John 3.1-5). They are born from above by the regenerative power of the Word and the Spirit(Titus 3.5 ).This rebirth can be ascertained by the thirst and hunger for the Word of God which is the milk for the newly born(spiritually) babe. Even in the world if a newly born babe is not showing the craving for the milk, there is some physiological abnormality with the child. Same way if a person is truly born from above there must be a craving for the Word of God (Thirst to know more about the Lord). Lord himself told us that a man (born from above) cannot live by bread alone but by the Word of God (Deuteromy 8.3). Word of God is the food of the Spirit. Jeremiah said “He ate the Word” (Jeremiah 15.16).
They are the people who have the Spirit of God dwelling inside and are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8.9, 14).Since the Spirit of God indwells in them and as they love the Lord, they cannot walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit, fulfilling the desires of the Lord. (Romans 8.1).Since the desires of the flesh is against the desires of the Spirit they have to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5.24).If we live in the flesh we will die (Rom 8.5, 6). They are able to say along with Paul “ I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me”(Galatians.2.20).
They understood the love of the Lord and are compelled by His love in all areas of their life. They are the people who live for the one who died for them and they are no more living for themselves but for the one who died for them. In that they became a new creation and all the old things passed away and everything became new. (2 Corinthians 5.10, 17).
They will boldly say “I know on whom I trust and I am fully convinced that He is able to fulfil the things I have entrusted Him” (2 Thimothy.1.12)
Their Christian life is enabled by the understanding of the burning and passionate love of the Lord. (2Corinthians 5.14, 15).They are the people who have stopped living for themselves and start living exclusively for the Lord. They are confident that they are running in the right track (2Thimothy4.7). They are sure about their future after their death (Philippians 1.21-23).Though they have not seen the Lord they rejoice with joy inexpressible and with full of glory (1Peter 1.8).They consider themselves as pilgrims in the world and do not love the world (1Peter 1.1, James4.4).
They are aware and understand the real purpose of the calling .Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1.4). The calling is for holiness or to partake His nature (which was lost in the Garden of Eden)
They understood that we are called to the ‘obedience of faith’ (Romans 1.5, 16.26) .They constantly introspect their lives in regard with the absolute obedience to the Word of God as they know that only Joshua and Caleb entered Canaan because they totally obeyed the Lord. (2Corinthians.13.5, Numbers 32.11, 12).
They live with fear and trembling before the God who is Holy and will judge without partiality and they are aware of the fact that it is impossible to see God without holiness”. So in their life they are earnestly cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7.1).They want to be faithful in what is least (Luke 16.10) as per the word of Jesus.
Category 2.
These people know all the above truths in their head but not in their hearts and there is no genuine implementation of the Word in their lives, Hence they will consequently be rejected by the Lord on the day of judgement. (Mathew 7.23-25,Luke 6.36).They have the answered prayers and they consider it as an acceptance of their life by the Lord (Mathew 7.21-23).They forget the fact that the Israelites continued to get manna even when they were under severe punishment from the Lord (Numbers 14.32-35,Nehemiah 9.20-21).They are self-deceived (James 1.22). They are hearers of the Word and not doers of the Word. They did not practise the Word (Law) in their life ( Practise lawlessness) (Mathew 7.23,26).Category one and category two have the same knowledge of the truth but the former practise the truth while the latter did not practise and thereby perish in eternal hell.
Category 3.
This category of people are aware of their spiritual needs and ready to accept the truth. They have a thirst for truth and will not close their eyes in front of the truth. Examples are
1. Zacchaeus sought to see who Jesus was. He made efforts to see Jesus by climbing on a tree. He not only searched but also acted upon the truth and hence Lord granted him repentance and faith (Luke 19.1-10).
2. The Philippine jailor, in front of startling truth of an earthquake, did not close the eyes but opened his heart in search of truth. He asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs what must I do to be saved”. So he received salvation (Acts 16.29-31).
Toward such people Lord will send somebody to make them aware of the truth. If someone is searching for the truth with all their heart, Lord will be found by that person (Jeremiah 29.13, 14).It was true with Cornelius also (Acts 10.1-6).
Category 4.
They are the stubborn people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Even if truth is clearly revealed in front of them they just close their eyes. Example is
Pharaoh who, after seeing the miracles from the Lord asked, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice? (Exodus 5.2).
The Jewish leaders of Jesus time, even after seeing miracles like the resurrection of Lazarus, did not open their minds to the truth (John 11.43-50).The vast majority of world population belongs to this category.
Judge yourself as to which category you belong to?
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