Are you really saved?

This topic hasn’t really been on my mind, but just this morning as I was going about the day’s chores (which weren’t sitting on the porch, sipping lemonade, while reading a good book, but anyway..), I felt this subject weigh upon my mind. I grabbed my journal and started jotting down things I felt the Lord would have me say. Maybe you need to hear this.

In my humble opinion, there is nothing more miserable than struggling with doubts regarding one’s salvation. But for the ‘unbeliever’, the true misery is thinking one is saved when in truth, one is not. Now, before you get all who-do-you-think-you-are-certainly-not-the-judge, let me give you what’s on my heart via the Holy Spirit.

The main characteristic of a true, born again believer, is this: living a life that pleases and glorifies God.

• Do you wholly live to glorify God?

What I’m referring to, is, as a whole, is your aim to bring glory to God? Do you desire to live to please Him and to serve Him. Do you want to be in His Will?

Now, my head is not stuck in a bucket to where I would think that we are not ‘works in progress’. The Lord is constantly working on me and showing me areas where I need to glorify Him a little more. Maybe I’m doing something to bring glory to myself instead of Him. That’s not what I’m referring to (however, that IS a matter that needs to be taken care of, spiritually speaking).

• Do you find yourself trying to be good instead of hungering to please God?

• Do you feel yourself disconnected from spiritual things?

*Lack of desire for church or Christian fellowship

*More of a desire for worldly amusements, pleasures, entertainment

No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:4 (KJV)

If you find that your heart does not desire God or the things of God, then have a heart- check. Commit your life to him anew.

But I prayed The Prayer when I was a child! Aren’t I saved?

Again, check your life. Do you live to please and glorify God?

For you to be saved, you must confess and believe. As children, we aren’t as aware of the guilt and burden of sins committed. We may repeat a prayer at Children’s Crusade or from someone off of the TV just because they asked us to. I have such a problem with this one show my kids will watch off of Smile of A Child. At the end, the man leads the young listeners in the Sinner’s Prayer and invites them to tell someone they did it. He doesn’t even explain the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and the Fall of Man in the Garden! If Mother is nearby and she hears this child say this prayer, what will she do? Call everyone and tell them that Johnny has accepted Christ!

Then, when Johnny is 15 and gets caught doing drugs, she will make sure to remind him that he shouldn’t be doing that because he is saved. Or even worse, she will never share the full gospel with Johnny because it doesn’t matter, he’s already saved. Then, when Johnny is 18 and in a car wreck after leaving a drinking party, Mama will sigh with relief because he said the sinner’s prayer when he was 3.

I got ‘saved’ numerous times as a child. Every time the preacher preached on Hell, I would cry and ask God to save me. I wanted to be sure. :) I can’t point you to an EXACT place where that commitment to follow Christ became forefront in my life, but I can show you that ultimately, my life’s purpose is to please God and to follow His will.

Parents, never try to convince your children they are saved. If their lives fail to bring glory to God, then the prayer was nothing more than just repeating what the TV said, as kids do when they are watching Dora.

How about you? Are you truly saved? Do you desire to please the Lord?

What about the times we get discouraged or ‘lukewarm’ in our souls?

First of all, beg God to warn you, nudge you, prompt you (He might be doing so by your reading this post) BEFORE you are in the dangerous, dangerous state. You are in the danger of becoming complacent or you may begin to feel justified by your current spiritual (or lack of) state. God is so merciful and there has been many times (I’m afraid) I was in this state and thank the LORD, He used something (books, a verse) or someone (a anointed message or a saint of God) to steer me back on the right path.

• And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Romans 1:28 (KJV)

I really believe (and have the Bible to back me up) that there are many people who truly are convinced that they are saved but have absolutely no fruits or desire to live a life pleasing to God. This could be a result of a repeat-after-me prayer prayed when they were very small (I do NOT think that you can’t get saved with this type of prayer) or it could be that they continued so long in their sins and complacency (unconcern) that God gave them over to a reprobate mind?

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:22,23

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven Matthew 7:21

Now, turning the tide ever so slightly…

The devil CAN and LOVES TO try to convince truly saved people that they aren’t saved. I believe he does this because:

• He is trying to keep that Christian from reaching his full potential in Christ

If he can keep you always wondering about your salvation then he is tying your hands, spiritually speaking. He knows that you will be something GREAT for God were it not for this bondage.

What can you do? Once again, look at your life. Do you ULTIMATELY desire to please God and live Holy in your life? Is your desire for spiritual things? Do you desire to lead your children to the Lord? Are you sorry when you fail God? Do you work to restore your relationship with God and try to climb higher in Christ?

Something to think about on this Saturday. Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate. Check your fruit.

God Bless you!