Are You Certain You're "Born Again"?

 

2 Peter 1:10 - "Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you." From this verse we see it is possible to be mistaken about our spiritual standing before God. "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves"

(2 Cor. 13:5).

 

Matt. 7:22-23 -"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? And then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.'" Many who thought they were right with God will be shocked they aren't accepted.

 

If you died and stood before God who asked you, "Why should I let you into Heaven?" What would be your answer? Many people would respond with "because I…" This type of response is unbiblical and will draw a terrible, shocking response from God at the Judgment. Some may say, "because I led a good life," "prayed to receive Christ," "attended church," "lived by the Golden Rule," "had a spiritual experience," "helped others," etc. A person who's confidence is in such flimsy foundations will see it crumble into hell on the day they stand before God.

 

Many who have false assurance will say, "I believe in God and I had a ‘spiritual experience.'" Just accepting biblical facts about Jesus Christ does not save a person, even the demons publicly admitted to Jesus, "You are the Son of God!" (Luke 4:41). Real faith in Christ includes believing with the heart as well as the head. A person must trust Him to save them from the guilt of sin and be made right with God.

 

We are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-9), but not by a faith that is alone. "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" (James 2:14). Good deeds are not needed for salvation, but it is needed afterwards to demonstrate the genuineness of salvation. Faith must be accompanied by action. A person thinks he believes in Christ, but if there is no new attitude of obedience toward the will of Christ, he has no saving faith.

 

1 John 5:13 - "If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His son, purifies us from all sin." The first thing to see in this passage if we walk in the light is, "we have fellowship with one another." One mark of people who walk with God and are forgiven is that they have fellowship with other Christians.

 

1 John 2:3-5 -"We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in Him." Obedience to the word of God characterizes a disciple of Jesus. Anyone who "does not do what He commands is a liar" about being born again.

 

Hebrews 10:24-25 - "Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near." It is God's will that we encourage one another by assembling together, not being a "Lone Ranger." There are some who profess to be Christians but, "They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19). This verse indicates there are some who assemble with true believers for awhile but they leave for some reason. They may offer some excuse but scripture says they were never part of the church. One very good reason we know a person is a Christian is, "we know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers" (1 John 3:14). Those whom we love we desire to be around.

 

Having a false assurance of salvation is the worse mistake anyone can ever make. If a person is wrong about being right with God and going to heaven, ultimately it really doesn't matter what else they are right about. The following are possible reasons some people have false assurance.

 

1.      An Outward Response to the Gospel.

When the invitation is given they go forward and repeat the words of a prayer of confession and faith. If you sign a commitment card, then [so we are told] you are a Christian. You have made a "decision for Christ." Never mind if there is little or no evidence of a changed life.

 

2.      Baptism.

Many believe that baptism saves them. Even though baptism is very important, our salvation is in the message of the "gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16).

 

3.      Involvement with Church.

Many professing Christians are sure God will accept them because they are zealously engaged in the external part of worship and service in the church.

 

4.      A Strong Christian Family Heritage.

Many believe, because one or more parents have a strong commitment to Christ, that somehow the grace given to them covers the entire family. Each person must believe in Christ for himself.

 

5.      An Abundance of Good Deeds.

People know they aren't perfect, but they believe they do enough good that God, because He's fair, will admit good people (like them) to heaven.

 

6.      An Extraordinary Experience.

Many people believe they are in good standing with God because of a vivid religious or spiritual experience (see Matt. 7:22-23). Jesus said there is only one experience that matters if you want to see God in Heaven: "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3).

 

7.      A Dramatic Personal or Lifestyle Change.

Every cult and false religion is filled with followers who say their life has been changed by it. The question is does the change conform to Scripture and will it be lasting.

 

8.      Material Blessing and Financial Security.

Some believe that accumulating wealth may mean God is pleased with them. Jesus said, "how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

 

9.      A False Understanding of God.

Most unconverted people, however unwittingly, make God in their own image, making Him like themselves. If they think they should go to Heaven, then God must think so too. It is easy for them to forget their sins, they think it should be easy for God. God is loving, but He is also just.

 

   10. A False Understanding of Sin and Hell.

People who do not believe God will send anyone to Hell believe they will go to Heaven. They think sin is a trifle and God is just like them, only without sin. Hell is also misunderstood. Hell is a place where the unrepentant are "punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord" (2 Thess. 1:9).

 

Characteristics of the Falsely Assured

1.      They are either unconcerned or angry when warned about false assurance. Self-deception is possible. Salvation means too much not to regard biblical warning (see 2 Cor. 13:5).

 

2.      They are either legalistic or loose with spiritual disciplines and duties. Some professing Christians derive false assurance from the legalistic practice of church involvement, good deeds, Bible study, prayer, or fasting. All being done to be seen by others. Yet others are very complacent in their worldliness. Other than church attendance, there's little else in their lives to distinguish them even from an atheist.

 

3.      They are either very weak in or very confident of their Bible knowledge. Some have not troubled themselves to learn God's word because they aren't impressed with the importance of it. Because they do not know what Scriptures say about salvation, they feel secure. Others can know a great deal about the scriptures yet do not demonstrate Christ-like living.

 

4.      They have either a vicarious Christianity or an overly independent spirit. This may take the form of blind loyalty to some other person who does all the Bible study, praying, studying, etc., and assume that by being close to that person God will somehow grant them the same blessings He gives to the one who follows Him more closely. Those of an overly independent spirit feel little, if any, need for the local church. The public worship of God is not necessary for them. They believe they worship just fine in their "own way." They believe they're "just as good as most church people," and if church people go to Heaven, they're confident they'll make it too (see 1 John 2:19).

 

5.      They may be constantly resisting the truth or never able to come to the truth. Some say, "yeah, I'm a Christian," but never read the Bible and are bored by preaching. Their lives are never changed by the Scriptures. But those who resist the truth of God will perish in eternity, "because they refused to love the truth and be saved" (2 Thess. 2:10). Then there are those, "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7). They hear the Word in their minds but it never changes their heart. They assume all is well in their life but never examine themselves for the evidence of faith (see 2 Cor. 13:5).

 

Don't take for granted that you understand the gospel. Half of the people, according to a survey, that attend evangelistic churches believe "if people are generally good, or do enough good things for others they will earn a place in heaven." In other words they believe salvation is by works. Are you sure you know the gospel?

 

The New Testament plainly says the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:6). Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:3-4 that, "what I received I passed on to you as of the first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. To know the benefit of this message, Jesus said we must "repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15).