HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE SAVED?
MORE FROM PAUL WASHER
[Video Below] Todd Friel (of Way of the Master Radio) responds to Rob Bell's Nooma Video "The Bullhorn Guy"
This is so excellently put. Please take a gander...
"For a doctor not to examine them and tell them about their illness and to give them the cure- man, that's medical malpractice. And for christians to not do the same thing- that's christian malpractice" (Todd Friel in the video below).
the most terrible warning to impenitent men in all the world is the death of Christ. For if God spared not His only Son, on whom was only laid imputed sin, will He spare sinners whose sins are their own?- Spurgeon
So all my life, I was raised in the church. I was raised to believe in God, so that was never a question. I was raised with biblical morals. So in the world's eyes, I was always a good little girl. I always read my bible. I always professed to love God. I went through seasons of brokenness for my lost friends. Yet, I continued to live in sin. Sure, I wasn't sleeping around or getting high or whatever else. But that was my own self-righteousness. If the right opportunities had presented themselves, no doubt I would have fallen. But nevertheless, though I didn't fall in deed, I fell in thought. I needed a savior- but I didn't realize it.
I always knew God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world. But I never understood why- I didn't even question why. But I didn't believe all of that was necessary for me. After all, I was morally good, right? My sin might have added up to a few punches in Jesus’ stomach- but it certainly didn't merit a brutal death. But oh how it did!!
So here I sit on march 12, 2007, trying to figure out if I was ever really saved until the past several months.
I always struggled with sin. A few in particular. I couldn't make sense of it. Like Gollum, I both hated and loved them. I hated them every minute I wasn't tempted. I was disgusted and judged others for the same things (like Romans 2 speaks of). But if the opportunity presented itself, I readily gave in. How does that match up with the book of 1 john? Not well. I definitely have gone through seasons of fruit and seasons of sin. But that doesn't sound like a new creature, does it? I don't know. And perhaps it's not crucial that I figure this out. What is truly important is that I am convinced now.
This only amplifies my fear, however, for my family and friends. People who proclaim Christ but don't understand what that means (not in the least bit!!!), what that looks like. But how grateful I am that God has been patient with me!!! That finally I am most certainly a new creation- with repentance as a fruit and a fresh zeal for evangelism. Is there still sin? Ya, but the holy spirit is producing holiness in me from the inside out. I do love God more everyday. He is precious to me!!!
For I thought about my sins. My self-righteousness, my pride, my addictions, the wickedness and lust of my heart- my utter depravity led me naked and ashamed before the cross of Christ. There I stood in horror and complete amazement as I saw Jesus evidently set forth and crucified. Bleeding to death. Beaten to a pulp. Breathing his last. Bearing my shame. Becoming my curse. Paying the sin debt I had accrued to the last penny- the last drop of blood. Who am I? Who am I that he should go through all of that for me- for everyone! We have rebelled against him. Broken his laws- his commandments. Displayed our lack of trust, our doubt. I, like everyone else, have demonstrated my rebellion and faithlessness through sin (breaking God's 10 commandments). And as a result, I had stored up wrath for myself on the day of judgment. Because I had no faith in a faithful God. No trust in a completely trustworthy God. I had no righteousness to offer a righteous God. No holiness that would enable me to stand in a holy God's presence.
God was angry, and his wrath abided on me. I stood guilty before the cross of his son- utterly helpless and unable to justify myself. I saw myself for who I truly was: rotten through and through. My so-called goodness had earned me wrath, judgment, and condemnation. The holy law and the righteousness of God had me dangle over the smoky chasm of hell. But catch this. Sure, God was angry, and he had every right to be! But God is not like man. His great compassion compelled him to love me- his enemy. God is so merciful and full of grace and love that he saw my sin- all of it- he saw my defiance of him and his laws. And he loved me enough to go through the equivalent of hell to reconcile me to himself.
You see, God had a plan: to swap his own son, put him on the cross I built, and pay the price I owed. Wow, now that's mercy! Now I see the sacrifice he made on my behalf, and in sheer gratitude I shun my sin and the Judas inside of me. Daily I put him to death and come alive in Jesus. I dare not go back to a life of rebellion and sin. I dare not trust to hope any longer in self-righteousness. For my life was swapped for the life of Jesus. And to continue living my own life of sin would be to trample on the blood of Jesus just to make my way back to the cross. How could I ask for more forgiveness then!? No, I must repent. Am I perfected? No, I will most definitely fall. But that's just it: I may occasionally fall into sin. It will be a struggle and a war until I die. For my shell is corrupted. But before I put on Jesus, I didn't merely fall into sin. I dove into sin. I lived there. But now he has freed me! He calls me his own. And my name is written in his book of life. On that awesome day when God, the good and righteous judge, stands to judge the world, I will be pronounced innocent. For my fine has already been paid, and I have accepted his payment on my behalf by allowing him to live his life through me. I have joy unspeakable. I have gratitude from the very depths of my being. And I have the father's heart for a family. He wants a huge family. And he wants you to be a part of it.
Have you seen your need for forgiveness? Have you seen the wrath of God abiding on you? Have you seen the real you in the exposing light of God's holy law: the ten commandments? We're all guilty of every last one of them.
Ponder the depths of your sin. Come to terms with the fact that you are diseased and are in desperate need of a cure. No one can ever be "good enough" for God to say, "you weren't really that bad compared to many others. You deserve for me to open the gate of heaven for you." no, my friend. None of us can say in truth: "I am a good person." so focus on your shortcomings. Realize how you have not only injured man but you've greatly offended God- the one who gave you life and every good pleasure you've ever had. Then you're ready to see the mercy, love, forgiveness, and grace extended to you through the sacrifice of Jesus. Only after you are fully aware of your disease will you truly appreciate your savior.
But I urge you not to put this off. Nothing is more important than your eternal salvation. Get right with God today. You're not guaranteed tomorrow. You're not even guaranteed tonight. Please get right with God. And remember, God is a just judge. You cannot stand before any good judge and say, "judge, I believe you're a good judge and you'll overlook my sins because you're a loving person." he would say, "you're right about one thing. I am a good judge, and because of my goodness, I’m going to see to it that justice is served." don't allow yourself to be fooled by what society tells you God is like. Pick up a bible and discover who God really is. Thanks for reading this message. It was written for you!
Now I understand why I needed the imputed righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Now I know. He has died so that I might live (eternally). So now I must die so that he might live through me on this earth and reconcile men to himself. God, let the cross draw men to you!!
And when I think that God his son not sparing
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in.
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing.
He bled and died to take away my sins.
When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation
To take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I will bow in humble adoration and then proclaim
My God how great thou art!!!
"WAKE THE DEAD. SERIAL SLEEPERS SLAY WITH WORDS UNSAID"- house of heroes
THE FOLLOWING EXCERPTS ARE FROM CHARLES SPURGEON'S SERMONS. AFTERWARDS, YOU CAN READ SEVERAL QUOTES FROM SPURGEON AS WELL AS OTHERS WHO HAD THE HEART OF GOD.
"Surely it is an intolerable disgrace to any one to profess to be a man of God, and to have no care about the souls of others, while they are perishing by millions.
To me, it has always been difficult to understand
those Christians who insist upon living in the crisis
as if no crisis existed. They say they serve the Lord,
but they divide their days so as to leave plenty of
time to play and loaf and enjoy the pleasures of the
world as well. They are at ease while the world burns!
There is not a sound to be heard but those horse-hoofs
like the hoofs of death's pale horse upon the stones,
the ringing of that bell that sounds the death-knell to many,and the rumbling of the wheels of that cart, and the
dreadful cry: 'Bring out your dead!'
Do you see that house? A physician lives there.
He is a man who has great skill, and God has lent him
wisdom. A little while ago, while in his study, God was
pleased to guide his mind, and he discovered the secret of
the plague. He was plague-smitten himself, and ready to
die; but he lifted the blessed vial to his lips, and he drank a draught and cured himself.
Do you believe what I am about to tell you?
Can you imagine it?
That man has the prescription that will heal all these
people- he has it in his pocket. He has the medicine
which, if once distributed in those streets, would make the sick rejoice, and put that death bell away.
But he is sleeping! He is asleep! He is asleep!
O you heavens! Why do you not fall and crush the wretch?
O earth! how could you bear this demon upon your
bosom? Why not swallow him up quick?
He has the medicine; but he is too lazy to go and tell forth the remedy. He has the cure, and is too idle to go out and administer it to the sick and the dying!
No, my friends, such an inhuman wretch could not exist!
And are we asleep, doing nothing? Then God forgive us!
But surely, of all the sins he ever does forgive, this is the greatest-- the sin of slumbering when a world is being
damned; the sin of being idle when Satan is busy,
devouring the souls of men.
Truly if our churches were once awake, so far as 'materials' are concerned, there are enough converted men and women, and there is enough talent with them, and enough money with them, and enough time with them, God granting the abundance of His Holy Spirit, which he would be sure to do if they were all zealous-- there is enough to preach the gospel in every corner of the earth. The church does not need to stop for lack of instruments, or for lack of agencies; we have everything now except the will; we have all that we may expect to give for the conversion of the world, except just a heart for the work, and the Spirit of God poured out into our midst.
Oh! brethren, 'let us not sleep as do others.'
"Young men and old men, and sisters of all ages, if you love the Lord, get a passion for souls. Do you not see them? They are going down to hell by the thousands."- Charles Spurgeon
"You must have, more or less, a distinct sense of the dreadful wrath of God and of the terrors of the judgment to come, or you will lack energy in your work and so lack one of the essentials of success." -Spurgeon
"Less than two percent of believers in this country ever share their faith in Christ with others."- Dr. Bill Bright
"The conscience of a man, when he is really quickened and awakened by the Holy Spirit, speaks the truth. It rings the great alarm bell. And if he turns over in his bed, that great alarm bell rings out again and again, 'The wrath to come! The wrath to come! The wrath to come!' "- Spurgeon
"I am told that Christians do not love each other. I am very sorry if that be true, but i rather doutbt it, for i suspect that those who do not love each other are not Christians."- Spurgeon
"No sinner looks to the Savior with a dry eye or a hard heart. Aim, therefore, at heart-breaking, at bringing home condemnation to the conscience and weaning the mind from sin. Be not content till the whole mind is deeply and vitally changed in reference to sin."- Spurgeon
"The Church has developed a theology that doesn't require much repentance. We have a theology that is uncomfortable with the very term, 'Jesus is Lord'."- Dr. Paul A. Cedar
"Preach with this object, that men may quit their sins and fly to Christ for pardon, that by His blessed Spirit they may be renovated and become as much in love with everything that is holy as they are now in love with everything that is sinful."- Spurgeon
"Before I can preach love, mercy, and grace, I must preach sin, Law, and judgment."- John Wesley
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