省察自己是否是耶稣基督的真信徒
下面的书信是写给定期参加教会聚会、按时捐出自己的十分之一奉献的人。值得注意的是,他们陷入了撒旦的一个极大谎言,就是按时去教会、讲得都是宗教的好话、随从一切宗教传统,相信自己是真基督徒、相信自己得救了。然而,等到他们生命结束时,才发现自己其实没有真正得救。
让我们看看,我们的主耶稣对那些认为自己得救了的人都说了什么:
路加福音6:46主耶稣说:“ 你们为甚么称呼我‘主阿、主阿’,却不遵我的话行呢?”“儿子尊敬父亲,仆人敬畏主人,我既为父亲,尊敬我的在哪里呢?我既为主人,敬畏我的在哪里呢?你们却说,我们在何事上藐视你的名呢?”这是万军之耶和华对藐视祂名的祭司(牧师)说(马拉基1:6)
马太福音7:22-23 当那日(审判之日)必有许多人对我说:“主阿、主阿,我们不是奉你的名传道、奉你的名赶鬼、奉你的名行许多异能么?”我(主耶稣)就明明地告诉他们说:“我从来不认识你们,你们这些作恶的人,离开我去吧!”
路加福音13:25-29 及至家主起来关了门,你们站在外面叩门说:“主阿,给我们开门。”祂就回答说:“我不认识你们,不晓得你们是哪里来的。”那时,你们要说:“我们在你面前吃过喝过,你也在我们的街上教训过人。”祂要说:“我告诉你们,我不晓得你们是哪里来的,你们这一切作恶的人离开我去吧。你们要看见亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各和众先知,都在 神的国里,你们却被赶到外面,在那里必要哀哭切齿了。从东、从西、从南、从北,将有人来在 神的国里坐席。”
可能这个人就坐在你的身后,那么就请你帮助他们,将基督的真理分享给他们,因为基督已将与 神和好的道理托付了我们。
“一切都是出于 神。祂借着基督使我们与祂和好,又将劝人与祂和好的职分赐给我们。这就是 神在基督里,叫世人与自己和好,不将他们的过犯归到他们身上,并且将这和好的道理托付了我们。”(哥林多后书5:18-19)
亲爱的朋友、弟兄姊妹们,
我感到非常地荣幸,能在过去几个月里,与你一同分享上帝美好的信息。我祷告,希望你能思考我们分享给你的信息,并且能够继续坚持这样做。
我对你用“我相信”这个词,感到非常担忧。用“我相信”这个词,是因为撒旦欺骗人们,让他们在认知中相信自己是真的服从上帝。所以请你虔诚地默想下面的章节,并且诚恳地求问上帝:“主啊,我是否真的完全服从您的命令?”
请思考上帝所讲的“相信”的真正含义:
神爱世人,甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们,叫一切信祂的不至灭亡,反得永生(约翰福音3:16)
你信 神只有一位,你信的不错,鬼魔也信,却是战惊(雅各书2:19)
当那日(审判之日)必有许多人对我说:“主阿、主阿,我们不是奉你的名传道、奉你的名赶鬼、奉你的名行许多异能么?”我(主耶稣)就明明地告诉他们说:“我从来不认识你们,你们这些作恶的人,离开我去吧!”(马太福音7:22-23 )
这些人无疑是相信上帝,并且认为自己是基督徒,但悲哀的是,当那日他们却要永远地离开上帝。关于“相信”和“成为基督徒”的真正含义,撒旦欺骗并迷惑了很多人。
凡称呼我“主阿、主阿”的人不能都进天国,惟独遵行我天父旨意的人才能进去(马太福音7:21)
不是每个说“我是基督徒”的人都能进天国,也不是每个说“我相信上帝”的人都能进天国。
“你们总要自己省察有信心没有,也要自己试验。岂不知你们若不是可弃绝的,就有耶稣基督在你们心里吗?”(哥林多后书13:5)
上帝透过祂的话语,赐给了我们真信心的明证。所以通过对照上帝的话语,我们完全能够证实自己对上帝的信心,看看自己是否是真基督徒,还是被骗了。
(以下章节阐明了在耶稣基督里真正得救的明证)
1. 在每一个真基督徒的生命里,都会有崭新开始的那一刻,就是生命彻底地改变,圣经称之为重生。
若有人在基督里,他就是新造的人。旧事已过,都变成新的了(哥林多后书5:17)
耶稣回答说:“我实实在在地告诉你,人若不重生,就不能见 神的国(约翰福音3:3)
你的生命有彻底改变的那一刻吗?
2. 圣经没有教导,当我们来到基督的跟前,我们就没有罪了。而是在祂的跟前,我们会渴望持守祂的命令,渴望通过遵行祂的旨意而得蒙祂的悦纳。
我们若遵守祂的诫命,就晓得是认识祂。人若说我认识祂,却不遵守祂的诫命,便是说谎话的,真理也不在他心里了。凡遵守主道的,爱 神的心在他里面实在是完全的,从此我们知道我们是在主里面(约翰一书2:3-5)
你渴望服从上帝吗?
3. 所有上帝的真儿女,都会受到上帝的管教。
因为主所爱的祂必管教,又鞭打凡所收纳的儿子。你们所忍受的是 神管教你们,待你们如同待儿子,焉有儿子不被父亲管教的呢?管教原是众子所共受的,你们若不受管教,就是私子,不是儿子了(希伯来12:6-8)
你能记起,在你的生命中上帝曾因一个特别的罪而管教你吗?
4. 每个真基督徒都被赐予圣灵,在重生的生命中帮助他们,不管怎样基督徒还是有这世上的肉体。所以在每一个基督徒里面,都有肉体与圣灵的相争。我们受到引诱,生活随从属世的情欲而抵挡圣灵,就是抵挡按照上帝的话语生活,抵挡服从祂的旨意。
我说你们当顺着圣灵而行,就不放纵肉体的情欲了。因为情欲和圣灵相争,圣灵和情欲相争,这两个是彼此相敌,使你们不能作所愿意作的(加拉太5:16-17)
在你里面有体贴肉体和顺从圣灵之争吗?
5. 凡主耶稣的真信徒就不明知故犯,这不要与犯罪混淆。罪是一个行动,就是违背上帝的旨意。我们作为基督徒也会多次犯罪,而实际上不知道这是罪。但是,明知故犯的行为是不同的。明知故犯是懂得上帝的旨意却主动抵挡,没有悔改的意愿或行动。
凡从 神生的就不犯罪,因 神的道存在他心里。他也不能犯罪,因为他是由 神生的。
(约翰一书3:9)
我们若说自己无罪,便是自欺,真理不在我们心里了。
(约翰一书1:8)
你还在明知故犯吗?
总之,我们必须坦诚,必须实实在在地察看我们的内心,问自己:
* 在我的生命中,有成为新人的那一刻吗?
* 我有渴望服从上帝、遵行祂的旨意吗?
* 我能记起,在我的生命中,上帝曾为一个特别的罪而管教我吗?
* 在我里面,有体贴肉体与服从上帝的话语之争吗?
* 我还在明知故犯吗?
Examine yourselves, whether you are a true follower of JESUS CHRIST . . . .
The following letter was written to a person who attends a church regularly. Pay his tithe promptly. The concern is that they may have fallen into one of Satan's greatest deceptions: going to church, saying all the right words, following all the right traditions, truly believing that they are Christians and at the end of their life they will be found not to be truly saved.
Let’s look at what our LORD JESUS said to those who though they are saved:
Luke 6: (NIV)JESUS said in verse 46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”And “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you priests (pastors) who show contempt for my name…..”(Malachi 1:6)
Matthew 7: (NIV)22 Many will say to ME on that day (Judgement day), ‘LORD, LORD, did we not prophesy in YOUR name and in YOUR name drive out demons and in YOUR name perform many miracles?’23 Then I (JESUS) will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from ME, you evildoers!’
Luke 13: (NIV)25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of GOD.
This may be the person who sits next to you in the pew. Please help them by sharing this truth, as CHRIST has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
``And all things are of GOD,
who hath reconciled us to HIMSELF by JESUS CHRIST,
and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that GOD was in CHRIST, reconciling the world unto HIMSELF,
not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation .''
2 Corinthians 5:18,19
Dear Friend, brothers and sisters
I very much enjoyed spending time sharing with you for the past months. I pray that you have and will continue to consider the things we shared.
I am very concerned about your use of the term “I believe''. This word, believe, can be used by Satan to deceive people in their understanding of where they truly stand with GOD. Please prayerfully consider the following verses and ask GOD earnestly, ``Where do I stand with YOU LORD?''.
Please consider what GOD's WORD says about ``believe'':
``For GOD so loved the world,
that he gave HIS only begotten SON,
that whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish,
but have everlasting life.''
John 3:16
``Thou believest that there is one GOD;
thou doest well:
the devils also believe, and tremble.''
James 2:19
``Many will say to ME in that day, LORD, LORD,
have we not prophesied in THYname?
and in THY name have cast out devils?
and in THY name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from ME, ye that work iniquity.''
Matthew 7:22-23
Surely these men believed in GOD and think that he is a Christian but sadly he now is spending eternity separated from GOD. Satan has deceived and confused many people about what “believing” and “being a Christian” truly means.
“Not every one that saith unto ME, LORD, LORD,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;''
Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says, ``I am a Christian'' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Not everyone who says, ``I believe in GOD'' will enter the kingdom of heaven.
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith;test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5
GOD has given us, through HIS WORD, evidence of true faith. By using GOD's WORD, as a whole, we can test our faith to see if we are true believers or if we are being deceived.
(The following verses explain some of the evidence of a true salvation in JESUS CHRIST.)
1. In every true believer's life there is a time of new beginning, a time at which your life is changed. The Bible calls this being born again.
``Therefore if any man be in CHRIST,
he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.''
2 Corinthians 5:17
``JESUS answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of GOD.''
John 3:3
Is there a time in your life when you were changed?
2. The Bible does not teach us that when we come to CHRIST we will be without sin. However we will desire to keep HIS commandments. We will desire to please HIM by doing HIS will.
``And hereby we do know that we know HIM,
if we keep HIS commandments.
He that saith, I know HIM,
and keepeth not HIS commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepethHISWORD,
in him verily is the love of GOD perfected:
hereby know we that we are in HIM.''
1 John 2:3-5
Do you have a desire to obey HIM?
3. All true children of GOD will receive discipline from GOD.
``For whom the LORDlovethHEchasteneth,
and scourgeth every son whom HEreceiveth.
If ye endure chastening,
GODdealeth with you as with sons;
for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers,
then are ye bastards, and not sons.''
Hebrews 12:6-8
Can you remember a time in your life
where GOD has disciplined you for a specific sin?
4. Every true believer is given the HOLY SPIRIT to help them in this life. However he also has a flesh that is of this world. So in every believer there is a struggle between the two. We are tempted between living like the world versus the SPIRIT's desire that we live according to the WORD of GOD, obeying HIS will.
``This I say then, Walk in the SPIRIT,
and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the SPIRIT,
and the SPIRIT against the flesh:
and these are contrary the one to the other:
so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.''
Galatians 5:16-17
Is this struggle in you?
5. No true believer of JESUS practices sin. This is not to be confused with sinning. Sin is an action that is contrary to GOD's will. As believers we sin many times and are not even aware of it. But the act of practicing sin is different. It is having a knowledge of GOD's will and actively defying it with no intention or action to change.
``Whosoever is born of GOD doth not commit sin;
for HIS seed remaineth in him:
and he cannot sin,
because he is born of GOD.''
1 John 3:9
“If we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 1:8
Are you practicing sin?
So in summary we must be honest with ourselves. We must truly look into our own heart and ask ourselves:
* Is there a time in my life when I became a new creature?
* Do I desire to obey GOD and do HIS will?
* Can I remember a time in my life when GOD has disciplined me for a specific sin?
* Do I struggle with my flesh to obey GOD's WORD?
* Am I practicing sin?
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