Even thought we cannot know 'for sure' until we have actually endured to the end, Ray did speak of the process we go through in this life. So if you are aware that these things will happen you can know that God's Spirit is working in you. But it's mainly when you 'look behind' from where you have come, you certainly know how carnal you were before and you should recognize the progress of becoming a different/new person.
2Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
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[Ray Replies]
"How do we KNOW that we are saved?" Excellent question! Would you believe that the Scriptures do not answer this specific question? If they do, I am not aware of such an answer. The problem in answering this question is that you put it in the PAST TENSE--"How do we know that we ARE saved" which, I guess, could be in the past or present tense. Either way, I know of no Scripture that gives such an answer.
Here is what we do read regarding salvation:
"might save" "to save" "shalt save" "save us" "shall be saved" "such as should be saved" "whereby we must be saved" "we shall be saved" "what must I do to be saved" etc., etc., etc.
And even those few verses that speak of "but unto us which ARE saved...." a closer look at the Greek shows that it is in the aiorist tense and should be translated "...which ARE BEING saved..." as it is not as yet a completed fact or act.
Even Ephesian 2:8 which states: "For by grace ARE you saved through faith...." which is properly translated with the word "are" than "are you being saved" or some other aiorist tense verb, still does not show that anyone is ALREADY saved. The phrase "ARE saved" is telling us HOW we are saved, not WHEN we are saved. We "are" saved by grace just as people a century into the future also "ARE saved by grace." That's HOW they are saved, not WHEN.
If there were a verse that stated that we or anyone ARE or HAVE BEEN already saved, it would contradict many other Scriptures that show that salvation is an ongoing process.
This verse says it all:
"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same SHALL BE saved" (Matt. 24:13).
If this verse be absolutely true, can a statement that contradicts this statement of our Lord ALSO be true? Well, for example, "...he that shall NOT endure unto the end... ALSO be saved?" See the contradiction?
Jesus says to him that OVERCOMES... seven time in Rev. 2 and 3. If the "overcoming" part is really not necessary, then why is it emphatically stated such SEVEN TIMES?
Is there a reason for not having a verse stating how one can know that they are absolutely SAVED [past tense] at some point in their lives? I think so. We can NEVER STOP overcoming, striving, pressing on, following after, etc. We can have CONFIDENCE AND HOPE that we will be saved if we continue in our present total devotion to God, but never in this life can we say that we "ARE saved" already, in the past tense.
God has not, however, left us without assurances that we can absolutely bank on, if we follow His admonitions. Here is just one:
"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brother kindness charity [LOVE]. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful... give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye DO THESE THINGS, YE SHALL NEVER FALL" (II Pet. 1:5-8 & 10).
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[Ray Replies]
I would be happy to give your some Scriptures of encouragement.
When we can see our faults and weaknesses and admit them instead of denying them, we are already on the way to recovery.
Of Course, Jesus is the answer to EVERYTHING. But maybe you have already heard that, but it may not mean that much to you. How does that really work in the real world?
Notice in Matt. 11:20 what Jesus was doing AND WHY HE WAS DOING IT:
"Then began he [Jesus] to UPBRAID [reprove or correct them very sharply] the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, BECAUSE THEY REPENTED NOT"
That is the very same problem we have all had in our lives, WE DON'T REPENT OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE WRONG. Repent means to see it, acknowledge it, and get rid of it!
When you repent of your sins and evils you automatically feel better and God Himself will give you rest (SPIRITUAL REST) from all your very heavy burdens. A guilty conscience is probably the worst burden that anyone can carry. But you will never, ever, get rid of a guilty conscience until you begin to REPENT and change your ways.
Down a few verses Jesus tells us what will happen if we will REPENT and start to OBEY His commandments:
"Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST! Take My yoke [this means to live your life with all its trials and tribulations, by living it CHRIST'S WAY] upon you, and LEARN OF ME [read your Bible and DO WHAT CHRIST SAYS TO DO and DON'T DO WHAT HE SAYS NOT TO DO]; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and YOU SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy [it will enable you to overcome the world, because Jesus overcame with world with His humble and meek attitude] and my burden light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
When you find that you're too weak to overcome your sins and faults, IT WILL DRIVE YOU TO YOUR KNEES! You will call out to God, because you will know in your heart that you do not have the POWER to stop all of your sins. When you cry out to God He will hear, and He will give you strength and power to do what seemed so hard before.
Notice what fruit the Spirit of God will produce in your life:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS, SELF CONTROL: against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23).
We all want these qualities in our lives, but they only come by crucifying our old carnal, selfish selves. The key is to: REPENT and OBEY. Read Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. They are filled with the things we are to do to find peace with God and peace with ourselves.
There are many Scriptures of encouragement, and you will learn them as you read and study God's Word. But you need a starting point and you need it RIGHT NOW! STOP DOING the obvious wrong things that you are doing and go to God in prayer and ask Him to CLEAN YOU UP! Trust me, he will answer your prayer.
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THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER
Let’s see again just what is involved in living the live of a believer:
1. "For by GRACE are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS workmanship [Gk: achievement], created in Christ Jesus unto [unto what?] … unto GOOD WORKS, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). We are not saved by OUR WORKS, but we are preordained to walk in GOD’S GOOD WORKS, nonetheless.
2. "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). Notice that Eph. 2:10 says that we are "created IN Christ." Something new happens when we are "IN" Christ. There is a NEW birth and there is a NEW creation, "Therefore if any man be IN Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE [Gk: creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (II Cor. 5:17). Albeit, this new creation has its perils as we will see in the next verse.
3. "Yea, and ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus [as a new and different creature] SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION." (II Tim. 3:12). This is not just a possibility; it is an absolute PROMISE.
4. "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through MUCH TRIBULATION [pressure, afflictions] enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).
5. "For if we would JUDGE OURSELVES, we should not be judged. But when we ARE JUDGED, we are CHASTENED [Greek: paideuo, to train, educate, discipline, punish, chastise, instruct, learn, and teach] of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world [at the great white throne judgment]" (I Cor. 11:31-32).
6. "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My Son, despise not you the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. For whom the Lord loves He CHASTENS [Prov. 13:24] AND SCOURGES [see I Pet. 5:9] EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. But if you be without chastisement, whereof ALL are partakers, then are you ********, and not sons" (Heb. 12:5-8). "Every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be REVEALED BY FIRE; and the fire shall try EVERY MAN’S WORK of what sort it is" (I Cor. 3;13).
7. "Fear NONE of those things which you shall suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a CROWN OF LIFE" (Rev. 2:10). "To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the TREE OF LIFE [eternal, immortal life]" (Rev. 2:7), "He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death" (Rev. 2:11), "And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give POWER OVER THE NATIONS" (Rev. 2;26), "He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment [righteousness] and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life [Christ is the book of life] but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels" (Rev. 3:5), "Him that overcomes will I make a PILLAR [a main and vital support in the very government of Almighty God] IN THE TEMPLE OF MY GOD…" (Rev. 3:12), "To him that overcomes will I grant to SIT WITH ME IN MY THRONE, even as I also overcame [see John 16:33], and am set down with My Father in His throne" (Rev. 3:21).
There we have a very brief overview of the life of a believer. Is it not obvious that the life of a believer consists of a whole lot more than just "believing" that Jesus is the Christ? God has bigger plans for the human race than just "saving" them. God can "save" chickens, but God doesn’t want chickens for sons! God wants sons that are PERFECT as He is perfect! Wouldn’t you all agree that becoming perfect might just require a whole lot more than singing gospel music once a week? Perfection requires many things that only God can perform in our lives. We are, after all, His workmanship, His achievement. Having ALL OUR WORKS tried in the fire of His Holy Spirit is no small part of becoming perfect.
v
We have works that are like gold and silver in certain ways—we have thoughts, words, and deeds of good and lasting value. We also have carnal and evil works—bad thoughts, crass words, and evil deeds that are of no lasting value and are only fit for destruction. Only God’s SPIRITUAL FIRE can burn away spiritual wickedness and evils of the heart.
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Since God likens the building of His spiritual temple to the assembling of a physical building, then this process, likewise, requires time and activity. Time and activity is what we call living our lives. Now then, when does judgment begin at the building of this house of God? Answer:
"For the time IS COME that judgment must begin at the house of God…" (I Peter 4:17).
And so it clearly has already begun with the Apostles and New Testament Church nearly two thousand years ago. And it is still going on in the Church of God today, in every believer’s life, as he lives his life.
Therefore, Paul warns:
"But let every man take heed HOW he builds [his building’] thereupon" (I Cor. 3:10).
And so judgment is upon the building of God’s house as each individual believer is framed and fitted for the calling that God has for each individual. This judgment began in the days of the Apostles after the resurrection of our Lord. It continued generation after generation down through the age until today when it yet continues. And it will continue still further until the entire harvest of firstfruits is completed. Remember we already learned that if we would judge ourselves now, Paul said we would not be condemned with the world later (I Cor. 11:32).
It is while we are living and building that our works are being tried and judged BY FIRE according to HOW we are building. What fire? God’s fire. God’s "CONSUMING [spiritual] FIRE"(Heb. 12:29)! God is SPIRIT and likewise His fire is SPIRIT. I have never heard a minister or teacher preach on the good and beneficial side of God’s FIRE. Fire is usually portrayed as bringing about pain, evil, and destruction. Since God is GOOD (Luke 18:19), and God is SPIRIT (John 4:24), and God is INVISIBLE (Col. 1:15), why does the church teach the world that God as a CONSUMING FIRE (Heb. 12:29) is visible and not invisible, literal and not spiritual, and bad rather than good?
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones [valuable traits of Godly spiritual character] wood, hay, stubble [carnal traits of no value]; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because IT SHALL BE REVEALED BY FIRE; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is."
Every thought, every word, and every deed that proceeds out of the heart and mind of man is his "WORKS." And every thought, every word, and every deed of man will come into the judgment of Almighty God’s "CONSUMING FIRE." Notice that it is both our things of great value: "gold, silver, precious stones," and our things of no value: "wood, hay, stubble" that are tried in the fire, God’s Consuming Fire. Every person possesses knowledge, therefore, every person is a combination of both good and evil (for knowledge can only be a combination of both good and evil knowledge).
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Can we not get it into our heads that GOD IS SPIRIT and that all He is building and creating is SPIRITUAL. We will have SPIRITUAL bodies, we are SPIRITUAL temples, we are to produce SPIRITUAL fruit, we will live in SPIRITUAL Jerusalem, in SPIRITUAL Zion, in SPIRITUAL heaven, as members of a SPIRITUAL kingdom, Headed by a SPIRIT GOD!
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When came around Pentecost time though, a whole bunch of them were converted, about 120 of them. But Christ was leading them up to that. He’s probably leading some of us up to that.
All these things take a lifetime. We’re going to live "the seals." A third part of the man died... that’s a third part of the man in us that is going to die, a third part of the carnality. God works in increments, He wipes out some of the trees and then He burns some of the grass… what is the trees and the grass? These are all things in us. We have islands, and mountains, and trees, and grass. All of these are belief systems and ideas and doctrines and philosophies of life and all these things. They are all going to be burned out and broken down and destroyed. All of those seven seals, seven trumpets, seven plagues, they are all things that must happen in our lives.
You say, 'Well I don’t remember any trees being burned down.' First of all, you won’t even know some of it is happening until it’s over. Some of you will remember, I have this in my Lake of Fire Series: “And I was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day and I heard a voice BEHIND me as the voice of a trumpet and I turned to see the voice that spoke to me and being turned I saw…” You won’t see some of these things until they are behind you. You’re going to have to look behind you to see where you came from, to see where God has been taking you. Some of us wouldn’t want to live tomorrow if we knew what was coming, you know. Be thankful that you don’t know everything that’s coming. Be thankful that you only have to take one day at a time. You don’t want to know what every day has to hold. Take it one day at a time as God presents it to you.
There will come a time, when you can look behind you, as I can, and see where God’s been taking you all these years. You’ll see it plain as day. I could sit here for hours and tell you all about it. I can tell you about trees and grass and mountains coming down, I know what it means. It’s all one, all this stuff. Are you getting it? It’s all one thing. Whether you believe on Christ or enter the door of Christ or call upon the name of Christ or accept His grace through the faith of Christ, it’s all one thing. It’s all Christ coming to you, living His life in you!
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I have stated this very very clearly in my writings: If God has chosen and pre-ordained you to be one of His Chosen Elect Few, THEN YOU WILL BE ONE OF THEM. Period. Ananias and Sapphira were decidedly NOT two of God's Chosen Elect. They were CALLED, but not chosen, and like all "called" but NOT chosen, they could NOT obey from the heart and be among those in the first resurrection to reign with Jesus.
It matters not, Brett, whether we say it is necessary to "do" something or that we "must do" something. The word "must" does not necessarily add to or detract from something that God says will be "DONE." Example: Jesus said, "And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and DO not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). Now do we see the words "MUST DO" in this verse? NO.
But can you imagine one of the disciples saying to Jesus: "You mean we MUST do what you say?" OF COURSE we "must" do what Jesus says!! But that does not mean that we "do" what we "MUST do" by our own power and will.
Nothing I have said in Installment 16 contradicts the Scriptures or anything that I have said in any of my other installments. God KNOWS who is and who isn't one of His chosen elect, but WE DON'T. That is how God keeps us from becoming spiritually lazy and complacent. It may "appear" that God has "chosen" us for one of His elect, but there is no way of being 100% sure until THE END.
This is why, the Greatest Apostle who has ever lived, said that even he could be a "castaway" from the Kingdom of God if he did not daily fight the good fight of faith (I Cor. 9:27).
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COMMENT: When sin no longer "has dominion over you," you will know that God's Holy Spirit is operating in you. Not that you will not sin, but sin will not lord it over you; you will no longer be a slave to sin; you will not be fighting sin ever moment of your day; you will be given peace in that area of your life.
God be with you,
Ray