The following is an excerpt from a message given at my church and is great Christian food to meditate (spend time thinking) on.

 

“Paul said in Romans 6:12: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” ”

Note: “who died to sin” – Paul is speaking directly to believers and this phrase indicates true followers of Christ. It does not describe those who merely say they do but live a life like every other unsaved person. As such…

“Some of us may need to ask some hard questions of ourselves. Do you see your salvation as nothing more than a fire insurance policy? Are you continuing in sin, confident that God will save you anyway! If so, I would urge you to consider whether or not your are a true believer!

No true believer has a simple theoretical faith. In 2 Cor. 13:5, Paul warns us to “test yourselves to see if your are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test.” Listen, if Ephesians 5:5 “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” describes the normal bent of your life, then Christ is not in you!”

–Pastor Jack Jenkins, FBC

A true believer, a true follower of Christ meditates on His word (what’s written in the Bible) and if they don’t match up, they strive to match up in response. Christians have been empowered through the Holy Spirit by God to do His will in the world and this starts in themselves. Do not confuse this with the struggles we all face. All Christians have come into the faith with habits and ways of thinking from our old sinful lives that we fight to replace with Christ-honoring ones throughout our lives.

This is very different from a person who says they believe, is confronted with their sin, and then simply says “I’m saved so I’m covered” and then turns around & only continues in their sin. Christ did not die so that you can deliberately bury your head in the sand & continue in blindness to your sin. Such people are actually in worse shape because they tell the world they’re something they are not while continuing to reject Christ by their actions. They do not reflect Christ, they only reflect the world.