Page 46 - Ecclesiology revised short_Neat

again with them. He was not referring to the heart of a person. He was referencing the CHURCH. This
verse has NOTHING to do with salvation!!!

“Make Jesus the Lord of your life” or “Make Christ number one in your life” or “Commit your life
to Christ.” We should submit to the Lordship of Christ (obey His commands), but these suggestions are
not the gospel and are not the way to become born-again.

“Accept Jesus as Savior” or “Receive Jesus as Savior.” These phrases may be all right if they’re
understood and clearly explained. Christians may understand them to mean “trust in Christ,” but
unbelievers may wonder “How do I accept or receive Jesus?” Catholics teach that “receiving Jesus”
means communion. Never does scripture say to “accept Jesus” and only once does it mention
“receiving” Him (John 1:12). And even that reference about the Jews receiving Him is clarified by the
expression “believing in His name.”

John 1:12 KJV But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name:

How do you know you are really saved?

We are assured of salvation simply on the basis of our personal faith or belief in Christ. However,
there are several passages in Scripture which indicate that once a person experiences salvation in Christ,
his life changes.

II Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the
new is here!

Galatians 5:22-23 teaches that believers will bear the “fruit of the Spirit” since the Spirit of God resides
in them. James teaches us that a person who shows no change in their lives, and who do not
demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (works of God) in their lives are actually dead (James 2:14-26).

A true believer will be able to understand God’s Word and have a desire to read it. His mind will
undergo a transformation to begin to see spiritual truth from which he was before blinded. A true
believer will desire to walk with Christ and get to know Him personally. He will also have a desire to
fellowship with other believers.

We are commanded by God to examine our own lives to see if there is evidence within us of saving
faith.

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 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?

An individual can know he/she is saved only on the basis of whether they are trusting in Christ’s life and
death for their sin problem (1 John 5:11-13) and one’s lifestyle demonstrates that they have repented
and turned from their sin (previous lifestyle) and headed a different direction.

A true believer will also discover that when the Holy Spirit came to reside within his life, He brought with
Him a special gift to serve others within the body of Christ.

44