I NEED help it's hard to tell the difference. I just watched something from illbehonest.com from Kevin williams in the link below and am a bit confused...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxx032fjwsQ&feature=player_embedded#!

He talks about the saved person struggling with sin and the lost person struggling with sin and gives the monkey's hand in the bottle with the nut trying to break free but doesn't let go of the nut (sin) which means he's never going to get his hand out of the bottle.

My question is that no one's perfect so how can you tell? Is it a heart issue/mindset that is the difference between those saved who are struggling over those who aren't saved struggling? I need to know a clear cut difference and PLEASE PLEASE MAKE IT CLEAR!!! Thanks for your posts and also PLEASE give me specific scripture references because what's the use of man's opinions if it's not scriptural.

Jezusppl,

I was saved about 7 months ago, and since then I have truly made an effort to understand what the Lord would require of us to gain salvation, and this is what the Lord revealed to me, and it comes in 2 steps:

1. Salvation is by Faith: One must trust that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one Holy God who came as a man to die for the sins of those who accept Him as their savior. One must have faith that it is only by the blood of Jesus that they can be saved, not by their own self rightous works (i.e. praying for a certain amount of time a day, fasting a certain amount of days a week and one can recieve salvation). Works are a sign of salvation, but they come about by one having faith in the Lord Jesus. See Ephesians 2:8-9

2. Salvation is by true Repentance: Paul uses the Greek word "metanoeo" when speaking of repentance of sins. This is a "change of mind and purpose".
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?type=getTopic&topic=Repent%2C+Repentance&entry.x=66&entry.y=12

2 Corinthians 7:10 says "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance *without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death."

This clearly states that a "changing of mind and purpose" leads to salvation.

So to answer your question: How can you tell?
This is my belief on that. If someone is truly saved (have faith in Jesus and truly repented) then for that person sin will no longer be the rule of their life, and rightousness the exception. In a life of one who is truly saved rightousness with be the rule while a slipping into sin is the exception.

Also if someone diliberately continuing in something he/she knows to be iniquity, and they say they are sorry but continue in the sin, then they are performing penitence (feeling sorry for their sin) and are not exhibiting true repentence. A true repentence is a turning away from all iniquity that the believer sees in his/her life. While he/she may slip and sin occasionally, they will always meet this slip with repentance of their mishap. A true born again person will seek after holiness, as they have seen the depravity of their sin, and how they are condemned without the precious blood of Jesus. There will be an extreme lifestyle change, a Paul on the road to Damascus type moment if you will, although it may not come as suddenly as it did Paul, there will come a time when an alteration in attitude, perception, and lifestyle will drastically change.

I hope that this will help you in some way. I encourage you to ask if you have anymore questions, that I or others could answer for you.

God bless you brother, and may the Holy Spirit bring enlightenment to you on this.

hi, i have been savedfor nearly50 years and have changed greatly over the years. first: salvation is where you go to the altar and die,turning the rule of your life over to theLord.now you have presented yourself as a living sacrifice to the LOrd.now the Lord is in charge of your sin and performance condition and as He rules in your life He changes you.that is grace that amazes...It is all about Jesus and not about you.the life you now live is not your life but Christs,2;20 . study covenant for Jesus cut a covenantfor God and man in His body for us.study the story of mephibosheth as he was involved in covenant example. if you are saved you are under covenant and if you are lost you are not under covenant.jimp

givensdj, that was absolutely beautiful. The Angels Sang when you came into the Kingdom, 7 months ago.
Hang on to this post Brother, and don't let anything ever rob it from you. Was deeply blessed by your caring enough to share it with others.
The LORD Bless you mightily, in Jesus' Holy Name.

Welcome!

Hi jezusppl,

as givensdj said we are able to tell the difference, and it is more than a heart issue/mindset issue as you suggest, it's a matter of God's power in our lifes that makes the real difference.

It's true that before we actually have enough faith to rest in Jesus we will struggle with sin. But this should not be our destiny nor what we should regard as the 'normal Christian life'.

We HAVE the promise that Jesus will save and deliver us from our sin. That means while resting in Him we will be able to overcome giving in to sin, its power over us WILL stay broken and IS broken now.

Matthew 1:21  ....shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

What we are left to do is to decide if we love the pleasures of sin more than we love God, or not.

2 Timothy 3:4 talks about people that are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God and concludes that they

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Tim 3:5

Jesus gives us the power to stop sinning, but we can deny His power und be satisfied with just looking the part of being a Christian on the outside, but inside continue to struggle and be overcome by sin on a daily basis. This does not have to be the case at all, actually what that does if it continues over years is it makes us hyprocrites. In that case we would practically deny the power of the Holy Spirit in our lifes.

So "no one's perfect" shouldn't be your target at all, if we are to 'stay as we are' and not be able to be holy, it wouldn't be mentioned by Paul:

Ephesians 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Ephesians 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

God does not require impossible things from us for that He not first provides Himself to enable us. Don't listen to people, listen to Him and take it by faith that He provides what He asks for 1 Peter 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.


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