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 A true Christian

Sorry if this question has already been asked.
But i really wanted to know how can you prove if someone is really a Christian. Someon who has accepted Jesus Christ as thier Lord and Savior??
Not someone who just says they're christian.

Well thanks for the info.

God Bless.

Eloy Lopez


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Eloy Lopez

 2005/12/10 18:55Profile
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Posts: 39795
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 Re: A true Christian

Here is something that was posted before I hope it helps:

[b]What Is A Christian?[/b]

There are many thousands of religious people and church members who are not real Christians. The Bible describes them as "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (II Tim.3:5). They regard themselves as Christians, and have the outward form of Christianity, but it is only an empty shell, with no power to keep them from sin, no power to cancel their guilt, no power to give them peace of mind or joy of heart, and no power to give them eternal life. "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him" (Titus 1:16). They have just enough of the form of Christianity to deceive them, just enough to make them think that all is well between their souls and God, when in fact nothing is well.

What then is a real Christian? The Bible says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ" (II Cor.5:17-18).

First, he is "in Christ." Christ is not merely a historical figure to him, but the very sphere of his life and existence, and the center of his plans and thoughts and activities. "For to me to live is Christ", said the Apostle Paul (Phil.1:21). And by Jesus Christ he is "reconciled" to God. He does not live at a distance from God, like the prodigal son in the far country. He has come home to the Father, and gladly serves Him, and lives in fellowship with Him.

Next, "he is a new creature." He has not merely joined a church, or gotten religious, or been baptized, or gone forward in a revival meeting, or prayed for salvation. All this may be only an empty shell, a form without power. He has something deeper than this. "He is a new creature"--a new creation, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph.2:10). He has not merely changed a few outward things. His nature is changed, from the inside out. He is converted, from an enemy of God to a child of God, and the Bible says, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19). He is born again with a new life from God, and the Bible says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). His whole being is renewed, made over, created anew, so that he is no longer the same man he was before. He is a new creature.

Further, "old things are passed away." He has not merely put away a few of the grosser forms of sin, but has renounced all of his old life of sin and self. His old ambitions and plans, his old activities and pastimes, are all passed away. The sins and follies which he once loved and pursued, he now renounces and forsakes. His old pleasures now appear empty and vain. His old views and philosophies of life, his old haunts, his old companions in sin, have all passed away from his life.

Further, "all things are become new." All things. He has new associations, new friends, new thoughts and goals, new habits and activities--in short, a new life. He has been born again. He has not merely made a few outward changes, but all things have changed--the places he goes, the way he spends his time and money, the thoughts he thinks, the songs he sings, the people he associates with, the things he reads, the things he loves or hates--all that he is and does is become new. He is a new creature.

Finally, "all things are of God." God is the source of this new life, and everything in it. He no longer gets his thoughts and ideas and aspirations from the world. He no longer follows the world's pleasures and pastimes and habits and ways. "All things" in his life "are of God."

Now consider whether you are a real Christian. Are all things in your life of God? Are the places you go, the songs you enjoy, the things you watch or read, the language you use, the thoughts you think, the friends you choose, are all these "of God"--or do they proceed from the world or self? Is the way you spend your time and money, the way your dress, the way you live in general, determined by the ways of the world, or the Word of God? Do you live to do God's will, or your own?

Are you a "new creature"? Can you look back to the time when you were converted, reconciled to God, born again? Can you point to a time before which the world was your sphere, and self your end, but after which the old life of sin and self passed away, and you were a new creature? Can you look back to a point at which you forsook the ways of the world and sin, and embraced the will of God as the rule of your life? Can you point to a time when self was dethroned, and Christ became your life?

If you can, you have been converted, and your sins are blotted out. If not, you have never been born again, and you cannot see the kingdom of God. And unless you repent and forsake your present life of self and sin, you will never be a Christian, and you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2005/12/10 19:08Profile
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Joined: 2002/12/11
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 Re:

and also this one:

[b]Who will be saved?[/b]

You may be confident, as many are today, that you are saved. But is your assurance based on the whole of what the Bible says about salvation? Or is your confidence based on what other people have told you? The purpose of this study is to show what the Scriptures themselves teach about salvation. The most urgent and important question you can ask yourself is, "In the end, will I be accepted by God into His kingdom or rejected?" It will be well worth your time to carefully read and study the following verses and references for they answer the question, "Who Will Be Saved?" See, dear reader, if you measure up and meet the test. See if you are one of those who will be saved.



1. Those who do the will of God

Matthew 7:21-23 -- Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven...

1 John 2:17 -- The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

See also: Luke 12:47-48; Hebrews 10:36-37; Revelation 2:26

Question: What is God's will for you? (See 1 Thessalonians 3:3-8)



2. Those who obey Jesus and keep His commandments

1 John 2:3-6 -- We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him...

John 14:15-24 -- ...Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching..."

See also: John 10:2-4, 7-11, 14, 15, 27-28; Hebrews 5:8-9; 1 John 3:23-24; 5:1-3

Question: Does it make any sense to call Jesus "Lord" and then not do what he says (see Luke 6:46)?



3. Those who deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him

Luke 9:23-26 -- then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it..."

See also: Matthew 10:32-39; 16:24-27; Mark 8:34-37; 10:17-27; John 12:24-29

Question: What does it mean to deny yourself and take up your "cross"?



4. Those who forsake all

Luke 14:33 -- In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 13:44-46 -- The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

See also: Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:11

Question: Why would God want us to give up everything? (See Matthew 6:19-21; 1 John 2:17)



5. Those who are holy and overcome sin by the power of Jesus Christ

1 John 3:5-10 -- But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him...No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God...

Hebrews 12:14-17 -- Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord...

See also: Matthew 1:21; 5:21-22, 27-30; Mark 9:42-48; Romans 6:22; 8:12-15; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 10:1-14; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 5:1-8, 11, 15; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; James 4:4; 1 John 2:29; 5:18; Revelation 3:1-4; 21:7, 8, 27; 22:14, 15

Question: How is it really possible to be holy and stop sinning? (See Titus 2:11-14, 1 Corinthians 10:13, and Philippians 4:13)



6. Those who continue

Romans 11:22 -- Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

1 Corinthians 15:2 -- By this gospel you are saved if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

2 Peter 2:21 -- It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then turn their backs on the sacred commandment that was passed on to them.

See also: Matthew 7:14; 10:22; Mark 4:3-20; 13:13; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:21-23; 1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Hebrews 3:6, 12-4:2, 9-11; 6:4-11; 10:26-31; James 1:12; 1 John 2:24-25; 2 John 9-11; Revelation 2:7, 11, 26; 3:5, 12

Question: Read Ezekiel 18:21-32. Why is it important to continue to be righteous?



7. Those who persist in well-doing

Romans 2:6-16 -- ...To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life...

See also Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 10:25-37; John 5:28-29; Galatians 6:7-10; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; James 2:14-26; 1 John 3:14-19; 4:7-8, 16, 20, 21; 3 John 11

Question: What does it mean to persist in well-doing? (Look up "persist" or "persistence" in a dictionary.)



8. Those who strive to enter at the narrow gate

Luke 13:23-29 -- Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able...

Matthew 7:13-14 -- Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

See also: Matthew 11:12; 22:1-14; Luke 16:16; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Peter 4:17-18

Question: What does it mean to strive or "make every effort"?



9. Those who have been born again

John 3:3-6 -- ...unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

See also: Matthew 18:3; Titus 3:5-8

Question: What does it mean to be "born again"? (See 2 Corinthians 5:15, 17)



10. Those who have Christ in them

Romans 8:9-10 -- ...And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ...

See also: 2 Corinthians 13:5; Colossians 1:27; John 15:4-6; 1 John 4:13

Question: What is someone like who has the Spirit of Christ in them?



11. Those who repent (turn away from all their sins)

Acts 3:19 -- Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

Luke 13:1-5 -- ...unless you repent, you too will all perish...

See also: Matthew 4:17; 5:3-4; Mark 1:15; 6:12; Luke 5:27-32; 13:1-5; 15:1-32; Acts 2:38; 11:18; 17:30, 31; 20:21; 26:20; Romans 2:3-5; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; 2 Peter 3:9

Question: Why do you think God requires repentance?



12. Those who believe on, call on, and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and are baptized

Mark 16:15-16 -- He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Romans 10:9-13 -- That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved...for "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

See also: John 1:11-13; 3:14-18, 36; 5:24; 10:9; 11:25, 26; 20:30, 31; Acts 13:39; 15:5-11; 16:29-34; Romans 3:20-28; 5:1, 9, 10, 17; 6:23; Galatians 2:16-17, 21; 3:11, 24-25; Ephesians 2:4-10; 1 Peter 3:20-21; 1 John 4:15; 5:1, 10-12

Question: If someone really truly believes in Jesus Christ, what type of life will he/she lead?



13. Those who are chosen

2 Thessalonians 2:13 -- But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

See also: Matthew 11:27; 22:14; 24:30-31; Mark 13:27; John 6:37-39, 44; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:29-30; 9:10-24; 11:5-10; 1 Corinthians 1:23-24; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 9:15; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 2:6-9; Revelation 17:14


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2005/12/10 19:09Profile
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Posts: 26
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 Re: Thank You.

Wow thank you so much for all this information. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you did in order to answer my question. It really helped me really start trying to really put my self into really doing the will of God. And I thank you again. I'm just amazed.

Thank You,

Eloy Lopez.
sermonindex wrote:
Here is something that was posted before I hope it helps:

[b]What Is A Christian?[/b]

There are many thousands of religious people and church members who are not real Christians. The Bible describes them as "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (II Tim.3:5). They regard themselves as Christians, and have the outward form of Christianity, but it is only an empty shell, with no power to keep them from sin, no power to cancel their guilt, no power to give them peace of mind or joy of heart, and no power to give them eternal life. "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him" (Titus 1:16). They have just enough of the form of Christianity to deceive them, just enough to make them think that all is well between their souls and God, when in fact nothing is well.

What then is a real Christian? The Bible says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ" (II Cor.5:17-18).

First, he is "in Christ." Christ is not merely a historical figure to him, but the very sphere of his life and existence, and the center of his plans and thoughts and activities. "For to me to live is Christ", said the Apostle Paul (Phil.1:21). And by Jesus Christ he is "reconciled" to God. He does not live at a distance from God, like the prodigal son in the far country. He has come home to the Father, and gladly serves Him, and lives in fellowship with Him.

Next, "he is a new creature." He has not merely joined a church, or gotten religious, or been baptized, or gone forward in a revival meeting, or prayed for salvation. All this may be only an empty shell, a form without power. He has something deeper than this. "He is a new creature"--a new creation, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph.2:10). He has not merely changed a few outward things. His nature is changed, from the inside out. He is converted, from an enemy of God to a child of God, and the Bible says, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19). He is born again with a new life from God, and the Bible says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). His whole being is renewed, made over, created anew, so that he is no longer the same man he was before. He is a new creature.

Further, "old things are passed away." He has not merely put away a few of the grosser forms of sin, but has renounced all of his old life of sin and self. His old ambitions and plans, his old activities and pastimes, are all passed away. The sins and follies which he once loved and pursued, he now renounces and forsakes. His old pleasures now appear empty and vain. His old views and philosophies of life, his old haunts, his old companions in sin, have all passed away from his life.

Further, "all things are become new." All things. He has new associations, new friends, new thoughts and goals, new habits and activities--in short, a new life. He has been born again. He has not merely made a few outward changes, but all things have changed--the places he goes, the way he spends his time and money, the thoughts he thinks, the songs he sings, the people he associates with, the things he reads, the things he loves or hates--all that he is and does is become new. He is a new creature.

Finally, "all things are of God." God is the source of this new life, and everything in it. He no longer gets his thoughts and ideas and aspirations from the world. He no longer follows the world's pleasures and pastimes and habits and ways. "All things" in his life "are of God."

Now consider whether you are a real Christian. Are all things in your life of God? Are the places you go, the songs you enjoy, the things you watch or read, the language you use, the thoughts you think, the friends you choose, are all these "of God"--or do they proceed from the world or self? Is the way you spend your time and money, the way your dress, the way you live in general, determined by the ways of the world, or the Word of God? Do you live to do God's will, or your own?

Are you a "new creature"? Can you look back to the time when you were converted, reconciled to God, born again? Can you point to a time before which the world was your sphere, and self your end, but after which the old life of sin and self passed away, and you were a new creature? Can you look back to a point at which you forsook the ways of the world and sin, and embraced the will of God as the rule of your life? Can you point to a time when self was dethroned, and Christ became your life?

If you can, you have been converted, and your sins are blotted out. If not, you have never been born again, and you cannot see the kingdom of God. And unless you repent and forsake your present life of self and sin, you will never be a Christian, and you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.



_________________
Eloy Lopez

 2005/12/11 14:19Profile





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