b'COUNTER - POINTAm I Truly Saved?By Michael Forti Again, if a person decides to follow Christ, theyheart to the Lord. Guess what friends. That takes mustalsofollowHisteachingandcommands.a little work!Whatarehisteachingsandcommands?ToloveWhensomeonegivestheirlifetotheLord,will Listening to an interview, and the response to aone another, to teach His Word, to correct, rebukehe or she stop sinning? Absolutely not. Christians questionansweredbyafamousChristian,topofand to encourage with great patience and carefulcontinue to wrestle with sin. However, its the awe-the charts recording artist, was not only interest- instructions, to defend the truth, and to stay awaysome power of the Holy Spirit that draws continu-ing, but shocking. Even though her music is beingfrom the deliberate sin of this world. What is sin,ous conviction, not condemnation. Therefore, a true playedworldwideonChristianradiostations,itaccordingtoGodsstandards?TheApostlePaulChristian is no longer LIVING in a life of deliberate appears that she does not understand the basicssends a strong message and he pulls no punches.sin, but a life free from the bondage of sin. They of Biblical Salvation, only being prepared to shareDo you not know that the wicked will not inheritgatherwithlikemindedbelieverstocontinueto the love of Jesus but not the controversial brilliancethe kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neitherencourage one another to stay out of the tempta-of His Word. Being on the front lines of popularitythe sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adultererstionoftheworld,whichpromotesdeliberatesin. and persecution, dealing with microphone stuffednormaleprostitutesnorhomosexualoffendersWhen someone givers their life in her face, she was obviously caught off guard tonor thieves nor the greedy norto the Lord, He does not turn answer a simple Biblical question. Is homosexual- drunkards nor slanderers northatpersonintoaprogram-ity a sin. To the best of my knowledge, there areswindlers will inherit the king- mablesinlessrobot.ForGod several Christian artists, even Pastors today, whodomofGod(1Corinthiansdoes not shackle a person once are caught up in the same situation. Unfortunately,6:9-10NIV84).Nowholdonthey give their life to the Lord, enabling them to take a stand when needed, theybefore you have a melt down!but He continues to allow them havebecomesocompromised,thattheywalkListen to what Paul has to saythefreedomofchoice.God incontinuousfearofsayingsomethingthatwillnext. And that is what somestillgivesallbelieversafree CRUCIFY their ministry. Its a good thing that ourofyouWERE(1Corinthainswill. When a believer falls, and Lord, along with His original early New Testament6:11). Thats right, thats whatstumbles back into sin, in real-Apostles,werenotconcernedwithcompromisingsome of you WERE. But youity, God is saying, thats going the Word in order to stay alive, let alone wealthy orwere washed, you were sancti- to need some work. The grace popular. They were all, for the exception of John,fied, you were justified in theofGodforsurerescuesthe persecuted to the death for preaching the truth. AName of the Lord Jesus Christbelieverastheyacknowledge ministry filled with compromise is a ministry filledand by the Spirit of our Godtheirsin,andhavethecon-withdeception.Inreality,itsnotatrueministry(1Corinthains6:11NIV84).So,tinuous desire to turn from it. ordained by Jesus Christ. whatdowehavehere?GodItsadailywalkwithChrist Togetstarted,Iwilladmit,Iwastheworstwillforgiveanyone,regard- and the conviction of the Holy ofsinners.YetAlmightyGodsavedmefromaless of our sin. Yet how doesSpiritthatkeepsusinright DELIBERATElifeofsin.WhenSatanwaswork- thisforgivenessprocesstakestanding with the Lord. When ing over time trying to condemn, and then kill me,place? The Lord is not slow inMichael Forti we fall, Christ is there, imme-Godsavedme.HegavememercyandgracebykeepingHispromiseassomediatelytopickusup.Yes, giving me the most precious gift that He had. Heunderstandslowness.Heishewillallowustopinchour gave me His only Son Jesus Christ. I had to makepatientwithyounotwantingfinger in the door to teach us, but He is right there the FREE CHOICE to not only accept Gods gift ofANYONEtoPARISH,butEVERYONEtocometowith the First Aid kit.Salvation through His only Son Jesus Christ, butREPENTANCE (2Peter 3:9 NIV84).His WORD as well. It took a while, but I came to theSo,itsobviousthatweallsinandhavefallenThosewhoarewillfully,onpurpose,livinga understanding that separating the Name of Jesusshort of the glory of God. No question, Almighty Godlifeofdeliberatesin,whethertheyclaimtobea from His Word only resulted in a false misleadingwill forgive the worst of sinners. But it appears thatChristian or not, whether they go to church or not, sensation of salvation. Listening to smooth spokenthere is something that the sinner must do in orderare not saved. Keep in mind, Paul wants everyone preachers and ignoring the convicting presence ofto be forgiven. We, as sinners must have the desireto know if they are truly saved (2 Corinth 13:1-5). the Holy Spirit only smothered me in grace insteadto live in accordance with God and His will, and notUnfortunately,Satanwantstoblindpeopleinto of living a life of repentance. If we make the choiceours. Did you notice the word REPENTANCE? Sinthinking that they are saved when in reality, they to accept Gods gift of salvation, we must accept Hisstarts in the mind, moves into the heart and thenare dead. Yes, even Christian ministers. Thinking Word as well. Jesus is the Word. Thats why Godmanifests in the flesh. Thats why the Word saysthey are saved but in reality, they are not. You will gave all believers an owners manual, the Bible, sothat we must take every thought captive to the obe- knowthembytheirfruit.Ineedtoexaminemy that they can live according to His will and not theirdience of Jesus Christ. Of course, thats not goingown fruit to make sure that I am truly saved. The own. to happen until a person surrenders his life and hisApostle Paul, in Galatians 5:19-26 clearly describes the acts of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit. The KJV, in this verse, completely messed up what Paul was teaching when it comes to a delib-erate life of sin. After describing what sin is, even in more depth than he did back in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, Paul explains that those who LIVE like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God (NIV84). The NKJV says, Those who PRACTICE such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. The KJV errors When someone gives their life to the Lord, will heby saying, Those who DO such things. Friends, weallDOsuchthings.However,ifbeingledby the Holy Spirit, a true believer will not be LIVING or she stop sinning? Absolutely not. Christiansnor PRACTICING such things. They will be in the continuous process of TURNING from a willful life continue to wrestle with sin. However, its theof sin. someone gives their life to the Lord, they When awesome power of the Holy Spirit that drawsarestillgoingtostrugglewiththesinfulnature. Again, they should be in a continuous process of continuous conviction, not condemnation.TURNING from it, and not deliberately living in it. Thisiswhypreachersneedtopreachfirmmes-sages on sin, especially knowing the temptations of Therefore, a true Christian is no longer LIVINGthe world that we are living in, instead of drowning their congregation in grace. Dear friends, although in a life of deliberate sin, but a life free from theI was very eager to write to you about the salva-tion we share, I felt I had to write and urge you toCONTENDforthefaiththatwasonceforall bondage of sin. ENTRUSTED to the saints. For certain men whose CONDEMNATION was written about long ago have secretlyslippedinamongyou.Theyaregodless men (wolves in sheeps clothing), who CHANGE the grace of our God into a license for immorality and DENY(contradictthetruthStrongsGreek720) Continued on Page 19BODY OF CHRIST NEWS AUGUST 2022 7'