Are you saved

Before we answer that, we first need to be sure of what we are to be saved from. Some say from the devil, others say from our sins, and still others say from the second death at the day of reckoning. I really believe it is all the above also, and more, but would add ... we need to be saved from ourselves. Yes, once we know ourselves, we don't really like what we see. Suddenly we know that we are really not Christ like at all, and deep down inside we love sin. It is this part of us that we need to be saved from ... the anti-Christ part. The part of us that secretly desires another person, or the part of us that hates another person, or the part of us that refuses to forgive another person, or lastly (for now) that part of us that desires mammon. It is this person, hidden away from the public, and even ourselves in some cases, that we need to be saved from.

Please, don't be like the pompous Pharisees of old, but instead get to know yourself inside out, and when you do so in all honesty and without prejudice, you will most certainly be amazed at just how dirty and smelly you really are. Becoming aware of this has a two fold advantage; firstly it exposes the need to be purified, and secondly, having this new vision of ourselves, hopefully prevents us from judging others. To overcome this inner person is to be saved from him/her, and this is where Jesus comes to the rescue.

Who is this Jesus? The simplest answer ... He is the "way, truth, and life". He is the answer to all your questions about life. He is the One who will show you how to overcome your hidden self and be purified. Why did He say in Joh 14:6 ... "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me". Because nobody can please God without the help of Jesus, this is why. Jesus is the way to salvation, showing us how to walk in the ways of God. Jesus is the truth, which is the new covenant that does away with works and manifests grace through faith. And Jesus is life, which through the authority given Him by the Father, judges all men. Given these three facts, how then is it possible for any person on earth to escape Him? Is there anyone reading this page that feels they can meet God on His terms, and be saved without Jesus' help? Yer sure you can...as if you know what pleases God. Can you live the rest of your life without sinning against God? Can you know God's ways and laws all on your own, without revelation from Him? Can you give up all worldly things on your own? I doubt it very much. Only Jesus himself has accomplished this so far, so I don't like your chances.

So, what has Jesus got to do with saving us from ourselves? Well basically He convicts us. For example; Its super easy to see the evil in Muslim terrorists, and yet they are adamant they kill in the name of Allah. They really think they do good but they don't. They really want to do good but they don't. Would a Christian do such things? Of course not, because they have Jesus in them. (don't confuse Catholics or other imposters like the crusaders with Christians) Their eyes are open while the terrorist eyes are closed. This is the difference. It's the same with robbers, killers, rapists and so on...while they don't have Jesus, they are happy to pursue their natural desires, but when a robber receives Jesus, he stops his own ways and stops robbing. This my friends is the way of Jesus, and if we follow this way, we are saved in the end.

I see the many websites, books, videos and TV shows all preaching that all we have to do is believe and we are saved, but they fail badly on the explanation, or simply fail to see it themselves. They say if you do anything more than just believe to get saved, then it becomes a work and not of God, but the poor souls are so indulged in themselves they fail to see the real Jesus at all. They are too busy seeking self gratification and glory for themselves to be still and know God. This is sad because it impedes those in their way, and we all know what that means don't we. Yes, it would be better for them to drown with a millstone around their neck as Jesus says.

The problem with this once saved always saved (osas) doctrine is it gives believers too much rope to hang themselves with. Admittedly the true believer will be cautious, but the lukewarm have no chance under this belief. You only got to check out the believers who still think its ok to take many partners, and those in same sex relations, and even some on drugs and alcohol, they are all in the once saved always saved category. How can anyone really get to know themselves while they are happy to sin thinking its ok. They are no different from the Muslim terrorists in this respect...they think, but don't know. There is one saving grace though, and that is we can trust Jesus to detach us from these kind of people if we are sincere in our faith. I have seen literally thousands of people leave the likes of Benny Hinn ministries and the Hillsong church, who teach these anti Christ doctrines.

Jesus once said... many are called but few are chosen. It is so easy to see this statement fulfilled in Christianity today when there is approximately 2 billion Christians in the world of which most are in the osas camp. Also, at my bible study group of only 10 people...8 are happy to believe Catholics and homosexuals are saved without repentance. See what I mean? They really think God is pleased with fornication and idol worship...sheep dip! It shows me one thing for sure, many know of Jesus, but few follow Him. If anyone feels that sin can dwell in the house of God ( that is our hearts if we profess Christ in us), then they have no clue who they are and are in extreme need of salvation. Come on folks, He is the way, so follow Him. Not me, not the pastor, for goodness sake follow Him. And His way is the way of repentance. We all should take the "few chosen" bit here seriously as a warning.

We know that the tares will be separated from the wheat at harvest time, so we know also then that the unrighteous will be separated from the righteous. Mt 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. What this means in plain and simple language is this; the LUKEWARM and false teachers will be separated from the pure in heart, the obedient in Christ. Those that have kept His commandments and so being made righteous. Many feel this verse is speaking about the lost (those who refuse Jesus) who are the tares, but that is not true, for the lost DON'T grow with the saved...they are not even in the same paddock. It is the lukewarm that are growing with the righteous in the same field. And what field is that? All those who say Jesus is their saviour. Few of these will keep the commandments of God (the wheat), but MANY will not. It is these who will be screened out on judgement day.

And why does God allow the tares to grow with the wheat? Because it firstly allows His true sheep to be tested by the imposters, or wolves in sheep clothing for the want of better words. If they are obedient to God they will not join in with the. Secondly it allows the lukewarm and false teachers to see the real Jesus. Even if only a few are inspired to repent of their disobedience, then it is all worth while. A perfect example of this is myself. I was once of the tares and enjoyed the freedom of the flesh within a certain Christian (so called) circle who were pushing a bunch of laws. There was also this other guy, not like the rest, but still lingered on the outskirts. One day in conversation he said to me these four words..."God judges the heart". It instantly changed me. I suddenly realized he was right and from then on analyzed my own heart and for the very first time saw what I really was. See, I was a tare, and the wheat had an influence on me. Praise the Lord.
Re 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Notice here how it says "commandments of GOD AND FAITH OF JESUS"? Now immediately you will say; "I am made righteous in Jesus". Well that's ONLY if you have obeyed Him. If your boss at work (master) said for you to complete a task, and you said; " ok sir, when I feel like it I might", he would surely get rid of you quick smart. But with Jesus (grace) it is a little different, as He will give you many chances, all the way to your grave, BUT if you have not decided to obey Him before then, He will say He doesn't know you. In other words you have been fired. Excuse the pun.

Too many are confused between the law and commandments of God. They say the 10 commandments are part of the 613 laws made by the Jews. Can laws made by man be in anyway associated with God's laws? No way Hose'. How can anyone in their right mind assimilate laws from the mind of man, in the same vein with commandments from the very finger of God, I have no clue. There is no comparison, and this is why these 613 laws were done away with at the cross, but the 10 commandments stay. Heaven forbid that they should ever be done away with; imagine the anarchy. We as true Christians keep every one of the ten commandments as part of loving God. Even the Sabbath if Christ is in us, because He is Lord of the Sabbath and is our rest, so by believing in Him, we are in fact keeping it. If you want to physically keep it also, like I do in fact, then that's up to you, but I don't believe it is mandatory for salvation. I personally keep it for personal reasons...not because I think the law forces me to.

So lets get serious about our faith. It only takes an amount the size of a mustard seed to know the truth, and if you refuse to acknowledge this truth because of what others have told you instead of reacting to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, then you are lukewarm. Sorry, I am not here to make you feel good like your pastor and teachers, I am here to tell you the truth. If it hurts, then be glad because you know it to be true, and if it feels good, then BEWARE! The only thing that should feel good is the knowing of God's grace through Jesus Christ, and that is not a grace to be taken for granted. May Yahweh give you the understanding to know this truth.

In summing up let me add that salvation is not a ticket we get to advance to an imaginary heaven; it is a process that "sets us free". Free from ourselves and free from the world. People think that to be saved is to be in heaven, and essentially they are correct, but their perceiving of heaven is wrong. I will not go into that here for the sake of space, but in short... heaven is an experience we can have now. To understand more, meditate on what Jesus said here...

Mar 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

If we believe in Jesus, we are set free from the life we used to lead. A life of evil deeds and thoughts. Jesus opens our minds and hearts to reveal our inner soul, and allows us to know exactly who we really are, and while we are there we see our true color. It is this vision of our true self that causes us to repent and be saved...to be set free from ourselves and overcome our flesh. When we do this we become purified and attract the presence of God who is then pleased with us. It is then that we eat the hidden manna of God that fills us with all the treasures of Heaven and leads us in His way according to HIS will, and not that of ourselves. It is then that we are saved, when we let go of ourselves and walk in HIS ways. We don't have to wait until our flesh dies to be saved, we can be saved now.

Are you saved? Have you let go? Do you know yourself?

Grace and peace to you in the way of Jesus. Amen!