"For ALL who are LED by the Spirit of God are sons of God" Romans 8:14. In other words, if you are not led by Him, you can be sure that you are not of Him—that you do not belong to Him.
Jesus asked, "Why call ye me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). In other words, "Why do you call me Lord and not obey me?" Jesus continued by making this statement: "Not everyone that saith unto Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many marvellous works?' And then will I profess unto them, 'I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:21-23). In other words, "you who live as though I never gave you commandments to obey." In Hebrew literature, when a Hebrew wants to emphasize a point, he repeats it. For us, we either capitalize it, bold it, or italicize it. The fact they said "Lord, Lord" reveals that these individuals believed themselves to be saved, yet they were false converts—part of the 75% bad soil from Jesus' parable.
Another parable illustrates this reality even further. "I am the true vine and My Father is the husband-man (vinedresser). Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15:1-2). What happens to those branches that are taken away? "If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (v.6). Those who say "Lord, Lord" can be said to be "in Christ," even though they are not His and He does not know them. The true Christian will bear fruit and God will purge him so that he bears more fruit (some 30, some 60, some 100 fold). The false convert will bear no fruit and God will cut him off and cast him into the fire to be burned.
Jesus further stated that, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that [doth not obey] the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him" (John 3:36). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John wrote, "Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, 'I know Him,' and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him, ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked" (1 John 2:3-6). He continues, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous (burdonsome)" (1 John 5:2-3).
"Being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9). In other words, eternal salvation is granted to those who obey Christ Jesus. In Romans, Paul wrote, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13). In Galatians he wrote, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. ... They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16, 24-25). Peter wrote, "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (lifestyle)" (1 Peter 1:14). Holiness comes from our obedience to Christ and it must encompass our entire life, not just certain areas. Partial obedience is still disobedience.
Paul wrote, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" (Romans 6:16-17). God has made Christians obedient from the heart. Peter wrote similarly: "...through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience..." (1 Peter 1:2). Our sanctification through the Holy Spirit brings about obedience. Sanctification is being set apart and being made holy. As stated above, holiness comes from our obedience to Christ. If you are claiming to be a Christian and are not obedient to the commands of Christ, then you are none of His. Many who call themselves "Christian" acknowledge Jesus with their lips but deny Him with their lifestyles. James wrote, "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22). If Scripture commands something... do it! If you find you have trouble doing what it commands you to do, pray and ask God to help you be obedient to His Word and to do what He requires of you. You can be sure He will do so because He has made the believer obedient from the heart and obedient through sanctification. Holiness comes from obedience and obedience comes from faith. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him."
Go and serve your God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in obedience.
Jesus asked, "Why call ye me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). In other words, "Why do you call me Lord and not obey me?" Jesus continued by making this statement: "Not everyone that saith unto Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many marvellous works?' And then will I profess unto them, 'I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:21-23). In other words, "you who live as though I never gave you commandments to obey." In Hebrew literature, when a Hebrew wants to emphasize a point, he repeats it. For us, we either capitalize it, bold it, or italicize it. The fact they said "Lord, Lord" reveals that these individuals believed themselves to be saved, yet they were false converts—part of the 75% bad soil from Jesus' parable.
Another parable illustrates this reality even further. "I am the true vine and My Father is the husband-man (vinedresser). Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15:1-2). What happens to those branches that are taken away? "If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (v.6). Those who say "Lord, Lord" can be said to be "in Christ," even though they are not His and He does not know them. The true Christian will bear fruit and God will purge him so that he bears more fruit (some 30, some 60, some 100 fold). The false convert will bear no fruit and God will cut him off and cast him into the fire to be burned.
Jesus further stated that, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that [doth not obey] the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him" (John 3:36). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John wrote, "Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, 'I know Him,' and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him, ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked" (1 John 2:3-6). He continues, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous (burdonsome)" (1 John 5:2-3).
"Being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9). In other words, eternal salvation is granted to those who obey Christ Jesus. In Romans, Paul wrote, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13). In Galatians he wrote, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. ... They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16, 24-25). Peter wrote, "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (lifestyle)" (1 Peter 1:14). Holiness comes from our obedience to Christ and it must encompass our entire life, not just certain areas. Partial obedience is still disobedience.
Paul wrote, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" (Romans 6:16-17). God has made Christians obedient from the heart. Peter wrote similarly: "...through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience..." (1 Peter 1:2). Our sanctification through the Holy Spirit brings about obedience. Sanctification is being set apart and being made holy. As stated above, holiness comes from our obedience to Christ. If you are claiming to be a Christian and are not obedient to the commands of Christ, then you are none of His. Many who call themselves "Christian" acknowledge Jesus with their lips but deny Him with their lifestyles. James wrote, "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22). If Scripture commands something... do it! If you find you have trouble doing what it commands you to do, pray and ask God to help you be obedient to His Word and to do what He requires of you. You can be sure He will do so because He has made the believer obedient from the heart and obedient through sanctification. Holiness comes from obedience and obedience comes from faith. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him."
Go and serve your God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in obedience.