WHEN IS A MAN SAVED 1
The question as touching when a man is saved is very crucial and must not be taken lightly. In reality, some believers do not know or cannot exactly tell when they got saved. Sad enough, some cannot even explain in s imple terms what it means to be saved. This obviously is a product of being exposed to the wrong kind of teaching.
Paul’s prayer for Philemon is very instructive: Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. The word “communication” implies fellowship; sharing, partnership.
The word “knowledge” used consistently by Paul in his epistles implies to have precise and accurate knowledge.
In this context, o f every good thing in you, in Christ. The Amplified Translation, helps to understand the text better Philemon 6: [And I pray] that the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and understanding a appreciation and nd precise knowledge of every good [thing] that is ours in [our identification] with Christ Jesus [and unto his glory]. (Amplified Bible): In other words, the degree to which the believer in his mind understands him in Christ (his salv every good thing in ation), is the degree to which he will have an Christian life .
Hence, effective Faith / the believer’s understanding of the subject of salvation is fundamental to his spiritual growth. It therefore suffices to say that the greatest need of the believer is knowledge. Hence the Pauline prayers focused on knowledge the believer coming into a precise and accurate understanding of his salvation (Every good thing which is in Him in Christ).
Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of gl ory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Vs 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is Vs the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and ye may in all judgment; vs 10 That approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Vs 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also, the day we heard it, since do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; Vs 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Vs Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Philemon 6 faith That the communication of thy may become effectual by the acknowle dging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. The importance of knowledge for the believer cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, the believer must know the what why and the when , the how , the of salvation. When this knowledge is absent, as Paul explained in his letter to
Philemon, the believer will be ineffective in his Christian walk. Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Some can get to the exten t of even doubting their salvation. It is a lack of this understanding that makes some use the term “I gave my life to Christ”, in talking about salvation. This is because they have come to see salvation as what they did or have to do.
Using such terminolo gies in explaining salvation , is proof of ignorance of the written word. In reality, our understanding of salvation / the new birth usually affects how we see every other issue that pertains to the faith. That is why “the gospel” one hears is very critical to how he will eventually see and relate with God. First and foremost, there is no text in the four gospels, book of Acts and the Epistles that correlates with the phrase “I gave my life to Christ”.
Paul’s prayer for Philemon is very instructive: Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. The word “communication” implies fellowship; sharing, partnership.
The word “knowledge” used consistently by Paul in his epistles implies to have precise and accurate knowledge.
In this context, o f every good thing in you, in Christ. The Amplified Translation, helps to understand the text better Philemon 6: [And I pray] that the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and understanding a appreciation and nd precise knowledge of every good [thing] that is ours in [our identification] with Christ Jesus [and unto his glory]. (Amplified Bible): In other words, the degree to which the believer in his mind understands him in Christ (his salv every good thing in ation), is the degree to which he will have an Christian life .
Hence, effective Faith / the believer’s understanding of the subject of salvation is fundamental to his spiritual growth. It therefore suffices to say that the greatest need of the believer is knowledge. Hence the Pauline prayers focused on knowledge the believer coming into a precise and accurate understanding of his salvation (Every good thing which is in Him in Christ).
Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of gl ory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Vs 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is Vs the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and ye may in all judgment; vs 10 That approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Vs 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also, the day we heard it, since do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; Vs 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Vs Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Philemon 6 faith That the communication of thy may become effectual by the acknowle dging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. The importance of knowledge for the believer cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, the believer must know the what why and the when , the how , the of salvation. When this knowledge is absent, as Paul explained in his letter to
Philemon, the believer will be ineffective in his Christian walk. Philemon 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Some can get to the exten t of even doubting their salvation. It is a lack of this understanding that makes some use the term “I gave my life to Christ”, in talking about salvation. This is because they have come to see salvation as what they did or have to do.
Using such terminolo gies in explaining salvation , is proof of ignorance of the written word. In reality, our understanding of salvation / the new birth usually affects how we see every other issue that pertains to the faith. That is why “the gospel” one hears is very critical to how he will eventually see and relate with God. First and foremost, there is no text in the four gospels, book of Acts and the Epistles that correlates with the phrase “I gave my life to Christ”.
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