For a number of years my life as a drunk would have disqualified me for salvation in the eyes of a great many people. Yet, I never doubted my salvation because He is always faithful even when I am not. I’m now sixty-nine years old and I am still only sober one day at a time. It is only by His grace that I am sober, today. Knowing what I am and what I have done gives me no room to judge anyone. So I agree with you even though I do sometimes doubt the salvation of another but then I remember what I am and know that I cannot judge.
What Pastor Jim says is true. We don’t have to decide who is or is not saved. Scripture has already decided that and offered the evaluation for us to know: “He that is of God hears God’s words. You therefore hear them not because you are not of God”. (John 8:47) Said to the Pharisees but applicable in all times.
Another: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8)
And another: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21)
When you see life styles enveloped in these sins, from a practical standpoint although we cannot see into their souls, we are not to bid them Godspeed as unto Christian brothers and sisters.
So rather than pronouncing a person to be saved or lost from our incomplete knowledge, it is proper to evaluate whether the life they are living mirrors the life of a saved or lost person. Else how are you going to follow the commands of Scripture to separate yourself from them?
If the Scripture presents the various comforting evidences by which we can evaluate our own salvation, it also offers the antithesis of those evidences.
For a number of years my life as a drunk would have disqualified me for salvation in the eyes of a great many people. Yet, I never doubted my salvation because He is always faithful even when I am not. I’m now sixty-nine years old and I am still only sober one day at a time. It is only by His grace that I am sober, today. Knowing what I am and what I have done gives me no room to judge anyone. So I agree with you even though I do sometimes doubt the salvation of another but then I remember what I am and know that I cannot judge.
What Pastor Jim says is true. We don’t have to decide who is or is not saved. Scripture has already decided that and offered the evaluation for us to know: “He that is of God hears God’s words. You therefore hear them not because you are not of God”. (John 8:47) Said to the Pharisees but applicable in all times.
Another: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8)
And another: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21)
When you see life styles enveloped in these sins, from a practical standpoint although we cannot see into their souls, we are not to bid them Godspeed as unto Christian brothers and sisters.
So rather than pronouncing a person to be saved or lost from our incomplete knowledge, it is proper to evaluate whether the life they are living mirrors the life of a saved or lost person. Else how are you going to follow the commands of Scripture to separate yourself from them?
If the Scripture presents the various comforting evidences by which we can evaluate our own salvation, it also offers the antithesis of those evidences.