In the previous lessons, we learned that the moment I was saved, I became a child of God, and I was justified - declared righteous. Today, we learn about the kind of life I should live, because I am justified.
Titus 2:11-14. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Because God in His grace justified me and declared me righteous, according to these verses, what kind of life should I now live? choose the correct answer:
a. It does not really matter how I live, because God sees me as righteous in Christ
b. Now that God has declared me righteous, I want to live a righteous life; living right, acting right, thinking right, and speaking right
c. Now that I am justified, I should live the same way I lived before I was saved
The answer is b. (Now that God has declared me righteous, I want to live a righteous life; living right, acting right, thinking right, and speaking right).
Match the following
Which of these would the natural man (unsaved man) say? Let's first see 2 Corinthians 2:14. (But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned).
a. "I will never forget what Christ has done for me on the cross and I want to live a righteous life day by day, so that I might please the God who saved me".
b. "It really doesn't matter how a believer lives or acts, because God has forgiven all his sins and has declared him to be righteous in Christ"
If your answer is b, then you are correct.
Of the two comments we just saw, which of those would the saved man say?
a. "I will never forget what Christ has done for me on the cross and I want to live a righteous life day by day, so that I might please the God who saved me".
b. "It really doesn't matter how a believer lives or acts, because God has forgiven all his sins and has declared him to be righteous in Christ".
If your answer is a, then you are correct.
1 John 2:29. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
If ye know that He (Christ) is righteous, ye know that everyone that does (practices) righteousness is born of Him. Therefore, if a person is truly born-again, will he live a righteous or an unrighteous life? He will live a righteous life.
1 John 3:7. says "Little children, let no one deceive you, the person who does (practices) righteousness (right living, right thinking, right acting) is righteous (he has truly been declared righteous), even as He (Jesus) is righteous".
God sees the believer just as righteous as His Son. What about the person who does not do (practice) righteousness, does he really belong to God? No. Let's confirm our answer. 1 John 3:10. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
According to these verses in 1 John, how can we tell if a person truly has been justified? which is the correct answer?
a. It's impossible to tell. Only God knows who has truly been declared righteous and we shouldn't try to judge whether or not a person is really saved.
b. If a person tells you that he has been saved and justified, then he probably is telling the truth. To determine if this is the right answer, let's compare 1 John 2:4, 9 (He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now).
c. If a person lives a righteous life and obeys God's Word from day to day, then he is giving good evidence pointing to the fact that he has been justified.
If your answer is c, then you are correct.
Note
It's true that only God can see the heart, and only God is the ultimate Judge of who is saved and who is not, and yet Jesus also said: By their fruits ye shall know them. Let's see it in Matthew 7:15-23 (Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one 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 wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity).
If a person is truly saved, he should only know it, but he should also show it, as James says in James 2:14-26 (What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also).
Saved people do not always live as righteously as they should and they still struggle with sin, but because of Jesus Christ, they have a new life that is different from the life they once lived when they were unsaved. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God).
We continue in the next lesson.
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