I was studying this week and came across a small document produced by John MacArthur's ministry Grace to You, titled..... Is it Real?
It is patterned and summarized from the 18th Century Theologian, Pastor, Author, Jonathan Edward's writing - A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections. He (Jonathan Edwards) wrote it in response to his and many's concern of the after-effects of what appeared to be many false conversions during The Great Awakening in which he was very much a part of witnessing and participating.
The purpose of both documents (the former from Edwards - which is worth a read, and current of MacArthur - attached) it was to show how a believer can know for sure their eternal status. I am sending this to our class for 3 reasons.- I send this to our class not as a challenge to question anyone's salvation but as a reminder that we should always be testing all things against God's Word including ourselves. God provides us with His measuring rod to know for sure that we know for sure we are saved.
- Also, We all have family and friends which teeter on the fringes of what we call Christianity. Is it up to us to judge them? Obviously not, but nothing prevents us for arming ourselves with Truth in order to challenge those very lives, whose souls may literately be hanging in the balance between Heaven and Hell.
- This week our church is doing a drama, Heavens Gates and Hells Flames. This week can be a very useful tool to change the direction of someones eternity..... and unfortunately, the potential.... for a deception to occur as well. We must disciple and engage those that profess Salvation as a result of Heavens Gate and Hells Flames. There will be an opportunity for some of us in the coming days to do this. Salvation can certainly be an emotional thing. Why wouldn't it? However, we must with a sober mind away from the moment know what Salvation actually looks like. How it is lived. (The birth of my own salvation testimony has roots in a similar drama (movie) packed with emotions. To be blunt I was scared to death. However a number of my teenage friends professed the same thing that night, and many, if not most, that I can recall, have not born fruit later in life that would present itself as salvation. I confess I am not judging them at all. I do however, have pause for concern for their soul, as evidenced of what their life shows thus-far.)
Lee
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