When I became a Christian, I knew nothing about the Bible. All that I knew is that I was a sinner that needed a savior. My wife and I joined a Baptist Church that had a Pentecostal choir director. I became friends with the choir director because he seemed to have some answers on how to live the Christian life in the Power of the Holy Spirit. I told the choir director that I was still having sinful thoughts after my conversion to Christ. After some deliberation he informed me that I was possessed by a demon and that I should have the demon cast out, he sent me to another church to have the demon removed. During the prayer time some men approached me and started to shake me while they were damning the devil. I found the whole experience rather disturbing. Did it help me? of course not. What it did was it made me doubt if I was really saved.
Pentecostalism and other holiness religions like Catholicism are very subjective. Subjectivism is the devils tool to make you doubt your salvation because it is all about you. The Gospel is not about us, the Gospel is about Jesus Christ and what he has done to justify and save us. This article is to help you know that your salvation is sure and secure. Salvation is not "I think so" salvation is a "I know so". Beware of religions that lead you into yourself, there is no power in us. Our power comes from outside of us and is found in Jesus Christ and his Gospel. The more that we try to overcome sin the more that we will sin. Listen to what Paul says, "But sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (Lust). For without the law sin was dead". For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death" Romans 7:8-10.
Paul's problem was that he was trying to become righteous by the law (Religion). What did trying to live by the law do for him? It made him sin. So, what is the answer? The answer is not in ourselves. If your focus is on yourself, you will become a very weak Christian. Satan loves weak Christians because they have no power and are worthless. They are in a constant state of trying to overcome sin by their works and their obedience to the law, which is religion. The power is found in the work and the person of Jesus Christ. When Jesus in our name and on our behalf, defeated sin, death and the devil and God accepted him back into heaven we were accepted in him, "And has raised us up together (WITH CHRIST) and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" Ephesians 2:6. We are spiritually, already in heaven with Christ, Colossians 3:3.
But then some will say what if I sin? I say, what sin? If you have come to Christ as a repentant sinner to be saved by him, God does not see your sins, instead he sees you as perfect and complete "In Christ" Colossians 2:10. Satan does not want you to believe these things, instead he wants you to focus on your sins and how you should try to overcome them and become a powerless, ineffective, worthless Christian. Paul said, "The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation" Romans 1:16. The Gospel is also the power of God for Christian living. In the Gospel we have ALREADY been justified, sanctified and redeemed, 1 Corinthians 1:30 and now stand before God as perfect and complete in Christ, Colossians 2:10. When Satan comes to make you doubt your salvation all that you need to do is remind him that you belong to Jesus Christ, and he will flee from you because he knows that you have power over him.
Pentecostalism and other holiness religions like Catholicism are very subjective. Subjectivism is the devils tool to make you doubt your salvation because it is all about you. The Gospel is not about us, the Gospel is about Jesus Christ and what he has done to justify and save us. This article is to help you know that your salvation is sure and secure. Salvation is not "I think so" salvation is a "I know so". Beware of religions that lead you into yourself, there is no power in us. Our power comes from outside of us and is found in Jesus Christ and his Gospel. The more that we try to overcome sin the more that we will sin. Listen to what Paul says, "But sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (Lust). For without the law sin was dead". For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death" Romans 7:8-10.
Paul's problem was that he was trying to become righteous by the law (Religion). What did trying to live by the law do for him? It made him sin. So, what is the answer? The answer is not in ourselves. If your focus is on yourself, you will become a very weak Christian. Satan loves weak Christians because they have no power and are worthless. They are in a constant state of trying to overcome sin by their works and their obedience to the law, which is religion. The power is found in the work and the person of Jesus Christ. When Jesus in our name and on our behalf, defeated sin, death and the devil and God accepted him back into heaven we were accepted in him, "And has raised us up together (WITH CHRIST) and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" Ephesians 2:6. We are spiritually, already in heaven with Christ, Colossians 3:3.
But then some will say what if I sin? I say, what sin? If you have come to Christ as a repentant sinner to be saved by him, God does not see your sins, instead he sees you as perfect and complete "In Christ" Colossians 2:10. Satan does not want you to believe these things, instead he wants you to focus on your sins and how you should try to overcome them and become a powerless, ineffective, worthless Christian. Paul said, "The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation" Romans 1:16. The Gospel is also the power of God for Christian living. In the Gospel we have ALREADY been justified, sanctified and redeemed, 1 Corinthians 1:30 and now stand before God as perfect and complete in Christ, Colossians 2:10. When Satan comes to make you doubt your salvation all that you need to do is remind him that you belong to Jesus Christ, and he will flee from you because he knows that you have power over him.
