“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” Titus 2:11-12 NKJV
Can anyone truly believe a person who claims to be pregnant, yet shows no baby bump after six months and delivers no child after nine? Would a test result from months ago be enough to convince you, when all outward signs say otherwise? Is it not natural to expect visible evidence of something so significant? And if that evidence is missing, would you not begin to question the claim itself?
People would likely question the validity of the pregnancy test and might even doubt the qualifications of the doctor who confirmed it. It is only logical to conclude that a woman could not have been truly pregnant if, after several months, there is no physical evidence and no child is delivered. The absence of expected results naturally casts doubt on the authenticity of the original claim.
This is the same approach that the scripture has towards people who claim to be saved but do not bear the fruits of righteousness. The bible in 1 John 2:9 says, If anyone claims to be in the light but he hates his brother, he is in the darkness even up till now.
Just like the pregnant woman with no baby bump, we can question your test results– that is, your claim to have truly put your faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We can distinguish a believer from an unbeliever by his or her way of life because it is logically and spiritually impossible to receive the gift of salvation, have the indwelling presence of the holy spirit, and still walk in contradiction consistently and unrepentantly. The Bible tells us that we are dead to sin! (Romans 6:2). When Christ was nailed to the cross, the body of sin was nailed with Him, and now we have been made new creatures in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17), empowered by His spirit to live righteously.
We are not only called to receive Christ’s love for us alone but to walk in His example and extend love and grace to all men (2 Corinthians 5:15). The Bible teaches us that we have been bought with a price and a costly one at that– the blood of Jesus Christ. We must therefore live with this consciousness (1 Corinthians 6:20).
There is good news, however! God isn’t expecting us to live righteously or to be overly conscious of our sins, He has put the very mechanism for righteous living, His spirit, in us. By yielding to the spirit of God and feeding our spirit man rather than our flesh, we can experience daily victories over temptations.
Dear believer, you are free from the bondage of sin, so live in this consciousness.
Bible Reading Plan: 1 Samuel 22-24; Mark 10:46-11:11