Pat
Well-Known Member
WHAT mATTERS? The Weather Rock
There is a gag gift called a “weather rock.” The idea is to hang this rock by a string outside, then observe its condition. If it is wet, it’s raining. If it is white, it’s snowing. If it is swinging back and forth, it’s windy. If you can see its shadow, it’s sunny, and so forth. A silly idea yet it proves a point. The rock isn’t necessary, but observation of outside conditions are evidences of the kind of weather that is happening. The same is generally true of Christianity.
You say you are a Christian? Great! If that is the case, then there will be evidences of Christ living in you as you abide in Him. The Word of God via the Holy Spirit gives every believer the assurance of having been born again and having eternal life. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” The “old” that has passed away is the identification with Adam and all that comes with being spiritually dead in him. The “new” is our identification with the risen Lord Jesus and all that comes with being spiritually alive in and by Him. Jesus affirms this in John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My Word and believes on Him that sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death into life.” Notice the progression. “…he who hears My Word and believes on Him…” To hear, is to be led by the Holy Spirit to believe, to follow, and to obey the Word of God as pertaining to the Gospel. Then He says that he who believes “…HAS everlasting life.” Not will have [future tense] but HAS [present tense] everlasting life. Finally, he that has everlasting life will never come into condemnation. The condemnation and payment for our sin and sins was the death penalty enforced by God upon Jesus at the cross. Once we believe the Gospel, we are declared to be just as righteous as He is. Why? Because the wages of sin, which is death, was inflicted on Jesus in our stead. “For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Having been born again, we begin to discover new leadings and desires in our lives such as wanting to pray, to read the Word, and to fellowship with other like-minded believers. These aren’t “have to’s,” they are “want to’s.” We also become sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit in relation to old habits and sins in our lives. Confession of these restores our fellowship with God. The result is good works, which are the products of faith. Faith exercised always produces good works.
What matters is, are we experiencing those evidences in our lives on a consistent basis? Paul said, “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves…” 2 Corinthians 13:5 If you are a Christian, there will be consistent evidences of it. James says, “What does it profit my brethren, though a man say he has faith and has not works? Can [that kind of] faith save him?” James 2:14 The answer is no. A person that SAYS he has faith but is void of evidence of it in his life, had better examine himself to see if he has truly trusted God for salvation. If he determines himself to be a believer based on the Word of God, then he should welcome the opportunity to repent and be restored to fellowship. If not, then it gives him the opportunity to repent and believe the Gospel. It is a healthy habit for us to observe our rock now and then.
