The starting place in a Christians life (if there be Christ in you) for any hope of growth (spiritual maturity) is a developed conviction about the inspiration and authority of the “Bible” (The Word of God). It’s not possible to grow without Gods Word firmly rooted in a person’s heart.

“Feelings come and go, but the Word of God never wavers” Adrian Rogers

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Amplified Bible: 16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Man has only three problems: Sin; Sorrow; and Death

Every other problem in the world is just a subset of sin, sorrow and death. The Bible (the Word of God) has an absolute answer for all three conditions.

‘These hath God married and no man shall part; Dust on the Bible and drought in the heart.’ Adrian Rogers

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. To allow it to just collect dust is to welcome a famine in your heart, a desert in your soul, and a thief in your house.

Science is in a constant state of flux, constantly changing, but the Word of God isn’t and never will.

In 1861 the French Academy of Science wrote a pamphlet stating there were fifty-one incontrovertible scientific facts that proved the Bible not true. Today there is not a reputable scientist on Earth that believes one of those fifty-one so-called facts. The point is, science is constantly changing. God’s Word does not change.

We need science to better understand Gods creation, but we need the never failing inspiration that comes only by His Word and Spirit.

Job spoke of the Lord in chapter 26 verse 7: “He stretches out the north over the empty space; he hangs the earth on nothing.” Job is perhaps the oldest piece of literature known to man. How did Job know the Earth is suspended in space? Job could only know through divine inspiration. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”

How did Job know that God hung the Earth upon nothing? How did Isaiah know 750 years before Christ that the Earth is round? (Isa. 40:22) “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21).

We know that the Bible is the Word of God because of its Unity.

One book, Genesis through Revelation, but it is also sixty-six books—thirty-nine books in the Old Testament and twenty-seven books in the New Testament. It is a compilation of books written by at least forty authors, and perhaps more. These people lived in a period of time that would span at least sixteen hundred years. They lived in about thirteen different countries and on three different continents.

Think about this — They came from all backgrounds: some were shepherds, and some were kings; some were soldiers, and others were princes; some were fishermen; some were scholars; some were historians; some were professional men, and some were common laborers. And the Bible is written in different styles and in at least three different languages. But when you bring all that together, it makes one book that has one story beginning with Genesis and going through Revelation.

• The Bible has one theme-redemption.
• The Bible has one hero—the Lord Jesus.
• The Bible has one villain—the devil.
• The Bible has one purpose —the glory of God!

All of its parts fit together. Can you imagine taking forty different people over a period of sixteen hundred years from different countries and different occupations and telling them each to write independent of one another without having read what the others had written? Put that altogether and see what kind of a hodgepodge you would have! Yet you have this wonderful unity in the Word of God.

Over many years spent studying the Bible you will not find hidden faults; you will only find hidden treasures and affirmations. You will discover an amazing interconnectedness within the Word of God. The unity of the Bible is one of the greatest proofs of the inspiration of Gods Word, that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

Anything outside of God Consciousness is meaningless.

Having a Consciousness of Gods truth and nature (sound mind) vs. having an unsound mind. (Unsound Doctrine). Our belief system. It’s either sound, or it’s unsound.

Anything outside of Gods truth is delusionism. Delusionism quenches the Holy Spirit of God. The Word says we are to live in Spirit and in Truth. Without the Word of God, we are living a lie. Without the Holy Spirit that leads us to all truth, we are living under a lie and we are powerless.

Paul said: “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

The heart is the most deceitful member of the human body (Jer. 17:9-10). “What I need, what I want, what makes me happy, what brings me contentment”. Our hearts should want His heart. Not my will Lord, but Yours.

And we wonder what’s going on in the minds and hearts of those that hate this country, hate one another, and hate God. The conformity to lies causes Disunity.

Disunity comes from the unholy unity with the dark forces of this world that seduces the hearts of men and women. It is a spirit of lawlessness and can lead to a “Strong Hold”. The pattern of this dark world has a stronghold over our minds and hearts and the only way to change is to come out of agreement with the lies that bind us up and leave us with nothing. We must conform to the Word of God. The patterns (lies) of this world will never prosper your life, they will inevitably destroy and possibly take your life.

We must Surrender to the will of God in order to live free from the lies of sin that bind us in darkness. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:2).

Deception is so powerful that we can be completely fooled. Completely conformed to a lie. That’s why it’s called deception. You don’t even know that you’ve been deceived. Another term used is “blind spots”. We all have them!

Daily —Ask God to search your heart and reveal any offensive ways within you (Psalm 139:23) and He will be faithful to answer you. We must ask God to forgive us, of our pride and will, and He will be faithful to forgive us. Let it all go and choose to trust Him with your whole heart (Proverbs 3:5-6).

God wants us to know Him in a very personal way, to find spiritual freedom to live in the supernatural, not the natural. He calls us to discover our purpose, which is His heart and purpose, and He wants us to be permissional leaders, co-laborers with Christ, in order that we might make a difference in the lives of those around us.

How we get there:

Call upon the name of Jesus and you will be saved (Romans 10:13). Come into a sound believe system, a sound mind which is the agreement with the entire Word of God and seek His perfect will and purpose for your life each day. Pray- Lord Your Kingdom come, Your will be done. Here and know. Not my will but Yours Lord, in Jesus name.

God wants you to wait patiently for him to answer your prayers, but he also wants you to wait expectantly, believing by faith what you ask. (Mark 11:24) — For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you. (AMP)

Have faith. Trust God to hear and to answer.

When you wait expectantly, you demonstrate that you believe God’s promises. You believe he’s going to keep his word.

You may be confused and bewildered right now. Perhaps you’re bewildered about your marriage: “I’m praying for it to get better, but it’s not getting any better.” You’re bewildered about your job. You’re bewildered about relationships.

You may feel powerless and hopeless, like you can’t do anything to change your situation on your own. You’re bewildered.

Don’t be discouraged! Don’t give up! Look up. Turn to prayer. God is a good God, and he knows what’s best, even when it seems like He’s not answering us.

When God doesn’t answer your prayers, you want to remember a couple of important truths. First, God is in control, and you’re not. He knows better what you need than you do. There is no mountain too tall that he can’t move. There is no problem so big that he can’t solve. There is no sorrow so deep he cannot soothe it. God is in control, and he has a plan, and His plan is always better.

The second thing to remember is that, whether or not you ever receive your answer, God will honor your patience—if not in this world, then in eternity.

“I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised” (Psalm 130:5 TLB). Be still, knowing He’s God, He’s in control, and His will is perfect.

One of the many ways we can know that the Bible is the living inspiring Word of God, is the fulfillment of prophecy.

The Bible, has predictions of things that have yet to happen and will happen, because the Bible has predicted things that were predicted ahead of time and did happen. It has been wisely said that you can take a child of God, put him in a dungeon with a Bible and a candle and lock him away, and he will know more about what’s going on in today’s world with the Word of God than all the pundits in Washington.

Did you know that if you read Psalm 22, written by David centuries before Jesus was born, you will read a description of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ that is written like a man who is standing at the foot of the cross? It tells about the piercing of His hands and feet, the gambling for His garments, the very words that Jesus would say upon the cross. Jesus wasn’t looking back and quoting David; rather David was looking forward and quoting Jesus. It is an amazing thing that it is written as if somebody is an eyewitness to Christ’s crucifixion.

This one psalm contains thirty-three direct prophecies that were fulfilled at Calvary, yet written a thousand years before the birth of Christ. And even more intriguing, when David wrote this prophecy, the form of capital punishment practiced by the Jews was stoning, not crucifixion. The Romans had not even come into power. Crucifixion was a Roman form of execution, and yet you find crucifixion described in Psalm 22. The much quoted Psalm 23 follows with “The Lord is my Shepherd”. I will leave the rest to inspiration. Read it and be amazed!!

Matthew 26:56: “But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Fulfilled prophecy is an incredible proof of the inspiration of the Bible.

Everyone needs light. You need physical light to make sure you can see the world around you, to avoid running into obstacles.

Through Gods Word, He wants to provide light for your mind. The Bible says, “Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people” (Psalm 119:130 CEV).

God wants to give light — His light — to every person. He wants to light up our minds with the truth of who He is and His next step for our lives.

Biblical meditation is the key to turning on that light. You have to soak your mind in the light. Biblical meditation isn’t losing your mind to the universe; it’s focusing it on the Word of God. When you do that, you bring light to your life.

Through Gods Word, He helps you to see life through a different perspective. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (NIV). God’s Word gives us direction in life; it shows us the path God wants us on.

When that psalm was written, the “lamp” was a candle in a lamp that people would carry around. Today, it would be a flashlight. If you hold a flashlight and you want more light down your path, you have to take the next step. God gives us just enough light for the next step. You take that next step, and God gives you light for the step after that.

One of the best ways to turn on the light of God’s Word is to pray God’s Word, like Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (NIV). You want to see wonderful things from God’s Word, right?

One chapter, even one verse each day will bring light to your path. The Word of God illuminates every area of our lives.

The Bible Is Shown to Be the Word of God Because of Its Ever-Living Quality

The Bible is not the Book of the Month; it is the Book of the Ages. There is no book that has had as much opposition as the Bible. Men have laughed at it, they have scorned it, they have ridiculed it, they have made laws against it. There was a time in Scottish history when to own a Bible was a crime worthy of death. There are those who have vowed and declared that they will destroy this Book.

Peter declares, “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.” You and I are just like a blade of grass sitting here; we are going to wither and die. “But the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Pet. 1:24-25). Forever! There are some theological experts who think they have been called upon to reexamine the Bible. Truth is, we ought to reexamine them. The Word of the Lord endures forever.

The Bible is to judge us; we’re not to judge the Bible.

Here we are in a new and a modern age, and we are still studying this old, old Book. It has stood the test of time and towers over all other books. God has kept the promise made to Isaiah more than twenty-five hundred years ago: “As for Me, says the LORD, this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants, says the LORD, from this time and forevermore” (Isa. 59:21).

God gave us His ever-living Word because His love for us endures forever.

The Bible is the transforming power of the Word of God.

The great apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation.” Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) says, “For the word of God is quick and powerful.” That word quick is the word we get zoo and zoology from. It means it is alive; it pulsates with life and power. “The word of God is quick and powerful.” The word powerful is the Greek word energes, the word we get energy from. There’s life and there’s energy in the Bible. We read other books while this Book reads us. It is incredible. It is saving to the sinner.

The great evangelist Billy Graham began his ministry as a young man, and often when he preached he would declare with authority, “The Bible says.” Whenever Graham opened the Word of God, it pierced the hearts of his hearers. Reflecting on this, he once quoted Jeremiah 23:29: *“Is not My word like a fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” Indeed, the hammer of God’s Word would fall, and conviction would spread wherever he preached. Later, Graham testified, “I found in my preaching that the Word of God was like a rapier [sword]; and when I quoted it under the power of the Holy Spirit, I could slay everything before me.”

That’s the incredible power of the Word of God to “rescue the perishing” and “care for the dying” and “snatch them in pity from sin and the grave.” I know personally the transforming power of the Word of God. It’s changed my life, and is changing my life each day I live.

Read the Bible each day and you will come to the unshakable conviction that the Bible is indeed the living Word of God.

Every Christian can have the absolute assurance of salvation.

One basic thing every Christian ought to know beyond the shadow of any doubt is that he or she is saved. Now what does it mean to be saved? First, it means that every sin is forgiven and buried in the grave of God’s forgetfulness. Second, it means that Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit comes to live in us—-to give us peace, power, and purpose. Third, it means that when we die or when Jesus comes again, we are going home to heaven to be with Him.

Every Christian needs the absolute assurance that he or she has had this experience of salvation. We ought not walk around like a question mark with our heads bent over but like an exclamation mark. We should not be saying, “I hope I am saved,” or “I think I am saved,” but, “Praise God, I know that I know that I am saved.” God’s Word tells us that we can surely know!

The apostle John wrote 1 John 5:1–5 (NKJV)— “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world —our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood (His baptism and death) —Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 1 John 5:6–8 (NKJV)

1 John 5:9–12 (NKJV) If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may KNOW that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:1-13)

Every Christian (born again believer) can have doubts about their salvation.

So is it possible to be saved and to have doubts about it? If it is not possible for the child of God to sometimes be with doubts, then why did the apostle John write, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” Evidently some were having serious questions and doubts about their salvation. Perhaps others thought they were saved but were not truly saved.

Doubt doesn’t necessarily mean that you haven’t been saved. As a matter of fact, we only tend to doubt that which we believe.

Doubt is to your spirit what pain is to your body. Pain doesn’t mean that one is dead. Pain means that there is life but that something is wrong. A part of the body is not functioning as it ought. And so doubt is possible but not profitable. No Christian can really be effective in his or her ministry when in doubt of their salvation.

Praise God that we can know that we know that we know the Lord Jesus Christ!

Doubts are not good in salvation, nor is pain good in our bodies, but these are the facts of life.

If you are trying to live the Christian life with doubts, it is much like driving an automobile with the brakes on. You need to have not a hope-so, think-so, maybe-so but a wonderful know-so salvation. In the little epistle of 1 John, in that small book, John uses the word know or known thirty-eight times. John is writing that we might know that we have eternal life so we can call it the Book of Assurance.

Assurance of salvation begins with a new birth.

John 3:3– Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

John’s Gospel gives us clear teaching about this new birth: read John 3:1-7. In this passage Jesus was talking to a religious man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus wanted to know about miracles. In essence Jesus told him that in order for him to understand miracles, he himself needed to become a miracle. He needed to be born again. He asked Jesus about this. In his answer to Nicodemus, Jesus pointed out some things about the new birth that we need to understand for full assurance.

In a birth, a conception takes place. In verse 5, Jesus said that we are born of water and the Spirit in order to enter into the kingdom of God. Water speaks of the Word of God, and the Spirit means the Spirit of God. “When the Spirit of God and the Word of God come together in the womb of faith, there is wonderful conception. It will not happen without our consent. We must provide the womb of faith.” -Adrian Rogers

In a birth, a continuation is involved. Verse 6 tells us that physical life is imparted by physical life, and spiritual life is imparted by spiritual life. Parents do not manufacture babies in the true sense of the word. They pass on the life that has been given to them. Life is transmitted. Likewise in the new birth, the life of God is transmitted into us. The term “born again” literally means “born from above.” Salvation is not only getting man out of earth into heaven but getting God out of heaven into man through His Spirit.

In a birth, a character is produced. In the flesh we receive the nature of our fleshly parents. When the Spirit of God and the Word of God create in us something supernatural, we receive the character of a new being with a divine nature (fruit). Christians are not just nice people; they are new creatures. We are not like a tadpole that becomes a frog. We are more like a frog who has become a prince by the kiss of grace.

In a birth, a completion transpires. A birth is a once-for-all experience in the natural realm and also in the spiritual realm. When a baby is born in earthly society, a record is written down. In heaven a new name is written down in glory. This speaks of a completed fact. It is important that we understand this because no one can ever be unborn. Even when one’s body ceases to exist, the spirit of an individual goes on timeless, dateless, and measureless throughout all eternity.

In a birth a commencement occurs. A birth is a starting place. A little child is all tomorrows. He has no past. No policemen will be there ready to arrest a newborn baby for crimes he has done. When we come to Jesus, we are not yesterdays-we are all tomorrows. Having said that, however, we then commence to grow. When the baby is born, it has all of the equipment that it will ever have. Now it needs to grow. What a blessing to discover, develop, and deploy what we’ve received in our new birth!

In a birth a certainty is expected. A birth is a definite experience. If someone were to ask you this question, “Have you ever been born?” it would almost seem nonsensical to ask it. But suppose they did ask it, and you were to answer, “I hope so. I’m doing the best I can.” Or even more ridiculous, you would say, “I have always been born.” No, there is indeed a certainty implied by a birth. There was a time when you were not born, and there was a time when you were.

We have no choice in our first birth, but we have choice in our second birth. Our second birth (spiritual birth) takes place when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The crystal clear and classic passage that relates to this is Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

This passage is so great because here the Scripture clearly delineates what saves us, and then in contradistinction so we can make no mistake at all about it, it speaks of what does not save us. Therefore, we can look at it, first of all, negatively and see what doesn’t save and then positively and see what does. These verses tell us that self and works do not save. “Not of yourself.” “Not of works.” That seems simple enough, doesn’t it? But most people do not understand that simple concept. If you asked the average man on the street, “Are you going to heaven? —they would say, “Sure!” “Why?” “I’m doing the best I can.” Think about that answer. I (self) am doing (works) the best I can.

Many think that God is like Santa Claus-making a list, checking it twice, finding out who’s naughty or nice. Then they think one day at the judgment we will stand before Him and He is going to weigh the good we’ve done against the bad and see which side the balance comes down on. Most people believe they can behave themselves into heaven. But look at our Scripture again clearly. “Not of yourselves .. not of works” (Eph. 2:8-9). It is not of self, and it is not of works.

The devil doesn’t give up easily and will encourage you to believe something like this: “Yes, I cannot work my way to heaven, but works will help. It is the grace of God plus what I do. I do my part and God does His.” We are simply going to heaven by the grace of God. It is not of self, and it is not of works. If the believer doesn’t ever understand that, he or she will never truly have the assurance of salvation.

Now look at Ephesians 2:8 again carefully. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. On the positive side, it is grace through faith. Now what is grace? Grace is the characteristic of God’s nature that makes God love sinners such as we. God does not love us because we are valuable; we are valuable because He loves us. That love is by His sheer grace. Grace is something we do not deserve at all. It is God’s unmerited love and favor shown to sinners who deserve judgment.

I love the Amplified Bibles version of Ephesians 2:8-9:

8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ) that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way (for his salvation].

G-R-A-C-E, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”

I said this before, but let me say it again: Grace is the characteristic of God’s nature that makes God love sinners such as we. God does not love us because we are valuable; we are valuable because He loves us.

That love is by His sheer grace. Grace is something we do not deserve at all. It is God’s unmerited love and favor shown to sinners who deserve judgment.

Here is a way to help understand what grace means. G-R-A-C-E, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” That’s grace. When you think of grace, think of Jesus dying in agony and blood upon the cross for undeserving sinners. We have nothing to commend us to God. We are sinners by birth, choice, and practice, but God loves us in spite of our sin, and that love is called grace. Grace is one of the most beautiful words in our language. When people understand grace, they want to write songs about it, like “Amazing Grace.”

If grace is God’s riches at Christ’s expense, what is faith? F-A-I-T-H, “Forsaking All I Trust Him.” I forsake dependence on my good intentions, my good deeds, my own so-called sense of self-worth, and I also forsake my sin. I turn my back on sin and I trust Him. I put my faith where God has put my sins— on the Lord Jesus Christ.

This faith is not a mere intellectual belief; the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19). No, it is more than belief. It is commitment. I can believe an airplane can fly, but I don’t truly trust it until I get in it. Here is how salvation works and the new birth comes about. I put my faith in God’s grace. It is not the faith that saves; it is the grace that saves. Faith just lays hold of that grace. Think of grace as God’s hand of love reaching down from heaven, saying, “I love you. I want to save you.” It is a nail-pierced hand because He has paid for our sins. Think of faith as your sin-stained hand, saying, “God, I need you. I want you.” And when you put your hand of faith in God’s hand of grace, that is salvation.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

God has given every professed believer a way to test their salvation. However, we must be careful not to use it to test others salvation, that’s not our job to do, it’s His and His alone. There’s only one judge and His name is Jesus.

There are birthmarks He gives us in order to test the evidence of the true believers new spiritual birth. The Bible teaches us that we enter His kingdom through a new birth that comes when we put our faith in the grace of God. The epistle of 1 John gives some traits of this new birth in order that we might examine (test) our hearts, to see and know we are of the new birth.

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He m who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:3-6).

John does not beat around the bush here. He says in effect, “Look, don’t tell me you are saved if you are not keeping God’s commandments. If you say you are, you are a liar.” Let me be clear. You are not saved because you keep the commandments, but you will keep the commandments if you are saved. We know by Ephesians 2:8 that salvation is not of works. You are not saved by “commandment keeping.”

Now that brings up a serious problem because there is not a one of us who would dare say that since we have been saved we have always obeyed every commandment to perfection.

When we keep the commandments, we steer by them. That does not speak of sinless perfection because none is perfect except Jesus Christ. But it does mean that our hearts desire is (should be) to keep the Word of God.

From the moment we give our hearts to Jesus Christ, there should be a desire to keep God’s Word.

There are a couple more problem verses in 1 John. Like-“Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him” (1 John 3:6). “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:8-9).

You might say, “I must not be saved because I know that the ability to sin is still within me.” We have to do a little study because there is an adequate answer. “He who sins” is in the present tense, and it speaks of a habitual course of action. John is saying that a man who is born of God does not make sin his practice (continuous habit), or lifestyle. It does not mean that he could not slip into sin.

Before I was saved, I was running to sin. Sin was my lifestyle and every day practice. Since being saved by the grace of God, I am today running from sin. I may fall, I may slip, I may fail, but my heart’s desire is to live for God.

John is saying this, “If you call yourself a Christian and you are not steering by God’s commandments, and if you are living a habitually sinful life with no conviction, no uneasiness, no contrition, no guilt, then don’t call yourself a Christian because you are not.”

Examine your hearts —We need to be careful not to take His grace for granted. Surrender your heart daily before the One Who paid it all on a cross so that you might live in His Kingdom forever. We need to pray David’s prayer each morning; Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.