I Thought My Husband Was A Born Again Believer But

[BK_Adores_Chase]

I don't go up to a fellow believer and say, "I know you've been lying to the whole congregation you stupid, no good jerk."

I would say, "Hey, I know you said you missed Church last Sunday to go to the hospital but so and so said you were at their house watching the Lions play football.  You know, the Bible says..."

That's a silly example but it's just an example.  We should come along side one another and help one another, we need to grow in knowledge and wisdom so we are better able to honor the Lord as a living sacrifice.  How are we doing each other a favor if we see one another sinning and remain silent?  I think judging (in love) is an act of love for each other's spiritual life and growth.

[BK_Adores_Chase]

It shows, hey, I see you're sinning against the Lord (which isn't profitable for ANYONE) - that should concern any Christian and cause any Christian to want to help their fellow brother or sister in Christ.

[acurtsinger2]

you don't marry someone then expect them to change to suit your liking. you knew he wasnt religious when you married him.  you should have picked a devout follower, then you wouldn't have to expect him to change.  God loves us all, even non-believers and sinners

[BK_Adores_Chase]

you don't marry someone then expect them to change to suit your liking. you knew he wasnt religious when you married him.  you should have picked a devout follower, then you wouldn't have to expect him to change.  God loves us all, even non-believers and sinners

I didn't marry him expecting him to change.  Also, when we got married he told me he was a believer and acted like one, too.  I'm not expecting him to change, I'm just saying that I thought he was a believer.

Which, for an update, him and I talked the other day and I think the honest problem was he hadn't read his Bible in over a month.  Not reading your Bible is something that can truly affect your walk with Christ.  I asked him if he could AT LEAST read his Bible for 15 minutes a day - that's not asking much.  He said yes.  I feel like it's not fair to God, to me, to my kids, or to my husband himself for him not to read his Bible because like I said, it affects your walk with Christ.

[hawkeye3210]

But 9 out of 10 people who claim to be Christians aren't even saved

And you know this how?

They've actually done a country wide study and 89% of Americans called themselves Christians but when answering questions to determine if they were born again vs. attached the name Christian to themselves, I think it was 10% or less who passed the test.  I don't have time to look it up, I'll see if I can find the exact numbers and post them on here.

In other words, someone wrote questions so that they can “judge” who has been “saved” or not. I don’t believe that man has the ability to do that.

James 4:12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?

if you think you need faith + good works to get to heaven, for example, that's not putting your faith and trust in Christ alone and therefore you are NOT going to heaven.

There are a lot of things that you don't have to get right to get to heaven, but there are some things that if you miss - forget it, it's done, you're not going to heaven.  The Catholics believe in faith + good works.  What about when Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished"?  I could go on all day about this.

This sounds more like a grudge against the Catholic faith than anything, which likely stems from confusion on the role of good works play in salvation. I’m not Catholic, so no need for a good works debate, but Jesus does bring them up in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Once again, read 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 in regards to judging fellow believers:

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-- not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

I believe there are certainly questions you can ask to determine if someone is saved.

If you are a professing believer who says good works get you into heaven or denies the deity of Christ or denies the Trinity or doesn't believe Christ rose from the dead, you're going to Hell.  Those are orthodox beliefs.

I believe good works do not have any play in salvation, I believe they are a result of salvation.

In reference to James 4:12, 4:11 right before that refers to slander.  This isn't forbidding confronting fellow believers who sin, which is commanded all throughout scripture (Mt 18:15-17; Ac 20:31; 1Co 4:14; Col 1:28; Ti 1:13; 2:15; 3:10).  Here it is referring to believers throwing careless, derogatory, critical, slanderous accusations at one another. (ref. Dr. John MacArthur)

When you judge, as with all things, you judge with love.

I never mentioned anything in regards to judging fellow believers, so I'm not sure why you feel I should read that again.

You can ask questions if you want, but the best you are ever going to be able to do is guess whether or not somebody is saved based on their answers. There's no actual way to determine who's been saved, because there's no actual way to determine what they believe in their heart. This is the point others have made but you have chosen to gloss over.

[BK_Adores_Chase]

Oh, okay - when you put it that way, yes.  Sorry, I didn't mean to gloss over it I just didn't understand it the way you all were saying it.

So basically what you're saying is even if people give the right answers, they still might not be saved - which I agree with, but still, the people claiming to be born again believers who give the right answers is such a small percentage.  And when you put it the way you did, it's even scarier knowing that even some of those people who gave the right answers might not even be truly born again, meaning an even smaller percentage.

Anyway, sorry you girls/guys.  Sometimes when I get on here I'm in such a hurry that I apparently don't give things time to process before I answer.

BUT I do want to see where you are coming from in regards to the comment, 'confusion on the role of good works play in salvation.'  What do you mean, exactly?

[Tresbn00]

Sometimes people over do things. Anything can become an addiction: Drugs, gambling, alcohol, sex, television, eating, smoking cigarettes, religion, etc. They lose sight of themselves as well as others as they become overly focused on something that seems important to them.  They try to force their addiction on those around them...sometimes as a means of rationalizing their own obsessions but often end up driving those that love them the most away. People with obsessive, compulsive traits only see the good in their vice and can not understand when others, who may have a more realistic balance in their lives, do not join in their compulsion.  This behavior becomes especially strong when someone has too much time on their hands or perhaps has a self esteem problem. Compelling others to share their addiction gives them a feeling of control over their imbalances, insecurities or lack of control in their lives. Addicts generally have to sink to their lowest depth before they see the extent of harm their obsession is creating.

[BK_Adores_Chase]

Oh, wow, well my husband says I always take things to the extreme - I agree with him and I am a work in progress!