Shalom,

We have learned at The Spoken Word Church that when someone speaks of Christians, they may be speaking about true, biblical Christians, or simply religious Christians,who are not really Christians at all! Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" covers this very well!

The Opened Sight

To open their eyes…that they may receive… — Acts 26:18

This verse is the grandest condensation of the propaganda of a disciple of Jesus Christ in the whole of the New Testament.

The first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words — “that they may receive remission of sins” (RV). When a man fails in personal Christian experience, it is nearly always because he has never received anything. The only sign that a man is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ. Our part as workers for God is to open men’s eyes that they may turn themselves from darkness to light; but that is not salvation, that is conversion — the effort of a roused human being. I do not think it is too sweeping to say that the majority of nominal Christians are of this order; their eyes are opened, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not regeneration. This is one of the neglected factors in our preaching today. When a man is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People register their vows, and sign their pledges, and determine to go through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, viz., remission of sins.

Then there follows the second mighty work of grace — “an inheritance among them which are sanctified.” In sanctification the regenerated soul deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God’s interest in other men.

To make this even more clear, what he speaks of as 'conversion' is actually realizing that you are a sinner who needs a Saviour! Once you realize that, then you MUST follow that with a decision to BELIEVE that JESUS IS that Saviour, then to accept and receive HIM as YOUR Saviour! THAT is the very moment of your New Birth! Holy Spirit then enters that believer, recreating that previously dead human spirit into the image of God, making an entirely new being! A born again child of the Living God! NOW you are eligible to receive the INFILLING of Holy Spirit, giving HIM total access to you and being anointed with power from on high! Now you are fully equipped to minister God's LIFE to others! 

Another, even simpler, way of looking at this is to say: going to/belonging to a church doesn't make one a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes one a car! Biblical Christians are those who have been born again by receiving JESUS a Saviour! Biblical Christians are the only ones who have Heaven as our home when we leave this earth! What 'type' of Christian are YOU? Make certain that you are the RIGHT kind! Your eternity depends on that decision! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Alive":

Shalom in Him!