Are you saved?

If you continue in my word you really are my disciples. You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.- John 8:31-32

Everyone knows someone who claims to be a Christian, maybe, even someone who is nominally active in church but when you examine their lives next to the teachings of Christ you begin to question whether or not they are truly saved. If you open your mouth and question their salvation you are attacked with various verses taken out of context and told not to judge. When you examine the claims of Christ, however, you begin to develop a picture of Jesus who was not afraid to call people to a commitment; demanding total allegiance to Him. Jesus Christ taught that a follower of Him could not lose their salvation, however, he/she will persevere in the faith until the end or to quote Jesus, "if you continue in my words you are my disciple but if you forsake my words than you are not my disciple."

Jesus says in John 8:31, "If you continue in my word you really are my disciples." The "continuing" here involves hearing, accepting, and obeying His teachings. It's not enough for individuals to merely give mental assent to what Christ is saying. If individuals want to be in a relationship with Christ, they have to set out to live according to His teachings. The ESV uses the word "abide in" which means that as a Christian we must continue believing what Jesus has said and walk in obedience to Him. This verse shows that continuing to trust Jesus and obey Him is one test to see who is truly a disciple of Christ. If we are not "continuing" or "abiding in" Christ's words than we are not His disciples.

Jesus goes on to say in John 8:32, "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." A follower of Jesus Christ is no-longer a slave to sin but is instead a slave to righteousness. Before we were saved by Christ we were unable to escape from sinful patterns of conduct, but; now because of Christ's saving grace we have been set free. By continuing to believe and obey Christ's words we are set free from guilt and the enslaving power of our sinful patterns of conduct. Before becoming a follower of Christ all we could do was sin, now as a follower of Christ we are filled with the Holy Spirit and have within ourselves the ability to say no to sin and yes to Christ. When we continually, habitually say no to Christ and yes to sin we show by our actions that we are a slave to unrighteousness and have not been set free. 

In conclusion, if you are continually walking down the path of unrighteousness it is because you are not abiding in or continuing to trust in Christ's word. If you do not continue in Christ's words, than you are NOT his disciple. My prayer for you reading this post is that if you have forsaken Christ's words than you would repent and call out to Christ for salvation. If you are a follower of Christ my prayer for you is that you would continue to abide in Christ's words and the truth of His words would set you free.