A child of God

Everyone who has this hope purifies himself, just as he is pure.- 1 John 3:3

A lie has permeated into Christian thinking in the 21st century. 100's if not 1,000's of Christians have been deceived into believing that they are saved because they prayed a prayer when they were a child or a teenager at youth camp. The sinners prayer; which it is commonly called, NEVER saved anyone. 100's of people living in a lifestyle of sinning have been deceived into believing they are going to Heaven when they are on the road to Hell. The sinners prayer has taken the lifeblood out of Christianity and replaced it with cheap Kool-Aid.

The Bible; specifically, 1st John teaches that an individual is saved by faith in Christ, alone, but the evidence of saving faith is shown in striving after holiness or persevering in the faith. In 1 John 3; John discusses four overlapping qualities that characterize a child of God...

• Not being known by the world: God and the world are polar opposites, so it is no wonder that those who belong to God are seen as strange by the world. The word "know" as used in 3:1 does not refer to merely intellectual knowledge, but also to emotional appreciation and recognition.
• Doing what is right: God who is righteous is the standard of what is right, and his will is expressed in his word, the Bible. The degree to which we obey his word determines the degree to which we have been sanctified. While our status as righteous has been settled once and for all by our coming to Christ in faith, we are still called to live righteously, in obedience to him.
• Loving one's brother: Anyone who does not love his brother is not a child of God (3:10)
• Not living in habitual sin: Believers are called to be like Christ, there is no place for sin in our lives (3:6). Because of our fallen nature, we cannot totally eradicate it, but continual or habitual sin is contrary to the nature of one born of God.

In conclusion, a child of God will strive after holiness. A child of God's life will be marked by a lifestyle of persevering in the faith. Sin will still occur but when it does it will be confessed and repented of quickly. A person is not saved by a prayer BUT rather faith in Christ made evident by a life of persevering in the faith. May we by the grace of God persevere to the end.