Every day pray that everyone you know will either become a Christian or influence others to become a Christian, and please share this online book with others - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com                             

 

There's A Difference  
 

I've heard people say things such as, "The only difference between me and someone who isn't a Christian is that my sins are forgiven and their sins aren't." There is truth in that, but a Christian's lifestyle and behaviors will be different, especially over time. Galatians 5:16-25 explains some of these differences.

 

Galatians 5:16-25

16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (If a Christian spends their time living the way chapter 39 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com describes, they won't have time to fulfil the lust of the flesh (sin).) 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (If someone is a Christian, they will be tempted to go back to living their old lifestyle. It's a struggle, but the strategy is to keep focused on living the Christian lifestyle. Like Paul in Romans 7:13-20, every Christian will fail to keep living the way they should, even if they don't want to. In other wods, they hate it when they sin. The good thing about this is that this is one way they can know that they are really a Christian (Hebrews 12:5–11).) 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery (having sexual relations with someone other than their spouse), fornication (having sex before marriage), uncleanness (thinking about and loving dirty and perverted things and thinking something perverted about everything seen), lasciviousness (having strong desires to sin and aren't ashamed of it), 20Idolatry (spending your time, thoughts, and effort on something or someone other than following Jesus – For instructions on how to follow Jesus, see chapter 39 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com), witchcraft (sorcery and the use of drugs), hatred (greatly disliking, boldly challenging, or disagreeing with another person over and over in your mind), variance (This is when you act out your hatred for someone you have in your mind. It also means when you don’t agree with others who are correct on a matter, and you actively go against what is normal.), emulations (wanting or trying to be like or better than someone you are rivals with and are jealous of. This also means when you compete with your rival in order to try to make them look bad in the eyes of other people.), wrath (all of a sudden having a noticeable outburst of anger and rage), strife (a bitter conflict that can sometimes result in violence toward someone. This also means when someone in a church goes against or twists the truths in the Bible and wants things to go their way, and as a result, it creates divisions in the church they attend.), seditions (division in a church) , heresies (This happens when someone joins a side due to a division. Seditions and heresies happen when church leaders try to get people in the congregation to follow them and not the Bible.), Envyings (when you carry a grudge with another person because they have something you want), murders, drunkenness, revellings (when a group of people make a party out of having sex), and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

(If you have asked Jesus into your heart, believed that Jesus is your Savior, or trusted Jesus' death on the cross and His shed blood to erase your sins and let you into heaven, etc., but you are guilty of these sins, please follow chapter 10 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com)

 

The Bible teaches that if someone claims to be a Christian and continually commits the sins that were just listed (or any other sins) on purpose, and they don’t feel sorry and/or try not to do them again, that person is not a Christian. A Christian can and will very likely commit some of these sins repeatedly, but that Christian will feel really bad about it and will ask God to forgive them and try their best, with the Holy Spirit’s help, not to do them again. (If you continually commit sins on purpose, and you aren't bothered and upset because of it (Hebrews 12:5–11), please pray or make a decision again to become a Christian. Please follow chapter 41 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com)

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love (You should put other people's needs that you come across (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial) above your needs, and be willing to die in order to protect or help someone who is different from you or even your enemy.), joy (You should be happy all the time because you know that you are saved. You should even be happy when horrible things happen to you because you know that your life on earth is not going to last forever.), peace (You should know for sure that you are saved, even if you’re going through horrible trials (problems with your friends, family, job, church, mental and physical health, and financial problems etc.), longsuffering (You should have the ability to not give up following Jesus (This lifestyle is explained in chapter 39 of this book.) when things in life and people are difficult. Longsuffering is also seen in every day examples like not getting mad or flustered while waiting on someone because you are ready to leave to go somewhere.), gentleness (You should show tenderness, polite and soft manners, calm actions, and not have a bad temper.), goodness (You should avoid sinning, and help people who have problems that you come across.), faith (People should “depend” on you. For example, people should depend on you to come to church regularly, help those in need, pray for others regularly, and do things for the Lord regularly.), Meekness (You should be able to avoid sinning when people say and do mean things to you. Instead, you should ask God to bless them and not have a desire to retaliate. Your old nature may have been rude to the person who was rude to you, but now that you are meek, that doesn't happen as much. You shouldn't worry about retaliating because Job 13:5 says, "O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom." God will take up for you and fight your battles for you.), temperance (You should be able to control yourself. You shouldn’t let anger, lust, entertainment that doesn’t involve God (see chapter 23 of this book), or over eating, etc. be a part of your life. Instead of things like these taking over your time, thoughts, and energy, you should be able to spend your time, thoughts, and energy following Jesus (explained in chapter 39 of this book): against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (If someone is a Christian, they don't constantly want to sin and/or love it when they sin. Instead, they want to and love to follow Jesus (See chapter 39 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com)

 

(Please follow chapter 10 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com if you have asked Jesus into your heart, believed that Jesus is your Savior, or trusted Jesus' death on the cross and His shed blood to erase your sins and let you into heaven, etc., but you are not living the way these verses have described.)

 

25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (If someone is a Christian. they should live the Christian lifestyle. The Christian lifestyle is explained in chapter 39 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com) 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory (thinking that you are better and more important than others, provoking one another (trying to irritate people), envying one another (when you carry a grudge with another person because they have something you want).

 

 

If you have not prayed or made a decision to become a Christian, please follow chapter 41 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com

 

If you have prayed or made a decision to become a Christian, but you are not sure you are really a Christian (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 21:18-22, 1 John 5:14, and Hebrews 11:1), please follow this website - http://chriswaug5.wix.com/howtogotoheaven