RECOGNIZING BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS

I no longer describe myself as a "Christian," but choose instead to describe myself as a "born again believer."  That is because the Church today is filled with more "tares" than "wheat," and it is pictured as an organization using His name, but excluding Him from its membership (Mt. 13:24-30; Rev. 3:14-22)!  While "tares" and "wheat" are as different from one another as are "the dead" are from "the living," our ability to differentiate one from the other is poor at best.  However, there are three things that serve as clues that one is a child of God:  Attitude, Fruit, and Works. 

ATTITUDE, as found in the Beatitudes (Mt. 5:3-9):
*     Humility - B.A.B.'s recognize they have no righteousness of their own.
*     Grief - B.A.B.'s grieve over the fact that they continually sin.
*     Meekness - B.A.B.'s put others first.
*     Hungry/Thirsty - B.A.B.'s desire God's righteousness and knowledge of Him.
*     Merciful - B.A.B.'s do not demand "justice" for others.
*     Pure of Heart - B.A.B.'s desire to be just to others.
*     Peacemakers - B.A.B.'s seek to get along with all men.

FRUIT, as the natural product of a Spirit-led life (Gal. 5:22-23):
*     Love - B.A.B.'s put the needs of others first.
*     Joy - B.A.B.'s get great pleasure from meeting the needs of others.
*     Peace - B.A.B.'s recognize the God is in control of their circumstances.
*     Longsuffering - B.A.B.'s are not overcome by trials and tribulation.
*     Gentle - B.A.B.'s are sensitive to the spiritual maturity of those in need.
*     Good - B.A.B.'s have the goal of living in obedience to the will of God.
*     Faith - B.A.B.'s trust that God saved them to use them for His glory.
*     Meek - B.A.B.'s allow the Spirit to guide their words and actions.
*     Temperance - B.A.B's have turned over control to the Holy Spirit.

WORKS:
*     B.A.B.'s works glorify God (Mt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:12).
*     B.A.B.'s works result from the outworking of the Spirit (Eph. 2:10; Gal. 5:22-23).
*     B.A.B.'s work the work of God; they believe in Jesus (Jn. 6:28-29).
*     B.A.B.'s works are evidence of an inward godliness (1 Tim. 2:10).
*     B.A.B.'s have been equipped by God to do good works (2 Tim. 3:17).

Born again believers are not saved by their attitude, their fruit, or their works!

Born again believers' attitude, fruit, and works are the result of being saved!