DO WE REALLY KNOW WHO IS SAVED?

What will the world be like in the last days?  Will we be able to tell genuine believers from those who are unsaved?  The answer, unfortunately, is often NO!  In the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Mt. 13:24-30, 36-43), Jesus told His disciples not to try to "weed out" those who are unbelievers, because it is often impossible to tell the difference between the two!  God's Word describes mankind living in the flesh during the last days, as either being in desperate need of salvation on the part of those who have yet to accept Jesus (Jn. 3:3-18; Acts 16:38; Rom. 10:9-13;etc.), or in desperate need of repentance on the part of those who are born again but living in the flesh (Rom. 7:14-25; 1 Cor. 3:1-3; 1 Jn. 1:8-10; etc.)!  The character of the unsaved, and that of the carnal Christian, is often identical.  It is described in 2 Timothy 3:2-4:

FOR MEN SHALL BE . . .

 

1.  Lovers of Themselves - seeking the best for themselves at the expense of others.

 

2.  Covetous - wanting that which belongs to someone else.

 

3.  Boasters - bragging and craving the admiration of men.

 

4.  Proud - forgetting that all the good they have is from God.

 

5.  Blasphemers - speaking against God and having no respect for His name.

 

6.  Disobedient to Parents - rebelling against the instruction of their parents.

 

7.  Unthankful - complaining rather than being grateful; never satisfied. 

 

8.  Unholy - hating all things the Word declares to be sacred.

 

9.  Without Natural Affection - lusting for unnatural pleasures.

 

10. Truce-breakers - failing to live up to ones promises.

 

11. False Accusers - lying to bring harm to others.

 

12. Incontinent - lacking in self-control.

 

13. Fierce - raging with hatred for others.

 

14. Despisers of All that is Good - loving evil and all that is unholy. 

 

15. Traitors - betraying those to whom you owe allegiance.

 

16. Heady - rushing into action without considering the consequences.

 

17. High-minded - thinking highly of oneself; prideful; arrogant.

 

18. Lovers of Pleasures More than Lovers of God - making pleasure an idol.

 

 

Turn to, or turn back to, God!  Let all who claim Christ, act like Christ!