04/15/18 WHERE AM I
THIS IS TO HELP SOME FOLKS SEE THEMSELVES IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.
(once you see where you are, set your course for where you should be)
Here is a chart I developed, which might help you find your spiritual status and relationship with God. It is not a perfect chart, however it depicts the spiritual background and current status that identifies the experience of most people.
If we understand our background and present status, it may help us see our need and our possibilities for the future. If we think of our past as the point of spiritual beginning and we see heaven as our destination, maybe we can begin to see the steps we need to take in order to follow the path of spiritual life and maturity.
The basic breakdown is simply UNSAVED and SAVED. However, background, personal experience and understanding are components in reaching people. It is the difference between writing on a clean sheet of paper or having to correct misinformation, false doctrine, experiences. Double-speak, as used by the cults, requires clarification. The same terms may mean completely different things to different people, because of their training. False religions and cults use the same words, but they mean different things.
UNSAVED, in this article, refers to people who have not acknowledged that they have sinned against God, and that they stand condemned, and they have not believed on Christ death and resurrection, confessed their sin, confessed their faith in Christ and turned from sin to follow Jesus by faith.
SAVED, in this article, refers to people who are born again, by the Spirit of God and are living their lives in faithful submission to Christ.
BACKSLIDER, in this article, refers to people who had a personal, life changing, salvation experience through faith in Christ, but are not living in submission to the Lordship of Christ at the present.
Unsaved - No Gospel connection from past (totally without Gospel in past).
Unsaved - No former contact with Gospel message.
Unsaved - Erroneous contact with Gospel (i.e. Roman Catholicism, Liberalism, Mormonism, Tribal Christianity).
Unsaved - Mixed contact with Gospel message (Legalism, Formalism or Ritualism, Sacramentalism).
Unsaved - Former contact with Gospel message, but no personal salvation through faith in Christ..
Backslider - Previously converted but uncommitted.
Backslider - Previously converted and committed.
Restored backslider but inconsistent.
Restored backslider and consistent.
Saved - Uncommitted, Church goer.
Saved - Committed but carnal, Church goer.
Saved - Committed but inconsistent, Church goer.
Saved - Hungering for deeper life.
Not many people will fit into the last category. But if you do, then there is good news for you. God wants you to hunger and thirst, because He will answer that desire. If you have questions for me, please let me know.
