Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ
does not belong to him.
Romans 3:9 ESV
...the Spirit of Christ... the Holy Spirit... is the sign... the guarantee... that you belong to God...
And you also were included in Christ when you heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal,
the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing
our inheritance until the redemption
of those who are God's possession ---
to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14
He comes bearing gifts... talents... abilities you never had before...
And the gifts you did have... He calls you to use them in a different way...
The Holy Spirit... the Spirit of Christ... is our connection to Him...
The One through whom we hear... and receive strength... power... life...
The Holy Spirit bears fruit in our lives... love... joy... peace... patience... kindness... goodness... faithfulness... gentleness... self-control...
The Spirit comes... not with intellectual ascent to the gospel... but with surrender... biblical belief...
The Greek word translated as believe... is also translated trust... and really... to me... that's a better translation...
Because you can believe someone regarding their ability to fly a plane... but you will not fly with them unless you really trust them...
That is what it means to believe in Jesus... believe in the gospel... to trust Him whole-heartedly... live your life His Way...
The life of a Believer can be faked... on the outside at least...
You can read the Bible... go to church... pray...
but unless you obey... trust... surrender...
have that relationship with Him... through His Spirit...
it's nothing...
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord,
did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons
in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you;
depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' ..."
---Jesus
Matthew 7:21-23 ESV
Without the Holy Spirit...
you do not... belong... to Him...
Do you need to check where you are with Him...? are you in His Spirit...? is His Spirit in you...?
"If anyone loves me, he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, and we will come to him
and make our home with him. ..." ---Jesus
John 14:23 ESV
It is by His Spirit... that He comes in... and makes His home with you...
The invitation... for Him to come...?
Love... and... obedience...
Belief...
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