Correspondence: Acts 20:28; Heb. 12:14; Sure I'm Saved?

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 6
Ans. Acts 20:2828Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28) should read the last part thus: "Feed the Church of God, which He hath purchased with the blood of His own." It brings before us God's love in giving His Son up to death.
Ans. In 1 Peter 1:2323Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23), the believers are born again of incorruptible seed, that is, a new kind of life in every believer, its nature is holiness. In 2 Peter 1:44Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4), that nature is being developed by faith laying hold of the exceeding great and precious promises. The Epistle to the Hebrews does not give us these truths, but in it we look for the fruits of that life. In chapter 6 we see what accompanies salvation. Verses 9, 10 give us the outcome of the new life. In Heb. 12:1010For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10), chastening is used to make us partakers of God's own holiness. Verses 12-14 are exhortations of what to pursue, for if we had no new life, we could not see the Lord. We need diligence in divine things, or we miss much blessing.
Ques. Will you please tell me how I can be sure that I am a Christian? A.
Ans. A Christian is one that has, found out that he was a lost guilty sinner, and that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and has believed on Him as his own personal Savior. He has believed that Jesus in dying for sinners, has died for his sins, and He is now raised from the dead, thus God shows Himself satisfied, and has said, "All that believe on Him are justified from all things" (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)).
1. Have you realized that you were a guilty lost sinner and without strength (Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)) to make yourself better?
2. Have you cast yourself before God and owned it? (Rom. 3:1919Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19).)
3. Have you believed on the Lord Jesus as your own Savior who died for your sins? (1 Cor. 15:33For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3).)
4. Have you believed the word that says, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life?" (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36).)
You are sure that you are a child of God, because God says so (Gal. 3:2626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26); Born. 8:17).
The Holy Spirit dwells in you, witnessing that you are a child of God (Bora. 8:15, 16).
This gives you strength not to heed the flesh in you that has such evil thoughts, and teaches you not to look within, but look off unto Jesus and occupy yourself with things pleasing to Him (Rom. 8:22For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)).
If Thou halt my discharge procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine:
Payment God will not twice demand,
First at my bleeding Surety's hand,
And then again at mine.