The Lord’s special messenger, Paul, wept tears of sorrow when he thought of some who considered themselves Christians but were not. How did their condition reveal itself? Because, as Paul says, “their god is their belly”. In other words their goal in life was only satisfaction of physical desires. Paul puts it plainly, (“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things.)

The Lord tells of these in a story about tares growing in a field. Any of you who have done any gardening know that in most of the plants we wish to grow, weeds that look very similar will pop up midst our plants. Where do they originate? There they are: happy, just like they belonged. I don’t know where they originate, but in the spiritual realm Jesus says they are people placed there by Satan and their end is to be burned. Matt.13:25-30.

We have an advantage that Old Testament believers did not have. The Holy Spirit was with them but not in them. Since the baptism of the church on the feast day of Pentecost with the Holy Spirit (50 days after Christ’s crucifixion), each believer has the indwelling of the Spirit. We are His House. When we turn temptation over to the Spirit who resides within temptation goes away . Thus we can live above our old habits and enjoy the Lord’s resurrection power. Jesus said to His disciples before His resurrection and the baptism of the Spirit, speaking of the Holy Spirit, “He dwelleth with you and shall be in You”( John 14:17). In Matt. 12:29, Jesus likens out bodies to a place under control of a strong man who is ousted by a stronger man. Satan is the strong man. Jesus is stronger.

So Christ’s special messenger John says in 1John.3:9, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin”. The translation is difficult. Literally, “does not continue in willful sin”. And “he cannot sin, because he is born of God”, speaking of the new nature which is “Christ in you the hope of glory”, because Christ cannot sin. And, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” I John. 1:9.

Can one who has never been truly saved by faith, trusting his or her eternal salvation to the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else, and falsely professed to be a Christian ever be saved? Of course, if such a one will repent which means a change of mind. God is love. To such Jesus says ” Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”(Matt.11:28).