Two Kinds of People

When we accept God's offer to love Him as much as He loves us, 1 John 4:19, "We love him, because he first loved us." we understand that He loves us with all His heart, Deuteronomy 6:5, "and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Then, we will begin to see this world is divided into two kinds of people. Those who have accepted God's offer, and everyone else, Matthew 25:31-33, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left."

God wants us to love both kinds of people, Matthew 5:43-44, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" 

How can we describe these two kinds of people? How can we know who loves God? John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." This is how they will know we are His disciples, which means we follow Jesus's example.

Being a follower of Jesus means we live the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." This is how we live our lives. This is how we become light in a fallen world. Matthew 5:14-16, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." We do not put our light on a candlestick to gain salvation. We are already saved. We cannot live any other way, for our salvation produces the fruit of the Spirit.

How then does God describe the lives of those not saved? 2 Timothy 3:2-5, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." We can see many of these traits playing out in the world around us, even among those who profess to be Christians.

Does this mean all people do only the things included in these descriptions? Is this how we know them? No. Those who are saved are not perfect yet. However, when they sin, they feel the discomfort and repent; Hebrews 10:22, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." and Acts 3:19, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." We know them by their willingness to repent when they are not perfect.

Those who are not saved do many good things. However, when they sin, they ignore the discomfort and continue sinning without repenting; Luke 13:3-5, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

Repenting is one of the key elements in the salvation process, Matthew 4:17, "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." and Mark 1:14-15, "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."

Choosing Jesus; Romans 10:9-10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Ultimately, the two kinds of people are defined by their decision regarding Jesus's proclamation, Matthew 16:15-17, "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." and John 10:30, "I and my Father are one."

God has placed us in unique places throughout this world. This blog is about sharing His Word; please share it with those you believe would be blessed by hearing it. Bless you! If you want to receive the Quarterly Newsletter, email us at bill@reasoningwithgod.com. If you want to read past blogs, go to https://www.reasoningwithgod.com/blog.