Born Again Birthmarks© 2011 John F. Sykes

Introduction

Art I Sec 2 U.S. Const. requires natnl census evry 10 yrs, ppl sorted evry way…apportionment seats, $$$

People can also be sorted by religious ideas. George Barna is a Christian researcher…

Most important distinction in a church is between saved and unsaved

This past wk, pray w anthr pastor and I flt burdn for ppl in this chur who may nt be saved

The Q came to me, how can you know whether U are saved or unsaved?

The Answr is in the birthmarks [BM]. BM are somethng U are born with e.g…. or something born again w

EXPOSITION

I.Saved people have birthmarks

Saved people:

Must know and accept as true 4 things:Must act on this basic knowledge in 3 ways:

sinner, dead in sin, sep God E2:1,5repent of sin Acts 2:38, 3:19

JS is Son of God Mt 16:16blv and trust JS alone forgive Ac8:37

JS died 4UR sins, rose 1 Co15:3,4 described: come, open,look,trst

salvation by grace thru faith E 2:8,9confess w ur mouth JS Ro10:9,10

Have born again Birthmarks [BM, all same expressed in diff ways, internal change

  1. transformed mind Ro 12:2
  2. old things pass away new things come 2 Co 5:17
  3. hearts desire for salvation of others Ro 10:1
  4. keep the commandments of God 1Jn2:3
  5. practice righteousness, not continue in sin 1Jn2:29 5:18
  6. love the brethren 1J3:14, affection for God not things of world
  7. witness of the Spirit 1J4:13, fruit of the Spirit Ga 5:22,23

Different types of saved people have birthmarks

  1. babes in Christ – littl knowledge, learning …, excited over salvation
  2. adolescents – think they know more than they do, grow pains
  3. mature/spiritl – apprais all thngs, put knowledge into practic, balanced

II.Unsaved people do not have birthmarks

I think that there are 2 types of unsaved people in church

Do NOT have birthmarks but may have: stickers, cosmetic, imitation BM

  1. unsaved who think they are saved – Nicodemus J3, Mt 13:1ff sower and soils

- equate being a Christian w: baptism, membership, come to chur, family,

bettr thn mst ppl they know, said prayer, walked aisle, raised hand

- childrn who grew up in church

or attended chur occasion, believe in God

have knowledge of salvation but never acted on knowledge

substituted other actions for trust and belief /repent/confess

- Very dangerous condition to be in. I was such a person for 20 yrs

nota even aware unsaved, deceived

- BUT do U hav the BM? Are they real or stickers, cosmetic, imitat

  1. unsavd who know they are nt savd, Simon in Ac8:9, wheat and tares Mt13:24

-as children have to come to church, but inside U have rebelled

-OR ppl who like chur atmospher, friends, music, like to be well thot of

-BUT the truth is no BM maybe stickers, cosmetic, imitation, not real

-U are a chameleon, blend in well, no one knows or suspects, U have masterd church vocabulary and outward appearance of being Christian

-What keeps you from being saved, perhaps it is

  1. World – U really love the world more than God/church, saved require to much commit, God ask me to giv up…put off to later
  2. Fear – U are afraid of what people will think of U, what say if U really admitted U were unsaved

-also vry danger conditn, playing church, U have knowledge not savd

-No BM, cry to God to help U to trust in Him

3. Unsaved not attend church