For more than 30 years that I have been a Christian I have met many people, young and old, rich and poor, who are "church members" but who do not have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; they have never had a genuine born-again experience---they are deceived concerning their eternal destiny, they have never been saved from their sins.

Most of these people who are unsaved are trusting in some "thing" to save them from hell. The most popular thing that unsaved people trust in for their salvation is water baptism and being a member of a church. Others are trusting in their good deeds to get them to heaven and to escape eternal damnation and torment. And still others that I have met who are "church members" are trusting in some combination of the above.

Some people hope that God will weigh their good deeds against their bad deeds and based on this deception they conclude that 'Of course, I will make it to heaven. I'm not a murderer or a robber; I live a fairly good life. I go to church two or three times a week and even pay my tithes.' But the plain truth according to the Bible is that there is none righteous, no, not one (Rom. 3:10). And the Bible also says that your righteousness is as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). This is strong language but this is what God Himself has to say about those who have never been born again.

The only way anyone can be considered righteous in God's sight is if they have repented of their sins, turned away from everything that they know is sinful, and asked God to forgive them and save them from their sins. Then the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to that one who truly repents and asks this of God, meaning it with all his heart, not just from his head.

I have personally known people who were "church members" for years, even serving in some kind of ministry, and later realized that they were unsaved and repented of their self-righteousness and were gloriously born again. In one case, a man was raised by Christian parents, whose father was a minister, was water-baptized and "joined the church" but later, as an adult, realized that he had never actually been saved from his sins---he had never been born again.

But there are many more who are "church members" who never come to that point of admitting that they are unsaved, and repent of their sins. Concerning the Day of Judgment, Jesus said many would say to Him, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me [into the lake of fire], ye that work iniquity' (Mat. 7:22-23).

If you are not absolutely certain you have been born again, regardless of whether you have been water-baptized or are a "church member," then it is likely that you have never been saved. If this is the case, the time to make sure is now. You do not know whether or not you will be alive tomorrow. Church membership or water-baptism or trying to live a good life will not save you. You must be washed in the precious blood of Jesus. You must repent of your sins and ask Jesus to save you.

Dear friend, do not let pride stand in the way between you and heaven. Humble yourself before God, turn from everything you know is sinful, get on your knees and ask Jesus to save you now, and mean it with all your heart. He is waiting. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

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