Below are some links that speak about the issue of human salvation and the resulting “spiritual regeneration” that occurs when someone is saved. It should be noted that the part of humans that becomes “renewed” during salvation is their human spirit. In fact, humans are comprised of three-distinct parts, which are the body and soul and spirit.
See the link “Three-Parts of Man” for more details.
A person is transformed into a “New Creation” at the moment of their salvation when they believe in their heart and confess the Lord as their Savior.
See the link “New Creation Born of God” for more details.
Once a person has made Jesus the Lord of their lives then this is not the end of the race but only the beginning. They have to remain faithful to the end of their lives in order to enter into heaven.
See the link “Salvation’s Race” for more details.
In order to enter heaven, a believer must be faithful and forsake sin and overcome all things until their lifespan on earth is completed.
See the link “Overcoming Christian” for more details.
But it is possible for believer to still end up in hell because salvation is related to finishing their course on earth and being faithful to the end of their lives. There are a number of ways that a Christian can lose their salvation (as a result of their own human freewill).
See the link “Christians in Hell” for more details.
Three Potential Pitfalls
The above links all provide clarification and definition about what it means to be saved and how humans can enter into the kingdom of God by remaining faithful to the Lord during their remaining time on earth.
But there are three danger zones that every believer should be aware of. All believers must watch themselves against because these three pitfalls which all lead toward eternal destruction.
The three potential pitfalls that believers must be on guard against are:
Mental Assent
Idols of the Heart
Bitterness Toward God
Mental Assent
Mental assent is a condition where someone has mentally agreed that Jesus is the Savior but in fact, they have not experienced any “spiritual-regeneration” and therefore they remain unsaved. This can be particularly dangerous because such people may become resistant to the gospel if they falsely suppose they are already saved and no longer have a need for a Savior.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV)
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
The bible instructs believers to examine themselves as to whether they are in the faith and that they should test themselves if they are a true believer or not (rather than just being involved in mental-assent). There are millions of “church-goers” who were raised in various churches but never experienced spiritual regeneration. Instead, these people have only “mental-assent” rather than true faith in God. They must examine themselves carefully if they are really in faith rather than being only in “mental-assent” which mentally agrees with salvation but at the same time no spiritual regeneration has occurred inside the person who is involved only in mental assent.
In fact, there are many children of pastors who are not saved but only have mental assent without spiritual regeneration. One example of this is a pastor’s son in Korea who was raised within the church until the time he left for college as a young adult. But by his own admission he said that he had not been saved and it was later (after he left home) that he came to know the Lord and experienced real salvation. Herein, the old saying is true that being in a church no more makes a person into a Christian than standing in a garage makes them into an automobile!
Tests of Mental Assent Versus Real Salvation
A real test if someone is saved or not can be seen in their love for God’s word. Prior to salvation most unbelievers have little or no interest in spiritual things and they lack a capacity of faith to even believe what is written in the bible. But after salvation the bible becomes alive to the same people (as if a veil was lifted from their eyes and they can now see new revelation of God’s word continually). Hunger for God’s word and interest in spiritual things is one way to recognize if someone has been saved. But if they have no spiritual interest whatsoever then this is probably an indication that they are only engaged in mental assent.
Capacity to Love and Forgive
There was a young guy living on the same dormitory floor that I was living on during my college years and this guy had been involved in the occult. He had a really dark countenance and his eyes (that are windows of his soul) were dark and black as night. But when this same guy accepted Jesus and was spiritually reborn then there was an immediate dramatic change in his countenance. His face seemed to shine with the light of God from within and even his eyes seemed to light up with the glory of God. Not everyone who is saved has such a dramatic change in appearance like this guy but he was particularly dark as an unbeliever because of his involvement with the occult and when he was saved there was a dramatic change evident that I could actually see!
Romans 5:5 (NASB95)
5 . . . because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
This scripture says that the love of God has been poured out within the hearts of those who become believers by the Holy Spirit who dwells within them. It is interesting that the young (previously occult guy) who got saved said that he immediately experienced love for other people and all those he formerly had hated now he forgave them and felt love for them. The source of this divine love came from the Holy Spirit who came to dwell within his heart after salvation.
1 John 3:14 (NASB95)
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
One of the greatest evidences of salvation is that a believer has the capacity to love and forgive others. This is a supernatural love poured out into his heart by the Holy Spirit who dwells within them. Therefore, the ability to forgive and love others is one more evidence that someone has experienced real “salvation” that goes beyond just mental assent.
John 5:24 (NASB95)
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Jesus said that those who hear His word and believe in Him who sent Jesus have eternal life and they will not come into God’s judgment but have passed out of spiritual death and entered into life. One more evidence of genuine salvation is that they have a capacity of faith to believe and they know that they have passed from death into life. It can be a very dramatic change in the lives of those who are saved and they have a “knowing” within that they are saved. There is no doubt about it because they know they have passed from death into life.
Setting their Attention on Spiritual Things
Romans 8:5–9 (NLT)
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.
8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
A person passes from death to life when they are saved and that it the time they can begin to learn how to set their minds upon spiritual things rather than on things of the world. Those who are focused on natural things only are those who are worldly and natural-minded. But the natural mind is hostile against God and does not submit to the laws of God and is not able to do so. But those who passed into the kingdom of God have the Spirit of God within them and they have a hunger and interest in spiritual things which is greater than any other interest about natural things on earth. Therefore, having a desire for spiritual things is an indication of real salvation that is beyond “mental assent” which is centered in the natural mind.
Keeping God’s Commandments
1 John 2:3 (NASB95)
3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
Another trait of “heart-felt” salvation is that of a believer keeping God’s commandments. People who are saved have been set-free from bondage to sin and vices. This is a work of the Holy Spirit within the believer to sanctify them and make them holy in God’s sight. Therefore, having godliness and the empowerment to keep the commandments of God is yet another indication of true salvation and the power of God to change lives.
Love for Humanity
1 John 3:16 (NASB95)
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Another indicator of true salvation is when a believer has love for his fellow man and seeks to help others and do them good rather than pursue only his own selfish desires. This capacity to love fellow man is an indication of true salvation that goes beyond just mental assent.
Presence of the Holy Spirit Within
1 John 3:24 (NASB95)
24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
Keeping God’s commandments and having the Holy Spirit dwelling within the believer are yet more confirmations of their true salvation. Believers have a knowing or “witness” within that the Holy Spirit dwells inside of them. This is the greatest indication of all to confirm one is saved when they have the comfort of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside of them.
1 John 4:13 (NASB95)
13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
Again, it is the presence of the Spirit of God within the believer which is the greatest evidence they have to confirm that their salvation is genuine rather than just mental assent.
Steps to Examine if They are Saved
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV)
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
Again, the scripture says that we are to examine ourselves if we are really in the faith and test ourselves if we know Christ is within us. If they only have “mental-assent” instead of real faith then they will be disqualified from salvation. From the scripture listed indicates that a believer can check themselves if they have the evidence of genuine salvation that goes beyond natural mental assent. The following are six of the many traits that give evidence to real salvation.
- Love for God’s Word.
- Capacity to Forgive and to Love Others.
- Affection for Spiritual Things.
- Keeping God’s Commands
- Love for Humanity
- Presence of Holy Spirit Within
There six-points above all indicate that someone has true salvation rather than just mental assent. All believers can examine themselves with these basic points but there are also many more things that give confirmation that they are saved. Those who are involved in mental assent typically have no desire to read God’s word and see no revelation from the Holy Spirit in reading the Bible. They will not have a capacity to forgive others or love as a true believer does. Mental assent people have no affection for spiritual things and do not seek fellowship with God or reading the bible for this reason. They do not seek to keep God’s commands but live for themselves only. They do not have the evidence of the Holy Spirit within them so these are just some of the points which indicate if someone is really saved or if they are unregenerate spiritually and only involved in mental assent.
Three Pitfalls to Salvation
- Mental Assent
- Idols of the Heart
- Bitterness Toward God
The second pitfall to Salvation (or Route to Hell) is having idols within the heart. This is when the Holy Spirit convicts a mature believer about some form of idolatry within their hearts. They may have been convicted about this “pet-sin” for many years but refused to give it up. Instead, they will play all kinds of games in order to keep and retain their idol. If they do not repent of this idol then eventually (possibly after decades of the Holy Spirit convicting them of sin) then they will eventually be abandoned by the Holy Spirit. At this point they will be sealed up for eternal damnation over their unrepentant sin which they have repeatedly refused to give up.
See the link “Idols of the Heart” for more details.
Bitterness Toward God
The third pitfall from the list above is “Bitterness toward God” which is a product of satanic deception. If the devil can deceive someone that God is unjust and twists the interpretation of events to accuse God then some believers have come to a point where they get bitter with God. Bitterness toward God is a sure way to seal them up for damnation and this satanic deception is commonplace among believers. Sometimes they have followed God faithfully for decades but then (due to some unfulfilled expectation or other event) they may become bitter at God. This is Satan’s ploy to deceive them and cause them to blame God so that they can send themselves to hell by harboring unjustified bitterness against God.
King Who Got Bitter Against God
2 Chronicles 16:12 (NASB95)
12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.
This godly king Asa, ended up with a disease in his feet but he did not seek God for healing but only the physicians. This guy got bitter with God and blamed God for his affliction. Satan will often play this sort of deception upon men because a man cannot be forced to do anything by pain. If Satan deceives the man and says that God is afflicting him to make him comply then this man will not do it at all and even rebel and go to hell over it.
But the cause and effect of sin must be understood in this situation. First sin opens the door to the adversary and then Satan (who is the god of this world) can bring affliction and disease, and poverty and cause all kinds of trouble.
Obedience to God closes the door to the devil and stops the affliction. But a man can easily misinterpret something like this (as in the case of King Asa).
Asa had disobedience in his life which opened the door to the devil to afflict him. But Asa supposed that God was trying to force him to comply by giving him affliction and this only angered him and caused him to refuse to comply at all.
But the cause and effect are the same in that the disease was caused by disobedience opening the door. This may sound like splitting hairs (an expression of arguing over tiny details when the end result is the same). The King was afflicted in his feet (as a result of disobedience) but the difference is that God was not trying to twist his arm or cause him pain to force him to obey or comply.
His disobedience only opened the door to the devil and this resulted in the affliction. Again, this is important because if a man feels he is being forced by affliction then this situation will make him angry and hardened and determined not to comply against his freewill. But this is a common deception of Satan used against men. Men cannot be forced by twisting their arm because this will only breed resentment.
That is why men go to war, they would rather die in battle fighting for freedom than to live as a slave under the oppression of another. A real man cannot be forced to do anything. It has to be by his own freewill that he chooses to do so. Satan tells him lies that God is afflicting him because of his disobedience and this angers and hardens the man’s heart and he will cut himself off from God and will not seek God any longer. But it is all satanic lies and sin opened the door to affliction but God is not the one doing the affliction. Satan has gotten millions of men into hell with this same lie over the centuries since Adam. Satan will kill, steal, and destroy and then blame all of his dirty work on God and this makes men angry at God. They are told by the devil that God did all kinds of terrible things (like killing their child to make them comply to His will). This only makes men determined all the more never to comply because real men cannot be forced to do anything.
Women call this the “pride of men” but it is not pride but a part of being a man. This sort of trait causes men to overcome and conquer and destroy enemies and do what is right. God created men to be overcomers and to be born with this trait. But they have to be given the freedom to choose to serve. If someone tries to force a man, then they will rebel but if they are given a choice to serve, they will serve freely with all of their hearts and give their lives for the one who asked for their help. This is part of being a man and Satan has used it against men to send them to hell by making it appear that God is against them or trying to force them with afflictions.
A bully will twist another boy’s arm and cause pain until the boy will comply to his wishes. But that boy will be affected all of his life as a man if he allows it and if he does not overcome the bully then he will be insecure and feel that his manhood was lost or tarnished. But if he conquerors the bully he will have confidence for the rest of his life as a man because he overcame and no one forced him to comply by affliction. The same will go with God as well if Satan lies to the man and makes the man believe God is doing the afflicting or twisting his arm (an expression of causing pain to force someone to comply).
King Asa was a godly king who walked with God and was holy and righteous. But in the end he became bitter at God and was afflicted in his feet and the infection got so bad that he eventually died a lingering painful death. But even in this affliction he refused to examine his heart or repent and Asa also refused to pray to God to heal him. Instead he only resorted to physicians to his own downfall and he perished from his affliction.
There are believers who walked faithfully with God for many decades only to give up the race later in life after they gained a root of bitterness and offense against God.
See the link “Root of Bitterness” for more details.
This is a satanic trap of deception designed only to send mature believers to hell by causing them to curse themselves and become offended at God by listening to the deceiver about lies that accuse God of doing wrong. Judging God as being unjust is a sin and this results in bitterness and this is a pathway to hell for any mature believer who is deceived by this satanic ploy.