Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:5-6).”
If we are not born again by a true faith in Jesus, than we are not “in Christ”, and will not remain in Him. We are lost, not saved. Peter, echoing Jesus’ warning said, “be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless (2 Peter 3:14).” By sincere faith in Christ our sins are removed and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, “without spot and blameless.”
It is possible to have an intellectual belief in Jesus but not really be born again and saved, to not really have a true heart to the Lord. James says, “even the demons believe.” But they’re not saved! It is possible to falsely think we are okay because we’re generally good people or maybe even go to church or grew up in the church. That’s why Peter warns again, “beware lest you... fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.” On the contrary, we are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:17-18).”
“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God (Hebrews 3:12).” “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest [to be sure we are truly His and saved through real repentance of sin and sincere faith] (Hebrews 4:11).” We must give ourselves, our whole life, heart, soul, mind and body, to Jesus as Lord and Savior “Today, while it is still called Today (Hebrews 3:13).”
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