Luke 18:11-14 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Here is the classic conundrum, the historical church goer who has every faith that he leans upon rather than God. The sinner pleads his case out of desperate awareness of his own inadequacies. The Lord tells us the sinner is justified.

Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

I do not have the right or responsibility to bring anyone’s salvation into question. That is the first part of this verse. The second part is all critical. My security can only be validated by God Himself. If I am to be assured of anything, I must ask God for the answer.

I also have to accept His answer and if there be anything that the Lord asks me to do, I must do. I must because I love him. What separates these two men more than anything is motivation of the heart. If you obey God out of fear of punishment, you have missed the point of this relationship. Love begets love. If you obey for reward you have missed the point. If you obey to be seen you have missed the point.

If you have been convinced, you have missed the point.

John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Sadly following Jesus does not guarantee you have saving faith in Christ. These were disciples, they followed Jesus, but then they stopped. If their faith had been a saving faith, their faith would have been an abiding faith.

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

The vine is the extension of the root system which bring life to the branches and is responsible for ensuring fruit. Without a connection to the root system, there is no life.

Ephesians 3:16-19  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Joy for a moment does not indicate life is rooted and grounded in God’s love.

Matthew 13:20-21  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Nothing is more painful to a parent or family member as to see the joy of salvation last for only a season. Our hope is that it is true salvation but we deceive ourselves if we leave them to rest in a faith that does not save.