Re: answers always bring more questions

i find joy in the lords work and worry less and less every day.

my question was: what is the difference between a true believer and one who is just pretending or is fooled or fooling themselves?

i guess another way to ask it would be, how does one know for sure that all of these things you listed are true? and how do those things manifest themselves in a persons life? how do we even know exactly what each of them means?

here is the list again:

I am: 1. God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God which lives and abides forever................................................................................. 1 Pet 1:23
2. Forgiven all my sins and washed in the Blood...Eph 1:7; Heb9:24; Col 1:14; 1 Jon 1:9
3. A new Creation...............................................................................................II Cor 5:17
4. The Temple of the Holy Spirit.........................................................................I Cor 6:19
5. Delivered from the power of darkness and translated into Christ’s kingdom....Col 1:13
6. Redeemed from the curse of the law...........................................I Pet 1:18,19; Gal 3:13
7. Blessed..........................................................................................Deut 28:1-14; Gal 3:9
8. A Saint................................................................................Rom 1:7; I Cor 1:2; Phil 1:1
9. The head and not the tail................................................................................Deut 28:13
10. Above only not beneath.................................................................................Deut 28:13
11. Holy and without blame before Him in love.....................................I Pet 1:16; Eph 1:4
12. Elect.................................................................................................Col 3:12; Rom 8:33
13. Established to the end........................................................................................I Cor 1:8
14. Made near by the Blood of Christ.....................................................................Eph 2:13
15. Victorious..........................................................................................................Rev 21:7
16. Set Free.........................................................................................................Jon 8:31-33
17. Strong in the Lord..............................................................................................Eph 6:10
18. Dead to sin......................................................................................Rom 6:11; I Pet 2:24
19. More than a conqueror.....................................................................................Rom 8:37
20. Joint heirs with Christ......................................................................................Rom 8:17
21. Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.............................................................Eph 1:13
22. In Jesus Christ by His doing............................................................................I Cor 1:30
23. Accepted in the Beloved......................................................................................Eph 1:6
24. Complete in Him................................................................................................Col 2:10
25. Crucified with Christ..........................................................................................Gal 2:20
26. Alive with Christ.................................................................................................Eph 2:5
27. Free from condemnation....................................................................................Rom 8:1
28. Reconciled to God..........................................................................................II Cor 5:18
29. Qualified to share in His inheritance..................................................................Col 1:12
30. Firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith...................................................Col 2:7
31. Circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands..................................Col 2:11
32. A fellow citizen with the saints and of the household of God..........................Eph 2:19
33. Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets
Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone............................................Eph 2:20
34. In the world as He is in Heaven.......................................................................I Jon 4:17
35. Born of God and the evil one touches me not..................................................I Jon 5:18
36. His faithful follower.......................................................................Rev 17:14b; Eph 5:1
37. Overtaken with blessings...................................................................Deut 28:2; Eph 1:3
38. His disciple because I have love for others.................................................Jon 13:34-35
39. The light of the world........................................................................................Mat 5:14
40. The salt of the earth...........................................................................................Mat 5:13
41. The righteousness of God.............................................................II Cor 5:21; I Pet 2:24
42. A partaker of His Divine Nature ......................................................................II Pet 1:4
43. Called of God...................................................................................................II Tim 1:9
44. The first fruits among His creation.......................................................................Jas 1:8
45. Chosen...............................................................................I Thes 1:4; Eph 1:4; I Pet 2:9
46. An ambassador for Christ................................................................................II Co 5:20
47. God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works............................Eph 2:10
48. The apple of my Fathers eye............................................................Deut 32:10; Ps 17:8
49. Healed by the stripe of Jesus...............................................................I Pet 2:24; Is 53:6
50. Being changed into His image.........................................................II Cor 3:18; Phil 1:6
51. Raised up with Christ and seated in Heavenly places.........................Col 2:12; Eph 2:6
52. Beloved of God................................................................Col 3:12; Rom 1:7; I Thes 1:4
53. One in Christ and hid with Him in God........................................Jon 17:21-23; Col 3:3

your response to me indicated that we just take these things for granted and at face value. i, on the other hand, am of the opinion that we should know these things to be true and know about these things because they are real and we experience them.

for instance, if we are a new creation, then what is different about us? how do we go about being changed into his image? and once there, whats next? if we are one in christ, does this mean we are god too? how is it we are first fruits among his creation when so many came before us? how are we the salt of the earth? the light of the world? the temple of the holy spirit? what is the circumcision not made with human hands? how does this effect us?

you have presented a list of things that we are to see as positive. i would like to know how positive you are of these things. i dont think thats too much to ask. i certainly dont think a flippant response is in order. if i were being combative that would be one thing, but i am asking for you to expound on what you have already said.