Sixteen Signs Of A True Believer Part 10 Sermon by Larry Wilson, 1 John 5:9-13

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Sixteen Signs Of A True Believer Part 10

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Sixteen Signs Of A True Believer Part 10 Series

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 11, 2010 (message contributor)

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Scripture: 1 John 5:9-13

Denomination: Baptist

Summary: Sermon 14 in the series, "Things that Accompany Salvation." In the "Sixteen Signs," we are examining John's evidences of genuine faith as expressed in the epistle of 1 John. In this sermon: The Conviction Test. Do I believe that the Bible is the Word of G

Series: Things That Accompany Salvation

Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Message 14: Sixteen Signs of a True Believer (Part X)

(2 Cor. 5:14; 13:5; 1 Jn. 5:9-13)

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

• “Examine” - peirazo = to test, to scrutinize.

• We are to examine our faith.

• But with what are we to test it?

• We are to examine ourselves by the revealed word of God.

• 28 times in 23 verses John tells us that we can “KNOW” that we are saved!

• We cannot afford to ignore what John, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is telling us!

• There is the danger that we may be “reprobates.”

“reprobate” - to be tested by God and rejected as unapproved, found to be worthless and cast away.

ILLUS: These are the gauges on the dash of your life!

NOTE: These tests are not for you to judge your fellow church member’s salvation. They are to be applied by each person to himself!

REVIEW: Thus far, we have considered:

1. The Companionship Test: Do I demonstrate that I love the fellowship of the Father, the Son and the Saints?

2. The Comfort Test: Am I sensitive to sin?

3. The Cleansing Test: Have I experienced and accepted the forgiveness of God?

4. The Commandments Test: Am I keeping God’s commandments?

5. The Conformity Test: Does my life conform to the will of God?

6. The Conduct Test: Am I doing rightousness?

7. The Coming Test: Am I showing that I am looking forward to the coming of Christ by living in such a way that I would not be embarrassed by His coming? “He that hath this hope ... purifieth himself.”

8. The Conquering Test: Am I winning the battle over habitual sin?

9. The Charity Test: Am I demonstrating by my actions and attitude a genuine love for my brothers and sisters in Christ?

10. The Conscience Test: Am I free from the plague of moral guilt?

11. The Communication Test: Have I experienced true answers to prayer?

12. The Counselor Test: Do I show evidence that the Holy Spirit is present in my life?

13. The Compatibility Test: Have I heard the Word of God in the messages of men?

14. The Constraint Test: Do I love God?

15. The Confession Test: Do I believe that Jesus is the Son of God?

• TODAY: Sign # 16: The Conviction Test: Do I believe God’s record? (1 John 5:10-11)

NOTE: Have Rachel to play “Jesus Loves Me” at the end, while I tell the last story.

I. The Declaration of God’s Record (9,11, 13B)

God’s Record to us today is the Bible.

John, in his day, was a living witness.

A. The Confidence in the Record (5:9)

1 John 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater:

ILLUS: Why will we believe every crackpot about aliens coming, but will not believe that God has come. The Globe could report that Oprah Winfrey gives birth to an alien, but witnesses say Leonard Nimoy is the father, and thousands will buy the paper. Yet they will throw down a free gospel tract!

Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

• Spouses believe the word of one another.

• Children believe the word of parents and teachers.

• Businessmen believe the word of employers.

• Juries believe the testimony of witnesses.

• God’s witness is greater than all of these, for the content is greater!

B. The Content of the Record (9B, 11)

1. The Person (9B)

9B for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

• This is why the witness is greater.

• Not only is the testifier great, but the testimony is great.

• It is about God’s Son!

ILLUS: Secretary at a Radio station where I worked could babble about nothing for hours!