Sixteen Signs Of A True Believer Part 11 (Summary And Review) Series

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 15: Sixteen Signs of a True Believer (Summary)

(2 Cor. 5:14; 13:5)

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!

1. The Companionship Test:

Do I demonstrate that I love the fellowship of the Father, the Son and the Saints?

1 John 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

• Truly born again people want to be with other born again people.

• When people quit the church for a frivolous reason or for no stated reason, you can bet that there is a hidden reason.

• A born again person simply cannot ignore the family of God!

2. The Comfort Test:

Am I sensitive to sin?

1 John 1:5-8 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

• If you can sin and not feel conviction, you may not be born again.

• The sin of forsaking God’s house, forgetting God’s tithe, floundering on God’s work, fighting God’s people, frolicking against God’s laws!

• If you can do this, and feel no remorse, then you may not be a child of God.

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards [illegitimate children], and not sons.

3. The Cleansing Test:

Have I experienced and accepted the forgiveness of God?

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

• How have you done in the cleansing sin?

• Have you experienced God’s forgiveness and moved on from your guilt.

Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.

• Confession is not praying a lovely prayer, or making pious excuses, or trying to impress God and other Christians.

• True confession is naming sin—calling it by name what God calls it: envy, hatred, lust, deceit, or whatever it may be.

• Confession simply means being honest with ourselves and with God, and if others are involved, being honest with them too.

• It is more than admitting sin. It means judging sin and facing it squarely. (BEC)

4. The Commandments Test:

Am I keeping God’s commandments?

1 John 2:3-6 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.