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.
REVIEW:
Message #1: An Argument in Eternity. Mt. 7:21-23 Many who say “Lord, Lord ...”
Message #2: The Cost of Freedom in Christ. John 8:31-37 True believers continue in the Word!
Message #3: Let’s go to supper! Luke 14:15-24. We must accept Jesus’ invitation.
Message #4: The Cost of Serving Christ Luke 14:25-35 Following Jesus has serious demands!
Message 5: Sixteen Signs of a True Believer (Part I)
(2 Cor. 13:5; 1 John 1:3-10)
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?
ILLUS: Forensic lab uses chemicals and special lights and complex processes to come to a result.
• We are to examine ourselves by the revealed word of God.
▸ It is not the standard of other believers.
▸ It is not the standard of Baptist churches.
▸ It is not the standard world opinion.
▸ If I want to know if my faith matches God’s definition of faith, then I must look at God’s definition!
▸ So let us give ourselves a “pop quiz,” a self-test, by looking into the word of God!
NOTE: At this point credit Gromacki for his development of these 16 signs. There is nothing new under the sun, but there may be new insight, new ways of looking what has already been revealed!
▸ 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!
I. Sign #1: The Companionship Test (1 John 1:3,4)
• Have I experienced spiritual fellowship with God and with others? (1:3,4)
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.
A. The Believers in Fellowship (1:3; John 13:35)
• The normal thing for the Christian is to have fellowship with other believers.
• That fellowship should be a delight to us!
• It should be evident to all the world that we love one another!
John 13:35 (KJV) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
• Soon we shall begin our study in Baptist distinctives.
• One of the things that distinguishes us is regenerate church membership.
• We are not like the Anglican Parish.
• Members of Baptist churches must be born again.
• And a person that avoids the house of God, for whatever reason, is placing a huge question mark on his love of the believers.
• And thus, he places a huge question mark on his own salvation!
B. The Basis of Fellowship (1:3; Lk. 24:32)
“Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ”
• You may be an accepted part of a local assembly and yet be “reprobate.”
• For the basis of our fellowship with one another is the fellowship that we have with Jesus Christ!
Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3)
• Do you have a walk with the Lord?
• Are there times of his presence with you?
• Do you think of Him at any time other than 11:00 Sundays?
• The test of our faith is our fellowship with Christ!
• Hear the testimony of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus:
Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
C. The Blessings of Fellowship (1:4; Ps. 133:1)
1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
• Some of the best years of my life have come during times when God’s people were united.
• United for a common goal, against a common enemy, in common love for Christ.
• Some of the worst times have come in times of church division.
• Everyone can sense it!
• Am I a church BREAKER or a church BUILDER?
• The answer to this question goes a long way toward answering our question today: Am I in the faith?
• This does not require cookie cutter molds!
II. Sign #2: The Comfort Test (1:5-8)
• Am I sensitive to sin? (1:5-8)
A. The Consideration of God’s Character (1:5)
1 John 1:5 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.
1. The Description of God’s Character (5A)
2. The Degree of God’s Character (5B)
• Complete light, no darkness at all.
ILLUS: Insects in corn meal, grits, etc. The law even has to allow it. Store it airtight for a while, and you will find larvae trails.
ILLUS: Ivory Soap (99, 44/100 pure)
• God is complete light!
• Every story you see of God’s judgement upon man does nothing to diminish this.
• He is God and He can make no error!
• There are a thousand things in my life I would have done differently!
• Not God! DRAMATIZE!
B. The Contrast of Man’s Character (1:6-8)
1. A Person of Lies (1:6,8)
a. His Words (1:6A)
6A If we say that we have fellowship with him,
• It is easy to talk faith!
• The measure though, is the walk!
b. His Walk (1:6B)
6B and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
• Ten times in his book, John uses darkness as a symbol of sin!
c. His Warning (1:8)
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
• Denying that a storm is coming does not save one from that storm!
2. A Person of Light (1:7)
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.
a. The Pattern of Light (1:7A)
“as He is in the Light”
• We have just seen that God has no darkness at all.
• This is God’s standard!
• When we look at God’s requirements and man’s weakness, we may come to false conclusions:
1) We can consider God’s goals unattainable, and excuse man from responsibility.
2) We can redefine sin, calling sins “mistakes” so as to make man SEEM to meet God’s standards.
3) We may accept God’s standards, realize that we cannot attain them, and not excuse ourselves, but live in constant depression and dispair.
• So what is the solution?
1) One, be sure you are a Christian.
ILLUS: If you are trying to get your cat to do dog tricks, you are in a sad state of mind!
2) Be filled with the Word of God, learn the tips that God’s Word gives!
3) Be filled with the Spirit of God!
ILLUS: Many may say, “I can’t.” Of course you can’t. You have unconfessed sin, bitterness, etc. God’s Spirit cannot fill an empty vessel.
4) Rejoice that God knows us and is longsuffering and willing to forgive!
b. The Privilege of Light (1:7B)
“fellowship one with another”
• This “one another” does not refer to other believers.
• The context demands that this be fellowship with GOD!
• Walking in the light is COSTLY but WORTH IT!
ILLUS: Vale la pena!
♬ It’ll be worth every mile of the trip!
Well I’ve been over mountains, and I’ve walked thru the valleys,
And of troubles friends I’ve had my fill.
But heaven eternal, at the end of my journey
Will be worth every mile of the trip.
Well I’ve stood at the bedside of a Christian, departing.
And I’ve heard these last words from his lips.
I see the crystal streams flowing, I feel the gentle, breeze blowing.
And its worth every mile of the trip.
Chorus
Like a happy pilgrim, who’s arrived on the shore.
And forget how the waves tossed his ship.
If I could see Jesus smile, hear him say well done child
It’ll be worth every mile of the trip.
c. The Purity of Light (1:7C)
7C and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
• Oh the joy of a pure heart.
• There is nothing like laying your head on the pillow at night, free from guilt, forgiven by God, knowing that you have done your best for Him.
• Lord, Goodnight! I’ll see you in the morning. And it doesn’t matter if it is my place or yours!
APPLICATION: Am I sensitive to sin as I would be sensitive to a toothache!
• 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.
III. Sign #3: The Cleansing Test (1:9)
• Have I experienced forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration after confession? (1:9)
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.
A. The Condition of Our Forgiveness (1:9A)
“confess our sins”
• You ever play a game with someone who is distracted.
• You cough, or clear your throat, or touch them.
• When they finally look at you, you say, “It’s your move.”
• Friend, if you want cleansing this morning, “It’s your move.”
Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.
B. The Confidence of Our Forgiveness (1:9B)
• “He is faithful and just”
• You can count on Him and what He does for you will be right!
C. The Completeness of Our Forgiveness (1:9C)
Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
• One may say, “I can never forgive myself.”
• You must understand that you are using the wrong criterion.
• Yes, there is restoration to be made where possible.
• Yes, there is asking the offended party for forgiveness where possible.
• But ultimately, you must accept that GOD has forgiven you!
1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
HEAR these excerpts from Solomon’s Prayer at the dedication of the Temple(1 Kings 8)
1 Kings 8:23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: 36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance. 37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be; 38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: 39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;) 40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
CONCLUSION:
• How have you done in the companionship test? Do you love the brethren?
• How have you done in the comfort test? Are you comfortable with sin? If so, you need to reexamine your faith.
• How have you done in the cleansing sin? Have you experienced God’s forgiveness and moved on from your guilt.
• There are three measures of your faith.
