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 13: Sixteen Signs of a True Believer (Part IX)
(2 Cor. 5:14; 13:5; 1 Jn. 4:14-15; 5:1)
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?
• TODAY: Sign # 15: The Confession Test. Do I believe that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 4:14-15; 5:1)
I. The Testimony of John (4:14)
1 John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world.
A. The Certainty of the Testimony (14A)
1 John 4:14A And we have seen and do testify.
• Paul reminds us:
1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
• In his gospel, John explains:
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
• So we CAN see God in Christ!
• And in his letter he reminds us in verse 12:
1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
• And others can see God in us!
• John was certain of his facts.
• In John’s introduction to his letter he writes:
1 John 1:1-4 1 That which was from the beginning,
SO THE WORD IS REAL ETERNALLY
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;)
SO THE WORD IS REAL HISTORICALLY
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.
SO THE WORD IS REAL EXPERIENTIALLY
B. The Content of the Testimony (14B)
14B that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world.
• John’s testimony is the same as in John 3:16!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
• Salvation is Decided by the Father
• Salvation is Provided by the Son
• Salvation is Applied by the Spirit
ILLUS: The cats that we took from the pound. They are in cat heaven! But they could have been left at the pound, except that we DECIDED to take them because we WANTED to love them. There was nothing those kittens could do to make me love them! Our family just wanted to. So it was with God! He chose to send His Son! He chose to redeem us!
• This is exactly what James declared:
James 1:17-18 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
II. The Testimony of the Believer (4:15; 5:1)
A. There is a Confession (15A)
15A Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God,
• The word confess is homologeo.
• It means to say the same thing, to agree.
• To confess the Son is to acknowledge that everything that the Word says He is ... He is!
ILLUS: Some would say that this is too simple. Nothing could be finalized on word of mouth! Yet that is exactly what happens in a wedding. The simple confession “I do” seals the union, bonds two into one, causes the children to leave father and mother and to cleave to one another. It is legally recognized. I tell you, Heaven recognized the lowly sinner that will profess the Christ!
B. There is a Conviction (5:1A)
1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ
• We must be convinced in the core of our being that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah.
• Messiah (meshiach) and Christ (christos) are the Heb. and Gk. words.
• They both mean the same ... the Anointed One.
• In the OT, you remember that Samuel anointed David as the next King.
• God has anointed His Christ.
• Jesus is anointed as a prophet - He brings the message of God’s love.
• Jesus is anointed as a priest - He pleads our case before God.
• Jesus is anointed as a King - and one day you and I, the redeemed, will rule and reign with Him!
• Peter declared: John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
C. There is a Conversion (15B, 5:1B)
• And of course, when one confesses Christ and believes Christ, there will be a conversion.
• That is the simple gospel!
Romans 10:9-13 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
• Paul adds, “The scripture saith.” We can be assured.
• But what happens when one is converted?
1. A New Indwelling (4:15B)
4:15B God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
• You are a different man or woman because God is now living within you.
• That is the Holy Spirit.
• That is what makes the Christian life possible.
• Jesus said it this way in His prayer:
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
• Paul reminded the Colossian believers:
Colossians 1:25-27 25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
2. A New Birth (5:1B)
5:1B is born of God:
• On April 26, 1961, Mr. and Mrs. Horace Wilson had a son.
• I became their son because I was given birth by my father and mother.
• God gives life in the name of His Son.
• I am not just a member of the church, I am a member of the family!
In 1877 Harriet Buell wrote:
I once was an outcast stranger on earth, A sinner by choice, an alien by birth,
But I’ve been adopted, my name’s written down, An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown.
A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there;
Though exiled from home, yet still may I sing: All glory to God, I’m a child of the King.
I’m a child of the King,
A child of the King:
With Jesus my Savior,
I’m a child of the King.
3. A New Love (5:1C)
5:1C and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
• The true believer is not just a Bible fact learner.
• His relationship is deeper than trivia!
• It is a love.
• If we love God, then we love the begotten Son.
• If we love the Son, then we love the begotten believer!
• Love will characterize the believer.
ILLUS: The difference between the “club” type church member and the true believer in Christ!
• Listen to Peter’s words:
1 Peter 1:22-23 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
CONCLUSION:
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
1. Some people say that this old time religion, Is just a thing of the past.
But in this modern age that we're living, It's the only thing that will last.
Now you may think that I'm a little old fashioned, Well, friend, that's all right with me.
But I'm so glad that I am a Christian, And from sin I have been set free.
2. Not long ago at an old fashioned meeting, I fell on my knees there in prayer.
He lifted my burdens, sins shackles fell from me, And His presence was so real everywhere.
Now that the load I carried is lighter, He's changed my gray skies to blue.
My steps are now higher and I have this assurance, That His sweet love will carry me through.
3. Come go with me to that land over yonder, He's prepared for the pure and the true
It's a place where sickness and death cannot enter, I'm going, brother, how about you?
It may be today or may be tomorrow, He'll return in robes of pure white.
I'm packing up now getting my things together, Who knows, He might come tonight.
CHORUS:
I know, I know, there's no doubt about it
He lives in my heart and I'm gonna shout it.
I know, I know, my sins are forgiven
And I'm on my way to a place that's called Heaven.
• I can know that I am saved if I pass the Confession Test:
• Do I believe that Jesus is the Christ?
• Have I openly confessed Him as my Savior?
