How to Know We are Saved (Many Tests)

 

 

 

For the unbeliever, the things of God are foolishness:

·       1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

 

·       1 John 2:22–23 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.

 

·       Romans 1:19–20 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

 

·        Our Assurance: Romans 10:12–13 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Jesus of Islam?)

 

Believers want the truth and not the darkness of the lie:

·       John 3:19–20 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. (John 8:31)

 

·       “I don’t know if I believe”: Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Seeking what?)

 

The Believer Abides in the Word:

·       1 John 4:6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us [apostles]; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

 

·       2 John 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

 

·       “It’s so hard for me to spend time in the Word”: 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything [of spiritual value] as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, (Commitment?)

 

Believers are Obedient:

·       1 John 2:3–6 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

o   2 Corinthians 8:12 (NLT) Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly.[intentionally] And give according to what you have [your limited ability], not what you don’t have.

 

The unbeliever is spiritually blind, but the believer has discernment:

·       1 Corinthians 2:14–15 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.

 

·       2 Corinthians 3:14–18 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory [How?] of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

 

Unbelievers love sin:

·       1 John 2:15–16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (Is sin a temptation to the believer?)

 

·       1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. (Gradual growth?)

 

·       1 John 5:18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

 

The unbeliever refuses to regard Christ as #1:

·       Matthew 10:37–38 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Step by Step? Supernatural Gifts?)

 

Believers are Repentant:

·        Luke 24:46–47 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Why no mention of faith?)

 

·       2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. (Manasseh; 1 John 1:8-9)

 

Unbelievers love the darkness of Self-Deception:

·        John 3:19–21 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (Tongues? Baptism Holy Spirit? Beatitudes—Portraits of Salvation ?)

Knowing the Love of God

Romans 5:8–10 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

 

 

Dying to Self and Living to God

 

 

I used to always assure myself that, “I can get through anything that life throws at me.” Believing this made my life easier. However, it was a lie. As a Christian, I discovered that I had to die to self-trust  and to live for God-trust, as Paul too had to learn:

 

·       2 Corinthians 1:8–10 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

 

This is the message of the entire Bible. Why? Because we are  highly vulnerable and misguided children who need the Savior every step we take. Fortunately, we have a God who desires to take care of us if only we willing to allow Him:

 

·       Psalm 62:5–8 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

 

He is perfectly willing and able to take care of us:

 

·       Matthew 11:28–30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

 

·       Isaiah 40:17 All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

 

Nothing can obstruct God’s plans: Romans 8:31–35 …If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

 

However, we will never learn to trust in Him if we believe that we are in control of our own lives. We will never learn to appreciate His merciful deliverances unless we realize that we desperately need them. King David had to learn this lesson continuously. So do we:

·       Psalm 13:1–5 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

 

·       Psalm 119:67–72 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word…It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

 

If our eyes haven’t yet been opened to the Lord and to His Words, His teachings will feel like prison, a needless set of restrictions. However, for those who have been trained, as David had, God’s Words are precious and transformative:

 

·       2 Corinthians 4:8–11 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

 

Consequently, the suffering we endure isn’t a sign that God has rejected us but a sign He has accepted us as His beloved children who require training:

 

·       Proverbs 3:11–12 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

 

It’s easy to become weary of God’s painful discipline. However, as we grow to trust in His love, we begin to accept His training, understanding our need to die to self-trust. I’ve had to learn that there are many things that I cannot endure without trusting in Him.

 

Some have criticized me for using Christ as my crutch. However, I gladly admit this. He is the crutch I was created to rest upon:

 

Psalm 37:3–7 Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

 

 

Who is the Overcomer?

 

Are we worthy of God? Do we deserve His Mercy? According to the testimony of the Bible and of Jesus, none deserve His mercy or anything good from Him:

Luke 17:10 “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Matthew 5:22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

God will never owe us anything: Romans 11:35–36 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.”

The only thing we are entitled to is death: Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Who then is the overcomer? Not the one who has achieved moral perfection—there are none—but the one who sees his hopeless condition and believes in Jesus:

1 John 5:1–5 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God...For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

I am an overcomer despite the accusations of my humbling sins and accusing conscience, but how?

Ephesians 2:8–9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

I cannot even take credit for my faith because it too is not of my “own doing” but part of the free gift of God. Nor can I take credit for my good deeds by keeping His commandments and by loving others. These too are the fruits of the Spirit as Pul had confessed:

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Consequently, the overcomer is not the one who believes that he has overcome all his sins but the one who knows that he hasn’t but that his sins have been forgiven:

Psalm 32:1–2 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity…

Can I be Morally Good Enough for God?

As much as we might try to be good enough for God, we fail: 1 John 1:8–9 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

Perfection is impossible. “Only God is good“ (Mark 10:18). Therefore, we cannot put any hope in our own righteousness. Paul had despaired of his own righteousness: Philippians 3:9 “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith”

To accept our moral imperfections and our need for the Savior is liberating. Once we realize that God accepts us the way we are, we can begin to accept ourselves. Consequently, we no longer need to wear a mask in order to impress and to live a life of self-deceit, Instead, we are enabled to bask in the love of God. Otherwise, we condemn ourselves to self-deception and its endless task of trying to prove ourselves worthy.

But isn’t Sinlessness  Possible with God’s Help?

Of course, but He has ordained that we will not experience moral perfection until Christ returns:

1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Luke 21:27–28 “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

We first need God’s finished work of redemption:  Romans 8:23–24 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

Until then, we must conclude as Paul had: Romans 7:24–25 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Jesus agreed that we must regard ourselves as unworthy: Luke 17:10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’ ”

Paul was not different. He was vulnerable to the same temptations as we: 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Our strength is of the Lord, which is granted to us through neediness . We partake of His strength once our own strength fails us and we have nowhere else to turn. However, He imparts His strength according to His will and not according to our will. This understanding requires us to wait for God to act (Psalm 37:3-9).

Are We then Free from Trying to be Sinless?

Certainly not! Sin is an offense to God. It must also become an offense to us: 1 Peter 1:14–16 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ’You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”