Posted on 01/07/2013 6:02:58 AM PST by xzins
11 Biblical Tests of Genuine Salvation: Test #3 - Do you Obey the Scriptures?
SO4J ^ | John MacArthur
Posted on 01/05/2013 7:35:55 AM PST by xzins
Test #1 of Series: 11 Biblical Tests of Genuine Salvation: Test #1 - Do you enjoy Fellowship with God and Christ?
Test #2 of Series: 11 Biblical Tests of Genuine Salvation: Test #2 - Are you Sensitive to Sin in your Life?
Is It Real? 11 Biblical Tests of Genuine Salvation by John MacArthur - 11 Questions to help one see if they are Biblically Saved. Helps to Examine Their Faith with God's Word (2 Cor 13:5) to see if one is Biblically Saved. How Can I Know I Am Saved
- 2 Cor 13:5 (NASB) "TEST YOURSELVES to see if you are IN the FAITH; EXAMINE YOURSELVES! Or do you NOT recognize this about yourselves, that JESUS CHRIST is in you—unless indeed you FAIL the TEST?"
- 1 Cor 11:31-32 (NASB) "But if we JUDGED ourselves RIGHTLY, we would NOT be JUDGED. But when we are JUDGED, we are DISCIPLINED by the LORD so that we will NOT be CONDEMNED ALONG with the WORLD."
Test #3 - 11 Biblical Tests of Genuine Salvation: Do you Obey the Scriptures?
1 John 2:3 couldn't be clearer: "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments." If you want to know whether you're a true Christian, ask yourself whether you obey the commandments of Scripture. That's how Jesus described a true disciple when giving His Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples (Matt 28:20). Obedience to the commands of God produces assurance--the confidence of knowing for sure "that we have come to know Him." The Greek word translated "keep" in verse 3 speaks of watchful, careful, thoughtful obedience. It involves not only the act of obedience, but also the spirit of obedience--a willing, habitual safeguarding of the Word, not just in letter but in spirit. That's supported by the word translated "commandments," which refers specifically to the precepts of Christ rather than laws in general. Legal obedience demands perfection or penalty, whereas 1 John 2:3 is a call to gracious obedience because of the penalty Christ has already paid.
Verse 4 presents a logical contrast: "The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." That person is making a false claim. "But whoever keeps His Word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected" (v. 5). How can you determine if you are a true Christian? Not by sentiment but by obedience.
If you desire to obey the Word out of gratitude for all Christ has done for you, and if you see that desire producing an overall pattern of obedience, you have passed an important test indicating the presence of saving faith.
Brother, I’m not trying to be combative here.
I believe you need to look at the first century church and put the Pauline letters in context.
You can’t take select verses out of context and apply a measurement to anyone’s faith.
My point is checking “yes” to ten questions does not get you closer to God.
Should we examine where we are in our relationship with Him? If you are Christian this is probably a daily exercise.
Agreed.
See post #20
Excellent.
I do think a halfway decent pastor will eventually cover 2 Corinthians 13 as part of a church’s program of teaching the bible.
Brother, I wish you the best in your journey.
Peace.
Thanks, PJ
Gospel Wars - Part 1 (paper)
by Dr. Robert L. Dean Jr.
http://deanbible.org/Media/Doctrines/A-G/Gospel%20Wars%20part%201.pdf
Gospel Wars - Part 2 (paper)
by Dr. Robert L. Dean Jr.
http://deanbible.org/Media/Doctrines/A-G/Gospel%20Wars%20part%202.pdf
What Is Wrong with Lordship Salvation? (article)
by Dr. Andy Woods
http://www.spiritandtruth.org/teaching/documents/articles/59/59.pdf
What Is Wrong with Lordship Salvation? (slide presentation)
by Dr. Andy Woods
http://www.spiritandtruth.org/teaching/topics_by_andy_woods/42_Lordship_Salvation/20120610_lordship_salvation_slides.pdf
The Free Grace Alliance
offers dozens of free papers examining problems with Lordship Salvation:
http://www.freegracealliance.com/articles.htm
Also see:
The Reign of the Servant Kings (book)
by Joseph C. Dillow
Interesting question. If your question deals with obedience, here are two scriptures with an answer:
1 Cor 4:18-20 - "Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will test, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. "
1 John 3:22 - "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. "
Romans 5:19 “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
John MacArthur can never be accused of antinomianism.
.... compared to the apostle Paul....
Paul says at the end of Romans:
19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. ....25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him-- 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
It would have been helpful if you had posted all the questions:
http://so4j.com/is-it-real-11-biblical-tests-of-genuine-salvation-john-macarthur.php#a1
1- Do You Enjoy Fellowship with Christ and the Father?
2 - Are You Sensitive to Sin?
3 - Do You Obey God’s Word?
4 - Do You Reject This Evil World?
5 - Do You Eagerly Await Christ’s Return?
6 - Do You See a Decreasing Pattern of Sin in Your Life?
7 - Do You Love Other Christians?
8 - Do You Experience Answered Prayer?
9 - Do You Experience the Ministry of the Holy Spirit?
10 - Can You Discern Between Spiritual Truth and Error?
11 - Have You Suffered Rejection Because of Your Faith?
There are degrees in each (and of conscience), and i do better or come short in more in some than others, and the main things is whether we are relying on Christ and His work to justify us, and thus characteristically are seeking to please Him, and repent when convicted of not doing so.
Let it first be said that it is clear that a believer is justified by faith and not on the basis of works, (Eph. 2:8,9) as if he could earn eternal life, for what we actually earn are the wages of sin, that being the second death. (Rm. 6:23; Rv. 20:11-15) Instead, the sinner is reconciled to God on God/Christ’s expense and credit, by His sinless shed blood and righteousness. (Rm. 3:25 - 5:1)
However, while faith appropriates justification - for God justifies the UnGodly by faith (Rm. 4:5) - yet it is abundantly manifest in Scripture that the kind of faith that justifies is one that effects characteristic obedience towards its Object, the Divine “Lord” Jesus whom the contrite sinner calls upon in conversion (Rm. 10:13) and in whose name he is baptized, (Acts 2:38) for he walks “in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham,” in newness of life. (Rm. 4:12; 6:4)
And while “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” (Rm. 3:27) yet as the nature of justifying faith is one that confesses Christ (Rm. 10:10) in manifold ways (which justifies one as having true faith), therefore it is written that “not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified,” (Romans 2:13) as faith works to fulfill the righteousness of the law by yielding to the Spirit who inspired its writing. (Rm. 8:4) And it is abundantly evidenced that Scripture is the supreme transcendent material standard for obedience and testing truth claims.
As as salvation is by a faith that follows, and is rewarded, (Heb. 10:35) they are exhorted against drawing “back unto perdition” in unbelief, (Heb. 10:38,39) and having “an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God,” against which apostasy they are warned. (Heb. 3:12; 10:25-39; Gal. 5:1-5) And thus God chastens wayward believers in working to bring them to repentance, “that we should not be condemned with the world.” (1Cor. 11:32).
Believers thus are those who show forth works which correspond to “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Acts 20:21; 26:20), especially a unique sacrificial love for the brethren, manifesting, as it is written, “things that accompany salvation...For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:9-10)
Therefore “just Lot” (2Pt. 2:7) — while not being as Abraham in character and spiritual maturity and often invoked as a carnal believer — immediately opened his house to holy men, and risked his life for the brethren, and managed to maintain 2 daughters and marry the rest in a city given to fornication, and which grieved him, and sought the Lord. Me thinks few believers today do or would as much.
Note that in conversion one is not believing on the Lord Jesus Christ apart from who He is, as repentance is implicit in believing on the Lord Jesus to save you from your sins, and which shows Christ to be Good and sin to be evil, and in conversion one is basically choosing light over darkness. (Jn. 3:19-21)
However, the degree of change resulting from conversion is according to light and grace received, (Lk. 12:48) which relates to both conscience and character and the depth of conversion.
Thus there are two extremes to be avoided in gospel preaching, that of requiring the candidate to quit all sin in order to come to Christ, while the other extreme fosters conversions that do not result in manifest overall change, as their labor tends towards coaxing sinners into saying a “sinner’s prayer” out of intellectual assent. If conversion was treated like marriage, the latter school would be like a father coaxing a man to assent to marry his daughter out of self interest, when he actually shows little interest in her or heart desire for what marriage offers.
It is argued by those who engage in this type of evangelism that it is presumptuous for us to claim to know the heart of another, but the Scripture states that the spiritual man has discernment, (1Cor. 2:15) which we hope all to have in both marriage and conversion. Biblical evangelism requires labor as Holy Spirit instruments of conviction “of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, (Jn 16:8) as we see Peter and Paul doing in Acts, and which resulted in a basic repentance of faith in the Lord Jesus, thus effecting corresponding changes in heart and life. And or persecution!
As faith, confidence, trust, is manifest in changes in heart and deeds, (Ja. 2:18) and those who are given eternal life are those who characteristically follow the Lord, (Jn. 10:27, thus the famous assurance verse, 1Jn. 5:13, refers to what was written before it, that of overall characteristics which manifest conversion, in which ongoing, willful impenitent committing of known sin is contrary to salvific faith, and instead practicing righteousness is the norm for a believer. And which includes repentance when convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin. (2Cor. 7:6-11) Thus, “If we say that 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. “ (1 John 1:8-9)
In summation, as I see it, we are saved by faith in the risen Lord Jesus, and which Scripture reveals as being a faith that effects the “obedience of faith,” (Rm. 16:26) as a characteristic, which includes repentance when convicted of sin. And thus Scripture warns of believers forsaking the faith by impenitent moral sins and or critical doctrinal ones, while also showing that God plays for “keeps,” so that if there is a final forfeiting of that which faith procured, it is done in resistance, despite God working to bring one to repentance, which working is such places as in most of the letters to the churches in Rev. 2+3.
It’s being posted as a series, and yes, I did post all 11 in the original post, to which a link is provided at the opening of this thread. This is the 3rd thread, and over the next days/weeks, I hope to post all 11, TGLW!
So, feel free, of course, to answer all at once, but also don’t think that hinders you from entering the discussion on each individual point, today’s being obedience to God’s Word.
.... compared to the apostle Paul....
Paul wrote that Scripture that is accused of being antinomian.
That should tell you something.
If we could obey the scriptures... Jesus would not have had to die. Unfortunately, we are sinners who disobey every day. We need an advocate, a savior.
And even if we COULD follow scripture completely (which we can’t), remember, it is not works that gains us eternal life, it is the gift from God. Remember the story of the rich young man who claimed to have been obedient to the Law his whole life.
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Jesus did not call us to a wishy washy faith were were all we have to do is just "believe"...Simply acknowledging God and His Word is not the same as following Him.
Believing is the first step. After that you must walk the walk or your claim to be a follower of God is false.
Brother aimhigh,
Should we do the things suggested? I believe the answer is yes. Do we fail? Yes.
We are human and no matter what we do we will never meet the perfection God requires for entry into His Kingdom.
To suggest we must meet a “test” for our salvation preys on our guilt. It also tempts us to be prideful.
The beauty of Christianity is the gift of salvation is available to anyone who asks for it. Once saved you are a new being, however the transformation isn’t immediate. Unfortunately we have to carry this dead body around. We should be encouraging each other when we fail or about to fail. Not setting tripwires
I’m not calling anyone out or attempting to be disruptive. Debates like this should help us grow .
Peace.
My original post was related more to meeting the tests of obedience than testing for salvation. In regards to salvation, I agree with your post, to an extent. 1 John says, "by this we know we are of the truth, if we have love one another." Call it a test, or call it evidence.
Salvation is solely by faith. After a person says they have come to salvation, If there is no external change, then there probably was no internal change. Will we stumble from time to time? Of course. And over time, God will manifest His work in us.
I think people, being human and all, expect to have to DO something in order to GET something. And if that something is eternal life in heaven with God, then all the more they really think a lot is expected of them to deserve such a great thing. This is where the good news, the Gospel, throws some off. They cannot conceive that God is offering them the gift of eternal life and all He requires is faith, faith to believe and trust in what He has done for us. But, once someone finally understands this, the next question is then, what do I do now, what does God want me to do?
Of course, Scripture doesn't leave us hanging, God tells us what happens next and how our lives WILL be changed by the presence of the Holy Spirit within us and the way God is conforming us to the image of Christ. So, these guidelines MacAuthur gives are edifying ways that a Christian can examine his life to know if he has genuine faith or if he just got excited one time at a church meeting and "let Jesus into his heart" but nothing happened after that. I think we all question our faith sometimes, but, if we see these traits happening in our lives and we have received Christ as Savior and believe in Him, we can have assurance that God IS working in us and that tells us we ARE His.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6)
Thank you for posting this series.
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