How Can I Know if I've Been Genuinely Converted?
Notes
Transcript
5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
QUESTION: How can I know if I’ve been genuinely converted?
The MacArthur Study Bible The Character of Genuine Saving Faith
I. EVIDENCES THAT NEITHER PROVE NOR DISPROVE ONE’S FAITH
A. Visible Morality:
Matt. 19:16–21; 23:27.
B. Intellectual Knowledge:
Rom. 1:21; 2:17ff.
C. Religious Involvement:
Matt. 25:1–10
D. Active Ministry:
Matt. 7:21–24
E. Conviction of Sin:
Acts 24:25
F. Assurance:
Matt. 23
G. Time of Decision:
Luke 8:13, 14
How can I know if I’ve been genuinely converted?
EVIDENCES THAT NEITHER PROVE NOR DISPROVE ONE’S FAITH
Being Good!
16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.
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2. Being Smart!
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
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C. Religious Involvement:
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
3. Being a Servant!
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
4. Being Convicted of Sin
25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”
F. Assurance:
5. Making a Decision
13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
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So, how can I know if I’ve been genuinely converted?
ANSWER: John’s first epistle offers several “tests” to help Christians know if they have come to genuine faith in Christ:
John’s first epistle offers several “tests” to help Christians know if they have savingly come to faith in Christ:
The Belief Test: (:1a)
1 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.
So ask yourself: do I trust in Jesus Christ for salvation?
— The obedience test:
The Obedience Test:
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John
So ask yourself: does my life show a pattern of habitual, unrepentant sin, or of repenting of sin and striving to walk in the light?
The Love Test:
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
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So ask yourself: do I love other Christians in concrete ways that show the reality of my faith?
The Perseverance Test:
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
Those who do not persevere in the faith prove that their faith was false in the first place.
So ask yourself: am I continuing in the faith despite struggles and opposition?
One more principle:
Even Christians are prone to self-deceit. Therefore, work through these questions with the members of your church who best know and love you.
14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
Of course, that’s hard to do if you haven’t let people into your life in the first place.
; ). Of course, that’s hard to do if you haven’t let people into your life in the first place.