How to Be Sure You are a Christian

Intro:

Christ is to be on the throne of our life.

Salvation and being a follower of Jesus involves a total commitment

There are three areas of commitment

Intellectual Commitment

State in your own words what you think Jesus meant when He made the following claims?

John 10:30-33

John 10:30–33 ESV

I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

John 14:8-9

John 14:8–9 ESV

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

2. Who do you say Jesus is and why?

The Bible teaches the trinity:

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit

3 in one

each is the other, each is coequal and all attributes are shared.

3. Why did Jesus come? Romans 8:23

Romans 8:23 ESV

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.

4. Why did He die? 1 Peter 3:18

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

5. What is the significance to us of the resurrection of Christ? 1 PEter 1:3

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Jesus bridged the gap between God and us.

To be a Christian, you must honestly face the claims of Jesus Christ and believe intellectually that He is God, that He died for your sins and was buried, and that HE rose again.

Emotional Commitment

Our emotions are feelings and reactions about different events. Each of us respond differently to life events.

Compare Paul and Timothy’s experience in coming to Christ. Acts 22:6-10 2 Timothy 1:5

Acts 22:6–10 ESV

“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

Feelings can be deceitful. As believers, we are called to walk by faith. Faith, not our sight, feelings, what the crowd says, etc.

God gives us three confirmations which can lead to assurance regardless of our feelings.

Threefold Confirmation:

Trustworthy Word 1 John 5:9-13

1 John 5:9–13 ESV

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

Confirming Holy Spirit Romans 8:16

Romans 8:16 ESV

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Changed Life 1 John 2:3-6

1 John 2:3–6 ESV

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.

Volitional Commitment

Being sure we are a Christian involves the intellect, emotions, and lastly our will.

Facts to put Your Faith in:

Christ came into your life Revelation 3:20

Revelation 3:20 ESV

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

2. Your sins were forgiven. Colossians 2:12-14 1 John 1:8-9

Colossians 2:12–14 ESV

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

1 John 1:8–9 ESV

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.

3. You became a child of God. John 1:12-13

John 1:12–13 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

4. You received eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13

1 John 5:11–13 ESV

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

Decide based upon the facts.

Conclusion: