"Evidence of Salvation!"

Introduction

I nearly titled this message, “Proof of Life!” But then I realized that’s a bit dark for a sermon title!

BUT THAT WAS and IS THE ISSUE! The “report”(v.9) was whether “…our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance” – (v.5)!

Was there fruit or evidence their salvation was real in Thessalonica?

Which remains a valid question for today:

Is there evidence of your salvation, and what does that look like? What are the metrics of whether a person is born again? Does the Bible provide a measure or standard to know whether a person is saved?

The Bible certainly encourages, and in fact, commands a personal evaluation!

(2 Corinthians 13:5) (2 Peter 1:10)

NOTICE that this is a self-administered test! Regarding salvation, you are not qualified, nor given permission to test others; only yourself!

We are to test Elders and Deacons – (1 Timothy 3:10) We are to test “…the spirits to see if they are from God” – (1 John 4:1) And the Church at Ephesus was commended for testing “…those who call themselves apostles and are not” (Revelation 2:2b).

But when it comes to testing if a person is saved or not, you are to test yourself! (See above…)

You are not QUALIFIED, nor do you have PERMISSION to judge another’s salvation!

(John 5:22-23, 26-27) (Romans 14:4)

BACK to question we asked earlier:

Does the Bible provide a measure or standard to know whether a person is saved? Is there a way to know if I am “…in the faith?”

ANSWER: YES!

Our passage this morning is certainly not the ONLY one, but it’s a GOOD ONE!

(READ TEXT – 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10) – PRAY!

(v.9a) - “for they themselves report what kind of reception we had among you:”

In this “report” we see a snapshot of Christian conversion: (1) a decisive break with idols, (2) an active service of God, and (3) a patient waitingfor Christ.

A person who is genuinely saved is characterized by three things:

I. I Have Made a Decisive Break with Idols! – (v.9b)

(v.9b) –“…how you turned to God from idols”

This verb translated ‘turned’ (ἐπεστρέψατε) became an almost technical term for conversion!

LUKE uses it repeatedly in the Book of Acts: (3:19; 9:35; 11:21; 14:15; 15:19; 26:18, 20; 28:27)

It came to signify a turn from sin to Christ, from darkness to light, from lies to truth, and from idols to God, and was strongly associated with repentance!

PERHAPS you are thinking, “Well that’s all well and good pastor, but surely we don’t have the same problems with idols as they had in ancient Greece—there’s very few temples with idols in NWA!”

I would suggest that the shape of our idols is different, but that many are in the same bondage!

(Colossians 3:5) (Ephesians 5:3-5)

Stott: “Both immorality and greed are later pronounced by Paul to be forms of idolatry because they demand an allegiance which is due to God alone.”

II. I Am Serving the Living and True God! – (v.9c)

(v.9c) –“…to serve the living and true God.”

Stott: “The claim to have turned to God from idols is manifestly bogus if it does not result in serving the God to whom we have turned.”

Jesus had a very clear message to Satan in this regard: (Matthew 4:10)

It’s precisely because God is “…living and true” that we respond in service!

An idol is neither living, nor true, and therefore any response is futile and a complete waste of time and effort!

III. I Am Waiting for the Return of Jesus Christ! – (v.10)

(v.10) – “…and to wait for his Son from heaven”

Whereas ‘serving’ is active, ‘waiting’ is passive!

Stott: “In Christian terms ‘serving is getting busy for Christ on earth, while ‘waiting’ is looking for Christ to come from heaven. Yet these two are not incompatible. On the contrary, each balances the other. On one hand, however hard we work and serve, there are limits to what we can accomplish. We can only improve society; we cannot perfect it.”

In this first reference to the Return of Jesus, we learn two final truths from Chapter One:

FIRST, Jesus is further described as the One “…whom he raised from the dead.”

The consistent teaching of the NT is thatthe Resurrection is proof that Jesus is the Son of God!

(Romans 1:4)

FINALLY, Jesus is the One, “…who rescues us from the coming wrath.”

This chapter, like every chapter in this letter, closes with a reference to the Return: (1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:16-18; 5:23)

The REASON we can wait patiently is because Jesus is living, and true, and He is COMING AGAIN!

TEST YOURSELF: Have you turned to God from the idols of this age? Are you serving the living and true God? Are you waiting for the Return of Jesus Christ? If not, will you?

NOTICE the test includes our PAST, our PRESENT, and our FUTURE!