True salvation test

I wouldn’t say there is “test’ per se, but here is an excerpt from John MacArthur’s Study Bible.

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; 2:17
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

II. The Fruit/Proofs of Authentic/True Christianity.
A. Love for God: Pss. 42:1ff; 73:25; Luke 10:27; Rom. 8:7
B. Repentance from Sin: Ps. 32:5; Prov. 28:13; Rom. 7:14; 2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 1:81-10
C. Genuine Humility: Ps. 51:17; Matt. 5:1-12; James 4:6,9
D. Devotion to God’s Glory: Pss. 105:3; 115:1; Is. 43:7, 48:10; Jer. 9:23,24; 1 Cor. 10:31
E. Continual Prayer: Luke 18:1; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; 1 Tim. 1:1-4; James 5:16-18
F. Selfless Love: 1 John: 2:9, 3:14; 4:7
G. Separation from the World : 1 Cor. 2:12; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17, 5:5
H. Spiritual Growth: Luke 8:15; John 15:1-6; Eph. 4”12-16
I. Obedient Living: Matt. 7:21; John 15:14; Rom. 16:26; 1 Pet. 1:2,22; 1 John 2:3-5
J. Hunger for God’s Word: 1 Pet. 2:1-3
K Transformation of Life: 2 Cor. 5:17

 

If List I is true of a person and List II if false, there is cause to question the validity of one’s profession of faith. Yet if List II is true, then the top list will be also. (From the same Study Bible)

 

I John 5:1-13

Believe ON Jesus as the Christ (different than just believing Christ existed or even just being afraid of Him, as the Devils are.)

Frenchy,

what if someone else looked at your life and decided that you had not sufficiently proven to them that you were actually saved? Be careful not to apply your own standards to this other person's life, and decide based on those standards that they have not progressed to any success in their Christian life so they must not be saved.
God works on the inside first, and for some of us there's alot more issues on the inside that need to be taken care of than for others. For instance, a lack of self-discipline will manifest itself in many ways which to us outsiders will look like worldly practices. Some people are raised without much discipline at all, and as adults they have alot harder time overcoming that. But maybe this person has gained a great victory over some kind of inner issue that you don't even know about....but God does.

I believe it is very presumptuous of us to decide that another person must not be saved.

 

Bapmom speaks truth.

 

Frenchy,

the list that Brice put up is not what I would ask you about if we were discussing your personal salvation.

I would ask you if you have trusted in Jesus as your own Saviour, if you believe He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that it is only through Him that you can be saved from the penalty of your sin.

As for your stepdaughter, why does she say that she is saved? How does she describe her salvation to you? Can she do so at all? And is there a reason within her testimony that you doubt that experience?

The problem I see with your evaluation of the friend you brought to Christ, is that there might not be evident fruit for quite some time. He may struggle in the area of producing any visible fruit for years. He may indeed just not be growing. He might never have truly understood what salvation is, and needs more witnessing.

 

Frenchy,

please understand, Im not attacking you at all in this.

But she's going to be defensive with you now, IF you have claimed to her that her works are not sufficient to prove to you that she is really saved. Usually defensiveness comes when we feel we are being attacked as a person. I know thats not your intention, but she is in a state of rebellion, and her defensiveness in and of itself can be an indication that she is feeling conviction from God.
Please don't question to her the validity of her salvation any longer. I think if she's being defensive than you are no longer helping but harming. Don't close the door to her listening to another witness.
Try to get her to go to your church with you.....if you have a pastor who gives a clear presentation of the gospel on a regular basis in his messages.

 

I think we all need to remember the Lord deals with us as individuals and not with some chart up on the wall to meet some daily quota. We were all saved imperfect and the last time I checked I am still imperfect.

Salvation lies simply in trusting IN Jesus Christ. God does not do a makeover on us a Volkswagen into a Cadillac. But he does improve our character as we abide in the Lord over many years. Some folks grow spiritually quickly, while others are stubborn like me and must be pampered and nurtured for a long time, to turn that frog into a prince.

But it is wrong to look at someone who is in your eyes suppose to be a Christian and you know first hand that they still smoke, watch the wrong kind of TV shows and still wish they could lob a few grenades into the supervisor's office at work. Why? Because our Lord must CAUSE us to grow by HIS SPIRIT and waiting for us to finally realize, "I'm not what I should be" and I could be better. Then we submit when we finally realize you can't straddle the fence and really be happy in your walk with the Lord. Time is the key.

 

but see, its not up to us to test another person's salvation. I often am called a "legalist" because I have some personal standards of dress and conduct which some others don't agree with. Ok, but according to what I would think of as legalism, testing another person's salvation based on their how "good" or "bad" they act is the ultimate fulfillment.

Im just saying to be cautious. If you start to "badger" your stepdaughter about how she acts, you will only be pushing her further away. I have a sister who went through a rebellious time like this. God finally got through to her, after she had been brought to rock bottom, and she now is living for God again. She never said that she was not saved during that time, but it took over ten years for her to get through this. Thats how long she fought God.

I also don't assume that everyone who says "Lord, Lord" is saved.....but Im not going to judge their works for them.

 

Amen, bapmom.You're right on

 

One more important test...love for the brethren.

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." 1 John 3:14

When one gets saved they always have a unique love for fellow Christians. Even if they don't know them. I can attest that this happened to me. (Titus 3:15)

And perhaps at times we shouldn't test others to see if they are saved. But our church does before we allow them to become members since we have congregational rule. (1 Cor. 2:14)

But the individual had better test themselves to see if they be in the faith!

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in
you, except ye be reprobates?" 2 Cor. 13:5

 

I hope I didn't imply a "test" of salvation; that was not my intention. I was simply trying to give some scriptual standards, by which you could assess something. Salvation is a personal thing and all we can do is preach the good news and pray. God bless.

 

Well I hope all goes well and I will keep her in my prayers; I'm sure others will as well. God bless.