A Biblical Survey on the Evidence of Justification — Conveying Assurance of Salvation, and Judging a False Profession (part 1)

Christendom runs at about 2+ billion people throughout the world. There are many diverse groups, sects, beliefs within that mixture, majority embracing peculiar anomalies of Christianity and dead religion, false gospels running rampant throughout mostly all, with very, very few exceptions.

Among the groups that would profess to believe in a Biblical gospel, a large percentage purvey errors on salvation itself and the assurance of salvation, and few churches teach the truth of this subject. Almost without exception the assurance of salvation that is taught is entirely subjective, applicable to anyone that embraces Christianity in some kind of form, nominally, to essentially anyone that has any intellectual knowledge on salvation, a faith in facts. This is not the true Biblical doctrine of assurance, but it fits with the false gospels and salvation plans that are being spoon fed to these same people.

Every true born again believer knows with certainty he is saved without any shadow of doubt, a sure confidence that by the merits of Christ he was reconciled to the favour of God; he knows exactly what transpired on that miraculous day of the new birth, when the sinner became a saint, when he was regenerated, justified, reconciled, redeemed, washed and forgiven, sanctified, "in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor 6:11). These things will immediately and permanently produce fruit and godly effects, conveying assurance of their salvation.

Biblical assurance is the confidence and byproduct of the evidence of salvation, of regeneration, which is the effect and fruit of true, genuine salvation. This is the proper manner of obtaining assurance of salvation. Assurance does not come from faith in facts, it is not subjective, like many, many falsely claim (for instance, the Keswick purveyor Evan Roberts, who claimed to have “assurance of faith” you must simply “Believe you are saved, and then confess it.” -  Brynmor P. Jones, Voices From the Welsh Revival, 1904-1905, p. 107). Biblical assurance is not obtained by simply convincing oneself that he is saved and then saying to others that he is. If this were indeed the case, every person in the world could have assurance of salvation based simply on believing what Scripture says of salvation, faith in the promises of God. The true doctrine of assurance of salvation is however objective. It is measurable and testable.

The importance of this subject can’t be overstated. Where salvation is taught in God’s Word, evidence is taught. They go hand in hand. In Scripture many people that professed to believe, were in fact unbelievers, the evidence of their lives or beliefs revealing this (e.g. Matt 7:15-20, 21-23; 13:10-15,18-22; Mk 4:10-19; Jn 2:23-25; 6:60-66; 8:31-37; 13:8-11; Ac 8:13-24; 1 Jn 2:19; 3:1, 14-18; 2 Pet 2:1-3, 16-22). True salvation itself, which is always superdramatic (like the physical birth of a baby--Jn 3:3-7), will bring about immediate assurance of salvation (how could it not!), which combined produces fruit and effects by the very nature of the new birth, and this is evidence that the new birth has indeed occurred in the repentant sinner, and henceforth bringsforth assurance of salvation. One with a merely outward profession should not expect to have Biblical assurance of salvation, for he is absent of the evidence of salvation. On the other hand, believers who do manifest the obedience of faith and know they have been regenerated (their testimony of salvation is Biblical) do not doubt their salvation. God wants His faithful people to joyfully possess an assured salvation, and a lack of assurance is a great hinderance to the further growth of Christian faith and to holy living (1 Jn 1:4; 2:1; 5:13c; Heb 10:19-23).

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" (Heb 10:22-23)

Firstly, Can We or Should We Judge People to be Unsaved?

We often hear that we can't know for certain whether someone is saved or not. To that we would say, "let God be true, but every man a liar" (Rom. 3:4a). God's Word is truth. He has succinctly declared whether we can know, and it's His Word that judges the situation. If man's word and his experiences go against Scripture, then man is a liar and God is true. Isaiah 8:20 bears witness to this, and the passage actually gives approval to proving whether someone is saved or not. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” We judge someone’s word (their “law”) and life (their “testimony”), and based upon that we can know whether their are in the “light” or not. If they are not in the light, they are in darkness, for it is one or the other, there is NO admixture (Lk 11:33-36). We are "called [saved] . . . out of darkness into his marvellous light:" (1 Pet 2:9). Born again believers "are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness" (1 Th 5:5), for the new birth "open[ed] their eyes," and "turn[ed] them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God," receiving the "forgiveness of sins, and inheritance" in eternal life and God's kingdom (Ac 26:18). Light hath no communion with darkness (2 Cor 6:14), "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" (Eph 5:8). No light equates darkness, and darkness equates unregeneracy. Thus we do not judge a persons faith by their profession alone, but also by their lifestyle and behaviour (that's how they even judge their own faith).

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt 7:21)

There are literally hundreds of passages of Scripture that teach we can know whether we or someone else is saved. In fact we HAVE to know. Salvation is a know-so. How could a truly regenerated person not know? "Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor. 13:5b). How else would we know who to fellowship with? Or how would we know who to take into the local church membership and brotherhood? It would be impossible to then tell, but indeed we are commanded to know this: "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 Jn. 1:3). Testimony by words isn't enough. It has to be confirmed (1 Cor 1:6). "By their fruits ye shall know them" (Matt. 7:16, 20), "for the tree is known by his fruit" (Matt. 12:33). "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh" (Lk. 6:45). 

Yes, that kind of judgment has to be made. It does. A pastor for instance must have “faithful children” (Ti 1:6), which means judging faithfulness is occurring. Matt 18:17 is written for this purpose. We can judge whether someone is a false believer or a false teacher (Matt 7:15; 2 Pet 2:1-3; Ju 1:3-4). If we know what a false teacher is, we obviously must know what a true teacher is. And indeed we are given plenty of criteria to know. False teachers are obviously unsaved people.

When someone has been disciplined from a church, should he be judged to be unsaved? Yes and No. Yes, in that Jesus said in Matt 18, "let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." It doesn't say that we think he's unsaved. We are to regard him as unsaved. We don't really know. Why else would we regard someone as unsaved, who has been disciplined from a church? Consider 1 Jn 2:19: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." What is "were not of us"? If a person was "of us," he no doubt would be with us. "Of us" is expressing salvation, especially as you look at the context (1 Jn 2:3-4; 2:15-17). He's not with us. He's in the world. He loves the world more than us. The love of the Father is not in him (1 Jn 2:15). If the love of the Father is not in you, then you aren't saved (1 Jn 2:15). God is love. No love, no God. God's love never leaves a saved person (Rom 8:28-39). The point of church discipline is not condemnation; however, we are instructed to regard people as not saved. It's like this.

When erroring on the side of caution, testing by Scripture, we are instructed to regard people as unsaved. It's like this. Genuine conversion comes with evidence. We don't know someone is saved just because he professes to be saved. That is clear from James and 1 John. Jude says that they creep in unawares (Ju 1:4), which is why we must “earnestly contend for the faith” (Ju 1:3). Creeping in unawares means that we don't know it. Churches today have (mostly) unsaved people in them, and today's evangelical, reformed and even most baptist churches are loaded with them, so we're not even sure if anyone in many churches are actually saved. Remember Judas? Nobody but Jesus knew he was lost. And he was nasty.

When it comes to salvation, the Bible teaches that there is clearly seen evidence thereof in the person's life (e.g., Jn 10:27; 2 Cor. 5:17; Ti. 1:16; 1 Jn. 2:3-4). Based on the clear teaching of God's Word, we can usually and confidently know who is a true disciple of Christ and who is not. The odd Judas will slip in, but that is the exception and not the rule.

Just because someone has some kind of “faith” in Jesus does not mean they are saved. The devils also believe, and even tremble before God (Jam 2:19) but they are unsaved. The devil will never repent and exercise true faith in Christ. A person can believe in the Triune God and not be saved (Jam. 2:19), believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and not be saved (Jn. 2:23-25; Ac. 8:13-24), be a disciple of Jesus and not be saved (Jn. 6:60-66; Matt. 27:1-4), implore to know Jesus and pray to Him and not be saved (Matt. 7:22-23; Lk. 18:11-12), call Jesus Lord and not be saved (Matt. 7:21; Lk. 6), prophesy in Jesus’ name, even true prophecies that come to pass, and not be saved (Matt. 7:22-23; Jn. 11:49-52 and 18:13-14; Num. 22–24 and Ju. 1:11), do wonderful works in Jesus’ name and not be saved (Matt. 7:22-23; Judas—Matt. 10; Jn 13), have a zeal for God and not be saved (Rom. 10:2-3), have a zeal to make proselytes for God and not be saved (Matt. 23:15), be very interested in Christ and not be saved (Matt. 19:16-22), profess to know God and not be saved (Ti. 1:16), follow and serve Christ and not be saved (Jn. 6:60-66, 70), be a pastor of a church and not be saved (3 Jn. 1:9-11; Rev 3:14-18). Yea, one can believe and do all that, but still not be saved. The Bible is very clear that sinners must be born again and that actually entails something and always produces substance, fruit and evidence.

The Scripture exhort us to examine ourselves (2 Cor 13:5; 2 Pet 1:10) and others (Matt 7:6, 15-20; 2 Pet 2:1-22; Ju 1:3-16), to try the spirits (1 Tim 4:1), to prove all things (1 Th 5:21), to test someones doctrine and beliefs whether they are of God (Ac 17:11; Is 8:20). The Bible warns of a “faith” that does not save.

“Now when [Jesus] was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man." (Jn 2:23-25)

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (Jam 2:17)

One who does not manifest the obedience of faith should neither be self-assured, nor be assured by others, that he has indeed passed from death to life. Born again believers have the blessed privilege of being assured of their salvation (1 Jn 5:13), but only those who manifest the changes evident in Scripture and especially epistles such as 1 John and James are truly believers. They follow the pattern of Jesus Christ, who told those that were professing to believe in Him (Jn 8:30), “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (Jn 8:31-32). Someone who has newly professed conversion should not be given assurance because he has a prayed a sinner’s prayer or made an outward profession. They should be told to obey the Word of God and continue in obedience to the whole counsel of God (Matt 28:19). A true believer will certainly have this desire and will follow Christ in obedience to His Word, but if they do not, we know that they are unsaved. The people that Jesus was preaching to in Jn 8 would in very short order expose themselves to be false "believers," exposed by Jesus Himself (Jn 8:32-47) and exposed by their own their unbelief and wicked behaviour and bondage to sin (Jn 8:48-59). While it is most proper to rejoice that someone has repented, ambassadors of Christ must explain that true conversion results in a lifestyle of obedience to Jesus Christ, explaining what Scripture sets forth as the faithfulness that pertains to the just, though these things should have been conferred to seeking sinners prior to conversion (Matt 28:19). The effects and expectations of regeneration should be known to those seeking for truth and life.

Today there is way too much inclusion among professing Christians. Scripture excludes where we include. This is unhelpful. If we are going to tend toward anything, I think we should tend toward giving people the judgment that they might not be saved. Why do we want to give credit to people on this side of eternity? If there is a question, then we should keep it a question. That's how I read scripture. Scripture isn't attempting to give the benefit of the doubt. Many more people are unsaved today, I believe, than what people are saying. They say, "saved," but likely, "unsaved." The gospel has been dumbed down. People are disobedient and yet still given credit as saved. One reason for this is because even the most conservative churches are giving people this type of credit, not being careful with membership, and in many cases looking for numbers and bucks, overly eager of pronouncement. Churches rush to the most lenient position. It results in false pretenders staying exactly that. We do wrong by including a mere profession of faith as a sign of genuine conversion. We have the Scriptures exhorting us to examine ourselves, to try the spirits, to prove all things. We have learned it is beneficial to challenge people's profession of faith. Where there is no heart for God, there is no new heart given by God. 

The true born again believer has eternal security of his salvation, while the false pretender make-belief "believer" has eternal insecurity.

The Superdramatic Things That Occur at Salvation Demand Expected Outcomes of Fruit and Evidence

The once lost sinner and now saved saint (saved people are referred to as “saints” over 60x in the NT alone— e.g. Ju. 1:3; 2 Th. 1:10; Eph. 4:12; etc) is born again which means to be regenerated and made a new creature in Christ Jesus (Jn. 1:12-13; 3:3-8; Ti. 3:3-7; 2 Cor. 5:17) with a new heart (Ezk 18:30-32; 36:25-27); is justified, which means to be declared righteous before God (Rom. 5:1; 8:30); is washed and cleansed and forgiven of all sins forever (1 Cor. 6:11; Col. 1:14; 2:10-15); is sanctified, which means to be made holy and set apart by God and for God (Heb. 10:10-14; Ju 1:1); is adopted into God’s family as an heir and co-heir with Christ as a child of God adopted into God's family and He becoming their Father (2 Cor. 6:17-18; Rom. 8:14-17); is reconciled with God (2 Cor. 5:18-19); is given life and eternal and everlasting life that can never be lost (Jn. 3:15-16, 35; 5:24, 39-40; etc); is quickened which means to be made alive, their spirit is revived through the circumcision of the heart from the flesh (Eph. 2:1-5; Col. 2:10-15; Rom. 2:28-29; De. 30:6); is sealed by God the Spirit until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30); is indwelled by God the Spirit (1 Cor 5; Gal. 2:20) is imputed with God’s righteousness (Rom. 4:1-25; 2 Cor. 5:21); and so many more things!

The new birth does not bring sinless perfection, but it always brings new and genuine changed spiritual life. The New Covenant includes both the Divine promise, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” and the equally sure Divine promise, “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people” (Heb 8:10-12). Those that do not have the law written in their mind and heart, their sins have not been remitted. All the saints, not an elite minority of them only, are just, and not by imputed righteousness only, but also by imparted righteousness.

A person cannot have assurance of salvation without the fruit of salvation, and you cannot have fruit without a genuine Biblical conversion and the expected outcome of evidence. The tension is in the self-examination as Paul stated, “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith.” (2 Cor 13:5).

A man doesn’t become someone by what he does. He is who he is by what his heart condition is — whether in-Christ or out-of-Christ, whether saved or unsaved. Our behaviour and belief comes out of our position in-Christ (saved) or out-of-Christ (unsaved). You cannot change your nature anymore than a man can change his stature, or a leopard its spots. Scripture speaks to this:

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” (Pr. 23:7a)

What comes out of man, his behaviour, words, actions and beliefs, comes from the heart. And the heart is either circumcised and made new and alive, or remains uncircumcised and yet the same dead heart.

The true born again believer undergoes a heart operation at the very moment of the new birth, not made by hands but without, not the hands of man but of God, the operation of circumcision, the supernatural surgical precise operation of perfection, slicing away and separating the heart from the flesh, and thereby quickening the spirit of man and giving him or her a new heart. The incredible 30th chapter of Deuteronomy speaks to it, and revisited by Paul in Col 2.

"And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." (De 30:6)

Col. 2:10-15 also teaches us this circumcision. Salvation brings the complete circumcision “of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (v. 11). This circumcision is “made without hands” (v. 11) “through the faith of the operation of God” (v. 12) and refers to our spirit and soul being circumcised from our flesh (vv. 11-13) and results in being quickened, made alive, together with Christ (Eph. 2:1). This is made possible by the forgiveness of all sins and trespasses: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (vv. 13-14). Our sins are remembered against us no more, never again imputed to us (Rom 4:7-8), for we have been eternally redeemed and our sins already judged on the cross.

De. 10:12-16 likewise expresses this wonderful truth, Moses' call to the children of Israel to be saved:

“And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.”

Thus, we understand how it is that saved people love the Lord thy God with all their heart and soul, and why Jesus told an unsaved man that eternal life comes through loving the Lord thy God will all thine heart, soul, body and strength (Lk 10:25-28). It is possible only through the new birth where God circumcises the heart and makes it new. The hearts of the unsaved are uncircumcised (Ezk. 44:7; De. 10:12-16) while the saved are circumcised (De. 30:6; Col. 2:10-15; Rom. 2:28-29; 15:8-9). Those hard of heart and stiff necked are uncircumcised in their heart and flesh, and all lost people are “uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh,” (Ezk. 44:7), while saved people all have their hearts and flesh circumcised permanently at salvation (De. 30:6; Col. 2:10-15; Rom. 2:28-29).

Saved people do NOT have wicked and deceptive and evil hearts ever again (cf. Ti. 3:3-7; Mk. 7:20-23; De. 11:16; 2 Tim. 3:13); their hearts have been made new, quickened, saved, justified, circumcised, etc (De. 10:12-16; 30:6; Jer. 24:7; Ezk. 11:19-21; 18:30-32; 36:25-27; Rom. 2:28-29; 15:8-9; Col. 2:10-15).

In the NT, Rom. 2:28-29 speaks to it as well, and though it is written to the Jew, the teaching and principle of salvation remains the same for all:

“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

This produces remarkable, unmistakable and dramatic changes immediately and ongoing in the repentant-sinner, saved-saint. These are amazing truths that an Amazing and Almighty God performs in the sinner that repents and flees to Him for refuge, for the salvation of their wretched souls. All of heaven rejoices (Lk 15), and we can see the loving and tender care of a Thrice Holy Loving God towards the repentant sinner whom He joyfully saves. We know how great salvation really is (Heb 2:3), but how much greater is the God that does the saving!!

Many Profess But Most Are Unsaved—Many Are Called but Few Are Chosen

You are unsure when you were saved or "saved" at some young age where you know nothing about true conversion, or there was never any true change after a profession? The Bible teaches that a lost sinner must repent and believe at a particular moment in time. One who has been genuinely born again will know when it happened. If you have never seen yourself as lost, never genuinely repented (which is the foundation of salvation) and believed in Christ, you are yet dead in your sins, under God’s wrath, and headed for hell. Could you say with the Psalmist (Ps 66:16)?

"Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul." 

The Bible teaches that there is a spurious faith, and it teaches that most that profess Christianity have this faith. In the parable of the sower, Jesus spoke of "faith" that is merely temporary. “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away” (Lk 8:13). These professing believers received the word with joy and believed for a season; but in the time of trial, they fell away. They lacked root and thus fruit; and they did not continue. The thorny soil has the same issue, lacking fruit and thus root. "And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection." (Lk 8:14). These are ones that Paul had in mind when he said, “Believing in vain” (1 Cor. 15:2). This is non-saving faith. Though it has some marks of true saving faith, the evidence of a spurious, counterfeit, temporary faith soon appears.

True Biblical supernatural conversion requires not “reformed faith” but “transformed faith.” True faith that truly changes the person and transforms their life permanently. Just because someone says they are a Christian does not necessarily mean they are actually “in Christ." The “devils also believe, and tremble” (Jam 2:19) but they are obviously not saved. Many pious sounding people have preached and written over the course of history, but many of them have never been truly regenerate, the so-called "church fathers" for example, and many of the Protestant Reformers, such as John Calvin, Martin Luther and John Wesley (the links proving the case). Today, in the last days of end-times apostasy, this is worse than ever. The Jews in Jn 2:23-25 professed to believe in Christ, but they were not saved. The Jews in John 8 professed that they believed (v. 31), but they were not (vv. 32-36) and shortly after this profession of faith they attempted to murder Jesus (v. 59) because He exposed their false profession and ungodly, rebellious nature, declaring to them that they were of the devil (v. 44) and that He was God (vv. 54-58) and for those reasons they did not know or understand His words (vv. 43-47). Judas Iscariot the same story. Simon the Sorcerer likewise, who even continued in the ministry with Philip while all along a false deceptive, power-seeking servant of Satan (Ac 8:13-24; cf. 2 Cor 11:12-15). Balaam ditto (Num 22-24; 31:16; Jos 13:22; 2 Pet 2:15; Ju 1:11; Rev 2:14). The "many disciples" of Jesus in Jn. 6:60-66 the same sad fact. They were all unsaved. The Bible is full of examples of this and Matt 7:13-14 is not written without purpose, those entering the narrow gate are few:

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.”

In Luke 13 the Lord Jesus speaks to this. To the question “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (Lk. 13:23) Jesus responded:

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Lk. 13:24)

The Lord Jesus warned that there would be many people that would claim Him as their Lord and Saviour and yet not be known by Him:

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt 7:21-23)

Many make professions but Biblically and historically we know thats all they were: professions in the absence of possession. There are many things a person may do, and remain unsaved. A person could...

• Believe in the Triune God and not be saved (Jam 2:19).

• Believe in Jesus and not be saved (Jn 2:23-25; Ac 8:13-24).

• Be a disciple of Jesus and not be saved (Jn 6:60-66; Matt 27:1-4)

• Pray to Jesus and not be saved (Matt 7:22-23; Lk 18:11-12).

• Call Jesus Lord and not be saved (Matt 7:21; Lk.6:46-49).

• Prophecy in Jesus’ name, even true prophecies that come to pass, and not be saved (Matt 7:22-23; Jn 11:49-52; 18:13-14; Num 22-24; Ju. 1:11).

• Do wonderful works in Jesus’ name and not be saved (Matt 7:22-23; Judas Iscariot).

• Perform great miracles and not be saved (Judas Iscariot - Matt 10:

• Have a zeal for God and not be saved (Rom 10:2-3).

• Have a zeal to make proselytes for God and not be saved (Matt 23:15).

• Be very interested in Jesus Christ and not be saved (Matt 19:16-22).

• Profess to know God and not be saved (Ti 1:16; Ac 8:13-24).

• Follow and serve Christ and not be saved (Jn 6:60-66, 70). 

There are multitudes who have been falsely assured of their so-called "salvation" by another person (which right there is a flag on its own), that they are going to heaven, when they've actually never truly been converted and come to know the Lord. Assurance of salvation, does not come from man but from the indwelling Spirit or God witnessing with our spirit that we are children of God, and assuring us by the Word of God through the evidence of salvation. Those without a dramatic conversion and immediate change into a new creature and then immediate and ongoing fruit of salvation have simply never been born again. Their life never truly changed. They never genuinely repented. They have not ceased to do evil and learned to do well. They never truly believed the Gospel from the heart. They never received and surrendered to the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ from a repentant heart. They might have some form of religion, but they do not have the new birth.

The reality of professing believers who are still lost is presented throughout the Bible and there are many. There is Lot’s wife (Gen 19:26; Lk 17:26-33); King Joash (2 Ki 12; 2 Ch 24); Balaam (Num 23 and 24; Ju 1:11); Esau (Gen 25; 27; Heb 12:15-17); Judas (Matt 27; Jn 13); Simon (Ac 8); Hebrews in the Wilderness (Ps 78; 106; Heb 3:6–4:11; 1 Cor 10:1-10; 2 Cor 3:7–4:4; etc); Pharisees, Scribes, Lawyers and Chief Rulers (Matt 23; Lk 11:37–12:1; Jn 12:42-48); False spies (Lk 20:20); False believers until they were truly saved (Ac 19:1-7); False Jewish believers (Jn 2:23-25); False disciples (Jn 6:60-66); etc. The Bible is clear that many will profess to believe but few are actually saved. We see plenty of examples of that in Scripture. In fact, of the multitudes that professed to believe for instance in Jn. 2:23-25 and professed to be Christ’s disciples in Jn. 6:60-66, none were true believers. They were all hypocrites, minus very very few singled out in the context. That actually goes for almost everyone that followed Christ, of the multitudes. In the end Christ was left with only a little flock (Lk 12:32). Judas Iscariot was a false believer, one of the 12 apostles chosen by the Lord (Ps. 109; Jn. 6:70-71), as was Simon the sorcerer (Ac. 8:13-24). Those that professed to believe in Jesus in Jn 8:30-31, were false believers (see Jn 8:32-59). All the inhabitants of the city of Jericho had the “faith” of the “vain man” of Jam 2:20 (see Jos 2:9-11), but only Rahab truly repentantly believed and entrusted herself to Jehovah (Heb 11:31; Jos 2:11; cf. De 4:39) and consequently acted on her already present living faith. "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (Jam. 2:17). Jam 2 is contrasting true salvation with no salvation (false pretenders). Repentance is the biggest obstacle for a lost sinner to overcome to be saved. Jn. 3:19-21 makes that clear. Jesus and the apostles preached on repentance and its principles way more than on faith. A refusal to humbly repent is the major reason why lost sinners do not get saved. True believers, like Timothy, have “unfeigned faith” (2 Tim 1:5), but there is a faith that does not save (Jam 2:14-29; Jn 2:23-25), a feigned faith. Many have this spurious and feigned faith. Dead false faith is the unrepentant faith demonstrated by Simon the sorcerer (Ac. 8) and the rich young ruler (Matt 19; Mk. 10; Lk. 18) and evangelicalism in general in our present day. The Bible is loaded with these sort of examples (e.g. Jn 6:60-66; 8:30-59; Ac. 20:29-30; 1 Jn. 2:19; 4:1; 2 Jn. 1:9-11; 3 Jn. 1:9-11; Ju. 1:4-16; Heb. 3:7–4:11; 2 Pet. 2:1-3; Rom. 16:18; Matt. 7:13-14, 15-23; Lk. 13:23-30; 2 Cor 13:5; Ti 1:16; Heb 12:15; 2 Pet 2:1-3; 1 Cor 15:34; Rev 3:14-18).

Gods Litmus Test of Faith

The truly saved pass God’s trials and proof test of faith: De 8:1-2; 13:3-4; Pr 17:3; Jn 10:1-5; Jud 3:22; Matt 13:20-23; Lk 9:57-62; Mk 4:13-20; 2 Cor 2:9; 2 Tim 2:19; Jam 2:14-26; 1 Pet 1:7.

Gods command to obey His Ten Commandments (Ex 20:1-2), prefaced to the giving of the Ten Commandments, was not to merit salvation, but indicated that obedience flowing from a heart of love (Ex 20:6) was the fruit of true salvation (Ex 20:20), and that God would prove them in this manner (trying faith through obedience — cf. Ps 11:5; Pr 17:3, which He still does today: e.g. 1 Th 2:4; 1 Pet 4:12). It was by God’s grace (Ex 20:1-2) and love (De 7:7) that Israel was delivered from Egypt, grace that would hopefully lead them to salvation, so they could obey His commandments (De 6:4-6; 30:6), which law was given to “prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not” (Ex 20:20), which words immediately proceed the giving of the Ten Commandments.

God has promised and appointed His children to testing, trials, tribulations, persecutions and suffering (Ps 23:1-6; Phil 1:29; 1 Th 3:3-4; 2 Th 1:4-5; 2 Tim 3:12; Jam 1:2-4; 1 Pet 4:12-19; etc). Not maybe, but absolutely. It is one of the means whereby we grow in faith and grace. It is the sojourn of the saint (Heb 11), the pathway of mountains, valleys, hills, prairies, deserts, orchards, storms, and more, and then God laying down his child "in green pastures" and "lead[ing] [him] beside the still waters," "restor[ing] the soul . . . lead[ing] [us] in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Ps 23:3). They are all on the horizon for the true believer. The child of God stands fast in the Lord. Consider just one example among many: "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;" (Phil 1:29). We see suffering goes hand in hand with salvation. God does not and would not make such promises if He knew that we couldn't make it. It is possible because it is God that works in us and gives us power and strength and endurance (Phil. 1:6; Heb. 13:5-6). God is our lifeline, "our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Ps 46:1). Those that fail these things, responding with bitterness, anger or spite, are very likely unsaved, reflective of the stony soil (1 Th. 3:5; cf. vv. 6-13).

True Christians continue in the faith. Those who are genuinely born again go on, thick or thin. They don't turn back (Heb 10:38-39). They continue: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Ti 2:11-13). The salvation package comes with this teaching. The same grace that saves, teaches, leads, guides and grows, ongoing and continually. The faith that comes by hearing the Word of God is tried, tried, and tried again. It will come forth as gold, though it be tried with fire. It is much more precious than gold that perisheth, because the faith that brings salvation does not perish. The just always live by faith (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38-39).

The truth of testing what the heart professes before man and God is plainly expressed in De 8:1-2, and though the passage is referring to the Israelites, the principles at the end of this text applies to all who profess to belong to Him:

"All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no."

Many, many pastors, teachers, perishers describe a weak, insufficient test of salvation, if they have one to begin with. Lots of lost people faithfully attend church, show interest in Jesus and learning the Bible, have a good countenance and attitude, carry a Bible and read it religiously, appear to be devote Christians, but these attributes are sorely insufficient to test whether someones profession is genuine or not. On their own, they mean almost nothing except that person is interested in Biblical things, maybe even just religious. In these confused times when the vast, vast majority of Christianity, including Evangelicalism, Fundamentalism, Protestantism and even many among Baptistism, is deeply compromised, heretical and apostate, we need to be a lot more careful and biblical in testing salvations.

Just because someone attends church, maybe even Bible school, reads the Bible consistently, has a great attitude, is very giving and gracious, and seems to be a believer in every way, does not prove that he is actually a true believer with absolute certainty. There are better testers of a man's faith than platitudes, personalities and emotional markers. Judas fooled everyone except the Lord, even after nearly three years of co-ministry climaxed with the betrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ, his fellow disciples still did not know that he was the traitor. Did not the Lord Jesus teach us that the tares would be difficult to distinguish from the wheat? Does not Satan have his “ministers of righteousness” who easily present as genuine ministers of God, appearing as angels and preachers of light (2 Cor. 11:15)?

Does that then mean we cannot know? Of course not. The Bible is loaded with evidence and proofs of salvation. True marks and proofs that align with Scripture, and provide assurance of salvation. God Himself tests every profession of faith, not because He doesn't know, but rather so we will know: the individual himself and those around him. This is where keen discernment comes in and knowing the Word of God, studying the Word of God and understanding the vast evidence of true salvation presented therein. It’s everywhere. Where salvation is taught, evidence of salvation is presented, very often in the same breath. For instance, what is commonly referred to as the Beatitudes (Matt 5), Matt 5:3-7 we note the call to salvation (entrance into the Kingdom of heaven, faith and repentance) and Matt 5:8-12, the evidence of that salvation (the outcome, a transformed life with fruit and evidence). They do go hand in hand, because evidence and fruit of salvation happens immediately at conversion. They are so closely connected, we have passages like Rev 22:14-15,

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."

Throughout Scripture, the words "blessed" and "saved" can be used interchangeably. Those that are blessed, and only those, are genuinely saved. This passage almost makes it sound like its through works that we enter the gates of glory. It's not however, because we are saved through repentant faith and by God's grace alone. Nothing less, nothing more. Adding even one work to salvation nullfies grace (Rom 11:6). So what then does Rev 22:14 refer to? Obviously the fruit of true conversion, the evidence of genuine salvation, which is obedience to the commandments of God, the Word of God, and the passage is a stark reminder of the critical nature of fruit and proof of genuine conversion. Saved people, the blessed, do His commandments, for they have the right to the tree of life and entrance into the gates of the city.

God tests us in these ways, to prove to you whether your faith is actually real or counterfeit. God shrinks the group. This is a Biblical reality and we see the pattern throughout the Book of Judges (because of their unsaved condition), the Israelites again turned away from God after forty years of peace brought by Deborah’s victory. God chose Gideon to free the people of Israel and to condemn their idolatry. Among other things, the Angel of the Lord came to Gideon to recruit him to defeat the Midianities. In Judges 7, Gideon sent out messengers to gather together men from the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, as well as his own tribe of Manasseh, but God informed him that the men he had gathered were too many. He didn’t want the Israelites to claim the victory as their own instead of acknowledging that God had saved them. God first instructed Gideon to send home those men who were afraid. 10,000 remained. God told Gideon they were still too many and instructed him to bring them to the water—they either laid down to lap like a dog or knelt down to drink putting their hands to their mouth. The number of those who knelt was 300. God would use them to defeat the Midianites. This is as an example of God’s calling of His saints. Not everyone makes it through—only those who actually truly, genuinely believe in Jesus Christ, which is a vast minority. You really do have to believe, which is not something akin to intellectual assent. It involves the will. Believing in Him means He has charge of you, He is Lord. You know what that looks like. Faith is commitment. That’s how it reads in the NT. God’s people are committed people. They follow Him and they want to do it. They love God with their heart, their soul, and their might. It’s also God Himself that produces the love for Him (De. 30:6; Rom. 5:5).

True saving faith comes with evidence and fruit, found in thousands of passages — in fact wherever salvation is taught, evidence and fruit of salvation is taught. Entire books in the Bible are written for this purpose, such as 1 and 2 John and James.

Salvation always produces substance. Evidence. It’s undeniable. The new birth is more dramatic than the natural birth of a baby, a comparison that is made by Christ in John 3, and we know how dramatic that is. Substance and evidence that endures the life of the truly saved; like the life of a baby. Salvation is described like the wind (Jn. 3:8): invisible to the naked eye (because it’s internal), yet full of evidence (external). Faith is proven by good works (Jam. 2:18) by obedience to God’s Word (1 Jn. 2:3-5; Jn. 14:15-24). The faith that is void of good works and thus evidence is dead (corpse-like) and propagated by vain (empty of the Spirit, dead) men (Jam. 2:20).

Just like evidence of godly works proved Jesus’s Deity, that He was the Son of God, so does evidence of godly works, fruit, prove that a truly born again believer is the child of God. Jesus said,

“If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.” (Jn 10:37-38)

Faith is tested, proving justification took place, noted in Abraham and Rahab:

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 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. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (Jam. 2:19-26)

The Biblical Evidence of True Salvation, Conveying Assurance of Salvation

More to come