New Salem Baptist Church

The Signs of Genuine Faith

Part One

Scripture reading: I John 5:13; 2 Peter 1:10.

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. (I John 5:13, ESV)

            Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. (2 Peter 1:10)

We are to know that we have eternal life. We ought to be assured about this. At the same time, though, there are many warnings in Scripture that indicate that there are perils, even great perils, that face the one who professes faith in Christ. The greatest of these perils is self-deception which will result in eternal separation from the Lord and an eternity filled with sorrow and agony. 

With respect to knowledge of one’s salvation there are four categories of people.

[1.] There are those who are not saved and they know they are not saved.  There is a rock band named AC/DC that personifies this group. They came out with a song many years ago that still gets airplay. It was titled “Highway to Hell” and it promotes the wicked idea that hell is a place that one can look forward to. The original singer of that song died not long after recording the song and is now in Hades. He now knows that his present suffering will only become worse on the final Day of Judgment. There are some people who are not saved and they know that they are not.

Not all boast in their condition like AC/DC. Many are genuinely concerned about it. In fact, every person who is a Christian now went through this phase prior to coming to faith.

[2.] There are those who are saved and know that they are saved. This is the position where every true child of God needs to find themselves. If we are saved we need to know that we are.

[3.] There are those who are saved and they either don’t know that they are or have doubts that they are. This is a condition that needs to be remedied. Doubt and ignorance will rob one of the comfort that is theirs to have.

If it were only these three categories of people then there would not be too much of a problem. But it is the fourth category that poses a big problem.

[4.] There are those who are not saved and  “know” that they are saved. Of course, they do not really know they are saved but they think they are. These have an “assurance” that they are saved but they are not!

A proper understanding of assurance will help move people from categories 3 and 4 to categories 1 and 2 where they belong.

The most frightening passage in the Bible alludes to those who have a confidence that they are saved but, in actuality, are not.

            “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.’ ^[1]

These words of our Lord inform us that many will be self-deceived, thinking that they belong to Jesus when they do not. Because there will be many who thought they were genuine followers of Christ but were not, this possibility is a near danger to all of us. If you have any fear of God in you, you will seek to ensure that you are not among the self-deceived. If you have no fear of God then you already have the evidence that you need that you do not belong to him. Those who do not fear God are not his.

This is what we read from the apostle Peter in our Scripture reading. He writes to be diligent to confirm your calling and election. This is a duty for everyone who supposes that they are a child of God. We ought not to simply confirm what we believe to be true about ourselves, but we should be diligent about it. Our election needs to be confirmed with diligence!

It can be! In John’s letter he tells us that the reason he is writing is so that we can know that we have eternal life. Therefore, we see that it is the Lord’s will that we know that we have eternal life – that we have an assurance of our salvation.  Some Christians, especially those from the more liberal denominations, will try to tell you that it is arrogant to think you know your eternal destiny. But, we can know! It is not arrogant because it all depends on God and not upon us. Once we have an assurance of our salvation then we can appropriate the promises of perseverance.

Thus far, we have seen that we can know if we have eternal life but there is also the danger of thinking that we have it when we do not. How can we truly know? The Scriptures give us five conditions that provide assurance that our faith is real.

[1.] Genuine faith rests upon understanding the nature of our own sin and of salvation. A great many false professions arise because a person does not understand that they are sinners in danger of condemnation and a false profession may be further attributed to a failure to understand what constitutes salvation.

READ Matthew 13:3-9; 18-19.

Note that in verse 19 some hear the word of the kingdom but the devil comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. The reason that he is able to snatch it away is because they do not understand what they heard. Understanding is essential. A person must understand the seriousness of sin, their guilt, and the necessity of forsaking sin - called repentance. Any preaching that neglects repentance fosters misunderstanding and makes the hearer liable to a false profession of faith.

 A person must also understand that Christ’s death is accepted by God as payment for their sins and that his resurrection insures their ongoing salvation from the power of sin.

Understanding is the first condition of assurance. If you wish to avoid being one who has the word stolen from your heart then understand sin and understand salvation.

[2.] A faith that has been born from above, loves and yearns for God’s word. I believe this is one of the most obvious signs of genuine faith as opposed to just a said faith. This is both my observation and, more importantly, the testimony of Scripture. King David, full of the Holy Spirit testifies to this truth over and over. Psalm 119 is a beacon of how a person in possession of the Spirit views and desires God’s words.

[a.] Many times David, as a representative of true faith, simply says that he loves God’s words, his law, testimonies, commandments, precepts, and judgments. These are all synonyms for Scripture.

⁴⁷    for I find my delight in your commandments,

which I love. ^[2]

⁴⁸    I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,

and I will meditate on your statutes. ^[3]

⁹⁷    Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day. ^[4]

¹¹³   I hate the double-minded,

but I love your law. ^[5]

127            Therefore I love Your commandments

Above gold, even above fine gold.^[6]

140            Your ^aword is exceedingly refined,

Therefore Your slave loves it.^[7]

¹⁵⁹ Consider how I love your precepts!

     Give me life according to your steadfast love. ^[8]

¹⁶³             I hate and abhor falsehood,

     but I love your law. ^[9]

¹⁶⁵ Great peace have those who love your law;

     nothing can make them stumble. ^[10]

¹⁶⁷          My soul keeps your testimonies;

I love them exceedingly. ^[11]

So, one who has been born again will love the Bible.

[b] they will not only love it, they will delight in it!

¹⁶    I will delight in your statutes;

I will not forget your word. ^[12]

²⁴    Your testimonies are my delight;

they are my counselors. ^[13]

³⁵    Lead me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight in it. ^[14]

⁴⁷    for I find my delight in your commandments,

which I love. ^[15]

[c] David longed for God’s words. Everyone who has been born again has this experience. If a person does not long for God’s word’s they do not possess the Spirit and only have a mental faith.

  20            My soul is crushed ^awith longing

After Your judgments at all times.^[16]

⁴⁰            Behold, I long for your precepts;

in your righteousness give me life! ^[17]

¹³¹ I open my mouth and pant,

because I long for your commandments. ^[18]

The apostle Peter also reveals that a true child of God must long for God’s word:

            2          like newborn babies, long for the ^bpure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,^[19]

Thus, a sign of biblical faith is a longing for God’s word.

[d] To the one who has been regenerated, they find joy in God’s word. This was David’s experience.

¹⁴   In the way of your testimonies I delight

as much as in all riches. ^[20]

¹¹¹ Your testimonies are my heritage forever,

for they are the joy of my heart. ^[21]

¹⁶² I rejoice at your word

like one who finds great spoil. ^[22]

Thus, genuine faith finds great joy in God’s words!

[e.] One who has been born anew has an intense desire for understanding God’s words.

³³   Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;

and I will keep it to the end^[23]

¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light;

it imparts understanding to the simple. ^[24]

²⁷   Make me understand the way of your precepts,

and I will meditate on your wondrous works. ^[25]

So, genuine faith results in a longing to understand God’s speaking.

[f.] When you are really touched by the Living God, you will meditate on his words.

⁴⁸   I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,

and I will meditate on your statutes. ^[26]

Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

       nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

²    but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night. ^[27]

[g.] a sign of genuine faith is that the one possessing it sees God’s words as wonderful!

¹⁸   Open my eyes, that I may behold

wondrous things out of your law. ^[28]

¹²⁹ Your testimonies are wonderful;

therefore my soul keeps them.^[29]

[h.] Do you see how enraptured David was with God’s word? This is the experience of all those who have been born again. We could add even more manifestations of endearment to Scripture:

• The person belonging to God will cling to God’s word (119:31).
• They will run to it! (119:32)
• They will trust it (119:42)
• They will see it as precious (119:72)
• They see it as sweet (119:103)
• They rest in knowing that it sustains them! (119:116).
• They are revived by God’s word! (119:154).

{Conclusion of Part 1] There are church-goers who may never have been born again. They might have just a mild interest in the things of God. Or, they may attend church as “fire insurance,” thinking that if they profess faith and attend church God will accept them. Or, they may come to church because their spouse wants them to and they simply want to satisfy their husband or wife.

But, we have seen this morning two signs of genuine faith: those who have been born again understand the gospel. They are able to articulate it to others.

And, we have seen that one who has real faith loves God’s words. They:

• Delight in his word
• Long for his word
• Find enjoyment in his word
• Have an intense desire for understanding
• will cling to God’s word.
• will run to it!
•  will trust it
•  will see it as precious
•  see it as sweet
• rest in knowing that it sustains them!
•  are revived by God’s word!

What if we are missing these experiences? This may men that we only have a said faith. What ought we to do if we find ourselves in this condition?

We do two things.  We make sure we fully understand the gospel. One ought to meditate on God’s word and ask for understanding. These verses ought to be considered:

• Luke 14:26-35
• Romans 3:10-26, especially considering how verses 10-13 apply to yourself.
• Ephesians 2:1-10

Secondly, we ought to simply ask the Lord to transform our hearts.

Both Jesus (Luke 11;13) and the apostle James tell us that we do not have because we do not ask! Plead with the Lord to transform your heart and do not stop asking until he does!

For those who are ensured about their own faith, but you know some with whom you have no confidence of their standing before God, or you have a confidence that they do not possess genuine faith, then you can give them a copy of this sermon. Better yet, just read the verses with them and just talk about how true faith reveals itself.

“Lord, we ask that you save those whom we know that have not experienced your grace yet. And we ask you to empower us to speak to them!