This information is in my books "Born Again" and "The Five Witnesses of Salvation" |
FIVE PROOFS OR WITNESSES OF SALVATION
DO YOU KNOW, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ARE A BELIEVER?
1 John 5:13 ESV 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.
We can be sure that we are saved, and by learning to observe the right fruit we can determine if others who profess Christ are truly saved or not.
I. 1st EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONY:
FACT: The first witness, evidence or proof that a person is truly saved is their Scriptural Testimony. This means that a person gives a personal testimony that they had a time and place sometime in their life where they called upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to come into their life and save them. It will be in accordance to the Scriptures of Romans 10:9-10, 13 and Ephesians 2:8-9.
PROBLEM: Prayers don’t save people, the Lord Jesus Christ does. It is not just the confessing or calling out that saves people. There must be an act of faith exercised in the heart. I have seen too many Pastors rushing, intimidating, pressuring, or manipulating people into praying a prayer and then stand them before the church and introduce them as a new brother or sister in the Lord. Then the next day they are back out in the world doing the same things without any change of heart or mind and they never enter the church building again. If anyone prayed a prayer without exercising a heart of faith then he is still lost. Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit. It must be the Spirit calling and people responding to that call in a confession and exercised faith.
James 2:19 ESV You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Matthew 15:8 ESV "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
Matthew 7:21-23 ESV "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.'
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 10:9-10 ESV because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
II. 2nd EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE INTERNAL WITNESS OR EVIDENCE:
FACT: Our Lord Jesus Christ talked about the power of two agreeing and having a witness. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that His Father in heaven was His agreement or witness that He was from heaven.
Romans 8:9 ESV You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Matthew 18:19 ESV Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
John 8:17-18 ESV In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. (18) I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me."
When the Holy Spirit comes within us we have the witness of the Holy Spirit within us that we are saved and are indwelled with the Spirit of God. When we are saved we have an inner testimony from the Person of the Holy Spirit that we are a child of God.
Romans 8:16 ESV The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
The Holy Spirit in me should bear witness with God and with my spirit that I am saved. The Holy Spirit in me should bear witness with you that we are both saved. If there is no witness of the indwelling Holy Spirit between us then at least one of us is lost.
Galatians 4:6 ESV And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
PROBLEM: This witness or evidence cannot stand alone because the person claiming to be saved may not discern that the Holy Spirit is dwelling in him, therefore, he cannot determine the internal witness. Remember that some come as wolves in sheep clothing to deceive. If there is someone in the church who is really outgoing and likeable, it may appear to the church members that he is a Christian brother. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between being morally good and having the indwelling Holy Spirit.
1 John 4:13 ESV By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
Matthew 7:15 ESV "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
III. 3rd EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE EXTERNAL WITNESS OR EVIDENCE:
FACT: In your life what external witness or evidence of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling can be seen by others? There are actually two: a changed life and fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us live the Christian life in reality and substance. When He comes within us He establishes in our spirit-man the character of God known as the fruit of the Spirit. As we grow that fruit is manifested in our soul and physical man so that others might see. The fruit always reveals the root. Lost people can never bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit or the character and nature of God.
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
When people give their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and are born again they are not the same. There is the manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit also known as the “character of God.” The fruit of the Holy Spirit is not just what God does, it is who He is.
Matthew 7:16-20 ESV You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (17) So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. (18) A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. (19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
John 15:2-5 ESV Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (3) Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. (5) I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
When someone is truly saved he or she must manifest the fruit of the Spirit. This is the external witness or evidence which others can see. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that we will know them by their fruit, and not by their gifts or anything they might say or they might have.
Matthew 12:33 ESV "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
I have to make this next statement because many believers are unaware of this knowledge. Reading the Bible, going to the church, tithing, praying, and other disciplines of the faith are not fruit of the Holy Spirit and are not evidences, proofs, and witnesses of salvation. Although we should do these things because they are spiritual disciplines listed within the Word of God, it must be understood that lost religious people can do many of these disciplines without having come to the knowledge of the truth.
Luke 6:32-34 ESV "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. (33) And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. (34) And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
Luke 6:44 ESV for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
We also need to remember that signs and wonders are not fruit of the Holy Spirit or evidence that a person is saved. In fact, the Scriptures state that many believers will be deceived in the end-times as the wolves in sheep clothing come and perform great signs and wonders.
Matthew 24:24 ESV For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Mark 13:22 ESV For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
PROBLEM: This witness or evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit cannot stand alone because people can become more moral by hanging around other moral people. Therefore their lives look as though they have changed. But God has not called us to morality. He has called us to righteousness. We can become more moral in our thinking and behavior, better in our social relationships and in personal habits without ever having the righteousness of God and experiencing salvation. A believer, who has the righteousness of God because of true salvation, will become more moral in his or her practical life.
1 John 1:6 ESV If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
1 John 2:29 ESV If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 John 3:7-10 ESV Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (8) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. (10) By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Another problem is that the fruit of the Holy Spirit can be and is falsely duplicated with fleshly, emotional alternatives. Example: There are five different Greek words for the different kinds of love and only one is “agape,” the unconditional love of God.
What about those who don’t have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? They may come to Church each week, pray, and read their Bibles. They may look like Christians, dress like Christians, talk like Christians, smell like Christians, but the Holy Spirit is not in them. What is some of the fruit that we can see from those who are void of the Holy Spirit yet might be filled with religion and tradition and habits? The fruit will be self-centeredness, sensual, and blind towards the truth of God’s Word. The will be able to talk religion and “church work” but they are uncomfortable speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ. We can develop the habits of “Church life” from our parents, our friends, yet still be lost or without the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Those in the church who do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are sensual according to Jude 1:17-19.
Jude 1:17-19 ESV But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. (18) They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." (19) It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
Those in the church who do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit are without the Lord Jesus Christ according to Rom.8:9.
Romans 8:9 ESV You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Those in the church who do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit fight against the Holy Spirit and are “carnal” in their thinking and lifestyle according to Gal.5:17.
Galatians 5:17 ESV For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
IV. 4th EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE FRATERNAL WITNESS OR EVIDENCE:
FACT: Spiritual adoption is a great thing. It means that we once belonged to a very bad and dysfunctional family and we were removed and placed into a great family. Through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross in redeeming mankind and the wooing of the Holy Spirit to salvation we can experience the adoption of God. According to the Word of God when we were lost our spiritual father was Satan. Once saved every true believer in the world became my adopted brothers and sisters.
John 13:35 ESV By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
1 John 1:6 ESV If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
1 John 2:29 ESV If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 John 3:7-10 ESV Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (8) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. (10) By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Galatians 4:5 ESV to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
The Bible states that before we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ we were sons of the devil. Imagine that, all lost people have the evil one as their father. When we received the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, God removed us out of that dysfunctional family and placed us within His family.
Romans 8:15 ESV For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
Therefore we are brothers and sisters to all the believers in the world. Therefore, we have the evidence of love for the brothers and sisters in the Lord because of the Spirit of adoption. This love for the brothers is another witness or evidence that we are truly saved and have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If we do not love the Christian brothers then we have the proof or evidence that we are still lost in our sins and do not know God.
1 John 2:9-11 ESV Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. (10) Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. (11) But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
1 John 4:20-21 ESV If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (21) And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
PROBLEM: This evidence or witness cannot stand alone. One of the greatest needs among mankind is the need to belong. People are looking to be accepted and loved.
1 John 4:7-8 ESV Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (8) Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
I have seen lost people come into the church and because of the acceptance and love they feel they begin to “fit” in the group. Their need to belong is being fulfilled even though they have not been born again.
V. 5th EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE PATERNAL WITNESS OR EVIDENCE:
FACT: The fifth and final witness or evidence that the Holy Spirit is within us is the paternal witness. This is the Fatherhood of God whereby He loves us through chastening us when we are out of fellowship or walking in sin.
Proverbs 13:24 ESV Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
The word “betimes” is “shachar” and means to chasten early.
Proverbs 22:15 ESV Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Proverbs 23:13-14 ESV Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. (14) If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.
Proverbs 29:15 ESV The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
As a child of God with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we must have the witness or evidence of our heavenly Father. The witness or evidence of the Father is His chastening of us when we are disobedient. The Father only chastens His children and does not chasten the children of the enemy.
It is important that I communicate the fact that God does not discipline or chasten His children out of anger, frustration, desperation, or hurt. God is not like our earthly fathers, but our earthly fathers are supposed to be like God. God is perfect in His ways and actions.
Hebrews 12:5-11 ESV And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. (6) For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." (7) It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (8) If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. (9) Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? (10) For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (11) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
PROBLEM: This evidence or witness cannot stand alone. Every person on the earth has troubles, trials, and temptations. Many of these troubles are brought on by reaping what is sown or making bad decisions. It is difficult at times to know the difference between God chastening His children versus the world and the enemy beating up people emotionally, mentality, financially, or relationally. One way that we can tell the difference is looking at the fruit or character trait the problem or trial is producing. God’s chastening is given to bring about in our lives the peaceable fruit of righteousness. The fruit the enemy wants to bring about is blame, bitterness, and unforgiveness.
James 1:13-15 ESV Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. (14) But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (15) Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
We need to have a Scriptural Testimony, an Internal Witness, an External Witness, a Fraternal Witness, and a Paternal Witness as evidence of true salvation.
VI. 4 THINGS A LOST PERSON BELIEVES: PS.10:1-18
1. The wicked have no room in their lives for God. (vv. 4).
2. The wicked believe that they will not be shaken. (vv. 6).
3. The wicked believe that God forgets their sins. (vv. 11).
4. The wicked believe that they will not be judged. (vv. 13).
Psalms 10:1-18 ESV Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (2) In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. (3) For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
(4) In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God." (5) His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
(6) He says in his heart, "I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity." (7) His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. (8) He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; (9) he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. (10) The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.
(11) He says in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it." (12) Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.
(13) Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, "You will not call to account"? (14) But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. (15) Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none. (16) The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. (17) O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear (18) to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
DO YOU KNOW, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ARE A BELIEVER?
1 John 5:13 ESV 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.
We can be sure that we are saved, and by learning to observe the right fruit we can determine if others who profess Christ are truly saved or not.
I. 1st EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONY:
FACT: The first witness, evidence or proof that a person is truly saved is their Scriptural Testimony. This means that a person gives a personal testimony that they had a time and place sometime in their life where they called upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to come into their life and save them. It will be in accordance to the Scriptures of Romans 10:9-10, 13 and Ephesians 2:8-9.
PROBLEM: Prayers don’t save people, the Lord Jesus Christ does. It is not just the confessing or calling out that saves people. There must be an act of faith exercised in the heart. I have seen too many Pastors rushing, intimidating, pressuring, or manipulating people into praying a prayer and then stand them before the church and introduce them as a new brother or sister in the Lord. Then the next day they are back out in the world doing the same things without any change of heart or mind and they never enter the church building again. If anyone prayed a prayer without exercising a heart of faith then he is still lost. Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit. It must be the Spirit calling and people responding to that call in a confession and exercised faith.
James 2:19 ESV You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Matthew 15:8 ESV "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
Matthew 7:21-23 ESV "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.'
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 10:9-10 ESV because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
II. 2nd EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE INTERNAL WITNESS OR EVIDENCE:
FACT: Our Lord Jesus Christ talked about the power of two agreeing and having a witness. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that His Father in heaven was His agreement or witness that He was from heaven.
Romans 8:9 ESV You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Matthew 18:19 ESV Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
John 8:17-18 ESV In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. (18) I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me."
When the Holy Spirit comes within us we have the witness of the Holy Spirit within us that we are saved and are indwelled with the Spirit of God. When we are saved we have an inner testimony from the Person of the Holy Spirit that we are a child of God.
Romans 8:16 ESV The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
The Holy Spirit in me should bear witness with God and with my spirit that I am saved. The Holy Spirit in me should bear witness with you that we are both saved. If there is no witness of the indwelling Holy Spirit between us then at least one of us is lost.
Galatians 4:6 ESV And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
PROBLEM: This witness or evidence cannot stand alone because the person claiming to be saved may not discern that the Holy Spirit is dwelling in him, therefore, he cannot determine the internal witness. Remember that some come as wolves in sheep clothing to deceive. If there is someone in the church who is really outgoing and likeable, it may appear to the church members that he is a Christian brother. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between being morally good and having the indwelling Holy Spirit.
1 John 4:13 ESV By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
Matthew 7:15 ESV "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
III. 3rd EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE EXTERNAL WITNESS OR EVIDENCE:
FACT: In your life what external witness or evidence of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling can be seen by others? There are actually two: a changed life and fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us live the Christian life in reality and substance. When He comes within us He establishes in our spirit-man the character of God known as the fruit of the Spirit. As we grow that fruit is manifested in our soul and physical man so that others might see. The fruit always reveals the root. Lost people can never bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit or the character and nature of God.
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
When people give their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and are born again they are not the same. There is the manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit also known as the “character of God.” The fruit of the Holy Spirit is not just what God does, it is who He is.
Matthew 7:16-20 ESV You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (17) So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. (18) A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. (19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
John 15:2-5 ESV Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (3) Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. (5) I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
When someone is truly saved he or she must manifest the fruit of the Spirit. This is the external witness or evidence which others can see. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that we will know them by their fruit, and not by their gifts or anything they might say or they might have.
Matthew 12:33 ESV "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
I have to make this next statement because many believers are unaware of this knowledge. Reading the Bible, going to the church, tithing, praying, and other disciplines of the faith are not fruit of the Holy Spirit and are not evidences, proofs, and witnesses of salvation. Although we should do these things because they are spiritual disciplines listed within the Word of God, it must be understood that lost religious people can do many of these disciplines without having come to the knowledge of the truth.
Luke 6:32-34 ESV "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. (33) And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. (34) And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
Luke 6:44 ESV for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
We also need to remember that signs and wonders are not fruit of the Holy Spirit or evidence that a person is saved. In fact, the Scriptures state that many believers will be deceived in the end-times as the wolves in sheep clothing come and perform great signs and wonders.
Matthew 24:24 ESV For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Mark 13:22 ESV For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
PROBLEM: This witness or evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit cannot stand alone because people can become more moral by hanging around other moral people. Therefore their lives look as though they have changed. But God has not called us to morality. He has called us to righteousness. We can become more moral in our thinking and behavior, better in our social relationships and in personal habits without ever having the righteousness of God and experiencing salvation. A believer, who has the righteousness of God because of true salvation, will become more moral in his or her practical life.
1 John 1:6 ESV If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
1 John 2:29 ESV If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 John 3:7-10 ESV Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (8) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. (10) By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Another problem is that the fruit of the Holy Spirit can be and is falsely duplicated with fleshly, emotional alternatives. Example: There are five different Greek words for the different kinds of love and only one is “agape,” the unconditional love of God.
What about those who don’t have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? They may come to Church each week, pray, and read their Bibles. They may look like Christians, dress like Christians, talk like Christians, smell like Christians, but the Holy Spirit is not in them. What is some of the fruit that we can see from those who are void of the Holy Spirit yet might be filled with religion and tradition and habits? The fruit will be self-centeredness, sensual, and blind towards the truth of God’s Word. The will be able to talk religion and “church work” but they are uncomfortable speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ. We can develop the habits of “Church life” from our parents, our friends, yet still be lost or without the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Those in the church who do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are sensual according to Jude 1:17-19.
Jude 1:17-19 ESV But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. (18) They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." (19) It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
Those in the church who do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit are without the Lord Jesus Christ according to Rom.8:9.
Romans 8:9 ESV You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Those in the church who do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit fight against the Holy Spirit and are “carnal” in their thinking and lifestyle according to Gal.5:17.
Galatians 5:17 ESV For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
IV. 4th EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE FRATERNAL WITNESS OR EVIDENCE:
FACT: Spiritual adoption is a great thing. It means that we once belonged to a very bad and dysfunctional family and we were removed and placed into a great family. Through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross in redeeming mankind and the wooing of the Holy Spirit to salvation we can experience the adoption of God. According to the Word of God when we were lost our spiritual father was Satan. Once saved every true believer in the world became my adopted brothers and sisters.
John 13:35 ESV By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
1 John 1:6 ESV If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
1 John 2:29 ESV If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 John 3:7-10 ESV Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (8) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. (10) By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Galatians 4:5 ESV to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
The Bible states that before we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ we were sons of the devil. Imagine that, all lost people have the evil one as their father. When we received the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, God removed us out of that dysfunctional family and placed us within His family.
Romans 8:15 ESV For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
Therefore we are brothers and sisters to all the believers in the world. Therefore, we have the evidence of love for the brothers and sisters in the Lord because of the Spirit of adoption. This love for the brothers is another witness or evidence that we are truly saved and have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If we do not love the Christian brothers then we have the proof or evidence that we are still lost in our sins and do not know God.
1 John 2:9-11 ESV Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. (10) Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. (11) But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
1 John 4:20-21 ESV If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (21) And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
PROBLEM: This evidence or witness cannot stand alone. One of the greatest needs among mankind is the need to belong. People are looking to be accepted and loved.
1 John 4:7-8 ESV Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (8) Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
I have seen lost people come into the church and because of the acceptance and love they feel they begin to “fit” in the group. Their need to belong is being fulfilled even though they have not been born again.
V. 5th EVIDENCE OF SALVATION: THE PATERNAL WITNESS OR EVIDENCE:
FACT: The fifth and final witness or evidence that the Holy Spirit is within us is the paternal witness. This is the Fatherhood of God whereby He loves us through chastening us when we are out of fellowship or walking in sin.
Proverbs 13:24 ESV Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
The word “betimes” is “shachar” and means to chasten early.
Proverbs 22:15 ESV Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Proverbs 23:13-14 ESV Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. (14) If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.
Proverbs 29:15 ESV The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
As a child of God with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we must have the witness or evidence of our heavenly Father. The witness or evidence of the Father is His chastening of us when we are disobedient. The Father only chastens His children and does not chasten the children of the enemy.
It is important that I communicate the fact that God does not discipline or chasten His children out of anger, frustration, desperation, or hurt. God is not like our earthly fathers, but our earthly fathers are supposed to be like God. God is perfect in His ways and actions.
Hebrews 12:5-11 ESV And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. (6) For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." (7) It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (8) If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. (9) Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? (10) For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (11) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
PROBLEM: This evidence or witness cannot stand alone. Every person on the earth has troubles, trials, and temptations. Many of these troubles are brought on by reaping what is sown or making bad decisions. It is difficult at times to know the difference between God chastening His children versus the world and the enemy beating up people emotionally, mentality, financially, or relationally. One way that we can tell the difference is looking at the fruit or character trait the problem or trial is producing. God’s chastening is given to bring about in our lives the peaceable fruit of righteousness. The fruit the enemy wants to bring about is blame, bitterness, and unforgiveness.
James 1:13-15 ESV Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. (14) But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (15) Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
We need to have a Scriptural Testimony, an Internal Witness, an External Witness, a Fraternal Witness, and a Paternal Witness as evidence of true salvation.
VI. 4 THINGS A LOST PERSON BELIEVES: PS.10:1-18
1. The wicked have no room in their lives for God. (vv. 4).
2. The wicked believe that they will not be shaken. (vv. 6).
3. The wicked believe that God forgets their sins. (vv. 11).
4. The wicked believe that they will not be judged. (vv. 13).
Psalms 10:1-18 ESV Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (2) In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. (3) For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
(4) In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God." (5) His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
(6) He says in his heart, "I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity." (7) His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. (8) He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; (9) he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. (10) The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.
(11) He says in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it." (12) Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.
(13) Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, "You will not call to account"? (14) But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. (15) Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none. (16) The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. (17) O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear (18) to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.