"EVIDENCES OF SALVATION"

                                                        MATTHEW 13:18 - 23

INTRODUCTION:

          MANY PEOPLE TODAY ARE BOTHERED BY SO-CALLED "JUDGING" WHEN IT COMES TO SALVATION.  THEIR ARGUMENT IS THAT NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO JUDGE ANOTHER PERSON BECAUSE THE HEART CANNOT BE KNOWN.

          TO AN EXTENT, THEY ARE RIGHT IN THIS STATEMENT.  THERE IS LITTLE DIFFERENCE EXTERNALLY BETWEEN A CARNAL BACKSLIDDEN CHRISTIAN AND A LOST RELIGIONIST.  THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS CHASTISEMENT OR LACK OF IT.

          THOUGH THE TWO MAY LOOK AND ACT ALIKE, THE TRUE CHRISTIAN CANNOT REMAIN IN THAT CONDITION WITHOUT THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD.

          IN THESE VERSES WE FIND A PARABLE OF GREAT TRUTH WHICH IS BEING MANIFESTED IN OUR DAY.  THE WORDS "SAVED" AND "BORN-AGAIN" HAVE BECOME COMMONPLACE IN OUR SOCIETY AND YET OUR SOCIETY IS VIRTUALLY REPROBATE IN ITS MORALITY.  "HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING THE POWER THEREOF" 2nd TIMOTHY 3:5.  WHAT POWER?  THE POWER TO CHANGE A LIFE FOR NOW AND ETERNITY.

          SALVATION (TRUE BIBLICAL SALVATION) ALWAYS PRODUCES A CHANGE IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER TO ONE EXTENT OR ANOTHER.  TRUE CONVERSION IS CALLED "BORN-AGAIN".  GOD GAVE THE ANALOGY.  TO BE SAVED IS TO BE "BORN".

          IF ALL TRUE CONVERSIONS DO NOT PRODUCE A CHANGE OF LIFE, THEN, EVIDENTLY, THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF SALVATION (THE WORLDS VERSION AND THE BIBLICAL SALVATION).  GOD ONLY SAVES ONE WAY AND THAT SALVATION CARRIES WITH IT THE SAME FRUITS. COMPARE THESE TWO VERSES.

PROVERBS 20:11 "EVEN A CHILD IS KNOWN BY HIS DOINGS, WHETHER HIS WORK BE PURE, AND WHETHER IT BE RIGHT."

MATTHEW 7:20 "WHEREFORE BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM."

         WHILE THE PRODUCTION OF FRUIT IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN MAY VARY, NO TRUE CHRISTIAN HAS THE OPTION OF PRODUCING NO FRUIT AT ALL.

          THE ABSENCE OF LIFE IS THE ABSENCE OF THE REGENERATING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THUS THE FRUITLESS LIFE IS THE PROOF OF AN UNREGENERATE HEART WHICH CAN

ONLY BE CAST INTO HELL.

          NEITHER YOU NOR I IS TO BE THE JUDGE OF WHO IS SAVED AND WHO IS NOT, BUT EVERY INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE "REAL McCOY" WHEN IT COMES TO SALVATION.

2nd CORINTHIANS 13:5 "EXAMINE YOURSELVES, WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH; PROVE YOUR OWN SELVES. KNOW YE NOT YOUR OWN SELVES, HOW THAT JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU, EXCEPT YE BE REPROBATES."

          DO YOU KNOW YOURSELVES, IF YOU HAVE CHRIST IN YOU?

THE CHALLENGE IS TO ASCERTAIN IF YOU BE A GENUINE BELIEVER.

TITUS 1:16 "THEY PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD; BUT IN WORKS (ACTIONS) THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE AND DISOBEDIENT, AND UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK REPROBATE."

          PROFESSION AND PERFORMANCE SHOULD NOT CONTRADICT.  FAITH AND WORKS (ACTIONS) GO TOGETHER.  TRUE FAITH PRODUCES TRUE WORKS (ACTIONS).

          HERE ARE SOME GOOD "EVIDENCE" THAT SHOULD ACCOMPANY OUR SALVATION:
          1.  A FAITH ACCOMPANIED BY WORKS

JAMES 2:17-20, (17) "EVEN SO FAITH, IF IT HATH NOT WORKS, IS DEAD, BEING ALONE."

(18) "YES, A MAN MAY SAY, THOU HAST FAITH, AND I HAVE WORKS: SHEW ME THY FAITH WITHOUT THY WORKS, AND I WILL SHEW THEE MY FAITH BY MY WORKS."

(19) "THOU BELIEVEST THAT THERE IS ONE GOD; THOU DOEST WELL: THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, AND TREMBLE."

(20) "BUT WILT THOU KNOW, O VAIN MAN, THAT FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD?"

          THE MATTER OF CONTENTION IS NOT WORKS, BUT THE EVIDENCE OF FAITH. NOT A FAITH BY WORKS, BUT A FAITH THAT WORKS!   IF FAITH IS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY GOOD WORKS, IT IS DEAD!

EPHESIANS 2:8-10, (8) "FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD."

(9) "NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST."

(10) "FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM."

          NOT BASED UPON OR PRODUCED BY THE WORKS OF MAN, NOT OF YOURSELVES--IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.

          IN THE MATTER OF SALVATION, WE ARE THE PRODUCT OF THE WILL AND WORK OF GOD THRU JESUS CHRIST.

          2.  A FAITH ACCOMPANIED BY LOVE

1st JOHN 4:19-20, (19) WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US."

(20) "IF A MAN SAY, I LOVE GOD, AND HATETH HIS BROTHER, HE IS A LIAR: FOR HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER WHOM HE HATH SEEN, HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD WHOM HE HATH NOT SEEN?

          IT IS BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE, AND BECAUSE HE LIVES IN US, THAT LOVE CAN BE TRULY ACCOMPLISHED WITH US.

          GOD IS LOVE, SO IN A SENSE WE ARE LOVE (WE ARE ALL THE WORLD WILL EVER SEE OF LOVE).

          HOW CAN WE CLAIM TO LOVE GOD IF WE DO NOT LOVE A BROTHER (A PERSON) WHO IS RIGHT THERE BEFORE US, RIGHT THERE BEFORE OUR EYES WITH A REAL NEED?

1st JOHN 5:2-3, (2) "BY THIS WE KNOW THAT WE LOVE THE CHILDREN OF GOD, WHEN WE LOVE GOD, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS."

(3) "FOR THIS IS THE LOVE OF GOD, THAT WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; AND HIS COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT GRIEVOUS."

          EVERY PERSON THAT TRULY BELIEVES BY FAITH THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST IS A REAL CHRISTIAN.

          IT FOLLOWS THEN THAT THEY WILL ALSO LOVE OTHER BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.

          LOVE TO GOD IS DEFINED AS KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS WHICH ARE NOT "GRIEVOUS"; THAT IS,THEY ARE NOT DIFFICULT TO FULFILL BECAUSE WE ARE TRULY "BORN AGAIN SAVED BY GRACE BELIEVERS" AND HAVE THEREFORE EASY VICTORY.

     A. SAVED PEOPLE LOVE THE LORD JESUS.

     B. SAVED PEOPLE LOVE THE BRETHREN.

     C. SAVED PEOPLE LOVE THE CHURCH; THE BODY OF CHRIST.

     D. SAVED PEOPLE LOVE THE LOST (SAVED PEOPLE LOVE AND SHOW IT!)

          3.  A FAITH ACCOMPANIED BY  ASSURANCE

ISAIAH 32:17 "AND THE WORK OF RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL BE PEACE; AND THE EFFECT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS QUIETNESS AND ASSURANCE FOR EVER."

2nd TIMOTHY 1:12 "FOR THE WHICH CAUSE I ALSO SUFFER THESE THINGS: NEVERTHELESS I AM NOT ASHAMED: FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT WHICH I HAVE COMMITTED UNTO HIM AGAINST THAT DAY."

          "IF WE SUFFER" AND YOU CAN COUNT ON IT, WE WILL; WE SHALL ALSO REIGN.  THE REWARDS ARE WORTH IT ALL.

          IT MUST BE REMEMBERED, MAN ONLY SEES THE OUTWARD ACTIONS AND CHARACTER, BUT GOD SEES THE HEART OF MAN.

          GOOD MEN OFTEN SUFFER MANY THINGS FOR THE BEST CAUSE IN THE WORLD.  THEY NEED NOT BE ASHAMED, THE CAUSE WILL BEAR THEM OUT.

          THOSE WHO TRUST IN CHRIST KNOW WHOM THEY HAVE TRUSTED.

          WHAT MUST WE COMMIT TO CHRIST?  THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS AND THEIR PRESERVATION TO THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM.

HEBREWS 6:11 "AND WE DESIRE THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU DO SHEW THE SAME DILIGENCE TO THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE UNTO THE END."

          FULL ASSURANCE US A HIGHER DEGREE OF HOPE. FULL ASSURANCE IS ATTAINABLE BY GREAT DILIGENCE AND PERSEVERANCE TO THE END.

HEBREWS 10:22 :LET US DRAW NEAR WITH A TRUE HEART IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED FROM AND EVIL CONSCIENCE, AND OUR BODIES WASHED WITH PURE WATER."

1st JOHN 5:10 :HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON OF GOD HATH THE WITNESS IN HIMSELF: HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT GOD HATH MADE HIM A LIAR; BECAUSE HE BELIEVETH NOT THE RECORD THAT GOD GAVE OF HIS SON."

           BY BELIEVING, A PERSON LIVES IN CHRIST, AND CHRIST LIVES IN THE BELIEVER.  THE BELIEVER ALSO HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADING, GUIDING AND DIRECTING IN HIS WALK WITH CHRIST.

1st JOHN 5:13 "THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND YE MAY BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD."

          THE BELIEVER MAY COME TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY SHOULD VALUE THE SCRIPTURES, BE QUICKENED, ENCOURAGED, AND COMFORTED, IN THE PROSPECT OF IT.

          SALVATION SHOULD BRING PEACE AND REST IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

          4.  A FAITH ACCOMPANIED BY SUBMISSION TO BIBLICAL AUTHORITY

JOHN 10:27 "MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME :"

          CHRIST'S SHEEP  "HEAR" AND "FOLLOW" THEIR SHEPHERD AND HE KNOWS THEM AND GIVES THEM ETERNAL LIFE.

1st CORINTHIANS 11:1 "BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME, EVEN AS I ALSO AM OF CHRIST."

          THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND HOW IT WORKS IS JESUS CHRIST.

          IN HIM WE SEE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND SUPERNATURAL LOVE, AND BY THESE STANDARDS, EVERY ACT IS TO  BE JUDGED.

1st PETER 5:5 "LIKEWISE, YE YOUNGER, SUBMIT YOURSELVES UNTO THE ELDER. YEA, ALL OF YOU BE SUBJECT ONE TO ANOTHER, AND BE CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY: FOR GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD, AND GIVETH GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

          SOME SO-CALLED CHRISTIANS SUBMIT TO NO ONE?  THEY DO WHAT THE WANT, HOW THEY WANT, AND WHEN THEY WANT, WITH NO THOUGHT TO ANYONE ELSE.

           THERE IS AN OLD SAYING: "GOATS BUTT, SHEEP DON'T."

          THESE GOATS ARE ALWAYS A SOURCE OF PROBLEMS AND CONCERN TO THE PASTOR.  AS A GENERAL RULE, PROBLEMS ALWAYS COME FROM THE SAME PEOPLE. THAT IS A WARNING INDICATOR.

          5.  A FAITH ACCOMPANIED BY JOY

1st PETER 1:8 "WHOM HAVING NOT SEEN, YE LOVE; IN WHOM, THOUGH HOW YE SEE HIM NOT, YET BELIEVING, YE REJOICE WITH JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY."

          SALVATION SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY SPIRITUAL JOY.  NOT NECESSARILY HAPPINESS IS BASED UPON "HAPPENINGS". BUT A DEEP JOY IN SPITE OF OUR "HAPPENINGS".

          6.  A FAITH ACCOMPANIED BY AN OUTWARD TESTIMONY.

ACTS 11:26 "AND WHEN HE HAD FOUND HIM, HE BROUGHT HIM UNTO ANTIOCH, AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT A WHOLE YEAR THEY ASSEMBLED THEMSELVES WITH THE CHURCH, AND TAUGHT MUCH PEOPLE.  AND THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS FIRST IN ANTIOCH."

          UNDER THE MINISTRY OF THE DISCIPLES (MAINLY PAUL AND BARNABAS) THE CHRISTIANS OF ANTIOCH GREW BOTH IN DEPTH AND NUMBER.

          LUKE DID NOT HESITATE TO RECORD THAT THE FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD FIRST CAME TO BE POPULARLY KNOWN AS CHRISTIANS AT ANTIOCH, BECAUSE THEY ACTED LIKE CHRIST.

1st PETER 4:16 "YET IF ANY MAN SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN, LET HIM NOT BE ASHAMED; BUT LET HIM GLORIFY GOD ON THIS BEHALF."

          "LET HIM NOT BE ASHAMED": THAT IS, IF THE NAME OF BEING A "CHRISTIAN".

EVERY TRULY BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER SHOULD BE PROUD OF BEING KNOWN AS "CHRISTIAN" AND USE THIS AS A MEANS AND INSTRUMENT FOR BRINGING GLORY TO GOD.

1st PETER 2:12 "HAVING YOUR CONVERSATION (LIFE STYLE) HONEST AMONG THE GENTILES: THAT, WHEREAS THEY SPEAK AGAINST YOU AS EVILDOERS, THEY MAY BY YOUR GOOD WORKS, WHICH THEY SHALL BEHOLD, GLORIFY GOD IN THE DAY OF VISITATION."

          THE PERSON WHO WANTS A TRULY HAPPY LIFE, ENJOYING ALL OF GOD'S BLESSINGS, MUST FIRST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL IN BOTH WORD AND DEED.

          THIS KIND OF PERSON CAN BE HAPPY BECAUSE GOD'S EYE IS ON HIM FOR PROTECTION AND GOD'S EAR IS OPEN TO HIS PRAYER.

          A LIFE LIVED FOR CHRIST IS WORTH A THOUSAND SERMONS PREACHED.

          7.  A FAITH ACCOMPANIED BY A DESIRE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL

JOHN 1:40-41, (40) :ONE OF THE TWO WHICH HEARD JOHN SPEAK, AND FOLLOWED HIM, WAS ANDREW, SIMON PETER'S BROTHER.

(41) "HE FIRST FINDETH HIS OWN BROTHER SIMON, AND SAITH UNTO HIM, WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAS, WHICH IS, BEING INTERPRETED, THE CHRIST."

          THE TRUE RESPONSE OF ONE WHO HAS FOUND CHRIST IS TO BRING OTHERS TO HEAR THE GOSPEL.

          WITH MOST SO-CALLED CHRISTIANS, SALVATION IS THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN THE WORLD.

          8.  A FAITH ACCOMPANIED BY A PATIENT CONTINUANCE

TITUS 2:11-12, (11) "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH APPEARED TO ALL MEN."

(12) "TEACHING US THAT, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD;"

         THESE VERSES ARE DESCRIBED AS "THE BASIS OF OBEDIENCE" BY MANY WRITERS.

          WHY SUCH RESTRAINING OF ONESELF?    

          WHY DEMAND OBEDIENCE AND SUBMISSION OF MEN AND WOMEN?

          "THE GRACE OF GOD"   

          OUR INITIAL RESPONSE TO GOD'S GRACE MUST BE "DENYING UNGODLINESS". 

          WHILE IN THE WORLD THE BELIEVER IS NOT OF THE WORLD AND HIS OR HER DESIRES ARE NOT TO BE SET ON THIS WORLD SYSTEM AND ITS VALUES.

            THE BELIEVER SHOULD JUST DO RIGHT NO MATTER WHAT OTHERS MAY SAY OR DO.

TITUS 2:13 "LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE, AND THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF THE GREAT GOD AND OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST;"

          THERE IS A GREAT FUTURE AND GRACE TEACHES US TO LOOK FOR "THAT BLESSED HOPE."

          THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME; JESUS IS COMING AGAIN AND IT WILL BE "THE GLORIOUS APPEARING."

          THE ONE TRUE HOPE AND EXPECTATION OF THE BELIEVER IS SEEING JESUS AS HE IS AND BEING LIKE HIM (1st JOHN 3:2). HOW THE HEART OF THE BELIEVER SHOULD LONG FOR THAT DAY.

     AMEN