Examine Your Heart to See if You Are Truly in the Faith
(Are You Truly Saved?)
How can you
know if you're a true child of God with an eternal inheritance? God's Word says
you must examine yourself to see if you are truly saved. "Examine
yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove [test] your own selves" (2
Cor. 13:5). Don't just assume that you're
saved simply because of what other people say. Though they may be sincere and
mean well, they may be sincerely wrong, since they are not God and thus, cannot
truly know your heart. And even if they quote Scriptures regarding God's
faithfulness in keeping His promises and the certainty of eternal security
(which are true), still don't let that keep you from examining your heart.
Though it is true, you can never lose your salvation, that only applies to
those who are genuinely saved. And how else will you know if you're genuinely
saved unless you look for proof? Furthermore, don't let anyone convince you
that by examining your heart, you're somehow sinning or demonstrating a lack of
faith. I can tell you right off - that does not come from God. The enemy would
like nothing more than for you to be self-deceived about your spiritual
condition and think you're saved when you're really not. Sadly, thousands of
professing, nominal Christians have fallen into that trap of believing that
they're eternally secure, when they're really on the brink of hell. Don't let
the enemy convince you that you
shouldn't examine your heart. God warns you in His Word to examine yourself.
And this makes sense. Why would you gamble with your eternal future? This is
the one area you don't want to risk being wrong in. Just what if you're mistaken
and you're not really saved after all? It certainly doesn't hurt to look into
the matter just to be on the safe side. But it will cost you your eternal soul,
if you don't do anything and you were wrong. Why take a chance? Make sure that
you're secure in Christ by closely inspecting your heart and life for evidence
of salvation.
So, how do
you check to see if you're truly saved? First of all, if you're a true child of
God, you will be "born again" spiritually, which means that you will
have a new heart with God's law written upon it, as well as the Holy Spirit
living inside of you to help you love and obey God (Jer. 31:33; Ez. 36:26-27;
John 3:3). Radically transformed from within, you will be a new person
spiritually. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).
And if there is truly an internal change of heart, there will also be outward,
visible signs of this change manifested through your speech, conduct, dress,
choices, preferences, etc. In other words, the proof that you're truly saved is
a radically changed life that produces spiritual fruit or holy living. "Ye
shall know them by their fruits...every good tree bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Matt. 7:16, 17).
How do you
know if you're producing spiritual fruit? Together with the internal witness of
the Spirit, you must look for signs or evidence of spiritual fruit in your life
(Rom. 8:16; 1 John 3:10, 24). One mark of true saving faith is love for God. Be
honest and ask yourself - Do you truly love Jesus? If so, you will strive to
please Him by obeying His commandments.
Amazingly, some within the Church today try to subtly deny this obvious
truth by either skirting around the issue or avoiding it altogether, while
others openly deny it through the use of sophisticated arguments and twisting God's
Word (e.g., implying that obeying God's law is legalism and is opposed to
grace). But even Jesus Himself said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments"
(John 14:15). What could be plainer than that? In the clearest and simplest
terms, Jesus linked love for Him to obedience to His Word. And as if to
emphasize and clarify this point, Jesus repeated it several times. "He
that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me"
(John 14:21). "If a man love me, he will keep my words" (John 14:23).
"He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings" (John 14:24). "If
ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love" (John 15:10). If even Jesus
Himself said this, who could argue with this or deny it? It seems so clear then
that love for God is inextricably tied to obeying Him.
But now
what kind of obedience is God referring to? Is it one merely performed out of a
sense of duty, the fear of punishment, or a promise of reward? Though these are
valid reasons for complying with God's will, our motives for obeying God should
not be limited to these. Certainly, God, who is our Creator and LORD, has every
right to command us. Without a doubt, we should feel a sense of moral
obligation to obey Him. Our conscience dictates this. Moreover, a healthy fear
of God's chastening should act as a deterrent to disobedience, while
encouraging obedience. Finally, the hope of reward should provide further
incentive to obey God. However, if we were to simply stop there and obey God
for no other reasons than these, we would be no better than a Pharisee,
motivated by pride and self-righteousness, or a devil, motivated by a slavish
fear of punishment. Is this the kind of obedience God wants from us? The answer
is, of course, "no". Even from a human standpoint, we can understand
this. For example, would a man want his wife or children to submit to him
simply because they felt obligated to, feared his punishment, or looked forward
to some reward? What would that imply about their relationship or their
feelings toward him? Certainly, if he's like most people, he would prefer his
family to obey him because they want
to and not just because they have to.
Similarly, God wants us to obey Him for the same reason. Again, God is not only
concerned with our actions, but also with the motives behind our actions. In
order for our obedience to be acceptable to Him, we must have the right motive.
Thus, one
thing that distinguishes a true Christian from a non-Christian is his sincere desire to obey God from the heart. Out of love and gratitude for
what God has done, he desires (though not perfectly) to please Him through his
obedience. Put another way, the test of true love for God is his willingness to obey Him. Have you examined your heart on this issue?
Ask yourself - Do you find it a joy or a burden to obey God? For example, do you attend worship, serve God,
share the gospel, pray, and read the Scriptures because you really desire to or
merely out of a sense of duty and moral obligation? God's Word says that if we
really love Him, we will not see it as a burden to obey Him and do what pleases
Him. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his
commandments are not grievous
[burdensome]" (1 John 5:3; emphasis added). In other words, if you
claim to love Jesus, you should not only try to keep all of His commandments,
but you should also do it willingly from the heart and not reluctantly. Do you
do this? And what about when you fail to
obey Him, which we all do? Do you repent with remorse over your sin, asking God
to forgive you and to help you improve by His grace? Your answers to these questions will tell you
a lot about your heart's spiritual condition and about your true feelings
toward God.
In addition
to obedience from the heart, another test of true love for God is whether you
prefer Him above everything else or not. If you claim to love God, how much do
you love Him? Do you prize Him above all and value Him as your priceless
Treasure? Is He your "
Another way
to know if you truly love God and put Him first is to ask yourself - Do you
still love the world or cling to the things of this life (as a general habit
and way of life)? If so, then you cannot really love Christ. Scripture says, "Know
ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosever therefore
will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James. 4:4). "Love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him"
(1 John 2:15; emphasis added). You
cannot love both God and the world. First, God and the world are directly
opposed to each other. God is perfect light and the world, which is under Satan's
dominion, is total darkness. Therefore, the two are incompatible. Second, true
Christianity is not syncretistic, where you can blend different faiths together
or share more than one loyalty (i.e., God and the world). In other words, it's
not like you can straddle the fence with one foot in Satan's kingdom (i.e., the
world) and the other foot in God's kingdom, hoping to get the best of both
worlds. God demands your complete and undivided loyalty. He will not share this
with anything or anyone else. You are to worship God alone. Thus, if your heart
is divided between God and the world, then you are not truly worshipping God.
And if you are not worshipping God, you cannot rightfully call Him your Lord
and Master. The world (or rather, Satan) is your master. "No man can serve
two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he
will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon
[riches]" (Matt. 6:24).
The Marks of True Conversion
In addition
to these questions, there are other tests that can help you evaluate your
spiritual condition and determine whether you are truly saved or not. The
following is a list of some of the general characteristics of true
believers. Though not limited to this
list, every true Christian should share these marks to one degree or another,
depending on his spiritual maturity. Do you bear these marks?
1) A radical transformation of heart and
mind that results from the new birth and dramatically changes one's
worldview, goals, priorities, preferences, and perspectives regarding God, man,
the world, etc. (e.g., switching from a man- and self-centered focus to a God-
and others-centered focus)
2) Love for God and man that
evidences itself in holy obedience to God, a desire to commune with God in
close fellowship, and a selfless, sacrificial love toward man, including
strangers and even enemies
3) Mercy or compassion toward
others, even undeserving recipients; a willingness to forgive others, based on God's
forgiveness of one's own sins
4) Joy that is deep-rooted and
founded on God's eternal promises and biblical principles, rather than a
superficial happiness based on temporal prosperity and changing circumstances
5) Peace that results from
reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus; an attitude that promotes
harmony/unity (based on truth and not on compromise), while avoiding
unnecessary conflict or division
6) Longsuffering or patience with
others and endurance through trials
7) Kindness or a considerate
disposition that seeks to help and benefit others
8) Goodness or a generous spirit
that gives cheerfully and willingly
9) Faith or a sincere, active belief
in God's Word, person, and works that reveals itself through good works or
spiritual fruit; trusting in Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation
10) Humility that increases with an
awareness of one's sin, shortcomings, and unworthiness before God; a meek, gentle,
and quiet spirit that is not easily angered and readily forgives; not thinking
highly of oneself or seeking after praise or glory; esteeming others better
than oneself and putting their interests first; the opposite of self-love
(e.g., self-seeking, self-exaltation, self-confidence, self-will, etc.)
11) Self-control over carnal desires,
appetites, passions, and excesses (e.g., anger, lust, gluttony, drunkenness,
inordinate fear or anxieties, covetousness, etc.)
12) Truthfulness or adherence to the
truth, marked by honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, etc.; a dedication to God's
truth that seeks to spread it and put it into practice, while countering
anything (falsehood, deception) that would oppose God's Word
13) Gratitude for God's love and
mercy that naturally overflows into praise and adoration of Him and seeks to
demonstrate appreciation through heart-felt obedience
14) Conviction of sin that extends
beyond just feelings of remorse and leads to genuine and on-going repentance
15) Holiness that is not perfectionism or mere external
morality, but a sincere desire and effort to please God from the heart by
obeying His commandments; a new, inward principle that motivates the believer
to pursue righteousness and overcome/mortify the remaining corruptions within
the heart, having been delivered from spiritual bondage
16) Separation from the world that
protects a believer from the world (i.e., its corrupting influence) without
removing him from the world; remaining in
the world as a witness for Christ, while not being of the world, condoning its false ideologies/beliefs and joining in
with its sinful practices
17) Reverence for God or honor given
to God out of due respect and regard for His divine attributes (e.g., holiness,
power, wisdom, etc.); a holy awe and reverential fear of God derived not only
from a knowledge of Scripture, but also from practical or personal experience
(e.g., witnessing God's power through answered prayers; divine discipline or
chastening, etc.)
18) Hunger for God's Word that is
evidenced by the daily study, memorization, and application of Scripture
19) Prayer according to God's will
that is regular, continual, and from the heart, based on God's truth
20) Serving God wherever there is an
opportunity - at church, in outreach ministries, in the home, on the job, at
school, etc.
21) Witnessing for Christ by
testifying of God's truth (e.g., sharing the gospel, declaring God's attributes
and works, etc.) and setting an example through Godly behavior
22) Devotion to God's glory that
increases with the knowledge of God and a corresponding humbling and forgetting
of oneself; striving to make God's glory the focus and goal in every area of
life, including thoughts, attitudes, speech, and conduct
23) Spiritual growth that manifests
itself through an increasing conformity to Christ's image; growing in the
knowledge of God and in personal holiness through the consistent application of
God's Word
24) Perseverance or enduring to the
end (of one's life or until Jesus returns) without abandoning or apostatizing
(falling away) from God; continuing steadfastly in the faith and remaining
loyal to God, sustained by His power and grace
Did You Pass the Test?
Do you see
spiritual fruit or signs of true conversion in your life? I'm not implying
perfection, of course, since even after you are saved, you still struggle with
remaining sin and corruption in your heart until you reach final glory (Rom.
7:15-25). "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye
cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17). But overall, is your life
characterized by these marks? For example, do you see visible signs of
spiritual growth or progress? Are you increasing in your knowledge of God,
growing closer to Him, and becoming more like Him? Is your love for God deepening over time, the
more you know and experience Him? Do you have a childlike faith that causes you
- 1) to trust in and obey God's Word, though all those around you question or
oppose it; 2) to depend on Him for your every need, even the seemingly most
insignificant needs; and 3) to run to Him first and seek refuge in Him when
faced with problems? Is God the main focus of your life, as seen in the use of
your time, energy, money, and other resources? Is your overall goal to live for
God's glory, submitting to His will, or to live for yourself, following your
own desires? Do spiritual things have a higher priority in your life than
temporal things? Are you experiencing more victories than losses in your battle
against sin? That is, are you gaining more control over certain sins and
weaknesses that you struggle with (e.g., anger, lust, pride, unedifying speech,
selfishness, covetousness, etc.) and seeing improvement? And are you growing in
love, humility, and holiness, without which no one will see the LORD (Heb.
12:14)? If you're truly saved, the general direction of your life should be
heading in an upward trend, indicating spiritual growth and increasing
conformity to Christ's image, though, granted, there will also be some valleys
(failures) in between. Your life should not look like a flat line, representing
a stagnant or spiritually dead life with no spiritual progress at all. Or
worse, it should not look like a line heading downward in increasing
degeneracy/depravity toward final destruction.
If you
passed the test, by God's grace, and see definite signs or confirmation that God
is working in your life (i.e., in salvation and sanctification), rejoice! And
remember to praise God, giving Him all the glory. At the same time, note the
areas that you need to grow in, and ask God for His continued help. In other words, don't rest satisfied with
simply being saved, if indeed you are, but proceed further in your Christian
walk, pursuing Godliness and sanctification with all your heart and might,
giving honor and thanks to God all the while.
However, if
you did not pass the test, you may want to seriously evaluate your heart and
life to see if perhaps you may be temporarily backslidden and need to get right
with God by repenting of your sin and returning to Him. Another possibility and
even more important, is to consider whether you are saved at all. This may be a
frightening thought, especially if you've gone to church for most of your life
and just assumed you were saved. You may even be a Sunday school teacher or a
leader in the church, and even the thought that you might not be saved is quite
embarrassing and humbling. But what is a little shame compared to your immortal
soul? It's far better to face the truth now about yourself, when you can do
something about it (i.e., seek God in true
salvation), than to discover the truth when it's too late (after you've died).
Sadly, many who profess to be Christians are in this very predicament. They are
deceived into thinking they're saved, when they're really not, either because
they were fed a false gospel or someone simply assured them that they were
saved. Though I've mentioned it before,
it's worth repeating. Don't be misled. Whether well-intentioned or not, no one,
apart from God, can tell you for certain that you are saved. Though someone can
and should show you verses that promise the true
believer eternal security, no one can read your heart like God can and know if
you're really saved. Only God has that power. And the way God has chosen to
reveal to you whether you're saved or not is through His Holy Spirit and by
examining your heart for spiritual fruit. Have you examined your heart?
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