Brother George, you know, it's funny, I'm so used to leading
the songs that when we got to the third verse, my mind said,
say this is the last verse. And thankfully I didn't yell it
out. Go ahead and grab your Bibles.
We're going to we're going to continue in our discipleship
books. When pastor asked me to to
teach, he said, you know what, there's no reason that we can't
just keep on in the discipleship because the goal really is, and
I think he mentioned this quite a few times at the at the
beginning of this class, and that's really what it is.
These are more classes than lessons.
There's plenty to learn in them, but the goal here is that you
can take the same book. So be making lots of notes and
everything else. And when you see someone come to
Christ or even someone interested, and I'll get back to
that in a second that's interested in church or even
religious things or spiritual things.
You can take this book, take all the notes you've made in it and
go through this course with them or as far as they would are
still interested in in going through it with you.
But that goes then to say, and I don't know what chapter we're
even on. If you go to the front, is there
a chapter content? Yeah.
So we are on repentance, saving faith, the gospel, and now we're
on chapter 4, the evidence of salvation.
And so we still are up to this one here talking about salvation
itself. And I think that's important
because like I said, if, if, if you find somebody at work or you
know, from wherever that is interested and says, Hey, you
know what, I'd like to you talk about the Bible more with you or
something like that, But you may know they are not saved.
You know that this is, this is a great place to start because the
first four lessons of this book are about salvation, walking
them through how to be saved. And so, and then we get into
some, some more actual discipleship or growth things.
But you cannot grow in Christ if you're not in Christ.
And so I think it's, I think it is important to start with these
few chapters because then you get the the next one after
tonight is baptism and then eternal security.
This is still the new believer being sure of their salvation.
And then we get into position and practice and all the the
start the doctrines of what it means to be a Christian and what
the Bible says about certain things.
But still today we are in making sure that we're saved evidence
of salvation. And so I wanted to reiterate
that because as you're going through, this is not to for for
us and for you when you're doing it.
This is not to maybe judge someone that hey, you're not
saved. You need to be saved as much as
it's for them to say, wow, these things are really gives me
something to think about. Am IA Christian or not because
somebody who's coming to you that's not saved, but is
interested in of church or interested in Bible study or
something like that. They obviously have a they want
to they want to know Christ, but they may not yet.
And so this is a good opportunity for us then to lead
them to Christ. And so that's what this this
lesson tonight, this this chapter that we're going to do
and it's very short, only a page and 1/2.
So hopefully we can get through it pretty quickly.
Alex, can you grab me a mic? We are going to, I am going to
have some of y'all read for me just because there are a lot of
passages and we'll just start on this side.
And Alex will, he's not going to pass walk it, but he'll pass it
through. So Alex is going to start for
us. All right.
And so go to 1st. John chapter 2 is where I'd like
everybody to go first. John chapter 2, verses 3 and 4
is where we'll start and then let's pray and then I'll give us
all a bunch of passages and we'll start working through it.
All right, let's pray and then we'll get into it.
Father, thank you for this day you've given us.
Thank you for another opportunity we have to open your
word. God, I pray as we're going
through these lessons that we would check our own hearts, but
also that we would have this with a with a mind towards
showing others how to be saved and, and, and leading others to
you. And so God, I pray that this
this lesson we look at tonight would be profitable to us that
we'd be able to use in the future and God, that we would be
reminded of some very good truths out of your word tonight
in Jesus name, I pray, Amen. All right, Alex, start in first
John chapter 2, verses 3 and 4. And I'm going to go right to
Miss Becca and then on through. So maybe circle the verse that
you have just because I'm not going to remember which one I
gave you. All right, so first John 2-3 and
four, Miss Becca, 2nd Corinthians 517, Riley Titus 116
Emma, second Timothy 219. Let's see Grammy Ephesians 2,
eight through 10, I'm allowed to call her that.
Ephesians 28 through 10, Doc John 3/3.
And then Brother Matt, I'm going to have you go to John 4 and I'm
going to have you read verse 15 and 39.
That's not in there, But those are the two I want you to read
because I'm not going to have you read all of John 4.
So John 415 and 39. Miss Etiana, I'm going to have
you go to Luke 19 and I'll let you know which verses when we
get there, all right? Because I'm not going to have
you read all ten of those either.
All right, Johanna, let's see Acts 241 and 42 and I'll
probably, I'll have her read that, but we'll all end up in
Acts. And because there's a whole
bunch of passages there and they're real close together.
So I'd like to look at all those together.
So everybody will be in Acts here in just a minute.
And then let's see for the Johnny, can you go to First
Thessalonians 19 and 10? Miss?
So it's all Matthew 18 three Adeline, John 847 and then
Brother John and I get you to do Hebrews 12/6 and 8/6 through 8
and Miss Marlisa Hebrews 928. All right.
And that'll get us through the first page.
And then I think we'll I think we'll be good after that to kind
of go to all of them together. All right, so here's what we're
going to start with and you guys are have the privilege of seeing
exactly what we're going to talk about.
So a lot of times we've got a I've got an outline up here that
you're just getting the basics, but you can see exactly what
we're going to talk about. And so you see the first point
there is that the New Testament everywhere teaches that
salvation will be accompanied by evidence, evidence of salvation.
And I'll start this lesson by by this and then we'll just kind of
go through it. But pastor mentions this fairly
often, but there's a reason he mentions it.
There is a there is a faction out there that believe and it's
fairly new. Obviously it's not new or
because they were still dealing with it in the Bible, but it's
fairly a new resurgence of the fact that you know, there is no,
there's no need to change your life for salvation.
You just have to change your belief.
You have to change from unbelief to belief.
There is no, that is the repentance.
There's no change of your life because if you're changing your
life, then it's work, salvation. And the obvious point there is
you're not changing your life to be saved.
You're changing because you are saved.
But there has to be a shift in your mind about sin.
We all know people that are unsaved and are happy as can be
in their sin or they say happy as a hog and and slob right to
be in their sin. They have no problem with it and
if a Christian is fine with that, that's the evidence that
they have don't have salvation. Now we're going to talk about
this in a second, but pastor covered it pretty well.
I think Sunday morning maybe that they might believe in God
and they might believe in Jesus, but they're either not believing
it on him for their salvation or it's a different Jesus.
So they might believe there is a God.
Sure that doesn't the Bible even says that and we'll probably
look at this one of these verses is is it says this even the
devils believe in tremble. So believing in God is not
evidence of salvation or that is not salvation.
So I'm I preface it with saying that there there has to be there
is going to be some evidence of salvation when a person gets
saved. So we're with that.
We'll get right into it and and Alex is going to start in first
John chapter 2. And hereby we do know that we
know Him if we keep His commandments.
He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is
a liar, and the truth is not in him.
OK, so I'm, I'm going to try not to commentate on every single
verse because that you have them here.
You can go back and look at them.
And I would encourage you to do that maybe tomorrow for your
devotions or even tomorrow night or whatever.
Go back and kind of look through these.
But first, John 2-3 and four, hereby we know that we know him.
OK am I saved You can know that you know him you can know that
you're saved if we keep his commandments.
That's how we know he that saith I know him and doesn't keep his
commandments keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the
truth is not in him. Well, it's not just that he's
that truth is not in him who is the truth Christ I am the way
the truth and the life. So that's what he's talking
about here. If you say you know him and
don't keep his commandments, you're a liar and the truth
Christ is not in you. And so I think it's a very,
that's a key verse. But then let's let's move on.
2nd Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 17.
Therefore, if any man isn't being Christ, he is a new
creature. Old things are passed away.
Behold, all things are become new.
So you don't have to change anything except old things are
passed away. And so I don't want to hound or
belabor that point, but it's pretty obvious that there is
going to be a change when somebody gets saved, old things
are passed away and all things are become new.
Titus chapter 1 and verse 16. They profess that they know God,
but in works they deny him, being abominable and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
And and that makes me wonder, the ones that are acting this
way, that are abominable and disobedient and reprobate, why
would they even profess to know God?
Like I, I don't really, but but we do see it.
We see it even now. I mean, every one of you
probably has people at work who says, Oh yeah, I'm a Christian.
I may even go to church every Sunday.
And then they turn around and they've got the filthiest mouth
and they're telling the dirtiest stories.
And what is that? This they profess that they know
God. But but what Paul is saying here
is they they don't, they profess that they do, but in works they
deny it. And that's a pretty good
evidence that someone is not saved.
And so I'll get to this at the end or toward the end that we're
not looking. The Bible's Christ is not
looking for perfection to prove that you followed him.
But it's similar to repentance. There has to be a mind and a
desire to live for Christ to to have.
That is the evidence of salvation.
Someone who is not saved is not going to desire to live for
Christ. But anyways, let's move on
Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse 19.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure having this
seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that
name with the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
They're very good the foundation of God stand ashore having this
seal. Where else do we see that seal?
What is that? Where do we see that in
salvation? Holy Spirit seals us, right?
So that's what this is same same vein that he's talking the
foundation of God stand ashore having this seal and this is the
seal two parts the Lord knows them that are his and everyone
that names the name of Christ departs from iniquity
permanently or perfectly. No, but they do desire to depart
from iniquity and so that's what I'm saying this lesson is not to
say do you partake in sin and you're not sorry for it.
You must not be saved. That's not my point here, but
but an evidence of salvation is someone who departs or hates
sin. They hate the works of the the
works of them that are of Satan. They hate that.
And so that's that's a two-part seal of salvation, a proof of
salvation. God knows those that are his and
a true, true believer departs from iniquity.
All right. And then Ephesians 2, eight
through 10. And I'll have you read it and
then we'll, we'll talk about it for just a second.
Ephesians 2. Eight through 10.
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast, For we are his
workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.
So we often stop with verse 9, right?
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast.
But verse 10 is an evidence of salvation, that there is works
in it, not for salvation, but works after a person's
salvation. For we are his workmanship
created in Christ Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained, that we should walk in them, or prepared.
I have it's not a study Bible, but I have that in the margin of
my Bible, that that ordained is prepared.
So Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath prepared these
good works that we should walk in them.
So those are for people that are saved.
It is expected of us to to go on and do good and be a part of
good works, not for our salvation again, but to show
that our, our life has changed. And and that's not, I want to
be, I, I think we all know this, but I want to be clear that
we're not doing those good works to show my salvation.
A, a safe person does those good works and it is evidence of his
salvation, if that makes sense. It's kind of like, you know, a
dog doesn't growl when you touch his food to prove he's a dog.
He growls when you touch his food because he's a dog.
OK, so that's a, a Christian doesn't do good works to prove
they're a Christian per SE. They are living in the Holy
Spirit and therefore they do good works because they're a
Christian. Hopefully that makes sense.
But that's what verse 10 is saying.
We are his workmanship after after being saved by grace.
We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good
works, which God has ordained for us to do and that we should
walk in and he's prepared those things for us.
All right, John chapter 3 and verse 3 and all we're doing
here. This is the first point is just
looking at some scripture that teaches that salvation is
accompanied with evidence of that salvation.
So John chapter 3 and verse 3. This is the story of Nicodemus,
but the the first part of it Jesus answered and said unto
him, verily, verily I say unto thee, except the man be born
again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
All right, so all his point here brother clouds point here is
just that salvation is a supernatural birth as as much of
A as much of a massive change or a miracle that the that a that a
physical birth is a spiritual birth is the same way it's a
supernatural birth that changes an individual's life.
We are reborn and like second Corinthians 5 says, the old
things are passed away. Everything is new for those that
come to Christ. All right, couple more verses
and then we'll we'll move on. But let's see where we at John
chapter 4. Is that where we're at?
We're going to switch. She's going to do John.
OK, John chapter 4. All right.
So before we even get into that, he says consider the conversions
described in the Gospels under Christ's earthly ministry.
So think of people that Christ witnessed to or Christ showed
himself to that believed him, and think of the change that
happened to them. OK, so that's fine.
We'll go. So she's doing John.
OK John chapter 4 and verse 15 if you will.
The the woman said into him, Sir, give me this water that I
thirst not neither come hide there to draw.
OK, so this is the woman at the well.
Jesus comes to her and and he's asking her, you know, well verse
11, the woman saith unto him, Sir, thou has nothing to draw
with, and the well is deep, from whence hast thou that living
water? So he's saying, I have living
water. You want to ask, ask me for it.
And she says, how can you have living water?
You don't even have anything to draw from this well with.
Are you greater than our Father Jacob which gave us this well?
And then Jesus says, whosoever drinketh of this water shall
thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the
water that I will give him shall never thirst, but the water that
I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up
unto everlasting life. Then we get to verse 15 where
she says, give it to me. Then I want that water.
And then we have where Jesus says, you know what, go get your
husband. And we have that whole testimony
of this woman's past life. And then you get to verse 39.
Read that for me, Miss Ariana. And many of the Samaritans of
the city believed on him for the same saying of the woman which
testified. He told me all that ever I did.
Very good. Thank you.
So we see from verse and obviously this is not her, you
know, we don't really have much of her life after this, but she
goes from living her life with five husbands and then living
with a guy that's not her husband.
And Jesus knows all this. And it's not that she was
surprised. He he knew that as much as he
brought to her attention the way she was living.
And she says, OK, I want that, I want to change.
And then you see in verses, well, like 35 through 39, but it
ends with many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for
the saying of the woman which testified.
He told me all that ever I did. Now were they surprised that the
shock wasn't that he knew what she had done.
The shock was this is the Messiah.
And you'll see that in in that passage if we read through it
and we don't have time. But she says this, you're the
prophet that we've been looking for.
And Jesus says, yes, I am. And so her life has changed
dramatically. By her confrontation with Christ
and so that's the point there is to see that these individual
lives were dramatically changed when they when they got saved.
Luke chapter 19 Matt you're there right.
So this is the story of Zacchaeus real quickly very
familiar story. We know we know this, but it he
gives you verses one through 10 just to give you context.
But what I want to look at is Zacchaeus was he wanted to he
wanted to see Christ. You see him come where Christ
is. He's not running from him.
He climbs up in the tree. He wants to see.
Now what did he just want to see him physically?
Who is this, this miracle worker, this prophet, whatever
everybody was saying about it, I want to see him.
But he climbs up in the tree. Jesus calls him down and says,
I'm going to your house. And then look what happens in
verse. Read 7 through 10, Matt.
OK. And when they saw it, they all
murmured, saying that he was gone to be guessed with the man
that is a Sinner. And Zacchaeus stood and said
unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the
poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false
accusation, I restore him fourfold.
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation, come to this
house. For as much as he also is a son
of Abraham. For the Son of man has come to
seek and to save that which was lost very good.
So was his salvation because he says, behold, I'm half my goods.
I'm going to give to the poor. That's not his salvation.
That is proof that this man believed on Christ.
And because it in verse 7, these people, even I mean, Zacchaeus
was a he was a wicked man and even the people are going, wow,
Jesus is going to be a guest with a man that's a Sinner.
That's crazy. I can't believe this teacher
would go with a Sinner like that.
Zacchaeus had not made any changes in his life up to this
point. He's a Sinner and everybody
knows it. But then in verse 8, he says to
the Lord, Behold Lord, the half my goods I give to the poor.
And if I've taken anything from any man by false accusation, I
restore him full fourfold. And Jesus says this day
salvation come to this house for as much he also is a son of
Abraham. But it's it was the change that
came because of his belief in Christ.
Not everybody go to Acts, if you will, and we'll all just start
there. In chapter 2 and verse 41, we're
going to look at some of the these these conversions that are
described in the book of Acts. And let's see, Johanna will read
Acts 241 and 42 and then I will read just to pick a few verses
out of these other stories. But we first see the dramatic
change in those that were saved on the day of Pentecost, Acts
241 and 42. Then they that godly, badly
received his Word, were baptized in the same day.
They were added unto them about 3000 souls.
And they continue steadfastly in this, in the apostles doctrine
and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.
Very good. So the key there is that they
continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship
doctrine, and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in
prayers, when in verse 37. And when they heard this, they
were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest
of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?
Peter's preaching to them. Verse 36, Let all the House of
Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus who
you crucified. So these are these are Jews that
denied Christ. They crucified him.
And now all of a sudden in verse 42, verse 41, they gladly
received the word, they're baptized.
And then you see the change in their life.
It continues steadfastly in the apostles doctrine, the exact
same ones that they just crucified Christ for.
They now are continuing in those steadfastly a change in someone
who gets saved. Now let's look at the Ethiopian
eunuch in Acts chapter 8 and we're just going to go through
chapter by chapter here, but Acts chapter 8 and verse 39, you
got the whole story of the Ethiopian eunuch verses 26
through 2939. But in verse 39, verse 38, and
he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went down
both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized
him. And now hopefully you don't
think there are going to be parts of these stories that you
may be like, oh, he skipped the best part.
The point here is not particularly to get all of the
context. That's why I'm skipping around
because we know these stories. But Peter asks him or he he
says, I want to be baptized. Peter doesn't say, yeah, your
baptism is your salvation and that's not the point of this
lesson. But he takes him into the water
and says if you well, he asks him first, if you truly believe,
then you can be baptized. He said, I do believe they go
get baptized and then you see the change in his life.
Verse 37, Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart,
thou mayest be baptized. And he answered and said, I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still.
And they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch,
and he baptized them. And when they were come up out
of the water, Spirit of Lord caught away Philip that the
eunuch saw him no more. And he the the eunuch went on
his way rejoicing and no doubt went back to his country and
spread the gospel. We know that from history.
But a change in this Ethiopian eunuchs life.
He was desiring to know Christ finds him and then his life
changes. We have Paul in Acts Chapter 9
same page. We got the whole conversion
story of Paul, but I want to read this one verse in in 20 and
I think this is an interesting story.
Even when, when, when the disciples get wind, you got to
realize at the beginning of Acts, Paul is killing
Christians. And then here all only in Acts
Chapter 9 we have let's see it. He's got verses one through 21.
So I'd like at some point for you to go back and read those.
But verse 12. Well, verse 11 and the Lord said
unto him, arise and go into the street, which is called
straight, and inquire in the House of Judas for one called
Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prayeth, and as
seen in a vision, a man named Ananias coming in and putting
his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I've heard by many of this man
how much evil he have done to thy Saints at Jerusalem, and
here he hath authority from the chief priest to bind all that
call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go
thy way, He's a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before
the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my
name's sake. And then Ananias obeys and says,
brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus that appeared unto thee in
the way as thou camest hath sent me, that thou mightest receive
thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
And then we have in verse 20 and straight well verse 19 when he
received me, he was strengthened.
Then was saw certain days with the disciples which were at
Damascus, and straightway he preached Christ in the
synagogues that he is the Son of God, God.
And but all that hurt him were amazed and said Is this not the
one Is this not he that destroyed them, which called on
his name in Jerusalem and came hit her for that intent they
might bring them bound under the chief priest.
Anyways, the point here is just like Zacchaeus, everybody knew
who Saul was and by verse 20 he's converted to Christ.
He's born again and straightway he goes out preaching Christ in
the synagogue's that he is the son of God.
Dramatic evidence of salvation in Paul's life.
And then we have Lydia Acts chapter 16.
So go there two more in Acts Acts chapter 16 and verse 14.
We'll just read both of the I didn't give this to anybody, did
I OK Acts chapter 16, verse 14 and 15 and a certain woman named
Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, which
worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she
attended under the things that were spoken of Paul and when she
was baptized in her household. She besought us saying, if you
have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and
abide there. And she constrained us.
But she gets saved and she changes.
Now I can't remember exactly where it's at and I'm not going
to go looking for it, but there's there's another.
Is it at the end of 16? Yeah, 16, verse 40.
And they went out of the prison and entered into the House of
Lydia, and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted
them and departed. This is right after the
Philippian jailer, which we'll look at in just a second.
But they get out of prison finally, and immediately.
Who do they go to? Lydia.
They entered into the House of Lydia when they'd seen the
brethren. So the brethren are at Lydia's
house and they're comforted, and then they depart from there.
But Lydia has a very, very obvious change in her life after
her salvation and evidence of salvation, not her way of her
way of salvation. All right, then the Philippian
jailer in Acts 1634. We'll just read this one verse
because we are we're not running out of time, but we're going to,
we're going to run out of time. Verse 34 and we brought them
into his house. He set meat before them and
rejoice believing in God with all his house.
And you can read that whole story of the Philippian jailer.
But a massive, massive evidence, a change in his life as evidence
of his salvation. And I did give this to somebody,
right? First Thessalonians.
But Johnny, if you don't mind reading this, this is the
believers at Thessalonica, verses 9 and 10.
For they themselves show us, yeah, it's on.
For they themselves show of us what manner of entering we had.
And unto you and how you turn to God from idols to serve the
living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, from he
ways, from the dead, even Jesus, which deliver us from the wealth
to come. So these are the Thessalonian
Christians. They were idol worshippers.
And you see that in verse 9. They themselves show us what
manner of entering and we had and how you turn to God from
idols to serve the living and true God.
And if you write in your Bible, I wrote this in mine, but I
think it's a very good point. Most people turn to God when
they have tried everything else. And I think it's interesting the
way this is written, how you turned to God from your idols.
You weren't you. You hadn't come to the point
where your idols didn't work anymore.
You were still in the middle of worshipping your idols when you
turned to God and to serve the living and true God.
I think it's a, it's an important phrase there.
But anyways, so you see the Thessalonian Christians have
this genuine salvation and then evidence, obvious evidence of
the fact that they are saved and that they turned away from those
idols to serve the living and true God.
All right, and then point number 25 evidences of salvation.
And we'll we'll move through these quickly as we can.
But I had somebody's got Matthew 18 right, Miss so tall a
conversion experience. So the point here is every time
we see somebody saved in the Bible, we don't we don't have
them, you know, 11 moment because there's a reason for
each one of these stories. And so we don't have them, you
know, wicked reprobate against Christ.
And then all of a sudden, the next time we see them, they've
just, you know, changed their mind.
They have a conversion experience and then they change.
And we see that in Matthew chapter 18 and verse 3.
Not a particular person, but for people in general.
Go ahead. Verily I say unto you, Except
you be converted and become as little children, you should not
end enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
So first evidence of salvation, you have a conversion of
conversion experience. Now, if you talk to brother
Nitin, there's all kinds of different conversion
experiences. I saw light in my dream.
I saw an Angel in my dream. I you know, I had this vision
all kinds of conversion experiences, but except the be
converted not just have a an experience with a light, right.
Bible says even even Satan, he's an Angel of light.
So a lot of these experiences. I am not convinced that it's not
Satan giving them a show of something supernatural so that
they'll believe on it instead of Christ.
But there's a conversion experience first of all.
Secondly and very important, John chapter 8 and verse 47.
He that is of God heareth God's words.
He therefore hear them not, because you are not of God.
Read that again, Adeline, can you read it a little bit, just a
little bit louder and I'm not picking on you.
He that is of God heareth God's words.
He therefore hear them not, because you are not of God.
That's that's pretty powerful. He's not saying that you can't
physically hear them. He that is of God hears God's
words. And what does the Bible say?
You're a doer of it after you hear it.
But he hears them. But ye are, ye hear them not
because you're not of God. It reminds me, is it First
Corinthians where he says, but these things are, they don't
know them. It's foolishness to them because
these things are spiritually discerned.
That doesn't mean these people are spiritually discerned.
It means these things can only be understood by those who are
converted and now have a spiritual mind.
And that's what he's saying here, verse 47.
Ye hear them not because you're not of God.
You have no desire to hear God's Word.
There's a love for God's Word. That's the second evidence of
salvation. And Alex, are you still in first
John two? You're not.
I'll go there first John 2 because he read 3 and 4.
But first John 25 is another verse goes along with this.
If I can get there quickly. Let's see first John 2/5 but
three and four hereby we know that we know him if we keep his
commandments. He that saith I know him and
keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in
in him, but whoso keepeth his word in him, verily is the love
of God perfected or matured or completed.
Hereby know we that we are in him how?
By keeping his word. That's that's hearing his word
and doing it. That's an evidence of salvation.
And then a love of righteousness.
And Alex, I had, I didn't give anybody this because it's your
verse again, but I'm already here.
But they love righteousness. And that's what I just read.
We know that we know him if we keep his commandments, we love
to keep the law of of God. And that's not the Old Testament
law. That's the laws that God gives
us, the commands that he gives us.
We love to keep them. They're not a burden to us.
That's a third evidence of salvation, but then Hebrews
chapter 12, verse 6 through 8, the 4th evidence of salvation is
that there is God's chastening. If you are bebopping through
life in any sin that you want, doing anything you and there's
really no correction ever. It's evidence of not having
salvation is who is that for the job for whom?
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourges every
son whom he received it. If ye endure chastening, God
deal with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the
Father chasteneth not? But if ye ye but if ye be
without chastisement, we're of all partakers, then are ye
bastards and not sons. I think Pastor just read this
verse. Maybe someday but and evidence
of salvation is that God chastens you and if he doesn't
verse 8 if you be without chastisement, you're not his
son. It's an evidence of salvation.
God's chastening, even though we don't like it and he says that
verse 7 if you endure chastening you didn't say if you love it.
He said if you endure it, then God deal with with you as with
sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not so forth.
Evidence is you're going to experience God's chastening at
times. Then Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 28,
A true a child of God looks for Christ's return.
Hebrews 928. So Christ was, so Christ was
once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look
for him shall he appear the second time, without sin unto
salvation. Unto them that look for him
shall he appear. You know there's a verse in
Revelation, I didn't look it up, I should have, that says there's
a crown for those that look for the return of Christ.
Those that are looking for Christ's return get a crown just
like the soul winner gets a crown and and all the rest.
There's one for those that are looking for Christ and that's an
evidence of salvation. Then thirdly, and we'll move
kind of quickly through these, but Jesus warned that it is
possible to believe without being saved and I think I
stopped there. So I will just turn if you can
turn to these do but John chapter 2 and verse 23.
John chapter 2, verse 23. I'll read it and then we'll
we'll talk about it. John 223 Now when He was in
Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day, let's see, 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 needeth not that any should testify of man, for He
knew what was in man. But the point here is when, when
they saw the miracles, which He did, many believed in His name.
Now, so back to the what is that Third Point?
Jesus warned that it is possible to believe without being saved.
And that's that's what he's given us here in John chapter 2.
It's possible to believe these people did they believed in the
miracles, but he didn't commit himself to them because they
were believed. They weren't believing in Christ
for their salvation. They were believing in this
these cool things that he was doing really in their eyes.
James chapter 2 and verse 19 and and I won't have you turn to all
of these, but I'm I'm going to James chapter 2 and verse 19.
There's a whole bunch of verses here.
I'll probably end up skipping a few of them for sake of time.
But James chapter 2 and verse 19 says thou believe is that there
is one God. Thou do as well.
The devils also believe in tremble and we mentioned that
already. So very good verse to say that,
you know, just just because, Oh yeah, I believe in Jesus, so do
the devils and they tremble at his name, but they're not saved.
Why? Because they don't.
Well, they don't have the ability or they did and they
lost their opportunity. But mankind can do the same
thing and believe that there's a Jesus, believe that he died on
the cross, believe all of that, but not put their faith in him
for their salvation. And pastor has mentioned this
here recently as well. But you know, salvation is not
just so we can go to heaven. Salvation is to have our sin
taken care of. That's the problem.
And heaven is a great benefit. But the point of salvation is we
are being saved from our sin that is sending us to hell.
And he says that in John chapter 6.
I already turned away from there.
But John chapter 6, they were believing on him as a miracle
worker to provide for their physical needs.
But that was it that they weren't believing him as as the
salvation from their sins. And I'll just read through this
for sake of time and you can follow right along.
It's right there in your book. He said they were believing him
as a prophet, as a miracle worker and a provider of their
physical needs and as one who would deliver them from the
power of Rome, which was their concept of the Messiah.
So not he was he was the the the chosen one or the set one, but
to deliver them politically, not from their sin, but from Rome.
A political deliverer, he says that a political deliverer
rather than a personal savior from sin.
They that they were not true believers as evident and that
they turned away from Christ because of his preaching.
And I do want to read that in John chapter 6 in verse 60.
So you have that whole passage there where they're looking at
his miracles. They're astounded by them.
But then in verse 60, we have a contrast here between verse 60
and the end of the end of the passage.
But in verse 60, many therefore of his disciples, when they had
heard this said this isn't hard saying who can hear it?
And what he was teaching was that man needs a savior.
When they heard that it's a hard saying, who can who can hear it?
And then they leave, I believe it says and and from that day
forward, many left and and they didn't follow him anymore.
But you have in verse 67, you see that right there at the end
of that paragraph. But verse 67 we have Peter here.
Then Jesus says under the 12 will ye also go away when Simon
Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go?
Thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure
that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
That's an assurance of your salvation.
And that's that's the difference here between those in verse 60
and Peter and the other apostles here.
Where are we going to go? You are the Son of the living
God. The others were there for the
miracles and for the what he could provide for them.
And then we see in Matthew Chapter 7 verse 21 or 22 is
actually the verse, but that many of those who call on him as
Lord Lord are false Christians. Verse 21 of Matthew Chapter 7
verse 21. Not everyone that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that
do it, 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?
Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you depart from me,
ye that work iniquity. Why?
Because they're relying on their gifts and they're these things
that they're able to do for their salvation rather than
Christ. He says that we see from the
testimony of people in verse 22, they trust their works and their
sign gifts rather than trusting Christ's blood first alone for
salvation. Christianity Today is filled
with people who profess Christ, but who are trusting many other
things, baptism, their attendance in church, priests,
the sacraments, their sincerity, social justice activity,
etcetera. There's a million different
things people follow for their salvation, but they're they're
not following Christ and they're counting on those things for
their salvation that that's a work salvation.
And then lastly, we when we say there is evidence of salvation
and this is this is what I was saying at the beginning.
This is key. We are not saying there will be
some sort of sinless perfection. And I wrote down first John 18
because I want to read that right here before we read the
rest of this first John 1/8 though this is and pastor says
this all the time. First, John was written to
Christians, right? But verse 8 says if we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not
in US save people. Yeah.
So we're not, this is not sinless perfection as he says
that here. We when we say there's evidence
of salvation, we are not saying there will be some sort of
sinless perfection. That there is evidence of
salvation does not mean every believer will change at the same
rate or bear the same fruit. And I want to go to this verse
2, Matthew chapter 13, because this is important.
This is not so that we can go around judging.
Oh, they don't look saved. This is this is so now we do
judge them. We do.
We do have to if somebody said just because somebody says, Oh
yeah, I trust Christ as my Savior and you can tell, no,
they're not. So we do judge.
But verse 23 here. But he that received the seed.
So this is the parable of the sower.
He that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth
the word and understandeth it. Now this is the key, which also
beareth fruit and bringeth forth some and a hundredfold some 60
and some 30. So somebody in in the church
who's, you know, not as as busy as you or not as spiritual as
you in your mind. Oh, they might not have evidence
of salvation. We all grow at a different rate.
We all produce a different amount of fruit as the Lord
allows us to. That doesn't mean you're not
safe. There will be some fruit,
though, and that's what he's saying here.
Some produce a hundredfold, some produce 60, some 30, but they're
producing fruit. That's the key.
That's evidence of salvation. We are producing fruit in our
lives. The believer still has the old
man that he inherited from Adam, and the Christian life is a
process of putting off that old man and putting on the new man,
which is Christ. Some believers are more
passionate in living for Christ than others.
We're not saying that there will be a total transformation.
We are saying there will be a transformation though.
And I was just listening and we're done.
But I was listening to a little maybe a 10 minute piece of a
sermon that a guy was preaching and he said, there's something
to remember in our attempt at holiness or separation or
consecration to God. That's what that's what holiness
is being consecrated to Christ. And he said is that there's that
we need to remember mercy in our attempt at holiness.
And what he was saying is mercy in not looking at others and
going, oh, they're not as holy as me.
Well, now you've just done exactly what we had in our, in
our trivia. These seven things are an
abomination to to God, a proud look looking at others.
They're not as holy as me. That's not the point of these
evidences of salvation. This is more of an internal look
to say, am I producing fruit? Do I, as we see on page 25, did
I have a conversion experience? OK, that's that's key.
Do I love God's word, Do I love righteousness?
Do I endure God's chastening and endure.
That doesn't mean I just put up with that means I learned from
it. I understand, I understand if
you're kid, if you chasing your kid and they don't learn and you
do it 100 times and they still rebel against that chastening.
It wasn't profitable. And that's what God is saying
here. They endure God's chastening,
they learn from it, they change and they move forward.
And then lastly, we're looking for Christ's return.
You know, these these are that's why that's why pastor preaches
so much about, you know, being being separated, but our our
priorities and soul winning because if we're looking for
Christ's return, we believe it's coming and we only have a short
a short time to win others. That's looking for Christ's
return. If you don't think it's imminent
and you don't think it's could be any day, you're not going to
have an urgency to win souls because we got plenty of time.
And that's one of the evidences of, of salvation of your
salvation is that you're looking for Christ's return and leading
others and telling others. So anyways, we will look at
pastor, we'll use some of these questions the next week in the
trivia. So if you didn't get them as we
were going through, go back and answer those this week and that
way you'll at least have the answers for when he does the
trivia. But evidences of salvation, he's
going to get into baptism. I said I can do baptism or
eternal security. He said no, I want to do those.
So he left me with evidences of salvation.
So thankfully it was the next one in line.
So it looks like it was, it worked out perfect.
But anyway, evidences of salvation.
Go back and look at those verses again.
Lots of good stuff in there. And we'll continue on with that
next week. All right, let's pray and then
we will close with our song. What is our song on Wednesdays?
I get them all mixed up the old time way.
All right, we'll put that up there and we'll sing it after we
pray. Father, thank you for this day
you've given us. Thank you for that opportunity
we had to open your word. And God, I pray that you would
just help us to be students of it, not to, to have a head
knowledge, but God, so that we have a confidence in what you
did for us on the cross, that that is our salvation And, and
God that we would love your word.
And God, I just pray that you'd give us each each of us a desire
in our hearts to to love righteousness, to love your
word, to want to follow what you tell us to do.
God, when we are chastened that we would take it as a good son,
as a good daughter, learn from it and love you more for it
because you actually care about us and try to bring us back to
your path. Pray that you'd give us a good
rest of our week. God, as we leave from here and
pray that you'd help us to be good testimonies in our
workplaces and, and with those that we bump into and come in
contact with. I pray that you just help us to
be a light for you as we go from here.
Pray that you be with pastor and Brother Mark as they come back
tomorrow. Give them safety.
And God, I just pray that you give us a profitable week
weekend as we serve you on Saturday and Sunday.
And, and I just thank you for your people.
Thank you for each one that's here tonight.
And I pray that they would have gotten a blessing from being
here. And I got to just pray that
you'd help us to to live for you, that you'd help us to give
our hearts to you. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen.