How to Know If You're Saved: Change of Character

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexualimmorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissentions, factions and envy; drunkenness,orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live likethis will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).

If this list describes your normal state, you will notinherit the kingdom of God.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such thingsthere is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinfulnature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keepin step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25).

If this describes you, you are saved. Jesus saves out of thefirst list into the second list. If you find yourself in both lists, it is forone of the following reasons:

1) You are mistaking natural personality traits for part ofthe fruit of the Spirit. It is not. The fruit of the Spirit is the characteristicsof God given to a person when he is saved.

2) You are saved, but are deliberately choosing to go backinto the first list. Confess and forsake it right now.

3) You are naturally in the first list, but faking thesecond list. That is, you are a hypocrite. You are not saved.

Jesus Christ saves us out of the first list into the secondlist.

To be continued on Friday.

 

Excerpted from Assurances ofSalvation , available at ccmbooks.org and Amazon.com.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships