CGS
The Church
Gathered & Scattered
Gathered & Scattered
How Do I Know I'm Saved?
The Bible shows us that you are to be able to tell if you are a Christian and more so if you are not a Christian.
This means you understand the lordship of Christ, you have a heart of repentance, you have been given a new birth, you submit to the sovereignty and authority of God – these are just statements that simply say that you are a Christian.
So why is this so important?
Jesus consistently warned about false professors. People who believe they know God but the ones that God does not know.
Matthew 7:21-23
21 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.'Jesus warned about the weeds growing with the wheat only to be separated in the Day.
Worse than not having the assurance of salvation is to have a false assurance of salvation.
Why does Jesus say all these things? Because God wants everyone of his children to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are his children and that they have eternal life with him.
1 John 5:13 – 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.
Those things that Jesus said isn't so that you would simply be shaken, but that you would realize that his desire is that you know with certainty your eternal destination. God absolutely wants you to know that salvation is yours.
Question 1
Do you desire fellowship with Christ and his body, the saints of God?
Answer: An authentic child of God will enjoy fellowship with Christ and their local church, who are the fellow saints of God.
1 John 1:6-7
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Question 2
Do you practice confession of sin?
Answer: A true believer is greatly aware of his or her sin and will acknowledge that sin to God. We are called to live a life of repentance and trust in His promise of forgiveness.
1 John 1:8-10
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
"When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent!” (Mt. 4:17) he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. The attitude of a Christian toward sin is now an attitude of disgust as we continue to turn to the Lord and follow his command to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy."
Question 3
Do you have a deepening commitment to God’s Word?
Answer: Every true believer has a hunger for God's Word. Jesus says, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you... you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:7–8) All who have been born of God long to know and obey His Word.
1 John 2:3-6
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
"We are justified in Christ. We now do not keep His commandments to gain approval, but we desire to keep them because we love Him. This is not antinomianism, where there is no law. And this is not works-based, where we must earn our salvation."
Question 4
Are you in conflict with the world?
Answer: The Christian in pursuit of personal holiness runs head on into the world. The light of the believer's life exposes the deeds of darkness and convicts unbelievers, which then creates tremendous tension.
1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
"Christians do not have idols (believing in false systems or worldly philosophies). They do not find more joy in the creation than they do the Creator. Christians are propelled by the love of God to do the will of God."
Question 5
Do you understand Christ rightly?
Answer: Christians believe that, moved by love and in obedience to his Father, the eternal Son became human: the Word became flesh, truly God and truly human, one Person in two natures. By his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ acted as our representative and substitute. He did this so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 John 2:23
23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
"To understand Christ rightly, one must recognize that God is a triune God. The Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, is of one being with the Father (homoousios) and with the Father is the true God. This is expressed in our confessional statements through the Apostles’ and Nicene creeds. Theology is important because we ought to worship the true and living God."
Question 6
Do you long for the return of Christ?
Answer: True believers hold onto the promises that Jesus made, that he would return once again to take the saints with Him to heaven for all eternity, by reflecting this truth in their work and life.
1 John 3:2-3
2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
"Do you long for the coming of Jesus Christ? How does this show in your work, both short term and long term? How does this show in your saving versus spending? Holding onto the promises that Christ gave manifests in the heart and attitude of a true believer through his or her living."
Question 7
Do you keep from the practice of sin?
Answer: While Christians may at times fall into sin, they do not plan to sin nor do they plan to repeat its destructive cycle. True believers do not make a practice of sinning.
1 John 3:6-9
6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 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.
6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 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.
"This does not mean that the Christian never sins. It means that our earnest desire now is to be like Jesus, who is sinless. Christians do not make plans to sin and we fight to never repeat the cycle. We do not willingly dive into sin. Instead, the practice that we have now is to love and obey God in all that we do. We practice righteousness."
Question 8
Do you love fellow believers of Christ?
Answer: Christians have been commanded by our Lord to love one another as Christ loved us. Upon admittance into God's family, a believer has a new-found love for his spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ. No longer hating the righteous, the one who has been saved has a heart to serve other Christians.
1 John 3:14-18
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
"This command to love fellow believers goes beyond our idea of merely 'fellowship' and 'hanging out.' We are called to serve each other and with each other. We are called to give to one another. We are called to help one another. We are called to pray for one another. Believers do all these things knowing that Christ has bound us together with Him for all of eternity. While we earnestly desire and pray for the salvation of our unbelieving family and friends, our deepest love is to the family of Christ He has grafted us into."
Question 9
Do you love to hear the Word preached and taught?
Answer: Regenerate people love to hear the Word proclaimed now that the Holy Spirit gives us eyes to see and minds to understand the truth. Instead of following and listening to the world, the true believer seeks to understand and know the truth to better love and serve God.
1 John 4:4-6
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
"In Romans 10:14 it says, "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" Preaching is the medium that God has ordained for His people to hear from Him through the Word. Listening to the Word of God increases our faith and understanding and therefore a believer loves to hear good preaching. 'The deeper the exposition the better. The wider the application the better.' By that same token, if you don't like hearing the Word of God preached, that is a clear indicator you are not in Christ."
Question 10
Do you share with others that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world?
Answer: True Christians testify to the world that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. It is only by Him that we have salvation. Obeying the Great Commission, we go to the ends of the earth to make disciples of Christ baptizing and teaching them to obey everything the Lord has commanded us to do.
1 John 3:13-15
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
"Although the world may label us 'one of those,' our eyes and heart are set on Jesus and obeying Him. We make Him known wherever He sends us; whether we are at work, school, or at home, to the ends of the earth. The Spirit of God gives us boldness to speak the truth of the gospel in a truth-hating world. And Jesus Christ gives us the assurance that He will be with us to the very end."
"While religion may be an external activity and outward ritual, Christianity is intensely personal and internal. The one who believes in the Lord Jesus truly knows Him and loves His church."