I spoke at church yesterday on the hypocrisy of the Palm Sunday crowd in Jerusalem, who proclaimed Jesus as Messiah on Sunday, but within a week demanded his execution. The point of such follies being in scripture are not so that we can judge them (and feel smug), rather that we judge ourselves and make sure that our profession of faith is not merely temporary, convenient, and hypocritical - as we are swept along in a crowd; but real.
How then can I know that my profession of faith is genuine? In short, how can I know that I am saved? I used an old formula to answer this question. It comes in the form of 3 tests.
Test One - the all important test
1) Have I truly 'come to an end of myself' through conviction of sin and cast myself entirely and exclusively on Christ? If so, I am saved by faith alone. (John 3:16)
Test Two - the subjective evidence
2) If I am really a Christian I will be learning to discern the Holy Spirit's inner witness. (Romans 8:16), and know His guidance through my life (Romans 8:14). However if we grieve or quench the Spirit we will be denied this blessing!
Test Three - the objective evidence
3) If I am truly a Christian I will observably be in the process of being changed by God, fruit, character, priorities. "A good tree produces good fruit" said Jesus. Not that perfection is required, just evidence that God is at work in us.
It is important to distinguish between the 1st test and the other two. The first test is about becoming a Christian, the other is merely evidence of it. If we find that we are not genuinely Christian the solution is not to be found in seeking experiences or doing works but in coming to the foot of the cross and trusting Jesus. Because here is cleansing, forgiveness, and assurance based not on presumption but on the promises of God in Christ, and His ability to save. "Bold I approach he eternal throne" says Wesley's hymn.
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