It has been said, “If you were tried in court on the charge that you were a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
1 John is a great book by which you to really test your faith. I hear of so many Christians who affirm the faith of someone else who rarely fellowships with other believers, has to be coaxed to read the Bible, prays only when in troubles, and whose life resembles Jesus Christ’s life in hardly in any way. I know many professing Christians who likewise rarely read the Word, haven’t seen the need to fellowship with other Christians in worship for years, who don’t confess sin, who hold sustained grudges against other believers, and who don’t actively pursue righteousness–and yet they have no doubt that they are Christians.
I have preached through 1 John a few times and I have been convicted every time. I think it is healthy to take the tests of 1 John to heart and to evaluate one’s profession in light of this letter. John Piper most recently preached on this theme and here are 11 evidences he found for a living faith!
1. They keep God’s commandments (2:3-4; 3:24).
2. They walk as Christ walked (2:56).
3. They don’t hate others but love them (2:9; 3:14; 4:7-8, 20).
4. They don’t love the world (2:15).
5. They confess the Son and receive (have) him (2:23; 4:15; 5:12).
6. They practice righteousness (2:29).
7. They don’t make a practice of sinning (3:6, 9-10; 5:18).
8. They possess the Spirit of God (3:24; 4:13).
9. They listen submissively to the apostolic Word (4:6).
10. They believe that Jesus is the Christ (5:1).
11. They overcome the world (5:4).
Let’s make our calling and election sure.
