Test of Salvation

Are you saved?  How do you know?  What do you base your assurance of salvation on?  

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

Have you tested yourself?  Go to  John's first letter.  Here's why it was written:

1 John 5:13
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
 
So, you can know for sure.  Take the test.

1 John 1:5-6
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

God is Light and has revealed Himself and made known what He requires.  We won’t be completely sinless, but will have a lifestyle change, rather than habitual rebellion against God.  If we claim to be Christian but our lifestyle contradicts what He has revealed as His will, we are liars.
 
1 John 1:8
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

We will be sensitive to sin in our lives, leading us to confession and repentance, convicted by the Spirit.  God pulls you back from sin and convicts you. 

1 John 2:3-4
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.  The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Again not sinless, but concerned with God’s Word and seeking to obey it.  Our lifestyle should be marked by an interest in God’s Commands and desire to keep them. 

1 John 2:6
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

We ought to walk in the same manner as He did.  We won’t be able to reach perfection like Him, but we should strive for it.  Is there a desire to walk like Jesus or to walk like the world?
 
1 John 2:9
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.

There should be love and fellowship with other believers.  Who are your friends?  Who do you hang out with?

1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Love the things of God, not of this evil age.  How can you love the very things that crucified Jesus?

1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

A false convert leaves the basic known Christianity for some new belief.  The true Christian will persevere as Christian, if not, they never were Christian.  He who began a good work will finish it. 
 
1 John 2:22
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.

Accept everything Scripture says about Jesus, His deity and humanity, Lordship and Savior.  Believe, receive and embrace all of it – He is Lord, Savior and King, the only True Priest.

1 John 2:29
If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

We should be seeking to be holy and it will be reflected outward.  Is everything that conforms to God’s Law and nature a practice in your life?  Are we conformed to the will of God, or do we see it as burdensome?  The commands of God are not a burden to the true Christian. 

1 John 3:3-4
Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.  Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

Sin is outright rebellion against God.  Are we striving to be holy?  Are we preparing for eternity? 

1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

We need to acknowledge ONLY Christ, not ‘and’.  Not a creed but Christ as all you need and all you desire.  Love Jesus.  He should mean the world to you, as the very source of life.  It is a lifestyle and struggle, striving to be like Him.