Are you Saved?

Are you Saved? 2021 08 2

2 Corinthians 13:5

Have you ever started a new job and felt like maybe you shouldn’t be there?  Maybe you had thoughts like, “What if I can’t do this?  What if I’m not ready for something like this?”  Or maybe, “What if I get fired because I’m not qualified enough?”  Have you ever felt those early emotions of uncertainty and panic on a new job?  It’s not unusual.

But there is a way to rationally deal with them.  You could examine yourself.  You could take a few moments to ask yourself about your qualifications and abilities.  You could recognize the fact that you are well-qualified, which is why you were hired in the first place, and that you can learn quickly.  You could remember that with any new job, it always takes a short time to fit in, but that everyone else goes through the same thing, and you have done it before.

But what if you realize you’re completely unqualified?  What should you do?

It is certain that if you carry on without any changes, you’ll be found out, and will be quickly dismissed!  Unless you deal with your lack of qualification early on, you’ll soon be out.

Think about this:  There’s something much more important than getting and keeping a job.  What about eternity?  Are you saved? Are you going to heaven?  Are you qualified?  Are you sure?

 2 Corinthians 13:5

 

This was a letter to a church! Think about that!  Paul was calling on the people of this church to examine themselves.  There was reason to be concerned that many of them had been deceived.  They identified as Christians, but there had been a lot of problems and disorder in the church at Corinth. Many had proven to be completely ignorant of the actual nature of true Christianity.  Therefore, it was of the very greatest importance for them to carefully examine themselves to find out whether or not they were really saved.

Many are deceived.  We all ought to examine ourselves to be certain of our faith.  Is it genuine or not?  So much is at stake!  It’s so easy for any of us to be deceived!  All Christians ought to examine themselves often, and to challenge one another to do the same, to make sure we really are saved.

 

I Examine Yourself

  1. If I was to ask you what will happen to you the moment you die, what would you say? Are you certain you’d go to heaven?
  1. So many church-going people I have asked this have told me they hope they’ll go to heaven.
    1. Many even in evangelical churches, today, believe it is very presumptuous to say you know you’re going to heaven! It’s not!
    2. The Bible says you can know you’re a child of God: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” Romans 8:16
  • Are you saved? Are you confident that you will go to heaven when you die?

           

II  Have you Trusted in Christ?

  1. If you haven’t trusted in Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you’re not going to heaven.  The Bible is clear:  “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”  Galatians 2:16
  1. If you’re trusting in your good works, you’re not saved – you’re lost.
  2. If you’re trusting in anything but Jesus Christ to save you, you’re lost. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”  Galatians 3:26
    1. “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” 1 John 3:23
  3. You must believe in Jesus Christ to be saved and go to heaven. Examine yourself!

 

III  What is Most Important?

  1. What is most important to you? Jesus taught that “…where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Mark 6:21
    1. What is your treasure? Is it Christ?  Or is it something in this world?

 

IV  How are you Living?

  1. The way you live is a very important indicator of where you really stand before God.
  1. You cannot earn your way to heaven. “…for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.”
    1. But the way you live shows where you stand. In fact, it makes your position manifest, or obvious:  “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”  1 John 3:10
    2. If you don’t care about doing what’s right, beware!

 

V  Do you Love Jesus?

  1. The Bible tells us that if we’re truly saved, we will love Him.  “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:17 – 19
  1. If you love Jesus, you know you’re going to heaven. There should be no doubt.
  2. It’s easy to say you love Jesus. But how can you say you love Jesus and say you’re not sure if you’re going to heaven when you die?

 

VI  Do you Obey Jesus?

  1. It’s easy to say you love Jesus, but what does your life say?  Jesus declared: “…If a man love me, he will keep my words…”  John 14:23
  1. Obedience to Christ is not what saves you, but if you’re saved you will obey Christ.
    1. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. …If a man love me, he will keep my words…”  John 14:15, 23

 

VII  Is Your Life Separated?

  1. More and more, people who identify as Christians are as careless as the world when it comes to many things, including alcohol use and other things.
  1. God says to be separate from the things of the world. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” 2 Corinthians 6:14 – 17

 

VIII  What Statement Does your Life Make?

  1. What kind of statement does your life make to those around you?
  1. Do your neighbours see you going to church on Sundays (when there’s no lockdown order)? Is that a priority to you?
  2. Does anyone hear you using language you wouldn’t use in church?
  3. Do you say “No,” when invited to places or events you know are not pleasing to God?
  4. Can people tell you are a Christian by the way you live?
  5. Do you love your fellow Christians? Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love on to another.”  John 13:35

 

 

Conclusion

  1. Are you saved? Examine yourself!  What do you believe?  Ask yourself: “If I die today, will I go to heaven?”  If you have any doubt, find out why.  The Bible clearly teaches that you can know for sure you’re going to heaven.  The Bible calls it “everlasting life.”  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16. This familiar verse tells us that if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, you have everlasting life.  “Everlasting” means it can’t be lost.  Without Christ as your Saviour, you’re lost and it’s certain you’re on your way to hell.  With Christ, you’re saved and it’s certain you’re on your way to heaven.  Be certain of heaven.  Be certain you are saved.  Be sure you have put your faith in Jesus Christ!