Regeneration, The Gospel Call, and Effective Calling

Welcome to Built on God's Word, the preaching and teaching ministry of Highland Park Baptist Church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.! Elder Lee Roberts teaches on regeneration, the gospel call, and effective calling.

! The sixth chapter of the Bible, Genesis 6-5, tells us, The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

A little bit later in Jeremiah, Jeremiah 17-9 says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick. Who can understand it? Moving to the New Testament, listen to what Paul wrote in Romans 3-10-18.

Romans 3-10-18 say, As it is written, none is righteous, no, not one. No one understands, no one seeks for God.

All have turned aside, together they have become worthless. No one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave, they use their tongues to deceive.

The venom of asp is under their lips, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. In their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.

There is no fear of God before their eyes. When Paul says, as it is written, he is drawing from several psalms, also Jeremiah and a proverb.

Later in Romans, Paul wrote these words in Romans 8-7-8. He said, For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law.

Indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. We know that the Bible is true. On top of that, our own personal experience confirms the truth of what the Bible says about the nature of people, especially unbelievers.

Given that truth and the verses we just read, have you ever wondered why we're here studying about God? What makes believers different from most people in the world who go about their business without giving God a second thought?

If we believe in God and his word, we would like to think that maybe we were smarter than the average person who doesn't believe in God. But the Bible also debunks that view.

Listen to 1 Corinthians 1, verses 26-31. They say, That passage torpedoes our pride, but it also contains the answer to why believers study about God and why believers are different than most of the other people in the world.

The answer, as we saw in those verses, is that God chose us. God changed our hearts so that we would be receptive to the gospel. In two weeks, Pastor Mike will talk more about God choosing whom to save.

Tonight, we'll talk about how God changes hearts to be receptive to the things of God. In theological terms, those things are regeneration, the gospel call, and effective calling.

We'll look at those things tonight under four headings. We'll look at the meaning of regeneration, the method of regeneration, the means of regeneration, and the manifestation of regeneration.

So let's first look at the meaning of regeneration. Here's a one-sentence unofficial definition. Regeneration is how God, primarily the Holy Spirit, changes our hearts to be receptive to the gospel.

Highland Park's teaching statement is longer and more formal.

Our document regarding salvation says, Genuine regeneration is manifested by fruits, worthy of repentance, as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct.

Good works are the proper evidence and fruit of regeneration, and will be experienced to the extent that the believer submits to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to the Word of God.

This obedience causes the believer to be increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such conformity is climaxed in the believer's glorification at Christ's coming.

We'll come back to that teaching statement later. For now, let's look at some other definitions of regeneration. This is Wayne Grudem's definition.

He said, Regeneration is a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us. This is sometimes called being born again.

Here's the definition of regeneration as written in the Dictionary of Bible Themes. It says, Regeneration is the radical renewal of a person's inner being by the work of God's Spirit.

Easton's Bible Dictionary says, Regeneration literally means a new birth. This change is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. It originates not with man, but with God.

As to the nature of the change, it consists in the implanting of a new principle or disposition in the soul. The impartation of spiritual life to those who are by nature dead in trespasses and sins.

Those definitions are fine, but for one more definition, let's look to the ultimate source, and that is the Bible itself. These verses are Titus chapter 3, verses 3 through 7.

And in Titus chapter 3, verses 3 through 7, Paul wrote, For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Well, let's move to the second section, the method of regeneration. Some of those regeneration definitions that we just heard were short.

Some were a lot wordier. But almost all of them had something in common. Almost all attributed regeneration to the same source. Who is that source?

I heard it back there, the Holy Spirit is the source. Nearly all those definitions noted that regeneration is a work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Himself taught that. So let's look at one of Jesus' teachings on regeneration. Turn to John chapter 3 and we'll spend a little bit of time in John chapter 3.

Of course, this is part of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. And we'll look at John chapter 3, verses 1 through 8.

John chapter 3, verses 1 through 8 say, Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God.

For no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, He cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again.

The wind blows where it wishes, And you hear its sound, But you do not know where it comes from, Or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

For our discussion on regeneration, Verses 7 and 8 are the verses on which we need to focus. Here are those verses again. Jesus said, Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again.

The wind blows where it wishes, And you hear its sound, But you do not know where it comes from, Or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Jesus' comments to Nicodemus Likely made Nicodemus think about an Old Testament passage That would have been familiar to him. Listen to the promise that God made to the Israelites Living in exile after they had disobeyed the Lord.

In Ezekiel chapter 36, verses 22 through 28, God is speaking to Ezekiel. As we read the verses, Notice how often God says that he will do something.

So here are Ezekiel chapter 36, verses 22 through 28. Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, That I am about to act, But for the sake of my holy name, Which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.

And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, Which has been profaned among the nations, And which you have profaned among them.

And the nations will know that I am the Lord, Declares the Lord God, When through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations, And gather you from all the countries, And bring you into your own land.

I will sprinkle clean water on you, And you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, And from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, And a new spirit I will put within you.

And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, And give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, And cause you to walk in my statutes, And be careful to obey my rules.

You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, And you shall be my people, And I will be your God. Put yourself in Nicodemus' sandals for a minute.

Consider how Jesus' teaching Had just blown Nicodemus' mind. John MacArthur said, Christ's point was unmistakable. Without the spiritual washing of the soul, A cleansing accomplished only by the Holy Spirit Through the word of God, No one can enter God's kingdom.

Although Jesus' words were based upon Old Testament revelation, Jesus' words ran contrary to everything That Nicodemus had been taught. For his entire life, He had believed that salvation came Only through his own external merit.

Now he found it exceedingly difficult To think otherwise. Aware of his astonishment, Jesus continued, Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again.

And that verb translated must Is a strong term. John used it elsewhere in his gospel To refer to the necessity of crucifixion, Of John the Baptist's inferiority to Christ, Of the proper method of worshipping God, Of Jesus carrying out his ministry, And of the necessity of the resurrection.

It was absolutely necessary for Nicodemus To get over his astonishment At being so wrong about how someone Is accepted into God's kingdom. He must seek to be born again If he was to enter, And he could never enter God's kingdom Based upon his own works.

Even that seeking that he must do Had to be enabled by God. Jesus illustrated his point With a familiar example from nature. He said, The wind blows where it wishes And you hear its sound, But you do not know where it comes from Or where it goes.

So it is with everyone Who is born of the Spirit. The wind can't be controlled. It blows where it wants to blow.

And though its general direction Can be known, Where it comes from And where it's going Cannot be precisely determined. Nevertheless, The wind's effects can be observed.

If you have any doubt about that, Just look at all the trees That are down from last week's big storm. The same thing is true Of the work of the Holy Spirit. His sovereign work of regeneration In the human hearts Can neither be controlled nor predicted.

But its effects can be seen In the transformed lives Of those who are born of the Spirit. We can see that regeneration Primarily is the work of the Spirit.

But when we read the Titus passage earlier, Did you notice that all three members Of the Trinity were involved? Hear a Titus chapter 3 Verses 4 through 7 again And listen for all three members Of the Trinity in that text.

But when the goodness And loving kindness Of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, Not because of works Done by us in righteousness, But according to His own mercy, By the washing of regeneration And renewal of the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out on us Richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, So that being justified By His grace, We might become heirs According to the hope Of eternal life.

Did you hear all three members Of the Trinity listed In that passage? God saved us By the washing of regeneration And renewal of the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out on us Richly through Jesus Christ Our Savior.

Various passages Teach the involvement Of the other members Of the Trinity too. John chapter 1 Verses 12 and 13 Also remind us That regeneration Originates in God the Father.

We'll back up one verse And read John chapter 1 Verses 11 through 13. Speaking of Jesus, John chapter 1 Verses 11 through 13 say, He came to His own And His own people Did not receive Him.

But to all who did receive Him Who believed in His name He gave the right To become children of God Who were born Not of blood Nor of the will of the flesh Nor of the will of man But of God.

1 Peter chapter 1 Verse 3 Reminds us That regeneration Is made possible By Jesus' resurrection. Here is 1 Peter Chapter 1 Verse 3 Peter wrote, Blessed be the God And Father Of our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to His great mercy He has caused us To be born again To a living hope Through the resurrection Of Jesus Christ From the dead. Notice also From 1 Peter 1 3 That Peter begins By saying, Blessed be the God And Father Of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Regeneration By the Holy Spirit Is the primary method Used to bring about That regeneration. But regeneration Is possible Because all three members Of the Trinity Participate.

So we've talked about The meaning of regeneration And the method Of regeneration. Let's move on To talk about The means Of regeneration. The means of regeneration Is the gospel call.

We are familiar With Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 18 Through 20 As the great commission. In that great commission Jesus commands His followers To share the gospel With everyone.

Here are Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 18 Through 20 And Jesus came And said to them All authority In heaven And on earth Has been given to me Go therefore And make disciples Of all nations Baptizing them In the name Of the Father And of the Son And of the Holy Spirit Teaching them To observe All that I have Commanded you And behold I am with you Always To the end Of the age In Mark Chapter 16 Verse 15 Jesus said Go into all the world And proclaim the gospel To the whole creation And in Acts 1 8 Jesus said But you will receive power When the Holy Spirit Has come upon you And you will be My witnesses In Jerusalem And in all Judea And Samaria And to the end Of the earth Even though Regeneration

And salvation Are acts of God Believers have the privilege Of being the primary means Through which the gospel call Is issued As we just read In the cross references Believers are commanded To issue the gospel call To everyone However Only those who have Hearts regenerated By the Holy Spirit Will respond favorably To that call Grudem notes This powerful act of God Is often referred to As effective calling To distinguish it From the general gospel Invitation That goes to all people And which some people Reject This is not to say That human gospel Proclamation Is not involved In fact God's effective calling Comes through The human preaching Of the gospel Of course There are many Who hear the general call Of the gospel message And do not respond They have only received An external calling But in some cases

The gospel call Is made so effective By the working Of the Holy Spirit In people's hearts That they do respond We can say That these have received The effective calling Here's Grudem's definition Of effective calling He said Effective calling Is an act of God The Father Speaking through Human proclamation Of the gospel In which he summons People to himself In such a way That they respond In saving faith This calling Is a kind of summons From the king Of the universe And it has such power That it brings about The response That it asks for In people's hearts Is an act of God That guarantees A response Because as Paul Specifies in Romans Chapter 8 Verse 30 All who were called Were also justified This calling Has the capacity To draw us Out of the kingdom Of darkness And bring us Into God's kingdom So that we can join

In full fellowship With God For evangelism purposes Our mandate Is to issue The gospel call To everyone Only God knows Who will be saved For those who Will be saved The gospel call Becomes The effective call Because the gospel call Is so important Let's consider The key elements Of it The first element Of the gospel call Is an explanation Of the facts The facts are That all people Have sinned The penalty For that sin Is death Jesus Christ Died to pay The penalty For our sins Jesus rose From the dead And is alive Today Salvation From the penalty For our sins Is given To everyone Who trusts By faith In Jesus' Finished work Alone The second element Of the gospel call

Must include A request That people Repent of their sins Against God And accept Jesus' Offer Of salvation When the New Testament Talks about People coming To salvation It speaks In terms Of a personal Response To an invitation From Jesus Himself One passage Where Jesus Gave that invitation Was Matthew 11 Verses 28 Through 30 Jesus is speaking Here in Matthew 11 28 Through 30 And he says Come to me Come to me All who labor And are heavy laden And I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you And learn from me For I am gentle And lowly in heart And you will find rest For your souls For my yoke Is easy And my burden Is light Brudem wrote Every non-Christian Hearing these words Should be encouraged To think of them As words That Jesus Christ Is even now

At this very moment Speaking to him Or to her Individually Jesus Christ Is a savior Who is now Alive in heaven And each Non-Christian Should think Of Jesus As speaking Directly to him Or her Saying Come to me And I will Give you rest This is A genuine Personal invitation That seeks A personal response From the one Who hears it John chapter 1 Verses 11 Through 13 Also highlight The need For a personal response Listen to what John wrote In John chapter 1 Verses 11 Through 13 Jesus came To his own And his own people Did not receive him But to all Who did receive him Who believed In his name He gave the right To become children Of God Who were born Not of blood Nor of the will Of flesh Nor of the will Of man But of God We see another

Personal invitation Just five verses From the end Of the Bible Listen to Revelation Chapter 22 Verse 17 The spirit And the bride Say come And let the one Who hears Say come And let the one Who is thirsty Come Let the one Who desires Take the water Of life Without price If we come To Christ And trust him To save us From our sin We cannot Cling to that sin But must Willingly renounce It in genuine Repentance Any genuine Gospel proclamation Must include An invitation To make a Conscious decision To forsake One's sins And come to Christ in faith Asking Christ For forgiveness Of those sins If either The need To repent Of sins Or the need To trust In Christ For forgiveness Is neglected There is not A full And true Proclamation Of the gospel The third

Element Of the gospel Call Is a promise Of forgiveness For our sins And a promise Of eternal life If we trust Only in Jesus Work for our Salvation Many of you Probably have John 3.16 Memorized Jesus said In John 3.16 For God so Loved the world That he gave His only son That whoever Believes in him Should not perish But have Eternal life Less often We hear what Peter said In Acts Chapter 3 Verses 19 And 20 Acts chapter 3 Verses 19 And 20 Say Repent therefore And turn back That your sins May be blotted out That times Of refreshing May come From the presence Of the Lord And that he may Send the Christ Appointed for you Jesus We know That Jesus Will accept Everyone who Turns to him

In repentance And faith Jesus said So himself Here is what Jesus said In John chapter 6 Verses 37 40 Jesus said All that the Father gives me Will come to me And whoever Comes to me I will never Cast out For I have Come down From heaven Not to do My own will But the will Of him Who sent me And this Is the will Of him Who sent me That I should Lose nothing Of all that He has given me But raise it up On the last day For this Is the will Of my father That everyone Who looks On the son And believes In him Should have Eternal life And I will Raise him up On the last day Notice the Definite language That Jesus Uses In Matthew 11 28 That we read Earlier Jesus said I will Give you rest In the John

Passage That we just Read Jesus said That he will Never cast Anyone out Who comes To him Jesus also Said that he Will raise Every believer Up on the Last day Those are Good promises To remember Consider what Makes the gospel Call so Important The gospel Call is the Means that God uses To make his Chosen people Aware of their Need for salvation From the wrath Of God For their sin In Romans Chapter 10 Verse 14 Paul wrote 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 Through the Gospel call God addresses Us in the Fullness Of our Humanity He does Not save Us Automatically Without Seeking a Response From us God addresses The gospel Call to our Intellects Our emotions And our Wills God speaks To our Intellects

By explaining The facts Of salvation In his Word God speaks To our Emotions By issuing A heartfelt Personal invitation To respond God speaks To our Wills By asking Us to hear His invitation And respond Willingly In repentance And faith To decide To turn From our Sins And receive Christ as Savior And rest Our hearts In him For salvation Those who Are regenerated Will accept That invitation We've seen The meaning Of regeneration The method Of regeneration And the means Of regeneration Let's look Now at the Manifestations Of regeneration You've already Heard the Manifestation Of regeneration Summarized In the Statement About what Our church Teaches That statement Said Genuine Regeneration Is manifested

By fruits Worthy Of repentance As demonstrated In righteous Attitudes And conduct Good works Are the proper Evidence And fruit Of regeneration Before we get Too far Into talking About good works We need to be Clear about What things Qualify to God As good works The only works That God Considers good Are works That are done With the desire Of glorifying God Rather than Glorifying us True believers Want to glorify God Because Jesus Has redeemed Us as his Own Through his Atoning Sacrifice On the cross After someone Has been Redeemed The Holy Spirit Indwells that Person And enables Good works Here are 1 Corinthians Chapter 6 Verses 19 And 20 Or do you Do you not Know that Your body Is a temple Of the Holy Spirit Within you Whom you Have from God

You are Not your Own For you Were bought With a Price So glorify God In your Body We also Must realize That any Good works We do Are works That God Already had Planned For us To do That's another Reason why God receives The glory For those Good works Here are Ephesians Chapter 2 Verses 8-10 For by Grace You have Been Saved Through Faith And this Is not Your own Doing It is The gift Of God Not a Result Of works So that No one May boast For we Are his Workmanship Created In Christ Jesus For good Works Which God Prepared Beforehand That we Should walk In them The Bible Also notes Other Manifestations Of regeneration We'll cover Just a few Of those Next One is The forsaking Of habitual

Sin All of us Of course Sin every Day But as we Get more And more Sanctified That sin Should bother Us more And we Should want To be Redeemed From that Habitual Sin First John Three Verses Nine And ten Say 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 By this It is Evident Who are The children Of God And who Are the Children Of the Devil Whoever Does not Practice Righteousness Is not Of God Nor is The one Who does Not Love His Brother There you See another Manifestation Of regeneration And that Is loving Other believers We all Know some Believers Who are Hard to Love Even after We have Been born Again

But genuinely Loving our Prickly brothers And sisters In Christ Is evidence Of regeneration First John Chapter Three Verses Eleven Through Eight Say For this Is the Message That you Have heard From the Beginning That we Should love One another We should Not be Like Cain Who was Of the Evil One And murdered His Brother And why Did he Murder Him Because His own Deeds Were Evil And his Brothers Righteous Do not Be surprised Brothers That the World Hates You We know That we Have passed Out of Death Into Life Because We love The brothers Whoever Does not Love Abides In Death Everyone Who hates His brother Is a Murderer And you Know That no Murderer Has eternal Life Abiding In him By this We know Love That he Laid down His life For us And we Ought To lay Down Our lives For the

Brothers 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 Little Children Let us Not Love In word Or talk But in Deed And in Truth John Reiterated That same Point A little Bit Later On In First John Chapter Four Verses Seven Through Twelve He Said Beloved Let us Love One Another For Love Is from God And whoever Loves Has been Born of God And knows God Anyone Who does Not love Does not Know God Because God Is love In this The love Of God Was made Manifest Among us That God Sent his Only son Into the World So that We might Live Through him In this Is love Not that We have Loved God But that He Loved Us And sent

His son To be The Propitiation For our Sins Beloved If God So loved Us We also Ought To love One Another No one Has ever Seen God If we Love one Another God Abides In us And his Love Is perfected In us Another Manifestation Of Regeneration Is that by Faith Believers Can Overcome The Temptations Of this Sinful World Listen to 1 John Chapter 5 Verses 1 Through 5 These verses Tie together Our love For God And the Results Of our Faith 1 John Chapter 5 Verses 1 Through 5 Say Everyone Who believes That Jesus Is the Christ Has been Born of God And Everyone Who loves The Father Loves Whoever Has been Born Of Him By This We Know That we Love The Children

Of God When we Love God And obey His Commandments For this Is the Love Of God That we Keep His Commandments And his Commandments Are not Burdensome For everyone Who has been Born of God Overcomes The World And this Is the Victory That has Overcome The World Our Faith Who Is it That Overcomes The World Except The One Who Believes That Jesus Is The Son Of God Another Manifestation Of Regeneration Is Protection From Satan First John Chapter Four Verse Four Tells Us 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 First John Chapter Five Verses Eighteen Through Twenty Say We Know That Everyone Who Has Been Born Of God Does Not Keep On Sinning But

He Who Was Born Of God Protects Him And The Evil One Does Not Touch Him We Know That We Are From God And The Whole World Lies In The Power Of The Evil One And We Know That The Son Of God Has Come And Has Given Us Understanding So That We May Know Him Who Is True And We Are In Him Who Is True In His Son Jesus Christ He Is The True God And Eternal Life Paul Also Wrote About The Manifestation Of Regeneration!

Another Manifestation Of Regeneration! Is The Fruit Of The Spirit! Galatians Chapter Five Verses Twenty Two Through Twenty Four Remind Us The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self Control Against Such Things There Is No Law And Those Who Belong To Christ Jesus Have Crucified The Flesh With Its Passions And Desires People Can Sometimes Fool Us By Faking The Fruit Of The Spirit Or By Trying To Mimic The Fruits Of The Spirit For Reasons Other Than To Glorify God But Those People Can Never Fool God Genuine Love For God And His People Heart Belt Obedience To His Commands And Christ Like Character Traits That Paul Calls The Fruit Of The Spirit Demonstrated Consistently

Over A Period Of Time In A Person's Life Simply Cannot Be Produced By Satan Or By The Natural Man Or Woman Working In His Own Strength These Can Only Come About By The Spirit Of God Working From Within And Giving The Believer New Life Any Fakers Will Be Exposed When Jesus Judges Them Remember Jesus Words In Matthew Chapter 7 Verses 21 Through 23 In Matthew 7 21 Through 23 Jesus Said 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 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 And Then I Will Declare To Them I Never Knew You Lawlessness After That You May Be Wondering How You Can Know Whether You Have Been Regenerated The First Question To Ask Is Whether You Have Accepted Jesus Invitation To The Gospel Call Do You Know That All People Including You And Me Have Sinned Against God Do You Know That The Penalty For Our Sin Is Death Do You Know That Jesus Christ Died To Pay The Penalty For The Sins Of Everyone Who Believes In Him For Salvation Do You Know That Jesus Rose From The Dead And Is Alive Today And Do You Know That Salvation From The Penalty For Sins Is Given To Everyone Who Does Trust In

Jesus Finished Work Alone Once Again Have You Accepted Jesus Is Gracious Offer Of Salvation If You Can Answer Yes To All Those Questions Here's One More Does Your Life Show Evidence Of God's Work Within You Does Your Life Show Evidence Of God's Work Within You God Wants True Believers To Be Assured Of Their Salvation If You Have Yet To Believe In Christ Alone For Salvation Or If You're Unsure Whether Your Salvation Is Genuine Talk To Pastor Mike Pastor Tyler Or Any Of The Other Elders We've Looked At Many Verses In First John But Let's End On One That Is Near To The End Of The Letter In First John John Tells Why He Wrote That Letter In First John Chapter Five Verse Thirteen!

John Said! 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 Questions Comments Criticisms?

If you Couldn't Hear What Mike Said He Said That A Lot Of Times People Base Their Salvation On Emotionalism And Getting Emotional About It And We Should Be Emotional We Should Be Glad When God Saves Us Especially When We Consider What The Penal For Our Sins Should Be But Emotionalism Shouldn't Be The Only Thing That We Base Our Sins On That Is Why We Ask The Question Does Your Life Give Evidence That You Are Saved A Lot Of People Think They They Are Saved Just Because They Made A Decision One Time Or They Walked An Isle But Their Life Doesn't Give Any Evidence That They Are Saved And That's Why We All Need To Take The Time To Really Look Down And Ask The Spirit Of God To Help Us As Well See If Our Life Is Consistent With Someone Who Is Saved And That's Why We Need To Consider Our Motives As Well For Good Works Because I

Can Be Doing What You May Think Are Legitimate Good Works But You Don't Know What The Motive In My Heart Is Only God Knows That I May Not Even! That Myself Anything Else Before We Close Let's Pray Father We Thank You For This Reminder Of How You Have Saved Those Of Us Who Are Saved If We're Ever Tempted To Believe That We Deserve That Salvation Point Us Back To These Scriptures And Convict Us That It Is Only Because Of Your Grace That We Are Saved And Lord If There's Anyone Here Who Has Yet To Be Saved Pray That You Will