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Answer
Jesus taught that the condition of a person’s heart will manifest itself in his or her behavior: “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart” (Luke 6:43-45;cf: Matthew 7:16). Therefore, when considering whether or not you are a Christian, you can evaluate the type of fruit that is produced in the life of a Christian:
1. Complete trust in Christ’s death and resurrection as sufficient payment for the debt we owe God. A Christian is someone who trusts Christ exclusively. Doubts arise when we worry that we must add something to Christ’s work to secure our salvation. Ephesians 2:8–9 clearly states that we are not saved by our works, but by God’s grace alone. Regardless of how righteous we may seem, none of us come close to earning salvation (Romans 3:23;Romans 5:12;Romans 6:23). We cannot add or subtract anything from the Savior’s sacrifice. When Jesus declared, “It is finished!” He signified that He had fully paid the sin debt of all who believe in Him «When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. », (John 19:30). A Christian finds peace in God’s gracious promises in Christ.
2. Obedience. A Christian is someone who obeys the Lord. In our eagerness to emphasize the amazing grace of God, we sometimes view obedience to God as discretionary. However, 1 John 3:6–9 explains that a person’s attitudeThe inclination toward sin is how we distinguish who belongs to God and who belongs to the devil. Salvation transforms our hearts, as stated in James 1:22. Romans 6 provides a comprehensive explanation of why we turn from sin when we are saved: we have died to it and are now alive in Christ. The attitude of a genuine follower of Jesus is one of sorrow over sin. Proverbs 8:13 states, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil.” A Christian detests their own sin and has a strong desire to turn from it. A Christian loves the Lord and demonstrates that love through obedience, as mentioned in John 14:21.
The witness of the Holy Spirit is crucial. A Christian is one who is guided and encouraged by the Spirit. Romans 8:16 affirms, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” When we surrender our lives to Jesus, His Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and transforms our perspective on the world, ourselves, and God. He imparts an understanding of spiritual truths that were previously beyond our grasp, as highlighted in John 14:26. The Holy Spirit assists us in communicating with the Father when we are unsure how to pray, as indicated in Romans 8:26. He provides comfort and guidance in our spiritual journey.
1. Assurance of salvation. A Christian is someone who has the assurance of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit confirms this to us by reminding us of God’s promises. He gives us a certainty that calms our hearts in times of doubt. Romans 8:14 states that “those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” A Christian is confident in their adoption into God’s family because of the testimony of the Holy Spirit “For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father.'” , (Romans 8:15).
2. Love for God’s people. A Christian is characterized by a genuine love for the family of God. 1 John 3:14 affirms, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death.” While Christians are called to love and befriend everyone, they naturally feel drawn to fellow believers. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 explains this inclination. God instructs us to cultivate love by serving our brothers and sisters and helping them in their burdens (Galatians 5:13-14; Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:22). A Christian is recognized by their love for other Christians “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” , (John 13:35).
3. Continuous discipleship. A Christian is someone who persists in “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”, (2 Peter 3:18). Jesus did not call us to be mere fans but followers. He calls us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him “And He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'” , (Luke 9:23).
By himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” , (Luke 9:23). All Christians experience periods of greater and lesser growth, but there is always a progression towards God. It may sometimes involve two steps forward and one step back, but there will be advancement. If we persist in the same worldly mindset we had before conversion, it is likely that we were never truly converted. A disciple is someone who seeks guidance from Christ. A disciple aspires to become more like Jesus and eliminates distractions, temptations, and barriers to that objective. When God adopts us as His children, He desires us to bear a family resemblance “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” , (Romans 8:29). A Christian will increasingly resemble the Savior.
It is beneficial to “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” , (2 Corinthians 13:5). If you are uncertain about your Christian faith, self-assessment is necessary. Doubts about our salvation can be distressing, but false assurances are even worse. Fortunately, we have Scripture as our compass. There are specific indicators to consider when evaluating the sincerity of our faith: reliance on Christ, obedience to His teachings, the presence of the Holy Spirit, love for God’s people, and ongoing spiritual development. There is no need to dwell in uncertainty. When Jesus is the Lord of our lives and we strive to please and glorify Him, we can be certain that we are Christians Bible verses (Matthew 6:33; Luke 6:46; John 14:15).
