Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you — unless indeed you fail the test? (2 Cor. 13:5)

  1. Evidences That Neither Prove Nor Disprove One’s Faith
    1. Visible Morality: Matt. 19:16–21; 23:27
    2. Intellectual Knowledge: Rom. 1:21; 2:17ff
    3. Religious Involvement: Matt. 25:1–10
    4. Active Ministry: Matt. 7:21–24
    5. Conviction of Sin: Acts 24:25
    6. Assurance: Matt. 23
    7. Time of Decision: Luke 8:13, 14
  2. The Fruit/Proof of Authentic/True Christianity
    1. Love for God: Ps. 42:1ff; 73:25; Luke 10:27; Rom. 8:7
    2. Repentance from Sin: Ps. 32:5; Prov. 28:13; Rom. 7:14ff; 2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 1:8–10
    3. Genuine Humility: Ps. 51:17; Matt. 5:1–12; Jas. 4:6, 9ff
    4. Devotion to God’s Glory: Ps. 105:3; 115:1; Isa. 43:7; 48:10ff; Jer. 9:23, 24; 1 Cor. 10:31
    5. Continual Prayer: Luke 18:1; Eph. 6:18ff; Phil. 4:6ff; 1 Tim. 2:1–4; Jas. 5:16–18
    6. Selfless Love: 1 John 2:9ff; 3:14; 4:7ff
    7. Separation from the World: 1 Cor. 2:12; Jas. 4:4ff.; 1 John 2:15–17; 5:5
    8. Spiritual Growth: Luke 8:15; John 15:1–6; Eph. 4:12–16
    9. Obedient Living: Matt. 7:21; John 15:14ff; Rom. 16:26; 1 Pet. 1:2, 22; 1 John 2:3–5
    10. Hunger for God’s Word: 1 Pet. 2:1–3
    11. Transformation of Life: 2 Cor. 5:17

If List 1 is true of a person and List 2 is false, there is cause to question the validity of one’s profession of faith. Yet if List 2 is true, then the top list will be also.

The Conduct of the Gospel

  1. Proclaim it: Matt. 4:23
  2. Defend it: Jude 3
  3. Demonstrate it: Phil. 1:27
  4. Share it: Phil. 1:5
  5. Suffer for it: 2 Tim. 1:8
  6. Don’t hinder it: 1 Cor. 9:12
  7. Be not ashamed: Rom. 1:16
  8. Preach it: 1 Cor. 9:16
  9. Be empowered: 1 Thess. 1:5
  10. Guard it: Gal. 1:6–8

Excerpted from The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB, p. 1999.