Marks of Saving Faith

(By John MacArthur)

What kinds of things do and do not prove the genuineness of saving faith?

Churches today are filled with people who hold to a faith that does not save. James referred to this as a "dead faith"-meaning a mere empty profession (James 2:17, 20, 26). Paul wrote to the people in the church at Corinth to test or examine themselves to see if they were truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). As important as it was in Paul's day, how much more important it is for people in our churches today to put their faith to the test and to make sure they have not been deceived.
But where do we start? By what criteria do we determine true from empty faith? What are the distinguishing marks of genuine saving faith? Surprisingly, there are a number of popular standards or tests that really don't prove the genuineness of one's faith one way or the other. So before we look at the tests that prove genuine faith, let's take a look at some popular tests that neither prove nor disprove the genuineness of one's faith.
Here is a list of seven conditions that do not prove or disprove the genuineness of saving faith. One can be a Christian and possess these things or one may not be a Christian at all and still possess them. While they don't prove or disprove one's faith, they're important to know and understand so you will not be deceived.
Seven conditions that do not prove or disprove genuine saving faith.

1. Visible Morality

There are some people who just seem to be good people. They can be religious, moral, honest, and forthright [trustworthy] in their dealings with people. They may seem to be grateful, loving, kind and tenderhearted toward others. They have visible virtues and an external morality. The Pharisees of Jesus day rested on visible morality for their hope and yet some of Christ's harshest words were directed at them for this very thing.
Many who possess visible morality know nothing of sincere love for God. Whatever good works they appear to possess, they know nothing of serving the true God and living for His glory. Whatever the person does or leaves undone does not involve God. They're honest in their dealings with everyone-but God. They won't rob anyone-but God. They're thankful and loyal to everyone-but God. They speak contemptuously and reproachfully of no one-but God. They have good relationships with everyone-but God. They are like the rich young ruler who said, "All these things [conditions] have I kept, what do I lack?" Their focus is on visible morality, but that visible morality doesn't necessarily mean salvation. Jesus told one of the Pharisees "you must be born again" (John 3:6), not "you must put on an external morality." People can "clean up their act" by reformation rather than regeneration-so reformation in itself is not a mark of saving faith.

2. Intellectual Knowledge

Another condition that can be misleading is intellectual knowledge. People can possess an intellectual understanding and knowledge of the truth and yet not be saved. While the knowledge of the truth is necessary for salvation, and visible morality is a fruit of salvation, neither of these conditions by themselves translate into true saving faith. People can know all about God, all about Jesus, who He was, that He came into the world, that He died on the cross, that He rose again, that He's coming again, and even many details about the life of Christ-and still turn their backs on Him.
That's what the writer of Hebrews was warning against in Hebrews 6:4-6. There were people in the church who knew all about God and understood gospel truths. They even had a measure of experience with gospel truth. They'd seen the ministry of the Holy Spirit at work in people's lives-and yet knowing all of that, they stood in grave danger of turning away and rejecting Christ.
In Hebrews 10 the writer warns this kind of man that he is treading underfoot the blood of Christ by not believing what he knows to be true. There are many people who know the Scriptures but are on their way to hell! A man cannot be saved without the knowledge of the truth, but possessing that knowledge alone does not save.

3. Religious Involvement

Religious involvement is not necessarily a proof of true faith. According to Paul there are people who possess an outward form (a mere external appearance) of godliness but who have denied the power of it. They have an empty form of religion. Jesus illustrated this when He told of the virgins in Matthew 25. They waited and waited and waited for the coming of the bridegroom, who is Christ. And even though they waited a long time, when He came they didn't go in. They had everything together except the oil in their lamps. That which was most necessary was missing. The oil is probably emblematic of the new life; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They weren't regenerate. They had religious involvement but were not regenerate. A person can be visibly moral, know the truth, be religiously involved, and yet not possess genuine saving faith.

4. Active Ministry

It is possible to have an active and even a public ministry, and yet not possess genuine saving faith. Balaam was a prophet who turned out to be false (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). Saul of Tarsus (later becoming the apostle Paul) thought he was serving God by killing Christians. Judas was a public preacher and one of the twelve disciples of Christ-but he was an apostate. In Matthew 7:22-23 Jesus said, "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" Those whom Jesus spoke of had been involved in active and public ministry-but Jesus said he never knew them. Sobering words indeed.

5. Conviction of Sin

By itself, even conviction of sin is not a proof of salvation. Our world is filled with guilt-ridden people. Many even feel badly about their sin. Felix trembled under conviction at the preaching of the apostle Paul, but he never left his idols or turned to God (Acts 24:24-6). The Holy Spirit works to convict men of sin, righteousness, and of judgment, but many do not respond in true repentance. Some may confess their sins and even abandon the sins they feel guilty about. They say, "I don't like living this way. I want to change." They may amend their ways and yet fall short of genuine saving faith. That's external reformation, not internal regeneration. No degree of conviction of sin is conclusive evidence of saving faith. Even the demons are convicted of their sins-that's why they tremble-but they are not saved.

6. The Feeling of Assurance

Feeling like you are saved is no guarantee you are indeed saved. Someone may say, "Well, I must be a Christian because I feel that I am. I think I am one." But that is faulty reasoning. If thinking one is a Christian is what makes one a Christian, then no one could be deceived. And then, by definition, it would not be possible to be a deceived non-Christian, and that doesn't square with the whole point of Satan's deception. He wants people who are not truly saved to think they are. Satan has deceived multiplied millions of religious people into thinking they are saved even though they are not. They may say to themselves, "God won't condemn me. I feel good about myself. I have assurance. I'm ok." But that doesn't necessarily mean a thing.

7. A Time of Decision

So often people say things like: "Well, I know I'm a Christian, because I remember when I signed the card," or "I remember when I prayed a prayer," or "I remember when I walked the aisle" or "went forward in church." A person may remember exactly when it happened and where they were when "it" happened, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Our salvation is not verified by a past moment. Many people have prayed prayers, gone forward in church services, signed cards, gone into prayer rooms, been baptized, and joined churches without ever experiencing genuine saving faith.

These are seven common conditions or tests that don't necessarily prove or disprove the existence of saving faith. What then are the marks of genuine saving faith? Are there some reliable tests from the Word of God that enable us to know for certain whether one's faith is real? Thankfully there are at least nine biblical criteria for examining the genuineness of saving faith.

We'll look at those in tomorrow's post.

GA denys request for study group on Deaconesses

y a margin of fewer than 20 votes, the PCA’s General Assembly (GA) voted this afternoon against adopting overtures that would form a study committee to examine women’s roles in the denomination. The vote was 427 in favor and 446 opposed.
Earlier in the week, the GA’s Overtures Committee had recommended that the Assembly reject Overtures 5 and 10—which called for a study committee to be formed to craft a pastoral letter to churches on the issue. (Last year, a similar overture was rejected.)
According to Overtures 5 and 10, “the PCA has struggled with the question of how women in the local church are to exercise their God-given gifts within the framework of the Book of Church Order (BCO).” Additionally, “many PCA churches are uncertain about how to use appropriately God’s gifts among the many capable women within the membership of those churches.”
But David Coffin, speaking this afternoon for the Overtures Committee’s report, disagreed. “The study committee won’t accomplish the goal of creating unity,” he said. “I fear guidance [on this issue] could lead to a tyranny of the majority. The lower courts tend to take study committee [findings] as authority—which would mess with our constitutional order and undermine the integrity of the courts.”The topic inspired spirited debate on the floor of the Assembly.
George Robertson of Savannah River Presbytery spoke from the floor in favor of forming a study committee. “Clearly this is a problem in our church—at least a perceived problem. Writing this pastoral letter would send a message that we affirm and love [women].” He recalled a similar situation previously when the PCA formed a study committee to study race relations.
Speaking on behalf of the minority report, former GA moderator E.J. Nusbaum said, “We don’t have clear direction in our constitution on this issue. A study committee would provide clarity, diffuse controversy, relieve tension, and promote unity in the church.”
A number of prominent PCA leaders had joined the Overture Committee’s (OC) minority report in support of the study committee. In addition to Nusbaum, they included Covenant Theological Seminary president Bryan Chapell; current GA moderator Brad Bradley; Dan Carrell, chairman of the GA’s Committee on Constitutional Business; and Greg Thompson, pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Va.
Citing the fact that four of the 13 overtures submitted to the OC this year dealt with issues related to the roles of women, the minority report said, “Clear differences exist among us. … A pastoral letter [would] allow us to listen to one another without winners and losers in a legislative or judicial process. Such pastoral care is good for our fidelity to Scripture and to each other.”
But after one hour of debate, the commissioners voted to reject the minority report.

Overtures Committee Says Women’s Roles Have Already Been StudiedOn Monday, the Overtures Committee explained its reasoning, saying, “Unlike most issues for which past General Assemblies have erected study committees, the question of the role of women in the Church is not a new or unstudied issue. As such, the proposed study committee is unlikely to break new ground or shed new insights.”
The report went on to say, “Many of the speeches offered before the Overtures Committee in support of Overture 10 argued that there is a need to ‘settle this issue.’ But, by definition, the report of such a committee, whether as a pastoral letter or in some other form, would have no binding Constitutional authority. … The best way to address the concerns of those raising these questions is to allow individuals, sessions, and presbyteries to continue to study and interact on these matters.”
OC study committee opponents were also concerned that its formation would exacerbate differences within the denomination rather than develop unity. “If the committee did come to consensus at a level of specificity, the tendency among some will be to treat those conclusions as binding, at least in some sense,” said the committee report. “That, in turn, would have the effect of elevating any conclusions from the report of the study committee to a level that is de facto on par with the Constitution, but without Constitutional process. This, too, will elevate tensions, rather than bringing about unity.” Yesterday, Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, and Ligon Duncan, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Miss., conducted a well-attended seminar on women’s roles in the church. Some 600 people overflowed into the 450-seat ballroom, with many sitting on the floor and standing around the walls.

Back on Line

After a short hiatus, we're back on-line. Hopefully this new guy will be as good as the old guy.

36th PCA General Assembly- June 10-13, 2008

The 36th PCA General Assembly will be held in Dallas, TX, June 10-13, 2008.

For complete info on everything from the golf tournament to the seminars, check out their website.

http://www.pcaac.org/GeneralAssembly/2008.htm

Plan now to attend and enjoy this time of fun, fellowship and teaching.

The Aquila Report

There is a new website up that will keep updates on a regular basis on the PCA. See here. This has long been a desideratum. It is good to see that Dominic Aquila and Don Clements are going to keep us up to date.

A New Web Magazine for PCA News and Information

The Aquila Report is a new and independent web magazine for news and information for, of and about the Presbyterian Church in America and other churches in the Reformed community. The editor, Dominic Aquila, is a PCA minister and president of New Geneva Theological Seminary in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was moderator of the 34th PCA General Assembly (2006), the founding editor of the former PCANews.com, and past editor of the Byfaithonline Newsletter. Don Clements, also a PCA minister, is overseeing the business and marketing functions of The Aquila Report.

In The Aquila Report you will find current news and information about churches, people and events in the PCA and other churches. There will also be articles addressing issues of interest to the church. Watch for other features that will be introduced over time that will enhance your visits to this web magazine. There is an email address listed on the website.

HT: Green Baggins