EXAMINE YOURSELVES, whether ye be in the faith; PROVE Your Own Selves…  II Corinthians 13:5
If a person wanted to know that the object he possesses is made of gold, it would only be a matter of subjecting the metal to a few tests to verify its' identity.  If a person wanted to know if he has eternal life [Heaven], it would be just a matter of subjecting his life to God's Word to verify his identity [Child of God or NOT a Child of God].  The Word of God states,
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  I John 5:13.
Notice the Word of God does not say we can HOPE to have salvation, but we can KNOW…God's Word was written to give us salvation and will reveal when we do not have His salvation.
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit…A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.  Luke 6:43&45.
God exhorts us to make certain our salvation.
Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  II Peter 1:10-11
We are not to leave our salvation to chance, but make a diligent effort to have an "I-know-so" salvation.
Be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless.  II Peter 3:14b.
That which is on the inside, will bear fruit on the outside!
TEST ONE:  He that is of God heareth God's words; ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.  John 8:47.
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of Hosts.  Jeremiah 15:16.
You must believe the Word of God is the ultimate authority in your life!  Is the Word of God, the joy and rejoicing of your heart?  Those who reject the Word of God are NOT OF GOD!!!
TEST TWO:  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  …If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.  I John 1:8&10.
Those who believe that they are without sin are not in the faith [saved].  Those who say they have no sin, call God, a LIAR!
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:8-9.
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.  Matthew 15.8.
Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.  For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.  Isaiah 59:1-3.
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  Psalm 14:2-3.
Those who have no sin, have no need of a Saviour!
TEST THREE:  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.  I John 2:9-10.
God says one who is a Christian cannot hate another Christian.  No Exceptions!
He further states in I John 3:10&12, 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…Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.  And wherefore slew he him?  Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Many, who call themselves 'Christian,' hate others who would seek to know of their eternal destiny or welfare.  Yet others, calling themselves 'Christian,' leave the fellowship of believers on account of someone they hate.
I John 2:19, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."
Those 'Christians' who hate other Christians, regardless of their affiliation, are not Born-Again [Christians], so states God, the author and finisher of our faith!!!
TEST FOUR:  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  I John 2:3-4.
What is your attitude toward the Word of God?  Are His commandments meaningless or do you have a desire to obey his commands?
EXAMPLE: When God states in Deuteronomy 22:5, The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are ABOMINATION unto the Lord thy God,
Does the Word of God stir rebellion in your heart?  Or, does your heart say, "I was not aware of that verse, I will change with God's help!"
EXAMPLE:  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.  Romans 13:7.
Do you desire to submit yourself to the authority of God's Word, your parents, your boss, your pastor, or anyone else in your life that has the rule over you?
EXAMPLE:  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  Ephesians 4:29.
Do we desire to encourage others to live for God with our words?  If a person were to follow you around with a recorder throughout the day,  what would it say about you, to those who listened?
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement.  Matthew 12:36.
EXAMPLE: ​ Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.  The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.  Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.  I Corinthians 7:3-5.
Do you desire to submit yourself to your spouse as the Word of God commands?  Husband, do you use your strength and time to work for others and have no desire to meet the needs of your wife?  Wife, do you use the physical relationship to manipulate your husband and get your will or do you desire to submit to your husband?
How do you respond to God's commands?  Do you desire to submit out of a tender heart of devotion, or only when circumstances force compliance [obedience]?
TEST FIVE:  If ye know that he [God] is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him…We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not…Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither KNOWN him.  I John 2:29, 5:18a, 3:6.
Here, the Scriptures confirm that those who are 'In Christ,' do not continue in sin. The 'eth' on the end of the words means a continuing action.  A Christian person will sin, but will not stay [or continue] in sin.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.  II Corinthians 5:17.
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  I John 5:4.
Have you ever come to the point in your life when you realized, though you practice sin which you hate, you are unable to overcome the sin?
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?  Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil?  Jeremiah 13:23.
A person who has been 'born again' is indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.  His life is changed because the Holy God, who created him, lives inside.  He is not self-reformed, but made a new creature by God.
Lest you think that many people are Christians and on their way to heaven, let us review just a few passages from the Word of God.
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life [eternal], and few there be that find it.  Matthew 7:13-14.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity…  Matthew 7:21-22.
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.  Jude 5.

Of those people which came out of the land of Egypt (over 2 million), only 2 men among the original group of people entered the promised land.
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.  II Peter 2:5-7.
Realize that only eight people on the entire planet were saved, when God destroyed the world with a world-wide flood.  Sodom and Gomorrha and the cities about them were destroyed with fire.  Jude 7.  God refers to Lot in this passage as 'just Lot' and to Noah as the 'preacher of righteousness.'
Jesus gave us the following story to demonstrate the issue of salvation and those who attend the wedding supper of the Lamb of God.
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage…And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?​  And he was speechless!  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth!!!
Some may profess to be part of the wedding party (Christian), but have never received the garment of righteousness from the king (God).  They will be cast into outer darkness!
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  Revelation 20:12.
For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us [Christians], what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?  I Peter 4:17-18.
When you stand before THE Holy God and He judges you, will you be labeled, gold or iron pyrite [Fool's gold]?
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him RETURN unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  Isaiah 55:6-7.
 

Read this daily until the Holy Spirit of God convicts you of sin, of righteousness and of judgement to come.
Seek and Ye SHALL find!  God Promises!
 

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Examine Yourselves​