Expanding on the Basics- True Repentance: True Salvation. Part 1

One of the most well known scriptures is John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. NIV

This is as basic as it gets so in light of this scripture how do we recognize when we have been truly saved? Let’s start by looking a little further along in John 3 starting at verse 19:

19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. “ NIV

In summary Jesus is telling us that people love sin and won’t repent, won’t turn away from their sinful lives.

Let’s be honest, for the most part sin is fun. It is easy to fall into sinful ways and not even be aware of it we are having such a good time! Put plainly, people love darkness(sin) and they reject the light (Christ).

A couple of weeks ago I wrote in the “Judge not” series that in full context Jesus was calling for self examination to remove the beam(our sin) from our own eye so that we may see clearly to remove the speck(sin) from a fellow believer’s eye. This discussion is a natural follow up.

So, how do we know we are truly saved? Start here with these questions:
Do we hate our sin?
Do we try to avoid sin?
Are we instantly convicted when we fail?

So we now ask: What does true repentance look like?
2 Corinthians 7 : 8-11

8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
NIV

Think about it, meditate on it, and we will flesh this out next week.

Until then, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.