TESTS OF LIFE 

“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 bereprobates?”
(2 Cor 13:5)

Perhaps, the singular, most important question that every professing Christianmust ask himself is whether he is “in the faith.” For if he is not “in thefaith,” then he is still heading towards damnation whatever his outward estatemay be. But what does it mean to know if we are “in the faith”? Quiteobviously, it does not,—at least not directly,—mean knowing if we are the electof Christ or justified in Christ. Election is part of the secret will of God.Justification is a legal declaration of God, which, by itself, leaves nodetectable imprints on us. Yes, a Christian is “in the faith” only if he isjustified by grace through faith, but to know if one is justified, we must lookat ourselves from another angle. We must look at a work of God, which leavessome marks in the souls of every true believer. What is this work butregeneration?

In the night when Nicodemus came to the Lord Jesus to ask Him about Hisministry, the first thing that the Lord said to him was: “Except a man be bornagain, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:3). Hecould not have stated it clearer. If you are not born again or regenerate, youcannot see the kingdom of God, not to mention enter it. The blind man cannotsee where he is going, how can he find the door to enter in?

There is no question then, that regeneration distinguishes a true believer froma mere professor. But how can we know we are regenerate since it is a work ofGod in our inner man? The Lord gave Nicodemus an answer: “The wind blowethwhere it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whenceit cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit”(Jn 3:8).

That is to say that we can know if we are regenerate by the effects of it inthe lives of those born again. The Apostle John, who alone recorded theencounter of the Lord with Nicodemus, must have had a most profound impressionon the implication of the Lord’s doctrine, for he wrote an entire epistle towork out personal implications of what the Lord said. This epistle, the firstletter of John, is sometimes known today as the “Epistle of Love.” Butactually, its older name, “the Epistle of Life,” is a more accurate descriptionof what the letter is about. John himself tells us the purpose of the letter:“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 nameof the Son of God” (1 Jn 5:13).

That is to say: This letter is written that you,—who profess the name ofChrist,—may know for certain if you are born again and spiritually alive. Or,in other words, this letter is written that you may either be assured of yoursalvation, or brought to conviction of your sin that you may truly trust in theSon of God for your salvation.

To accomplish his purpose, John gives us at least five different principaltests in his letter. These tests provide an excellent way of examiningourselves and proving if we are in the faith. Therefore every child of Godought to diligently and honestly consider them. We shall list them in adidactic order rather than in the order it appears in the letter.

Faith Test

The Apostle John says: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born ofGod: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begottenof him” (1 Jn 5:1).

In the days when John wrote his letter, there were the incipient Gnostics orDocetists, who did not believe that the Messiah (i.e., Christ) is God who “iscome in the flesh” (1 Jn 4:2). Well, since it is undeniable that the Lord Jesuslived, they had to deny that Jesus is the Christ in order to sustain theirheresy. John points out that all who are born again will truly believe thatJesus is the Christ, and by implication believe that He is fully man and fullyGod. Note, however, that we must not take this test in isolation so that we areready to say that so long as a person claims to believe that Jesus is theChrist, he is born again. The demons also believe that He is the Christ andthey tremble at that thought (cf. Mt 8:29; Jas 2:19).

The Apostle, rather, must be viewed as referring to true saving faith, or faiththat has all three elements of knowing (notitia), agreeing (assensus)and trusting (fiducia). It is this last element that the devils do notpossess and men by nature cannot have (cf. Jn 1:13; 1 Cor 2:12, 14). MatthewHenry puts it well:

He that believeth that Jesusis the Christ—that He is Messiah the prince, that He is the Son of God bynature and office, that He is the chief of all the anointed world, chief of allthe priests, prophets, or kings, who were ever anointed by God or for Him, thatHe is perfectly prepared and furnished for the whole work of the eternalsalvation, [and] accordingly yields himself up to His care and direction;…—isborn of God (comm. in loc.).

By this test, we would have the assurance that we are born again if we arefully convicted of the doctrine of Christ and we love Him (1 Jn 5:2b) and cansay with the Apostle Paul: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”(Phil 1:21). On the other hand, we can have no certainty that we are born againif either we do not wholeheartedly believe the doctrines of Christ or we findourselves not trusting in Christ for our salvation. No, we are not saying thatall who are born again will have great faith. But we are saying that a bornagain person will trust the Lord and seek his faith even if his faith is smalland at times wavering (cf. Mk 9:24).

Discipleship Test

John says, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep hiscommandments” (1 Jn 2:3).

This test complements the first test very well. Everyone can claim to know theLord Jesus Christ, or even to love Him and trust Him. But how many are trulyobedient to Him? How many are truly His disciples? The born again child of Godhas a new heart and the Spirit of Christ indwells him (Ezk 36:26–27; Jer31:33). He, therefore, finds it in his heart a constraining love of Christwhich compels him to obey Christ and to live according to His commandments. Andhe does not find Christ’s commandments, which are the same as the commandmentsof God, grievous (1 Jn 5:3). Conversely, one who truly loves the Lord will keepHis commandments (cf. Jn 14:15), for as John says: “He that saith, I know him,and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 Jn2:4).

It is sad that many modern Christians have imbibe the dispensational idea thatall Christ commanded is to “have love one to another” (Jn 13:35). And so theythink they are Christians just because they have some loving affections towardstheir fellow men. We need not at this place enter into the debate but to pointout that “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Heb13:8), and that Jesus Christ was “God… manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim 3:16). Thecommandments of Christ are the commandments of God. Let not those who know notthe commandments of God,—especially the perpetual, moral, universal law asexpressed in the Ten Commandments,—claim to love or know Christ, for the Lordwill at the last day say unto them: “I never knew you: depart from me, ye thatwork iniquity” (Mt 7:23).

A born again believer ought to be able to say with the Psalmist: “Oh how love Ithy law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps 119:97). And he says so withequivocation, and if he does not keep any of the Old Testament laws, it must beonly if he is persuaded that they are fulfilled in Christ (e.g., the CeremonialLaws), or there is a indisputable abrogation of it in the New Testament (e.g.,the Civil Laws).

When we find in our hearts such a desire to obey God, and that it is not a legalobedience but a loving obedience, we can have the assurance that God has beguna good work in us (Phil 1:6). On the other hand, if you find it burdensome toobey God’s commandments or are constantly finding excuses to avoid obedience,you must suspect that you may not be born again.

Moral Test

John puts it this way: “Every one that doeth righteousness is born of him” (1Jn 2:29b); “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath notseen him, neither known him” (1 Jn 3:6); and “Whosoever is born of God doth notcommit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he isborn of God” (1 Jn 3:9). Quite obviously, this does not mean that a trueChristian will not sin at all. John had already made it clear: “If we say thatwe have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn 1:8).If it is true that Christians have no sin, then even the Apostle Paul was not aChristian, for he spoke about his struggles against sin in Romans 7, and hecalled himself the chief of sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15.

What John must mean, then, is that a true Christian must hate sin, especiallypersonal sin, and will not habitually practise sin or lawlessness. A regeneratebeliever, indwelt with the Holy Spirit, mourns for his sin (Mt 5:4), and ismuch grieved that he has sinned against God. He trembles at the thought that hehas a corrupt nature ready to break forth into all sorts of wickedness (cf. Ps19:12–13). And if he does fall into sin, his attitude will be like that ofDavid when he is confronted or made aware of his transgression, and so he willcry out like David:

Have mercy upon me, O God, accordingto thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blotout my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse mefrom my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: thatthou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest(Ps 51:1–4).

What about you, dear reader, how do you react to the knowledge of your ownsins? Do you feel a sense of grief even when the sin is not known to any personbut yourself? When confronted with known or proven sin, is your immediatereaction that of humble repentance rather than justifying yourself? Do yougrieve when you sin, knowing that God is displeased with you, rather thanfeeling sorry,—like Esau and Judas,—only when there are dire consequences andimplications for you in this present life? Furthermore, do you genuinely repentof your sin and resolve not to repeat the same sin? Does your conscience prickyou when you are tempted to commit the same sin? If you can answer positivelyto these questions, you have good reasons to be assured that you truly belongto Christ, otherwise, you ought to re-examine your foundations rather thanbeing complacent about your spiritual state.

Holiness Test

To be holy is not only to be pure, but to be set apart unto God. As such to beholy is not only to live righteously, though without righteousness there is noholiness. To be holy requires that we do not fashion ourselves according to thelusts of the world (cf. 1 Pet 1:14–16). Thus, John is essentially speaking ofholiness as a mark of the regenerate soul when he says: “For whatsoever is bornof God overcometh the world…” (1 Jn 5:4a); and exhorts us:

Love not the world, neither thethings that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Fatheris not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and thelust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of theworld. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth thewill of God abideth for ever (1 Jn 2:15–17).

The writer of Hebrews affirms the necessity of holiness in a true child of Godwhen he teaches us that “without [holiness] no man shall see the Lord” (Heb12:14). The Apostle Peter explains that we must be holy “in all manner ofconversation” because God who has called us is holy (1 Pet 1:15–16). Now, ifGod has called us only by the voice of preaching, it would be impossible for usto obey His command to be holy, but the fact is that all regenerate children ofGod are called with an effectual calling, which attends the indwelling of theSpirit of Christ. For this reason, the Apostle Paul says: “If any man be inChrist, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all thingsare become new” (2 Cor 5:17; cf. Eph 4:24).

The genuine child of God no longer lives for his own carnal pleasure. Neitherdoes he live to please man. He lives instead to glorify God and to please Godin every aspect of his life (cf. 1 Cor 10:31; Gal 2:20). While the unregenerateman is motivated by how much money, status and pleasure he can get, theregenerate man is motivated by how much eternal good can be obtained (cf. Mt6:24). While the unregenerate man may continue to enjoy the immoralentertainments of the world, the regenerate man finds these things more andmore loathsome (cf. 1 Pet 1:14). While the unregenerate man may have no qualmsabout being found in drinking clubs, casinos, dance halls and cinemas, theregenerate man avoids these places and finds himself in much vexation of spiritif he were required to be in such places (cf. 2 Pet 2:8). While theunregenerate man may enjoy the company of worldly persons, the regenerate mandesires to be a testimony to these and yet at the same time feels increasingdiscomfort to be in their company for any length of time (Ps 1:1). While theunregenerate man may engage on conversation centred on the pursuit of wealthand pleasure without any pinch of conscience, the regenerate man not only findthese talks unedifying but frustrating (cf. Eph 5:4).

Familial Test

The Church of Christ is a family. Christians as such must love one another.John puts it this way: “We know that we have passed from death unto life,because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death”(1 Jn 3:14). No one will dispute that a love for God is an indispensableevidence of salvation. No one will dare claim to be Christian if he has no lovefor Christ and no love for God. Yet, experience teaches us that many whoportray themselves as fervent believers have little love for fellow believers,or even entertain hatred towards individuals who name the name of Christ. Johnnotes this fact and warns of its contradiction:

If a man say, I love God, and hatethhis brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hathseen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 Jn 4:20).

John’s logic is very simple: If we say we love God whom we have not seen, andyet not love they for whom Christ laid down His life, whom we can see (1 Jn3:16), then obviously our love for God is not genuine.

Every true Christian, as such, must love other believers because all believersare in the same family, same body in Christ. Now, this does not mean that wehave no duty to love unbelievers, for the Lord teaches us to love ourneighbours as ourselves. But our love for the brethren must be an especial love(cf. Gal 6:10). Again, this does not mean that we must necessarily have thisespecial love for anyone who claims to be a Christian, for there are many todaywho hate Christ, who call themselves Christians. To love these enemies of theCross in the same way we love the brethren would be to despise the name ofChrist.

This test of John is therefore not so straightforward when we look beyond theboundary of the local congregation. But we may say this: a true child of Godwill be able to honestly say he loves every member in his local congregation,at least.

What about brethren outside the communion? Well, no individual believer oughtto take it upon himself to declare who is a believer and who is not, andtherefore chooses whom he would love and whom he would not. The true child ofGod should therefore love any Christian who is a member of any communion whichwe can to some degree recognise as a true church of Christ. Indeed, we can putaside the case-by-case scenarios, and safely declare that an unforgiving orquarrelsome disposition is a sure mark of an unregenerate heart.

Now, it is true that one man differs from another so that some of us are moreaffectionate and some of us less. Some of us feel more keenly than others. As such,we must not think that if we cannot shed an empathising tear for someone, thatwe are therefore unregenerate. John makes it clear: Love is not just a feeling,it is also an act of the will. This is why we can be commanded to love oneanother (1 Jn 3:23). The affection of love is necessary, that acts of love benot hypocritical, but the will to love will be in every regenerate heart sothat there is a desire to do good to another even if the feeling of affectionis not obvious. So John urges us: “My little children, let us not love in word,neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 Jn 3:18).

Conclusion

We have seen the five Johannine tests of life. This list is not necessarilyexhaustive, but it does give an indication as to whether you are truly bornagain. A failure in any of these tests may indicate unregeneracy. On the otherhand, an honest assessment that indicates a renewed mind and transformed lifebase on these tests can give us good assurance that we belong to Christ, forman by nature are dead in trespasses and sin, and so cannot measure up to anyof these tests.

Bearing in mind the existence of a remnant of corruption within us, we knowthat no one of us can measure up perfectly. As such you must be very suspiciousof yourself if you can read these tests without a great sense of unworthinessand failure, for in all probability if you can do so, it would indicate eitherunregeneracy or serious backsliding. Then I would urge you not to continuedeceiving yourself, and I would urge you to restudy the list diligently andhonestly, but this time bearing in mind that Satan may be deceiving you and youmay just be hanging over the precipice of hell by a thin thread. May you, inthis way, be spurred to “strive to enter in at the strait gate” knowing that“many… will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Lk 13:24). But if you arestruck by your failures as you test yourself, there is great hope. Do notdespair. Acknowledge your sin and shortfalls, and cry out to the Lordimportunately until you are certain that Christ is formed in you (Gal 4:19).

—J.J. Lim
24 February 2002