Examine Yourselves Whether You Be in the Faith, Part 1 B

Very serious to come to the Lord's table is serious for a believer to come to the Lord's table while entertaining sin in his life is serious for a Christian to come to the Lord's table will where he does not have everything in desirable of all things righteousness and holiness and turning from any known sin. You think back to that moment when you prayed a prayer went forward in a church service dewpoint to your baptism well. As John MacArthur will show you on this edition of grace to you.

It's a healthy practice to take a hard look at what you believe what your priorities are, how well your life matches up to God's standards.

So stay here to see what sort of evidence proves your salvation is genuine and what evidence doesn't John calls his study examine yourself for anyone struggling with assurance of salvation. This study is a must see why right now, here's John to begin today's lesson. The Lord's supper. I believe is the most wonderful, the most sacred most unique act of worship. But the blood bought Church of Jesus Christ can ever experience is sacred in many way's is sacred because it is a sacred memory of the cross, the bread speaks of his body, and the cup speaks of his blood, and they point to the cross where his body was crucified in his blood was shed and and so it sacred because of its memory, but more than at the table of the Lord is sacred because it is a present communion with the living Christ. He meets us here the apostle Paul says the cup which we drink and the bread which we break is it not the body and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We literally commune with him here. And thirdly, it is sacred. I believe because Jesus said in Luke 2219 and 20. Do this and so it is sacred because it is an act of obedience and obedience is a sacred and holy thing. It's very serious to come to the Lord's table.

It is serious for a believer to come to the Lord's table while entertaining sin in his life is serious for a Christian to come to the Lord's table will where he does not repent of everything in desirable of all things righteousness and holiness and turning from any known sin serious. What is even more serious is to come to the Lord's table and break unworthily because you're not a Christian at all. So examine yourself to see whether you're in the faith prove yourself say John how I do that huddling over Millie Christian, I believe, maybe even been baptized. I go to church. I think I'm a Christian look with me at Matthew chapter 5 and let's find out when Jesus arrived on the scene the Jews it already does decided what right living was all about. They had already built their own code.

They'd already developed their own system and they had a pretty cut and dried pretty well laid out that this was what it was to be holy and it was all external was all self-righteousness and works. And Jesus came and shattered that thing and he said I want to give you a new standard for living. I want to give you a new criteria by which to evaluate whether redeemed or not I want to tell you how a citizen of the kingdom really lives you want to prove yourself. Here is the proof you take your life and let the spirit of God. Compare it with the facts of the sermon on the Mount, and the result will be an examination and the end result will be whether you?

Here is the standard and the key to it all is one word. Now watch is the word righteousness. That's the key.

Jesus is saying in the sermon on the map.

If you are a child of the King. If you are really converted. If you really belong to God. If you really been redeemed, the characteristic of your life will be righteousness, our Lord goes further is another thing will characterize one as a child of the kingdom is obedience. Verse 17 you think I came to destroy the law, you think I came to set aside the prophets know to fulfill it. In fact, not one jot or one tittle shall ever pass from this law and I say to you whoever therefore shall break one of the least commandments, and shall teach men so we should be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. And then he goes on to say your righteousness better exceed that of the scribes and the first point is this your truly saved will be obedient to be obedient to be acts of obedience to the law of God will be something you long for. Again, Romans seven Paul long to do the law of God, he hungered to do the law of God. He delighted in the law of God. The law of God. Even though Cindy was always tugging at soul examiners I really save that you come in morning over your Cindy to come and broken over your evil heart.

Examine yourself. Are you clearly distinguishable from the rest of the world examine yourself. Are you obeying God is the great hunger of your heart to do that which is his will. He goes further, if you really been converted. You'll think different. That's right, he talks about right-thinking in verse 21.

Following see the Jews would do the outside stuff they just couldn't handle the interstate and so the Lord says them you heard it shouldn't kill whoever with Joe would be in danger of judgment places I want to go a step further and take it inside so you shouldn't even have bad thoughts in your heart against him. In other words, a child of my kingdom is not somebody was a non-murderer is somebody who inside his heart doesn't even desire to hurt anybody and he pushes the whole thing inside really a child of the kingdom you're going to have different car. Ezekiel 36 the Lord says when you become redeemed. He takes out the stony heart. The heart of abstinence and he puts in a heart of flesh, a new heart and further he says in verse 27, you heard it said, you should not commit adultery but let me take it inside. You shouldn't even want to. You shouldn't even look at anybody that we should even think that thought in other words, a citizen of the kingdom is different when somebody says that while I'm a Christian. I just have problems in that area and they continue to be the dollar will continue to be a fornicator, or continue to be homosexual or continuing some kind of thing like that.

I always go to first Meridian six and say those kind of people do not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

You didn't come to Christ on his terms.

You came on yours and they don't make until your broken and shattered over those things until you weep yourself to tears and crawled into his kingdom morning for righteousness will never know what to redemption is further than right-thinking. He says if you're really a child of the kingdom you have right words, not only thinking right, the talking right and in verse 33. He talks about that. He goes on to talk about perjuring about swearing about how your communication should be ADA and they may, in other words, it it's going to come out right because out of the abundance of the heart. What the mouth speaks. And so our Lord is saying if your life is set to hunger after righteousness will result in obedience and obedience means you got right-thinking going on and when you open your mouth right words will come out and when you act, verse 38 and following right deeds will be the result. You won't retaliate. Instead, you be kind and if somebody asked for one you given to verse 43 you love your neighbor and then down further you leave and love your enemy, you'll even love tax collectors infected.

Verse 48 he says is the whole idea be like God. He loves his enemy. You see the point prove yourself. Don't tell me you're a Christian because five years ago you walked in. I know tell me you're a Christian because once you sign the card. Don't try to tell God your Christian because you went forward in a meeting you want to do a prayer room you talk to a counselor and don't tell yourself a Christian because some counselor told you you're a Christian because he didn't know either. The worst thing you can do to somebody is talking about Christ.

And when they prayed a prayer and verbally invited Christ in their life. Then to sit there and assure them there really save because you don't have any idea whether there that's the Holy Spirit's work.

He's the one who grants assurance and he grants it by the inward testimony.

Romans eight and by the outer exhibit of works to prove it because faith without works is what it there, you know, one of the legacies we've had from the kind of evangelism it's gone on in our country as we believe salvation is attached to a decision, but the assurance of salvation is nothing to do with the decision in the past. It has to do with what's going on in the present Jesus put it this way in John eight.

If you continue in my word, then you're my real disciple. It's always continuance. It's always present tense. So, our Lord says if you're really a child of the kingdom you come in the right way morning over sin and your life is totally different distinguishable from the world and you are characterized by obedience right-thinking right talking right doing. He goes even further right motives the right kind of religious expression the right kind of worship we might call it when you worship God in chapter 6, it's real. It's not like the phonies to blow a trumpet come and pray to make a parade talks about the hypocrites whose religion is phony. Yours is real and when you pray, you pray right.

You pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name is saying if some is really changing your life, your religion is an phony. It's real your prayers. Not like the prayers of the phonies.

Their real prayer and your fasting isn't the fasting of public display is the fasting of the closet that no one ever knows about. So he says you you will bathe and have right-thinking right words right acts right worship and right relations to you're not going to love money. Verse 19 of chapter 6, I'm just talking you through the whole thing here. He says he you're not gonna lay up for yourselves treasures on earth you knocking to get hung up and serving money because you can't serve God and money does say here, you're a servant of God when you're your whole life is bent on getting money. Those two are incompatible. You're trying to be a friend of the world, and a friend of God, and you can't if you're a friend of the world you're the enemy of God. If you love the world. A lot of the fathers not in you saying citizens of my kingdom have a right relation to money.

Then in verse 25 through 34. He says in chapter 6. They have a right relation the material things are not always concerned about what they wear, or what they eat or where they should sleep because they know God will take care of that God handles all that verse 31.

Why would you be anxious say what we do what we drink it with what would we be clothed. That's what they even seek after if you're a child of my kingdom. You know God the father takes care of that. So you have a right relation to money and the material things and you do have the right relation to people.

Chapter 7 says you would be running around misjudging people wouldn't be going around trying to play pious when you got problems in your life so you see, the Lord is really laying out some basic things as me saying you want no other Christian, how did you come to Christ. Did you come to say hey Jesus, if you give me a happy life will take. I was like to have a happy life house.

I got abundantly of a wonderful plan for your life.

One awesome God has a terrible rich ghastly plant for your life apart from Christ and you only come to him on his terms years so you come broken and contrite shattered of your sinful. Any changes you immediately gives you a new heart and your different your salt, your light and your on a hill in the world can see in your distinguishable if you're really a Christian and your life is characterized by a hunger for righteousness is magical one will be more than you want anything else and that's can result in right-thinking and right talking and right acting and right kind of worship and right kind of relationships you immediately.

Summers will like that good.

Glad you got that because you can't one assume that's all possible, I can illustrate you by looking at Matthew 19 Matthew 19 verse 23 Jesus to just talk to the rich man a rich young ruler told him to go sell everything he had given to the poor and and come and follow him and the rich man loved his money more than he loved Jesus so he took his money and walked away.

I watched Jesus, verily, I send you the rich man shall, with difficulty entering to the kingdom of heaven.

And again I say to you now sadistic is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God only asked sunken chemicals in the Avenue so we understand that's the needle gate is not the needle gate that is exactly what it means it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to be saved say that's impossible. That's exactly what the Lord wanted you to conclude verse 25 when his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed after said if you ever talk about some needle gate.

They were in the been amazed and they said to be saved. They knew he was saying a rich man can't be saved loose. Jesus beheld them instead of them. I think you got the message boys with men this is what impossible with God all things are possible was a say justice. The standard is impossible. Nobody no time could ever be. Say, but with God is possible if you return to St. we don't have the resources on our we can't do it and that's why you gotta be ready to strip that baggage off and cast yourself on the mercy of God and the rich man wasn't willing to do it.

He was willing to climb on the religious bandwagon, carrying his luggage of materialism and he couldn't get on with it was like trying to go to the eye of a needle with a humpback camel possible. That's the whole point.

The only way anybody ever enters the kingdom is when he realizes he can't, and strips himself naked and arrives back at Matthew 53 broken in spirit in morning and hungering and thirsting for righteousness, which is absolutely impossible for him to ever attain. So you know most people don't want because conditions are what you want to go to heaven their way right. They want to get all their credit like a guy going on a trip with four banks here's worldliness sin. Satan himself and are good. Get on the say Jesus I want to happen is going to give me a holler.

I come as a road for them. By the way, go back to Matthew 713, the Missouri, Matthew 713 and to the disciples at this time, along with the multitude are probably saying to themselves or with these kind of standards. Whoever gets on whoever gets saved. Whoever qualifies. Listen to this enter into this at the narrow gate.

For why is the gate brought it is the way that leads to destruction, watch this one made me there be whom go in that way.

Why even going out with all your baggage at the Y date since you just take all the garbage you on all your works and self-righteousness and I'll do it my way and I want Jesus, but I always I want my on the other stuff to like the guy who was saying that he was a singer in Las Vegas and then he got saved and he continued to be a singer in Las Vegas that seems to me like you trying to get on the narrow gate with Apollo baggage. You know the narrow gate know I get a different net since verse 14.

The Dinero is the gate and heart is the way which leads to life, and few there be that find it listen. It's hard way and the word only means a compressed way very say you can juggle all that garbage on that way. In the first place. You can get through the narrow gate ever targeted for suitcases with turnstile can't do it can't be done. See you can't get in that way you drop all the garbage going to come in strip Veronique. I want to know something the Broadway that goes to destruction is not the road to hell. No people. This is a people compiling a road to hell. This is the road to heaven.

Only it's the wrong route. They think it goes to their getting on the Jesus road. This is the route you drop anything. You don't have to live any different you not to think any different to do anything I have to say I made a decision. Why was that time I walked in Ohio I went forward.

I signed a car when I was a child my mother help and you can just get all your garbage and pyrite. Only thing is it's a broad road that leads to destruction. The sad part of it is. Many are on many and narrow is the gate and the only way to get through to drop your sin. Satan himself and the world and harder compressed is the way which leads to life, and few there be the fund was. There are those few, but there are those many to who you are on the wrong road here on the road. He got all your worldliness while you're self-righteousness all that other garbage you never cut the cord of the world you never cut the cord with your evil lifestyle you change your own self righteous approach to God you still think it's good works in your to make it and I'll tell you you're on the broad road sign date of the report.

11 like John Bunyan says find out there's an interest in health and the portals of one or some lots of people get on that way because it's easy and there's a lot of people selling tickets to you.

Fekete talks about them in the next section. Beware of false prophets. Verse 15 said what are they doing to try to get you on the broad road there trying to get you on the easy way you want to change anything. Just jump on take Jesus, but you know what's gonna happen when you get to the end of that road.

Verse 21 tells not everyone except to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he to do with the will of my father was in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in the name of cast out demons in my name done many wonderful works. Can't you see this is the whole mob on the road. The broad road you see the word many in verse 13.

Many are in that way. And then verse 22 and when Manny finally arrived. They say you are probably not the size where the gains in the church down there. Lord we were involved in the deliverance ministry.

We were preaching we did wonderful works and I will profess under them. I never knew you depart from the workers of iniquity to say Lord Lou CWI people who don't find out till the end are on the wrong. And I guess that's why I'm telling you what I'm telling you can't you can't do this. We don't allow yourself to sleep. See you there be that find it, because few are willing to get on God's terms. And then he gives an illustration to close now if you want to know how this works. He says let me tell you story about a wise man. Verse 24, built his house on a rock in the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell not for it was founded on a rock of. Here's the guy who came on God's terms, and he was on the rock, and he built his house he built that house on the rock and it stood verse 26. Everyone is here with these sayings of mine, and do with them not.

This is the disobedient shall be likened unto a foolish man who built his house on the settlers in the sky built just as beautiful house, what his religion looks great, great, sides, great windows, bearing walls, roof is soup fabulous religious house all week prophesied cast out demons. We've done all Lord, Lord, look what we only thing is you never got in on God's terms. So the foundation was sand and when the rain to send in the floods came in.

The winds blew and beat on the house. It fell in great was the fall she would he say what a disaster to come to the moment of judgment and have the rude awakening. But the only thing waiting for you is hell because you never came on God's so I repeat you love it, examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith prove yourself. These are God's condition's.

Let's bow our heads.

I'm reminded of the words of Isaac Watts how helpless guilty nature lies unconscious of its load.

The heart unchanged can never rise to happiness in God. The will perverse the passions blind in paths of ruins stray reason to based can never find the safe, the narrow way cannot beneath the power divine, the stubborn will subdue is thine almighty Savior, thine, to form the heart, a new or change these wretched hearts of ours and give them life divine then shall our passions and our powers almighty Lord be thy father. We call on you to changes for anyone and was counting upon a salvation that is invalid.

It'd be shaken out of such confidence shatters such assurance drives them to the place of penitence. They may come on your turn. Saying goodbye to self and sin. Satan in the brace your holiness.

Pray in Christ's name, and everyone's you been listening to John MacArthur. He's a pastor, best-selling author and Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary is also the featured Bible teacher here on Grace to you and his current study is looking at the marks of saving faith, he calls it, examine yourself John thinking about examining yourself.

I know from experience that churches are filled with people who constantly experienced doubts about whether their salvation is real or not. So is that kind of uncertainty. Generally speaking, is that a good thing or a bad thing. The answer is yes, it could be a good thing because you may not be a believer and you may need to examine yourself.

That's why Paul said examine yourself to see whether you be in the faith, of course, it's a good thing to examine yourself and at the same time it can be an unnecessarily bad thing if you constantly doubt, and doubt, and doubt because you don't know what the Bible teaches about salvation being eternal, you can't lose your salvation because you don't trust the gospel promises of the Lord, or because you're not looking enough into your life to see that the Lord has filled you with love for his word is people his truth hunger for the word of God.

There are evidences in your life. If you're a true believer. There are evidences in your life of that and you certainly must know those things they have to do with desiring to be obedient to the Lord with loving the things that he loves, and with longing to be fed by his word. Those are the evidences that your true believer so you need to know those things and stand content when you see those things, even though you are not perfect, and often say it's not the perfection of your life that proves you're a true Christian. It's the direction where are your affections.

Where are the things that you love what are your desires are you drawn toward the Lord toward his people toward his word toward communion with him, hard worship toward praise toward Christian fellowship all those things are evidences that you have been born again want to offer you a free booklet because I know this is an issue.

This is a booklet titled is it real is it real 11 test questions for you to answer that will help you evaluate where you are spiritually. It's a booklet that will send free of charge title is it real if you like one. Just let us know. It's free to anyone who asks.

That's right. And whether you wrestle with doubts or someone you know wonders if he's really saved. I urge you to get this little booklet again will send it to you. Is it real for free. Just call us or go to our website get in touch today. Our number here 855 Grace or go to our website@tty.org. This booklet will help you answer questions like do I reject the world do I love other Christians and am I experiencing the ministry of the Holy Spirit again. Will send you a copy of his real for free.

Just call us at 855 Grace will go to TTY.and while you're at our website TTY.make sure you take advantage of the thousands of free resources that are available at the Grace to you blog you can read practical articles on subjects like salvation, sanctification, and spiritual gifts. The website also has daily devotionals written by John and you can follow along with the reading plan in the MacArthur daily Bible and don't forget you can also download all 3500 of John's sermon free for all of those Bible study tools and more TTY.now for John MacArthur and the entire Grace to you staff, I'm Phil Johnson encouraging you to watch Grace to you television this Sunday and join us tomorrow when John continues his look at the marks of genuine salvation, with another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on Grace