Evidence of Salvation

Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

Introduction: Many of people have told me when I talk with them, “how can I know I’m saved, or going to heaven?” Today we are going to talk about just one of the evidence of salvation. The word “evidence” means proof. Man wants to know where they are going when they die. That’s a fact. The other day I was talking with a friend of mine at work about his salvation. He said, “You know where you’re going when you die, but I don’t.” Friend you can know also. The proof is in the pudding as the saying goes. There are a lot of proofs that prove if one is on their way to heaven or hell.

I. Do you ever hear the Holy Spirit speaking to you?

This is not talking about an audible voice, but rather a slight tugging on the heart.

John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”

John 14:17 “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

-Balaam-Numbers 24:2 “And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.”

-Gideon-Judges 6:34 “But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.”

-Samson-Judges 14:6 “And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.”

-Saul-1 Samuel 10:10 “And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.”

-David-1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

1. Where to go. “…This is the way, walk ye in it…”

Acts 8:29 “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.”

2. Where not to go.

Acts 16:6-7 “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”

In directing us where to go, He shows us where not to go.

1 Corinthians 2:13 “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

1 John 4:6 “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

In directing us what to do, He shows us what not to do.

When I was a teenager my dad would show me the correct was of using a table saw or a skill saw, and in so doing that he was also showing me the incorrect way of using it.

The unsaved man is never convicted of his sin. His conscious may bother him, but he never repents toward God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Ezekiel 36:27 “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

John 16:8-9 “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me;”

Salvation is never separate from conviction of sin. A saved person cannot live in sin and enjoy it.

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Isaiah 8:20 “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

Luke 12:12 “For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”

Acts 15:28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;”

1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

"Beware, I pray thee, of presuming that thou art saved. If thy heart be renewed, if thou shalt hate the things that thou didst once love, and love the things that thou didst once hate; if thou hast really repented; if there be a thorough change of mind in thee; if thou be born again, then hast thou reason to rejoice: but if there be no vital change, no inward godliness; if there be no love to God, no prayer, no work of the Holy Spirit, then thy saying “I am saved” is but thine own assertion, and it may delude, but it will not deliver thee." Charles Spurgeon

The Believer A New Creature (sermon by Spurgeon)