How to Know you are SAVED
There is only ONE REAL FOOL-PROOF EVIDENCE of the NEW BIRTH. Jesus gave this measuring method to us in His Word. This is the one most important characteristic of the Christian Walk. Nothing is more important than this. This ONE DEMAND and ONE COMMAND is basic. Jesus talked about it more than anything else and He demonstrated it more perfectly than any other message of His earthly ministry. He longed to see it in His disciples and He knew that it would be the basis for the New Testament Church. If the Church is to BE what Jesus died for it to be and if the Church is to DO what He died for it to do, then this ONE THING is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
I am convinced that this is the greatest need in this hour. It is a need for LIFE CHURCH and it is a need for all Evangelical Ministries. It is perhaps the GREATEST NEED in your life as a Believer. It is not impossible. It is possible. It is necessary. It is vital. It is fundamental to the continuation of the Gospel on earth.
Jesus called this a “new commandment”. “A new commandment I give unto you…” He said in John 13:34. He knew that He was soon to depart from the earth and He wanted so desperately for His followers to be ADEQUATELY EQUIPPED to carry on His Ministry on earth. He did not emphasize THEOLOGY. He did not emphasize EDUCATION. He did not emphasize EXPERIENCE or ABILITY. He brought attention to the ONE THING that will GUARANTEE the CONTINUED SUCCESS of the GOSPEL MESSAGE.
He also stated that this would be the one QUALIFYING CHARACTERISTIC that would cause the world to know how we stand with God. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples…” He said in John 13:35. BY THIS…. This is the ONE THING that will tell the world where you stand with God. And this is the GREATEST THING NEEDED in the Christian Faith today. I am talking about LOVE.
DIVINE LOVE or the GOD-KIND OF LOVE is AGAPE LOVE. Notice the three kinds of love:
(1) EROS which is animalistic, biological, natural sexual attraction. It finds its fulfillment in gratified lust and sexual perversion. This type of “love” is totally foreign to New Testament Love.
(2) PHILEO which is the type of love one friend has for another. It means to “be fond of” and it comes from the head and not from the heart. it is simple affection and sentiment.
(3) AGAPE which is the GOD-KIND of love. It is characteristic of God and it is totally SELF-LESS. It is deliberate assent of the will… it is released by CHOICE. This kind of love is the underlying characteristic of God and it is this kind of love that is imputed to EVERY BELIEVER at the time of REGENERATION.
Paul said (in 1 Corinthians 13) that LOVE (Agape) is MORE IMPORTANT than:
(1) Speaking in Tongues
(2) the Gift of Prophecy
(3) Understanding (revelation)
(4) Mountain-moving Faith
(5) Giving to the poor
(6) Dying a Martyr
Love is an Affection not an emotion. Love is a choice. Love is a decision you make. Love is deliberate. Love is Active. Love moves from Word to DEED.
Love is not impatient but, instead, LONGSUFFERING
Love is not envious of others
Love is not self-centered, proud, haughty, or puffed up
Love is not conceited
Love is not rude or crude
Love is not touchy or fretful or resentful
Love takes no account of the evil done to it
Love does not rejoice at the failures of others
Love believes the best of every person
Love bears up under anything that comes
Love endures every hardship without weakening (I Cor 13 Amp.)
25 things the GOD-KIND of LOVE does:
1. LOVE encourages, builds up and edifies
2. LOVE roots out all fear “Perfect love casteth out fear…” I John 4:8
3. LOVE makes your FAITH work “Faith worketh by love…”
4. LOVE heals sickness and keeps bodies well
5. LOVE conquers SELFISHNESS and SELF-WILL
6. LOVE makes MARRIAGES WORK and stops DIVORCES
7. LOVE makes your CHILDREN OBEDIENT and RESPECTFUL
8. LOVE builds and bonds HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
9. LOVE covers a MULTITUDE of SIN I Pet 4:8
10. LOVE FORGIVES and FORGETS
11. LOVE overlooks faults and weaknesses
12. LOVE endures long… is patient and kind
13. LOVE sees the BEST and BELIEVES the BEST of every person
14. LOVE will not criticize
15. LOVE will not wound or hurt or hinder
16. LOVE will not find fault
17. LOVE will not create strife and division
18. LOVE will not gossip
19. LOVE will not destroy or tear down
20. LOVE suffers in silence
21. LOVE gives expecting NOTHING in RETURN
22. LOVE speaks the TRUTH
23. LOVE is HONEST and full of INTEGRITY
24. LOVE is GOD
25. LOVE never fails
I John 3:14-24:
14: ASSURANCE of the NEW BIRTH is attained through LOVE. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren…”
14: If LOVE is not FUNCTIONING you are abiding in death. “He that loveth not his brother abideth in death…” (The law of sin and death opens the door to every evil in hell)
15: HATE drives out the FORCE of ETERNAL LIFE (Zoe). “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him…”
16: AGAPE is characterized by LAYING DOWN YOUR LIFE for OTHERS. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down your lives for the brethren…”
17: AGAPE is demonstrated by and through GIVING. “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?…”
24: He that KEEPETH HIS COMMANDMENTS (He that LOVES) dwells in God and God dwells in him. “And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him and He in him…”
1. “FOLLOW AFTER LOVE” (I Cor 14:1). Determine in your heart to love. Make a decision to love and do it.
2. REFUSE TO LIVE IN STRIFE or BITTERNESS Remember…. it is up to YOU!! It takes TWO to be in strife!! If you eliminate ONE strife will leave!!
3. LOVE YOURSELF. VALUE YOURSELF. FORGIVE YOURSELF.
4. UNDERSTAND that LOVE will TAME your TONGUE.
5. ESTEEM OTHERS. Make LOVE VISIBLE and AUDIBLE.
dickbraswell 
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