5 Signs of Salvation

5 Signs of Salvation
Philippians 2:12-16
Sermon by Jack Nazary

Calvary Baptist - 1984 West Jackson Baptist - 1987 Yockanookany Baptist - 1989
Midway Baptist - 1992 West Carthage Baptist - 1995

Introduction: Evidence of Salvation - not in you and me. We're lost or in rebellion against Laws of Christ - Ephesians 2:8-10

1. Progress - Verse 12 (growing in grace)
2. Caution - Verse 12 (afraid will grieve the Holy Spirit, afraid to hurt one of God's children) - 'with fear and trembling'
3. Harmony - Verse 14 - "do all things without grumbling or questioning"
4. Purity - Verse 15 - "be blameless and innocent without blemish"
5. Witnessing - Verse 15b - 16 - "among whom you shine as lights in the world"

Verse 13 - God is energizing in you to will and to do.

I. Progress - In: Let's talk about progress
Do you....
Love word of God?
Read word more? Regularly?

Is your ....Prayer - sweeter than it has been

Do you...- enjoy private time - as opposed to group praying

Are you .....more loving - patient - tender - gentle - more understanding - more forgiving - tolerant - kind to those who spitefully use us - good to those who are nasty to us - love the unloving - love the unlovely - feel compassion for the lost?

Are we progressing? Most are not...

People in this world are getting nastier every year...more suspicious, more envious, more prejudiced, more ignorant, more ruptured relationships, less involved in the Lord's work, are harder and harder to get along with, fight at home - on the job - at church...

II. Caution - Verse 12 "with fear and trembling"
Do we have caution in our lives?
Are we afraid we will grieve the Holy Spirit?
Are we afraid we will say something that will dishonor God?
Word of God says - not to mention evils of gentiles - not even be named among you.

Are we more concerned with Grammy Awards - Oscars - who won the ballgame - go away on the weekends - instead of faithfulness to the Lord...

Do you talk about secular things all the time - is it unusual for a Christian to talk of the Bible and Christ???

What sins grieve the Holy Spirit? Where? - Ephesians 4:24-32

God gave do's and don'ts that our lives might be fruitful and powerful. We have a choice to submit to His authority or live in rebellion against God.

Look at our relationship to one another - are you cautious about what you think and say? or do you just say what you think..

We think we have a right to our feelings, opinions.. you may say you don't like choir - choir director, pastor, deacons...you run your mouth with negative talk and cause little ones to stumble. You just simply don't give a rip. But you better not hurt one of God's children...

Do you criticize God's child? "to his own master he standeth or falleth"

III. Harmony - Verse 14 - "without grumbling or questioning" - What about it?

Do we like harmony?
Do we like it when everything is going well?
Do we like it when things are not going well? - things dragging and you "Have you heard about Sally? then everything comes alive! I just want us to pray for her you may say but you lie! I love Sally..etc... If you did love her you would keep your trap shut and go to her - Galatians 6:1 to restore.. Is everyone only interested in shady conversation?

Flesh not Godly and doesn't like harmony. Flesh thrives on disharmony and dissention = on confusion and delights in controversy.

That is why we must be on our toes! That is why Paul says "Do all things without grumbling or questioning" or KJV refers to murmuring and disputing.

Murmurers are not aware of the importance of harmony. murmuring - gossip - fuss broken fellowship - after affecting the entire body of believers.

Anything that does not have harmony is not of God. God not author of confusion. Where is the difference? Much needed prayer.
When two disagree one or both is wrong - Holy Spirit does not vote No and Yes on the same issue.

IV. Purity - Verse 15 - "blameless, harmless, and without rebuke" Moral and ethincial purity - Can anyone blame us for their stunted spiritual growth?

"I'm not going back to that church because of __________ and what he said or because so and so got on the telephone and rallied a bunch to support him on some issue. Or showed lack of self- control in front of church.

Are we blameless by way we live?
Have we harmed anybody? Do you pay your bills?
Revival would break out it in _____ if every Baptist would pay bills...
I owe you a bill and I haven't paid it. Forgive me - I'm going to do without lunch every day...

Other areas: Bull-headiness, our stubbornness, ugly spirits, our desire to take advantage of someone - get back at someone!!!

What about the smokers hardly off church grounds before "lighting up" - liquor in cabinets...Tithe in our bank account - our car...Angry to someone...Grudge against someone.

V. Witness - Verse 16 "holding forth Word of life"
Being in cafe - thanking God for food
-talking about favorite team - loved
- talking about Jesus

Conclusion: If these signs are not in our lives we are lost or in rebellion against Lordship of Christ.

Verse 13 - For it is God that worketh in you both to Will and to do of his good pleasure. Pleasure refers - Ephesians 2:10 did - God has ordained the accomplishment of his work in us - predestined!

Predetermined to occur!!

"Whosoever will" to lost
But to saved - we preach salvation by sovereign will of God.

We are God's purchased possession.

Verse 13 - teaches that God is energizing us both to will and to do. He tells us what to do and performs it in us.

No excuse to say, "I cannot help being as I am" Weakness of my flesh - God is working in us to mold and make us in energy of his Son!

Philippians 1:21 - "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain"