Check Yourselves

Hebrews 3:12-4:3

Jesus is very specific in his statement in Matthew 7 that not everyone who believes they are Christians are saved. He says that he will tell them that he never knew them, not thet he doesn’t know them any more. They haven’t lost their salvation, they never had it. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Because of this, Paul is insistent that we check on our salvation, that it is real. He advised the Corinthian church to “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 be reprobates?” in I Corinthians 13:5. Peter expresses the same concern in II Peter 1:10. “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: …” I John 2:19 points out that those who fall away were not really saved to begin with. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

The author here warns us of the same danger, using the example of the people who came out of Egypt during the Exodus as an example, All of whom had experienced the same things, but many did not believe and turned away. Paul gave a similar warning in I Corinthians 10:1-12.

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” (Hebrews 3:12-4:3)

Jesus used the examples of trees to illustrate how to distinguish true believers from mere professors. Matthew 7:17-20 describes his teaching. “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Works are not fruit. Every tree produces leaves, converts carbon dioxide to carbon and oxygen, shades the ground, releases moisture into the air to cool it and produces fruit in the form of a seed pod. The seed pod, or fruit is different in different species however. Some fruits are edible, such as apples or peaches, while others such as the berry of the yew are poisonous. People who can’t identify trees by their leaves or the shape of the tree can see the difference between the seed pod of a locust and an apple. We may not be able to identify Christians by their actions, but we can by their distinctive fruit.

II Peter 1:5-10 describes some things that guarantee our steadfastness and fruitfulness in Christ. “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”

This list is almost the same as what Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23 as the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” If the Holy Spirit is present, he will produce fruit, and as Romans 8:9 tells us. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” As Peter said, if these things aren’t present, there is a problem.

It is imperative that we encourage one another in our Christian life so that those who are not saved will develop real faith, and those who are will produce more fruit. It is a primary reason for attending church, according to Hebrews 10:24-25. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Failure to attend demonstrates our lack of love and concern for Christ and for others.