[The following list is from: Romans 1:18-32; 13:13-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:19, 25, 29, 31; 5:3-7; Colossians 3:5-9; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 2:11-12; 3:3; 1 Peter 4:3; Revelation 21:7-8. (This is not a complete list of all possible sins!)]
abandoning themselves to sensuality
abominable idolatry
abusive
abusive language
adulterers
all liars
anger
arrogant
bitterness
Boastful
brutal
callous and unloving
carousing
clamoring
coarse joking
conceited
deceit
deceived
degraded passions
Disobedient
disobedient to parents
Dissensions
drinking parties
drunkards
drunkenness
eagerly indulging in all kinds of impure conduct
enslaved to all kinds of desires and pleasures
envy
every form of malice
every kind of wickedness
evil
evil desires
exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images
exchanged the truth of God for a lie
factions
faithless
Falsehood
foolish
foolish talk
full of envy
God-haters
gossips
greed (this is idolatry)
hating each another
hating what is good
hatred
having a form of godliness but denying its power
heartless
idolaters
idolatry
immorality
impurity
insolent
inventing ways of doing evil
jealousy
living in envy
living in malice
lovers of money
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
lovers of themselves
lustful
lustful acts
lustful impurity
lying to one another
male prostitutes
malice
men abandoned natural sexual relations with women and burned with lust for each other
men committed indecent sexual acts with other men
murder
obscenity
outburst of anger
passionate lust
practicing homosexuals
practicing magic
proud
rage
reckless
revelry
ruthless
selfish ambition
senseless
sensual living
sexual immorality
sexually immoral
slander
slanderers
slanderous
spiteful
strife
suppress the truth in their wickedness (since what can be known about God is plain to them)
swindlers
the cowardly
the fornicators
the greedy
the idolaters
the morally polluted
the murderers
the unbelieving
they did not give thanks to him
they did not honor him as God
they know God's righteous decree (that those who do such things deserve death), but they continue to do them and approve of others doing them
thieves
those practicing magic arts
treacherous
unforgiving
ungodliness
ungrateful
unholy
unwholesome words
unwilling to retain their knowledge of God
wanton revelry
without self-control
women exchanged natural sexual relations for those going against nature
worldly desires
worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator
wrath
NONE of these sins can characterize the life of a saved person.
"That's what some of you were! But you have been washed and made holy, and you have received God's approval in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11, GW)
"Those who live in Christ don't go on sinning. Those who go on sinning haven't seen or known Christ." (1 John 3:6, GW)
"Those who have been born into God's family do not sin, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they have been born of God." (1 John 3:9, NLT) [This refers to lifestyle – the way you live.]
2. Actions that prove nothing:
Good deeds
Knowing the Bible
Religious activities
Gifts and abilities
Conviction of sin
Feeling "assured" about our salvation
Knowing the time of one's supposed conversion
MANY (not all) of these are a necessary part of following Jesus. But ALL of them can be done by people who are NOT followers of Jesus. Because of this, they cannot prove we are saved.
3. Actions that prove we are saved:
People who are saved will be willing (and eager) to:
Love God
Repent of their sin
Trust God in all of life
Live a life characterized by humility and self-denial
Devote themselves to God's honor and glory
Have a spirit of prayer
Love other Christians
Separate themselves from sinful influences
Grow in grace
Live a life characterized by day-to-day obedience
For ALL saved people:God guarantees these things will happen… and he teaches us to do them! He uses Scripture to cause what is genuine to grow in us. He will accomplish our salvation; and in the end, we will give God the credit for what he has done!
FAKES may try to imitate godly characteristics; but eventually, their fakeness will be seen for what it is. They can have fake "assurance." But since they don't base their "assurance" on Scripture, it is just as fake as they are.
The KEY to assurance of salvation is this: When GOD saves a person… changes begin to occur!
Can God's people have lack of assurance? YES, and here are 2 reasons:
1) When you're living a life characterized by obedience:
The DEVIL may accuse you, since you aren't 100% sinless perfect.
But take courage, because God knows the changes he has made in your life. Yes, you can see your weaknesses; but you can also see the changes that God is accomplishing in your life. And since you are imperfect, you know that those changes are there only because of God.
2) If you're starting to drift into disobedience:
GOD may send you doubts as a warning. He may also discipline you.
IF YOU ARE GENUINE: This warning will help you return to doing what is right.
IF YOU'RE A FAKE: You will not heed the warning. You'll remain spiritually lukewarm, or else will go deeper into sin.
✰ MAKE IT YOUR GOAL TO LIVE THE PROOF, AND YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT YOU ARE SAVED! ✰