The Acid Test of Your Salvation
Every human being belongs to either of two fathers of the spirit — God or the devil. If you were asked, “who do you belong to, God or Devil?” What would be your answer? You surely wouldn’t choose the devil, would you? Nobody wants to be associated with the devil; many claims to be on God’s side. Even the devil enjoys that pretence. Anybody can claim to be in the realm of light, but the truth is: what you claim to be in the physical world is not who you really are in the spiritual realm. How do you then ascertain the validity of the salvation you claim to have? This is the focus of this article.
Are you confident about your salvation? Enough of living on assumptions, you must be certain that you have really left the realm of darkness and have been translated into the Kingdom of light. It’s time to discover where you really belong. This article will take you on a journey of that discovery. Keep reading!
The First Birth
It is unfortunate that our natural birth didn’t give us the opportunity to choose where we would love to belong. We are all born into the kingdom of darkness, whether we know it or not. This establishes our initial state in the spirit. We are all born into the hand of the old man whether we agree with it or not, that is why we experience a compelling force drawing us to sin. Until we realize this, we cannot have access to salvation.
If you claim to be saved, then you ought to have come to a point where you discovered that you are captive in the hand of Satan. It is this discovery that gives birth to the cry for salvation and deliverance at the cross. Have you come to realize and accept your natural state with the devil?
The Second Birth
This is where you get born again. To be born again is simply to be born the second time, but this time it’s a spiritual birth as opposed to the first birth, which is a natural one. All you need to enter into it is your faith. If you call on Jesus to save you from the tyrannical reign of darkness in your life, He will save you. This means you are converted. To be converted is to be translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light:
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. (Col 1:12–13 KJV)
This is the miracle of salvation, whereby God by His saving grace, rescues you from the powers of Satan and translates you into His own kingdom. God becomes your Father. You are transformed from a wicked sinner to a righteous saint. Have you experienced this?
How To Tell If You Have Experienced The Second Birth
Most of what happens during the second birth is a spiritual operation but it is not without a physical manifestation to ascertain the validity of that experience. Among such manifestations are:
1. It will be a memorable day:
There must be a day out of all the days you have lived which you can refer to as the day of your translation from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Christ, the light. We were all born into the kingdom of darkness, hence there must be a day we will cross over to the kingdom of light. You can’t go on assuming your salvation, you must be able to specifically trace your source to the kingdom of light. If you don’t know it, then you don’t have it. This day is usually an unforgettable experience. It comes with assurance in your heart that you are God’s.
2. You will quit committing sin:
If you claim to be in the kingdom of light and you are still living in sin, the simple response is that you are yet to be born by the Father of light. It is not possible for one who is born by the Father of light and translated into the kingdom of light to be committing sin.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (1 John 3:10 KJV)
To live in sin is to walk in darkness. Anyone who claims to be a Christian and walks in sin is a stranger to the commonwealth of grace, a liar and does not practice the truth.
Grace does not allow you to live in sin. Grace takes you away from the country of sin where sin dominates — the realm of darkness, and brings you into the realm of light — the country of grace where you live your life to please God.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. (1 John 3:6 KJV)
3. You Cannot Hate Your Brother:
If you hate your brother you are walking in darkness. How can you claim to belong to Christ, and hatred still has a hold of your heart? It’s a strong signal to proof that you are not converted. Genuine love is the heart attitude of converted people.
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. (1 John 2:9 KJV)
If the bible says you are in darkness even until now, it means you have maintained your natural status with the devil even until now. Meaning you are not saved.
4. You Will Exhibit Godly Characters:
The fruit that you bear is proof of where you belong. Jesus Himself gave us this acid test. Read it in His own words:
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. (Matt 7:16–17 KJV)
If God is your Father, you will bear good fruit. If Devil is your father, you can never bear good fruit, you will always bear bad fruit.
5. You begin to obey the word of God:
Hearing the word of God does not make you bear good fruit. Rather, hearing the word and living your life according to the word you have heard is what produces good fruit. That is how to live as children of light. The seed that produces children of light will manifest in the fruit of obedience to the word of God. This is what differentiates them from carnal Christians — they hear the word but they don’t obey the word.
Where do you Stand?
After going with me on this journey, are you ready to answer my first question? “Who do you belong to, God or Devil?” Be sincere with yourself, it is not too late. This is the acid test of our salvation. If your experience negates what is described in this article, then you’re NOT SAVED. Confess your sins to God, repent of your ways, and Christ will surely accept you.
This article is extracted from a message preached by Joseph Ola Okunola in our weekly Bible Study AT HIS FEET. Click this link to download the message.
