Am I A Christian?

I've been wondering how often we examine and evaluate our own faith in God. It's very easy within the church or in Christian communities to look like a Christian. God provides us with what we need to be sure of in our faith in the Bible, this is where he tells us what a follower of Jesus Christ is. These three evaluation lists should help us professing Christians evaluate ourselves.

1 - Evidences That Neither Prove Nor Disprove Our Faith 
A. Visible Morality (Matthew 19:16-21; 23:27)
B. Intellectual Knowledge (Romans 1:21; 2:17-28)
C. Religious Involvement (Matthew 25:1-13)
D. Active Ministry (Matthew 7:21-24)
E. Conviction of Sin (Acts 24:25)
F. Assurance that you'll be Saved (Matthew 23)
G. Time of Decision to Follow Christ (Luke 8:13-14)

2 - Evidences (Fruit/Proof) of True Christianity 
A. Love For God (Ps 42:1-; 73:25; Luke 10;27; cf.Rom 8:7)
B. Repentance from Sin (Ps 32:5; Prov 28:13; Rom 7:14; 2 Cor 7:10-12; 1 John 1:8-10)
C. Genuine Humility (Ps 51:17; Matt 5:1-12; James 4:6-10)
D. Devotion to God's Glory (Ps 105:3; 115:1; Isaiah 48:9-11; Jer 9:23-24; 1 Cor 10:31)
E. Selfless Love (1 John 3:14; 4:7-21)
F. Separation from the World (1 John 2:15-17;1 Cor 2:12; James 4:4-6)
G. Continual Prayer (Luke 18:1; Eph 6:18; Phil 4:6-7; 1 Tim 2:1-5; James 5:16-18)
H. Spiritual Growth (John 15:1-6; Eph 4:12-16; Luke 8:15; Rom 8:28-29)
I. Obedient Living (Matt 7:21; John 15:14; 1 Peter 1:2,22-23; 1 John 2:3-6; Rom 16:25-27)
J. Hunger for God's Word (1 Peter 2:1-8)
K. Transformation of Life (2 Cor 5:16-21)

If List 1 is true of a person and List 2 is false, 

there is cause to question the truth of their profession of faith. 

If List 2 is true then List 1 will be true as well. 

The gospel should lead us to put into action List 3. 

3 - Conduct of the Gospel 

A. Proclaim it (Matt 28:18-20)
B. Share it (Phil 1:3-5; 1 Peter 3:14-17)
C. Defend it (Jude 3-4)
D. Demonstrate it (Phil 1:27-30)
E. Suffer for it (2 Tim 1:8-11)
F. Don't hinder it (1 Cor 9:12)
G. Be not ashamed (Rom 1:16)
H. Preach it (1 Cor 9:16)
I. Be empowered (1 Thess 1:5)
J. Guard it (Gal 1:6-8)

Questions to ask:

From these texts, what makes a true Christian?

Am I a true Christian?

What do I need to stop?

What do I need to change?

What needs to be deepened in my life?

What needs to be started in my life?

*This article is adapted from the originally entitled article "Genuine Saving Faith" from the MacArthur Study Bible. 

Tell God and Then Give it Up

"It is important, when we bring our sins into the open before God, 

not to stop there, 

but to go on to adopt a right attitude towards both God and the sin itself.

First, we confess the sin, humbling ourselves with a contrite heart before God.  Secondly, we forsake it, rejecting and repudiating it.  This is a vital part of what is meant by 'mortification' in the New Testament.  It is taking up towards sin an attitude of resolute antagonism.  The uncovering of sin is in itself of little value; it must lead us to an attitude both of humility towards God and of hostility towards sin.  'Ye that love the Lord hate evil', or 'the Lord loves those who hate evil' (Ps. 97: 1 0, AV and RSV); and it is this holy hatred of evil which is promoted by the faithful, systematic uncovering and confession of our sins."

--From "Confess Your Sins" London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1964), p. 20. Thanks Mr. J. R. W. Stott