Apologetics Live Episode 112
Join us as pastor Justin talks with Justin Peters about his book “Do Not Hinder Them.”
“A startlingly high percentage of children who are raised in evangelical, Bible affirming churches and who make professions of personal faith in Jesus Christ at early ages show little to no evidence of genuine conversion once they leave home and enter their young adult lives” (JPeters).
We all know these children or we ourselves are part of these statistics, and because of this heartbreaking truth, will be talking about the history of Childhood Conversions, False conversion vs. backsliding, and Finney-ism; Baptism; What happens to babies who die, the nature of sin, and so much more. We will also be examining true and Biblical Salvation in light of Scripture, Spiritual leadership in the home, and being gracious, loving fruit inspectors.
A Believers test of faith.
1. Do you have fellowship with Christ and His Saints? 1 John 1:3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ
2. Would people say you walk in the light, or walk in the darkness? 1 John 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
3. Do you hide your sin or do you confess your sin and seek God’s forgiveness in Christ? 1 John 1:8–10 “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”
4. Are you obedient to God’s Word? (1 John 2:3-5 “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:”
5. Is there evidence of perseverance? 1 John 2:12–14 “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
6. Do you love the world and its things or do you love God? (1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” If you were on trial for being a Christian is there enough evidence to convict you?
7. Would your friends and enemies say you practice righteousness? (1 John 2:29 “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.”
8. Do you follow Christ as you seek to maintain a pure life? 1 John 3:3 “And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
- Do you see a decreasing pattern of sin in your life? 1 John 3:5-6 “You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.”
10. Do you love other believers and those in the world? 1 John 3:14–15 “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
11. Is your salvation shown by love in action for others? (1 John 3:18-19 “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him” Love is not sentiment, but deeds.1 1 John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), 1 Jn 3:18.
12. Do you maintain a clear conscience? 1 John 3:21 “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;” Hard work serving others out of love for Christ and those in need leaves little time for sin which hinders our assurance of salvation.
13 Do you keep Christ’s Command to Believe in Him and Love one another? 1 John 3:23–24 “This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
14 Does the Triune God abide in you as evidenced by your life and testimony? 1 John 4:13–16 “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
15 Though not perfect, do you see victory over the world and sis in your Christian walk? 1 John 5:4–5 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”