Expert: Dr Don Howe - 10/4/2010

Question
Hello. I listened to a sermon recently that talked about signs of a true believer. I don't remember all of them but was wondering what they were. Also, is it possible that new believers will not have all of the fruits/signs yet.

Answer
     Josie, thank you for your question. This is a good question. Every preacher and Christian has his own idea what “the signs of a true believer” may be. If one is truly born again, he will not only do the talk as born again believer but also do the walk of a born again believer. James 2:20 tells us “that faith without works is dead?” Which means that the faith of a true believer can be exhibited by his work that glorifies the Lord. This means we are not saved by works but we have a faith does work.

  The faith of a true believer is one that which he can say that “I know that I know that my calling (as true believer) and election is true, he will not surely fall.” This based on 2 Peter 1:10 states “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” So the faith of a true believer who can say that my calling and election as a true believer has a faith that KNOWS, GROWS, AND SHOWS.

  Let’s see what the Apostle Peter ahs to say about this. 2 Peter 1:1 states “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”  The faith of a true believer has same “like precious faith” that the Apostle Peter has through the righteousness of God and the Lord Jesus. Faith the Apostle Peter has Josie you also have.
FAITH OF TRUE BELIEVER IS ONE THAT KNOWS
  2 Peter 1:2 states “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” The faith of a true believer has grace and peace multiplied by the knowledge (KNOWS) of God and Lord Jesus.  Grace and peace - those two most precious of gifts - are ours in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.

  2 Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” So the true believer has a faith that KNOWS in which the grace and peace are multiplied, but also the diving power to live a life of godliness. How? Thru the knowledge (in Greek is epignōsis) of Him.  
  Also a faith KNOWS also calls us to glory and virtue. Virtue in the Greek is aretē which means moral goodness.

  2 Peter 1:4 states “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”  Josie, the true believer with a faith that KNOWS God gives to him exceeding and precious promises which helps us to escape the corruption of lust. So a true believer is not corrupted by the lust of this world.


FAITH THAT GROWS

  A true believer has a faith knows, and GROWS. Look what Peter has to say. 2 Peter 1:5 states “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;” A true believer gives all diligence, which means to accomplish with earnestness, to what “add to” which means to GROW. So the true believer gives all earnestness to grow in his faith to accomplish virtue (which means moral goodness).
  The true believer does not just have faith that grows in moral goodness, but also knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, kindness, and charity. 2 Peter 1:6 states “And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness.” True believer grows in knowledge which means growing in the studying of the Word of God. Knowledge here is gnōsis is different than knowledge mentioned in 2 Peter 1:2.
  The faith of a true believer grows from knowledge to temperance, from temperance to patience, from patience to godliness (which means god-likeness).
  2 Peter 1:7 states “And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.“ The true believer has a faith that GROWS in godliness to brotherly kindness. Brotherly kindness means love for fellow believers.
  True believer faith GROWS from live for the fellow Christians to charity, which is love for all people.

  FAITH THAT SHOWS

  If a true believer has a faith that KNOWS, faith that GROWS, and then his faith will SHOW.

  2 Peter 1:8 states “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.” If a true believer does not have a faith that knows, grows, then his faith will barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus and will not SHOW. In other words he is a FALSE CHRISTIAN. He is an apostate.

  Peter continues further in this NO SHOW FAITH in 2 Peter 1:9 which states “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” A FASLE CHRISTIAN does not have a faith KNOWS, GROWS, and does not SHOW because he is barren, unfruitful, and he is blind. The false believer says he is a Christian but he is blind because of he lives for sins and not for the Lord Jesus. He can see past his sins (which is a far) and he forgets that he had gave his life to Christ (purged), but now has forgotten that Jesus died for his sins. He has a NO SHOW FAITH.

  But if the true believer faith shows, he will know his calling (called by God to a believer) and his election (his sins were paid by the blood of Jesus is his election) is true.
  Listen what Apostle Peter finally says about this in 2 Peter 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” A true believer has a faith that KNOWS, GROWS, SHOWS, but we all are give diligence to make our calling and election true, and not be a FALSE CHRISTIAN. Josie, I know you have seen these phony Christians in Church who put on the Christian dog on Sunday, but lives like the Devil Mon thru Sat.

  Josie, there are so many other things that exhibit the true faith a true believer. But I want show what the Apostle Paul has to say which in some ways will re-emphasize what Peter said. In 1 Cor. 15:1-10 states “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of about five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

  TRUE BELIEVING FAITH BASED ON THE SCRIPTURES

  Another  sign of having the true faith is this, that our faith is founded upon God's Word alone. Apostle Paul states this in 1 Cor. 15:3 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”
  Peter said the same thing that a true believer has  a faith that GROWS in the knowledge of God by studying the Word of God.

  A FALSE CHRISTIAN errs knowingly, or considers errors mere trifles and innocuous, or knowingly professes errors of others, there is no true faith. No true believing faith exists where one is careless or indifferent as to whether the doctrine is certain or uncertain, true or false. No true faith exists where one differs knowingly from one single word of God.

  TRUE BELIEVING FAITH IS JOINED IN A LIVING EXPERIENCE OF THE HEART

  Paul states in 1 Cor. 15:1-2 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” The apostle says truly believing Christians have received the gospel and stand in it. They live out their faith because the gospel that Paul preached is in our hearts and we stand fast on that gospel.
  Peter called this living life of godliness.

  TRUE BELIEVING FAITH IS MANIFESTED IN A NEW LIFE

  True believing faith will be manifested in a new life. If you were proud and arrogant before, you will now be humble before God and men. If you were miserly and money-loving, you will now be charitable and heavenly-minded. If you were vain and worldly, you will now be self-denying and godly. If you were unchaste and lustful, you will now be chaste and continent. If you were angry and ill-tempered, you will now be kind and friendly. If you were unfaithful and dishonest, you will now be faithful and conscientious. If you were lukewarm and idle, you will now be zealous and diligent. If you were careless and lazy in your earthly calling, you will now be careful and hard-working. If you were full of jesting and foolery, your mouth will now be all the more full of the praise of God and edifying words. If you used to murmur against God and were full of earthly cares, you will now be surrendered and full of trust toward your heavenly Father.  II Cor. 5:17 tells us “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

  Josie, this a few characteristics of a true believer. Just make sure you are a true born again believer.

Blessings,

Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD