Two Indicators of a Believer’s Faith
by Arthur J Licursi
Acts 9:4-5 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [5] And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
1 Cor. 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Acts 9:18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, Acts 9:20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
Everyone Knows of “Jesus of Nazareth”
Virtually everyone in this world knows that there is a Jesus. But they only know Jesus as one among millions of men in this world. Although they regard Him as being a little more special than others, He is still an ordinary man to them. They regard Him as a great philosopher, teacher, etc., but most have not really investigated Jesus words, or if they have they don’t really know or believe what He said concerning His self..
For the record, here Jesus clearly says who He is.
John 10:32-38 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? [33] The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. … [36b]… Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? [37] If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. [38] But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Some Believe & Know Immediately
Sometimes newly converted believers, who have confessed the Lord, still have a hard time knowing if they are saved or not. Some of us have dramatic conversions and we immediately have a witness within our self we are the children of God our Father. This would seem to agree with what Paul writes in Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Some Believe and Have Little Witness Within Themselves
But, not all have a moment or time and place to recount for their conversion. I have a very good friend who is a blessed Christian writer, and a deeply spiritual man; he is not able to give you the time or day of his believing.
So there are some who seem to slide into believing and receiving the Lord over a period of time. I find these are usually more grounded in their belief by the time they recognize their own conversion.
Two Evidences Seen from Paul’s Conversion
Here below, taken from the Apostle Paul’s writing and the account of his Act 9 conversion, we see two indicators or self-proofs that one has become a believer.
1) We can note that Paul immediately recognized Jesus as “Lord”. The word “Lord” means supreme sovereign who over all things, and therefore Lord of the believer’s life. The resurrected Jesus was speaking to Paul out of a light from heaven, and Paul called Him “Lord” (see Acts 9:5a). The proof is this … Paul, in 1Cor 12:3, tells us, no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. It is only by the indwelling Holy Spirit can a person say these words. This is the first indicator that one is a believer. Can we utter the words “Jesus is the Lord”?
One day God’s grace and revelation comes to us and the eyes of our heart are enlightened, and we discover something. We discovered that this Jesus is truly “the Lord” who is “Son of God”.
2) You discover that there is one man among all men who is the Son of God. When a person receives the Lord Jesus as his Savior and confesses Him as the Son of God, he is doing a tremendous thing. He cannot let the occasion pass by lightly, because it is a momentous event. If you realize how great the discovery is that you have made, you surely will tell others immediately, "I have met, or received Jesus, the Son of God," You will proclaim verbally that "Jesus is the Son of God!" (See Acts 9:20 above)
Never consider your faith to be a small thing. You need to realize that your faith is a wonderful thing. Saul had to go into the synagogues to speak because he knew that his discovery was too wonderful. You will do the same if you realize how wonderful the things you have seen are. Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God. This is a most wonderful and glorious fact.
Paul also tells us Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (NIV)