Empty Faith vs. Saving Faith

The most terrifying words in all of Scripture aren't spoken by Satan or demons—they're spoken by Jesus Himself. Today we'll examine how to know if your faith is genuine, because eternity hangs in the balance.

Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'"

This is what I think is the scariest verse in the Bible. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name cast out demons and in your name perform many miracles?" And then I will declare to them—this is Jesus speaking—"I never knew you. Depart from me, you doers of lawlessness."

These aren't atheists or agnostics standing before Jesus. These are people who called Him "Lord," who prophesied, cast out demons, performed miracles—all in Jesus's name. Yet Jesus says, "I never knew you." How is that possible?

Because there's a type of faith that doesn't save. Throughout John's gospel, we see this pattern repeatedly. People "believed" in Jesus, but it wasn't saving faith. In John 2, many believed after seeing miracles, but Jesus didn't entrust Himself to them. In John 6, many believed until Jesus said difficult things, then they walked away. There are many people who profess Christ that do not possess Christ.

This brings up a legitimate question: How do I know if my faith is legitimate? Second Corinthians 13:5 commands us: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves." Looking at the fruit of your life and examining the legitimacy of your salvation isn't a bad thing—it's a biblical thing.

Let me walk you through six birthmarks of genuine saving faith.

First, belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't need to reinvent the wheel here. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." You have to at least know the facts of the gospel—who Jesus is, what He has done. He was God in the flesh who lived, died, and rose again.

Second, love for God. When God saves someone, Ezekiel tells us He gives them new hearts with new affections. Second Corinthians 5:17 says if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. But how do you know if you love Jesus enough? RC Sproul answered this beautifully. He asked, "Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ perfectly?" No, I definitely don't. "Do you love Him like you want to?" No, I don't. "Well, do you love the Lord Jesus Christ at all?" If you have even the seedlings of genuine love for Christ, you can have assurance, because apart from the Spirit of God, you can't love Jesus at all.

But it's not just love for Christ—it's love for His people. First John 4:8 says, "The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." Bottom line: if there's no love for the people of God in your heart, God is not taking residence within you. You might have to pray to love certain people—you know who I'm talking about—but there should be genuine affection for God's family because you've been adopted into it.

There's also love for God's word. When someone becomes a Christian, they want to feast on the honey of heaven. David says in Psalm 119:97, "Oh, how I love your law!"

Third, obedience. James 2:19 says even demons believe and shudder. Demons have their PhD in theology. They affirm salvation is by grace through faith. They know Jesus died and rose again. And they'll spend eternity in the lake of fire. This is why obedience matters—not as the root of salvation, but as the fruit. Jesus says in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." First John 2:4 says, "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."

This isn't legalism—it's the verbatim words of Scripture. John isn't writing to discourage people but to encourage them. This obedience is a manifestation of a truly transformed heart, motivated by love for God because He's already paid the price for your sin on the cross. And remember, it's the direction of your life, not perfection. Can you say you're more like Jesus today than you were two years ago?

Fourth, humility. Romans 3 says every mouth will be shut before a holy God. Even when we talk about obedience, I can't look down that list and say, "Yep, doing good. Nailed it." The more you walk with God, the more you see His holiness and your own insufficiency. Paul, probably the most righteous man in the world, said, "Oh, wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" There are no truly proud, mature Christians.

Fifth, trials provide validation. Jesus allows us to go through trials to strengthen our faith. The most difficult seasons in my life are often the ones that make me most sure of my relationship with God because I sense His presence and nearness. As MacArthur once told me, "What can your faith survive?" That's the most legitimizing, affirming reality.

Sixth, steadfastness. Jesus says in John 8:31, "If you continue in my word, you are my real disciples." There are lots of people who start off excited about religion, but if you were to ask what marks truly transformed people, it's that they remain, they continue, they abide. This is the perseverance of the saints—or as RC Sproul called it, the preservation of the saints. It's not my power to hold onto God; it's His power to hold onto me.

MacArthur once told me you have to first answer whether you can lose your salvation. Once you remove that as a possibility, then you can ask, "Was I ever saved in the first place?" Then he said, "Jonny, if I could lose my salvation, I would." If it was up to me to secure my salvation, I would lose it every single day.

But what about people who used to say they were Christians and no longer walk with God? First John 2:19 answers: "They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us."

Let me address two groups of people. Some listening are not Christians and need to examine themselves. If there's no love for Christ, no love for His people, and no hunger for His word in your heart, you are wanting for evidence of genuine transformation.

But some listening are in Christ and lack assurance. Jesus's words to the weak in faith always acknowledge that He's mindful of our frame. To those who are saved but waver in their assurance, Jesus compels you to fix your eyes on the finished work of Christ. I think of the man who said, "Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief." That's a prayer God answers every time.

When Satan points at your sin and accuses, remember the hymn: "When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see him there who made an end of all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free."

One last thing: it's going to be hard to have assurance if you have secret sin in your life. If there's something you're hiding in darkness, you need to confess it to the Lord and to other people and allow Him to cleanse you. You can't lose your salvation, but you can lose your joy and assurance.

We're saved as a work of God—it's all a gift of His grace. Our obedience doesn't merit His kindness, but according to Jesus, it reveals that He's given us a new heart. And I'm so grateful that God doesn't taunt us with uncertainty but provides the assurance He wants us to have.

Stay dialed in.