Ten Warning Signs of False Salvation

There are many people in modern times who believe with all their heart they are saved. Unfortunately, a large portion of these people is utterly wrong. We live in an age of label-Christianity. People like to call themselves Christians, and people like to say they are saved, but true followers of Jesus Christ are strangely rare. This should not come as a surprise to those who know their Bible, for Matthew 7:21 says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, except whoever does My Father's will, who is in Heaven." These people are themselves convinced of their salvation, as is evidence in Matthew 7:22, but verse twenty-three tells us that Jesus never knew them. This is good cause to be concerned. Evidence suggests that as little as five percent of the American population is truly saved (note that, because we are not God and do not see the heart of man, this figure could be entirely inaccurate). Compare this to the upwards of eighty-five percent that professes Christ. You may wonder, then, "How do I know that I am saved?" Well, if you believe the essential doctrines of Christianity, I cannot tell you with certainty. If I knew you, or if I had an idea of how you live, I could probably give you an educated guess. Nevertheless, I can still provide you with ten warning signs that are extremely pervasive among false Christians. Although seeing one of these would not be good cause to assume you are lost, seeing several would at least warrant a good, Biblical self-examination. Here, then, are ten warning signs of false salvation:

1. You engage in sexually immoral activities on a regular or even semiregular basis. This is probably one of the most common, but also one of the strongest, signs of false salvation. In fact, if it exists in your life, it is extremely powerful evidence that you may not be saved. Now, any constant sin can be a sign of an unregenerate heart, but sexual immorality is a defining trait of the lost. The world sees no problem with it, as makes sense: if they do not believe in God's authority, they have no reason to believe in sexual boundaries. Sexual immorality is often listed in a prominent place among sins, usually ranking with idolatry and greed. Although many people will say that no sin is worse or better than another is, I would disagree, as I believe the Bible teaches that some sins are more serious than others are (though even the least of sins is worth of an eternity in Hell). Sexual immorality is among the worst, and is a defining trait of an unbeliever. "This is God's will, your purity: you should stay away from sexual immorality, that all of you should know how to keep your own wife in purity and honor, not burning with lust like the heathens who don't know God." (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5)
   
2. You do not believe in sharing the Gospel (and/or you do not care if people are saved). This is another powerful sign. Many people claim to be Christians but think that we should not spread the Gospel. They call it "forcing your beliefs on people," "not letting them be their own person," or "infringing upon their right to believe what they want." This is bogus, to be blunt. Matthew 28:19-20 tells us to spread the Gospel, and it is called the Great Commission, showing that it is extremely important. The greatest commandment is to love others, and if you believe the Bible, believe that the lost will go to Hell, but do not share the Gospel, you are certainly not obeying that commandment. People will promote tolerance, minding your own business, and religious diversity all at the expense of souls. This is wrong, and such ideology ought not to be present in Christians.
   
3. You primarily associate with, and enjoy associating with, ungodly people. As a Christian, one is not to be close friends with an unbeliever. Just as disease spreads, not health, wickedness spreads, not righteousness. When your main friends are ungodly, you will become more like them, not vice versa. If you often associate with ungodly people, it is not a good sign. If you actually enjoy the company of ungodly people, especially if you enjoy the ungodly aspects of their company, it is also a bad sign. "How happy is the man who does not take advice from ungodly people, stay on the road of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers." (Psalm 1:1).
   
4. You are usually disobedient in what you consider trivial. A good Christian knows that you should "obey those who are in authority over you, and submit to them…" (Hebrews 13:17a). This includes all kinds of authority. As a teenager, I see this sign in many people. People I know regularly break school rules on cell phone use, gum chewing, and even hallway use. You may say that such things are not significant infractions. While that may seem true, it still involves defying authority for unrighteous reasons. In John 19:11, Jesus told Pilate, "You wouldn't have any authority over at all if it hadn't been given to you from above." This shows clearly that God gives people their authority, and thus to defy them is to defy God.
   
5. You use foul language or speak of inappropriate things. This is a rather strong sign, although not necessarily a sure one. Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:34, "Oh, generation of snakes, how can you, who are evil, say good things? After all, the mouth says what overflows from the mind." Jesus told the Pharisees that the things you say come from the things you think and feel. Using foul language and speaking of inappropriate things indicates that your thoughts and feelings are foul and inappropriate. This is certainly not the expected mind of a Christian. Christians are supposed to think on things that are "true, honorable, righteous, pure, friendly, or reputable. If anything is virtuous or praiseworthy, think about such things." (Philippians 4:8).
   
6. You frequently accuse people of being judgmental or hypocritical if they call you out for a sin in your life. This is a common trait of the unsaved. Not wanting to take responsibility for their own faults, they turn all rebukes into accusations against whoever addresses them. This is contradictory to Scripture. The Bible tells us to correct those who sin: "Brothers, if one of you is taken suddenly into sin, those of you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of meekness, watching yourself so that you are not also tempted." (Galatians 6:1). First Timothy 5:20 says to "Scold those who sin in front of everyone, so the others will be afraid." People who call you out for a sin in your life are being good brothers and sisters in Christ, good friends (Proverbs 27:6).
   
7. You often speak of hating people. Hate is a horrible thing. There are only two reasons you would say that you hate someone: 1) you actually hate them, or 2) you are disregarding the severity of the word "hate." Either is wrong. Matthew 5:22 says, "but I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother for no good reason will be in danger of condemnation, anyone who calls his brother a worthless idiot will be in danger of official judgment, and anyone who says to his brother, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fires of Hell." For clarity, there is no good reason to be angry with someone unless he has directly offended God. If he has merely offended you, you should not be angry. The word for "worthless idiot" is "raca," which means an empty, worthless person. There are three levels of hate here, each with increasing severity. All of them are wrong. If you are using the word "hate" superficially, you have two problems. First, the Bible warns against vain speech. Secondly, joking about something so severely wrong to God is unacceptable.
   
8. You believe that people who reject core doctrines of Christianity can still be saved. While this is not a serious offense, it does reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of how salvation works. A true Christian believes certain things about who God is and how salvation works. Here is a small sample of the things in which compromise is not acceptable:
   
   1. The Bible is the inerrant Word of God. . There are multiple reasons that this is essential to salvation. For one, Christianity is based on the teachings of Jesus. Besides the fact that the Bible is the only place to learn about the teachings of Jesus, Jesus taught that the Bible is the Word of God. Many passages contribute to this, such as Matthew 4:4, 7, 10, 5:17, 18, John 17:17, Matthew 12:40-41, 19:4-9, 15:1-6. These verses as a whole preach that the Bible is as II Timothy 3:16 says it is ("All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness"). Therefore, if the Bible is the Word of God, it is necessary to regard it as such. Otherwise, you deny what God says, and you cannot have a loving relationship with God if you reject His Word. If you do not believe that the Bible is valid at all, you will not be saved.
      
   2. Jesus is the divine Son of God. By extensions and implication, this includes the entire doctrine of the Trinity. To deny the Trinity is to fundamentally change the identity of God. If you worship "God" with a false identity, your religion is idolatry.
      
   3. Salvation is by grace, through faith. The Bible clearly teaches that we cannot achieve salvation through good works. The only way to be saved is by having faith in Jesus Christ, the faith having been given to you by the grace of the Father.
      
   4. The wages of sin is death in Hell, while the gift of God is eternal life in Heaven. All sin deserves punishment, and the only punishment sufficient for a transgression against an infinitely holy and sovereign God is an eternity in Hell. The Bible teaches this in many places, especially coming from the very mouth of Jesus. As well, Jesus explicitly teaches that Heaven is real and that He is the only way to get there.
      
9. You judge people on their appearance. This one seems obvious at first, but if you think it through, you may be surprised. It is very wrong to see someone's clothes, hair, tattoos, or other accessories and assume they are not saved (though it is more agreeable if they are immediately and obviously abominable). However, many of the people who would defend those who wear Gothic clothing, have tattoos, or use odd piercings are also people who would see a popular, attractive person and assume he/she is a snob or mean. This is just as wrong as any other appearance-based judgment, and is additionally hypocritical.
   
10. You often engage in gossip. Gossip is a horrible thing. What qualifies as gossip? It could be defined as saying anything about someone to another person that would lower that person's opinion of the one who is the subject, be it true or false. The Bible sternly warns against gossip, especially in the book of Proverbs. Gossip is the exact opposite of what people should do, and habitual gossip is a common sign of a false believer.
    

Now tally it up. If some of these apply to you, examine yourself. Even if you are saved, it could be helpful to fix some areas in your life. However, you may not be saved. Point 1 is very serious, and is a very likely sign of false salvation. I know of someone who claims to be a Christian but lives with points 2 (to an extent), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10. Such is serious, and I pray for that person every day. So, examine yourself with this list. If you are saved, the Holy Spirit will correct you if any of these apply to you. If you are not saved, hopefully the Holy Spirit will convict you of that truth.