Some may ask: how can I know if I am really converted and if my heart is truly transformed especially when Jesus warned that there are wolves in the church who wear His sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15).
People may experience an outward change of behavior without the transforming power of God’s grace. Even those that don’t believe in God can change their bad behaviors and adopt good ones. They can “get the victory,” even if they aren’t doing it for God but rather for themselves and for others. Likewise, churchgoers can change their bad habits not because they want to please Jesus and do His will, but because they want to acquire the favor of others and appear good.
So, how can we determine whose side we are on? We should ask our selves the following questions: who has our hearts? … who has our best energies? If we are Christ’s, then our thoughts are with Him. … All that we have and are is consecrated to Him. We long to bear His image, to breathe His Spirit, to do His will and to please Him in all that we do.
When we are like that, then Jesus says we will bear His good fruits. “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Matthew 7:16).
You can know you’re converted if you are bearing the good fruits of a Christian. “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22,23). Wolves can wear sheep’s clothing and do some good deeds, but after a while, the unconverted will slip and bear evil fruits and will be cast away.
We are and can be saved only by grace through faith. But that faith in Christ, will produce a change in the life and makes a person converted. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
Mark Paden