chapter vii

THREE NOTES OF CAUTION AND AN ENCOURAGEMENT

There is no doubt that it is possible for you and me to recognize genuine signs of spiritual life. But before we look at nine of those signs we must consider three notes of caution.

1. There are some people in this world who are quite successful at setting up a completely self-centered, artificial religious experience. They become insulated from the truth. They depend on their own wisdom and sense of self-righteousness and artificial humility so much that they actually become hard hearted toward God. They erect a scaffold of the false signs of life around themselves and it is hard to get through. I cannot hope to somehow convince them of their need by this presentation of the true signs of life. I can only present these signs as a means of warning you against that way of life. As for them, I can only pray that God will bring them to repentance by His great mercy.



2. I have no intention of presenting these signs of life as some sort of template that you can use to decide whether someone else truly believes. It is an act of arrogance and foolishness to set yourself up as a "Defender of the Faith." The only one I would advise you to hold up to the template is yourself. There are two exceptions to this particular caution: First, the Scriptures do give us guidelines for judging the value of a person who would be our teacher of leader so we can avoid the harm done by those who are false or malicious. Second, there are principles in the Word that are useful for Pastors and other spiritual leaders in giving counsel and direction to those who are concerned about matters of eternity. But even with these exceptions in mind, no one should think that the signs of life we will be discussing can be used to separate the "sheep" from the "goats;" that's not our job.
   
   To tell the truth, even holding the template up against ourselves has limited value if all we do is gain insight, but do nothing about what we see. Don't neglect self-examination:
   • "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test." [2 Corinthians 13:5]
   Don't just blindly stumble along in your spiritual journey and hope it will all turn out "O.K." in the end. But, after you have done the looking, act on it:
   • "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." [Philippians 3:13-14]
   • "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.: [1 Corintthians 9:24-27}
   • "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self- control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." [2 Peter 1:5-11]
   The Christian faith is more than just "know this," it is "go for it!"
   
   
3. If you are not alive in Christ, or just barely alive, these signs will be nothing but confusion to you. You will not have the means to judge whether the signs are a part of your life, or even why they would be important. If a room is completely dark or has little light, it doesn't do much good to describe what is of value and what isn't that might be found in it. These descriptions of the signs of life will be like treasures in a darkened room to you until the life of Christ becomes yours by faith.
   
   If your experience of the spiritual life is weak and undeveloped, you might panic and think you are not alive at all, or you might react defensively and conclude that you are being condemned. Relax, think about a newly conceived child; at the early stages of development it is hard to distinguish that tiny one from any other animal, but the DNA tells another story. You may be at a part of your spiritual life where nobody can tell the difference between you and an unbeliever, but the real issue is decided in the "DNA" not the appearances. Are you in Christ and therefore an "new creation?"
   • "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" [2 Corinthians 5:17]
   A human embryo does not have the option of staying unformed, or developing into anything but a human. What it will be is written in every cell, it either grows into its humanity or it perishes, but it never stands still. The same is true of your spiritual birth, you are growing into those distinguishing signs of spiritual life - if you are alive.

Sometimes I will see a sign, but I am not in right relation to it. It is supposed to be behind me, but it is in front of me. I am 20 blocks north of where I am supposed to be and I am heading further north. In that case the signs get me agitated and upset, but things calm down once I use the signs to get me going the right way. Once I am heading the right direction the signs become a comfort and reassurance to me.

Use these Signs of Life the same way. Let them raise the alarm if you are not in right relation to them. Let them call you to action and get you moving. Also, let them reassure you if you are indeed heading the right way.