1 John 4:1-10, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. {2} Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: {3} And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that <spirit> of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. {4} Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. {5} They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. {6} We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. {7} Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. {8} He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. {9} In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. {10} Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son <to be> the propitiation for our sins."

A. Christians are those who have been "Born of God" or "Born of Him" --- born into God's Family.

1. John emphasized the Absolute Necessity of the New Birth.

John 3:3, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily , verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

2. The Only way into the kingdom of God, into the family of God, into heaven --- is By Being Born Again.

B. John tells us what the Truly Born-Again Christian is like.

1. He mentions what might be the Evidences of their faith.

2. 2 Peter 1:10, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:"

C. Now, lets notice Biblical Evidences that a person is a True Christian rather than a Pseudo-Christian.

I. The True Child of God Is One Who Believes On, Has Received & Has Put His Whole Trust In Jesus Christ As His Lord & Saviour.

A. 1 John 5:1, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:"

1. The way to be born again is to Believe The Truth about the Lord Jesus Christ --- then to Act Upon What We Believe.

2. Receive Him as our personal Saviour.

John 1:12-13, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, <even> to them that believe on his name: {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

B. When we receive Christ --- we receive His Nature --- we reject all else --- It Is Jesus Only.

II. The True Child of God Is One Who Will Want To Do, & Will Do, What Is Right In God's Sight.

A. 1 John 2:29, "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him."

1. God Himself is righteous --- those who are born again are also righteous --- because they Receive His Nature.

2. "Like Father, Like Son!" --- A child exhibits the parent's character because he shares the parent's nature.

B. Sharing God's nature means that we will "By Nature" want to do what is righteous.

1. Zacchaeus is a good example of this.

Luke 19:8, "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore <him> fourfold."

2. The Jailer is another good example.

Acts 16:33-34, "And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed <their> stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. {34} And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."

C. This is true of all truly born again Christians --- Pseudo-Christians do not share this experience --- they don't even understand it.

III. The True Child of God Is One Who Does Not Habitually Practice Sin.

A. 1 John 3:9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

B. When we sin, Our Conscience stings us for we have a new nature within us which "does not commit sin" --- which "cannot sin".

1. 1 John 2:27, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

2. Romans 2:15, "Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and <their> thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)"

C. 1 John 3:2-3, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. {3} And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."

D. 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man <be> in Christ, <he is> a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

E. You try to explain this to Pseudo-Christians and they have no idea what you are talking about.

IV. The True Child of God Loves Every Other Child of God.

A. 1 John 4:7, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God."

B. The very nature of God has been imparted to us.

1. 2 Peter 1:4, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

2. God's Nature Is One of Love.

C. 1 John 3:11-18, "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. {12} Not as Cain, <who> was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. {13} Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. {14} We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not <his> brother abideth in death. --- {18} My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

D. This means we love all the brethren:

1. Rich & Poor,

2. Educated & Illiterate,

3. Young & Old,

4. All Classes of People,

5. The Agreeable & Those Who Are Disagreeable.

V. The True Child of God Overcomes The World.

A. 1 John 5:4, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, <even> our faith."

B. The true child of God finds within himself a Complete Lack of Harmony And Sympathy With The World.

1. Living in this world, he is Out of His Element --- like a "Fish Out of Water".

2. John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

C. Through faith in Him, we Share His Victory and thus do not:

1. Accept the world's standards,

2. Engage in the world's pursuits,

3. Enjoy many of the world's pleasures,

4. Copy the world's habits,

5. Speak the world's language,

6. Rely upon & conform to the world's wisdom.

D. 1 John 5:18, "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not."

Does This Describe You As A Truly Born Again Christian?

Real or Pseudo-Christian --- Which Are You?