People wonder all the time if they are really a believer. Sometimes other people see a person who says they are Christian and wonder if that is a true profession of faith. This can be for any number of reasons. But there is one specific way found in 2 Timothy 2:19 where are you can know if a person is truly a Christian.

From the Bible, we know a Christian is one who follows Jesus, who believes in the Lord Jesus, and is saved, who trusts the finished work of Christ, and not their own works, someone who is saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. Salvation is all based on Christ substituting himself in our place at the cross, bearing our sin, paying our penalty, and rising from the dead, killing sin and death, and defeating the devil. (Romans 3:21-26; 1 Timothy 1:15-16; Hebrews 9:11-14).

The number one way you know if you are a Christian? If your relationship with God is more important to you than your sin. If you don’t want to sin And when you do sin, you confess it and forsake it. You walk in repentance.

You can’t claim to be a Christian if this isn’t true about you. It’s not enough just to say, Jesus is my Lord. It’s not enough just to say I believe in Jesus. James put it pretty clearly… essentially saying, just saying you are a Christian, but not having the life to back it up, is empty. It’s false. God showed us how to figure out who’s true or false.

2 Tim. 2:19. Read it. “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.””

This is right in line with Jesus saying you will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16). He’s the only one who truly knows who belongs to Him so the only way you can know is if someone claims to be a Christian and their life actually backs it up. They are not actively sinning without a thought to righteousness, they admit it when they sin.

And they are wrecked over their sin. And they depart from iniquity. They get away from it.They get rid of it out of their life. Your active obedience shows active resistance to sin.

There you have it. Salvation is all by grace, and if you are saved by grace, you will keep departing from any sin that plagues you. You will keep confessing your sins and going to God for forgiveness. You will walk in the victory that Jesus purchased at the cross. That doesn't mean that you will be sinless, it means you follow the sinless One, Jesus.

As Hebrews 12:1-3 says, you lay aside any sin that entangles, and run with endurance the race set before you, and you will keep looking to (yielding to, trusting in, believing in, relying on) Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith.