We should always look for the evidences of a regenerated heart in new believers, which are the good works that naturally flow from those abiding in Christ by obeying Him.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. John 15:10 (NASB)
This walk before our Lord must be by faith, but it is an active faith. This active faith is fulfilled only by being obedient to our Lord’s commands empowered by the Holy Spirit. When we obey Him by keeping His commandments this way then we are abiding in Him. In fact, Jesus gives each of His sheep commands to keep as signs to others that they are true branches. What do you suppose is the essence of Jesus’ command to His disciples? Isn’t it to love each other? (John 13:35) Jesus modeled this command for us. As a result of His keeping this command, He remained in the Father’s love. Therefore, if His sheep keep this command, they will remain in Jesus’ love.
Some Christians seem to be all about faith, but are very lacking in works. On the other hand, others are all about works, but we will never catch them stepping out on faith. Neither faith nor works can be ignored. When preachers and teachers emphasize works and neglect faith they actually shield the truth of how we are joined to Christ and become branches of him. As a result, their followers resort to works. Many years ago I heard a very popular SBC preacher on the radio preach on discouragement. His advice for Christians to pull out of the deeps was to work harder at doing good works. He said, “We can work our way to feeling better a lot quicker than we can feel our way to working harder.” I had been a Christian about 5 or 6 years at that point and it sounded right to me. I point to that advice as one the bricks in the wall that blocked me from walking by faith for over a decade.
