In the past I have examined the "test" that Dr. John MacArthur offers in my series Testing the Test. At another time I did a deeply personal series that examined the teaching of a man pastoring my dear best friend who helped to lead my beloved friend astray into dangerous false doctrine in my series 'BUT' Theology.
Of course these "tests" fail any biblical examination. Yet, they hold millions in bondage. In my book Fail-Safe for Fallacy I briefly examined the text often used to justify the practice of developing and administering "tests of salvation" which is 2Cor 13:5. I found that the practice is not justified by the Text at all.
This practice has bothered me for as long as I've been saved. BUT, you know what? When Saul was saved the 12 Apostles didn't just believe it. Barnabas had to convince them that he was. How did he do it? Did he talk about how he had forsaken sin? That he was submitted to the Lordship of Christ? That Christ was Master of his life? That he obeyed the commands of Christ? That he regretted all of his sin? That he didn't continue in sin?
Nope.
Acts 9:26-30
26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.
