Seven Tests of True Fellowship and True Sonship

By

Mary J. Craig

Are you a child of God? Everyone can determine whether or not he/she is a child born out of God by examining himself/herself according to the following seven tests given in 1 John:

Because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, and because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining, do I have fellowship with the light? Let’s see.

• If I say I have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, I lie and do not practice the truth. (1.6)
• If I walk in the light as He is in the light, I have fellowship with God and others and the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses me from all sin. (1.7)
• If I say I am in the light and hate my brother, I am in darkness until now. (2.9) I walk in darkness and do not know where I am going because the darkness has blinded my eyes. (2.11)
• If I love my brother, I abide in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in me. (2.10)

Because God is life, have I passed from death unto life? Let’s see.

• All that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world, which is passing away (2.16, 17).
• Does the promise of eternal life abide in me? (2.24, 25)
• Do I love the brethren? The one who does not love his brother abides in death. (3.14)
• Do I hate my brother? Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (3.15)
• Am I living through the Son, Jesus Christ? In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. (4.9)
• Do I have the Son? God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (5.11, 12)
• Do I believe in the name of the Son of God? Then I can know that I have eternal life. (5.12, 20)

Because God is love, do I have love for God and love for the people of God? Let’s see.

• Do I love the world or the things of the world? If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world ... is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (2.15-17)
• Do I see the manner of love the Father has bestowed on me? (3.1)
• Do I have the hope that I shall be like Him as I shall see Him as He is? (3.2)
• If I have this hope in Him, am I purifying myself just as He is pure? (3.3)
• Am I laying down my life for the brethren because He laid down His life for me, which is how we know love? (3.16)
• Do I demonstrate love in word and in truth? (3.18) But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (3.17)
• Do I love? Love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love...If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us...He who abides in love abides in God and God in him. (4.7-16)
• Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. (4.17)
• Do I fear? Perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. The one who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. (4.18, 19)
• Do I say, "I love God" and hate my brother? He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? If I love God, I will love my brother also. (4.20, 21; 5.1)
• Do I keep God’s commandments? By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. (5.2, 3)
• Do I keep God’s word? Whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. (2.5)

Because God is truth, am I in Him who is true? Let’s see.

• If I say I have no sin, I deceive myself, and the truth is not in me. (1.8)
• If I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. (1.9)
• If I say that I have not sinned, I make Him a liar, and His word is not in me. (1.10)
• Do I discern that the Antichrist is coming and is now? The Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. (2.18)
• Do I walk out of assemblies of true believers? They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (2.19)
• Do I have an anointing from the Holy One who guides me into truth? (2.20, 21)
• Do I deny that Jesus is the Christ? Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (2.22, 23)
• Does the anointing abide in me and is it teaching me the truth? But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. (2.27)
• Does my heart condemn me or not condemn me? By this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before Him, for if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. (3.19-21)
• Do I test the spirits to know that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth abides in me? By this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. (3.24)
• Does the spirit within me that guides me confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh? By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist. (4.1, 2)
• Do others who have the Spirit of God bear witness to the Spirit by "hearing" me? We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (4.6)
• Does the Holy Spirit dwell within me? By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. (4.13)

Because God is righteous, do I practice righteousness? Let’s see.

• If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1.8)
• If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1.9)
• If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1.10)
• If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. (2.1)
• Do I walk as Jesus walked? He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (2.6)
• Do I do the will of God? The world is passing away and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (2.17)
• Do I know that God is righteous? If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. (2.29)
• Do I continue in and tolerate habitual sin in my life? Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. (3.4-6)
• Do I seek and practice righteousness? He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (3.7, 8)
• Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (3.9)
• In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. (3.10)
• If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. (5.16, 17)
• Do I keep my heart with all diligence? Whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself and the wicked one does not touch him. (5.18)

Because God is the faithful and true witness, do I believe the testimony of Jesus Christ? Let’s see.

• That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (1.1-3)
• This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (1.5)
• These things I write to you, so that you may not sin. (2.1)
• If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. (2.24)
• This is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (3.11)
• In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. (4.9)
• We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God, and we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (4.14-16)
• Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. (5.1)
• This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. (5.6-8)
• Do I believe the witness of men and of God? If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. (5.9, 10)
• This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (5.11,12)

Because Jesus Christ is God, do I know Him who is true and abide in Him? Let’s see.

• Do I keep the commandments of Jesus? By this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. (2.3, 4)
• He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (2.6)
• A new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. (2.8-10)
• Do I do the will of God? He who does the will of God abides forever. (2.17)
• Do I have the Holy Spirit within? Do I acknowledge Father and Son and Jesus as the Christ? You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. You know [the truth] and that no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (2.20-23)
• Do I hold to the covenant promises? Let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. (2.24, 25)
• Does the anointing abide in me? The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. (2.27)
• Do I have confidence? Will I be ashamed at His coming? Abide in Him that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. (2.28)
• Does the world know me, i.e., recognize the anointing of God on my life? Is Jesus being revealed to me, i.e., His glory? The world does not know us, because it did not know Him. When He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (3.1, 2)
• Do I abide in sin or have I seen the Lord high and lifted up? Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. (3.6)
• He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (3.14b, 15)
• Am I willing to lay down my life for the Body of Christ? By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (3.16)
• Is my heart shut up toward others in need? Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (3.17)
• Do I believe on the name of Jesus Christ? We keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment; that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. (3.22, 23)
• Do I walk in the Spirit? He who keeps His commandments abides in Him and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. (3.24)
• Am I an overcomer? You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (4.4)
• Do I speak like the world or like God? They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. (4.5)
• Who listens to me? We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (4.6)
• Do I confess Jesus is the Son of God? Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (4.15, 16)
• Am I overcoming the world? Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (5.5)
• Do I have the Son and life in Him? He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (5.12)
• Am I in Him who is true? We are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. (5.20)
• Do I keep myself from idols? Keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (5.21)

March 5, 1999

Now it is almost time, and I will reveal My glory in Zion. I am the Lord, and I will not share My glory with another. I will no longer tolerate that one who calls herself a prophetess and is not. I will no longer tolerate those who speak wrongly of Me. I am the Lord Most High, true, faithful, and coming in great glory to demonstrate that I AM and there is no other. I will have no other gods before Me.

I am coming for a holy Bride, a Bride without spot, washed in My Blood and in My Word.

You will know Me by the truth, for I am true and speak truth from a holy heart, pure love. Satan cannot love. He cannot love you as I love you. He has no desire for you to bless you, only that I not be worshipped, only that he be exalted above measure. He comes to deceive now as My Spirit withdraws.

The false comforter comes to delude the people into a false peace, a false safety. Know that this comfort will seem real even to many believers. It will seem true and they will defend the source of their comfort, their peace, their safety, but it is not My Spirit.

You will know Me by knowing My heart, by knowing My Soul. The Word will guide you as My Spirit guides you into truth.

I the Holy Spirit am not always comfortable, for I come to cleanse, to purify the Bride, to correct, to bring you to Jesus who is coming soon for you.

Prepare yourself as for your Bridegroom. Anticipate the day, for the Bridegroom comes. Will you be ready? Watch with anticipation for you shall soon see Him. He will be to you a lover, a friend, your God.

Take comfort in His Words, My Word. I am a holy God and come for a holy Bride. The false comforter encourages harlotry because she is a harlot herself. She encourages straying, sin, apostasy, lawlessness, making light of serious things. She says "it is okay," when it is not okay. She leads astray as a wanton. Her comfort is one of wantonness, wanton lawlessness, not abandoned trust to a faithful Creator.

I am He who formed you in the womb and called you. Come out of her, My people. Flee Babylon, for I come. I am coming. In My jealousy I will destroy all enemies to My love for Mine. Hear Me now in this, for I am coming soon.

That which I have received, I give to you in the Body of Christ. Mary Craig