[taken from The MacArthur Study Bible & provided as a supplement to the main articles of S.T.S. 1.4 – 1.5]

I. Evidences That Neither Prove Nor Disprove One’s Faith:

A. Visible Morality [Matt. 19:16-21; 23:27]
B. Intellectual Knowledge [Rom. 1:21; 2:17ff]
C. Religious Involvement [Matt. 25:1-10]
D. Active Ministry [Matt. 7:21-24]
E. Conviction of Sin [Acts 24:25]
F. Assurance [Matt. 23]
G. Time of Decision [Luke 8:13,14]

II. The Fruit/Proofs of Authentic/True Christianity:

A. Love for God [Ps. 42:1ff., 73:25; Luke 10:27; Rom. 8:7]
B. Repentance from Sin [Ps. 32:5; Prov. 28:13; Rom. 7:14ff.; 2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 1:8-10]
C. Genuine Humility [Ps. 51:17; Matt. 5:1-12; James 4:6,9ff.]
D. Devotion to God’s Glory [Ps. 105:3; 115:1; Is. 43:7, 48:10ff.; Jer. 9:23,24; 1 Cor. 10:31]
E. Continual Prayer [Luke 18:1; Eph. 6:18ff.; Phil. 4:6ff.; 1 Tim. 2:1-4; James 5:16-18]
F. Selfless Love [1 John 2:9ff., 3:14, 4:7ff.]
G. Separation from the World [1 Cor. 2:12; James 4:4ff.; 1 John 2:15-17, 5:5]
H. Spiritual Growth [Luke 8:15; John 15:1-6; Eph. 4:12-16]
I. Obedient Living [Matt. 7:21; John 15:14ff.; Rom. 16:26; 1 Pet. 1:2,22; 1 John 2:3-5]

If List I is true of a person and List II is false, there is cause to question the validity of one’s profession of faith. Yet if List II is true, then the top list will be also!