1 John 3:14
[14] We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
A great study through I John would be to research all of the verses that reveal the marks of genuine salvation. After all, that is the reason John is writing this epistle. Perhaps we will begin that study when we complete this devotional book. Here is one verse that marks true salvation in the life of a believer.
A true child of God will love the brethren. This is not a love that is seen through mere words, but a love that is evident by the believer’s actions. When someone gets saved, leaves the old crowd and joins the church, it gives assurance to other believers. Even when someone has been in church all their life, and is religious but lost, their love for the church is different after they are saved. It is no longer about a social gathering, but becomes personal, because now the church is their family.
I’ve seen people in church who were lost, even though they regularly attended services, but they were just like people who never went to church at all. They always seemed to be on the outside looking in, even though they were there every service. There was something missing in their life, genuine salvation.
The Bible is clear in this verse that if someone professes to be saved, but has no love for the church then they are still dead. They are dead to the things of God. A dead man has no life, no desire, no hunger, no understanding, and no love for anything. Dear reader, if this is you, then you do not have the mark of true salvation in your life. This verse will either convince you or condemn you. Think about it, and if you are saved, rejoice; but if you are lost, then trust Christ today as your Savior.