--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How can you tell whether the Holy Spirit…" description: "\"“How can you tell whether the Holy Spirit has performed a saving operation? As the principle evidence of life is motion, Edwards wrote, so the principl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fa/john-macarthur-1117_holy-living_how-can-you-tell-whether-the-holy-spirit_1644398.jpg" --- # How can you tell whether the Holy Spirit has performed a… ![“How can you tell whether the Holy Spirit has performed a saving operation? As the principle evidence of life is motion, Edwards wrote, so the principle evidence of saving grace is holy living.2” quote by John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fa/john-macarthur-1117_holy-living_how-can-you-tell-whether-the-holy-spirit_1644398.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fa/john-macarthur-1117_holy-living_how-can-you-tell-whether-the-holy-spirit_1644398.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fa/john-macarthur-1117_holy-living_how-can-you-tell-whether-the-holy-spirit_1644398.jpg) > ““How can you tell whether the Holy Spirit has performed a saving operation? As the principle evidence of life is motion, Edwards wrote, so the principle evidence of saving grace is holy living.2”” [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Saving grace is shown by holy living; evidence of the Spirit's work is a transformed, active life. **In simple terms:** Holy living shows the Spirit’s work. Key Takeaway Look for changed behavior as proof of grace. Themes faith spiritual growth grace holiness Mood reflective encouraging Type theological practical When to use this quote - church teaching - personal discipleship - counseling - spiritual assessment Key Concepts theology personal transformation Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern true transformation? - What habits reflect a holy life? A Different Perspective A single act of faith may not guarantee ongoing holiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Holy living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-living/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Saving grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-grace/) ## Related quotes > [Growth is the only evidence of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/growth-is-the-only-evidence-of-life/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [“Hope as evidence of life. Life as evidence of death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-biyuts/hope-as-evidence-of-life-life-as-evidence-of-death/) [Lara Biyuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-biyuts/) > [“Do you want to change?" "It's the only evidence of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/do-you-want-to-change-it-s-the-only-evidence-of-life/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [It is, I think, good evidence of life after death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-soper-baron-soper/it-is-i-think-good-evidence-of-life-after-death/) Donald Soper, Baron Soper > [Remember: it's not clutter; it's the evidence of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-randolph/remember-it-s-not-clutter-it-s-the-evidence-of-life/) Mary Randolph > [If some good evidence for life after death were announced, I'd be eager to examine it; but it would have to be real scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/if-some-good-evidence-for-life-after-death-were-announced-i-d-be/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Pain is life - the sharper, the more evidence of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/pain-is-life-the-sharper-the-more-evidence-of-life/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [The belief that there are other life forms in the universe is a matter of faith. There is not a single shred of evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/the-belief-that-there-are-other-life-forms-in-the-universe-is-a/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Pain is lifethe sharper, the more evidence of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-flores/pain-is-lifethe-sharper-the-more-evidence-of-life/) [Lara Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-flores/) > [ \[Change is\] the only evidence of life. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/change-is-the-only-evidence-of-life/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“And as I gazed up at the implacable black of the sky, my body warm from the bed but my face chilled, I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-finch/and-as-i-gazed-up-at-the-implacable-black-of-the-sky-my-body-warm/) [Charles Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-finch/) > [“evidence for life after death? Wouldn’t they”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-guggenheim/evidence-for-life-after-death-wouldn-t-they/) Bill Guggenheim > [Scars are but evidence of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-lynn-mcclure/scars-are-but-evidence-of-life/) [Marcia Lynn McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-lynn-mcclure/) > [Why does life need evidence of life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/why-does-life-need-evidence-of-life/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [There is no conclusive evidence of life after death, but there is no evidence of any sort against it. Soon enough you will know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/there-is-no-conclusive-evidence-of-life-after-death-but-there-is-no/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More by John MacArthur > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [The more you focus on yourself, the more distracted you will be from the proper path. The more you know Him and commune with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-more-you-focus-on-yourself-the-more-distracted-you-will-be-from/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [There are things that God hates, right? One of them is the one who stirs up strife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/there-are-things-that-god-hates-right-one-of-them-is-the-one-who/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Over the years, I've fought a number of polemical battles against ideas that threaten the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/over-the-years-i-ve-fought-a-number-of-polemical-battles-against/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“You and I believed the gospel, not because we were wiser or more righteous than anyone else but because God graciously intervened, opening our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/you-and-i-believed-the-gospel-not-because-we-were-wiser-or-more/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“He call us to obey, not because He needs us but because He knows we need Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/he-call-us-to-obey-not-because-he-needs-us-but-because-he-knows-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“The Spirit works in the church so that men might see Jesus as Lord, recognizing His authority and submitting to His will (1 Cor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-spirit-works-in-the-church-so-that-men-might-see-jesus-as-lord/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh; it supplies power to live in the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/grace-does-not-grant-permission-to-live-in-the-flesh-it-supplies/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Sexual expression within a marriage is not an option or an extra. It is certainly not, as it has sometimes been considered, a necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/sexual-expression-within-a-marriage-is-not-an-option-or-an-extra-it/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“18O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/18o-my-god-incline-your-ear-and-hear-open-your-eyes-and-see-our/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“Sin is the monarch that rules the heart of every man. It is the first lord of the soul, and its virus has contaminated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/sin-is-the-monarch-that-rules-the-heart-of-every-man-it-is-the-first/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“Psalm 13 O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/psalm-13-o-lord-how-long-will-you-forget-me-forever-how-long-will-you/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Scripture repeatedly makes clear that heaven is a realm of unsurpassed joy, unfading glory, undiminished bliss, unlimited delights, and unending pleasures. Nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/scripture-repeatedly-makes-clear-that-heaven-is-a-realm-of/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [God's true church has always been a place where people hunger for the truth from the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/god-s-true-church-has-always-been-a-place-where-people-hunger-for-the/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [The lies of systemic racism and the race hustlers dominate the ideologies of universities and even churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-lies-of-systemic-racism-and-the-race-hustlers-dominate-the/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Explore all 279 John MacArthur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) ## More Holy living quotes > [Holy living consists in doing God's work with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/holy-living-consists-in-doing-god-s-work-with-a-smile/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-study-of-freemasonry-is-the-study-of-man-as-a-candidate-for-a/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [A high view of God leads to high worship and holy living, but a low of God leads to trivial worship and low living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson/a-high-view-of-god-leads-to-high-worship-and-holy-living-but-a-low-of/) [Steven J Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson/) > [“Many Christians live as if salvation is the only reason Jesus died. Christ died so we would die to sin and live to righteousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-branks/many-christians-live-as-if-salvation-is-the-only-reason-jesus-died/) [William Branks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-branks/) > [Any objection to the carryings on of our present gold-calf Christianity is met with the triumphant reply, ‘But we are winning them!’ Winning them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/any-objection-to-the-carryings-on-of-our-present-gold-calf/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Our praying, to be strong, must be buttressed by holy living. The life of faith perfects the prayer of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/our-praying-to-be-strong-must-be-buttressed-by-holy-living-the-life/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [Holy living is essential preparation for prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/holy-living-is-essential-preparation-for-prayer/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [“Any objection to the carryings on of our present golden-calf Christianity is met with the triumphant reply, "But we are winning them!" And winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/any-objection-to-the-carryings-on-of-our-present-golden-calf/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“She stood, as it were, with her face to God and her back to the people, waiting to receive His word for the 'chose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/she-stood-as-it-were-with-her-face-to-god-and-her-back-to-the-people/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“Holy living is living like Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinit-tribhuvan/holy-living-is-living-like-jesus/) [Vinit Tribhuvan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinit-tribhuvan/) > [“A Call to Holy Living 13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-call-to-holy-living-13-so-think-clearly-and-exercise-self-control/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We stink more of the world than we stink of sack cloth and ashes. A lot of contemporary churches today would feel more at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-cruz/we-stink-more-of-the-world-than-we-stink-of-sack-cloth-and-ashes-a/) Nicky Cruz > [The first and last stages of holy living are crowned with praying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-first-and-last-stages-of-holy-living-are-crowned-with-praying/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [It is the great work of nature to transmute sunlight into life. So it is the great end of Christian living to transmute the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson-gordon/it-is-the-great-work-of-nature-to-transmute-sunlight-into-life-so-it/) [Adoniram Judson Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson-gordon/) > [“I'm wondering how many times he can possibly use the word alliance in one sentence when Tiny Cooper cuts Mr. Fortson off by saying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-m-wondering-how-many-times-he-can-possibly-use-the-word-alliance-in/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Browse all 20 Holy living quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-living/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How can you tell whether the Holy Spirit has performed a saving operation? 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