Are You Born Again? Series

Do You Believe? (Part one)

(A four sermon series from 1 John 5)

Are You Born Again?

1 John 5

How do you know that you really believe in God? Last week we talked about false teachers and false doctrine. How can we look at others and see if they truly believe? We are going to spend the next couple of weeks looking at 1 John chapter 5and the four tests as proof that one believes in God.

To start us off let’s look at Vv 5:1-5

Test #1, Being Born Again: What does it mean to be born again? How do we know that we are truly born again? Today we will look at that as we look at the first test of belief: Are you Born Again:

3 Proofs that you are born again:

1. Believing Jesus is the Christ (v. 1) The first proof that one is born again is that they believe that Jesus is the Christ: Christ means Messiah or Anointed one. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the anointed to be the savor of the world. He was anointed for a very special mission; to come to earth to save man through reconciliation with their God.

a. Proves one’s love for God: Believing that Christ is the messiah proves that one loves God: (v. 1) 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.

i. Whoever believes that God did this amazing thing for us; sending Jesus to die for us, cannot help but love God. Through Christ we are given the wonderful gift of a second chance, the ability to live in the presence of a Just and Righteous God. When we spend time thinking about this we cannot help but to have our hearts flood with love for God.

b. Proves one’s love for other believers: A person who loves God will also love other believers. Why? Because God has given other believers a spiritual rebirth as well. They are our Brothers and Sister. We are all adopted children of the same God. If we have truly been born of God than we will love the entire family of God.

i. John 13:34-35A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

ii. How are we to love one another? 1 John 3:16 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.

2. Obeying and keeping God’s command (Vv. 2-3) The second proof of new birth, a new life, is being obedient. 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. And His commandments are not burdensome.

a. If we really love God that we will do as he says, everything He says not just the ones we like, or choose to do. Some one that loves God must believe in His word. Why!

i. It is the only way that we know of God. It is what God has chosen to reveal about Himself to us.

ii. And His commandments are not burdensome. There s no other way to show God that we love him. But to many the commands of God are too hard. They are too restrictive. If we follow God’s commands we have to love people that we may not like, we might have to moderate in our partying, and we might have to wait until we are married to have sex. We might have to be obedient and the world tells us that we have a “right to live like we want.

iii. We need to understand that if we belong to God there is no temptation that we cannot overcome.

1. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

2. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

3. Conquering the World: The third proof of being born again is that we can overcome the world around us.

a. (vv. 4-5) For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?