Knowing That We Are Saved - Part #2 Series

Sermons from the Book of 1 John

Knowing the We Are Saved -- Part 2

Scripture Ref: I John 5:13

Introduction:

Last Sunday morning I began a SERIES of MESSAGES from the N. T. BOOK of 1 JOHN.

In 1John 5:13 JOHN shares with us his PURPOSE of WRITING this EPISTLE.

I John 5:13

‘These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the SON of GOD; that you may KNOW that you have ETERNAL LIFE, & that you may BELIEVE on the name of the SON of GOD.’

KNOWING that we HAVE ETERNAL LIFE:

JESUS told NICODEMUS in John 3:3

‘…Verily, Verily, I say unto you, ‘Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.’

That is the ONE REQUIREMENT for HAVING ETERNAL LIFE.

WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN:

Within this SHORT BOOK JOHN lists for us 5 TESTS that will PROVE if we are TRULY BORN AGAIN or as JOHN phrases it, BORN of GOD.

Last Sunday morning we LOOKED at the 1st 2 TESTS:

TEST #1: THE FAITH TEST:

We have to BELIEVE that JESUS CHRIST is the SON of GOD.

TEST #2: THE LIGHT TEST:

I John 2:29 ‘If you KNOW that HE is righteous, then you KNOW that everyone who practices righteousness is BORN of HIM.’

If we TRULY DO BELIEVE that JESUS CHRIST is the SON of GOD then OUR LIVES will REFLECT it.

BELIEVING is the 1ST STEP but it is ONLY THAT – the 1ST STEP.

AFTER we BELIEVE & ACCEPT JESUS as the SON of GOD, HE BECOMES the LORD & MASTER of OUR LIVES & we begin to LIVE by HIS TEACHINGS & HIS PRINCIPLES.

We BEGIN to LIVE RIGHT according to JESUS’ STANDARD. (RIGHTEOUSNESS)

OUR LIVES will SHOW FORTH HIS LIGHT in a DARK & EVIL WORLD.

A BORN AGAIN PERSON is NOT HARD to SPOT.

HIS LIFE is a LIGHT in a DARK WORLD.

That MEANS a BORN AGAIN PERSON LIVES a DIFFERENT LIFE.

He is NOT HARD to SPOT. He is COMMITTED to LIVING a RIGHTEOUS LIFE.

Matthew 5:16 ‘Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works & glorify your FATHER which is in heaven.’

If we have TRULY been BORN AGAIN there is a DETECTED DIFFERENCE in the WAY we LIVE from the WAY that OTHERS LIVE.

We’re NOT PERFECT but IF we CALL OURSELVES a CHRISTIAN & OUR LIVES are NO DIFFERENT from THOSE who DO NOT PROFESS JESUS as LORD of THEIR LIVES then SOMETHING SERIOUS is WRONG!

I John 5:6 ‘If we say that we have fellowship with HIM, & walk in darkness, we lie, & do not (know) the truth.’

Now this morning I want us to LOOK at the 3 REMAINING TESTS that a BORN AGAIN PERSON will PASS when he is GENUINE.

TEST #3: THE LOVE TEST:

I John 4:7 ‘Beloved, let us love one another for LOVE is of GOD & everyone who LOVES is BORN of GOD & KNOWS GOD.’

If we are a CHRISTIAN; if we are BORN AGAIN; we will have a GENUINE LOVE for OTHERS.

Some other SCRIPTURES:

I John 3:14: ‘We KNOW that we have passed from death to life because we LOVE the brethern. ‘He who does not love his brother abides in death.’

A PROGRESSION of TRUTH:

In 1st John 4:7 ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another, for LOVE is of GOD.’

In 1st John 4:8 ‘He who does not LOVE does not KNOW GOD for GOD is LOVE.’

The 1st passage says: LOVE is of GOD.

The 2nd passage says GOD is LOVE.

1st John 4:16 says the same thing: GOD is LOVE.

Now in 1st John 4:9-10 we learn that this GOD who is LOVE has EXPRESSED HIS LOVE toward us in a certain way.

JESUS CHRIST is the EXPRESSION of GOD’S LOVE toward us.

4:9-10 ‘In this the LOVE of GOD was manifested toward us, that GOD sent HIS only begotten SON into the world that we might live through HIM. & this is LOVE, not that we LOVED GOD but that HE LOVED us & sent HIS SON to be the propitiation for our sins.’

Watch the PROGRESSION here.

• LOVE is of GOD.

• GOD is LOVE.

• GOD showed HIS LOVE by SENDING HIS ONLY SON, JESUS, into the WORLD.

• & if you KEEP READING you DISCOVER that the ONLY REASON that we can LOVE GOD is BECAUSE HE LOVED US 1ST.

•

• I John 4:19 ‘We LOVE HIM because HE 1st LOVED us.

Here is the THOUGHT JOHN is giving us:

• LOVE is of GOD for GOD is LOVE.

GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE for us by SENDING JESUS to DIE for OUR SINS.

John 3:16

‘For GOD so LOVED that HE GAVE --- HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON---.’