Knowing Makes All The Difference

- Sky Diving - It’s the parachute

- Rock Climbing - It’s the rope

- Scuba Diving - It’s the tank

Traveling across country is confusing enough

Let alone trying to wind your way through big cities

So many roads — So many directions

Maps and signs are needed

Then suddenly “LOOK THERE’S THE WAY!!!”

"THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD, THAT YB MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE" (1 John 5. 13).

❶. What You Have Been Told Makes All the Difference.

"THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU.

. .THAT YE MAY KNOW. "

- Have you heard these words?

- It’s OK — It’s safe — It’s fun — Try It — Come On

- KNOW (a verb) - “To be absolutely sure of something”

John’s Gospel - His key word “Believe”

John 20:31KJV

31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

- Assurance does not come through any special revelation from Heaven,

- Comes through the Word

(v. 12) - "He that hath the Son hath life".

John 8:32KJV

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Psalm 9:10KJV

10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

- Not to receive the Word makes God a liar

- It robs your soul of this confidence.

Psalm 56:9-11

9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me

. 10 In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word

. 11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

2 Timothy 1:12

.... I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

❷. To Know Him Makes All The Difference

"YOU THAT BELIEVE."

—"Encouraging the Heart", p. 131 (A book on leadership)

- Kouzes and Posner write,

- "Above all, people want to believe in their leaders. They want to believe that the leaders' word can be trusted, that they do what they say. Our findings are so consistent over such a long period of time that we've come to refer to this as the first law of leadership: if you don't believe in the messenger, you won't believe the message."

His Name

1 John 2:12

12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

- Lame Man at the temple

Acts 3:16KJV

16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

His Name

Acts 10:43

43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

To believe on the Name of the Son of God in John's day was to take up the disgrace of the Cross.

- The object of faith is not Christianity

- Or the Bible as a book,

- But Jesus having a living, abiding relationship

- John does not say "Believe and be saved,"

- But believe on the name of the Son of God

- Jesus - “Savior” (Jehovah is salvation) Mt. 1:21

- (Acts 16. 31) Jailer – "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved".

- The faith that does not take hold of Christ is a dead faith.

- To be assured of salvation we need more than faith in things

- We need faith in HIM.

❸. What You Have Makes All The Difference "ETERNAL LIFE."

- Not you will have success

- Not that you will be blessed

This is something different from, and something better than, mere eternal existence.

- Devils know about eternal existence

- They know nothing experimentally of eternal life.

- This life stands for the sum of all good, here and hereafter.

- As the acorn seed contains within itself, potentially, all the power and majesty of the oak

- So does this life, begotten in us by the Holy Spirit, contain the fullness of joy and glory that is yet to be revealed.

❹. To Be Sure Makes All The Difference

"YE MAY KNOW”

- "KNOW" A favorite one with John.

- 7x from verses (13 to 20)

- Absolute confidence

- .In Confidence. There is peace & Joy

- If you don not know that you have eternal life your can’t give thanks

- Assurance of eternal life makes us grateful

1 Jn 5:13 has brought assurance to countless people