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?
i. Why does the one “born of God” need to overcome the world? Because the world has is full of :
- Suffering - Disease - Immorality - Wickedness
- Hatred - Corruption - Drugs - destroyed families
-arrogance - greed - selfishness - bitterness and pain
b. How is it that we can believe in what we cannot see or feel? How is it that we can overcome the world in which we live day in and day out? When a person believes that Jesus is the Son of God, God gives them a new heart. We are born again, born not of the flesh but of the spirit.
- It means that God gives the believer the ability to overcome ALL of the trials and tribulations of life.
o John 16:33: These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
o 2 Timothy 4:18: And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
- It means that God gives the believer victory over all the difficulties in life.
o Romans 8:35, 37-39: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- It means that God has given the believer victory over sin.
o Romans 6:6-8 “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,”
o Romans 6:22: But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
- It means that we have victory over death.
o John 5:24: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
o Hebrews 2:14-15: Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
- It means God gave us victory over judgment
o John 3:16-18: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- It means that God gives victory over the fears of this life and fills our lives with Peace, Love and Joy.
o John 14:27: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
o John 16:33: These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Conclusion: I ask the question again; are you “born again?” Now you know how to tell:
1. Do you believe in Jesus as the Christ?
a. That it was the voice of the Lord Jesus that spoke all things into being.
b. He wasn’t just a good man or a prophet.
c. He was, is and will always be the Christ, the Son of God, Holy and righteous one that saw it not improper to be called equal to God.
d. That He came to the earth, as a man, lived a sinless life, was crucified fulfilling the prophecies, laid in the grave for three days, rose from the dead, becoming the first born of the resurrection, and after 40 days ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.
2. Do you obey and keep God’s commandments.
a. Not man’s but God’s.
3. Have you overcome the world?
a. This is a lifelong journey not a singular event.
If you can answer yes to these questions, then you are indeed born again. If not then you need to come to know Jesus. You need to truly turn your life over to Him and receive the peace of God “that surpasses all understanding.” It is only then that you will truly have communion with God.
