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---.’
& now we are ABLE to LOVE GOD back
But if GOD had NOT 1st LOVED US we wouldn’t KNOW HOW to LOVE GOD. We FOLLOW GOD’S EXAMPLE of LOVE toward us.
Now here is his FINAL POINT.
If GOD is LOVE & LOVE is of GOD & JESUS is the EXPRESSION of HIS LOVE for us & we can LOVE GOD because HE 1st LOVED us, then we are to ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
If we are TRULY BORN AGAIN then we PASS this LOVE TEST:
If we HATE SOMEONE then we’re NOT really BORN AGAIN.
But LOOK at WHAT they have DONE to ME!
Surely I don’t have to LOVE THEM.
The WORLD DID NOT TREAT GOD RIGHT anything but RIGHT but NOTICE HOW GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS LOVE TOWARD the WORLD.
John 4:11 JOHN’S POINT:
‘Beloved, if GOD so LOVED us, then we also ought to LOVE one another.’
HOW do we KNOW GOD LOVES US? HE MANIFESTED HIS LOVE!
HE SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON into the WORLD to DIE for OUR SINS.
There is so much FALSE, HYPOCRITICAL LOVE among PEOPLE who refer to themselves as CHRISTIANS.
MOST of it is ONLY WORDS.
I Corinthians 13: DESCRIBES GENUINE LOVE:
KIND PATIENT LONG SUFFERING GENTLE THINKS NO EVIL.
REJOICES NOT IN INQUITY BEARS ALL THINGS
BELIEVES ALL THINGS SELFLESS
When we are BORN AGAIN GOD PLACES HIS LOVE within OUR HEARTS
There are SOME PEOPLE who are at BEST—DIFFICULT to LOVE but we manage.
“I MUST be a CHRISTIAN for I LOVE that PERSON!’
The LOVE TEST:
Romans 15:20 ‘Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsts give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon their head.’
LOVE SHARES:
LOVE THINKS of OTHERS:
LOVE SEEKS NOT REVENGE or JUSTICE.
LOVE is MERCIFUL & KIND.
For the LIFE of me I have NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW BORN AGAIN PEOPLE can DO SOME of the THINGS they DO & STILL CLAIM to be SAVED.
We have to PASS the LOVE TEST.
I John 2: 11 ‘But he that hates his brother is in darkness, & walks in darkness, & KNOWS NOT whither he goes, because that darkness has blinded his eyes.’
TEST # 4: The GROWTH TEST:
I John 5:4 ‘For whatever is BORN of GOD overcomes the world & this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.’
The BIBLE says IF we are BORN of GOD we DEVELOP an OVERCOMING SPIRIT in OUR HEARTS.
We DO NOT GET that OVERCOMING SPIRIT IMMEDIATELY.
It is SOMETHING that DEVELOPS as we GROW in the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
When we 1st get SAVED we ALL START OUT as SPIRITUAL BABES.
However, according to JOHN if we are truly BORN AGAIN we will begin to GROW & BECOME STRONGER so that the THINGS that ONCE DEFEATED US & OVERCAME US; they NO LONGER will have the POWER & the PULL they ONCE had.
This is a VERY WICKED WORLD, & it is FILLED with its TEMPTATIONS & SENSATIONS & there is a LOT to OVERCOME. Amen?
But LISTEN to JOHN here:
By THIS we can KNOW that we are BORN AGAIN; if we are GROWING in CHRIST & we are ALLOWING CHRIST & HIS POWER & HIS STRENGTH & HIS MIGHT to WORK WITHIN US as we OVERCOME the THINGS of this WORLD that would LOVE to DESTROY us.
It is a THRILL as a PASTOR to WATCH PEOPLE as they GROW in their WALK with GOD. They are NOT LETTING THINGS DEFEAT THEM.
But at the same time it is SAD as a PASTOR to WATCH PEOPLE who PROFESS to being BORN AGAIN yet they are CONTINUALLY DEFEATED TIME AFTER TIME by the VERY SAME THINGS.
That is such a DEFEATING SPIRIT! There is NO VICTORY in that!
I read a STORY once of a man that was APPLYING for a JOB to be a STAGE COACH DRIVER back during the days of the OLD WEST.
They asked him: ‘How CLOSE to the edge of this cliff do you think you could get & still maintain a safe control?’ & the man answered: “Oh, I could get very close, just a few inches away. I am that good of a driver.’ But he did NOT GET the JOB.
Another man also APPLIED for the same job & he too was ASKED the SAME QUESTION. ‘How CLOSE to the edge of this cliff do you think you could get & still maintain a safe control?’ & the man answered: “Oh I am afraid I would not attempt to get near the edge. I would stay as far away from the edge as I possibly could.’ & this man RECEIVED the JOB.
The POINT:
A BORN AGAIN person does NOT on HIS OWN PLACE HIMSELF in a DANGEROUS POSITION where he KNOWS HIS WEAKNESSES are. FOOLISH:
WE DON’T COME TOWARD TEMPTATIONS:
But WHEN TEMPTATIONS COME TO US we SHOULD NOT BE that BABY that we STARTED OUT BEING. We SHOULD BE a SOLDIER of the CROSS & ARMED & READY & STRONGER in the HOLY SPIRIT so that we can GIVE some VICTORIOUS TESTIMONIES to OTHERS WHO are STRUGGLING with their OWN BATTLES.
WHO BETTER to ENCOURAGE SOMEONE that is HAVING some HARD TIMES than SOMEONE ELSE that has had some HARD TIMES but is HOLDING UP under them THROUGH the POWER & the GRACE of the LORD JESUS CHRIST?
But WHAT sort of TESTIMONY does that PERSON HAVE that TESTIFIES to being BORN AGAIN for 10 or 15 or 20 YEARS but is STILL in the SPIRIT WEARING a DIAPER & SUCKING on a PACIFER & is STILL DIGESTING BABY FOOD.
How many of us KNOW there are some STRANGE PEOPLE in the WORLD?
An INCIDENT I recall when one year Sharon & I were DIRECTING YOUTH CAMP:
(Name Withheld) in Youth Camp: 11- t0 12 years old. His MOTHER had to come & WORK in the KITCHEN so she could FEED him SPECIAL FOOD that he would eat. He WASN’T SICK & REQUIRED a SPECIAL DIET. He was just a 11 -12 YEAR SPOILED BABY!
Proverbs 29:18 ‘WITHOUT a VISION the people PERISH.’
We NEED a VISION of us BECOMING LIKE JESUS! Amen Church:
The GREATEST DESIRE of a BORN AGAIN PERSON is to DO NOTHING that would be OFFENSIVE to the WORTHY NAME of JESUS CHRIST.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH should be a NATURAL THING to us.
In other words, we are DOING the THINGS that are REQUIRED for us to GROW but they have BECOME NOW just a NORMAL PART of our LIVES.
• TIME spent with GOD in PRAYER & in the WORD:
• TIME WORSHIPPING & PRAISING GOD:
• The GIVING of OURSELVES to GOD in SERVICE to HIM: (WORKING for GOD)
• BLESSING the WORK of the LORD with our TITHES & our OFFERINGS:
• OBTAINING VICTORY OVER the LOVE of MONEY & DEVELOPING THANKSGIVING.
• GROWING by DOING THINGS for OTHERS: Becoming PEOPLE MINDED. There is a MISSION FIELD all around us.
• A BORN AGAIN PERSON will GROW in the LORD!
Are we GROWING? This is an EXCELLENT TIME to do a PERSONAL EXAMANATION.
We CANNOT BLAME the LACK of SPIRITUAL GROWTH on the TIMES we are LIVING IN. Look at BROTHER NOAH in his day BEFORE the FLOOD.
We CANNOT BLAME the LACK of SPIRITUAL GROWTH on the CHURCH & its MINISTERS & its TEACHERS. MOST of the TIME, the MEASURE that we RECEIVE is DETERMINED by the MEASURE we have SOWN.
We CANNOT BLAME the LACK of SPIRITUAL GROWTH on OUR PERSONAL HARDSHIPS & STRUGGLES.
A BORN AGAIN PERSON will DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to GROW & to BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS CHRIST.
That SPIRITUAL VISION should ALWAYS BE there.
MANY PEOPLE who PROFESS to being BORN AGAIN go DAY AFTER doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to GROW SPIRITUALLY in GOD while the WORLD is like a LEACH SUCKING their LIFE BLOOD OUT of THEM day after day.
TEST #4 is that BORN AGAIN PEOPLE GROW & OVERCOME the WORLD!
1: The FAITH TEST
2: The LIGHT TEST
3: The LOVE TEST
4: The GROWTH TEST
& now
The LAST TEST
TEST #5: The TEST of SIN:
1 John 5:18 ‘We KNOW that whosoever is BORN of GOD DOES NOT SIN. But he that has been BORN of GOD keeps himself & that wicked one does not touch him.’
I John 3:6 ‘Whoever abides in HIM does not sin. Whoever sins has not seen HIM nor KNOWS HIM.’
I John 3:9 ‘Whoever has been BORN of GOD does not SIN, for HIS seed remains in him & he cannot sin because he has been BORN of GOD.’
Now these VERSES, especially VERSE #9 has PUZZLED more CHRISTIANS than perhaps any other SCRIPTURE.
If we’re NOT CAREFUL we would INTERPRET this VERSE to mean that ANYONE BORN of GOD will NEVER COMMIT a SIN. We ALL COME SHORT of the GLORY of GOD at times. NO ONE LIVES their LIFE in a SINLESS PERFECTION. There was ONLY ONE that did that & that was JESUS CHRIST.
Yet there is NO ONE that DOES NOT SIN after they are BORN AGAIN in some FORM or another.
But WHAT JOHN is talking about here is this:
WHOEVER is BORN of GOD TURNS AWAY from the LIFE of SIN.
The DEFINTION of SIN that JOHN is referring to is found in VERSE 4.
‘Whoever commits SIN also commits LAWLESSNESS & SIN is the TRANSGRESSION of the LAW.’
When JOHN speaks of SIN here he is REFERRING to DELIBERATE ACTS of DISOBEDIENCE that are AGAINST the LAWS of GOD.
It is a LIESTYLE of SIN.
INTENTIONAL REBELLION to the WILL of GOD:
REASON #1:
We CANNOT CONTINUE in our SINS for we KNOW HOW MUCH SIN HURTS GOD.
REASON #2:
But to a BORN AGAIN PERSON --- SIN also HURTS US BECAUSE we HURT GOD.
& we LOVE GOD TOO MUCH to CONTINUE to DELIBERATELY & WILLING HURT HIM.
The HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS US & LEADS US to IMMEDIATE REPENTANCE that SEEKS GOD’S FORGIVENESS.
I John 1:10 “If we confess our sin HE is faithful & just to forgive us our sin & to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’
BORN AGAIN PEOPLE do NOT make a PRACTICE of SINFUL LIVING!
COMMITTING SIN OVER & OVER AGAIN:
REASON #3:
BORN AGAIN PEOPLE have the NATURE of GOD placed within us.
The OLD NATURE of SIN has been REMOVED.
‘ If any man be IN CHRIST he is a new creature. Behold old things have passed away & behold all things have become new.
We NEVER KNOW when our LAST DAY upon this EARTH will be.
LIVE it TODAY as if it were our VERY LAST.
These 5 TESTS:
THE FAITH TEST:
THE LIGHT TEST:
THE LOVE TEST:
THE GROWTH TEST:
THE SIN TEST:
We can KNOW that we are SAVED..
Don’t LET the DEVIL or ANYONE SELL us SOMETHING that we really DO NOT POSSESS when JESUS DIED so that we MAY HAVE the REAL THING.
We MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
Give me that old time religion, its good enough for me!
