Turning to Janet, “Jan, did you turn off the stove?” Isn’t it amazing how a simple question often prompts a person to have serious doubt?
Those under the influence of Gnosticism in Asia created doubt among many of the believers. John Stott “conjectured that their secession was due probably to their failure to convert many of the church members.” (Bryson, p. 113) John, the beloved pastor, taught the church in such a manner that they could answer the questions posed by the Gnostics.
The Gnostics posed doctrinal and ethical questions:
• Was Jesus really human?
• Do you honestly believe Jesus was really the Son of God?
• Do you really have to take Christ’s commands seriously?
In the book of I John we learn how to answer these questions.
You will not find a passage that exceeds I John 4:13-5:5 on Christian certainty:
• “By this we know...” 4:13
• “So we know...” 4:16
• “That we may have confidence...” 4:17
• “By this we know...” 5:2
????´s??
ghin-oce'-ko
A prolonged form of a primary verb; to “know” (absolutely), in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as shown at left, with others not thus clearly expressed): - allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) known (-ledge), perceive, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.
Questions arise, but we can know.
• Rationalism produces doubt.
• Skepticism encourages doubt.
• Agnosticism causes one not to be sure.
• Moral permissiveness raises many questions.
• Science and technology want observable answers. (Bryson, p. 114)
• Emotional spiritualism, where personal revelation is considered above exposition of Scripture, leads to a warped self-centered theology.
Yet, John gives us a great checklist for periodically evaluating our Christian position.
People often have a prescribed standard by which they want to measure one’s spirituality. If you do not “do” spirituality the way their tradition does it, you aren’t spiritual. (e.g., traditionalism, progressivism, charismatic tradition, holiness tradition, social justice tradition, evangelical tradition etc.). Too many have confused style and form with genuine spirituality.
Under the inspiration of God Himself, John cuts through the fluff of puffed-up religious zealots and provides a basic test for knowing our position in the Lord. In our text John gives 5 characteristics we can use to make sure we are spiritually okay. I have put them in the form of 5 questions.
FIVE QUESTIONS TO GUIDE YOU TOWARD ASSURANCE AND CREDIBILITY OF CHRISTIAN WITNESS TO THE WORLD:
I. ARE YOU SENSITIVE TO THE EFFECTUAL PRESENCE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE? 4:13
Twenty-four times in I John we read about the concept of “abiding.” This means that the believer is inhabited by Christ. The triune God takes up residency in our lives. The New Testament does not have three Gods or two Gods.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Deuteronomy 6:4
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Mark 12:29
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? John 14:9
The New Testament knows God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; yet it presents them as one. We serve a triune God. Frank Stagg, New Testament Theology, says,
One may suggest that in his transcendence he is known as Father, in his immanence (His presence in the physical world) as Holy Spirit, and in his ultimate presence and self-disclosure as Son. (p. 39)
We become sensitive to the effectual presence of God in our life when we see evidence of his work within our lives. When he is present, we will see a magnification of the spiritual gifts:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other. Galatians 5:22ff
The first characteristic for making sure you are a Christian: “We know that we live in Him and He in us.”
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
II. HAVE YOU ACKNOWLEDGED AND CONFESSED JESUS AS GOD INCARNATE?
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. 1 John 4:14-16
John gives us another characteristic of a true believer: they have confessed Jesus as the Son of God. What does this mean? John the Baptist expressed it this way,
"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
John expressed it this way,
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10
There is a tendency to minimize the emphasis that the Gospel places upon confessing our faith in the Son. Why is confession important? It gives us a point of reference. I recall visiting with Henry Allen’s nephew, who was dying with cancer. I witnessed to him and asked him in front of his family, “Has there been a time in your life when you cried out to God, admitting you had sinned and you were in need of Jesus’ forgiveness?” That was a forthright question; however, it was a critical question for him and one that was important to his family. Confession begins with the process of being honest with self.
Nothing brings greater assurance than knowing you have confessed Jesus as the Son of God.
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Confessing Jesus as the Son of God is Christianity 101, not advanced theology. Confession lets us know we are on the team–we may not hit a homerun.
Second characteristic for knowing you are a Christian: A continual confession of Jesus as the living and abiding Son of God.
III. CAN YOU SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT YOU ARE GROWING IN THE LOVE OF GOD? 4:17-21
If we truly abide in Christ, what is the result? We grow proactively in the love of God. John uses the word t??e??? {tel-I-o'-o} in verse 17–translated perfect or complete.
This is how love is made complete tete?e??ta? () among us so that we will have confidence pa???s?a? on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:17-18
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished (te?e??´?, tel-i-o'-o).” With that, he bowed his head and gave up (surrendered) his spirit. John 19:30 (NIV)
That is how confident we can be as we abide, remain, in Jesus. It means an ongoing growing experience. He is not saying we arrive and live a flawless life; however, he is suggesting that development toward maturity is evident.
John uses the word “confidence”, pa???s?a? {par-rhay-see'-ah} ) 3 times (2:28; 3:21, 4:17). The word relates to freedom in speaking. What is the basis for such boldness?
It has to do with our relationship with God. Positionally, if we have believed and confessed Jesus is God incarnate and the one whose sacrificial love serves as a way for us to be forgiven, as believers we are children of God and we are confident he has accepted us.
To paraphrase John, if you love God and if you are growing in your ability to love other people, that love will dispel any fear. The deeper in meaning our willingness to forgive the greater we are aware of Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. How is this?
From a purely human perspective we can forgive little injustices; however, the greater the hurt and injustice the more it takes Christ.
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Galatians 2:19-21
Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.
The third characteristic for knowing you are a Christian: You love God supremely and you see evidence of your ability to love others equally.
IV. DO YOU FAITHFULLY SEEK TO OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD?
True believers take on another characteristic–they understand that a genuine union with the Lord Jesus Christ leads to humble obedience. Sadly, many get stuck with the belief that the Christian experience is a continuous euphoric experience that is void of challenge and risk. Tell that to Jesus as he hangs on the cross. Tell that to Peter as he hangs upside down. Tell that to Stephen as he feels the rock pelting his body. Tell that to Jeremiah as he faces the condemnation of his audience.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 1 John 5:1-3
Yet, let me say that there is a greater sense in which obedience to the Lord is never difficult. In I John 5:3 love and obedience are woven together. Listen again to verse 3.
While the commands of the Lord are not effortlessly brought to fruition, they are not heavy. Why? Because we take great delight in our relationship with the heavenly father and we want to fulfill the will of God.
An old story illustrates how when love is the dominant motivator no task for God is too great.
A man saw a boy carrying a larger boy on his back. He inquired, “Son, isn’t that boy heavy?” The smaller boy replied, “No, sir, he’s not heavy, he’s my brother!”
Several questions for us to ponder. Do I honestly desire to do the will of the Father? Am I obeying his commands? Do I find great joy in doing what the Lord wants? But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. Jeremiah 20:9
Fourth characteristic for knowing you are a Christian: You listen and obey the commandments of God.
V. ARE YOU AN “OVERCOMER” – ARE YOUR STRUGGLES WITH THE CONSTANT PULL OF THE WORLD MADE EASIER BY YOUR LOVE FOR AND DEVOTION TO JESUS CHRIST?
We live in a real world–a fallen world. The evilness of the world system tempts us to forget God and forsake his ways. In Paul’s writings he lets us know that the pressure can slip into the church. John lets us in on a little secret, believers do not have to be defeated by the world.
John reminds us that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only answer for overcoming the struggles of living in a real world.
In Ephesians Paul talks about how our struggles are “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12) God does not want us to put our focus on these forces. He calls for us to put our faith in Jesus. Listen to how Paul expresses this challenge and opportunity:
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:10ff
The fifth characteristic for knowing you are a Christian: Your faith is consistently expressed by your belief that Jesus is the Son of God.
CONCLUSION
Remember that John is speaking to a group of believers who are in danger of becoming confused. The fingers of Gnosticism were complex. They affected every doctrine of the church, the lifestyle of believers, and body life–to include worship. Yet, in John’s desire to encourage the believers and build their confidence, he focuses on two things. A double test if you will: Do you believe Jesus is God incarnate? Do you know you are loved, and do you love in the manner Jesus loves us?
These questions are extremely critical. They are not theoretical questions; they deserve an answer. The 5 questions I have raised fit under the two matters John holds before the reader: Belief and Love. Following are the question and my response; your response should flow from the inner depths of your soul.
1. Am I sensitive to the effectual presence of God in my life? Yes! For I spend a great deal of time walking with him and talking with him.
2. Have I acknowledged and confessed Jesus as God incarnate? Yes! Not only did I do just that at the age of nine, but I also continually confess Him as the Son of God who takes away our sin. I rejoice in the fact that in hospitals, jails, on airplanes, in malls or wherever I may find myself I am not ashamed to confess him in such a way that others acknowledge and confess him and Lord and Savior.
3. Can I say with certainty that I am growing in the love of God? Yes! I have a clear picture of what he has done and is doing in my life. Every day I learn from him and put into practice the loving things he brings into my life. I see him do things through my fragile body that only can be described as the work of God.
4. Do I faithfully seek to obey the commandments of God? Yes! My number one value is to be useful in my service to Jesus. I seek to let him rule supremely in my life.
5. Are my struggles with the world made easier by my love for and devotion to Jesus Christ? Yes! I love Jesus supremely and tell him all the time. Over twenty years ago I determined he would be the center of my love and the heart of my devotion. There has been no turning back. If anything, my love for Jesus and devotion to him has become stronger.
How do you answer these questions? The Mouk story illustrates the dramatic response to the Gospel by this tribe in Papua New Guinea. They moved from a history of murderous sorcery and deceit, to a life changing understanding of the love of God. Can you say to each of these questions “EE-Taow!”—It Is True—as the Mouk tribe would say to the Good News?
