Title: “Assurance Leads to Confidence” Scripture: I John 5:13-19
Type: series Where: GNBC 8-18-24
Intro: nearly 100 yrs ago, in LA, there was a person called the “Human Fly.” This man could literally climb the sides of department store buildings and slide along the walls without help. He was a master climber. One Friday afternoon, a crowd gathered to watch him climb. He had already climbed twenty stories and had ten more to go. Suddenly, he stopped moving. It appeared that he was looking for something to hold on to so he might continue his climb to the top of the building. Gradually, they saw his right hand moving to the side of the building, as if trying to get hold of something there. Suddenly, he lost his footing and fell to his death. When they pried open his right hand, they found he was clutching a cobweb. What he thought could hold him did not. There are a lot of people like that. They are grasping for the wrong truths. Their faith is in the wrong object. Since they do not have belief in the Resurrection, their faith is futile and is headed for failure and defeat. Trust in Christ’s Res. should give us assurance and confidence.
Prop:
BG: 1. We are nearing the end of our time in I John. Next week will be last. Have a new series for Fall.
2. I John has been a wonderful study in doctrine and personal application. Warned against heretics while encouraging the faithful to remain…faithful.
3. a
Prop:
I. John’s Emphasis on the Believer’s Assurance v. 13
A. John begins this section by reaffirming the believer’s assurance of salvation and new life.
1. John begins this section by stating something that seems very similar to another of his writings.
a. V.13 sounds very similar to another verse that the aged Apostle wrote: John 20:31. (Read) John is saying the exact same thing here in I Jn. 5:13 as he did in Jn. 20:31, correct? No! Notice very carefully and you will see the difference.
b. Jn. 20:31/Gospel of John is written to lead a non-Christian to faith in Jesus Christ. Gospels were their own unique form of literature. A type of biography for belief. In his Gospel, John includes many of the miracles of Jesus. Illust: Anyone reading through the first three Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—will immediately notice their striking similarities. The three tell many of the same stories, sometimes with identical wording, and follow the same basic storyline. These three Gospels are called the “Synoptic” (synoptic means “a common perspective”). While ninety percent of Mark’s stories appear in either Matthew or Luke, ninety percent of the Fourth Gospel — the Gospel of John — is unique. One commentator calls John the “maverick” Gospel. Unashamedly evangelistic.
2. John’s letter (I John) was written for the believer to have assurance.
a. “to you who believe in the Name…” I imagine John was at least in part thinking, well, if you have read my Gospel, you have been introduced to the person of Christ. Now, if you believe, then…read this…
b. Assurance of salvation…here and now. V.13 – “You who believe/you have eternal life”. Illust: In part because of the type of Church I became a Christian in, and in part because of my own temperament and sin struggles, assurance of salvation was a hard thing for me to grasp early in my relationship with Christ. What John is saying here goes against the grain of many of our own perceptions/experiences. The verbs are in the present tense. In other words, we are not to grow gradually, over time, in assurance, rather, we possess it here and now in Christ and are to live in that truth.
B. Assurance of Salvation is a Knowable Truth.
1.as
a. All of us as Christians have times when doubt makes us question if we're saved. For some, those times are but fleeting moments; for some, they last a long time; and for others, they seem like a way of life. Puritan Thomas Brooks wrote, "Assurance is the believer's ark where he sits, Noah-like, quiet and still in the midst of all distractions and destructions, commotions and confusions.... [However] most Christians live between fears and hopes, and hang, as it were, between heaven and hell.
b. Illust: The Westminster Confession of Faith insists that Christians may be “certainly assured that they are in the state of grace” (18:1) and goes on to assert that this “infallible assurance of faith” is “founded upon” three considerations: “the divine truth of the promises of salvation”
“the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made” “the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are children of God” (18:2). The possibility of “certain” and “infallible” assurance is set against the backdrop of medieval and post-Reformation Roman Catholic views that paralyzed the believer with an "assurance" that was at best wishful thinking, based on rigorous participation in a sacramental treadmill that had to be continually run if there was to be any hope at all.
2. Assurance is based on the WOG.
a. Illust: Many Christians are buffeted by nagging doubts about their salvation. They long for some reassuring word—some evidence that they are truly saved. An elderly man said to Pastor H. A. Ironside, “I will not go on unless I know I’m saved, or else know it’s hopeless to seek to be sure of it. I want a definite witness, something I can’t be mistaken about!” Ironside replied, “Suppose you had a vision of an angel who told you your sins were forgiven. Would that be enough to rest on?” “Yes, I think it would. An angel should be right.” Ironside continued, “But suppose on your deathbed Satan came and said, ‘I was that angel, transformed to deceive you.’ What would you say?” The man was speechless. Ironside then told him that God has given us something more dependable than the voice of an angel. He has given His Son, who died for our sins, and He has testified in His own Word that if we trust Him, all our sins are gone. Ironside read 1 John 5:13, “You may know that you have eternal life.” Then he said, “Is that not enough to rest on? It is a letter from heaven expressly to you.” God’s Spirit used that to bring assurance to the man’s heart. (D.J.D., Our Daily Bread, October 8)
b. Do you trust the WOG? Do you KNOW that YOU have eternal life?
C. Applic:
II. Assurance Gives us Confidence to Perform 3 Important Functions… vv.14-19
A. To Approach and Petition God in Prayer vv.14-15
1. Assurance of Salvation Gives us a Boldness to Pray.
a. Illust- A few years ago Carol and M &D and I went to AiG’s “Ark Encounter” in Kentucky. The life-size replica of the ark is amazing, and is a faith building experience for the believer. However, at the “Ark Encounter” there is another, not quite so spiritual “faith building experience” at “The Ark Encounter”… Zip Lines! I had never been on a zip line in my life and thought no better time. Now my kids have said before that I have a fear of heights. I do not. I have a healthy aversion to falling from heights! About a 20 minute safety course. Demonstrated you are cabled in at all times. 1st test about 20’ high by 200’ run. When successfully ran that line and experienced the confidence in the safety gear, gave confidence in higher, longer, and faster zip lines! (PICTURE)
b. Assurance of salvation gives us this boldness to come to our Father in prayer. Heb. 4:16 states: “Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” (NASB). Now, John is giving us a general principle here. That general principle is that if we ask for anything according to God’s will, He hears and will answer that request.
2. Why Can We Have Confidence in Coming before God in Prayer?
a. Illust – You might be thinking, well, I remember in Lk 18:9-14, Jesus telling parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Jesus told that parable to convict those who were “confident in their own righteousness”, The Pharisee prayed, thanking God that he was not “ a sinner like the tax collector”. The tax collector, recognized his sinful condition and wouldn’t even look up to heaven, but simply begged God: “Have mercy on me, God, a sinner.”
b. How then does the Christian not be an arrogant braggart like the Pharisee and yet not fall into the pitiful position of the tax collector? Theology matters! Imputed Righteousness, that’s how! When an individual trusts Christ and repents of sin, he/she becomes a Christian and is at that moment declared legally and forensically right before God. Christ didn’t just die for you, He also lived for you! Man has two major problems. He is under the condemnation of sin and under the power of sin. When Christ died and rose and you believed in that truth, the issue of condemnation was gone immediately and forever! You were justified by faith. Regeneration took care of the power of sin in your and my life… Rom. 8:1-2 “There is therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
3. As Believers We Can Have Boldness in Prayer Because God is our Father.
a. John has already brought up this idea of having confidence in prayer and of a promise of answered prayer, if we are obedient to God (3:21-22). Here, he repeats it for emphasis. Prayer is not optional for God’s children. It is absolutely essential, because if you do not pray, you are not living by faith in God. If you do not pray, you are trusting in yourself, which is exactly how the world lives. Prayer is to be a natural desire for God’s children to want to spend time with their Father.
b. Illust: We can have boldness to enter in to our Father’s presence. Thomas (Tad) Lincoln, was the 4th and youngest of Abraham Lincoln’s sons. Tad was 10 yrs old during the bleak summer of 1863, midpoint of the Civil War. To the absolute consternation of the President’s cabinet, the young Lincoln would often burst into great and important meetings of state with some boyish story of adventure or woe. The President would always show his son compassion, listening intently, and often allowing him to cuddle up in his lap. Why was Tad Lincoln allowed into the Oval Office??? Why was he so tenderly treated? Because he was the great man’s son! Dear one, we have access to God when we are born again because we have become His son or daughter! Don’t ever think He has too important of matters He is dealing with in the Universe not to take time to hear from his child!
B. Assurance Gives Us Confidence to Confront a Sinning Brother vv.16-17
1. Assurance of One’s Salvation Gives the Christian Confidence to Care for the Salvation of Another. (It’s not meddling. It’s caring!)
a. Historically, there have been 3 marks that determine if a group of people is or is not a church: 1. Biblical preaching. 2. Administration of the Sacraments/Ordinances (Baptism and Communion) 3. Administration of Church Discipline (Godfrey, The Marks of a Church, Ligionier.) Probably most would agree with the first two points, but possibly have never considered the third…Discipline!
b. Illust: A sullen and guilty Cain, when questioned by God about his brother’s condition replied: “I know not, am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9). Now, Cain was guilty of murder. However, we often take a similar approach of denial and avoidance when seeing a professing Christian in flagrant sin. James 5:20 declares: “remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” But, John’s words set up an interpretive dilemma. If this person is a brother, then why does he need life? Don’t believers already have new life from God? This had led interpreters into two camps. Some say that John is using the word “brother” loosely, to refer to a professing Christian, who is not truly saved. They interpret life to mean conversion, moving from spiritual death to spiritual life (see 3:14). But others say that brother means a true Christian, and thus they interpret life to mean either restoration to fellowship with God or preservation of physical life.
2. This promise does not apply to a person committing a sin that leads to death.
a. John makes it clear (5:17) that while all unrighteousness is sin, some sins lead to death, whereas other sins are not unto death. John does not forbid praying for someone committing a sin leading to death, but he does not extend the promise that God will grant life to such persons.
b. This verse easily has 4 different interpretations from a whole host of good theologians. Included: 1. some terrible sin that God will not forgive, ie.e murder, adultery, denial of Christ, etc. Problem is that the Bible does declare forgiveness for these. Illust: David, Solomon, Peter and Paul would be in hell! 2. Some think this is a warning against blasphemy of the HS (Mt. 12:31-32). Doesn’t seem plausible here. 3. Some believe this is what is example of apostasy by a professing Christian (Heb. 6:4-6) 4. Physical death inflicted by either God or circumstances on believers who persist in some sin. Illust: Wait? The God of the NT doesn’t act that way, right? Remember Annanias and Sapphira in Acts 5? Struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit. It’s important not to lose site of what’s being said in this verse. Don’t get lost in the weeds worry about how the dead person in the passage died, but rather, PRAY FOR THE LIVING individual who is in persistent sin.
c. This passage implies a very important principle. We are to be involved in the lives of other Christians. We are to lovingly challenge others. When we are in communion and fellowship with other fallen sinners it can be difficult. Other Christians aren’t perfect. Our attitude does matter. Our rough edges or the rough edges of our brother or sister with either annoy you and rub you wrong, or will polish you and smooth off your and my sharp edges. (Illust – Might I say we have recently seen the need to apply this passage in the Church at large.)
C. Assurance Gives Us confidence to Face the World. Vv.18-19
1. We know that no One Born of God lives in Habitual Sin. V.18
a. After just giving this warning about a believer living in sin, he want to make sure that his readers don’t mistakenly think that it’s normal for true children of God to live in sin. So, he restates the same point that he made in 3:4-10, “that no one who is born of God sins.” Sins is in the present tense, which allows for the sense of “continually sin.” Since John has clearly said that believers do sin (1:8, 10; 2:1; 5:16), he must mean here that no genuine child of God lives in a state of sin.
b. Illust: John is saying that the new birth has an obvious result, namely, a righteous life. While true believers do fall into sin, they cannot live in it indefinitely. The changed nature results in changed behavior. If a pig falls into a mud hole, he wallows in it and doesn’t try to get out, because that is its nature. But if a sheep falls in a mud hole, it wants to get out, get cleaned up, and avoid that hole in the future, because it has a different nature. So it is with a true child of God.
2. We know that We are God’s and Not Controlled By the Power of the Evil One.
a. This is a restatement of 2:15, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Throughout the letter, John has drawn a sharp line between believers and the world (3:1, 13; 4:4, 5; 5:4, 5). He does not allow for a middle category, of true believers who keep one foot in the world. Either you are “of God” and separate from this evil world, or you are of the world and you lie in the arms of the evil one.
b. Look at v. 19. John describes the whole world as lying in the power (or arms) of the evil one. The picture is not of frantic captives, desperately trying to escape this depraved tyrant. Rather, they lie quietly in his evil clutches, oblivious to their tragic plight. Makes me think of Samson being held in the arms of Delilah. Thinking he was fine and in control of the situation, until it enslaved, blinded, and ultimately, killed him. We, however, are not of the world. We are not ignorant of the enemy’s schemes. We are more than overcomers in Christ Jesus!
D. Conclusion: Illust: In 1921, Thomas Edison, with many inventions to his credit, said, “We don’t know the millionth part of one percent about anything. We don’t know what water is. We don’t know what light is. We don’t know what gravitation is. We don’t know what electricity is. We don’t know what heat is. We have a lot of hypotheses about these things, but that is all. But we do not let our ignorance about all these things deprive us of their use” (cited by Lehman Strauss, Sense and Nonsense About Prayer [Moody Press], p. 122). In the same way, there is much that we do not understand about prayer, praying for a sinning brother, or how God keeps His children from the power of evil in the world. But, we should not let that keep us from applying what we do know! We do know that if we are children of God, so in that assurance let us live in confidence!
