Abiding Confession, Abiding God - 1 John 4:15 (NLT)
Introduction: A Faith That Holds in a Shaking World
We are living in a restless age. Identities are curated, beliefs are customised, and truth is often treated like a preference rather than a reality. In such a world, the apostle John writes with pastoral clarity and apostolic authority. He does not invite us to a vague spirituality or a private faith. He calls us to a public, personal, and persevering confession of Jesus Christ.
John’s concern is discipleship that lasts. Not momentary enthusiasm, but a life abiding—rooted, secure, and fruitful in God. And at the heart of that discipleship is a confession that anchors the soul.
1 John 4:15 (NLT): “All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.”
This single verse is a mountain peak of Christian truth. It answers three of life’s biggest questions: Who is Jesus? What does it mean to follow Him? And how can we be sure that God lives in us?
The First Letter of John was written to churches under pressure—pressure from false teachers who denied the true identity of Jesus Christ. These teachers claimed spiritual enlightenment while rejecting the incarnation, the cross, and the exclusive Lordship of Christ.
John responds not with speculation, but with certainty. Christianity, he insists, stands or falls on who Jesus is. Discipleship is not merely ethical improvement; it is relational union with God through the Son.
The verse before us, 1 John 4:15, stands in a section where John weaves together truth, love, and assurance. Right belief about Jesus leads to right relationship with God, which then produces right living in love.
1 John 4:15 (NLT): “All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.”
1. “All who confess” — The Call to Open Allegiance
The Greek word for confess is ?µ?????? (homologeo)—meaning to say the same thing, to agree openly, to declare publicly. This is not a private opinion whispered in the heart; it is a public allegiance declared with the mouth and lived with the life.
To confess Jesus is to align yourself with heaven’s verdict about Him.
R.T. Kendall: “The Christian faith is not proved by how much we know, but by whom we openly confess.”
Kendall is right. Knowledge can puff up, but confession humbles us before Christ and anchors us to Him. Discipleship begins not with silence, but with surrender.
In a culture that tolerates everything except exclusive truth, confessing Jesus as the Son of God will cost you something. But it will also give you everything.
2. “That Jesus is the Son of God” — The Content of True Faith
John is precise. The confession is not merely that Jesus is a teacher, prophet, or moral example. He is the Son of God.
This title affirms:
His divinity — fully God.
His incarnation — God made flesh.
His authority — Lord over all.
John 1:14 (NLT): “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.”
Greek Insight: Logos (Word) speaks of eternal pre-existence and divine self-expression. Jesus is God explained in human flesh.
Tim Keller: “If Jesus is the Son of God, you cannot merely like Him. You must either worship Him or reject Him.”
Keller exposes the impossibility of neutrality. Discipleship demands a decision.
Many admire Jesus; fewer obey Him. But only those who confess Him as the Son of God truly follow Him.
3. “Have God living in them” — The Miracle of Indwelling
This is staggering. The infinite God chooses to dwell in finite people.
The verb µ??e? (menei)—abide, remain, dwell—speaks of permanence, not visitation. God does not rent space in the believer; He makes His home.
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT): “Don’t you realise that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”
Imagine a derelict house, uninhabitable and broken. Salvation is not God visiting that house—it is God renovating it, moving in, and making it His dwelling place.
Charles Stanley: “When Christ takes up residence in your life, nothing remains untouched.”
Stanley reminds us that indwelling grace produces transforming power.
Discipleship is not self-improvement; it is Spirit-empowered transformation.
4. “And they live in God” — Mutual Abiding
Christianity is relational before it is behavioural. We live in God as God lives in us.
John 15:4 (NLT): “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.”
This mutual abiding produces fruit, endurance, and assurance.
John Piper: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
Abiding is not duty-driven drudgery; it is joy-fuelled devotion.
Discipleship means cultivating daily communion with God—through Scripture, prayer, obedience, and love.
Gospel Presentation: The Heart of the Confession
To confess Jesus as the Son of God is to confess the Gospel itself.
Jesus Christ:
Died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
Was buried, fully entering our death.
Rose again, triumphing over sin, Satan, and the grave.
1 Peter 2:24 (NLT): “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.”
This Gospel demands a response: repentance and faith.
Application and Call to Action
Confess Christ openly — Let your allegiance be clear.
Abide daily — Make space for God’s Word and Spirit.
Live distinctively — Let indwelling grace shape visible obedience.
A compass only works when aligned with true north. A disciple only flourishes when aligned with Christ.
Invitation to Salvation:
If you have never confessed Jesus Christ as the Son of God and trusted Him as Saviour and Lord, today is the day of salvation. Turn from sin. Trust in Christ. Receive forgiveness, new life, and the indwelling presence of God.
(Romans 10:9 (NLT): “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Conclusion and Benediction
Discipleship is not about perfection, but about abiding confession and faithful perseverance.
May you confess Christ boldly, abide in Him deeply, and live for Him fully.
1 John 2:28 (NLT): “And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ.”
Amen.
