Sermon Series: “Blessed Assurance”
Sermon #3: “Birthmarks of a Believer (B)”
Text: I John 5:13
INTRODUCTION: Welcome to week 3 of a 5 week study on how to be assured of our salvation.
We have learned so far that true salvation lies in our being ‘born again’ by God’s Grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, and that we can add nothing to that with our good works.
Many people teach that:
Faith + Good Works = Justification & Grace (WRONG!)
But the Bible teaches that it is our faith alone that saves us, and our works are the natural bi-product of saving faith:
Grace + Faith = Justification & Good Works (RIGHT!)
This is spelled out in Paul’s epistle to the church of Ephesus (a familiar passage)
Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
This truth is hard for many people to comprehend, and they ultimately end up adding a whole list of “Must’s” to faith for salvation
I.E. “To really be saved one MUST…” or “Along with faith one MUST…”
NOTE: I want to be perfectly clear that this is not the intent of the list I began last week – I am not adding any WORKS to faith for justification
I am simply teaching the truth of God’s Word that “saving faith” will ALWAYS be accompanied by good works, or it is not truly “saving faith”
With that in mind, let’s look again to the bi-products of authentic faith that we began to see last week.
You will remember we learned last week the first three birthmarks were:
- Fellowship with Jesus and the Father
- Sensitivity to Sin
- Obedience to God’s Word
***Today we will continue with three more ‘birthmarks of true believers’…
I. Rejection of Evil in the World
a. I John 2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
b. The word “Love” speaks of our hearts deepest desires and goals
i. A love for this world would be a heart that desires the things of this world over Godly things
ii. This is, perhaps, the most unsettling of all of the tests
iii. Because most people, including Christians, are infatuated with all this world has to offer them
1. How many televangelists shower us with ideas that God is out for us to have wealth and prosperity in this life?
2. QUOTE: “The most popular “Bible” teachers of today are the ones who are spouting that “God wants you to be wealthy” rather than “God wants you to be Holy”
3. Most of them will tell you that the only thing keeping you from material wealth is that you haven’t ‘claimed’ God’s promise of riches
iv. To say we are to ‘not love the world’ goes against most people’s natural desires
c. The word “world” is not speaking of the ‘soil’ we walk on, but the ‘system’ we live in
i. This is teaching that the worldly system around us is sinful, and we are to love righteousness and not desire to be a part of it
ii. This is not saying that we can never have ‘joy’ or ‘enjoy anything’ – but that we must reject the evil that is in the world
d. It helps when we discern who is really controlling the world’s system
i. I John 5:19 “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the control of the wicked one.”
ii. The Bible clearly teaches that the world’s system is guided by wickedness, rather than holiness
iii. Illustration(s) “Satan’s Control” Just look around us…
1. The most popular movies and video games in the world glorify sex, violence and drugs
2. “Grand Theft Auto” along with glorifying recklessness, gives the player extra points for picking up prostitutes and then killing them
3. “South Park” is a cartoon depicting young children with foul mouths making jokes about sex, drugs, pornography… while of course blasting Christianity
a. NOTE: Was rated as one of the Top 10 best cartoons of all time by an internet web poll
b. Whatever happened to Bugs Bunny? Yosemite Sam? Mickey Mouse?
4. Music isn’t any better – one of the most popular musicians in America is a young man who received fame from writing a song about beating and killing his ex-wife
5. Did you know that even pedophiles have a coalition now? NAMBLA “North American Man-Boy Love Association” (Not Kidding)
iv. QUOTE: This world’s system teaches us that:
1. Abortion on demand, pornography, illicit sex, drugs, alcoholism, homosexuality, perversion and the most heinous debauchery are normal and should be glorified and TOLERANCE is the greatest virtue one can have
2. But righteousness, holiness, self control and the Bible are all hindrances to living a full life…and the TEN COMMANDMENTS are the greatest threat to a free society!
v. Satan has a handle on this world’s system – and those who love it show where their heart truly is
e. QUOTE: So the question is, “Do you reject the evil of this world, or do you embrace it? A heartfelt rejection of this world’s evil and desire for the things of God is another birthmark of a true believer.”
II. Eagerly Awaiting Christ’s Return
a. I John 3:2, 3 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
b. There used to be a popular phrase, “Don’t be so heavenly minded, that you’re no earthly good”
i. It refers to people whose minds are on the afterlife so much that they missed that which they could do while still on the earth
ii. But it is really a contradiction in terms
c. It is impossible to be so ‘heavenly minded’ that you’re no ‘earthly’ good
i. Because if you are truly heavenly minded, you would have your mind set on the fact that Christ could return at any time
ii. And the result of that would be a heightened concern for righteousness
iii. Question: “How would your behavior change if you knew Christ was coming tomorrow?” (He could be!)
d. A true born-again believer has an internal HOPE that drives him
i. It is the hope of glory
ii. The hope of a life that will one day step face-to-face with Jesus and ear Him say “Well done”!
e. Some people fear Christ’s return
i. I believe a unbeliever ought to – because the Bible says that He will come with the ‘winnowing fan in His hand’ to separate the ‘wheat from the chaff’ (Matt 3:12)
ii. Illustration: “Winnowing Fan” In the old days the farmer would put all of the wheat and chaff down together on a big sheet and he had four men, one at each corner. As they threw the wheat and chaff up into the air, the farmer would blow his fan and the chaff, which was much lighter, would be blown away, but the wheat would land safely back on the sheet.
iii. This is an example of what Christ will do – separate those who are saved to eternal life and those who are lost to eternal Hell
f. But a Christian looks at Christ’s return with hopeful anticipation, not fear
i. And this anticipation displays itself in a life of obedience
ii. Not a life that is so “heavenly minded”, that it is no “earthly good”
iii. But a life that is so mindful of Christ’s return, that it is always ready and eagerly waiting
g. QUOTE: Do you long for Jesus’ return, and to hear Him say, “Well done?” If so, that is another birthmark that can help assure you of a new birth in Christ
III. Decreasing Sin Pattern
a. I John 3:4-10 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”
b. This is a very difficult set of verses
i. When preparing this sermon series, I was nervous and excited about preaching this portion of I John
ii. Nervous, because I want everyone to get a full understanding without being confused
iii. And excited because I have the opportunity to explain one of the most difficult passages concerning Christian assurance in all of Scripture
c. John tells us some very important truths in this little passage
i. It is important that we understand the background
ii. Background: John’s first epistle is written to combat the false teachers of his day
1. Most notably the ‘Gnostics’ who taught that sin was not important.
2. They taught that because flesh was evil, we in no way are responsible for it, and should not even attempt to restrain sin in our lives.
iii. With that in mind, along with other passages from Scripture, we can better interpret the above passages and come to the proper conclusion as to the interpretation
d. (1) Unbroken patterns of sin are characteristic of an unregenerate heart
i. NOTE: Notice I use the phrase ‘patterns of sin’
1. This is consistent with John’s teaching, as the phrases in these passages indicate ‘continual, habitual, unrepentant sin’, rather than mistakes that we recognize and repent of when we realize them
2. Throughout the first verses of his epistle, he makes concession for our mistakes, saying that ‘if we sin, we have an advocate’
3. These verses indicate a life that is characterized by sin
ii. When we come to Christ, we are given a new nature
iii. II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
iv. QUOTE: No matter what a persons claims about their Christian walk, if he/she continues unashamedly and unrepentantly living in sin, it is only a claim and not a reality
e. (2) Sin as a life pattern is incompatible with salvation
i. When we say we are ‘saved’, yet continue unrepentantly in sin, we deny the very purpose for which Christ came
ii. He not only came to free us from sin’s PENALTY, He also came to free us from sin’s POWER
iii. If we believe we don’t have the power to repent of sin, that would mean that Christ’s death – though effectual for our eternal life – has no effect in our life today
1. And that is not what Scripture teaches
2. Romans 6:17 “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered”
3. You have been delivered from sins stronghold, and are now free in Christ to not sin
4. Before sin controlled you – now (if you have been born again) God is in control
5. And a perpetual sin pattern is totally incompatible with a God controlled life
f. (3) Sin is possible in the Christian life – it is just not acceptable
i. Remember the context of these verses
ii. John is dealing with people who say “You can sin with no responsibility”
iii. But John said a Christian “cannot sin” and “does not sin”
1. **This doesn’t mean that we lack the capacity to sin
2. **It means we lack the ‘right’ to sin
3. Another way of saying it may be a Christian “does not have the right to sin”
iv. So many people teach that once we are FREE in Christ, that means we are FREE TO SIN – but John emphatically says “No!”
1. Illustration: “Grace may abound” I know, through a friend, a man who, on the surface knows a lot about the Bible. He quotes it and watches Christian broadcasting all the time. But he also lives a life of sexual immorality, spending time on the internet setting up sexual encounters with women all around the city, sometimes two and three a week. When he leaves the house to go on one of these ‘encounters’ he jokingly says, “Here I go to ‘abound in sin’ so that ‘grace can abound much more’. This is, of course, mocking the Apostle Paul’s comments concerning God’s mercy.
2. Now, only God can judge that man’s heart – I am in no place to say whether or not he is saved
v. But I believe he has covered up the verses we read today – and replaced them with a theology that is based on a god who is not concerned with sin
1. And that god doesn’t exist
2. The true God is utmost concerned with sin – so much so that He sent His Son to break sin’s power over our lives
3. To say He isn’t concerned with it denies His righteousness
g. Let me clarify something
i. Many people come to me in anguish over doubt because they cannot seem to break some sinful or unwise habit
ii. Fighting with sin actually shows your concern and desire to rid yourself of it – something an unregenerate person would not desire
1. The phrase John uses “lawlessness” is from a Greek word which means ‘living as if there were no law’
2. A person who is unsaved doesn’t care what God thinks and they continue living as if there was no authority
h. QUOTE: The difference between a ‘child of the devil’ and a ‘child of God’ is, as John said, “obvious” (v.10). If you practice righteousness, you’re of God. If you practice lawlessness, you’re not. Plain and simple. If you see victory over sin in your life with righteous motives, desires, words and deeds you can have confidence that a change has taken place in your life.
i. Basically: “You’re not all you ought to be – but not at all what you used to be”
CONCLUSION: I think this can best be summed up with a simple illustration:
“Fish swim upstream” A Christian is made alive in Christ, after being dead in sin. This is like a group of dead fish floating downstream. The stream has control. But then one of the fish comes back to life and starts fighting the current, trying to go upstream. This is like Christians, who are made alive in Christ and now must swim against the stream of sin in this world. That ‘live’ fish may struggle at times against the current, and he may even get hit right in the face by a few of the dead fish around him – but that doesn’t stop him. Likewise, when a Christian makes a mistake, he/she still keeps swimming against the stream of sin.
The Christian life is one that is marked by:
o A rejection of evil
o A desire to see Jesus face to face
o A desire to break any pattern of sin
Are you bearing the marks?
