Birthmarks of the Believer

Introduction

God has put some indelible marks upon you as a believer. These are traits of the twice-­born. These are the birthmarks of the believer. (weird birthmarks)

As a matter of fact, let’s just look here in the second chapter, and look, if you will, in verse 4.

1 John 2:3–6 ESV

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 John 2:7–9 ESV

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

1 John 2:10–11 ESV

Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

But, what are some traits of the twice-­born? Each of these phrases, “whoever says...,” introduces a trait of the twice-­born; it introduces a birthmark of the believer. So, I want us to look at these traits right here and see, first of all, what a true believer is.

I. A True Believer Submits to the Lordship of Jesus

Number one: A true believer submits to the Lordship of Jesus Christ—

1 John 2:3–4 ESV

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

Now, nobody can be saved without receiving Christ as Lord. And so, you don’t receive Christ as Savior and later make Him Lord. You receive Him as Lord and Savior all at the same time. And so, if you say that Christ is your Lord, and yet you don’t keep His Word, that’s a contradiction. Jesus Christ Himself said, “Why call [you] me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things [that] I say?” (Luke 6:46). The Lord means Master, and He has every right to give His commandments.

“Are you trying to tell me, that I have to be perfect in order to go to Heaven?” No, if it demands perfection, nobody is going, because we don’t have perfection. It’s all wrapped up in that word “keep”, his commandments....

Now, what does that word keep mean? Well, first of all, it means “to guard,” as you would guard a treasure. You would say to somebody—you would give them something—you would say, “Keep this for me.” And so, when you treasure God’s commandments, when they are precious to you, when you guard His commandments, you take and set value in those commandments. Also, the word keep is a word that was used by sailors in ancient times. They didn’t have global positioning satellites as we have. They would steer by the stars. And, a sailor, at nighttime, would look up to the stars, and he would steer by those stars. And, they called that “keeping the stars”—“keeping the stars.” That is, he would set his course by keeping the stars. Now, you, as a Christian, set your course in life by keeping the commandments. You treasure those commandments, and you steer by those commandments. That doesn’t mean that you could never get blown off-­course. That doesn’t mean in a time of carelessness you may take your eyes from the stars. Now, are you steering by God’s stars? Do you treasure God’s Word? Are you keeping God’s commandments?

And so, what’s the first trait of the twice-­born? It is, folks, right here: a true believer submits to the Lordship of Christ. He has His Word. He says, “This is what I want you to do.” And, if Jesus Christ is not Lord of your life, then you’re not on the road to Heaven.

II. A True Believer Seeks the Lifestyle of Jesus

Number two: Not only does a true believer submit to the Lordship of Jesus, but a true believer seeks the lifestyle of Jesus. Now, look in verse 5

1 John 2:5 ESV

but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:

Now, here, he’s not talking about His Lordship, but His lifestyle. You see, you submit to His Lordship, and you seek His lifestyle. You are to walk as Jesus walked.

Now folks, if what you call being saved doesn’t make you like Jesus, you haven’t been saved. Being saved makes you like Jesus. It makes you to walk as Jesus walked. 1 John 2:6

1 John 2:6 ESV

whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Look in verse 6: underline “in the same way” (1 John 2:6). Remember we talked in the first lesson about his example, he lived in a way we can imitate.

Now, what was the lifestyle of the Lord Jesus Christ like? How am I going to walk as Jesus walked?

A. A Life of Honesty

Let’s go back to 1:7

1 John 1:7 ESV

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Well, what does it mean to walk in the light? It means to be honest. Go back to verse 6—chapter 1, verse 6: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6).

So, what is the lifestyle of Jesus? It’s a life of honesty. I’m honest with God. I’m honest with myself. I’m honest with you.

B. A Life of Purity

But, not only a life of honesty, but a life of purity. Look in 1 John chapter 3, verse 3:

1 John 3:3 ESV

And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

We ought to walk even as He walked, as He did this. His lifestyle was a lifestyle of honesty. His lifestyle is a lifestyle of purity.

Now, I’m not saying that you cannot slip into sin. But, if this is your lifestyle, if this is the way you live, you’re not walking as Jesus walked.

C. A Life of Righteousness

And, His life was a life of righteousness.

1 John 3:7 ESV

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

Look, if you will, in 1 John 3, verse 7: “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as

here it is again- “even as he is righteous” (1 John 3:7). You see, Jesus is honest. Jesus is pure. Jesus is righteous. And, what is righteousness? Righteousness is not merely the act, the abstaining, from doing what is wrong. It is said of the Lord Jesus Christ that He went about doing good. “Now,” you say, “how can I have the lifestyle of Jesus? Well, the key is in verse 6, look at it—He mentions abiding. Do you see it?

1 John 2:6 ESV

whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Now, most of us have a little fuzziness when it comes to abiding. Well, one thing about Jesus is this: He was so easy to understand if you listen to Him. He took those difficult phrases and terms, and He made them simple. And, He says in John chapter 15—we’re in 1 John now, but in the Gospel of John, and chapter 15—Jesus tells us what abiding is. He says it’s like a vine and a branch.

John 15:5 ESV

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

So, now we understand what it means to abide: it’s to have the relationship to Jesus Christ that a branch and a grapevine has to the main stem—in the grapevine.

And so, how do I, if I’m going to walk and live the lifestyle of Jesus, how do I abide in Jesus? Well, just think—just imagine yourself—now as the branch, and Jesus is the vine. We have to stay connected or we die.

D. A Life of Reliance

a branch is a life of full reliance. That branch completely, totally relies on the vine. The branch can do nothing of itself. All that the branch needs is in the vine. And so, the branch clings to the vine, grows out from the vine, and it receives whatever it needs. In the summertime, if it needs moisture, the vine gives moisture. In the Fall, when it’s time for the grapes—or in the Spring, when it’s time to begin to produce the grapes—the little branch doesn’t worry about how many grapes, what size, what color, how sweet. That’s none of the branch’s business. All the branch does is just abide in the vine. You see, the branch does not produce the grapes; the branch only bears the grapes. And, all that the branch does is just simply relinquishes everything to the vine. It is a life of reliance. It is a life of relinquishment. It just draws from the vine.

People could not understand the life of Jesus. They said to Jesus, “How do you do these things? How do you do these works?” Now, Jesus came here as a man to live before us as men; and so, He set the example of abiding. And, Jesus said, “I’m not doing this. The Father does it. What the Father says, I say. What I see the Father do, I do” (John 5:19).

E. A Life of Relinquishment

It is a life of absolute dependence, complete relinquishment. A branch has no other side issues. It clings completely to the vine. It rests in the vine, and the life of the vine comes into the branch. Now folks, if you’re going to have a lifestyle of the Lord Jesus Christ, you’re going to have to abide in Him. And, when you abide in Him, when you are to Jesus what Jesus was to the Father, Jesus will be to you what the Father was to Jesus. You just simply abide in Him.

III. A True Believer Shows the Love of Jesus

Now, here’s the third mark of the believer—here’s the third birthmark. The third is, —you show His love. Look, if you will now, in verse 9:

1 John 2:9–10 ESV

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

that’s the third birthmark of the believer: you just simply share His love.

Now, notice, if you will, he says this love is both new and old. Well, why is it both new and old? Well, it’s old because Jesus said love is “the first and [the] great commandment” (Matthew 22:38), so it goes all the way back to the Old Testament. But, why is it new? Well, I’ll tell you why it’s new: because Jesus says over there in John chapter 13: “A new commandment I give [to] you, That ye love one another; [even] as I have loved you” (John 13:34). And, do you know when He said that in John 13, you know what He’d been doing? He’d been washing His disciples’ feet. They had come into the upper room. And then, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give…you…as I have loved you, [you are to] love one another” (John 13:34).

Now folks, do you know who was in that room? Do you think they were lovely? Do you think old, big-­mouth Peter was lovely? Peter was a braggart, crude, arrogant. Who else was in that room? James and John. You know what they were called? “Sons of thunder.” They had a hair-­trigger temper. They got in Samaria, and they said, “Lord, let’s nuke ’em—these Samaritans. Who else was in that room? Simon the Zealot. You talk about a right-­winger! And, Jesus loved them. He doesn’t love us because we’re lovely; He just loves us. And, look around in this room. You think we’re all so loveable? how do I know that I know Him? If I say that I love Him, know Him, and don’t have love—don’t love my brother, if I hate my brother—He says I’m a liar. The truth is not in us.

So the third mark is showing his love…what do we know about this love?

A. It Is Serving Love

And, Jesus said that after He’d washed His disciples’ feet, because real love is not just saying, “I love”; it is serving love. Anybody can “say” love, but when you serve love, you are proving love.

B. It Is Sanctifying Love

It is sanctifying love. He was washing the feet as a symbol that He was cleansing and forgiving their sin. He wasn’t loving them just for the thrills…it was a picture of what he was doing in their hearts. He was washing them, washing those sins away.

C. It Is Steadfast Love

It was steadfast love. John 13 says, “[And] having loved his own…he loved them [to] the end” (John 13:1). Right on, He never stopped loving them. Jesus said, “If you have love one for another, then are you My disciples” (John 13:35). If you have any kind of hatred in your heart, you need to bring it to Calvary—and I mean soon. Get rid of it.

Conclusion

What are the birthmarks of the believer? We submit to His Lordship. We seek His lifestyle. We share His love. That’s it—that’s it. Now, if these things are not there, don’t call yourself a Christian.

listen to me—you are not saved by submitting to His Lordship. You are not saved by seeking His lifestyle. You are not saved by showing His love. But, if you are saved, you’ll do all of those things. You’re saved by the grace of God. But, if your religion hasn’t changed your life, you’d better change your religion. “If any man be in Christ [Jesus], he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Years ago, in a little Welsh mining town, there was an evangelist. His name was Henry Morehouse. Henry Morehouse preached primarily the love of God. His text was John 3:16. Everywhere he went, he preached John 3:16. And, there was a man in that little Welsh mining town who was a drunkard; a brawler; a profane, ungodly man; a gambler who consorted with prostitutes, who had abused and beaten his wife and his children. His name was Ike Miller. When Ike Miller heard that Henry Morehouse was there holding revival, Ike Miller said, “If that preacher preaches tonight in this town, I’m going to come to the meeting, and I’m going to pistol whip him out of town.” And, the people knew Ike Miller, and they said to Henry Morehouse, “Brother Morehouse, don’t preach here tonight. Go on somewhere else. Don’t let this man abuse you this way.” Henry Morehouse said, “No, I’ll be there tonight, and I’ll trust God to take care of me. But, I’ll preach.”

That night the little church was full when this man of God stood up into the pulpit, and everybody heard the back door slam. And, in walked this hulk of a man with a pistol in his hand, and he sat down, and folded his arms like this, and looked at the preacher as if to say, “You do your stuff, and then I’m going to do mine.” Henry Morehouse began to preach. He took his text from John 3:16, and he preached, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but [should] have everlasting life.” And, he poured his heart out And, when he preached that, at the close of the service, this hulking man stood up like that. And, everybody said, “Oh, no, it’s about to start.”

But, rather than coming forward after the preacher, he turned and wheeled around out the door, slammed the door behind him, and began to walk down the street of that little mining town. Some of the men in the saloon said, “Hey, Ike, come in. Let’s have a drink.” He paid no attention. He went down the main street of that little town until he came to a little side street, and he turned down that dusty side street until he came to a little weather-­boarded shack. And, with his big ham-­like fist, again, he threw the door open of that shack.

Inside was his wife, who’d been beaten and abused so many times, and little children. And, when those little children saw their father come home, they thought he’d come home in a drunken stupor. And, the little children, like squirrels, scurried under the bed. And, his wife backed up to hide the children under the bed.

He looked at her, and he said, “Woman, you don’t have to be afraid. Get the kids out from under the bed. We’re going to pray.” She said, “What?” He said, “You heard me, woman. Get the kids. We’re going to pray.” So, she got the kids out. And, Ike Miller kneeled down by the bed, and he tried to pray. He didn’t know how to pray. He said, “O God,” but no prayer came. “Lord”—no prayer came. And then, he remembered a prayer that his mother had taught him when he was a little boy, and this is what he prayed: “Simple Jesus, meek and mild, look upon a little child; forgive my simplicity, and suffer me to come to Thee.” And, Ike Miller was saved. He’s the one who has recorded this story that we can share.

You know what it was that changed Ike Miller’s life? People came to Henry Morehouse and said, “Why didn’t you preach the wrath of God? Why didn’t you scold him? Why didn’t you preach against sin?” He said, “Because that man needed love—he needed the love of God.”

And friend, that’s what our world needs. And, when we began to practice what John is talking about—when we submit to the Lordship of Jesus, when we seek the lifestyle of Jesus, when we show the love of Jesus—this world is going to believe what we say is real.