1 John 3:10-24

Renewed Confidence

Everyone lives out their lives according to some pattern, some pattern.

As a child I was reminded that a life well-lived was founded upon this maxim:

‘God helps those who help themselves.’

Often phrased as a Biblical promise (that is not found in the Bible) I was taught that if I worked hard God would work harder for me.

The second pillar of a life well-lived was also phrased as a biblical truth:

‘All things work together for good.’

John offers several foundational pillars on which to build life.

By reviewing these two pillars John offers his readers a renewed confidence.

This confidence is lacking in many Christians and Christian communities today.

As we read the accounts of those early believers in the pages of Acts we are often struck with the sheer audacity of their boldness.

Acts 4:19 (HCSB)

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide...

Acts 17:30–31 HCSB

“Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

Acts 26:28–29 HCSB

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?” “I wish before God,” replied Paul, “that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.”

This kind of confidence and boldness seems lacking in our current culture.

The people to whom John is writing live in a thoroughly secular culture - not all that different from our own.

The boldness and confidence they need - and we need - is rooted in the lenses through which we understand and view life.

Earlier in John’s first letter he reminded his readers that

1 John 1:5 (HCSB)

Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him.

In this passage using similar language he writes:

1 John 3:11 (HCSB)

For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another,

These two statements are foundations on which the entire Christian life is built.

Knowing God is light and that love is defined by Him through Christ are twin pillars of the gospel.

God takes the initiative of revealing Himself, and the clearest and brightest revelation of His nature is as Jesus - the One and Only Son of God - lay down His life at the cross, choosing to die in our place.

In this section of John’s letter he identifies the resources believers need in order to experience a renewed confidence in God.

A Love that Separates

The account of Cain and Abel dates back to the origins of time.

Using that example John draws a clear line between those who obey God’s commands - even if imperfectly - and those who don’t.

John Stott, a pastor from the latter part of the 20th century writes,

According to Heb. 11:4 it was ‘by faith’ that ‘Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did’, and since faith is always a response to God’s word of promise and command, we may assume that God had revealed his will to the two brothers. By faith Abel obeyed; indeed, his righteousness consisted of his believing obedience. Cain, on the other hand, was wilfully disobedient, as is indicated in Jude 11. His murder of Abel exemplified the violent antipathy which righteousness always provokes in the unrighteous (cf. John 3:19–20).

John R. W. Stott, The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 19, Tyndale New Testament Commentary.

John states that as we obey God’s command to love as Jesus did (see John 13:34-35), we will be hated by those who choose to live differently

1 John 3:13–14 HCSB

Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

The love which we have been commanded is defined by John in

1 John 3:16 HCSB

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.

A Love that Separates AND Acts

Choosing to order out lives with the commandments of God not only distinguishes us from the world, it also demands visible action.

1 John 3:18 HCSB

Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.

When Jesus was asked which commandment was the most important His answer:

Matthew 22:37–40 HCSB

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Ordering our lives around this command to love God and one another as Jesus does, cultivates a boldness and confidence necessary for times like ours.

Believing in the name of his Son Jesus Christ

Just like the command

1 John 3:11 (HCSB)

We should love one another,

1 John 3:23 HCSB

Now this is His command: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us.

To believe in the name of Jesus is a different way of looking at the world.

We often equate believing in Jesus’ name as a guarantee of an eternity in heaven. And it certainly is that.

But a quick reading of the book of Acts reminds us that believing in the name of Jesus transforms the very lens through which we view and understand the world in which we live!

John describes how believing in the name of Jesus restores and renews our confidence.

A. We know we belong to the truth

John writes that belonging to the truth “reassures” our hears before God.

To ‘love as Christ loves’ often leaves us feeling totally inadequate.

Our capacity to love is tested when we look at the vastness of the need around us.

Our feelings of inadequacy are not the measure God uses toward us.

God sees in us more than we often see in ourselves.

From the pages of Genesis onward we read of God changing people’s names - because He sees in them more than they see themselves.

Abram - Abraham

Sarai - Sara

Jacob - Israel

We read how God empowers Jeremiah to prophecy even in the midst of his inadequacy.

Jesus sees Peter and renames Him ‘the Rock.’

The Holy Spirit transforms the disciples who hid at the crucifixion of Jesus into a powerful, potent army that literally changed the world.

When we know we belong to the truth, when we look at all that is occuring in our world and in our lives, we are persuaded that God is indeed with us.

B. We have confidence to pray, receiving what we ask

If nothing else John wants believers to know - with absolute certainty:

a). God hears our prayers

and

b). God answers our prayers

He may not answer as we would like Him to answer, but He always answers prayer.

REFLECT AND RESPOND

The events of the past few days and weeks have left all of us dazed and confused.

Terrorist attacks in Israel. Israel massing troops preparing to invade Gaza.

A lone gunman in Maine killing at least 18, injuring many more.

Three weeks during which the House of Representatives couldn’t find a Speaker of the House.

And then there is the constant erosion of ideas like marriage as a union of one man and one woman; the fact there are two sexes - male and female; the constant barrage of entertainment teaching us that love is something we fall in and out of; and so on.

As believers our first instinct is to withdraw. Events are spiraling out of control, there is nothing we can do to change the world in which we live.

But...

Consider how God’s people responded to the orders of the Sanhedrin to no longer ‘speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus’ (Acts 4:18).

Acts 4:29–30 HCSB

And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness, while You stretch out Your hand for healing, signs, and wonders to be performed through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

Indeed, our view of what’s happening in our world must be informed by the pillars John identifies:

Love as Jesus loves

Hold firmly to believing in the name of Jesus