Untitled Sermon (2)

Intro: *stupid questions joke* Questions are an important part of every day life, and asking is how we learn about life and the world.

· How do I file taxes?

· How do I know this move is right?

· How can I learn from mistakes made by our forefathers?

These are all questions which can help a person think, practically engage in life, or discern what the right decision is.

· How did we get where we are?

· How do I communicate well?

· How do I sew?

These are questions taught you in school which help in practical skills and wisdom. These and others are all valid and good questions to ask. Questioning, when done honestly, is good.

However, have you asked a question you should already know the answer to? We all do it! We’re in the middle of a text message and forget how to spell the word ‘the'. It’s silly, we should already know that because we’ve only read it a billion times and spelled it a million. But sometimes we forget, even still.

One such question many people honestly ask is: Am I saved? We should know this! And we can know this! God has not left us in a guessing game. Today, that’s just what we will find, and my goal this morning is to encourage you to be bold and certain of your relationship with God. We will look at 3 common questions people ask in regard to their salvation

Have I done enough to really be saved?

Ephesians 2:1–9 CSB

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.

Colossians 2:10–12 CSB

and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

You are not saved by anything you did to impress God. Paul says here and in Titus 3:5 that we were not saved by anything we had to offer God in our own. It doesn’t matter all the decent works you did before you met Christ; you were dead, and the dead don’t give gifts to the Living. No, but what does Paul say? That God had mercy on you and is rich in grace! This is how you were saved in your baptism. Not as a ritual to impress God about how holy you are, but through your faith in dying to your old life for a union with God. You don’t get baptized because you’re holy, contrary to certain popular beliefs; you trust Jesus with your soul in baptism and He grants you holiness. There is no need for you to concern yourself with “Did I do enough to be saved" because God did all of it. He did save you with good works in mind and we all best get to them, but they came after salvation.

Do I sin too much to be forgiven?

This one is a little more tricky but still 100% straight forward. To get it out if the way, this is the wrong question to ask about sin. We should ask “Do I love my sin more than my Savior?” If we do, that’s a problem. Not an irreconcilable problem, but a problem nonetheless. If you love your sin, I suggest you obey the Apostle John saying “do not love the world or the things of the world" rather, like Paul said, keep your eyes on heavenly things. If this speaks to you, I urge you solemnly and sincerely to repent and turn to Christ for mercy.

If that does not pertain to you, it’s likely safe to say you don’t live your sin and therefore don’t sin too much. How do I know?

1Jo. 1:6-9 1Jo. 3:18-19; Jn. 14:23; Eph. 1:13-14

1 John 1:6–9 CSB

If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 3:18–19 CSB

Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth. This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him

John 14:23 CSB

Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Ephesians 1:13–14 CSB

In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

If you don’t love your sin, you are struggling against it, you feel bad about what you’ve done against the Lord, and you’re striving/walking in His Light. Walking in the light doesn’t mean sinless perfection, it means pressing on toward attaining perfection and all God calls you to by the strength and endurance He gives. Some of us struggle really hard against certain sins and others maybe don’t need to struggle as much. Either way, if you are walking with the Lord and keeping His commands you are forgiven of ALL sin. Even if you fall, you have an Advocate in the presence of God in heaven (1Jo. 2:1).

How can I know?

This may be the most common question asked. This question, too, is forwardly answered for us.

1Jo. 3:18ff *context: John talks about those being born of God not hating brothers or walking in/practicing sin*.

Are you loving? We covered love in other classes I’ve taught. Are you serving one another and others? Are you affectionate and guarding unity with your brethren in Christ? If you’re not, you need to repent. Hatred is as murder on God’s eyes, and you know murderers have no place with God!

§ Are you keeping God’s commands? *explain “keeping”* Keeping does mean obedience, but it’s more than that. If you aren’t guarding Gods commands in your heart and tending to them carefully, you must repent. Ps. 1:1-3 – love the commands of Christ Jesus and be careful with them, as you would with the feeble plants of a garden.

§ Do you have the Spirit? John says we know we abide in God by the Spirit He gave us! How can we know we have Him? Firstly, He’s promised Him to all His children (Acts 2:38; Eph. 1:13-14). But more tangibly we know He’s in us by His fruit. What are those? Jesus does say every branch on Him not bearing fruit gets cut off so we need to be sure. First I’ll tell you what it’s not, and this may be shocking. The fruit of the Spirit is not how many converts or disciples you make! Jesus never says that! Yes, we need to go and make disciples but that is not the fruit of the Spirit by which we know we abide in God. If it is, them the holy prophet Jeremiah is in trouble. How do we know then, by the Spirit? Gal. 5:22-23.

Outro: I know in my past lessons I’ve sort if put a goad to all of us, and I think it was appropriate. But I wanted my parting service to this congregation to be something encouraging and uplifting to our hearts. Admit it – Chances are you’ve asked at least one of these popular questions before. If you needed that goad and need to repent, I hope you understand the gravity of the need for repentance. But, Chances are more of us here just needed a good, Scriptural reminder of the truth. Salvation isn’t about – its about God from start to finish. So love the Lord and His commands and His people. *Invitation*