The Identifying Marks of a Christian

Introduction

- We’re all entering the transition phase of life (Out of high school, starting college, starting careers, etc.)

Always lived under the rules and directions of parents…

We’re now in a position where we need to figure things out on out own.

“What do I do?” “How am I supposed to do that?” (Dishes, laundry, finances, cooking, buy car, save up for house!) We wish we had someone constantly with us to tell us what to do.

We’re at a point in our Christian lives where the torch is being passed on to us, and we need to figure out how to live how God wants us to live. This is a stage of life where your parents faith becomes your own and you live that out, or you reject that faith and waste your life in the world.

So what is it that God would have us do in our lives?

1 John 5:1–5 (NKJV)

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

A. Love God - Vs. 1-2

V.1 - If you want evidence whether or not you love God and are one of His own, look to your relationships with other Christians. Do you love them? If you love your dad, you’re naturally going to love your siblings; same for God’s children.

This whole verse Segways right to the question that we want answered today. What is it that God wants me to do?

What do you guys think might be proof that we love other Christians?

1 John 5:2

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

This is the determining proof whether or not we love other Christians. We love God, and we keep His commandments.

The first one is love for God...

Once you’ve been saved and have been given God’s Spirit, love will reign at the center of your life.

For what reasons do you think we should love God?

1 John 4:19

We love Him because He first loved us.

When I think of God’s abounding love for me; that He died for a horrible sinner like me, that inflames love for Him in my heart.

That love which begins in our hearts for God ought to then express itself in love for others.

Illustration: A woman visited a newspaper editor’s office, hoping to sell him some poems she had written.

“What are your poems about?” the editor asked.

“They’re about love!” gushed the poetess.

The editor settled back in his chair and said, “Well, read me a poem. The world could certainly use a lot more love!”

The poem she read was filled with moons and Junes and other sticky sentiments, and it was more than the editor could take.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “but you just don’t know what love is all about! It’s not moonlight and roses. It’s sitting up all night at a sickbed, or working extra hours so the kids can have new shoes. The world doesn’t need your brand of poetical love. It needs some good old-fashioned practical love.”

B. Keep His Commandments - Vs. 2-3

And next for us is to be keeping His commandments...

1 John 5:2–3

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

This is the second key thing in our lives, we keep God’s commandments!

What commandments come to mind when you think of that verse?

Matthew 22:37–40

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Keeping God’s commandments actually will make us to be loving others. In love for others we chose not to… Kill (Or get angry), steal, covet, cheat, gossip, lie to, etc.

Following Jesus’ law can seem so burdensome to some.

Illustration: Co-worker that I witnessed to...

But John said that if you are a Christian, God’s love has been given to you, His commandments won’t be burdensome.

So giving money to the church isn’t bothersome, staying up late to help your friend move isn’t burdensome. Yeah, loving others means we will sacrifice some things that we like, we may lose some comfort or a little bit of fun. Serving Jesus doesn’t mean that it’s always a party. But we won’t find it a burden to help others, because we love them!