Walking in Obedience
Notes
Transcript
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Intro:
Intro:
AG:
TS: In John’s letter to Christians, he describes several tests of genuine fellowship with God.
The first was the doctrinal test- confessing a proper view of Christ and sin
The second is moral- the test of obedience
After this, he gives the test of love
We do not obey to OBTAIN salvation. We do not obey to KEEP our salvation. However, our obedience demonstrate the sincerity of salvation to us and others. It is the external and visible proof of salvation.
If a person is a true, born-again believer in Christ, there will be some EVIDENCE of it in their life.
RS:
Walking in Obedience brings Assurance
Walking in Obedience brings Assurance
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
We know that we know Him
Those genuinely born again display the habit of obedience
Obedience demonstrates our salvation and gives us assurance.
It lets us KNOW that we KNOW Him
There WILL come times when you DISOBEY God … just like there are times when you DISOBEY the rules of the road.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
When you are saved, a new lifestyle comes with it … a lifestyle of OBEDIENCE.
Secondarily, it demonstrates the genuineness of our faith to others.
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Genuine faith brings about genuine works
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
A good test of your soul’s condition is found by looking at your attitude toward God’s commandments
Can you pray as the Psalmist did in 119:33
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.
Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You.
Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your judgments are good.
Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness.
Did you catch that?
I will keep
Observe with whole heart
Delight in commands
Incline to Your testimonies
Devoted to Fearing You
Judgments are good
Long for precepts
When you hear a lesson or read a text and it has a command, is that your attitude?
keeping, longing, devoted, good?
Even if it tells you stop!
Even if it tells you to start something!
This is so important, John uses “know” 40 times and “keep” 10 times
We can know we are genuinely saved by how much we long to obey.
Not Walking in Obedience Reveals the Liars
Not Walking in Obedience Reveals the Liars
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
If we have genuine faith, we will no longer embrace a sinful lifestyle.
Though we sin, we should despise it!
We repent and return to the path God has laid out.
However, if we embrace and celebrate our sin
If we revel in it and parade it in front of others, that brings serious doubts on the condition of our soul.
John had many false teachers to set straight and that was one of the big motivators for this book.
False teachers’ failure to obey God’s commands objectively demonstrated that they were not saved .
It is easy to pay lip service to Christ
We can say we know Him, but if we argue and fuss with His commands searching for loopholes, we are treading on thin ice!
NO… we don’t loose salvation!
The question really is, “Was I ever saved?”
There are many things in today’s culture which are contrary to the word of God
This shouldn’t surprise us!
The world has always detested the things of God
Cain killed Abel because God accepted His sacrifice and not Cain’s man made religion.
Sadly, many today follow inventions of men. Made up religions.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
We see this text coming true in front of us regularly.
When people can see the plain teaching of Scripture, yet justify taking the opposite stance, that is turning aside to fables.
Some issues clear in the Bible are being politicized and we are being told we can’t disagree with them.
The Bible is clear on so much our culture has embraced:
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
If a person CONTINUALLY drives like a maniac, one might doubt whether they have ever passed the driver’s test.
At least, their driving doesn’t give any evidence of it.
We often look at a PAST EVENT to determine if we are saved … our salvation experience.
That’s important … but we can be DECEIVED … and may have been given a COUNTERFEIT experience that makes us THINK we are saved … but really not
(walking the isle, repeating a prayer, baptism, joining the church, etc.).
HOWEVER … by looking at our PRESENT OBEDIENCE to the Word of God … we can get a clearer indication of our salvation … and the ASSURANCE of our salvation.
1 John is filled with ways we can KNOW we are saved
Walking in Obedience Makes us Like Him
Walking in Obedience Makes us Like Him
But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Abides- John often goes to this word for salvation
When we walk in obedience, we walk as Jesus walked!
We follow His example:
He obeyed the Father perfectly
He never sinned
If we imitate Jesus, we will be obedient!
whoever keeps His word.... Love of God is perfected in him
That is SPIRITUAL MATURITY
Have you noticed how all of the “walks” seem connected?
We have studied walking in love and here we find walking in obedience perfects love!
The OBEDIENT Christian will see God’s love “perfected”, ‘accomplished’ in him.
The OBEDIENT Christian will EXPERIENCE and ENJOY God’s love in a real way.
AND … the more you obey Him … the more of His love you will enjoy.
DISOBEDIENCE never brought much JOY when I was growing up.
My parents LOVED me … even when I was DISOBEDIENT … BUT … I just didn’t get to EXPERIENCE their love as much!
The same is true with a Christian … OBEDIENCE (Spiritual Maturity) brings the EXPERIENCE of God’s love.
Assurance – “by this we know that we are in Him”
As you grow closer to Jesus (His love is “perfected” in you), then you gain the ASSURANCE of your salvation.
Jesus walked in obedience to the Father:
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
We should have the same desire!
Conc
Conc
Examine your own heart right now:
Do you love God’s commandments … OR … do you ignore them?
Do you want to obey them … OR … don’t you really care?
Does it grieve your heart when you disobey God … OR … doesn’t it bother you?
Do you confess your disobedience to God … OR … do you just overlook it?
Answering these questions will give you the ASSURANCE … that you are EITHER … obedient to SIN … or obedient to GOD … LOST … or SAVED.
OBEDIENCE to God and His Word, will give you the assurance of your salvation.