23. 1 Jn2_12-14 Practical Assurance Pt5

Practical Assurance Pt 5: For His Namesake

The last time we were in 1 John and look at this verse we saw that in context of what he had written to this point was difficult. He has been making difficult statements that any Christian who is the least bit sensitive to the wanderings of their own heart might begin to wonder about the state of their own soul. John pauses and launches into a series of encouraging statements. The application from the last sermon was that we are all in a position to be encouragers and we are to encourage one another in the faith. This morning we will get into the content of the text.

1Jn 2:7-17 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. (8) 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. (9) Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. (10) Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. (11) 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. (12) I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. (13) I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. (14) I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (15) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (17) And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Introduction: When we read this text there are three things that jump out. 1) The exclusiveness of the letter 2) Exclusiveness of the message 3. Exclusiveness of the purpose. John is writing to a specific group of people. Now the world has no problem promoting exclusiveness as long as it is on its terms. There are exclusive clubs, there are exclusive neighborhoods. There are various economic ways of promoting that exclusivity by making certain items so expensive that only an exclusive set of people may acquire them. The world further marks exclusivity by separating into specific groups; celebrities (actors, musicians), professional athletes, etc to whom the world says we should bow down. But when we talk about the exclusivity of God, His Word, His people then even broader evangelicalism jumps on board in condemnation.

For much of today’s Christianity the emphasis of salvation is on the saved and not the Savior. They see salvation as a means of personal fulfillment. Many will look at this last phrase of this verse and see the purpose, the reason the people of God’s sins have been forgiven is not because God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their life and they will be cross ways with it. Why? Because the emphasis is not on them, the supreme purpose of God is not centered on them.

This morning we will be looking at what the phrase ‘for His name’s sake’ means.

But before we address that just a couple of observations of the text. This is the second time in 1 John that he uses the term little children and he uses the term 5 more times in the course of the letter. It is a continual reminder of not only his affection for the Christians of this letter but of God’s and not just His affection for them but His relation to them as Father to Child.

1Jn 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

We are His by means of adoption. What is adoption? The confession defines it this way.

"For the sake of His only Son, Jesus Christ, God has been pleased to make all justified persons sharers in the grace of adoption, by means of which are numbered with, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of children of God. Furthermore, God's name is put upon them, they receive the spirit of adoption, and they are enabled to come boldly to the throne of grace and to cry 'Abba, Father'. They are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by God as by a Father. He never casts them off, but, as they remain sealed to the day of redemption, they inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation." (1689 Confession)

Simply because it pleased Him to do so as an expression of His infinite love toward us.

The next observation I want us to see is that your sins are forgiven you. This is a present active indicative verb meaning that it accomplished. What is the significance of that? In verse 2 John writes that Jesus Christ the Righteous is the propitiation of our sins. It is not a theoretical or potential forgiveness of sins but actual. If you are in Christ Jesus then you have assurance that your sins are forgiven. He has taken all our sins and nailed them to His cross past, present, and future.

I. For His name’s sake

What is the significance of this phrase? What does it mean? Ultimately means for the glory and the exaltation of God. For example in Isaiah 48 Judah’s sins had run their course and God was going to judge them, refine them in the fires of affliction and God says this. Isa 48:9-11  “For my name's sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.  (10)  Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.  (11)  For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

This is a great verse that summarizes what is meant by ‘for My name’s sake’. But you may ask yourself isn’t that self-absorbed of God? Doesn’t 1 Cor 13:5 that love does not insist on its own way, or some other versions may read ‘seek its own’. Is God contradicting Himself? The short answer is no. But hopefully there will be a clear explanation. In our catechism the very first question is ‘What is the chief end of man?’ The answer to that is ‘To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ This short question and answer summarize what the Bible expressly teaches.

(Psa 86:9,10)  All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.

Rom 11:36  For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Rom 14:11  for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

Man, God’s creation can have no higher purpose than to glorify his Creator. It is because we, His people have been purchased by the blood of His own Son that we can and are enjoined to glorify God.

1Co 6:20  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1Co 10:31  So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

There are always opportunities for us as believer’s to glorify God in the ordinary acts of daily living. When we eat a meal, it is an act of God’s provision of our daily bread. When we acknowledge that, when we see it as the privilege it is and we lift up our voices in a prayer and thanksgiving we are glorifying our God.

The second part to the answer is enjoying Him forever. The Psalmist writes in Psa 16:5-11  The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.  (6)  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.  (7)  I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.  (8)  I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  (9)  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  (10)  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  (11)  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

There is no a little joy but fullness of joy meaning that there is no amount greater. It is not temporary but forevermore.

So ask yourself this one question. Is there chief end greater that the pursuit of God’s glory and enjoying Him forever? If God has as His chief anything else it would be less than Himself. This does not exclude the love of God for us but what it does do is put in Scriptural order the priority of God and that is His glory and we as His people must understand and accept this order. If we believe that God has put us first, we are His priority. We make ourselves master and God is our servant. If He puts us in situation we don’t like or doesn’t provide for us in a timely manner then we leave. We expect Him to do what we want. This is the world and culture we live in. It is man centered society, and we are all tainted by it to one degree or another. Look at the way we respond to situations in our lives. Is it in submission to the sovereignty of God or is it grumbling and complaining.

God’s chief end is to glorify Himself. All that He does is primarily for His name sake and all that He does for His glory benefits His people. I have often asked the question why God takes the time to accomplish what He desires? Look at the His deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians. His deliverance and judgement could have come in a moment with but a word. Yet He brings 10 judgements upon the Egyptians and delivers Israel. Why?

Isa 63:12-14  who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name,  (13)  who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble.  (14)  Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name.

Psa 106:7-8  Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.  (8)  Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power.

God’s exaltation of Himself in making known His mighty power was for the blessing and benefit of His people.

What was the result? Jos 2:9-11  and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.  (10)  For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.  (11)  And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.

Is this only an OT emphasis? No In the first chapter of Ephesians Paul speaks of our being predestine for adoption to Himself. v6 says to the praise of His glorious grace. Verse 12 so that we who were first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. In verse 14 the giving of His Spirit as our inheritance it is to the praise of His glory.

Are we then just a means of God’s getting glory to Himself? The answer is no. The love of God for us is not theoretical but experimental. It is not just words but God works out His love for us in time and space.

1Jn 4:9-10  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  (10)  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

II. Application

How can we apply this really and effectually to our lives? For His name sake gives us the ultimate assurance that we are His and that all of our sins are forgiven because He will not allow His name to be profaned. But He will always do that which glorifies Himself and elicits the praise and adoration of His people. We see the Triune God as active in our adoption as He is in our salvation.

Joh 10:27-29  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  (28)  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  (29)  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

Rom 8:15-17  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”  (16)  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  (17)  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.