Untitled Sermon (65)

March

How To Know for Sure You Are a Christian (1 John 2:1–11)

In this short epistle John uses the words know more than 20 times.

This letter was written so we can know beyond any doubt we are Christians (5:13).

If we are to be contagious Christians, we must know for sure we are Christians.

Whether we teach young Christians truth or not, the devil will be sure to teach them error.

One reason many Christians are not contagious is they have doubts about their salvation.

However, we can know for sure we are Christians by taking and passing three tests.

The Lordship Test (2:1–5)

First, we need to check to see if Jesus Christ is truly the Lord, the Boss, the CEO, of our lives.

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude III. The Third Test for Being a Christian: Confessing the Committal of Sin (1:10–2:2)

THOSE WHO PASS THE TEST (2:1, 2)

Christians do confess that they have sinned but John does not mention that fact here.

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude III. The Third Test for Being a Christian: Confessing the Committal of Sin (1:10–2:2)

In 2:1, 2, he enlarges upon the subject of sin in the life of a Christian.

John teaches his “little children” not to look at sin too lightly or too severely.

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude III. The Third Test for Being a Christian: Confessing the Committal of Sin (1:10–2:2)

Christians should not take advantage of the fact that God is continually cleansing them of the sins which they are committing and so continue on sinning as though sin is not a serious thing, but they should strive to commit not one single act of sin (they should strive to be as pure here on the earth as He is in heaven, 3:3).

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude III. The Third Test for Being a Christian: Confessing the Committal of Sin (1:10–2:2)

On the other hand, Christians should not be discouraged or think of giving up when they do commit an occasional act of sin, for Christians have the righteous One, Jesus Christ, at God’s right hand pleading their case as their advocate (lawyer).

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude III. The Third Test for Being a Christian: Confessing the Committal of Sin (1:10–2:2)

He, because of the merit of His blood, can and does make satisfaction to (can and does propitiate) the Father for the sins of Christians.

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude III. The Third Test for Being a Christian: Confessing the Committal of Sin (1:10–2:2)

Since Christ died for the sins of all men,

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude III. The Third Test for Being a Christian: Confessing the Committal of Sin (1:10–2:2)

All Christians pass the three tests of 1:5–2:2 but no Gnostic or other unbeliever passes them.

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude III. The Third Test for Being a Christian: Confessing the Committal of Sin (1:10–2:2)

All who pass these tests have assurance that they are Christians.

John writes: We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands (2:3).

Now, notice this verse doesn’t say we are saved by keeping Jesus’ commandments.

It says we know that we … know him if we keep His commandments (emphasis mine).

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude IV. The Fourth Test for Being a Christian: Keeping Christ’s Commandments (2:3–6)

THE FOURTH TEST FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN-Keeping Christ’s commandments 2:3–6)

THE ASSURANCE OF BEING A TRUE CHRISTIAN (2:3)

How can we know that we know Christ?

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude IV. The Fourth Test for Being a Christian: Keeping Christ’s Commandments (2:3–6)

We can know experientially that we have come to know Him experientially and yet know him experientially (perfect tense) if we are keeping (present tense) His commandments (as the rule of our lives).

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude IV. The Fourth Test for Being a Christian: Keeping Christ’s Commandments (2:3–6)

To keep His commandments is to receive them and let our lives be governed by them.

Both of the “knows” of verse 3 are from “ginosko,” meaning to know experientially. To know Christ in this way is to be “in [in union with] Him,” 2:5.

If we are not keeping Christ’s commandments, we have no proof or assurance that we know Him and are in Him.

What does verse 4 say about you or me if we say “I know him,” but we don’t obey Christ’s commands?

If we say we are Christians but aren’t keeping the commandments of Christ (the Bible), God says we are liars. You may say, “Wait a minute!

Does this mean if I ever break any of God’s commandments I’m not a Christian—I’m not saved?”

No, because we all sin in some way after becoming Christians (1:10).

John wrote this epistle so we would not sin (2:1a).

However, when we do sin, how does 1 John 2:1b reassure us?

Now, what does that mean?

On the one hand, the Bible says Christians do sin.

On the other hand, it says if we know Him, we obey his commands (2:3).

If we always obey his commands, we won’t sin.

The key to understanding this verse is the word obey, or “keep”.

The word translated obey means “to watch or keep your eyes upon.”

It is a navigational term.

In John’s day, sailors kept on course by watching or keeping their eyes on the stars.

If they got off course during the daytime, they could get back on course by looking at the stars at night.

A ship’s helmsman might go to sleep and get off course.

Or, a storm might come and blow the ship off course.

However, when the helmsman recognized he was off course, he would go by the stars and get back on course.

As Christians, we have spiritual “stars” to guide us; they are God’s commandments.

This is how we know when we get off course spiritually.

During a “storm,” or crisis, such as marital problems, health problems, money problems, etc., we can easily get “blown” off course.

However, at some point the deep desire of every true child of God is to get back on course by praying what prayer in Psalm 51:10?

One way to know for sure we are Christians is how we feel when we break one of God’s commandments.

As I was trying to remove a stuck oil filter, the wrench slipped, and I smashed one of my fingers.

I didn’t say “Praise the Lord!” Terrible, vile words came out of my mouth.

When that happened, I thought, “I must not really be a Christian because Christians don’t talk like that.”

I became very depressed, so after work, I went to see my pastor.

I told him what happened.

He said, “Bell, how did you feel when you talked like that before you became a Christian?”

I replied, “It used to make me feel better.”

Then, he asked, “How does it make you feel now?”

I said, “I feel terrible.”

He said, ‘Bell, that’s how you know you are a Christian.

You can still sin, but you can’t sin and enjoy it.”

That’s the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian.

Both can sin, but a real Christian cannot enjoy sin.

True Christians want to get back on course when they sin.

That’s the lordship test.

What penetrating question does Jesus ask about His lordship in Luke 6:46?

If we can sin without any regret, without any desire to repent, without wanting to get back on course spiritually, then the Bible teaches that we are not Christians.

On the other hand, if our sin breaks our hearts, that indicates we are Christians who sincerely want to obey God’s commands.

John puts it like this: But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.

This is how we know we are in him (1 Jn 2:5).

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude IV. The Fourth Test for Being a Christian: Keeping Christ’s Commandments (2:3–6)

THE TEST FOR BEING A TRUE CHRISTIAN—Keeping Christ’s commandments (2:4, 5)

Those who fail the test (2:4)

Those who are saying (present tense) I have known and yet know Him (perfect tense), and yet are not keeping His commandments, are liars and the truth is not in them (has never made its home in them).

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude IV. The Fourth Test for Being a Christian: Keeping Christ’s Commandments (2:3–6)

In claiming to be Christians and yet not keeping Christ’s commandments, men manifest themselves to be liars and unsaved persons.

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude IV. The Fourth Test for Being a Christian: Keeping Christ’s Commandments (2:3–6)

Those who pass the test (2:5)

Those who keep Christ’s word (practice the keeping of his commandments) have had God’s love for them perfected

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude IV. The Fourth Test for Being a Christian: Keeping Christ’s Commandments (2:3–6)

(brought to its goal) in their lives (God’s love for us has been brought to its goal in our lives when it makes its home in us, when it is reproduced in us, and when ,

The Books of I John, II John, III John and Jude IV. The Fourth Test for Being a Christian: Keeping Christ’s Commandments (2:3–6)

it is expressed through us in loving Christ and in obeying His commandments) and they know that they are in union with Him.

If we are keeping Christ’s commandments, we prove that His love has made its home in us and that we are in union with Him.

Every true Christian has a deep desire and commitment to obey his word.