How do you know your faith is real?

Review

Slide of 10 Questions

Where does real joy come from?

From Christ revealed in real history. (1:1-2)

From fellowship shared with God and His people. (1:3)

From the assurance of eternal life in Him. (1:4)

What does it mean to live in the light?

Living in the Light Means Recognizing God’s Holiness (1:5–7)

Living in the Light Means Confessing Our Sin Honestly (1:6–10)

Living in the Light Means Trusting Christ Our Advocate and Propitiation (2:1–2)

How do you know your faith is real?

If it’s real, it shows up in how you live. (2:3-6)

If it’s real, it shows up in how you love. (2:7–14)

If it’s real, it shows up in what you chase. (2:15–17)

Bible Reading

1 John 2:3–17 (KJV)

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Major Premise

Real faith always shows up — in how you live, in how you love, and in what you chase.

Run, John, run, the law commands But gives us neither feet nor hands,

Far better news the gospel brings: It bids us fly and gives us wings

Variation of sermon by Scottish preacher

A rigid matter was the law, demanding brick, denying straw,

But when with gospel tongue it sings, it bids me fly and gives me wings

Sermon Introduction

John wasn’t born “the apostle of love.” He wanted fire on Samaritans (Luke 9:54), jockeyed for status (Mark 10:35–37), and then—after leaning on Jesus’ chest (John 13:23) and standing at the cross (John 19:26–27)—he became the pastor who writes, “love one another.” Real faith changed him.

And John wasn’t alone:

Peter: from denying with oaths (Matt 26:74) to preaching Christ fearlessly (Acts 2:14–36) and rejoicing when beaten for His name (Acts 5:40–42).

Thomas: from “Unless I see…” (John 20:25) to “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28), then carrying the gospel beyond Israel (church history remembers him as a missionary to the East).

James (the Lord’s brother): once skeptical (John 7:5), later pillar in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13; Gal 1:19).

Matthew: from grasping tax tables (Matt 9:9) to gospel writer and missionary.

The Twelve: from fear behind locked doors (John 20:19) to witnesses unto death (Acts 4:13, 33).

Do you know this verse?

1 Corinthians 6:11 “11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

What were the “such” in the such were some of you? 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 “9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Before Christ we all were somewhere on this list or lists like it?

What are we now? We are saints.

Are you saying that no Christian ever gets drunk, steals, fornicates, or are covetous?

No that is a different questions.

What we are saying is that what Jesus did for us goes beyond changing our behavior but changed our identity.

Though I can do those things, I can never become those people again.

Question on the table: How do you know faith is real? John answers: look for the marks—obedience, love, and detachment from the world.

1. If it’s real, it shows up in how you live. (2:3–6)

A. Knowing God and obeying God are inseparable.

1 John 2:3 “3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”

What does it mean to know Him?

The word know means personal, relational knowledge.

To know God is to experience His presence, not just know facts about Him.

To “keep” His commandments means to guard and practice them.

Not perfection, but direction—a heart that desires to do His will.

Jesus Himself said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

B. Faith without obedience is self-deception.

1 John 2:4 “4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

This is repeated throughout Scripture. James 2:17 “17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

In other words, our real beliefs are revealed not by our lips, but by our lives. What we actually do shows what we truly believe. Everything else is noise.

If you say you believe in the authority of Scripture but never open it, your actions reveal the truth.

If you say you trust God with your life but live in constant rebellion to His will, your behavior contradicts your words.

If you say you love Jesus but habitually disregard His commands, John says the truth is not in you.

This is not about sinless perfection—John has already said that if we confess our sins, God forgives (1 John 1:9).

But it is about the trajectory of life. Is obedience the direction you’re moving in, even when you stumble?

The difference between the believer and the pretender is that the believer, when convicted, repents and realigns with God’s Word. The pretender just keeps talking.

C. Knowing Him proves itself in Christlike living.

1 John 2:5–6 “5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

Abiding simply means ongoing fellowship.

To “abide” means to remain, stay connected, like the branch in the vine (John 15:4–5).

It’s not a momentary decision but a continual relationship.

Abiding leads to maturity which is demonstrated in obedience.

Keeping God’s Word leads to His love being “perfected”—brought to maturity. (more about this in vs. 12-14)

The more we walk in obedience, the more His love reaches its intended goal in our lives.

Assurance (hereby know we that we are in him) grows where obedience grows.

Abiding requires us to walk where Has walked

“Even as He walked” → humility, holiness, sacrificial love.

Example: “I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:29).

Christ sets both the pattern and the power: His Spirit in us produces His life through us.

Transition: Real faith isn’t just “I believe” or “I belong”—it shows up in a Christ-shaped walk. Ask: Am I becoming more like Jesus in my daily life? The believer is not comfortable in rebellion but continually drawn back into alignment with Christ.

2. If it’s real, it shows up in how you love. (2:7–14)

A. The command to love is both old and new.

1 John 2:7–9 “7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.”

Old: taught from the beginning of the faith.

Given in the OT. Leviticus 19:18 “18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.”

Stated as a new commandment by Jesus. John 13:34 “34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

New: Jesus gave love new depth—“As I have loved you, love one another.”

Real faith produces a love that is sacrificial, practical, and forgiving.

B. Love is proof of living in the light.

1 John 2:10 “10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”

1. Love is possible as we live in the light.

To “abide in the light” means more than a passing moment—it’s living in the continual influence of Christ’s presence.

Just as walking in the dark makes every step uncertain, living in the light makes our path clear and steady.

When we love our brothers and sisters, we are aligning ourselves with the very character of God, who is light (1 John 1:5).

2. Love removes stumbling blocks.

“There is none occasion of stumbling in him” – the word for stumbling means a trap, snare, or cause to fall.

In relationships, hate, jealousy, and resentment create constant snares. They trip us and trip others.

Love, by contrast, clears the path:

It removes bitterness before it festers (Heb 12:15).

It diffuses division before it spreads (Gal 5:15).

It reconciles instead of retaliates (Matt 5:23–24).

A relationship filled with love walks in step together. A relationship filled with hate stumbles over itself.

3. Love steadies both us and others.

Loving people doesn’t just keep me from stumbling; it also keeps others from stumbling over me.

Jesus warned that causing a brother to stumble is a grave sin (Matt 18:6).

When I act in love, I’m less likely to put unnecessary obstacles in someone else’s way.

Example: Paul refused to eat meat sacrificed to idols if it would trip a weaker believer (1 Cor 8:9–13).

Love sacrifices rights for the sake of relationships.

4. Love is action, not sentiment.

John later says: “Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

Real faith is not proven by warm feelings alone but by consistent actions—service, forgiveness, encouragement, patience.

If you are struggling with forgiveness you should spend less time living in the dark room where you are building a documentary of the past events, and spend more time in the light.

C. Hate reveals darkness and blindness.

1 John 2:11 “11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”

1. Hate exposes a false claim to the light.

John says plainly: if someone claims to be “in the light” but hates his brother, he’s still in darkness.

The word “hateth” doesn’t have to mean violent rage—it includes indifference, coldness, or refusing to forgive.

Jesus equated hatred in the heart with murder (Matt 5:21–22). A heart that harbors resentment is not reflecting the love of God.

Simply, hate is incompatible with authentic faith.

2. Hate creates a lifestyle of darkness.

“Walketh in darkness” → it’s not just a passing stumble but a way of life.

Darkness here means separation from God’s character, since “God is light” (1 John 1:5).

A person controlled by hatred walks without direction, purpose, or spiritual clarity. Like Cain, who murdered Abel because his deeds were evil (1 John 3:12), hatred leads to destructive choices.

3. Hate blinds us to reality.

John says hatred blinds the eyes. Bitterness and jealousy distort how we see others and even how we see God.

Hatred always narrows our vision:

We stop seeing people as image-bearers of God.

We stop seeing our own sins clearly.

We stop seeing God’s grace that is meant to flow through us.

The Forgiveness of Corrie Ten Boom

Corrie ten Boom survived the Nazi concentration camps after hiding Jews in her family’s home. She lost her sister Betsie in Ravensbrück, and the cruelty she saw there left scars.

Years later, Corrie was speaking at a church in Germany when she saw a former guard from Ravensbrück walking toward her. He had been part of the system that humiliated and abused women, including her sister. After the service, he came to her, put out his hand, and said: “Fraulein, it is wonderful to know that all my sins are forgiven because of Jesus. Will you also forgive me?”

In that moment Corrie said she froze. She thought: “Jesus, I cannot forgive him.” But then the Spirit reminded her: forgiveness is not an option, it’s obedience.

She prayed silently, “Jesus, help me.” And as she lifted her hand, she said she felt God’s love surge through her. She took his hand and said: “I forgive you, brother, with all my heart.”

That’s what real faith looks like.

1.It showed up in how she lived: she chose obedience to Christ even in the hardest command.

2. It showed up in how she loved: love conquered hate in that handshake.

3. It showed up in what she chased: not revenge, not justice in her own strength, but the eternal will of God.

Corrie later wrote: “When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.”

D. John pauses to encourage believers at every stage.

1 John 2:12–14 “12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

John has been pressing hard: obey, love, do not hate. By now, tender consciences might wonder: Do I even belong to God? So John steps aside to reassure his readers: “Yes, you do. Here’s what God has already done in you.”

Little children — assurance of forgiveness.

“I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.”

The word for “children” is a term of endearment John uses often (2:1). It may mean all believers, but here he seems to highlight newer believers in particular.

Doctrinal truth: forgiveness is foundational.

It’s not earned; it’s given “for His name’s sake”—on the basis of Christ’s atoning work.

Forgiveness is the doorway into the family of God (Col 1:14; Eph 1:7).

No matter how young in the faith you are, you stand forgiven and accepted in Christ. That reality fuels love.

Fathers — deep knowledge of the eternal Christ.

“I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.”

“From the beginning” = Christ’s eternal preexistence (John 1:1; 1 John 1:1).

Doctrinal truth: maturity is measured by intimacy.

Spiritual fathers don’t merely know facts about Christ—they know Him personally, deeply, over time.

This is experiential, tested, seasoned knowledge.

Maturity isn’t about age in years but depth in Christ. The longer you walk with Him, the sweeter the fellowship becomes. Mature believers model Christlike love for the rest of the family.

Young men — victory through the Word.

“I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one… ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you.”

Doctrinal truth: strength comes from the indwelling Word.

The phrase “Word of God abides” echoes John 15:7 “7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Strength against temptation is tied to Scripture dwelling richly in us (Col 3:16; Ps 119:11).

Victory over Satan isn’t in human power but in God’s promises believed and obeyed (Eph 6:10–17).

Transition: If you want to know whether your faith is real, ask: Do I love others? Do I forgive? Do I serve? Or do I harbor resentment? An lastly, what do I chase?

3. If it’s real, it shows up in what you chase. (2:15–17)

Meme: Father told daughter she should become a police officer. She asked why? He said because it appears you are both chasing after the same kind of men.

A. Love for the world and love for the Father cannot coexist.

1 John 2:15 “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

What “world” means here.

John is not condemning creation (“the earth is the Lord’s,” Ps 24:1) or people (“God so loved the world,” John 3:16).

By world (kosmos), he means the organized system of values, pleasures, and priorities that stands in rebellion against God (1 John 5:19).

Think of it as the “anti-God operating system” of culture — appealing on the surface but opposed to the Father at its core.

Two loves in competition.

Love for the world displaces love for the Father. It’s not both/and, but either/or.

Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters… you cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt 6:24).

James echoed, “Friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4).

Question: Which love rules me? What has my affections, my energy, my heart?

B. The world pulls us in three directions.

1 John 2:16 “16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

The lust of the flesh — sinful cravings for pleasure.

Not just sexual immorality (though that’s included), but any indulgence of our fallen appetites: gluttony, laziness, uncontrolled desires (Gal 5:19–21).

These are urges that promise satisfaction but leave emptiness.

The lust of the eyes — coveting what we see.

This is materialism, greed, envy, pornography, and consumerism — the restless hunger for more (Prov 27:20, “the eyes of man are never satisfied”).

Our culture runs on stirring up this lust — through advertising, entertainment, comparison.

The pride of life — arrogance about possessions or position.

This is living for status, recognition, or control — defining ourselves by what we own, what we’ve done, or how others see us.

Pride is self-sufficiency that pushes God aside (Jer 9:23–24).

Together, these three are Satan’s old playbook:

Eve saw the fruit was good for food (lust of flesh), pleasant to the eyes (lust of eyes), and desired to make her wise (pride of life) (Gen 3:6).

Jesus was tempted with bread (flesh), the kingdoms of the world (eyes), and the pinnacle of the temple (pride) — but unlike Eve, He overcame (Luke 4:1–13).

So the question is: Will I live like Adam and Eve and chase the world? Or live like Christ and resist the world?

C. The world is passing away, but God’s will endures forever.

1 John 2:17 “17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

The temporary nature of the world.

Everything the world dangles before us — status, wealth, beauty, pleasure — is already fading.

Trends change. Bodies age. Riches corrupt. Earthly glory is a vapor (James 4:14).

The eternal security of God’s will.

But the one who “does the will of God abides forever.”

Doing God’s will isn’t about earning salvation but showing evidence of eternal life.

To live for God is to attach yourself to what can never be taken away (Matt 6:19–20).

A missionary’s wisdom.

Jim Elliot said it well: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

The world passes; the kingdom remains. A wise heart invests in what will last forever.:

If faith is real, it shapes not just how you live and love, but what you chase. What fills my daydreams? What do I fear losing most? What do I sacrifice for? Those answers reveal whether I love the Father or the world. The test of real faith is not perfection, but direction: am I increasingly drawn toward the Father, or still clinging to the world?

Response

John has been simple and surgical: real faith shows up—in how you live, how you love, and what you chase.

So here’s the question: If someone followed your footprints this week, where would they lead?

Would they see obedience—or a life explaining disobedience?

Would they see love—or the stumbling of bitterness?

Would they see a heart chasing the Father—or reaching for a world already passing away?

Vance Havner said, “What you live is what you really believe. Everything else is just religious talk.”

“Little Children”, let’s put away the talk.

If it’s real, it shows up in how you live—so take the step of obedience you’ve delayed.

If it’s real, it shows up in how you love—so forgive, reconcile, serve.

If it’s real, it shows up in what you chase—so lay down what can’t last and do the will of God.

If you are not sure you know Christ, come. Today can be the day you move from darkness to light, from guilt to forgiveness through Jesus who died and rose for you. If you do know Him, come kneel—ask the Spirit to align your life, your loves, and your longings with Jesus.

1 John 2:17 “17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”