The Truth of Our Identity (Redmond) - 1 John 3
Psstor Robbin Foster
1 John - Light, Love, Truth (Letters to Friends) • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 45:30
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The Truth of Our Identity
The Truth of Our Identity
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.
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother.
And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.
Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
The Truth of Our Identity
The Truth of Our Identity
Identity is primarily received.
What identities have you been given? Which have you accepted? How have those identities defined you?
Identity tends to guide our actions - talk about identity as a “Webber” - I acted like a Webber - many times on purpose.
1. Identity Produces Action
1. Identity Produces Action
I John 3:1-10
Verses 1-10
Look at the remarkable love the father has given us—that we should be called God’s children! That indeed is what we are. That’s why the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
Beloved ones, we are now, already, God’s children; it hasn’t yet been revealed what we are going to be. We know that when he is revealed we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him make themselves pure, just as he is pure.
If we take our primary identity from God, then our identity is a Child of God, beloved of the father, growing up in the image of Jesus - because that’s the image of our Father and he shows us how children of God live in this world - what they say, do, and believe.
When we live out our identity as children of God we work deliberately to become more like Jesus.
I must frankly confess that of all my expectations of Heaven, I will cheerfully renounce ten thousand things if I can but know that I shall have perfect holiness, for if I may become like Jesus Christ as to His Character—pure and perfect—I cannot understand how any other joy can be denied me! If we shall have that, surely we shall have everything! This, then, is our hope—that “we shall be like He, for we shall see Him as He is.”
The Hope That Purifies, Volume 57, Sermon #3235 - 1 John 3:3
Charles Spurgeon
Everyone who goes on sinning is breaking the law; sin, in fact, is lawlessness. And you know that he was revealed so that he might take away sins, and there is no sin in him. Everyone who abides in him does not go on sinning. Everyone who goes on sinning has not seen him, or known him.
Sin is lawlessness. Have you ever met anyone with poor self-control, who seemed to have no self-restraint? How pleasant is it to be around someone who crosses boundaries without regard to their effect on others?
Our identity as children of God calls us to respect our Father’s boundaries. And as we grow in this identity, we also come to hold these boundaries as our own. We do not earn our identity as children of God by keeping God’s laws, that is respecting his boundaries. But we do EXPRESS our identity and demonstrate our love for our Father when we seek to become like him. Of our own power, we cannot achieve this transformation. As we identify as children of God and live intentionally in his presence,
in communion - a friendly relationship marked by ready communication and mutual understanding (Synonymns: rapprochement, solidarity, oneness, togetherness).
out of this oneness and togetherness with the Father and Son, the Holy Spirit guides and empowers us, bringing the transformation we desire.
Children, don’t let anyone deceive you. The person who does righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. The person who goes on sinning is from the devil, because the devil is a sinner from the very start. The son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
Everyone who is fathered by God does not go on sinning, because God’s offspring remain in him; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been fathered by God. That is how it is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil: everyone who does not do what is right is not of God, particularly those who do not love their brother or sister.
1. Identity Produces Action
1. Identity Produces Action
John’s warning, “Don’ let anyone deceive you,” suggests that people will try to deceive us. Not everyone is following Jesus. Not everyone is living in communion with the Father. Some people are actively opposed to God and working against his purposes. Some people started off listening to Jesus and following him, but have been deceived by other voices. Often they will try to convince you that the deception is not wrong, but true. The Bible describes that as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” - a predator wearing the appearance of the sheep - perhaps even a prophet.
John encourages us to look at what those people are DOING - not just listen to what they are saying!
Your leadership team here is not perfect - you’ll see us make mistakes. That’s because we’re right here in front of you, living our ordinary, daily lives with you. Sometimes you see us tired, frustrated, and discouraged. Sometimes you see us being selfish or self-indulgent. We’re not hiding our real lives from you. We trust in your compassion and grace and need your mercy, as our transformation into the likeness of Christ is not yet complete.
Some of the famous pastors in the media have wonderful words. But their lives may be hidden from us. We need to be careful. We know of many examples of seeming-saints turning out to have hidden sin in their lives that corrupted their lives, families, churches, and communities.
How do we protect ourselves? Look at what people DO - not just listen to what they say.
Jesus demonstrated his identity as God’s son in action - not just in what he said. But many could not recognize him - even those who were looking for the messiah. Why? Their obedience to God’s law was not coming from communion - close relationship - with God.
‘If God really was your father,’ replied Jesus, ‘you would love me, because I came from God, and here I am. I didn’t come on my own initiative, you see, but he sent me. Why don’t you understand what I’m saying? It can only be because you can’t hear my word.
1. Identity Produces Action
1. Identity Produces Action
When allow the Holy Spirit to form us, we experience communion with the Father, which enables us to experience the life of Jesus within us.
Jesus demonstrated God’s love in action - not just in what he said. Because action expresses identity. He knew who he was. He lived in complete communion with the Father - ready communication and mutual understanding.
Our words and actions must reflect the character of Jesus, if we are living out our identity as children of God, living within the love and life of God.
2. Actions Express Identity Verses 11-17
2. Actions Express Identity Verses 11-17
This is the message which you heard right from the start, you see, that we should love one another.
We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one, and murdered his brother. Why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, while his brother’s were right.
How do God’s children express their identity? In Loving Others.
Don’t be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the family. Anyone who doesn’t love abides in death.
Everyone who hates their brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has the life of the coming age abiding in them.
This is how we know love: he laid down his life for us. And we too ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Anyone who has the means of life in this world, and sees a brother or sister in need, and closes their heart against them—how can God’s love be abiding in them?
2. Actions Express Identity
2. Actions Express Identity
Verses 11-17
jesus said the world will know we are his disciples if we love one another. (John 13:35)
Jesus-followers do not always agree with one another. In the case of some disagreements, things can get pretty hot. People may go so far as to accuse a brother or sister of not being a Christian based on disagreements about politics, clothing, taste in music, type of food they eat, public figures they admire or criticize. Remember, Jesus did not expect people to be perfect before he loved them. He loved them while they were his enemies.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
2. Actions Express Identity
2. Actions Express Identity
Perhaps discuss how believers are called to embody love, inspired by their identity as God's children. By loving in action and truth, Christians reflect the Father's nature, offering a powerful witness to the world. Love includes compassion, mercy, and forgiveness.
In this letter, John is standing up for the truth. He is calling his disciples to remain true to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Love does not mean lying to those you love. But it certainly does govern the language and tone used to express truth.
Church of God saying, “In essentials - Unity. In non-essentials - Freedom. IN ALL THINGS LOVE.
Highlight love's capacity to build communion - both with the Father and with his other children.
3. Lived Identity Deepens Communion
3. Lived Identity Deepens Communion
Children, let us not love in word, or in speech, but in deed and in truth. Because of this, we know we are of the truth, and we will persuade our hearts of this fact before him, because if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts. He knows everything.
Remember your identity in Christ. It is what God says about us that is true. Not what others may say about us. We don’t live to please them. We live to please our heavenly father as we follow Jesus.
It’s not what we say about ourselves. We may speak harsh words of condemnation to ourselves. Even if we condemn ourselves, we need to turn to the Father for truth - His approval is greater than our self-condemnation. We need to accept his forgiveness, freely given, and walk in the newness of life, with the identity he has given us. Then we can find the courage, the boldness, to follow him in new areas of our lives, with words and actions filled with his love for others.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God, and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commands and give him pleasure when he sees what we are doing.
And this is his command, that we should believe in the name of his son Jesus the Messiah, and should love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. Anyone who keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. This is how we know that he abides in us, by his spirit that he has given us.
3. Lived Identity Deepens Communion
3. Lived Identity Deepens Communion
You could unpack the assurance that comes when our hearts are aligned with God's love, leading to confidence before Him. Discuss the transformative power of obeying God’s commands, particularly the command to love, which reassures our hearts and invites God’s abiding presence through the Spirit. You might encourage the congregation to find security and strength in God’s love, empowering them to love boldly. This assurance counters the struggles of faith with active love.
Communion: a friendly relationship marked by ready communication and mutual understanding
Synonymns: rapprochement, solidarity, oneness, togetherness
There is no limit to what God can do through us if we are His yielded and purified people, worshiping and showing forth His glory and His faithfulness.
Romans 6:19; Ephesians 2:8–10; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:2–3
Whatever Happened to Worship?, 101.
A. W. Tozer
The Truth of Our Identity
The Truth of Our Identity
CONCLUSION - SEGUE INTO WHO YOU SAY I AM.
What identities have you been given? Which have you accepted? How are those identities still defining you?
What will change if you fully accept the identity that is yours in Christ?
Perhaps you will begin by emphasizing how our identity as children of God sets the foundation for genuine love. Love reflects our new nature in Christ and is incompatible with the practice of sin.
With such a remarkable identity, Christians are equipped to overcome sin and live in righteousness. Perhaps stress that knowing we are loved and called children of God changes our perspective – insecurity, guilt, and fear can be replaced by assurance and hope. The work of Christ is pivotal here, as His resurrection secures this hope for us. By understanding this identity, believers are encouraged to pursue a life reflective of God, countering doubts with truth.
You could discuss how believers are called to live righteously as a testament to their new family identity and how this identity calls us to love others as an overflow of God's love for us.
You could explore how God's lavish love calls us His children - an identity that brings confidence and hope. Our identity as children of God sets the foundation for genuine love. Love reflects our new nature in Christ and is incompatible with the practice of sin, because the practice of sin is incompatible with the nature and life of the Father and Son.
Stress the transformative impact this identity has on believers, encouraging them to look forward to the purity and perfection they will have when Christ appears. This assurance can help the congregation overcome doubt and find joy in their divine identity.
our new identity in Christ spurs a life of righteousness, opposing the patterns of sin. Emphasize that although believers may struggle, they have God's power within them to resist sin and reflect His holiness. This encourages the audience to live courageously, displaying the transformative power of being God's children.
What does the passage say about our identity as children of God?
According to the passage, why does the world not know the children of God?
What warning is given regarding the practice of sin in relation to knowing God?
How does John describe the relationship between love and righteousness?
What is the significance of loving one another according to the passage?
How does the passage indicate that confidence before God can be achieved?
What role does the Holy Spirit play in the lives of believers?
In what ways does the passage suggest that our understanding of God’s love impacts our daily actions?
How does John connect the themes of identity, action, and assurance in the lives of believers?
How does the passage interpret the relationship between confession of sin and receiving God’s forgiveness?
What does the passage reveal about the nature of God’s love and how it should manifest in believers’ lives?
If we keep Jesus’ commandment, what impact does that have on our lives? Others in our church fellowship? Our community?
What impact does understanding our identity as children of God have on our interactions with others?
What do I think God is saying to me in this passage?
What does He want me to do about it?
