"These Things I've Written..." 1 John 3:19-24

Introduction

Who is good at directions? I am not. Who I was before GPS compared to where I am now. A GPS tells me that I’m going the right way.

Sometimes we just need reassurance that we are doing the right thing.

Assurance - A positive declaration intended to give confidence. A pledge, surety, full confidence; freedom from doubt; certainty.

It is in our nature to want assurance that we are living our lives correctly.

We teach people to be sure that they have chosen the right doctor, lawyer, school, retirement plan, job, spouse. We want to make sure that we choose a sure thing.

What “sure thing” has not turned out to be so sure for you?

As a Christian, I’ve been asked “what makes you so sure that what you believe in is correct”?

Let’s talk about that.

1 John 3:19–24 NASB95

19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

1. A Christian is sure about their salvation.

John is writing to reassure hearts.

Sometimes the accusation of the can be true, and sometimes it can be false.

There is a persuasion of the heart at play.

Ordinary and privilege experience of a believer.

Assure heart before God.

There is a spiritual drama at play in the life of a Christian.

Sin happens.

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.

17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 7

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold cinto bondage to sin.

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.

17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from athe body of this death?

25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from athe body of this death?

25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Three Actors:

Three Actors:

Heart as the accuser.

Ourselves as the defendant.

God as the judge.

When hearts condemn, we ourselves must sit at rest. How? Our conscience, while good is not infallible.

Appeal from our conscience to God, who is greater and more knowledgeable.

His omniscience should relieve and not terrify us.

“For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.” -

God as the judge, appeased Your sin Jesus.

Stonger than any chemical tranquilizer is trust in our all knowing God.

Competitive people struggle with losing and will blame themselves in every loss.

Don’t listen to your own disappointments. God is bigger than that. You have to trust God and let your heart live at peace.

“If you think you've blown God's plan for your life, rest in this. You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful.” - Lisa Bever

2. A Christian is sure about their relationship with God.

John turns from the curse of a heart that has been condemned and how to reassure it, to the blessing of a heart which is at peace.

There is communion with God now. In other words, court it now over and the verdict has been set. You are not guilty and you don’t have to worry anymore. You can live confidently with who you are in Jesus Christ.

Christians are now in a place where they have full access to God and His abundant blessings.

You have access to God through prayer and you can receive answers from Him.

This a two way relationship though. God is not a genie in a bottle to answer our every command. He wants believers to walk with Him in obedience. We pray to God in accordance to His will.

Christians don’t ask God to do something outside of His purpose.

Dr. Matt Hoermann. I didn’t have to go through the front office to get to him anymore for medical care but I wasn’t going to ask Matt to do something outside of the purpose.

Christianity is open to any and everyone. God is a gentleman and does not beg. He wants a relationship with people. He made that clear through Jesus Christ.

His people don’t take advantage of Him. They lean upon Him as their everything.

Question to ask yourself. If having a relationship with God through Jesus didn’t provide you anything else but salvation, would it be enough?

3. A Christian is sure about their purpose.

What are the commands of God that we should obey to receive prayer from Him?

Embrace faith in Jesus and love each other.

Believe - Believe that Jesus existed, He’s the son of God, He died on the cross for our sins, He rose from the dead, and He is the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Love one another - Faith and love are brought together. Love for the brothers is to be a continuous attitude. Both are tests of the true Christian. He links love with belief in Christ.

No one needs to dare claim that they believe in Jesus unless they are obedient to the three fundamental commands which John has been expounding.

Belief in Christ

Love for Brothers

Moral righteousness

John tells us that this is how we know that Jesus lives inside of us.

How do we do this? The end of verse 24 tells us the Holy Spirit.

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if I indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, He does not belong to Him.” -

The Holy Spirit teaches us to have conviction in our lives and walk with God.

What would our lives look like if we knew the angels involved in our lives? What if we knew why things that shouldn’t be difficult were so difficult?

The Holy Spirit is the key to you and I understanding our purpose. We can see things that others can’t see. If Jesus wasn’t your Savior, this would be impossible.