Faith that defines you

Comments about Reformation month.

Being a preacher means that at any given time there is always something you want to talk about and it is almost always centered in addressing some sin or brokenness with the word of God. However, if you have ever read or studied preachers from the past, or even preachers from today, they always have that one subject that is the most important to them. The subject that they always want to talk about. As that subject grows in their mind they find very concise ways of saying it. Today, as I stand before you, I would call myself a Christian Hedonist because of one such preachers vision. John Piper has spent his life in dedication to the subject that God is most glorified in us when we are more satisfied in him.

Today I want to talk to you about the subject that means the most to me. Most of the time a preacher gets his subject by seeing something either in himself or in the world around him that cries out to him to be addressed. For me that subject is a question, what defines you? If you look at the world around us today people are crying out for real definition. They wonder whether or not a baby in the womb is actually a baby. They think they have to figure out what their gender is. They think they have to find out and understand what they are attracted to. They believe they have to figure all this out because it is the only way they can be happy. God already answered these questions and a thousand more. This is the voice a Christian brings to the world. Freedom from the tyranny of self-definition. However, there is more. The Christian proclamation is not just freedom from tyranny, it is actually that if we are defined by what we say we believe, we are not even saved. James says faith without works is a dead faith. Paul said that if anyone is really dead to sin they cannot go on living in sin and John said that anyone that does not obey the son has never seen life. If your faith does not define who you are it is no saving faith at all.

Let us Pray

Turn in your Bible with me to

John 3:31–36 ESV

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Lets look at verses 31 and 32 here.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.

1. Jesus is above all.

In this section John the Baptist is talking about Jesus. Notice how he starts with Jesus’ credentials. Jesus is above all, and he speaks things that no earthly person can see or have heard. In this we see the definer of definitions.

2.

2. To keep this Jesus in context we should look at the first chapter of the Gospel of John.

John 1:1–4 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 1:1–2 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

so when John is talking here, the reader should already know that when John the Baptist says he is from above, he means Jesus is from God, or more precisely he is God.

3. There are some poignant words near the end of verse 32. “no one receives his testimony”

John the Baptist has just said, look this guy is God naturally you should listen to him. Look he made everything. But, he ends with, no one is willing to make that commitment. No one is willing to make that commitment because it is a call to the road less traveled.

Matthew 10:37–38 ESV

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:37 ESV

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Dr. A. W. Tozer used to say. “there is one thing you knew about a man carrying a cross out of town. He was not coming back”.

The reason no one receives his testimony is simply that his testimony is, if you do not let me define you, you have no part in me. You have to lay down your life if you are going to have the life that I give you.

Moving on to verse 33-35

English Standard Version Chapter 3

33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

1. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this

When John says here, whoever receives, what is being said is that in order to receive or anyone that is going to receive has to do this one thing.

2. That thing is “sets his seal”

The picture here is of a seal. In the days of Jesus when someone wanted to send an official document, they would role the letter up and tie a string around it then they would drip hot wax on the knot and press that wax with a seal. The seal with like a signature, anyone opening that document would know who it was from. Most often there would be witness to this sealing of the document. Today we do the same thing with notaries. We sign a document with witnesses that will be able to tell everyone that we signed it. We officially endorsed that document. What John the Baptist is saying here is that whoever wants to receive the testimony of Jesus must be willing to publically endorse the document that says God is true.

There is a saying in

3. This leads to the question: what does it mean that God is true?

It means that we do not belong to ourselves: God gave “all things into his (Jesus’) hand.” To set your seal that God is true is to say: I do not get to define myself, I am defined by God who owns me. Paul introduces himself in with these words: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus” The Greek word there is doulos, which means “a person who is legally owned by someone else and whose entire livelihood and purpose was determined by their master.”

To set your seal that God is true is to say that my rights are gone and it is only right that all my life is defined by my master. You are defined by your faith.

Continuing on in verse 36 we read.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Here we come to the definitive statement about Faith and action.

There are two words here that interest us the most.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

believes

English Standard Version Chapter 3

does not obey

Even though they are four words in English, they are two Greek words.

The first is pisteuō (PeeSteewoh) which is the word we get believe from. It means to think to be true, to trust, to believe to the extent of complete trust(1).

The second is apeitheō (ahpaythayoh) which is where we get does not obey from. It means to disobey, be disobedient, reject belief, refuse to believe(1).

What we see here is that John the Apostle is conveying the message that if you trust in Jesus you are saved, but if your actions are not defined by that faith then you never believed in him in the first place. If this interpretation of the text is true we should see it attested to in scripture.

James 2:14–16 ESV

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

Romans 6:1–2 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Romans 6:2 ESV

By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Galatians 5:16–26 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Jesus said

Matthew 5:48 ESV

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

In conclusion:

There is a quality to the Christian life that gives true freedom. Jesus was not using hyperbole when he said

Matthew 11:27–30 ESV

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

It is not an arduous task to be defined by the living true God. It is arduous to be the measure of ourselves and have to seek happiness in things that can never fulfill. It is not arduous but it is costly. It will cost you everything. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote “It was Grace because it cost so much and because it cost so much it was Grace. That was the secret of the gospel of the reformation.”(2) What did it cost that is the question.

There is a hymn we sing called: How deep the Father’s love for us

There is a hymn we sing that says.

English Standard Version Chapter 11

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The Father turns His face away, As wounds which mar the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross, My sin upon His shoulders; Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished; His dying breath has brought me life – I know that it is finished.

If you look at the cost of this grace, it is a travesty to make it anything less than the one defining truth of your life.

Christian what are you defined by?

Christian what is your answer to what is going on in our world?

If it is anything less than a life defined by your faith in Jesus Christ, it is less than nothing and you have no right to call yourself a Christian.

We have all fallen short of this message and our world is paying the price for it.

Our message needs to be clear. It need to be spoken in every action of our lives. Our Faith defines us.

Let us Pray.

James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

1. James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

2. Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. London: SCM Press, 2015.