What Kind of Love
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Introduction
Very early in my ministry I was challenged with the thoughts concerning when do you know for sure you are on your way to heaven.
There is one camp that says, “Just say the prayer of salvation and you will be forgiven and on your way to heaven.”
There is another camp that says, “The call of salvation is a call to follow after Christ. Salvation is proved out by your following.”
Through my studies of the scriptures it is very evident that Jesus calls his disciples into a following, a lifestyle, and a way, and not just a prayer of asking for forgiveness.
So, what does it mean to be born again? How can you know for sure that you are born again and on your way to heaven.
The Apostle Paul would be considered by many, including me, to be the greatest Christian to ever live. Yet Paul was very candid and honest about the fact that he constantly felt the tension and struggle of the Christian life. Through the ages his words have brought much needed comfort to so many of us that feel these same tensions and struggles.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.
17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
The book of 1 John deals with many of these same tensions as John encourages us to abide in Christ to overcome this flesh and sin. Here are the tensions we have dealt with in the book so far.
We have dealt with the conflict of light and darkness, the conflict of love and hate, and today we deal with the conflict between truth and error.
We have dealt with the conflict of light and darkness, the conflict of love and hate, and today we deal with the conflict between truth and error.
Chapter 1: The tension of light and darkness
Chapter 2: The tension of love and hate, and the tension of truth and error.
And now as we enter into Chapter 3 we find one of the greatest tensions of all. This tension is so great that some have even walked away from the faith not understand how to overcome this tension.
It is the tension of Righteousness and Lawlessness.
In preparation for this message I asked you to listen to a podcast of Cary Nieuwhof and John Ortberg as they discussed what it means to be a true follower of Christ. It is these same reasons that caused me to birth Reliant Ministries 3 years ago.
Very early in my ministry I was challenged with the thoughts concerning when do you know for sure you are on your way to heaven.
There is one camp that says, “Just say the prayer of salvation and you will be forgiven and on your way to heaven.”
There is another camp that says, “The call of salvation is a call to follow after Christ. Salvation is proved out by your following.”
There is no time in scripture that Jesus describes a prayer of salvation but speaks about discipleship over 200 hundred times.
The end of Chapter 2 sets us up for this tension in chapter 3
Through my studies of the scriptures it is very evident that Jesus calls his disciples into a following, a lifestyle, and a way, and not just a prayer of asking for forgiveness.
So, what does it mean to be born again? How can you know for sure that you are born again and on your way to heaven. The end of Chapter 2 sets us up for this tension in chapter 3
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 John 2:
Through this series we are discovering how we can prove out our salvation to a world that has not experienced the blessedness of God or the power of the gospel.
There should be a distinct difference between those that have been born of God, the children of God, and those without God in the world.
God’s will for our lives is very clear.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
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1 Thess
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
Christianity has dumbed down the will of God by saying God’s will is that all would be saved. We know salvation is enacted by repentance and is just the beginning of your sanctification.
“Righteousness is the practice of keeping God’s law and abiding in Him.”
“Righteousness is the practice of keeping God’s law and abiding in Him.”
Our salvation is secure through the righteousness of Christ.
Our sanctification is determined by our practice of his righteousness.
3 Motivating factors toward Righteousness.
3 Motivating factors toward Righteousness.
Our accountability to Christ
Our accountability to Christ
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
1 John 2:28
When Christ appears will give answer to him for our practices.
Our reward in heaven is based on our practices now on Earth.
Our position of love as God’s children
Our position of love as God’s children
29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 John 3:1
1 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.
2 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.
Being born of God means you have the divine nature of God that wants and strive to do the will of God.
Being born of God means you have the Spirit of God motivating you to walk in the righteousness of God.
9 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.
Our hope in the appearing of Christ.
Our hope in the appearing of Christ.
1 John
2 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. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Hope is such a powerful thing. The hope we have in Christ motivates us to purify our lives to be like Him.
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:
Our hope drive us to purify ourselves from this world and its sin.
Our hope in the future drives our ability to make righteous decisions in our life now.
The lack of hope causes us to compromise our position in Christ and bend to the world of now.
2 Practices: Righteousness and Lawlessness.
2 Practices: Righteousness and Lawlessness.
You have heard it said that practice makes perfect. But what you practice and how you practice matters.
If you practice the wrong thing in the wrong way it will never lead to righteousness.
Perfect practice makes perfect.
Being righteous is not based on a thought but is proved out by your actions.
You actions toward God will reveal your relationship with God.
1 John 3:4
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Lawlessness is a complete disregard of the person and ways of God which is an offence to God and people.
Lawlessness is a complete disregard of the person and ways of God which is an offence to God and people.
Our offence toward God is removed through Christ.
Our offence toward God is removed through Christ.
1 John 3:5
5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Jesus didn’t just come to remove the penalty of sin but to free us from sin completely.
Modern medicine is amazing in what they can do. My Father smoked all his life and ate whatever he wanted to eat. At his biggest he was weighing in at about 320 lbs. When he weighed around 250 he went to the doctor and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. One of the many things that contributed to his death was they installed an insulin pump to regulate his glucose count which would have been a good thing if he would have changed his eating habits as instructed by the doctors. Instead he used the pump as a way to continue eating whatever he wanted.
To many Christians, Jesus is your insulin pump. You want Jesus to remove the consequences of your actions not so you can recover, but so you can continue living in your sin.
God forbid. Jesus didn’t save you just from the consequences of sin. He came to change your life completely by removing sin from your life.
“Jesus isn’t a funeral plan for later, but the Author of the new life today.”
Being born again changes your desire to sin against God.
Your relationship with Jesus will be seen through your practice of righteousness.
New birth means new life.
New birth means new life.
1 John 3:
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 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.
1 John 3:7-8
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 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.
“The great deception today is that salvation has nothing to do with repentance or practicing righteousness when repentance and righteousness is the whole point.”
We want to claim righteousness while practicing sin.
Your relationship with Jesus will be seen through your practice of righteousness.
The evidence is not in your claim but in your practice.
1 John 3:
9 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. 10 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.
Salvation is not sinless perfection, but an allegiance to King Jesus through a life of repentance.
Salvation is not a sinners prayer, but repentant heart that practices righteousness toward God.
The question that everyone should be asking this morning is not complicated.
Am I a follower of Jesus Christ?
Does Jesus have authority in my life?
Do I live a life of repentance that reflects my allegiance to Christ?
I was giving some marriage counseling to a couple that I wasn’t very familiar with years ago. Their life was a wreck. So, to get to know them I asked the question, Do you know the Lord? They both responded with oh yes we know the Lord.
I said, “Let me rephrase the question. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ.” Without hesitation they both said, “No, we don’t really follow Jesus.”
So I began to share with them the love relationship God was calling them into and they both bowed their heads and accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Repent from your sinful life, be born again, and experience a life in Jesus.
Repent from your sinful life, be born again, and experience a life in Jesus.
Don’t be deceived today by false teachings. Jesus is not a funeral plan for later, but the Author of the new life today.
Belief is necessary for salvation but so is repentance from sin.
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
James
You must also confess that Jesus is the Lord of your life.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Matt 7:
Prove out the power of salvation through your practice of righteousness revealing your relationship with God.
Prove out the power of salvation through your practice of righteousness revealing your relationship with God.