Love: The Practical Manifestation of Blessed Assurance

Love: The Practical Manifestation of Blessed Assurance

1 John 3:11–24 NLT

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. 16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. 23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

INTRODUCTION:

Have you ever heard someone boast of their love for God and almost in the same breath, spew forth the venom of hatred toward a fellow believer in Christ?

As a young teenager, I remember hearing a relative (who was constantly talking about their love for God) pour out words of passionate hatred and ill-will toward a brother in Christ. This Christian brother was one who was known to live a life that demonstrated his love for Christ, encouraged other believers with acts of love and earnestly sought to lead lost people to faith in Christ.

Another family member attempted to curb the criticism of this brother by reminding the criticizer of the fact that we should be careful what we say about brothers and sisters in Christ. To which the criticizer replied, “He is no brother of mine!!!”

The words of our text are a sobering reminder that if we truly are possessors of the Blessed Assurance Jesus gives, our lives should manifest a different attitude than the one expressed by the individual I just described.

TS: If our salvation is real and we truly possess His blessed assurance, it will be manifested though our behavior toward our fellow believers.

I. THE PRINCIPLE OF LOVE TO BE LIVED ( )

1 John 3:11–16 NLT

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. 16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

A- The principle proclaimed ()

1 John 3:11 NLT

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

1- Believers are to love one another!

B- The principle explained ()

1 John 3:12–15 NLT

12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

1- The negative example of Cain: ()

1 John 3:12 NLT

12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous.

a- Carrying a grudge against another Christian is indication of a deep-seeded sin problem.

b- We must remember that holding hatred in our hearts is the same as murder in God’s eyes.

2- The world hates us, but that is not to surprise us. This hatred is because of sin. ()

1 John 3:13 NLT

13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

3- Love for fellow Christians is the litmus test for the genuineness of our faith. ()

1 John 3:14–15 NLT

14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

C- The principle demonstrated ()

1 John 3:16 NLT

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

1. His love is easily seen.

a. He laid down His life for us (; ).

John 3:17 NLT

17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Romans 5:8 NLT

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

II- THE PRINCIPLE OF LOVE TO BE PRACTICED ()

1. Our love for each other should match His love for us.

a. Our love should be the sacrificial type.

1) Lottie Moon gave herself for the Chinese.

2) What have you done for others…for the salvation of the lost?

II- FULFILLING ()

A. Practiced through active proof ()

1 John 3:17 NLT

17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

1. Our words of love should be matched by our actions.

2. Our actions demonstrate how much we love God.

B. Through obedient living ()

1 John 3:18 NLT

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

1. Words are cheap.

a. Judas feigned words of love for Jesus and betrayed Him to His enemies.

2. All around us we can see our actions and know if we are real.

a. Proof of Our Love ()

John 13:35 NLT

35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

1) Our love for each other should match His love for us.

a) Our love should be the sacrificial type.

1) Lottie Moon gave herself for the Chinese.

2) What have you done for others…for the salvation of the lost?

C. Through scriptural testimony ()

1 John 3:19–21 NLT

19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.

1. We can know that we belong to him and have the assurance that we need before God.

()

1 John 5:13 NLT

13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

2. Even false guilt and cannot take away our assurance.

a. Must base our lives on the truthfulness of God and His word ()

1 John 5:11 NLT

11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

3. Prayer becomes focused and powerful. ()

1. Answered prayer is hinged to obedience ()

1 John 3:22–23 NLT

22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. 23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.

2. There are two key issues of obedience.

a. Do you trust Him fully?

4. Assurance grows as the presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested in our lives. ()

b. Do you really love fellow Believers?

1 John 3:24 NLT

24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

1) If you hold ill-will toward them you don’t love them!

CONCLUSION:

1. Our love for each other should match His love for us.

a. Our love should be the sacrificial type.

1) Lottie Moon gave herself for the Chinese.

2) What have you done for others…for the salvation of the lost?