1 John 5_13 Assurance

Secular: Alone in a crowd…

… meeting with a group you don’t know

… visiting a different church

… lonely

… apart from community and comfort

… waiting to be connected!!

- some people experience that in their relationship to God!!

- But we know…

Biblical: NIV 1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life

Personal:

Bridge:

Body:

1) Sin

Estrangement…

NIV 1 John 3:19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence

We measure this against our propensity to SIN…

… time to examine our lives, our hearts

… we should be convicted…

… that is a real sign of belonging!!

2) False Teaching

a. Authority of Scripture

No authority undermines

NIV 1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

NIV John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

b. performance based faith

(works vs. grace)

legalism… living with the free that our fruit… contribution is not enough

3) Emotions

Feel good as a guide vs. doctrine

· I am all for happiness… but when your faith is based on feeling good… LOOKOUT

· Heart aches, finances, sorrow, disappointment, doubt

· We do not live on emotions in other aspects of our lives

1. Dentist just to hear the drill

2. Rev Canada cheque for the thrill

3. Why Christianity based on euphoria?

4) Failure to Take God at his Word

NIV Acts 16:31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-- you and your household."

** I relate that I am enjoying something (a book, food.. etc) and you question me on it… call my sincerity into account…

If God says …NIV 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

- It is often easier to accept God’s promises for others than ourselves? (weird, eh?)

5) Spiritual Warfare

Satan’s lie… “Look at you… you are not behaving like a Christian!” sounds a lot like “The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,

3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"

4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.

5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Gen 3:2-5

** We even repeat the lie to others…

- our kids… that is not how a Christian behaves…

a. God’s Will for Our Salvation

NIV 1 Timothy 2:4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

And Peter says, NIV 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

OPEN ARMS…

b. God’s Provision for Our Salvation

God Gave all - NIV Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus Bore all - NIV 1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Why do we question? – Father gives so much… Then we ask do you love me!...

Jesus’ death burial and resurrection does not automatically save us…NIV John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--

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NIV John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

Finishes with: NIV John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

It must be a definite decision!!

Three tests:

1) Do I believe God’s Word?

2) Do I have the witness of the Holy Spirit?

3) Do I have the walk? (Are you different?)

a. NIV 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

b. Sure you will fall… we all do… but are you convicted?

c. Sometimes teens or as teens we wonder (like Prodigal son)… God wants us back…

Conclusion: