Putting it All Together: The Simplicity of Assured Christian Living
Notes
Transcript
Handout
There is one little phrase from my childhood that I love using on special occasions when many diverse little parts are surprisingly and dramatically brought together - it is more than intellectual joy of aha - it makes sense now. It is the satisfaction in life of not of an idea coming together - but of a plan, a project, everything falling into place so a a goal an outcome that changes people’s lives in a sense miraculously against all odds comes together. It is Hannibal from the A-Team - they have to fix some terrible problem, rescue some - and towards the very end of the show, the camera would zoom in on the ring leader; calmer than fiery Mr T, more broad thinking than crazy Murdoch. The camera would zoom in on a slightly smiling Hannibal with a twinkle in his eye he would always say: I love it when a plan comes together!
Well this letter, has it all - drama of group leaving the church, false teachers, twisting, it has the fiery battle we have with the Deceiver of this world, and how he would keep us enslaved to passions and proud self-serving living. Like the A-Team early on in the shows we have spiritual map - not only a sin radar, but false teaching radar about who Christ is - about what the spirit of Antichrist changes religion into it - lots of deep thinking here ion the doctrinal test - Son of God who is the beginning - come in the flesh - propitiate… The Spirit of God …
It has the struggle of actually loving not in general principal, but making agape love of God manifest, after you experience from GOD - do you make time in your day for that - is this a big big part of your worship - appearing before, living in the presence, receiving from Living God - ; but after that the drama not one-way destination, but stop-over-flight, because God working in you , His love experienced like measles's get that - So now I love my brothers ans sisters in this new family of God, this new kingdom, I love them I love my particular neighbour in action like that. !
But with 1-5 conclusion of the letter proper - John taking the threads of these spiritual realities - tying them together, and v. 6-12 is the bow tied all up - the The plan that has come together - is not how to have salvation, but like he set out in Ch 1 - assurance that you have this life, and growth in fellowship and joy in that life. This is what its all about - and not just idea comes to conclusion, but John wants you and I to - to say: Yes these realities of light, love, truth in Christ not just accept them, I am experiencing them and the result is the simplicity of my assured Christian living!
Key Truth: Experiencing Christ’s truth, love, and purity, you confidently live the assured-Christian life.
Notice how the conclusion ends in V.4-5 - God works all these realities of light, love, truth in your life through Christ - not so that you sit back and say - I’m apart from the world, flesh, devil - apart from the Church. No ,I am with the church in the world, shining light., pushing back darkness. You don’t sit back and says: I am so fulfilled and inspired, I have no troubles - I have consumed some nice religion and haven enlightenment
No kind of like Plato’s cave allegory - Jesus says - you got this new eternal life from - get out of the cave of enlightenment and get into that world of darkness - battle and gain victory. You got peace, go back to your home where there is strife, your neighbours and work and school - become a peace maker. You got joy - go out to this world people drunk on lesser pleasures - Key word in v.4 v.5 nike - had it before in 1 JOhn 4:3-4
and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
The devil is in this world, behind all other human and demonic teaching opposing God and his ways, not by Satanic worship and gross unrighteousness, but anti-Christ, replacing God’s appointed mediator - And John has said you overcome them, and the goal, the plan coming together is that you experience the new birth this salvation - and you get this goal already now in your life - overcome the world -
The goal isn’t to defeat the world or conqueror it, but to overcome it and its ways -to successfully live God’s way in it!
So many people in this world - the world’s overcoming them - deluge of lusts and darkness, distraction - world against God has their heart or the mind, their activity. These Christians in Ephesus increasingly living defeated lives - Christians in other pandemics, Christians in times when Church, is on the Down-grade, Christian in congregations feel isolated, get in a funk - world , the enemies of faith - world the flesh the devil - in a sense having their way. Our faith isn’t going to magically make trials and temptations go away, but our faith overcomes as a process as we grow to walk in God’s way!
But John asks the rhetorical question - after giving the beautifully simple yet deep answer of v.1-3 Who is it that overcomes the world? And he is expecting, as you’ve taken these tests, not in order to pass and graduate and get salvation; but more like a pregnancy test - The test doesn’t make you pregnant, it reveals new life in you that’s already happened. So too you’ve taken these tests - reveal that in Christ share in His victory and this victory part of your daily life in this world! And taking those 3 tests,
A. Experience Christ in Three Strands:
not getting perfect on single one, but saying, Yes, Christ as my light and me walking in that light, yes experience Love of god Father Son Holy Spirit - practice that love. And yes, Christ as ultimate truth - the one who is from the beginning - whose words - - I am believing that Jesus is the Sn of God like that, I am leaning in to these realities with my life - John says simply then you are not only saved, but you with Christ are an overcomer for grace and God’s glory in the world! Let’s look then at the three strands of his answer about who overcomes that he ties into this one neat and tidy bow of TRUST IN JESUS. First ribbon, strand, trand, is doctrine. What you believe in your mind and heart about Jesus. 1 John 5:1a
A. Experience Christ in Three Strands: i. Truth
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
On the basis of this text, some mistakenly think John is teaching that belief happens first and then a person seeing and understanding and trusting in Christ will be born again, as if faith is not instrument God uses in saving us, but as if our faith is actually the cause of our salvation. As if it is the condition that God is waiting for in order to give gives his Spirit. But besides John teaching the opposite in John 3, can’t even see the kingdom of God without the Spirit, Paul can’t say Jesus is LORD without the Spirit. No, John’s point here is not the order of faith and regeneration. His big point - is how do you tell who belongs to God and those who do not? John is saying the evidence that you are truly born again - is what you believe about Jesus. Do you believe that He is the Son of God, but no only that - do you know and trust in His mission as the Messiah - the Christ? Not being spiritual , or religious, or a belief in God in general that is evidence someone is born again. But it is what you believe about Jesus in your Life - Is He King, Is He Anointed Priest - Is His sacrifice on the Cross the atoning one by which you come to God, Do you believe that DO you believe He’s anointed Chief Prophet?
In 1 John 2:22 already said negatively:
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
This morning where are you at with this? Like Thomas may have doubts, not really get it yet, he went on to be the first to get it - or you may be denying God’s testimony - saying just a man, - or like some of the false teachers - Jesus not truly human didn’t really die, not really human God - man in heaven raised bodily now; But now positively John is saying if you know and trust Him as God and Messiah - you can know your born again.
A. Experience Christ in Three Strands: i. Truth ii. Love
And then here brings that together with the second stand of this letter, the love test. Remember not talking about love of this world, even good natural love of your friends and family , generally nice guy - But of love agape love .self-sacrificing love experienced from God, if you have experienced that love not just from Christ dying for you, but from the Father Son Holy Spirit - offering their selves, moving toward you to save you - experience God’s love like that in Christ - you love God back - not just respecting him as a judge, or in awe of his beauty like master Creator, but love Him as Father. Love him, like the only begotten Son loves God the Father. Think of the story of the prodigal son , picture that old man - eagerly running, doesn’t just want this guy back, as a servant, forgiven and atoned - I want you back as my son my daughter - lavishes that kind of love, those kinds of gifts, that kind of new relationship - if you love God like a Father because of Christ - again look at it - you can know that you have been born again:
1 John 5:1b
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
Who is the one begotten, born of the Father - well first of all that’s Jesus eternally begotten Son, forever in God-ness of God - the person reflecting the glory of the Father - we love that one who is eternally begotten f God. But here is beautiful simplicity. Your living in that faith doctrine of Christ, and your living in that love for the Father. But look how John summarizes this second strand of love. You love God like that , look what is fulfilled, as you love Him with all you are…Q. what is the natural outflow? Not really two commands but one.
1 John 5:2
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
You can know that you are born again by what you believe about Jesus. You can know you are born again by if you love God as Father in Christ, and the test of that is how you love those who have been born of God. You need a love thermometer, take your temperature - how much you love God can be measured by how you love the visible image bearers of God around you. Yes your neighbours, enemies - but especially those Christians, imperfect prickly, slow to grow the way you want them, but born of God - Loving God results in this love for brothers and sisters, your spiritual siblings! Do you get that - the kind of love that God expects and has designed you to give to others - is the self-giving love that He has for you.
You have heard the expression: any friend of yours, is a friend of mine. Change the way you pray for each other, way you practically show up and serve. There is God’s friend and I am his friend too! Kind of like kids blessed by strength of parents relationships. Or like God-parents to kids, or even in laws - on the basis of my friendship with my daughter, - I welcome this son-in-law guy like my own. Who are you welcoming into God’s household like that? That’s what we say with God about our brothers and sisters in Christ! But it’s not just that he expects and has designed it his way.
It is also because there are believers that you are sitting beside right now that need something, from you and from me. Members of this church need to see and receive your Christ like love, and you need to receive it from them. We need to be encouraged by others love for God. And our love for them, will help them love God better. So keep your finger on these two strands in your experience - belief in Jesus and love for Gd and those born of Him, And take your other hand and reach down for a third strand in your life that John is going to tie into the bow.
A. Experience Christ in Three Strands: i. Truth ii. Love iii. Purity
1 John 5:2b-3
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
What are his commandments - each one of them, the 10 restated and exemplify, love of God love of neighbour. Do you have room for the commandments of God in your life? Do you understand, as Bro David W taught - behind each command, find principle but even more the character of a person? These are not burdensome hoops to jump through, arbitrary rules. The commandments of God in OT and NT, are not at the end of the day, negative do nots, at the end of the day even the do not’s are part of the way of love that needs to be what?
KEPT - not word for obeyed, listened to, - but the word in OT and NT - like a guard watches a prisoner, or do you remember the first time you babysat - keep watch, but tend, care, . Means yes, you will have a sin radar, keep short accounts with sin. But its’ more than recognizing sin. It is evangelical obedience not legal-obedience. It is Grace empowered, not earning or fearing punishment, keep tending way of love - loving God and others God’s way! And so in addition to sin radar, like Psalm 119, like Jer 34 description of New Covenant, - Spirit writes God’s law, refer to it often, know it by heart - way of the kingdom from Mountain, the sermon on the Mount, what it means to forgive, what it means to confront , to reconcile, how we do business, how we do family, how we do church - tending it, beyond a sin radar, you now have a life blueprint refer to often as build the actions, the relationships the projects of your life!
You know if you were to take up fencing, sword fighting, those rules would be nothing but burdensome for non-sword fighters. But if if we were zapped with the Jedi force, became master of the sword, light saber. The rules not a burden, but they would show - we’ve got the family liknesss - second nature. When we believe and love and obey like that - John says we are overcomers!
And its John's grand conclusion that Anyone born of God born from above like that - has stopped just bobbing and bouncing through life succumbing to whims and priorities of the world. But now God’s love, God truth, God’s light and law -overcome the rebellion of the world against God.
And John is delivering a shot in the arm to these confused, tired, faltering Christians ain Ephesus as he sees their congregating teetering. 1 JOhn 5:5
Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Who overcame the world of unbelief and rebellion, even when that world was attacking and disregarding and pushing Him out? Not first of all us, but the God-Man and Saviour - won the victory - crushed the serpent, wrestled victory out of the defeat of your sin, death, your hell. Snatched that victory from the jaws of defeat, as he succumbs to it all for us, and rises with that victory in His wings. Rises as the sun of the new age, the era, shines that light on us. He says, don’t worry this Son of God says: in this world you will have trouble, but listen to the Saviour as he goes into the jaws of your defeat and mine, listen to Him speaking to the church as it labours in the trials of this world, as each child of faith must go through his or her own hour of tribulations: John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John goes on to say, you are trusting in that Christ, he is alive and at work in you - John gives them a shot in the arm - You've got this . By faith you will overcome following and untied o him, even through these trials. Do you get it you experience Christ in his truth, his love, his purity - and then you can know that Great is He who is In ME than He who is in the World! : 1 John 4:4
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
So there is the summary of Christian life, test it in your life - your belief in the Christ, your Love by and to the Father , your love of others like Jesus love in the flesh and action, your obedience and desire for God’s way for His righteousness for way of love. The simplicity of the Christian living: Truth, Love, Purity. that evidences that we have been born from above of the Spirit in Christ. But where is the confidence? That is the last part of our text in vv.6-12.
B. Confidence Comes from the testimony of the Holy Spirit to you
And here, John didn’t get the memo that seminarians are given: Don’t introduce new material in the conclusion, just review and finish up. He will finish up next week. But in this review John adds new material.. All along he has been hinting that there’s another really important dynamic of Christian living that is vital for assurance. The Christian life and assurance is not primarily about you looking into your life and you looking into yourself and saying - yes I measure up now, my sin radar is working well enough, my doctrinal test has enough knowledge in it, my love thermometer is sufficiently heated up to love 12.5 degrees with 4 other Christians. No those evidences are evidences that something has happened to you, and that Someone else is empowering your Christian living, and this is the ultimate assurance. Here is the new materiel: 1 John 5:6b
This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
Do you understand what God sent you and me, with Jesus. It’s not just that God sent Jesus, and we believe that Jesus did all this back in history, and that He is Saviour and Lord in heaven right now. But From the beginning God sent something, Someone with Jesus that you need and you have if a believer - and this Someone has the job of working assurance and power for Christian living in you.
If you are listening this morning and you only have belief in God but not in Jesus as God in the flesh for you. You can’t have this assurance, nor this new life and Christian living. That’s what false teachers in Ephesus believed and the result was they didn't have the testimony the assurance, the power of the Spirit. This is why John introduces that Jesus came with three testimonies, three witnesses. What are they? 1 John 5:6a
This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
John has already spoken of the i. blood of Christ - offered Himself up by the eternal Spirit - and by that eternal Spirit the blood still speaks today. This is of course speaking of his atoning death and sacrifice. This is how Jesus came to the world becoming its Saviour. It is how God gives eternal life, only through His Son’s death and resurrection! The blood of Christ is the sign that certifies Jesus as Saviour.
But what is the water? Gospel of John makes a big deal that when spear was thrust into Jesus side, testimony not just of atoning blood, but of truly human life. Refers even beyond that to the Spirit. DO you remember how when Jesus began his public ministry by the banks of the river Jordan? What happened as John lifted that water and anointed him with the water, as surely as the water fell down, the Holy Spirit. What did that baptism by the Spirit mean to the world watching Jesus come into ministry? Cerinthus, protognostic said: not truly Man, Christ just spiritual being, taking on human body for a while… But, the Spirit anointing the God-man Christ was the sign that certified his perfect life and minsitry on our behalf! John 1:32-34 The Spirit is the one who bears witness to us!
And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
John highlights this water and blood, the baptism and cross as the book end of Jesus ministry- two signs that picture what it means for us to be participants in Christ - two signs that you and I have in Baptismal Font, and the Lord’s Supper! Now if you had been there to receive that testimony of the Spirit coming from heaven - this is the SON - … wouldn’t you respond with trusting and following the Christ. John says, the same thing has happened to us: John has said that we have had this anointing by the Spirit too. He has said is by the testimony of the Spirit with the Word, that we are experiencing the life of Christ and get His truth: 1 John 4:13
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
John is saying Christ’s life and ministry, his atoning death, this is the main job of the Holy Spirit to testify of Christ like that this is the truth. And then its like he asks another rhetorical questions, he pauses the flow of this new information and says: 1 John 5:9
If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.
You receive testimony from other human beings every day. Believe the world is round on authority of scientists as much as because you have seen the world from outer space or made observations, You believe we are part of the galaxy, good reason to believe testimony of others all the time. John says, when it comes to what God says about Jesus His Son, its is not just human accounts written in various account, Spirit inspired these accounts, as you read them - yes make logical reasonable - say yes this is true to my world, my life, ; but more 1 John 5:10
Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
Something happens as God speaks written word about Jesus the gospel, and then inwardly the Spirit takes those words and enlightening our hearts and minds - recognize - real life from God available to me - the Son. And its as you experience the testimony outwardly through the word but inwardly through the Spirit with the Word, that John says - 1 John 5:12 And so you can say - I have the Son, I have life eternal life - with all His truth, love, purity!
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Take the tests, the doctrine test who is Jesus, the love in action test, obedience and sin test, . Know these 3 God-given strands of your new life in Christ - pure light, love, truth. But understand the simplicity of the life in Christ. You can exercise truth. love, purity with confidence through trials. And ultimately you have confidence in living that life, not because of how well you live, love or understand in Christ, but because His Spirit making you alive is at work in you. You can be sure you have this life, in Christ. And together we have fellowship and joy and can powerfully overcome with Christ. DO I believe what God says about Jesus - here and by His Spirit and Word in here - then I have eternal life, overcoming life, life in the Son! I have the Son! Eternal life hangs on you and me having the Son like this!
Every show presented crazy hard obstacles and problems in the A-Team, but simplicity of the endings I love it when a plan comes together. And John is saying to us the church in trial - God’s plan still coming together - can’ be stopped as live in His Spirit.
548 When We Walk with The LORD