God's Spirit and Our Assurance

Introduction:

John’s letter makes clear that Christianity is not a work of the mind of man.

Untruth threatens everything

Our knowledge of God, and our possession of eternal life, have involved an extraordinary work of God.

He loves us

He is neither aloof nor completely angry.

We know His nature, His person.

He sent His son as the propitiation for our sins.

He has made us His sons.

We have His seed.

Each member of the triune God has a role in our salvation.

Today, we will be reminded of the role of the spirit of God in our salvation.

Our focus will be 1 John 4:14-16

Love: Evidence of Understanding God Without Seeing Him

How has John structured the development of thought?

Through sending his son as propitiation for our sins, God has loved us (1 John 4:10).

This is love, and in this is love.

God, whom no one has ever seen, is thus known by us despite never having physically encountered him (1 John 4:12).

We have assurance, indeed even evidence, that God, whom we have not seen, abides in us, if we are loving one another.

Furthermore, if we are loving one another, God’s love has been completed in us. There is a maturity.

When we practice love for one another, as a matter of habit, God’s love has been completed in us.

God’s love through Christ had as its intended aim the transformation of our lives from selfish, pleasure seeking individuals, to those who practice love for one another.

When we practice love for one another, as a matter of habit, God’s love has been completed in us.

Eph. 2:10 “αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεός, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν.”

Assurance: The Work of the Spirit

There is a second proof or body of evidence that allows us to know that we are abiding in him and he in us, namely, “he has given us from his spirit.”

The phrase “out from his spirit” appears to wear many hats now (see below).

In the context, John has referred to the work of the spirit in the truth, the message of God. 1 John 4:14 also corresponds with this.

John also appears to have in mind the thought from chapters 2 and 3, especially chapter 3, that genuine believers have the “seed of God” in us, and thus we live in a manner consistent with his own nature.

A case could be made that one cannot separate out the work of the spirit that enables us to practice love for one another and its work in the truthful message of the apostles.

What does God’s Spirit do?

Regeneration (Titus 3:4-7)

Down payment of redemption:

Ephesians 1:13-14 “Ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ πιστεύσαντες ἐσφραγίσθητε τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ, ὅ ἐστιν ἀρραβὼν τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν, εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν τῆς περιποιήσεως, εἰς ἔπαινον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ.”

2 Cor. 1:22 “ὁ καὶ σφραγισάμενος ἡμᾶς καὶ δοὺς τὸν ἀρραβῶνα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν.”

Revelation of information: John has already referred to this one in 1 John 3:24.

“We have seen”: 1 John 1:1 “Ὃ ἦν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ὃ ἀκηκόαμεν, ὃ ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν, ὃ ἐθεασάμεθα καὶ αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν περὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς —”

John exposes the false teachers.

They do not hear the apostles.

They reject that God sent His son into the world.

They do not practice love for one another.

They advocate worldly living.

Note that John seems to use “the love” with double entendre.

It is Christ.

It is the love manifested or show in the sending of His Son.

Evidence that we know Him his found through the work of His Spirit in us.

We love.

We stay in the truth. We do not abandon the message of the apostles.

He is in us and we are in Him.

Conclusion

While we may be capable of living in as many ways as their are people, the inescapable reality is there is one way we ought to live.

God has enabled us to live in that way through the incarnation and substitutionary death of Jesus. He has also demonstrated what that is. We know Him and love.