Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Assurance

God wants His children to know that they are truly saved, and to understand that biblical truth, obedience, and love, are the marks of authentic Christianity.
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).
Fellowship with other Christians flows out of regular and sincere prayer, humble service, esteeming others more highly than yourself, seeking to solve conflicts quickly, fellowship with God maintained by faithfully studying God's Word, consistent confession of sin, living obediently by the power of the Holy Spirit, these strengthen your fellowship with God and others.
“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
Fellowship is nurtured when sin is honestly confronted and understood that sin will destroy your intamacy with God, don't deny sin but confess it, know that all people are sinners yet believers have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, honestly confront sin in your life.
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
The genuine Christian claims to know the True God, consistently obeys God’s Word, is in Christ and has God's love perfected in him, and loves God’s people, this obedience to God is evidenced by truly loving His people.
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6).
In living by the Spirit of God, all Christians need to be careful to love God, following spiritual insight, not the world, centering your life on God rather than self.
“The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”
(1 John 2:17).
The genuine Christian accepts as truth that Jesus is the Son of God, that He took on human flesh while remaining truly God, He was born of a virgin and had no sin nature, dying on the cross as the perfect, acceptable sacrifice for sin, He arose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, we must abide in and share these truths about Christ.
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1 John 2:27).
Christ’s coming should produce confidence and commitment in learning what living like Christ means, communicating with God through prayer and His Word, submitting to God's will by the power of the Holy Spirit, responding to Christ’s coming with this confidence and commitment.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
A true believer’s behavior will match his or her belief, look to Christ as your standard realizing that all sin originates from the Devil, that Jesus has come to destroy the Devil's work, that believers are truly God's children, as such, believers should live godly lives.
“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:10).
Genuine love is demonstrated by works, not words, show genuine love through daily prayer for one another, listening to and encouraging one another, serving one another as a daily sacrifice to God, so fulfilling the Law of Christ.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).
Christians must be careful to discern between truth and error, affirming that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, those who accept this affirmation are of God and understand God's Truth, being careful to discern between truth and error.
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2).
Godly love is demonstrated by love and care for others, not just what I want (epithumia), nor what feels good (eros) , nor what I'm obligated to do (storge), not even just what a friend is for (philia), but what I can give (agape), loving others with a sacrificial love.
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16).
Faith in Christ overcomes the world, trusting Him for victory just as we trusted Him for our salvation, receiving power for victory through the Holy Spirit who empowers us as we put our faith in God, knowing that the world is powerless to overcome the believer who is empowered through faith in Christ.
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
Confidence for life comes from knowing Christ, giving us the assurance that the struggle against sin is worth it, that God's power will ultimately do away with all of life's struggles, that God is available at any moment through prayer, that He wants to hear and answer our prayers, giving us hope because God responds with grace sufficient for all our struggles, giving us boldness because we have access to God's wisdom, living with that confidence in the face of conflict.
“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).