HOW TO KNOW THAT WE KNOW JESUS
1 JOHN 2:3-6
John wrote this letter to give believers the confidence of eternal life (1 Jn. 2:28, 3:21, 4:17, 5:14; failures, feelings, fear, faith).
1 Jn. 5:13. 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.
Confidence of eternal life comes from trust in Christ and His finished work as is written in the Scriptures.
2 Tim. 1:12. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
1. Can you know? (presumption, performance)
• “I’m not sure”
• “I think so”
• “I hope I am”
• “I am trying”
2. When can you know? (“hath life;” “condemned already”)
3. Can you ever doubt? (faithfulness of God, fatherhood of God)
D. L. Moody said, “The idea of walking though life without knowing this until we get to the great white throne is exploded. If the Bible doesn’t teach assurance it doesn’t teach justification by faith. . . .” Moody said, “If you are not sure of your own salvation, how can you help anyone else into the kingdom of God?”
Many lose the confidence of eternal life.
1. Condemnation (1 Jn. 3:21; weak–Rom. 7:24)
2. Carnality (1 Jn. 1:6; walk–1 Cor. 3:3)
3. Confusion (1 Jn. 5:13; Word–Rom. 10:17)
4. Counterfeit (1 Jn. 2:19; works–Jn. 3:3)
Jesus warned of those with a counterfeit experience.
1. Those who say they have eternal life (Mt. 7:21)
2. Those who others say have eternal life (Mt. 7:22)
3. Those who Jesus says has eternal life (Mt. 7:23)
John identified emphatically and experientially (by this–Jn. 13:35; 1 Jn. 2:3-5, 3:10-16-19-24, 4:2-9-10-13-17, 5:2) how believers can really know (know; present tense]–1 Jn. 2:3-4-5-13-14-18-29, 3:1-6-16-19-20-24, 4:2-6-7-8-13-16, 5:2-20; oida–1 Jn. 2:11-20-21-29, 3:1-2-5-14-15, 5:13-15-16-18-19-20) that they know (know Him [perfect tense]–1 Jn. 2:3-4-5, 3:1-6-24, 4:13) Jesus.
I. If we keep His commandments (2:3-6, 2:8, 3:24, 5:3; Jn. 14:15; test of obedience; keep commandments–Mt. 19:17; Jn. 14:15-21, 15:10; 1 Jn. 2:3-4, 3:22-24, 5:2-3; Rev. 14:12; keep– Mt. 28:20; Jn. 14:23; 1 Jn. 2:3-4-5, 3:22-24, 5:2-3-18; commandments–Jn. 13:34, 14:15-21, 15:10-12; 1 Jn. 2:3-4-7-8, 3:22-23-24, 4:21, 5:2-3; 2 Jn. 4-5-6; Rev. 14:12, 22:14)
Jn. 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.
1 Jn. 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
A. Keeping His Word (3-5; “if we keep on keeping;” keep word–Jn. 14:23, 17:6; 1 Jn. 2:5; Rev. 1:3, 3:8-10, 22:7-9; word–1 Jn. 1:1-10, 2:5-7-14, 5:7)
Jn. 14:23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
1. Contradiction (saying–1 Jn. 2:4-6-9)
a. Lie (liar–Jn. 8:44; Rom. 3:4; 1 Jn. 1:10, 2:4-22, 4:20, 5:10)
b. Truth (truth–Jn. 17:17; 1 Jn. 1:6-8, 2:4-21, 3:18-19, 4:6, 5:6)
2. Completion (perfect–2 Cor. 12:9; Phil. 3:12; Jas. 2:23; 1 Jn. 2:5, 4:12-17-18)
1 Jn. 4:12. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
a. Devotion (love of God–Jn. 5:42; Rom. 5:5, 8:39; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 3:19; 1 Jn. 2:5, 3:17, 4:8-9-16, 5:3; Jude 21)
Jude 21. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
b. Desire
1 Jn. 5:3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
B. Walking His way (6; “keep on walking”)
1. Indwelling (in Him–Jn. 15:5; 1 Jn. 2:5-6-27-28, 3:6-24, 4:13-16, 5:20; abide–Jn. 8:31, 15:4-5-6-7; 1 Jn. 2:6-10-14-17-19-24-27-28, 3:6-9-14-15-17-24, 4:12-13-15-16)
1 Jn. 3:6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
2. Imitation (ought–Jn. 13:14; Eph. 5:28; 1 Jn. 2:6, 3:16, 4:11; walk–Rom. 6:4, 13:13; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 2:10, 4:1, 5:2-8; 1 Jn. 1:6-7, 2:6-11; 2 Jn. 4-6; 3 Jn. 3-4)
1 Pet. 2:21. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
II. If we continue with the believers (2:19; Jn. 2:24; test of progress)
III. If we confess Jesus the Christ (2:23, 4:2-15; Jn. 12:42; Rom. 10:9-10; test of witness)
IV. If we practice righteousness (2:29, 3:10; 2 Cor. 5:17; test of holiness)
V. If we do not continue in sin (3:6, 5:4-18; Heb. 12:8; test of chastening)
VI. If we love one another (2:11, 3:10-14-19, 4:7-8-16; Jn. 13:35; test of love)
VII. If we have His Spirit in us (2:20, 3:24, 4:13; Rom. 8:9; test of transformation)
VIII. If we discern the truth (4:6; 1 Cor. 2:14; test of biblical understanding)
IX. If we trusted only in the Son of God (5:1-12-13; Eph. 2:8; test of faith)
Though the son of a saintly mother, Susannah, and himself a preacher John Wesley did not possess assurance of salvation. On the evening of 24 May 1738 John Wesley went unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street [London], where one was reading Luther’s preface to Romans. Though once a missionary to the Indians in Georgia, Wesley could not rest in peace as did the Moravians in a personal relationship with Christ. But after attending the society meeting at Aldersgate and hearing the preface to the Commentary on Romans, Wesley recorded, “About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken my sins away, even mine; and saved me from the law of sin and death.”(J. Wesley, Journal, i, 103)
A plane ticket to St. Louis will not carry a passenger to Philadelphia. Many do not have a ticket to the right place of heaven. Some can never produce a boarding pass to get past heaven’s security check. Only the blood of Jesus secures a reservation to eternal life.