1 John 2:3-6
3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
1. When we keep Jesus’ commands it gives us assurance about our relationship with Him
3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
• We know that we know…
• The word used for “know” is the Greek word Ginosko: It means personal and experiential knowledge
• We can have the experiential knowledge that we know Jesus when we keep His commands
1 John 3:24
The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
John 14:21
” He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
• Obedience to Jesus confirms to us and demonstrates to others that we have an authentic personal relationship with Christ
2. If someone claims to know Jesus but continually disobeys His commands they are a liar
4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person
• Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount that His way is narrow and that it is those who hear and obey that are His true followers
Matthew 7
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
• Profession and possession are not necessarily the same thing
• While the Bible acknowledges the ups and downs of spiritual experience and every one struggles with sin this side of heaven, the person who never demonstrates any freedom from sin but who continually lives in disobedience is a person who does not have an authentic personal relationship with Christ.
1 John 1:6
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.
3. God’s love is made complete in the one who obeys His Word
5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them
• Present tense: the one who is in the habit of obeying God’s Word. This is describing the person whose lifestyle is one of obedience
• God’s love has been perfected; perfect passive; this means that the obedient person has been completed by the love of God. One precedes the other; God’s love transforms the person and the transformed person lives an obedient life in response
• God’s love is demonstrated in the gospel and poured out into our hearts through the indwelling Holy Spirit: John 3:16, Romans 5:5
• We receive God’s love in salvation and we experience a love relationship with God when we obey His Word
John 14:21
” He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
4. We have assurance that we are in Him when we live as Jesus did
…This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
• Assurance of our salvation comes when we back up our claim with the way we live
• If we claim to abide in Him then in any given instance we should walk as He walked
• Walking in the steps of Jesus demonstrates that we have been born again, that we have received the love of God and that we have an authentic relationship with Christ.
• The key to experiencing the personal assurance of our salvation is to follow Christ in obedience