Confidence in Faith
1 John • Sermon • Submitted
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Genuine Christianity
Genuine Christianity
Tests for genuineness
Right Belief
Right Behavior
Right Attitude
Obedient Living
Practice of Love
Right Attitude
Right Attitude
Is our relationship with God genuine?
Proof of Salvation
Proof of Salvation
Historical Illustration
Jonathan Edwards 1703-1758
One of the most influential preachers during the Great Awakening. (along with George Whitfield)
Sinner in the hands of an Angry God
People were repenting, embracing the gospel.
Naturally, many questioned whether or not they were truly saved.
What is the litmus test? How can we know, that we know, that we are saved.
From his book “A Treatise on Religious Affections”
THERE is no question whatsoever, that is of greater importance to mankind, and what is more concerns every individual person to be well resolved in, than this: What are the distinguishing qualifications of those that are in favor with God, and entitled to his eternal rewards? Or, which comes to the same thing, What is the nature of true religion? And wherein do lie the distinguishing notes of that virtue and holiness that is acceptable in the sight of God?
How do we know that we are saved? Edwards would answer that this way: By our affections. “Godliness in the heart has direct relation to practice, as a fountain has to a stream...” Chap 6
Jonathan Edwards 1703-1758
One of the most influential preachers during the Great Awakening. (along with George Whitfield)
Sinner in the hands of an Angry God
People were repenting, embracing the gospel.
Naturally, many questioned whether or not they were truly saved.
What is the litmus test? How can we know, that we know, that we are saved.
From his book “A Treatise on Religious Affections”
THERE is no question whatsoever, that is of greater importance to mankind, and what is more concerns every individual person to be well resolved in, than this: What are the distinguishing qualifications of those that are in favor with God, and entitled to his eternal rewards? Or, which comes to the same thing, What is the nature of true religion? And wherein do lie the distinguishing notes of that virtue and holiness that is acceptable in the sight of God?
Holy Affections
Holy Affections
English Standard Version Chapter 3
And sby this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Love in the heart
Love in the heart
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19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;
A Treatise on Religious Affection
epub
We start with a preposition and a pronoun. “By this...”
By what? this refers to the previous pericope. love for one another. Based on our love for one another we can have assurance. Look at the preceding verse.
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
1 John 3:20
Lets talk about conscience. First, what is it?
Conscience: συνείδησις syneídēsis; see nae dee sees
from syn (together) and eido (know)
literally join knowing (to join the spiritual and moral consciousness)
Pre salvation:
We are desensitized.
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
Post Salvation
Our conscience has been redeemed, cleaned, purified.
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Here is the dilemma: Our conscience does convict us. What do we do about that?
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
is important to understand, although it is quite difficult. What is John saying here? Assurance.
God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
It is important to understand, although it is quite difficult what John is saying here. First of all, Remember John is writing to believers. Just like today, believers in John’s time struggled with assurance. Frequently in John’s letter he address this. Assurance.
Let me give you a better translation and make it personal.
Better translation. “In whatever your heart condemns you.”
This should speak solidly to us, as believers.
What do we do with this dilemma?
All of us are born with a conscience.
Distinction between an unbeliever’s conscience and a believer’s conscience.
Distinction between an unbeliever’s conscience and a believer’s conscience.
Unbeliever
Unbeliever
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
Our conscience has a tendency to focus on our failures. Causing us to doubt our salvation.
God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
“Since God sees all things, he is far superior to our hearts.... the knowledge of God penetrates deeper than the perceptions of our conscience (Calvin)
God hates sin more than we do.
God knows our hearts better than we do.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
God knows the worst that is in us.
Yet, despite knowing what he knows about us, He justified us. He made us righteous.
Know that God knows our heart better than we d
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
That was love for others, now lets talk about love for God.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Our actions manifest the truth that is within us. Its not just proclamation, but occupation. Our love (verb/action) for our brothers and sisters demonstrate that the truth abides in us.
We are not talking about the distinction between the unsaved and the saved. John is addressing the believer here and specifically our heart as it pertains to loving one another and the truth of the gospel.
Believer
Believer
Our actions manifest the truth that is within us. Its not just proclamation, but occupation. Our love (verb/action) for our brothers and sisters demonstrate that the truth abides in us.
Evidence of
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
When we walk in obedience, we give no room for insecurity. We can boldly approach God in prayer.
Obedience is the manifestation of our love for Christ. Our obedience allows us to approach God with boldness in prayer.
22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
This is like a sandwich. obedience bread and peanut-butter confidence and jelly prayer.
Obedience is the manifestation of our love for Christ. Our obedience allows us to approach God with boldness in prayer.
Summary
Summary
Holy Affections:
Our affection (love) for others and for God is evidence of our assurance of salvation.
After the Great Awakening, in 1746, Jonathan Edwards wrote “A Treatise on Religious Affections.” He wrote this in response to the effectiveness of the Great Awakening. It caused many people to doubt their salvation. How could one know that they are saved.
Listen to what he wrote here.
Jonathan Edwards
“Godliness in the heart has as direct a relation to practice, as a fountain has to a stream, or as the luminous nature of the sun has to beams sent forth, or as life has to breathing, or the beating of the pulse, or any other vital act; or as a habit or principle of action has to action; for it is the very nature and notion of grace, that it is a principle of holy action or practice.” Excerpt From: Jonathan Edwards. “A Treatise on Religious Affections.” iBooks.
Jonathan Edwards. A Treatise on Religious Affections (Kindle Location 5097). Monergism Books. Kindle Edition.
Excerpt From: Jonathan Edwards. “A Treatise on Religious Affections.” iBooks.
More avenues of assurance
When do we need reassurance? When we feel our faith is weak or feel like we are not saved.
Remove the “for”
“By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him whenever our heart condemns us.
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Our standard of calibration is accurate, precise.
Our consciences, as believers, are guided by God. When they are not, we should experience guilt.
10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
1 cor
Our standard of measurement is much more accurate.
20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
Listen to how Calvin comments on this verse. Here is how Calvin puts it:
“Since God sees all things, he is far superior to our hearts.... the knowledge of God penetrates deeper than the perceptions of our conscience
the knowledge of God penetrates deeper than the perceptions of our conscience
John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 223.
John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 223.
Think of seeming acts of love that we see in the world that are not motivated by obedience to God.
Exceptions:
4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
There is a higher standard of comparison than our conscience.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Here is how Calvin puts it:
“Since God sees all things, he is far superior to our hearts.”
John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 223.
4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
Think of seeming acts of love that we see in the world that are not motivated by obedience to God.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Response to Prayer
Response to Prayer
Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles Chapter 3
we cannot have a calm peace except that which God’s Spirit gives to purified hearts;
if ( condemnation == null ) {
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
confidence = true;
prayer = answered;
}
if ( commandments == “kept” && God.isPleased) {
prayer = answered;
}