Living as God's Children: Assurance and Faith

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we delve into the profound truth that as believers, we are called to become the children of God, a privilege that transcends mere forgiveness or reconciliation. This transformation is not of human origin but is divinely orchestrated, as highlighted in John 1:12-13. The essence of our faith journey is to live with the assurance and certainty that we are indeed God's children. This assurance is not just for personal comfort but is essential for our role in God's mission to save others. Without this certainty, our ability to serve and lead others to salvation is compromised.

The examples of Old Testament saints, particularly Noah, serve as powerful illustrations of living by faith. Noah's life exemplifies the assurance of being a child of God, which empowered him to stand firm in a corrupt world. His faith was not passive; it was active and obedient, demonstrated by his preparation of the ark in response to God's warning of the impending flood. This act of faith was a testament to his belief in God's righteousness and judgment, despite the ridicule and disbelief of his contemporaries.

Noah's story is a call to us today to live with the same assurance and faith. In a world that mirrors the pre-flood era in its moral decay and skepticism, we are challenged to stand apart, to walk with God, and to proclaim His righteousness. Our faith should not be swayed by modern skepticism or the allure of contemporary thought that dismisses divine judgment. Instead, we are to hold fast to the truth of God's word, living in the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.

As we navigate our own challenging times, let us draw inspiration from Noah's unwavering faith and commitment to God's will. Let us be assured of our identity as God's children and live out that identity with boldness and conviction, knowing that our faithfulness will not only secure our salvation but also serve as a beacon of hope and truth to a world in desperate need of God's light.

Key Takeaways:

1. Assurance of Identity: As believers, it is crucial to have the assurance that we are children of God. This certainty is foundational for living a joyful and effective Christian life. Without it, we cannot fully participate in God's mission to save others. [02:49]

2. Living by Faith: The examples of Old Testament saints, like Noah, illustrate the power of living by faith. Their lives were marked by a deep assurance of their relationship with God, which enabled them to stand firm in a corrupt world. [06:56]

3. Obedience in Faith: Noah's preparation of the ark was an act of obedience that stemmed from his faith in God's warning. This obedience, despite ridicule, highlights the importance of trusting God's word and acting upon it. [29:03]

4. Fear of the Lord: A healthy fear of the Lord, characterized by reverence and awe, is essential for a godly life. It keeps us mindful of God's holiness and the reality of His judgment, motivating us to live righteously. [36:05]

5. Proclaiming Righteousness: Like Noah, we are called to be preachers of righteousness in our generation. This involves not only living out our faith but also boldly proclaiming God's truth and the way of salvation through Christ. [42:26]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Key Scriptures
- [01:11] - Becoming Children of God
- [02:22] - Importance of Assurance
- [03:07] - Functioning as God's Children
- [04:09] - Examples from Hebrews 11
- [05:22] - The Faith of Abel and Enoch
- [07:12] - Noah's Example of Faith
- [08:41] - Noah's Assurance and Obedience
- [10:43] - Noah's Righteousness and Walk with God
- [13:18] - God's Covenant with Noah
- [15:23] - Noah's Faith in Action
- [20:32] - Separation from the World
- [27:17] - Believing God's Revelation
- [35:29] - Noah's Fear and Reverence
- [40:07] - Preparing the Ark and Preaching Righteousness
- [45:22] - Conclusion and Encouragement

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. John 1:12-13
2. Hebrews 11:7
3. Genesis 6:8-9, 18

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#### Observation Questions
1. According to John 1:12-13, what is the process by which believers become children of God? How does this passage emphasize the divine origin of this transformation?
2. In Hebrews 11:7, what actions did Noah take as a result of his faith, and how did these actions demonstrate his belief in God's warning?
3. How does Genesis 6:8-9 describe Noah's character and his relationship with God? What does it mean that Noah "walked with God"?

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. The sermon emphasizes the importance of having assurance in our identity as God's children. How does this assurance impact a believer's ability to participate in God's mission to save others? [03:07]
2. Noah's faith led him to prepare an ark despite the ridicule of his contemporaries. What does this teach us about the nature of faith and obedience in the face of skepticism? [29:03]
3. The sermon discusses the "fear of the Lord" as a crucial aspect of a godly life. How does this fear differ from a craven fear, and why is it essential for living righteously? [36:05]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own sense of assurance in your identity as a child of God. How does this assurance (or lack thereof) affect your daily life and interactions with others? [02:49]
2. Noah's faith was active and obedient, leading him to build the ark. Is there a specific area in your life where you feel called to act in faith despite external pressures or doubts? [29:03]
3. The sermon highlights the importance of proclaiming righteousness in our generation. How can you be a "preacher of righteousness" in your community, and what challenges might you face in doing so? [42:26]
4. Consider the concept of the "fear of the Lord" as described in the sermon. How can cultivating a healthy reverence for God influence your decisions and actions this week? [36:05]
5. Noah stood firm in his faith despite living in a corrupt world. What practical steps can you take to maintain your integrity and faithfulness in a society that often dismisses divine judgment? [19:59]
6. The sermon calls us to live with boldness and conviction as God's children. Identify one area in your life where you can demonstrate greater boldness in your faith. What specific actions will you take to do this? [45:22]
7. Reflect on a time when you faced ridicule or skepticism for your beliefs. How did you respond, and what might you do differently in the future to stand firm in your faith like Noah? [30:58]

Devotional

Day 1: Assurance of Our Divine Identity
As believers, it is essential to have the assurance that we are children of God. This certainty is foundational for living a joyful and effective Christian life. Without it, we cannot fully participate in God's mission to save others. The transformation into God's children is not of human origin but divinely orchestrated, as highlighted in John 1:12-13. This assurance is not just for personal comfort but is essential for our role in God's mission to save others. Without this certainty, our ability to serve and lead others to salvation is compromised. [02:49]

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself daily of your identity as a child of God, and how does this assurance influence your interactions with others?


Day 2: Living by Faith in a Corrupt World
The examples of Old Testament saints, like Noah, illustrate the power of living by faith. Their lives were marked by a deep assurance of their relationship with God, which enabled them to stand firm in a corrupt world. Noah's life exemplifies the assurance of being a child of God, which empowered him to stand firm in a corrupt world. His faith was not passive; it was active and obedient, demonstrated by his preparation of the ark in response to God's warning of the impending flood. [06:56]

"By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." (Hebrews 11:7, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively demonstrate your faith in God in a world that often contradicts His teachings?


Day 3: Obedience Stemming from Faith
Noah's preparation of the ark was an act of obedience that stemmed from his faith in God's warning. This obedience, despite ridicule, highlights the importance of trusting God's word and acting upon it. Noah's story is a call to us today to live with the same assurance and faith. In a world that mirrors the pre-flood era in its moral decay and skepticism, we are challenged to stand apart, to walk with God, and to proclaim His righteousness. [29:03]

"And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area in your life where God is calling you to obedience, and how can you take a step of faith in that direction today?


Day 4: Reverence and Awe in the Fear of the Lord
A healthy fear of the Lord, characterized by reverence and awe, is essential for a godly life. It keeps us mindful of God's holiness and the reality of His judgment, motivating us to live righteously. Our faith should not be swayed by modern skepticism or the allure of contemporary thought that dismisses divine judgment. Instead, we are to hold fast to the truth of God's word, living in the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. [36:05]

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." (Proverbs 9:10, ESV)

Reflection: How does a reverent fear of the Lord influence your daily decisions and actions, and what changes might you need to make to align more closely with His holiness?


Day 5: Proclaiming Righteousness in Our Generation
Like Noah, we are called to be preachers of righteousness in our generation. This involves not only living out our faith but also boldly proclaiming God's truth and the way of salvation through Christ. Let us be assured of our identity as God's children and live out that identity with boldness and conviction, knowing that our faithfulness will not only secure our salvation but also serve as a beacon of hope and truth to a world in desperate need of God's light. [42:26]

"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about the righteousness and salvation found in Christ, and how can you share this message with them this week?

Quotes


Now having looked into the doctrine that is involved in all this and having worked it out at Great length we are now turning to these examples given us in the 11th chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews we're doing in other words the very thing that the author of that epistle does himself he was writing to give people assurance and he works out the doctrine then he says nothing then look here this is nothing new this he says is a principle that has always operated in God's people they've all lived by faith and faith is the substance the substantiating of the things hoped for there's a certainty in it. [00:04:06]

The Secret of Abel was that God let him know that he was well pleased with him, God testified to his gift and gave him this certainty and Assurance he was given the witness and we remember we saw the same thing about Enoch the important thing about Enoch was not so much that he was translated that he should not see death this is the thing before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God God had told him before he took him to be with himself that he was well pleased with him. [00:06:02]

The Secret of these men was that they knew exactly their relationship to God that was how they were able to live in this evil world and Triumph as they did and that is why I'm holding them up before you you and I are meant to know that we are the children of God we are meant to appropriate that statement in John 1 12 and 13 and to be absolutely certain concerning it. [00:07:11]

Now here again the great thing about this man is as with the others that he knew he'd got the certainty The Secret of his life was that he had this Blessed Assurance he knew exactly what he was where he stood and what was going to happen to him now this uh is not brought out as clearly perhaps in the actual statement in the 11th of Hebrews as it was with the previous ones but when you go back to the history it's there as plain as daylight. [00:08:13]

Noah walked with God in other words they were given the privilege of doing so God walked with them that's the way I like to think of this it isn't merely an account of a righteous walk that's given us in the preceding part where we are told that Noah was a just just man and perfect in his Generations but here is something more he walked with God he was a companion of God God DED to give him his company and the privilege of his companionship and he knew that and he was enjoying it. [00:12:00]

God has given this knowledge to this men now and he's given him instructions about building an ark and so on and then he repeats again behold I even I do bring floods a flood of waters upon the Earth To Destroy All Flesh wherein is the Breath of Life from under heaven and everything that is in the Earth shall die but with thee will I establish my Covenant now God told him that you see this is the ultimate proof of this man's Assurance God having warned him about the destruction that was coming said it's not going to apply to you you're in a special position now that's assurance. [00:13:16]

He believed the warning about the flood Noah being warned of God of things as yet not see prepared an arc now I feel that here comes the positive message to every one of us this morning are you being influenced My Friends by these things that are being said at the present time are you feeling a little bit ashamed of yourself because people say that you're oldfashioned and an old fundamentalist or something like that do you want to be oppressed with these latest speculations do you think that that's the height of intelligence. [00:28:55]

Noah believed God and he believed God when he warned him about the destruction that was coming in other words in spite of all that was being said round and about him and the way people were living no believed that this was still God's world he believed that the world had been made by God and that it was in God's hands still he believed that men was not an animal but a creature made by God in the image of God he believed that men was responsible to God and accountable to God. [00:29:58]

He submitted to God's way of Salvation judgment the only way of Escape he did it everybody he laughed at him they scuffed at him they ridiculed him building an ark the man's mad this but he did it why well God had said this is the only way and thereby he judged and condemned the whole world that was round and about him he didn't reason he didn't object he didn't put forward any alternative he believed God he accepted his way of Salvation and he proceeded to put it into practice. [00:40:11]

He preached by building the ark they said what are you doing he said there's a judgment coming well what about this well this is the only way to be saved get right with God submit to him Escape submit to God's way he preached by the very building but he preached in words also he warned them he told them about this Holiness of God that he had a glimpse of and that God had told him he was going to judge he told everybody but Noah was the only man who listened and he went on and on and on. [00:42:40]

We must tell people about it we must become preachers of righteousness I don't say we must become moral prigs I say we must become preachers of righteousness I not advocating what you're getting in the newspapers and from so many of the politicians they are not preachers of righteousness they don't believe in it they've never seen it they have no conception of it they're concerned about a superficial respectability I'm not interested preacher of righteousness tell them about God and His in and his Justice and his truth that he's going to judge the whole world. [00:43:23]

Let us learn the lesson of N and in this evil age and hour let us like Noah walk with God let us be concerned about righteousness let us be sincere let us seek God and submit to his will and to his way and to his teaching and as certainly as we do so we shall not only condemn the world in which we are living we shall be given the Blessed assurance that we are well pleasing in God's sight we need have no fear of the Judgment that is to come. [00:46:07]

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Transcript
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