Walking in the Light: Assurance Through Obedience
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the book of 1 John, focusing on the assurance of our relationship with God through obedience to His commands. John, the last living apostle and eyewitness to Jesus' ministry, wrote to believers who were two generations removed from Christ's earthly ministry. These believers were surrounded by a culture steeped in false worship and were also facing false teachings within the church. John’s letter aimed to assure them of the truth of the gospel they had received and to counter the false claims that were emerging.
John begins by emphasizing the authenticity of his message, rooted in his firsthand experience with Jesus. He asserts that God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness. This sets the stage for understanding that true fellowship with God requires walking in the light, which means striving for purity and holiness. John counters the idea that sin and behavior are inconsequential, stating that while we should strive not to sin, we have an advocate in Jesus when we do.
The crux of today's passage, 1 John 2:3-11, revolves around the concept of knowing God through obedience. John distinguishes between assurance and security. Security refers to the guaranteed state of our eternal life in Christ, held by His grip on us. Assurance, on the other hand, is our confidence in that security, which is evidenced by our obedience to God's commands. John makes it clear that merely professing faith without accompanying obedience is insufficient. True faith manifests in a life that seeks to follow Jesus' teachings.
John also addresses the importance of love among believers. He states that anyone who claims to be in the light but harbors hatred is still in darkness. Love for fellow believers is a clear indicator of walking in the light and having assurance of our security in Christ. Conversely, hatred and bitterness are incompatible with a life in Christ and indicate spiritual blindness.
In conclusion, John’s message is both a challenge and a comfort. It challenges us to examine our lives for genuine obedience and love, and it comforts us with the assurance that our security in Christ is unshakable when evidenced by these fruits.
### Key Takeaways
1. Authenticity of the Gospel: John emphasizes the authenticity of his message, rooted in his firsthand experience with Jesus. This authenticity is crucial for believers to hold onto the truth amidst a culture of false worship and teachings. The gospel's truth is unchanging and reliable, providing a firm foundation for our faith. [02:19]
2. Distinction Between Assurance and Security: Security in Christ is guaranteed by His grip on us, not by our actions. Assurance, however, is our confidence in that security, evidenced by our obedience to God's commands. This distinction helps us understand that while our salvation is secure, our assurance of it grows through our faithful living. [09:20]
3. Obedience as Evidence of Faith: John makes it clear that true faith is evidenced by obedience to God's commands. Merely professing faith without accompanying actions is insufficient. Genuine faith manifests in a life that seeks to follow Jesus' teachings, demonstrating the transformative work of God in us. [14:48]
4. Love as a Marker of True Faith: Love for fellow believers is a clear indicator of walking in the light and having assurance of our security in Christ. Hatred and bitterness are incompatible with a life in Christ and indicate spiritual blindness. This love is not our own but a reflection of God's love made complete in us. [25:54]
5. Self-Examination and Confession: John encourages believers to examine their hearts for any hatred or bitterness and to confess these sins. Holding onto such feelings is incompatible with the love of God. Confession and seeking forgiveness are essential steps in aligning our hearts with God's will and experiencing His cleansing. [34:09]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[02:19] - Context of 1 John
[03:57] - Relevance for Today
[05:38] - God is Light
[07:21] - Knowing God Through Obedience
[09:20] - Assurance vs. Security
[11:30] - Evidence of True Faith
[13:14] - The Law of Christ
[14:48] - Profession vs. Genuine Faith
[16:51] - Obedience as Assurance
[19:08] - Living Like Jesus
[21:06] - The New Command
[24:04] - Love and Hate
[25:54] - Love as Assurance
[29:01] - Spiritual Blindness
[32:14] - Self-Examination and Confession
[34:09] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1 John 2:3-11 (NIV)
### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 John 2:3, how can we know that we have come to know God?
2. What does John say about those who claim to know God but do not keep His commands? ([11:30])
3. How does John describe the relationship between love and walking in the light in 1 John 2:10?
4. What does John say about those who hate their brother or sister in 1 John 2:11?
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does John mean by the distinction between "assurance" and "security" in our relationship with God? How does this distinction affect our understanding of faith? ([09:20])
2. How does John’s emphasis on obedience as evidence of faith challenge the idea that a mere profession of faith is sufficient for salvation? ([14:48])
3. Why is love for fellow believers considered a clear indicator of walking in the light? How does this reflect the transformative work of God in us? ([25:54])
4. How does John’s message about self-examination and confession help us align our hearts with God's will? ([34:09])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you claim to know God but struggle to keep His commands? How can you work on aligning your actions with your faith? ([11:30])
2. John emphasizes the importance of love among believers. Is there someone in your church or community with whom you have unresolved conflict or bitterness? What steps can you take to reconcile and show love? ([25:54])
3. How can you cultivate a habit of self-examination and confession in your daily life to ensure you are walking in the light? ([34:09])
4. Think about the distinction between assurance and security. How can you grow in your assurance of salvation through obedience to God's commands? ([09:20])
5. John challenges us to live like Jesus. What specific actions can you take this week to live more like Jesus in your interactions with others? ([19:08])
6. How can you demonstrate the love of God in practical ways to your fellow believers, especially those who may be difficult to love? ([27:21])
7. Reflect on a time when you harbored bitterness or hatred. How did it affect your spiritual life? What can you do differently in the future to prevent such feelings from taking root? ([32:14])
Devotional
Day 1: The Unchanging Truth of the Gospel
The authenticity of the gospel is rooted in the firsthand experience of the apostles, particularly John, who was an eyewitness to Jesus' ministry. This authenticity is crucial for believers to hold onto the truth amidst a culture of false worship and teachings. The gospel's truth is unchanging and reliable, providing a firm foundation for our faith. John emphasizes that God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness, setting the stage for understanding that true fellowship with God requires walking in the light, striving for purity and holiness. This message is especially relevant for believers who are surrounded by a culture steeped in false worship and facing false teachings within the church. [02:19]
1 John 1:5-7 (ESV): "This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."
Reflection: In what ways can you ensure that you are walking in the light of God's truth today, especially when faced with cultural pressures and false teachings?
Day 2: Assurance vs. Security in Christ
Security in Christ is guaranteed by His grip on us, not by our actions. Assurance, however, is our confidence in that security, evidenced by our obedience to God's commands. This distinction helps us understand that while our salvation is secure, our assurance of it grows through our faithful living. John makes it clear that merely professing faith without accompanying obedience is insufficient. True faith manifests in a life that seeks to follow Jesus' teachings, demonstrating the transformative work of God in us. [09:20]
1 John 2:3-5 (ESV): "And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says 'I know him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him."
Reflection: Reflect on your daily actions and decisions. How do they demonstrate your obedience to God's commands and provide assurance of your security in Christ?
Day 3: Obedience as Evidence of Faith
John makes it clear that true faith is evidenced by obedience to God's commands. Merely professing faith without accompanying actions is insufficient. Genuine faith manifests in a life that seeks to follow Jesus' teachings, demonstrating the transformative work of God in us. This obedience is not about perfection but about a sincere effort to align our lives with God's will. It is through this obedience that we experience the assurance of our faith and the transformative power of the gospel in our lives. [14:48]
James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you can better align your actions with Jesus' teachings. What specific steps can you take today to demonstrate your faith through obedience?
Day 4: Love as a Marker of True Faith
Love for fellow believers is a clear indicator of walking in the light and having assurance of our security in Christ. Hatred and bitterness are incompatible with a life in Christ and indicate spiritual blindness. This love is not our own but a reflection of God's love made complete in us. John emphasizes that anyone who claims to be in the light but harbors hatred is still in darkness. Therefore, love among believers is a crucial marker of true faith and spiritual health. [25:54]
1 John 2:9-11 (ESV): "Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 5: Self-Examination and Confession
John encourages believers to examine their hearts for any hatred or bitterness and to confess these sins. Holding onto such feelings is incompatible with the love of God. Confession and seeking forgiveness are essential steps in aligning our hearts with God's will and experiencing His cleansing. This process of self-examination and confession helps us to maintain a pure heart and a clear conscience before God, ensuring that we are walking in the light and reflecting His love to others. [34:09]
Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV): "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
Reflection: Take a moment to ask God to search your heart. Is there any bitterness or hatred you need to confess and seek forgiveness for today? How can you take steps to reconcile and restore relationships?
Quotes
1. "You know, this is a very similar situation to where we find ourselves in today, surrounded by an ungodly culture, an anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-truth culture. And even from within the church, there are those who water down the gospel and soften the message and weaken the word to make it more palatable to this anti-God culture around us. And so I think that this letter from John to believers in Jesus is both timely and relevant for us even today." [03:57] (37 seconds)
2. "We are secure, not by our grip on Christ, but by His grip on us. Once we are in Christ, our security is never in question. Assurance has to do with our knowledge of and belief in our security. John is writing to his readers, and he's writing to us, that, excuse me, that we would be assured, that we would know and believe that our status as children of God is secure in Christ." [09:20] (49 seconds)
3. "We are not held secure by keeping His commands. We are held secure in the hands of Jesus because of His finished work of atonement by God's grace and His Spirit in us. We are held secure by Christ. How can we know and how can we be assured and believe, in fact, that we are? If we keep His commands." [11:30] (32 seconds)
4. "There were some in those days who were claiming that a profession of faith is all that you need to be saved. That a profession of faith was all that you need to be saved. And there are some still today who would say that a profession of faith is all that you need to be saved. But I will tell you, confidently, that that is not true." [14:48] (23 seconds)
5. "We are saved by grace through faith, through belief. And through that belief, we are held firmly and securely by Christ. How can we know that we are secure? How can we rest in the faith? How can we rest in that? Through belief. And how do we know that we truly believe? How do we know that, in fact, we do trust in Christ? How do we know that we have expressed faith, genuine faith, dependence, reliance on Jesus and His work on the cross? John says, obedience." [16:51] (56 seconds)
6. "Being a Christian and hating someone is incompatible. Being a Christian and harboring bitterness cannot coexist. Being a Christian and holding a grudge is an untenable position. Matthew 5, 21, Jesus equates hating your brother with murder, and it is not a good thing. It's not an option for a follower of Christ." [25:54] (26 seconds)
7. "If the love of God has been made complete in you, then it should be impossible for you to hate someone. It should be impossible for you to hold a grudge or harbor bitterness. Impossible. Because God's love so fills up a person that there is no room for hatred or bitterness, at least for very long." [25:54] (60 seconds)
8. "If you have trusted in Christ and His saving work on the cross for you, and if you have a love in your heart for fellow believers in your family, in your church, in your community, and around the world, then you can rest and rejoice in the full assurance, in the full assurance that you are secure in Christ." [32:14] (24 seconds)
9. "If you claim to trust in Christ, but you are harboring bitterness against someone in the family of God, whether that's in your family, or whether that's in your church, or in your community, or around the world, well, then you have some investigation to do. You have some introspection that is required. You need some evaluation of your heart." [32:14] (27 seconds)
10. "If that's the case, turn to Christ today. Turn to Christ today in humble faith and let Him fill up your heart with His love. Be forgiven, be cleansed, allow the light of God to purify your heart and grow what He wants to grow there. I love the book of 1 John because it is so deep and also so precious." [34:09] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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