How Confident Are You?

 

 

 

^"13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. ¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death." 

I John 5:13-17

 

 

Good Morning my beloved,

 

We welcome you to worship in the name of the Lord. Thank you for joining us today, we're glad to have you here. We are grateful for those of you who have been sharing the ministry website with all of your family and friends. Your faithfulness to share God's Word with others continues to bring about tremendous results. God has continued to bless our ministry by reaching even more of those who desperately need to hear His Word. May He use this message mightily to effect change in even more lives. And may God richly bless you for being such a huge part of helping to spread His Word.

 

All unrighteousness is sin. All sin leads to death. Some sins seem to lead to death quicker that others. No matter the sin, the result produced by persistent sin is the same, death. In Acts chapter 5, God dealt with intentional, calculated sin by taking the physical life of the sinner. 

 

Many people, especially Christians, assume this is referring to the so called deadly sins, such as murder. However, there is no list of deadly sins in the Bible. In the Law there, are several examples of sin which is committed with the full intention of breaking the law as unforgivable. 

 

By our faith we can certainly be victorious over the sinful patterns of the world, but it will not happen with a struggle. In fact, the military terms used in Scripture tell us it will be a battle, not without a fight.

One thing is certain, habitual sin always pays back both believers and unbelievers.

 

In Romans 6:23, the Apostle Paul says "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Sin is that which is opposed to God. It is rebellion against God. This not only refers to physical death, but to eternal death. As believers, we do not experience eternal separation from God, because our sin, past, present and future are forgive in Christ.  We are still undergoing a process of sanctification. So, when we sin; though we do not experience eternal separation from God, we do experience a break in our relationship, a tension in our communion with Him.

 

However, Hebrews chapter 10 makes it abundantly clear, that, "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries."

 

Sin, a rebellion against God is really rebellion against what is best for us. Since God created us,
He knows what is good for us and what is not. Engaging in sin is destructive behavior, for which there are both natural and eternal consequences. Sometimes, those sin result in consequences imposed on us by society. Other sin is illegal, when we are caught committing these sins, we can expect that we will
suffer legal consequences. If we will confess our sins, repent of our behaviors, and seek restoration, God promises to forgive us.

 

In any case, sin is a very serious issue, for both the believer and unbeliever.

Let us pray

Heavenly Father,

Father, we as always thank You for Your Word. A Word so powerful, its able to comfort the hurting, to correct those in error, to refresh the weary, to instruct, to enlighten and remind. We are so grateful, that You have given us limitless access to the truth. 

 

Thank You for reminding us that this life is more than temporal physical, or material things. That we must focus our attention on spiritual growth and development, edification, sanctification, and prayer. Thank You for reminding us that our prayers should have more to do with others and the soul, than our wants. That if we pray according to Your will, we can be assured of Your answer. 

 

Thank You for Your Son, Who gave His life, so that we might believe and have eternal life. Thank You for such a magnificent gift, of which we are so undeserving. May all that we do, be a reflection of our gratitude for such a precious gift. 

In Christ's name we pray

Amen

Today's Message: How Confident Are You?

Most of us struggle against all of the many uncertainties of this life. In society today, because of all the violence and shootings, there are increasing uncertainties about leaving our homes or just walking down the street. Since the pandemic began, there's the uncertainties of finances, whether we will have a job or enough money to meet our families needs. Then, there’s uncertainty about our health and what we will do should the bread winner die.

One thing is for certain these days, you can’t depend upon anything material, anything physical. You can’t really depend on people.  I suppose at some point in our lives, we find ourselves asking the question: What can you be certain of?

If you were to ask the typical person, I'm sure most would respond with "Death and taxes!" That put us in a very good position to pose another question: "After you’ve died, what are you certain of then?" 

As people who are uncertain about almost everything, in an uncertain world, the Word of God is a divine revelation that is filled with absolute certainties and assurances. 

There are the Lord's sure mercies, His sure grace, His sure forgiveness, a sure reward to those who sow righteousness. The assurance of salvation for those who believe the testimony of God, concerning His Son Jesus Christ. Christ is a sure anchor in the presence of God. And, in Revelation, we have Jesus' words, "Surely, I come quickly." And, there's many, many more. 

 

The Bible is a book of certainties. It's a book of absolutes. In God's Word, we can be certain how the universe began; and, how it will end. We can be certain about what is right and what is wrong. We can be certain about why people behave the way they do. We can be certain that there is a heaven, and about what it takes for people to enter the kingdom of God. We can be certain that there is a hell and certain about how people get there.

 

In an uncertain world, we can, in fact, be certain about many things. In a world of doubters and unbelievers, we can also be certain that is not something that is easily accepted in our society. God has even given us a guarantee that it His Word is the truth! 

 

If your faith is in Christ, you believe the truth about Jesus.When you became a believer, and put your trust in Jesus Christ, you came to the conviction that what He said about you was true; what He said about your sin was true. That what He said about forgiveness, mercy, and grace was true. You also came to believe what He said about His judgment was true. 

 

Allow me to remind you, that John wrote this book, which is intended to distinguish true Christians from false Christians. And he provided us with a series of tests, tests that identify the true and the false believers. Tests about Jesus Christ, who He is and why He came.Those that believe the right things, can come to the conclusion that they pass the test. Then, John ended his formal argument in verse 12, when he wrote "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life."

 

Open with me your Bibles to I John chapter 5.  In our ongoing study, we come to the conclusion to this wonderful epistle, which runs through verses 13 to 21. There are several words which repeated through the end of this epistle, words I am sure you will recognize easily. The word "know," and the word "confidence." This last section is all about what we as believers know.

 

Allow me to read to you these finals eight verses, to set the text in our minds, though we will not have time to cover all them today. I incite you to follow along with me as I read. Listen for the voice of our Lord. I John 5:13-21.

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols."

Our faith is not a hope so, it’s not a pie in the sky kind of hope. It's a know so hope. As a footnote, the word "know" appears, I believe, thirty-nine times in this epistle, seven of those times are as he closes. Six of those seven times is a reference to absolute knowledge by divine revelation.  God has spoken, and what He has spoken, we are certain is true.

 

In verse 13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life."

 

"Theses things," John is summarizing the purpose for his whole letter, he wants to reiterate for us who believe, the certainties that are ours in Christ. He tells us that he has written to give us assurance. That you may know that you have the assurance of eternal life. That is the most important certainty!

 

Notice that he shifts from the third person in verse 12, to the first person. This indicates to us that this isn’t just the flow of thought. This is a self-proclamation of his purpose. It also introduces all that is about to follow,  which is all about what we know. It really goes back over and covers the whole of the gospel of John. Everything from chapter 1, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God," to chapter 21, "This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true." Everything so far has been written that you may believe. 

 

The gospel of John was a message of salvation, written so that people might believe and be saved. The epistle of John was an epistle of assurance, written so that the saved might know they’re saved.In other words, the first one was to bring you to belief, and this one is to eliminate any lingering doubt.

 

Now, I don't want to go too in depth, it must be horrible to be Roman Catholic, who says no one can know for certain if they are saved or going to heaven until they die Muslim, who can't know for certain whether or not they will go to heaven, until it is too late whether they will be saved. It must really be sad to live your whole life caught up in a system. Personally, I cannot imagine anything worse than never knowing.  I believe that you need to do a little better than that because of what is at stake. 

 

That's why John wrote this epistle. So, that you can measure yourself against the tests. Do you believe what God says in His Word about Jesus Christ? Do you understand your own sinful condition? Are you manifesting the evidence of a transformed life? Do you manifest your love God and love others and your hatred toward the world by obedience? 

 

You know the tests, we've been going over these. Examine your life. If you’re obeying the commands of Christ, if you’re loving God, loving others, and not loving the world; if you’re confessing Jesus as God; if you’re practicing righteousness; if you’re experiencing the internal confident witness of the Holy Spirit, then you can be sure. 

 

God and Christ are the eternal life. We have that life in us, that why we love God and love others. That's why we desire righteousness and hate sin and the world system. But because that life is incarcerated in the darkness of our still fallen flesh, it's not fully manifested. We already possess the very life of God. All God’s life is in Christ, and all of Christ’s life is in us and all of the Holy Spirit is us. The essential nature of the Trinity has taken up residence in our lives. The problem is that because we struggle with the darkness, it make it difficult to see the light within us. 

 

You know, it's incredible to think about, that we have the eternal life of God in us. That’s exactly what verse 13 says, "If you believe in the name of the Son of God, you may know that you have eternal life."

 

However, in the meantime, we have problems, we have struggles, we have issues, until the full expression of the glorious manifestation of it occurs after we leave this world. Thankfully, while we wait, we know that God hears our prayers.

 

That brings us to verse 14, "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 

 

We know we have eternal life. We have confidence that He hears our prayers, and if we ask anything according to His will, we know He will answer.  We have the confidence to go before the Lord on any issue, any temptation, any struggle and freely, boldly ask and to seek what we need. In Scripture, we are instructed to come boldly to the throne of God. We have that access to God now, not just in the life to come! Therefore, our confidence is in the here and now.  Though we haven't yet entered into our eternal inheritance, which is laid up for us, we have access now to all of God’s resources through prayer. That's why John says "This is the confidence which we have before Him."

 

Verse 15, "And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him."

 

I have had some people ask, "Are you saying that we have a blank check, with no limits?" Well, the answer is yes, with just one qualifier: "According to His will." Anything that we ask we have the confidence our prayers will be answered, as long as its according to His will. Because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

 

If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, if you keep His commandments, love the brothers, which follows salvation, you can ask whatever you want and you will receive it. You have confidence that before God that you will receive what you ask for.

 

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, that's not the same thing that the prosperity gospel preachers claim. Jesus is not your personal genie, waiting to grant you all your wishes, that teach that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God, that faith, positive affirmations, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth. Though God does promise to bless those who bless others, their teaching is a prostitution of the gospel message, with no conditions of saving faith, obedience, or being according to the will of God.   

We'll pick up there in our next message.

In Closing..

I encourage you to know for sure whether or not you have eternal life, because there is nothing that is more important. If you're the least unsure, go back and read again God’s testimony to His Son in the gospels. Read again the witness of the Holy Spirit throughout the life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Then, accept His testimony to His Son and receive as a gift the eternal life that only the One true living God can impart.

 

God’s testimony to His Son Jesus is the sure foundation of our faith, giving us confidence in eternal life, confidence that God hears our prayers and confidence that our sins are forgiven!  

 

May it be so..

 

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen

 

 

 

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