Joe R. Price
Christians should be confident of our salvation. The Christians in the New
Testament were filled with an expectant joy and living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ (Jno. 16:20-22; Phil. 4:4; 1 Cor. 15:19; 1 Pet.
1:3). They not only desired heaven, they expected to live
there throughout eternity (Phil. 3:13-14, 20-21; 1 Ths. 4:13-18; 2 Tim.
4:7-8).
The early saints did not live under a cloud
of gloom, constantly doubting whether they were saved. Jesus promised
eternal life to His sheep who hear His voice and follow Him (Jno.
10:27-29). That promise holds true today. Our salvation is secure when we
hear and follow Jesus. The assurance of salvation is a significant blessing
we have in Christ.
The epistle of 1 John was written to assure
Christians of our salvation. “These things I have written to you who
believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have
eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of
God” (1 Jno. 5:13). Our assurance of eternal life is much more than
thinking we are going to heaven. It is based on apostolic truth that was
“written...that you may know.” 1 John teaches us that when our lives
conform to divine truth our assurance of eternal life is real. Remember,
John wrote so that “your joy may be full” (1:4). Christian, is your
joy full?
We are assured of eternal life if we keep
His commandments.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if
we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His
word, truly the love of God is perfected in him (1
Jno. 2:3-5a).
Through the apostle John, the Holy Spirit
teaches we have an assurance of “knowing” Christ (being in fellowship
with, communing with, being in relationship with) if we obey Him. Far
from minimizing the role of obedience in man’s salvation, the inspired
apostle emphatically and unequivocally shows obedience is essential: if you
want to be assured of your salvation you must keep the commands of Christ!
John leaves no doubt by describing the disobedient person who says “I
know him” as “a liar” who is void of truth (1 Jno. 2:4). It takes more
than saying “Lord, Lord” to be saved by Jesus (Lk. 6:46).
Importantly, 1 John 2:5 connects the love of God with the obedience of man.
John says that God’s love is fully developed in one’s life as one keeps
God’s word. God’s love will not save a person during and in spite of his
disobedience.
The apostle of love insists that one’s
confidence of salvation is realized only when he is obeying the commandments
of Christ. This is another way of saying those who “hear” His voice
and “follow” Him will never perish (Jno. 10:27-28).
We are assured of eternal life if we walk
as He walked.
By this we know that we are in Him. He who
says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked
(1 Jno. 2:5a-6).
To walk as Jesus walked is to live as He
lived. John had previously said Christians must “walk in the light, as
he is in the light” to have fellowship with God and receive the
cleansing effect of Christ’s blood (1 Jno. 1:7). Since “God is light,
and in him is no darkness at all,” it can be no other way (1 Jno. 1:5).
We must live in harmony with the truth we profess. While we fall short at
times and sin against our Lord, He assures forgiveness if we confess our
sins to Him (1 Jno. 1: 8-2:1). There is no assurance of eternal life when
we continue to walk in sin and will not look to Jesus and follow His example
(Heb. 12:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:21).
We are assured of eternal life if we do
what is righteous.
If you know that He is righteous, you know
that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him
(1 Jno. 2:29).
Practicing righteousness means doing what is
right in God’s sight. It is synonymous with keeping His commandments, since
the commandments of God are right (Psa. 19:8-9; 119:172). The apostle Peter
taught the lost that God would accept them if they would fear Him and work
righteousness (Acts 10:34-35). Such people are born of God (1 Jno. 2:29;
cf. Gal. 3:26-27). Is God unmerciful by not saving those who chose not to
fear Him and work righteousness? No, God is assuring us that He will show
mercy on those who obey Him (do what He says is right, cf. Titus 3:4-7; Rom.
9:15-16). One who lives in unrighteousness has no hope of heaven; he has no
assurance of eternal life. The Christian’s salvation is secure by doing
what is right before God.
We are assured of eternal life if we love
the brethren.
We know that we have passed from death to
life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides
in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no
murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 Jno.
3:14-15).
A Christian who does not love his fellow
Christians has no assurance of eternal life. The one who does is a child of
God and knows God (1 Jno. 4:7). To not love is to not know God (1 Jno. 4:8).
How do we know we love one another? The answer is given: “By this we know
that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His
commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 Jno. 5:2-3). Loving one
another requires our obedience to God. We understand this because Jesus
obeyed the Father’s will and “laid down his life for us” (1 Jno.
3:16). When God expects us to love each other the same way, “we also
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” and loving “in deed and
truth” (1 Jno. 3:16-18). When we love each other this way, “we know
that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him” (1
Jno. 3:19).
The Christian’s assurance of eternal life
comes from Christ and is realized in our lives as we live by faith, obeying
his will: “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not
have the Son of God does not have life” (1 Jno. 5:11-12).
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You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Local Church Problems
Scripture Reading:
Acts 6:1-4
1. Local church is a family, 1 Tim. 3:14-15.
2. Like any family, problems will arise. When they do we can do one of four
things:
a. Ignore them.
b. Run away from them.
c. Increase problem by inflammatory words, etc.
d. Discuss with open minds, open Bibles & a prayerful, reverent & loving
attitude, Eph. 4:1-3; Phil. 2:1-4.
3. God expects His children to meet the challenges before us & live & serve
each other in love & unity, 1 Cor. 1:10; 12:25; 1 Jno. 4:20-21.
4. Acts 6:1-7 helps us.
I. CHALLENGE OF COMPATIBILITY,
Acts 6:1; Eph. 2:13-22 (Isa. 11:6-9).
A. Great Challenge to be One in Christ, Rom. 12:15-16; 1
Cor. 12:25-26 (Jno. 17:20-23; Rom. 15:5-6; 1 Jno. 4:10-11).
B. How to Meet this Challenge.
1. Make others higher priority than ourselves, Phil. 2:3-4; Ac 6:1, 5
(Matt. 20:28).
2. Forgiveness, Matt. 6:14-15.
3. Remember common relation, Gal. 3:26-29.
II. CHALLENGE OF COMMUNICATION,
Acts 6:1.
A. The Failure to Communicate, 6:1 (Matt. 18:15;
5:23-24; Jas. 1:19-20)
B. Communicating the Wrong Information; 1 Tim. 5:13; Prov. 16:28; 2 Ths.
3:11 (Eph. 4:25).
III. CHALLENGE OF CONVERTEDNESS,
Ac 6:3.
A. Lack of Conversion Means Satan is Still in Control,
cf. Acts 5:1-5, 7-9; 3:19; 26:20 (15:9; Rom. 6:4; Gal. 3:26-28.)
B. Our Conversion Shows, Rom. 6:16-18; 1 Ths. 1:9; Matt. 6:33 (Phil.
3:7-11).
C. Test Ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5): Materialism? Grudges? Repent? Pray?
Planned disobedience?
-Solution & result, Acts 6:3-5, 7
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You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
A Happy Life
Scripture Reading:
1 Peter 3:8-12
1. Are you happy? What is happiness to you?
a. World’s definition: Fame, fortune, glory; self-satisfaction.
b. God’s definition: 1 Pet. 3:10-12 (Matt. 5:3-12).
2. God wants us men to be happy as He defines it, Eccl. 3:12-13; 9:7-9.
3. Jesus is our way out of unhappiness & despair.
I. UNDERSTANDING HAPPINESS.
A. Happiness: A State of Mind, an Attitude of Heart
(Prov. 23:7); Jno. 14:1, 27; 16:22; 2 Cor. 6:10.
B. To Build a Happy Life, Build Faith in God, Heb. 13:5-6; Phil. 4:10-13;
Eph. 1:3 (Phil. 4:4).
II. THINGS OF EARTH DO NOT GIVE LASTING HAPPINESS,
Eccl. 2:3 (1:13).
A. Pleasure, Eccl. 2:1-2; Prov. 14:13 (Heb. 11:25; Lk.
12:19); Eccl. 7:2-4.
B. Material Things, Eccl. 2:8-11 (Lk. 12:15-21); 4:7-8; 5:10-11 (1 Tim.
6:10); Matt. 19:21-22.
C. Wisdom, Eccl. 2:12-17; 1 Cor. 3:18; 1:21."
D. Labor, Eccl. 2:18-23 (Lk. 12:20); 5:13-16; 2 Ths. 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:8.
E. Success, Eccl. 4:4-6; 1 Tim. 6:6-8.
F. Fulfilling Desires, Eccl. 6:7-9; Phil. 4:11-13.
III. THINGS NEEDED TO BE HAPPY IN LIFE.
A. Fear & Obey God, Eccl. 12:13 (Acts 10:34-35).
B. Address Sin God’s Way, Ac 2:41-42; 16:27, 34.
C. Seek First the things of God, Matt. 6:33.
D. Pray Often, 1 Jno. 5:14 (Phil. 4:4-7).
E. Count Your Blessings, 1 Tim. 6:7-8.
D. Patient Faith, Isa. 40:27-31 (1 Pet. 5:7; Heb. 13:5-6).
Conclusion
God wants your happiness; walk with God, Psa. 128.
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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
