The Proof Is Love

Assurance of Our Salvation

Book of 1 John Chapter 3 verses 11-24

How do we know we have become a part of God's salvation plan? Because, the Holy Spirit has come to live within us!

How do we know the Holy Spirit lives in inside us? The proof is that we begin to love and to show the love that our God has shown to us!

We ended last week’s lesson with Chapter 3 and verse 10.

1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

How are God's children made known to the world?

We are to be the ones who are doing things right while the world does things wrong!

We are to be the ones who love all others like our Heavenly Father loves us, who are so unworthy of His love!

This is the message God has had since the first day of Creation!

What is love?

Love is a great desire to promote peace and happiness and have true affections for all others.

Love is refusing to do anything that could prove injurious to others.

Love is doing things to promote the welfare, and the comfort, and the interests of others whether they appreciate it or not.

Love is personal and will show the real worth of that person who is so loved.

Love is taking action to show this love to all others.

This is the love God has shown to those who live throughout His creation!

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Let this sink in for a moment.

This is the message of the Bible that we have learned from the beginning!

*****1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

This is the very first lesson we need to learn after receiving our Savior!

For those who do not understand why God does what He does, then this is His reason!

We live in a world where it seems that almost everyone is looking for love.

Those not looking for love are looking to instill hatred, because they have never known what love means.

One group looks for love in the wrong places, and the other group denies that there can be such love yet, God's only answer is that we must love one another.

When the Apostle John became so weak, he could hardly preach, he had only one message that he repeated over and over until his church got tired of hearing about the love of God.

The church of today has become tired of hearing John 3:16!

How did John respond? John said it is the Lord's first command and that is a good enough reason to keep preaching about the love of God.

After all, when we obey the commandments of God, we show we love Him.

If we grow tired of God's love, then how can see say He is our Father?

How could we ever grow tired of the love of our Heavenly Father?

Love is God's message and love is the message God gave to His Son!

What happens when love ceases to exist?

*****1Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

The truth is, those who live of hatred are of the wicked one! The wicked one is the Devil, Satan, the Deceiver, the evil one, the Antichrist!

It was Cain who committed the very first murder upon this earth!

It was Cain who first spilled the blood of an innocent human being!

It was Cain who first showed the results of hatred, to a world who had never seen such a thing!

It was Cain who showed the results of evil works from the mind of a human being!

Why was Abel chosen by Cain to show this hatred? Because Abel had tried his best to be obedient to God and Cain openly showed his parents that he was not going to believe what God had to say!

You see Adam had allowed sin into this world and Satan immediately found his first follower!

Cain was the first one to reject the truth of God!

Cain was the first child of the devil!

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Cain was the very first one who decided to try to put an end to the good works of those who love the Lord God Almighty!

As humans we cannot give life so in reality, we have no right to take a life, but according to the Word of God!

As humans we do have the ability to reproduce and those who hate life so much, have decided that they have the power to end these lives!

Reminds us of those innocent babies who are murdered everyday who have done nothing to harm anyone!

These things are the results of Satan inspired hatred!

These things are the results of a people who hate to see other people try to do good!

We should also see that Cain started down a path that he could see no means of escape, and we can be sure that Satan was feeding him these lies, and Cain never asked God for forgiveness.

Cain began a life of envy and we see these same things today in our societies, our politics, our sports and in Hollywood.

Envy leads to strife, and division and hatred and sometimes murder, as it did with Cain.

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

If we are filled with God the Holy Spirit, it will show, and the world will hate us also!

*****1Jn 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

We see all these things today in our world and though we mostly mind our own business, the world will treat us as the enemy and the truth is, if the world is our enemy, then obviously we are enemies to the world even if we go about our business not bothering anyone!

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Our world is not interested in any form of salvation that does not come by powerful men who live in this world!

Our world is not interested in remedies that do not come from some man who are said to have great scientific minds, or great in philosophy, though they are only men.

Our world will not be satisfied until we renounce God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and join the world in unbelief.

But we have a Savior who will not give up on the world and this is the message that we are to give the world!

Jesus has explained all these things to us, and the Apostle John is just reminding us that this situation came about when love was rejected, and hatred began!

These things can bring a blessing from our Heavenly Father if we stick by the stuff of Jesus Christ!

Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

Luk 6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

When we cling to the love of God and show that love to others no matter what the world is doing, then we can understand why the Scriptures gives us these words!

*****1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

First: The first proof that we have passed from "physical death" to "spiritual life" (Born Again) is because we love all the brethren of the Church!

Adam represents all those in the physical world and Jesus represents all those in the spiritual world, of which every believer has become a part of!

We are no longer bound by the law of death, but live by the law of life that is in Christ Jesus!

We have left that state of condemnation and live by in the state of justification!

If we cannot now love all our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we have not made this change and the Holy Spirit does not live in us!

It takes a regeneration by the Holy Spirit to know the true love of God!

We cannot even please God, until His Spirit of life lives within us!

Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

And we must count it a privilege to be a part of the family of God and have so many brothers and sisters in Christ!

The early church began with this understanding!

Act 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Though circumstance were far different in the days of the early church, we must remember, our God does not ever change!

All those who do great religious works, but do the wrong works are still dead!

Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Rev 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

We may think God is not paying attention to us, but we will be fooled when the Lord returns!

If we retain any hatred for our brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter where they are or what denomination they abide in, how can we say we belong to the Lord ourselves?

*****1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

The truth is "love does not hate"!

This does not mean we have to agree with everyone because we must stick to the truth of God!

When we have all sorts of negative feelings against others in the church, then we are not expressing the love of God!

Some of these negative feelings would be things like, dislike, anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy, resentment, irritability.

When we hate, we are in the same class of people as murderers!

We could say, well John is going just a little too far, but what did Jesus say?

Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

We see Jesus went a little further and said God the Father will not hear your prayers, and the Lord our Advocate will not defend us, as long as we are guilty of any sort of hatred!

Love is the only security against hatred!

Pro 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

What is our greatest example of the love of God?

*****1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Unless we forget, we were all dirty rotten sinners when the Lord died for our sins.

We could say well, we were not even born at that time of the Cross.

Then we would be limiting the Omniscience of God, who knew us all before we were even born!

I know that the Lord Jesus Christ would have died just for me!

Think upon that for a moment!

Jesus the Messiah took all sin upon Himself and took it to Hell where it all belongs!

If we love God, then we will follow His Son. We will love other people just as He did!

This does not mean we will love their sinful ways. In fact we must place all our hatred upon sin without placing hatred upon that person!

Even when a sinner rejects the Lord Jesus Christ it does not change the love God has for them!

God will just honor the choices we make because He loves us!

This we must do also!

We must plead and beg and teach our children and grandchildren, and then honor their choices, but we must never stop loving them!

We must still not be a part of their sinful lifestyle!

If we cannot love those that oppose us, then how can we say we have the love of Jesus Christ?

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Before we go home to be with the Lord can we truly say, " Father, I will give you my life for my children or for my grandchildren"!

Jesus has already given us the power to lay our life down and the power to pick it back up again.

Now this does not mean anything about suicide or any such thing as that. It does mean are we spiritually willing to go to the extreme to save our children and our family!

Do we have that sacrificial love for our family?

Are we willing to pick our cross up daily and follow the Lord in all circumstances?

Are we truly in the will of our heavenly Father?

Are we considerate of the needs of others?

*****1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

What is one of the greatest traits of love? Compassion! (Pity)

What are "the world's good"? Notice this does not say the world’s “goods”, though it would include some of the world’s goods which make up the necessities of life.

The "good" things of the world are those things that comply with moral law.

The world, in its own way can show compassion at many times such as in the devastation of the recent hurricanes.

Today, it is not so much in sharing the things you have, but for the most part, the requests are for money to specific agencies who will keep more of that money than they will use.

For us of the Church it remains better to give to the Church and such Church agencies that can be trusted.

There will always be the poor amongst us, and these are those who are poor in worldly good!

The world's "good" could be said to be things that are useful, things that produce a good effect, things that have a value to life and things that are valuable to life.

These things could be said to be the basic needs for life!

God says:

Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Isa 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Is there a benefit to doing these things?

Isa 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

You see this is another form of laying down your life for someone else!

So these may not be spiritual things, but they may lead to us being able to share spiritual things!

Or how can we look upon the face of God, if we turn our faces away from those who have a need that we are able to supply?

We know that John is preaching to the Church and certainly those should come first, but God's love extends to all those in His creation!

We wonder why God does not answer our prayers sometimes, and John gives us another reason and another lesson in, Are We Who We Say We Are?

1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

1Ti 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

So the question remains, Do We Really Love God, As He Loves Us?

Are we expected to empty the Church coffers to help all those in our area? I believe the monies we give are for the maintenance of the church, the salaries of those who are needed, and for the church outreach. I believe we owe it to the Lord to use every means possible to spread the Gospel and make disciples. I also believe we need some monies in place for hard times just as all good stewards.

I also believe it would not hurt to have some monies and some people, set aside to help those in need especially those of the church and according to the Word of God those needs are the necessities of life and not cars and not homes and not, other worldly things.

In other words strictly monitored!

If we are to follow all the Word of God, then certainly we must show the love that God has shown to us, in giving us His Son the Giver of Life and Life Eternal!

Are we following the Gospel truth?

*****1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

This is something that we need to settle in our hearts. We must know that we are of the truth, and that truth is Jesus Christ!

You see God cannot be fooled because He can see deep into our heart and He knows if we are real or not!

We can be sure that He that created all things, also knows all things!

God has a perfect knowledge and we do not have a clue what perfect really means, because we base perfection on the things of this world and there is nothing perfect in this world beyond that Saint of God who has departed this world to go home and the perfect Word of God!

But we need to strive for perfection and the regular attendance to a Bible believing Church is one way to do this!

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

When our hearts are pure and striving for perfection, God will always be there to walk with us in the cool of the day, but also in the heat of the day!

*****1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

If deep down in our heart, we know what we do is wrong, then how can we expect God to believe that we are right?

If our own conscience condemns us, how can we expect God not to condemn the things we do?

There is nothing that we can hide from God! Absolutely nothing!

And for those who are just playing Church, they need to wake up and get real with God and our Savior!

All those who think they can cling to their sin and get prayers answered, need to wake up!

At the same time, when we are deep into our own unworthiness and still possess the love of God for all our brethren, then God will give us the confidence that we are lacking because God can see into our heart knowing the truth of our being!

We can also know that we will have periods of doubts and fears, and God will never condemn us even of these things!

You see God certainly can see our sins, but God also knows our temptations, our struggles, our sorrows and our love.

God knows what we go through in our life and in our Christian life.

Heb_2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

God knows how to deliver us from every obstacle we face in all our lifetime!

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

It is when we do all these things as best that we know how, that when we pray, we can expect an answer to the prayer, if what we ask is within the will of God for our lives.

There is nothing God is not prepared to give His children, When We Please Him!

*****1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

The way to obtain a clean heart, is to walk in the commandments of God!

The way to get prayers answered, is to do things that are pleasing to God!

Things that please God must include our faith in the works of Jesus Christ!

Things that please God, is faith that he is God and there is no other!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

To please God we must join the Army of God!

2Ti_2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

To please God then we must be more like His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh_8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

These are all simple things, but they all require that we give up our old life.

None of these things are available to us until we have been "Born Again" into new life!

None of these things will work for us until we accept the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

All those who say they do not know what God expects from us, just need to read this passage.

Every Church in every denomination that would allow evil men to dictate lies, need to read this passage to know the truth.

Every soul that has doubts about their salvation, need to read this passage.

All those who want to know the truth of the Holy Spirit, need to read this passage.

All those who trust in the Lord can have assurance, if we read this passage!

All those who want a clean heart, can only have one by and thru the Holy Spirit, which comes only by Jesus Christ!

Are there other ways to please God? No!

Amen

Let's Pray!