I suppose all of God's people
at varying times struggle with assurance. Assurance. How can I know that I belong
to Christ, that he's mine and I'm his? How can I know that
I'm one of those God loved from eternity and chose in his son,
one for whom Christ shed his blood one who's been called by
the Spirit. How can I know that my faith
in Christ is genuine, real faith? Assurance is the sweetest thing
on this earth. Assurance of acceptance with
God. Assurance of everlasting life. Assurance that Christ is mine
and I am his. If God will give me that, that
will invigorate me, strengthen me, and inspire me for all that
I must face in this world and to eternity. If God will give
you that assurance, you can live in peace and die in peace. I know there are folks who these
days think that there's something
unspiritual. about having assurance before
God. And then there are others who would say you're just not
really saved if you don't have real assurance before God. There
are some who would tell you that you know you're saved because
back June 1970 or June 1900, you wrote it down right here
when God saved me. There it is. Those things are totally contrary
to scripture. Totally contrary to scripture.
God's people ought to have abiding, constant assurance. But we don't
many have such. That's just fact. Most of us
struggle with assurance. When I can read my title clear
to mansions in the sky, I'll bid farewell to every fear and
wipe my weeping eyes. Should earth against my soul
engage and fiery darts be hurled, then I can smile at Satan's rage
and face a frowning world. Oh, how sweet, how encouraging
assurance that cares like a wild deluge come and streams of sorrow
fall. May I but safely reach my home,
my God, my heaven, my all. But we spend much of our time
like Mr. Newton, sighing, to disappoint. I long to know oft
it causes anxious thought. Do I love the Lord? I know. Am
I his or am I not? With those things in mind, turn
with me to 1 John chapter 3. 1st John chapter 3. I believe
I've got something that will help you. 1st John chapter 3. John's purpose in this epistle
is plainly stated in chapter 5 and verse 13. Before we look
at our text, look at that with me. 1st John 5 verse 13. This is John's purpose in these
five chapters of 1st John. These things have I written unto
you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may
know that ye have eternal life, and that you believe on the name
of the Son of God. Now, I've read about every fairly
good to good commentary there is available on 1 John. And it
appears that most of them never read verse 13 of chapter 5. I'm talking about the good commentaries
because almost everyone gives this idea behind John's teaching
in these five chapters. John is writing these things
so that you will take a deep, serious look at yourselves and
judge yourself by your fruits, whether or not you are indeed
a child of God. Now, listen carefully to this
admonition of scripture, 2 Corinthians chapter 13, or 1 Corinthians
13, 2 Corinthians 13, verse 5. Examine yourselves. You examine yourselves. Whether
you be in the faith, prove your own selves, except you be reprobate. You examine yourself. Don Fortner,
you examine yourself. Merle Hart, examine yourself.
Nobody else can or should examine yourself. And this is the point
of examination. whether you be in the faith. Do you or do you not believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you or do you not rest your
soul on Jesus Christ, the son of God alone? Are you in the
faith as it's set before us in the book of God? That's the point
of examination. Prove yourselves. Prove yourselves. whether you be in the faith or
whether you be reprobate. Now, John gives us words by which
to prove ourselves. We'll begin in verse 18. He's
admonishing us as God's people to love one another because Christ
loved us and gave himself for us. Back up in verse 16. Hereby
perceive we the love of God. This is how we know God's love.
because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down
our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good,
and seeth his brother had need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. Now,
look at verse 18. My little children, let us not
love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. Get this first thing. Make sure
you get this. Where there is faith in Christ,
there is love for the brethren. Where there is faith in Christ,
there is genuine brotherly love. God's people love each other. Faith worketh by love. We love our brethren because
they're our brethren. Did you get that? We love our
brethren because they're our brethren. Because they are one
with Christ. Because they are in Christ Jesus. Therefore, we love them as our
brethren in Christ. Not because they're so lovable. Not because of some good trait
they have. Not because of some noble deed
that they perform. not because of something attractive
in them by which we are attracted to them. That's got nothing to
do with this kind of love. Now, this shocks a lot of people,
but Shelby loves me because I'm who I am. That shocks me. She loves me because there's
something here that's attracted to her, something here that's
appealing to her. I love her for the same reason.
That's not surprising at all. We love our children because
they're our children. We have a unique relationship
with them. We ought to love one another's
children like that, but we love our children. We love our children
because of that unique relationship we have with one another. But
this is not the love John's talking about. He's not talking about
a carnal love. He's not talking about a love
that is determined by someone's appeal or someone's character
or someone's conduct. No, no. He's talking about a
love because of the union that we have with one another in Jesus
Christ. We love our brethren because
they are our brethren. But that love is not something
we ought to just talk about. There's nothing on this earth
that's more talked about and less practiced than what's called
brotherly love. And I dare say, from what I have
observed in my experience in life, those who talk most about
it, practice it the least. Those who are all the time talking
about folks don't love each other, folks don't love each other like
they ought to, you can bank on it. They don't know what, they
wouldn't know if it smacked them in the face. They had no concept
of what this brotherly love is. God's people, however, do love
each other. They love one another genuinely,
sincerely. But our love is demonstrated
by our deeds. We know our Savior's love because
he laid down his life for us. Our families know our love for
them, even in a carnal sense, because of the way we behave
toward them. Our wife, our husband knows our
love for them because of the way we behave toward them. Not
just by what we say, but we prove the sincerity of our love by
our deeds. So it is with our love for one
another. Brethren, if Christ so loved us, then ought we also
lay down our lives one for another. We ought to demonstrate this
love in the way we deal with our brethren. We look upon our
brethren as in Christ, each esteeming other better than himself. And so if we do indeed esteem
each one better than ourselves, because they are one with Christ,
then we ought to act like that. If we love them, we ought to
behave toward them as those who love them. If I truly love my
brother, I ought to show my love by my service to him. John Gill
put it this way. True love is a laborious and
operative grace. Hence, we read of the work and
labor of love. It shows itself by the saints
serving each other. In Jesus Christ, Paul said, circumcision,
neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision,
but faith which worketh by love. So that when you have a brother
in need, You give out of your abundance because you love your
brother. I once heard a man make this
statement. He said, giving is love's best
language. And I expect that's pretty close.
Giving is love's best language. Whoso hath this world's good
and seeth his brother had need and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. But it's
not just giving monetary things. A lot of men give their wives
lots of money who don't show them much love. Lots of fathers
give their children a lot of things who don't show them much
love. Love is more than just giving monetary things. Love
involves caring for one another, visiting somebody just because
they need a visit. I'm aware of some of the things
some of you all do and taking care of each other. Wanda's recently
withered and I'm watching folks take care of her and I'm thankful.
Joyce is doing some difficulties and take care of her. I'm thankful,
thankful. That's called loving each other.
Visiting, pick up the phone, call somebody, drop them a note,
just encourage someone. A word in season to the weary
out of the fullness of your happier experience. is a demonstration
of love. A helping hand is an act of love
for one another. Will you lay down your life for
one who is or may be your brother and yet you can't lay down your
love for this world and its goods and its things in order to serve
one another? I doubt it. If I truly love my
brother, That love will be manifest in my attitude toward him and
in the way I treat him, in the things I do for him, if I truly
love my brother. Well, that's a matter of concern.
That's a matter of concern. For look at verse 19. And hereby we know that we are
of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him. And I want to be honest with
you. That one verse has given me a lot of trouble. That's given me a lot of trouble.
And hereby, we know that we are of the truth and shall assure
our hearts before him. You mean, John, that we know
that we're born of God and we have assurance before God based
upon our love for our brethren? Do you reckon that's what John
means? Do you suppose that's what the Holy Spirit means for
us to understand here? If that's the case, please tell
me which of you has any assurance. You see, the light in which we
have to compare our love for one another, I do love you. I seek to serve your souls. But
the only light by which I can compare my love for you and judge
the truth and sincerity and fairness of my love for you is what John
has just given us in verse 16. Hereby perceive we the love of
God because he laid down his life for us. God the Son assumed
our humanity, lived on this earth for 33 years, a man of sorrows
and acquainted with grief, and then at the appointed time, in
due time, He died for the ungodly. God made Him to be sin for us
who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in Him. Now that's love. Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. The Christ
lay down his life for his enemies. That's love. Herein is love,
not that we loved God, but that he loved us and gave himself
a propitiation for our sins. That's love. That's love. Now, what was it you wanted to
say about your love? How much you want to talk about
your love now? Your love for the brethren? I just have such
overwhelming love for the brethren. I wish I did. I wish I did. But in the light
of this, Sam Wall, my love for you and your love for me can
hardly be called love, can it? But there's A word given here,
I've already shown you John's purpose here is not to destroy
confidence. His purpose is to build up confidence.
His purpose is not to destroy assurance, but rather to build
up assurance before God. Look at that 19th verse again. And if you don't mind making
notes in the margin of your Bible, I recommend you make this one.
Underline or circle that word and. It's translated by a number of
words in the scriptures. And it must be determined how
you translate the word by the context. Because all the various
translations are true and accurate. Here is one that's commonly used.
But. Oh, now it reads different. Now
it reads different. And I believe that's a better
translation. That's my opinion. But hereby, not and hereby, but
hereby. Not as though John's pointing
to our love and saying that James said you loved Don so good. Now
you have confidence toward God. Oh, no. But hereby, we know that
we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart.
and knoweth all things." The believer's heart does in
fact condemn us often. Our hearts acknowledge and confess
that our best faith is unbelief, our greatest love is self-love. Our noblest deeds are not worth
mention. Our best righteousness is filthy
rags. We recognize that. And so we
cannot, with any of our deeds or attitudes or thoughts, or
plans, or desires, or works of any kind, look inside and say,
now, now, I measure up, now, all at last, I've got reason
to have peace with God. Look how good I am. No. No. Because, Bob, there's
no goodness in you, and no goodness in me. Nothing but evil. You look within, what do you
see? You look within, what do you see, honestly? Do you see
great faith? I don't. I'm talking about me
now. Do you see great devotion? Do you see great commitment to
Christ and his people? Do you see great love for your
brethren? Word to God I did, but I don't. I just don't. That's just honest. As honest as I can get. But that's not where my confidence
is. That's not my hope. That's not
my joy. That's not my peace. But hereby
we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before
Him, before God. For if our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our hearts and He knoweth all things. Remember
now, this is a word of assurance. God who's greater than our hearts
sees what we often can't see because of our dim vision. He
knows what we often forget. He knows his thoughts of peace
toward us. He knows his covenant grace made
for us. He knows the merit of his son's
righteousness, his obedience, his blood, his death as our substitute. He knows our acceptance in the
beloved from everlasting. He knows all things. He's greater
than our hearts. Therefore, there is no condemnation. to them that are in Christ Jesus.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. God knows
our hearts. Who is he that condemneth? It's
Christ that died, yea, rather than that's risen again. Who
shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that
justifieth. God knows all things. He knows all that he has done
for us in his Son, and he knows our perfect righteousness because
he performed it and gave it to us in his Son. Now, if I have
a clear conscience, Then I have confidence and not fear before
God, a clear conscience. How can you have a clear conscience
knowing your sin? How can I have a clear conscience
before God knowing the things I've just acknowledged to you
publicly? I have a conscience sprinkled with the blood of Jesus
Christ, washed in his blood. purified by his word in regeneration,
telling me that Christ is mine and I'm his. I have a conscience
that looks to Jesus Christ alone for everything, and understanding
that Christ is enough, I have peace with God. He says, beloved,
if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward
God. If our heart condemn us not,
we have confidence before God and there's no reason for these
hearts to condemn us if we look away from self to the Savior. Turn back, hold your hands here
and turn back to Hebrews chapter 6. Let me show you something. Hebrews chapter 6, verse 19. Talk about the oath and promise
of God, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure
and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the bay. Now, I'm not a seaman. I don't
know anything at all about that kind of stuff. Don't know anything
all about it. But I do know the purpose of an anchor. An anchor
is to hold the boat steady. That's the purpose of an anchor.
To hold the boat steady. And that anchor is of no benefit
as long as it's in the boat. You got that? It's of no benefit
as long as it's in the boat. In order for the anchor to be
of any benefit, you've got to throw it out of the boat. The
anchor of our souls, Bobby, is outside the boat. It's out of ourselves. Our soul's
peace and assurance is not in here. It's not in our experience. It's not in our feelings. It's
not in our doings. Our soul's peace is yonder in
glory. Look at it. Verse 20. With the
forerunner is for us entered even Jesus, made an high priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now that's the anchor of our
souls. That's where we have peace, peace with God in Christ Jesus. All right, read on, back in our
text. This brings us to the next point. Where there is life and
faith in Christ, where there is this confidence toward God,
there is freedom in prayer before the throne of God. Look at this. And whatsoever we ask, we receive
of him. Because we keep his commandments
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. What? What? Whatsoever we ask, we have
of him. Whatever we ask, we have of him.
And here's the reason. Because we keep his commandments
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. I don't pretend to know much
about prayer. I don't pretend to. I try to
pray. I think maybe a few times in my life I've been able to
pray. But I won't be writing any books
on prayer. I don't know much about it. This
I know. As I read this book and in my
own experience, real prayer is breathing back to God what God's
breathed into me. David said concerning his house
and God's covenant, God's mercy, therefore thy servant found it
in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. Real prayer is found
in the heart. It's something God puts in the
heart. Now John says here, we, whatsoever
we ask, whatsoever we ask, We receive the fear. Whatever we
ask, we receive. Oh, that's a blank check. How
many times have you heard that? If you're sick, just pray it. If you really believe hard. That's strange language, isn't
it? Y'all pray hard with me about this, then that's strange language.
what folks mean by that is if you if you can get hold of God's
arm and Twist his arm up behind his back and put him in a hammerlock.
You can get God do whatever you want him to Whatsoever we want
it. That's what we got. Ask God for
help. That's God for you Cadillac Ask
God to take care of your next mortgage payment and whatever
it is. Just fill in the blank. I'll
take care of it No, no, that's not what prayer is because we
don't know what to pray for as we aren't So our Savior taught
us how to pray. The disciples said, Lord, teach
us to pray like John told his disciples to pray, and the master
said, all right. When you pray, say this. When you pray, say
this. Now, it doesn't mean by that
when you pray, repeat these very words. What it means by that
is that when you pray, this is what you seek. Our Father, which
art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. God sanctify yourself. Is that what you want? God's
honor? Thy kingdom come, thy will be
done. Forgive us as we forgive our neighbors. All those things
the master taught us to pray. Those things that concern his
glory, his kingdom, and his people. Thy will be done. And Rex, I believe, I believe that's what
I really want about you. I want God's glory, God's kingdom,
God's forgiveness, God's will, God's provision. That's what
I want. What God will provide for me
for his glory, what God will do for you for his glory. And
God says I have it. I have it. And you know why I
have it? Because I keep his commandments. Because I keep his commandments.
What? But Brother Don, you've been
telling us for 33 years you don't keep his commandments. Oh, I
don't personally. I do representatively. And I do by faith in his son.
Read what it says here. And this is his commandment.
He said commandments, and now it says commandment. Keep his
commandment, do those things which are pleasing in his sight.
And then it backs off and says, this is his commandment, one,
one, that we should believe on the name of his son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another as he gave us commandment. He commands us
to believe. Where was it? Back in John chapter
six where those Pharisees Ask the Lord, what should we do that
we may do the works of God? Please, chapter 6, verse 29.
Yeah. Turn back there if you will.
John chapter 6, verse 28. The master had said, verily,
labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat
which endureth unto everlasting life. which the Son of Man shall
give unto you. For him hath God the Father sealed.
Now, look at verse 28. Then said they unto him, what
shall we do that we might work the works of God? And the master
said, this is the work of God, that you should believe on him
whom he hath said. John says the very same thing
here. He says this is his commandment that we believe on the name of
the Son of God or name of his son Jesus Christ and love one
another as he gave his commandment. I wonder if John was terribly
confused. He couldn't figure out what he
wanted to say. Look down in chapter 5 verse 2. Stop at verse 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ, he's born of God. and everyone that loveth him
that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we
know that we love the children of God. How? When we love God and keep his
commandments. Those who are born of God believe
on the Son of God and they walk in love. that faith which works
by love but his commandment is fulfilled all his commandments
fulfilled in the person of his son in whom he is well pleased
now look at verse 24 and he that keepeth his commandments that
is the sinner who believes on Jesus Christ the sinner who believes
on Jesus Christ. That's what he said in verse
23, isn't it? Do you believe on the Son of God? Do you cast
all your hope upon the Christ of God? He that keepeth his commandments
dwelleth in him, and he abideth, and he in him. And hereby we
know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he has given
us. I turn to two more passages. Romans chapter three. Romans
chapter three. Verse 31. Do we then make void the law
through faith? Do we nullify the law by believing
on the Lord Jesus? Oh, no. God forbid. Yay, we establish
the law. By faith in Christ, we come to
God and offer to God in his holiness, justice, and truth everything
that God can and does require of men. perfect righteousness
and complete satisfaction, perfect obedience and perfect atonement
in the obedience and death of his son. We establish the law
by faith in Jesus Christ. Now, look at chapter 5, Romans
chapter 5 and verse 5. And hope maketh not ashamed,
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost, which is given unto us. We now have assurance before
God. Assurance before God because
God is greater than our heart. We have this assurance, knowing
that God does not condemn any sinner who trusts his son. He
does not condemn any sinner who trusts his son. God knows all
things. He's greater than our heart.
So that even when our own heart would condemn us, God's greater
than our heart. Read on now. And we know that
where he is because We have freedom before God in prayer, freedom
before God in prayer, asking what we want, what we want, what
we want, his will, his glory, his kingdom, his forgiveness,
his provision. Let us therefore come boldly
to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace
to help in time of need. We know that we're gods. Christ belongs to us and we belong
to God because his spirit dwells in us. What spirit? The spirit by which we believe.
Spirit of faith. The spirit who gave us faith
and sustains us in faith and causes us to walk before God
in faith. We have his spirit and now we
walk in the spirit. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit. Amen.