Assurance Found in the Resurrected Christ, Part 1

Thanks for listening to the latest message from Him We Proclaim. In this encouraging series, Pastor John walks us through the resurrection of Jesus, the reality of eternal life. The grace of baptism, and the unshakable assurance believers have in Christ. I hope you have your copy of Scriptures along. We'll be looking at passages like 1 Corinthians, Luke, 1 John, and more.

To get gospel-centered reminders of God's faithfulness, power, and grace toward His people. Whether you're seeking hope, clarity, or a deeper understanding of the gospel, these sermons are rich with biblical truth and comfort. Let's dive into today's message called The Assurance Found in the Resurrected Christ, Part 1. We're back to 1 John and I checked. And it has been, believe it or not, 15 months.

since we took a break. Time goes so Fast, doesn't it? I've been thinking about time going fast because David has four weeks. left at our house. And we're about to send him out to college to play basketball.

I'll probably ask him what And you can pray for me because this is our fourth kid. We have two left. And the house just is... It's going like this. The household is getting smaller and quieter.

And I don't like it. Yeah. I like the commotion, I like the busyness, I like the hecticness, and um Yeah, I'm not doing so good about that.

So you can pray for me. It's hard to watch your kids leave and. But enough of that. Confession time. Back to 1 John.

about time. It's been 15 months. We're back to first on. As we come back to this This great letter. We have to come back first to get the purpose.

We have to come back and think about the big picture. What is the purpose for the material? Or invest. Ladder. Why Why did John write it?

This is it right here. First John is for assurance, not. Testing. Tragically, the purpose of 1 John is often presented. As testing.

And what happens is, is because it's presented. As testing it becomes deeply anti Assurance. Here's an example of how first ninety is understood and how it's presented. It's presented. As giving us three tests.

You can take these tests. By taking these tests, you can determine Yes, you are saved. or not saved. Here's an example. This author says, this is the book of 1 John, all right?

And he says this, he says. The purpose of this epistle is to set forth tests. The purpose of this epistle is to set forth tests by which a person's. Claim to salvation can be verified or Rejected. What are these tests?

These tests. that this author says, John says, fourth morse are three different tests. All right, the first test is a theological test. A confession of faith. He says that this test, the theological test, is Jesus Christ has come in human flesh.

He has to the test. The incarnation. But actually, John is not talking about the incarnation. He's, as we'll come to see, he's actually talking about the resurrection.

So first of all, the theological test is incorrect. But second, John isn't setting forth a theological test for levers to take. But that's the first test, the theological test. The second test is this. The second test is the moral test.

Obedience. And so he takes me through, and he says that. Obedience to Christ's commands. Did her men say you're a Christian or not? Then he says there's a third test.

You have the social test. And he says, You have to ask yourself this question: do I have? love for fellow believers. And so, by taking these tests, these three tests of faith. You can examine yourself to see if you have salvation.

Now, what's emphasized is that the it's The the the requirement isn't the perfection But it's the direction, right? It's not the perfection, but the direction. What they mean by this is that if you're a Christian, You're completely submitted to the Lordship of Christ. Therefore, you don't have habitually practice of sin. And here's a problem with that.

That assertion doesn't where with reality. Who I Because here's a question. Do you... Constantly sin as a Christian, yes or no?

So you have an habitual problem, don't you? Yes, it's in. You habitually sin in thought, word, and deed. Every single day. But if you take the test And John says, if you're admitted to lordship of Christ, You won't habitually sin.

So what happens if you take that test? What happens to your assurance? What happens? That's not a trick question. What happens?

It's gone. Yeah. That's the problem with this approach. What what would be clearer to say is this. And if you're a Christian, You have repentance.

Right. If you're a Christian, you have confession of sin. Why? Because if you are constantly sinning as a Christian, you're constantly what? Repenting, constantly confessing sin.

We'll come back to that. Mm. As John introduced this letter, This key theme that he comes back to is sin. The first chapter he talks about he addresses sin And he's addressing these Jewish false teachers who had come into the church and they claimed to be sinlessly perfect.

Well come imagine that to see that clear but But that's what's happening, this group of false Jewish teachers. They claimed sinless perfection. And they said, we don't have any sin to confess. But John says, those who habitually sin. regularly, habitually do what?

Confess sin. And he says in chapter 2, by confessing their sin, they look to Jesus who is their advocate.

Now, let's talk about these tasks again and how this doesn't work. These tests of faith. How does, what does this look like? Here's what it looks like. I used to think that the book of 1 John was a series of tests of faith.

All right. And so this is what I did. This is how I applied it in life for assurance. I would take the test. All right.

When I would come to the theological test, I would make an A plus. Yes, I confess the incarnation. A plus. Doing your goods. I get to the second test, the moral test.

Obedience to God's commands. I get to the social test and loving and loving people, right? And I would oh my best days get Perhaps a C minus. And of my worst days in F minus. Yeah.

And so So what happened was my assurance was like a seesaw, up and down, up and down, up and down, and go up and I go down and I go up and I go down. I couldn't have assurance because I was told that a Christian is a person who is. fully submitted to the Lordship of Christ. and doesn't habitually sin. And I'm looking at myself painfully aware of the fact that my life is characterized by constant sinning every single day in thought, word, and deed.

And so I look at the commands and I look at my life. And I'm going, wow. I'm not passing these tests. I there's something really bad here. And what I was taught was this: regardless of what you claim.

If you don't obey, Anything don't have Wow. You're not a Christian. You've got to examine your heart before God and you've got to get right with God. And so I would go back and examine my life and take the test of faith, and I would see. all kinds of disobedience and all kinds of Lack of love.

The respect constant frustration, which is what? It's anger. Irritability. impatience of people. Bitterness.

Discontentment. Ungratefulness. Selfishness. And so I would Because 1 John was presented to me as consisting of the tests of faith by which I could examine my life for assurance. This is what happened.

Life was constantly characterized by this. internal struggle of lack of peace. This angst. Restlessness.

So, somebody said, Well, hey, I've got a good book for you to help you with your assurance. It's entitled The Almost Current. Christian discovered. And they said, read this book, and it'll help you. And I said, okay, so I read it.

And I read it, I put it down, I looked at Catherine and I said. I am the almost Christian Discovered. And I was 100% convinced I wasn't saved.

So, because 1 John was taught to mean like this. Nobody ever one time point at me too. A gospel passage in this letter for assurance. Not One Time. Never.

Instead of Comfortable words that you get each week. I got convicting tests.

So This is how this author critiquing this view of 1 John as a test of faith. This is what he says about this. this idea of testing. read this way This letter repeatedly invites the reader to a place of self-examination and self-doubt. self-doubt about their salvation.

This isn't necessarily a particularly assuring experience, and it isn't. In fact, it can be deeply unsettling. And the Anxiety inducing This is deeply unfortunate because John has expressed intention was that his readers would be assured and affirmed. And in their faith. And so the so-called test of faith in you of 1 John, what happens is it completely eclipsed the gospel and the purpose why John wrote.

This letter.

So here's the question. Not a series of tests by which we examine ourselves to get assurance. What is it? How do we understand the purpose of this letter? Here's the context.

You have to have the historical context of what John was addressing. John was addressing this letter to some Christian Jewish people in the first century after. In aftermath, of this Jewish argument About the identity of Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. One group in the church, Jesus, is not. The Christ.

The other group of first century Jews said Jesus is the Christ. And he is the Christ and Messiah because of his resurrection. And these two factions in the church began to fight each other. This Jewish argument over the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. And what happened was this: when this side couldn't agree with this side, be convinced that Jesus is the Messiah.

John says in 1 John 2, verse 19, that this particular group who denied that Jesus is the Christ, they left. They left the church. Which is why John, throughout his letter, describes them as anti-Christ. They're against. The Messiah.

Now here's the point. If there's anything central to Christian identity, it's agreeing that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. And if you reject his claim that he's Messiah, whether Jew or Gentile, you place yourself outside of the Christian faith. And so John's purpose to write this letter was to assure his Christian. Readers who stayed behind That their rights standing before God.

In light of this traumatic split that had just occurred. That their faith in Christ, Jesus as the Messiah, was correct and strong because they confessed his resurrection. Thanks for watching. Listen carefully, John's letter wasn't intended to test his children's faith that he wrote to. It wasn't intended to do that.

It was intended to assure his children's faith. That listen, they've already passed the test. Why? Because they're continuing in their confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ. While there's the other group Well I asked and denied that.

Do you see the difference?

So This idea of testing doesn't accurately describe the purpose and why John wrote this letter. In fact, if Read it carefully, John never asked his children, his readers, to test themselves. Not one time in this letter does he ask them to do that. But guess what? He does exhort his children to test others.

The false teachers, those who had denied that Jesus is the Christ. Look at 1 John chapter 4 and verse 1. He calls them, he says, Beloved.

Now, if John didn't think that they were Christians, he wouldn't address them as beloved. We'll come back to that term. But he says, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. Why? Because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

He's talking about this Jewish group of people who have denied that Jesus is the Messiah. And they have gone out.

So this brings us back to the test of life view of this book. How are we supposed to understand this criteria? that John gives us throughout this book. Because faith does produce fruit. Right?

Faith does produce fruit.

So, how do we understand all this criteria that John is giving? The context tells us, makes it clear that John gives us this criteria to his children in the faith so that they can test the claims of those who have left. This is key. By testing the claims of those who have left, John's children can have assurance. Because they're continuing to stay in the confession that they've been given by John and the apostles.

That's what John says. He says, we proclaim these things to you.

So that you can have fellowship with us. If you have fellowship with the apostles who have borne witness to the risen Christ and who have proclaimed Christ to you, Jesus as the Messiah, you have true fellowship. And so these so-called tests of faith. The logical test. Right?

Social moral test. This criteria applies to the secessionists, those who have left the church. That's what was being tested. Those who cannot be convinced that Jesus is the Messiah. And John says, This criteria distinguishes his children.

from those who have left. Therefore, his children can rest. Because why? This criteria actually. characterizes who they are.

And so John tells him in chapter 2, verse 7, verses 13 and 14, 24, chapter 3, verse 1, he says, just continue. Continue. Stay firm. in what you've been taught. And keep going.

Now, John's approach to assurance is so different from the approach that we encounter today, isn't it? It's so different. Why? Because for assurance, we're called to constantly do what? Examine yourself, examine yourself, examine yourself, examine yourself.

Which just brings us to self-doubt. about our salvation. But John takes a very different approach to assure his children in the faith. His teaching when assurance takes an optimistic approach toward his readers who profess faith in Jesus as. Messiah.

Look at 1 John chapter 2. Verses 12 to 14. 1 John chapter 2, verses 12 to 14. This is actually the high point. The high point of this, this little letter.

Listen to this optimistic language. that John uses to describe His readers. Verse 12, he goes, I'm writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for his namesake. Does it sound like he has any doubt that there are Sins have been forgiven. He says, I'm writing to you because, here it is, your sins have been forgiven you.

You see that? That's assurance. Look in verse 13. He says, I'm writing to you, fathers. Listen.

Because you know him. Is there any doubt in his in his Writing is the language about whether they know the Father. He's writing to them because he says you Know him. Who has been from the beginning? I'm writing to you young men.

Because Here why? You have overcome the evil one. Yeah. He says, I am writing to you. children because you know The father.

Look at verse 14. I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you young men because you are strong. Wow. And he says, the word of God abides in you.

And he says, You have overcome the evil one. Did you hear that assurance? Do you hear that? optimistic, positive language. Do you hear the comfort?

Do you hear the absolution? You are strong. Customers today Authors today wouldn't make you feel continually like you're weak. Beat you down. self-doubt.

Examine yourself, right? Obey. Fight. How much more lecture can you give me? And John does the opposite.

Your sins have been forgiven you. You know the father. You're strong. You have overcome the evil one. The word of God abides in you.

You see the difference here? John doesn't doubt the genuineness of his readers' status as the children of God. In fact, in chapter 3, verse 1, he says, we are now the children of God. John's letter is a publication of his children's victory because of their faith in Jesus as the Messiah. They are victors.

Why? Not because they're strong in themselves, but because God's word abides in them and Jesus is their victor. John throughout this letter, and listen to this, he repeatedly addresses. Addresses his readers as: Here it is, my little children. Little children.

children and beloved. This term, beloved, is so important. It's the same designation that the Father gives to Christ. And so in contrast In contrast, in John's children, Listen to what John calls those Jewish. Fact.

That deny that Jesus is the Christ. This is what he calls them throughout the letter. Antichrist who have committed rebellion. You see the difference? John never refers to his children as those who've committed rebellion.

He doesn't refer to them as antichrist, as against Jesus, as against the Messiah. These positive descriptions of his readers keep the assurance of their salvation in the background of everything he says throughout this whole entire letter. And this author says this, 1 John has very little in common with this interrogating judge demanding, hey, do you really love your brothers? Do you really obey Jesus? What's your evidence?

Examine yourself. He says, no, it's more, 1 John's more like a comforting pastor telling the people he serves. Can't you see it? You do love other believers. You haven't deserted them.

You haven't deserted Christ. Christ in his church. You haven't left your apostolic confession of faith. Isn't it wonderful that God's Word abides in you and that the Spirit is alive and at work in you? That's John's approach.

Let me ask you a question. Which approach would you like to hear constantly? Which approach do you think will assure your heart versus cause doubt and anxiety? 1 John chapter 3 verses 19 through 22, John asks his little children this question. He says, Does your heart condemn you?

And the answer is Yeah. Yes. Yes, it does. Listen to what he says. He says, God is bigger.

Then not problem. He's bigger than your heart. Does your heart condemn you, little children? Good. You should have confidence.

Why? Because you belong to God your Father, who's bigger. That you're condemning hard. Heart. Isn't that comfort?

Aren't you grateful for that? Because when you and I sin, what do you feel? What do you feel deeply in your spirit as a child of God? Condemnation. Regret, shame, guilt.

Fear. disappointment. Anxiety. doubt, despair at times, discouragement. And John says, Little children, does your heart condemn you?

It's okay. It's okay. God's bigger than your heart. He's bigger than that condemning heart that you hear and feel. That is good news.

We have to hear that. We have to hear that constantly. Why? Because every single day we habitually sin. Every person in this room including myself are habitual sinners.

In thought, word, Indeed. And if somebody comes and tells you, well, you better be submitted to the Lordship of Jesus, because if you're habitually sinning, if you're submitted to the Lordship of Jesus, if you're a genuine Christian, you wouldn't practice habitual sin. And you just go, well, wait a minute. I just sent, I just sent, let's see, yesterday. Um this afternoon When I got home with my kids, I was impatient.

When I went to bed, I got an argument with my wife. I'll do better tomorrow. You wake up and the first thing is you're irritable. Before your feet hit the The floor, you've already had bitterness in your heart. You have anxiety because you're thinking about this.

meeting that you have this afternoon with your boss. And you go, well, okay, well, tomorrow. And you just keep failing, you keep failing, you keep sending, you don't pass the tests. I don't like tests. I never like taking standardized technology.

like the SAT. I hated it. I took it three times because I hated it so much. The second time I was in the school library taking it. Halfway through it, I fell asleep.

They had to wake me up at the end. And I didn't finish. I don't like tests. I never liked them. Why?

Because tests, by their nature, produce a certain kind of anxiety, stress, nervousness.

Now It's It's normal to feel stressed before a test, right?

Some stress, not a lot of stress, but doesn't... It's normal. But guess what? Some people who take tests They blank out.

Some pass out.

Something freeze up.

Some zone out, some fall asleep. Because they're so nervous that they can't answer the questions that they knew the night before when they were studying so hard. Do you know what researchers call this? They actually have a name for it. It's called test anxiety.

Anybody ever felt that before? Test anxiety. It's a real thing. Guess what that is? It's a type of performance anxiety.

It's this feeling that you have. In a situation where performance really can be when the pressure comes on. You have to perform. You have to you have to do it. Really good.

Researchers say that folks sitting on these bad things. That could happen to you, like passing out, falling asleep, something out, freezing up, forgetting answers, all those kind of things. They say that just fuels the test anxiety.

So for example A person might be thinking, gosh, what if I forget everything that I know? What if I can't recall the answers? What if the test is too hard? What if the test is just too long? People have these physical reactions like for example this article said what what what if I throw up people actually physically throw up when they have to go take a test So they're thinking before the test.

over and over and over, gosh, what if I throw up? What if I throw up? They think it so much that they actually throw up. Um No, no, I can't take the test. I can't write because my hands won't quit shaking.

My hands are so sweaty, I can't hold the pencil. This test anxiety creates a bad cycle. More the person focuses on the negative. the things that could happen, the stronger this anxiety becomes. the worse the person feels.

And so a person's head is just full of distracting thoughts and fears and so it increases that, guess what? Because of this test anxiety, it increases the potential that they're actually going to perform worse. In other words, they're probably going to fail the test. I was thinking about this thing of test anxiety. And I was thinking about the church because of this book of 1 John.

It's been improperly taught for so long to believers in the church. And this is what I came to the conclusion about. I think lots of people suffer from spiritual test anxiety. Because they've been taught to pick up the book of 1 John. Read it and go take your test.

And consequently, what happens is you're in a constant state of. Testing. Rather than Resting. And because you suffer from this type of spiritual performance anxiety where obedience and love really counts, you better be submitted fully. Surrender all, right?

The old baptism used to sing, I surrender all 500 times at the end of the service. And by the end, as soon as the service was over, I picked it all right back up. Because you're in this constant state of testing, the pressure, the pressure is. Always on. Do well to perform.

To perform when the moment of temptation comes. Here comes the test. and what happened the day before. The temptation came and I gave in and I got angry instead of just Passing it off. Right?

And I failed the test. And so what happens is, as you constantly, you're in the state of testing, you become overwhelmed with thoughts like this.

Well gosh, what if I'm not truly saved? What if I continue to struggle with this particular sin? There's this one sin, and I just can't seem to break it. Or you go, well, no, I did it again. What is wrong with me?

Yeah. I guess I not. A Christian, because a Christian won't habitually sin. And I habitually sin. This spiritual test anxiety creates bad cycles.

Why? Why? Because it's based on your. personal performance, not faith in Christ's performance. For you.

And so The believer loses assurance because they freeze up, they zone out, they feel so anxious about their standing with God that they can't obey. And so, what happens is this: the Christian life becomes lived. With The measurement from a day, bad day that Jerry Bridges talks about. On a good day, I have great assurance. On a bad day, I've lost my assurance.

Jerry Bridges says this, though. He says, worst days. Are never so bad that you're beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you're beyond the need of God's grace. Every day.

Our Christian experience shouldn't be a day of relating to God on the basis of His grace alone. And then he says, and we're not just saved by grace, but we live by grace every day. And this grace comes Thorough. Christ. And so, first, John read is a series of tests that create spiritual anxiety.

Which results in what? this self-doubt about your salvation. But as I told you 1 John is not. First and non is for assurance. Not Testing.

1 John is for assurance. Not Testing. 1 John does not consist of convicting tests. It consists of comfortable words to sin to Christians who sin, but for Christ's sake, have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for their sins. That's 1 John.

First John consists of. comfort, assurance for Christians who sin, but nevertheless trust that Jesus is the Messiah, which has been confirmed by his resurrection from the dead, which is what John opens up this letter with in the first four verses that you heard this morning. Listen as we finish, John says, that which was from the beginning. Fortunately, have heard which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and touched with our hands concerning the word of life. He's talking about Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to the apostles.

That's what he's talking about. He says the life. The resurrected Jesus was manifest to us after his coming back from the dead. He was revealed to us. He was manifested to us.

We saw him. We have seen it. Therefore, he says, we testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us. What? His post-resurrection appearances.

He was manifested to them. And so John says, verse 3: that which we have seen. What? The resurrected Jesus, which proves he's the Messiah. That which we have seen, the apostles have seen, that which we have heard.

We proclaim to you also, why?

So that you too might have fellowship with us. And indeed, our fellowship isn't with the Father. And with his son, Jesus. Christ. That is comfort.

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this comfort. We thank you that You have assured us because of our faith in Jesus the Messiah. who has risen from the dead. to confirm his claim to be the Christ.

We thank you that for that faith, we have overcome the world. We have overcome the devil. We are strong. And we know the Father. And we're called the children of God.

The beloved. of the Father. Give us this kind of assurance and comfort.

So then We do obey. Not out of anxiety. Because we're afraid, oh, I'm going to fail the test, but out of sheer gratitude. because of the grace that We have re Risk 8. Comfort our hearts with this truth, I pray, in Jesus' name.

Amen. John Fonville sends his thanks for listening today and before we wrap up, can I tell you about an encouraging book you might want to get soon? It's called Hope and Holiness: How the Gospel Enables and Empowers Sexual Purity. You're not alone if you've tried to conquer sexual temptations and tried all the methods available, only to find yourself feeling defeated again. This book may be just what you're looking for.

With his shepherding heart, John shows that the gospel, not practical steps or more self-discipline, is God's provision for the power to live a life of sexual purity. and it's available to every Christian. What I like is the book is available in three convenient ways. paperback, audiobook, or Kindle. The links are in our podcast descriptions or check out.

Just search for Hope and Holiness by John Fonville on Amazon to get a copy for you, and it's a wonderful book to go through with a small group. Him We Proclaim is a ministry of Paramount Church in Jacksonville, Florida. You can find us at Paramountchurch.com. We'll talk again soon.