How do we know that what we believe as Christians is true?

How do we know we have believed in the true Gospel and not “cunningly devised fables?”

How can you be sure you are truly saved?

These are some of the questions we have been addressing in our new sermon series for October and November based in I John called, “That you may know.”

The apostle John writes I John so that we might have complete assurance of what we have believed and that as a result we may have joy. John tells us why he writes in I John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” John lays out the book with a series of “tests” that will prove that we are indeed Christians. We are not saved by answering all his tests correctly, however we do have assurance of our salvation.

Some of his tests we will be addressing in the sermons:

1. Do you fellowship with Christ and His people? (1 John 1:3)
2. Do you walk in the light or walk in darkness? (1 John 1:6-7)
3. Do you admit and confess your sin? (1 John 1:8)
4. Do you obey God’s Word? (1 John 2:3-5)
5. Do you love God rather than the world? (1 John 2:15)
6. Do you practice righteousness? (1 John 2:29)
7. Do you seek to maintain a pure life? (1 John 3:3)
8. Do you see a decreasing sin in your life? (1 John 3:5-6)
9. Do you demonstrate love for other Christians? (1 John 3:14)
10. Do you have a clear conscience? (1 John 3:21)

If you’re like me, you have no love for more tests in your life. It seems the older I get the more tests I have to take! But the tests in I John are essential because if they are true of our faith, we will have assurance of our salvation and the joy of the Lord in our lives.

Take some time in the coming weeks to ‘take’ John’s tests and I will pray that you have the assur- ance and joy that only Christ can bring.

Pastor Allan