When a version of the gospel supposedly written by Judas was discovered in the 1970’s, experts who studied the manuscripts identified errors and forgeries that revealed its true Gnostic authorship. Subject matter experts are invaluable to teaching us what is true and false. When it comes to Christian life, apart from Jesus Christ there may be no one better than Apostle Paul to teach on Christian living. What does a normal Christian look like according to Apostle Paul? As we examine this portion of the book of Galatians, we can gain insight on how average Christians ought to live.

They live with responsibilities. Christians are accountable to particular duties. After his conversion, Apostle Paul’s life was marked by relentless striving to do the work God appointed him to do. (Phil 3:12-14) His zeal for good works never once challenged the basis of salvation by grace through faith alone, but it was driven by the truth that every Christian will one day stand before God to give an account for his life. This judgment- known as the Bema, or Judgment Seat of Christ- is when Jesus will evaluate and reward each believer for his faithful service done on earth. (Matt 25:19-20, 26) What then is our responsibility as a Christian? According to verse 6, our responsibility is to share. Many interpret Apostle Paul’s command to refer to sharing finances, but based on the context of the book of Galatians, a closer interpretation may be in reference to communication. The main intent of Paul’s letter was to clarify doctrine to the Galatians who were deceived and reverting back to seeking to be justified by keeping the Judaic law. (Gal 1:6) He urged those who knew the gospel to restore those who were deceived. Every Christian’s ministry is at different times full of joy, sorrow, burdens, confusion, or encouragement. In this context, whatever it may be, we are to share and communicate these things with those who teach and shepherd us- namely, our pastor and leaders. This begins by first learning the gospel from the Word. When God’s Word is received faithfully, there is conviction and power from the Holy Spirit, Who renews the spirit of your mind and gives new life created in the likeness of God in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Eph 4:21-24) It is from here that the Christian can be engaged in ministry, while sharing and building up the church.

They are principled. Christians live under the principle of sowing and reaping in verse 7. Apostle Paul warns the Galatians to not be deceived- God cannot be mocked. He is omniscient, able to see even into the hearts of man. (Jer 17:9-10) In spite of God’s perfect knowledge, we often ridicule God by our lack of faith. We surrender to circumstances, seeking to find blame when we undergo trials and suffering. We forget that God is faithful to help us endure and overcome all temptations, and we overlook His sovereignty in all things. (1Cor 10:1; Phil 4:13) We follow our emotions over truth, forgetting that we can never be separated from God’s love. Mankind ridicules God when they deny Jesus Christ, despite God’s clear testimony concerning His Son. (Jn 1:10-11)

How can believers avoid ridiculing God? Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. We honor God by living by faith, for everything apart from faith is sin. (1Cor 10:31; Rom 14:23) Under the principle of reaping what we sow, believers who sow to the flesh- the flesh being the utterly corrupt indwelling sin that will never lay to rest until the day we die- will truly be miserable Christians as they neglect prayer, God’s Word, and evangelism, resisting God’s sovereignty and sanctification. On the contrary, believer who sow to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap the fruit of the Spirit, as they depend on and surrender to God’s Word, practicing the lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of their lives. (Jn 15:5-7)

If you are still feeling abandoned, alone, and distant from God in your earnest pursuit to practice the lordship of Jesus in your life, it may seem as though you have not yet reaped much from your labors. In verse 9, Apostle Paul gives us his word of encouragement to not grow weary. The due time to reap is known by God alone. We can avoid growing weary as we love God first and foremost. We must pray without ceasing, nurture ourselves on God’s Word, remember that we are simply involved in and used for God’s work- it is God alone who causes the growth. We must trust in God. Even when our faith fails, we are sustained because God is steadfastly working behind us. God will never forget His promise, so let us sow diligently in faith.

They live in the act of love and care. Christians are the salt and light of the world. We are necessary and useful to the world because we love God and man. Our highest expression of love for unbelievers is evangelism, for even if man gains the world, what is he without Christ? Our priority is the church- we love and care for one another by helping and filling each other’s needs, even if it is to our own loss. Our love for one another is sacrificial, clothed with humility and discretion.

Normal Christians according to Apostle Paul live in this way. They have ministries of which they share about with their shepherds, they live under the principle of reaping what they sow, and they live a life of love and care. As we examine ourselves and repent of ways we have fallen short of loving and obeying Christ, let us be encouraged by His Word and not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. 5 For each one will bear his own load.

 

Christians are called to be spiritually effective – that is, we must make a gospel centered impact among our church, family, and friends. Throughout history, many saints have been spiritually effective. John Bunyan, for example, became a prolific author and pastor in his days despite his poor educational upbringing. His effectiveness as a worker of God moved even John Owen, who many believe is the greatest theologian in existence. John Owen once said that he’d “gladly trade all of his learning” if it meant that he’d gain Bunyan’s “ability to touch hearts”.

Like the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, we must also be effective spiritually. Ministry work and spiritual effectiveness is not reserved for the pastors, leaders, and those with special titles in the church. Every Christian is spiritual, because the Holy Spirit is in their hearts. If we are spiritual, we should be effective. Are you effective in the church and the ministry? If not, examine your heart for these four attitudes that causes you to be ineffective in ministry.

Pride renders us ineffective spiritually. Although every sin is despicable in the eyes of God, pride is among the sins that God hates most. While every other sin leads to guilt and shame, pride will face God and fight against Him. This is why Proverbs 16:18a reads, “Pride goes before destruction.” What causes pride in the hearts of believers? Pride swells up when we overestimate ourselves, mistakenly believing that the favor of God is merited by our good actions. Take King Uzziah, for example. In 2 Chronicles 26:16-18, we see his successes give room for arrogance, which causes Uzziah performs priestly duties himself, despite not being a priest. This causes him to lose favor with God. Uzziah’s pride caused him to try to circumvent God’s law. We also sin in this away against God when we forget ourselves before God. Unless we see ourselves as the sinners that we are, we will never be effective. In Luke 18:10-14, we see that it is not the religious elite but the penitent sinner who receives the grace of God. The apostle John writes against Diotrephes, who thinks too highly of himself, in 3 John 9-10. Pride swells up because we have a lack of awareness of self. Like Diotrephes, we think too highly of ourselves without considering who we were before Jesus saved us. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 states that God has chosen the foolish and the weak for His use – we are the ones that God chose. Pride swells up because there is a lack of understanding regarding salvation. Salvation is not given for our merits; instead, it is given by God according to his will. What we did or who we are does not matter to God. Knowing this, we must look to the best interests of our brothers and sisters, regarding each other more important than our own selves. (Phil 2:3-4)

A lack of self-examination renders us ineffective spiritually. There is a difference between self-introspection and self-examination. While self-introspection relies on nothing but one’s own self, self-examination is done according to the Word of God. This is the difference between Judas and Peter. Judas betrayed Jesus and felt guilt upon self-introspection, but the way he attempted to resolve this issue was to give the money back and take his own life. Peter had also betrayed Jesus, but he saw Jesus and remembered His words. (Matt 26:75) What are some criteria for self-examination? We examine ourselves through the Word of God. We must be effectual doers of God’s Word. (Jas 1:25) We examine ourselves by comparing ourselves with Jesus. We must strive to mimic His life – His life, conduct, teaching, fellowship, and service.(1 Cor. 11:1) We examine ourselves in prayer. In doing so, we appeal to the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts. (Ps 139:23) We examine ourselves by the esteem of our brothers and sisters in the church. We must be humble in correction and look to encourage holiness in others as well. (2 Tim 2:23-26) After properly examining ourselves, we gain new blessings of humility and spiritual growth.

Comparison to others renders us ineffective spiritually. Comparing ourselves to others ignites jealousy in our hearts. Saul’s jealousy for David raged after he heard some girls sing a song comparing Saul and David.(1 Sam 18:6-9) Jealousy devastates ministry work because it fuels the desire to overshadow others. It kills the desire to care for the minute details of our service, which Jesus values and cares for. (Mt 25:23) Jealousy rages against the sovereignty of God. We must combat this desire by serving and loving through faith, knowing that no one has anything to boast in the Lord. (Eph 2:9-10). It would do well for us to remember that we are running the race against Christ, not others.

Not being responsible about our duty renders us ineffective spiritually. Not being an effective worker physically also influences our spiritual effectiveness. We must work knowing that we have to give an account of our work to God. (Gal 6:5) What are our duties as Christians? We must strive to be effective in prayer. If our prayers are unanswered, we should not be discouraged, but work on our prayer so that it is a more effective way of communicating with God. We must strive to be fervent in worship. This is the work that we start on this earth and continue for eternity. We do it joyously, but we must also worship with a sober understanding of our purpose. The Old Testament worship, while it was very different from our worship today, was prepared meticulously for two days prior to the commencement of the worship service. We must prepare our hearts with the same gravity towards our Lord. We must meditate on Scripture. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,” laments Hosea in Hosea 4:6, because they could have been spared from destruction if they only read and kept the commandments of God in it. We should take heed and carefully read and meditate on the Scriptures. Remember, the way that we treat the Word of God is the way we treat God. We must continue to share the Gospel. An effective evangelism begins with the work of sanctifying Christ in our hearts as Lord. (1 Pe 3:15) This means that we strive to make the lordship of Christ clearer in our hearts and minds every day. Deliberate and perpetual preparation is important in preparing to sharing the gospel. We need to practice these Christian duties purposefully.

The greatest honor we will experience is hearing Christ welcome us to heaven, saying to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” For this end, we must strive to be effectual workers. Let us faithfully and effectively serve as spiritual men and women for the glory of Christ.

Before deploying atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the US Army spread leaflets in the region, giving heed to the residents concerning the coming destruction. Those who heeded the pamphlet’s warning survived, but those who did not heed the warning perished. The Bible is full of similar warnings that precede spiritual destruction– that, if heeded, would save the reader from certain destruction. Among all the warnings in the Bible and especially from the New Testament epistles, John’s warning from 1 John 5:21 carries special gravitas. Because of both the placement and the actual message of the warning, we understand that this is a warning that, if not taken special measures for, would certainly lead to spiritual destruction.

What is idolatry? Idolatry is defined by Martyn Lloyd-Jones as having “anything in our lives that occupies the place that should be occupied by God alone”. Because God demands our worship and does not share it (Is 42:8), to have an idol that we adore more than God would be akin to thievery. We are robbing from God of what rightly belongs to only Him. What constitutes as idols? While anything can become an idol in our lives, the most common areas of idolatry are money, career, and family. These are all things that we are tempted to love above God. Spurgeon gives a great insight regarding these idols, saying, “We must love, but love in such a way that all things loved will take second place to Christ.”

Sometimes we even let things like denominations of church or doctrinal issues become our idols. For example, Calvinists are often worshiping at the altar of Calvin, not the altar of God. They are sometimes divisive and dismissive. We must not be this way.

Another form of idolatry comes from addictions. There are many things to which people become addicted – drugs, sports, pornography, social media, and the like. Succumbing to addiction is like submitting once again to the bondage from which God rescued us. (Gal 4:3)

What is the idolatry that John’s warning his church about? Apostle John is addressing a specific idolatry at the end of his first epistle – the wrong views of God and Jesus. Having the correct view of Christ and God is important. Many Christians today only have a vague understanding of who God is and are not interested in learning about God and Jesus. This kind of ambiguous understanding leads to an ambiguous understanding of salvation. If there is no clear understanding of God in the mind of the confessing Christian, he is at best assuming his own salvation. Until clarity is pursued regarding his salvation, such a man is likely not saved.

What is a wrong view of God prevalent today? Some people believe that God gives health and wealth to all his followers, citing Romans 8:32. The correct reading of Romans 8:32 is that God gives all the spiritual blessings, not the material things that can easily become our idols. God does not tolerate a corrupted view of His love.

What are some wrong views of Jesus prevalent today? Some believe that Jesus is their buddy, not Lord. It should be understood that those who do not consider themselves under the authority of Jesus believe in the wrong Jesus. Some say that Jesus is solely concerned on the welfare of the needy, citing his miracles. Good deeds and charity is important, but those things are not Jesus’ primary concern, because those good works cannot replace the gospel. Some say that Jesus is all about peace, but never in the Scriptures does Jesus call for an ecumenical, inter-religious, intercultural peace and tolerance. Jesus is not an angel of the Lord, nor is He God or man exclusively. Not having the right view of God and Jesus and instead adopting false ideas is idolatry. Such idolatry weakens our spirituality.

Why do we commit idolatry? We commit idolatry when we fail to guard our hearts like John commanded in 1 John 5:21. We can only guard our hearts meditating on God’s Word, as stated in Psalms 1:1-3. We commit idolatry when we fear and panic before trials in our lives. When Moses did not return from his audience with God, the Israelites panicked and demanded Aaron create a tangible image of God. (Ex 32:1) They created an idol to worship, instead of God. We often thirst for God in our distress, but we must not create an idolatrous false image of God in our desperation. We must wait on the Lord, because He is the deliverer, and is faithful to save even in the most improbable of situations, as we read in Jonah 2:10. We commit idolatry when we lose sight of the beauty of God. The moment our excitement about God and His work disappears from our hearts is the moment we begin to feel boredom. Boredom is the birthplace of idols. We must always remind ourselves of God’s majesty and beauty in nature as well as in the Gospel.

How, then, do we guard ourselves against idols? We must adhere only to sound doctrine. We must both desire and commit to it. As we studied last week in 1 John 5:18-20, John repeats the word “Know” as a statement of confidence. We must seek to know God in this way through our sound doctrine. In John 6:68-69, Peter makes a sound analysis of Jesus, both in recognizing Him as the source of truth and our need of Him and His truth. We must also remember Jesus this way, and love Him. We need to resolve to and be in the practice of loving the Lord – over all things, over all people. Before using him as His mouthpiece on Pentecost, Jesus required one thing of Peter – that Peter loved Jesus. (John 21:15-18) If we are to become successful servants of Jesus, we must begin by loving Jesus.

“Little children” is an affectionate title for Jesus’ followers. Because He loves us, even though we may struggle against idols, we can have confidence that we will victor and conquer over them. He has given us the special privilege of repentance. Let us, therefore, examine our hearts for idols, repent, and guard our hearts.

Every believer is under God’s lordship. We are from God. We belong to Him; He is our Lord. Verse 19 reveals the dichotomy of two kingdoms and two powers- God and Satan- that divides all men as servants under two lordships. It is a continual pattern throughout Scripture- Cain and Abel, Egypt and Israel, Esau and Jacob, Saul and David. Christians are under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Every realm of our life is surrendered to Jesus- we are no longer the lord of our own lives. We practice lordship by first beginning with the truth of Jesus Christ. There are many teachings of counterfeit saviors in this world, but we trust in Jesus as we know Him through Scripture alone. (1Jn 4:3) Second, we submit to Jesus’ lordship as we overcome all suffering by faith. Jesus is Lord of all, and he equips us to go through every trial victoriously. (Rom 8:28; Phil 3:7) Third, we must listen to and obey Christ. There is no neutrality or middle ground to Jesus’ lordship. No matter what our circumstances may be, we must trust Jesus and obey His Word. (Lk 5:8) Finally, practicing lordship is to love God and love one another. Love is God’s command. It is not to be based on our fleeting emotions or circumstances, but we must do all things in love. Every good work devoid of love is in vain. (1Cor 13:1)

Christians live before Christ. You are not alone. Jesus came into the world as Immanuel- God with us. He has promised to never forsake or abandon you. (Matt 1:23, Matt 28:20) Even when you are unfaithful, God remains faithful. It is often due to unrepented sin that we fail to recognize God’s presence in our lives. (Is 59:2; Ps 13:1-2) Jesus has promised that all who come to Him will never be cast out. We must trust in the Lord and His Word, depending on His faithfulness through all things.

Every Christian’s mind is changed. Knowledge is an integral part of salvation. Repentance is a change of mind– if the mind is not changed, actions will not follow. Unbelievers do not have clarity. They are unable to know themselves, or have a right view of anything in life. Jesus came to give us understanding- He has given us the right understanding of God, life, Scripture, and salvation. We have been transformed and enlightened to understand and accept who God is according to Scripture. We enjoy intimate fellowship with God. He abides in us, and we in Him. We experience Him as our tender Father, walking before Him not in fear, but with reverence. (Joshua 1:9; Rom 8:31-32) When God feels distant, ponder your ways and search out your sin. Our fellowship with God is inseparable because it comes through Jesus Christ. (Rom 8:38-39)

Christians are saved by Christ alone. Jesus Christ it the true God. There is no other. God’s eternal plan for salvation was for man to be saved by Christ alone. (Acts 4:11-12) Only Jesus had two natures in one person- humanity and divinity. He was not born in original sin because He came to us by virgin birth. Jesus was sinless and pure, reflecting the unblemished sacrifices of the Old Testament- He alone can atone for sin and fully please God as a sacrifice. Only Jesus overcame death by His resurrection. Our salvation is truly unlike anything man has devised. It cannot be bought by any price, and we have done nothing to ever deserve Jesus Christ. It is because of God’s love that Jesus has come to save us.

Christians are saved for eternal life. Throughout history man has sought to live forever, but all have died and lie in the grave. Only Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and in Him, we have eternal life. (Jn 11:26) He has given us endless hope- eternal life is the glittering crown of this hope. Those who have eternal life enjoy the treasure they’ve found in Christ Jesus. (Matt 13:44) This is the most precious truth we must always remember and rejoice in. It is the truth that all dying men must hear through us. May all glory, honor, and praise be to our God!

As the world increasingly blurs the definitive line between truth and error, the idea of an absolute God has eroded in peoples’ minds, instead making religion and piety a thing to be customized by each individual’s personal convictions. These uncertain waters of confused religiosity are made murkier by relativity and subjectivism; therefore, Christians must be assured of their true identity in the Lord.

Every true Christian is a man of conviction on God’s Word. Not all conviction is the same. We must see the Bible as the very Word of God. Apostle John’s letter focuses on the Christian’s assurance- his absolute certainty of God’s specific revelation to us through every word of Scripture. (1Jn 1:1) The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and therefore infallible. It is the only ruling authority. (2Tim 3:16; Matt 24:35) It is only faith rooted in the Word that gives believers the conviction and boldness to stand against a world that opposes Christ. On what basis are you secure and at peace? Unless our foundation is God’s Word, we are bound to fail. Saving faith comes by the Word, and it is the source of endless conviction. (Rom 10:17) Every area of our lives- our marriages, ministries, businesses- must be ruled by God’s Word.

Every believer is a child of God. To be a child of God, you must be born of God. We are born of the Spirit when He illuminates truth in us – that we are sinners before a holy God. That’s when the Holy Spirit changes our nature for our salvation. We are imparted with a divine nature like Christ, as we are adopted by God in His love and grace. (Jn 1:12; 2Pet 1:3-4; Eph 4:24) Though we have sinned and strayed from the Lord, those on whom God has set His grace are kept in His steadfast love and mercy. (Lk 15:16, 22-24) There is no fear before God our Father, and He will never forsake us, because Jesus Christ was forsaken for us. (1Jn 3:1-2; Heb 4:16; Matt 27:46) We often fail to feel this intimacy with God our Father because we fail to fear God and live by faith. God shows His fatherly compassion on those who fear and love Him. (103:13)

Christians are holy. Though all Christians sin, genuine believers do not follow after false teaching and remain in God’s Word. The Christian life is not an extension of the old life. We no longer sin naturally, and when facing temptations, sin is not our automatic response. As we continually move closer to God’s holiness, it becomes more evident that sin is incompatible to our new nature. When we do sin, we confess our sins to God and are cleansed through our justification in Christ. (Titus 3:4-5; 1Jn 1:9) We do not remain in sin because of our relationship with Christ. He protects us from its power by His Word and by prayer. The closer we are to Christ and His Word, the farther we are from sin. Jesus prays for us unceasingly because we are children of God, and His prayers sustain us and cause us to grow in sanctification. (Jn 17:17; Rom 8:26; Heb 7:25)

God has provided everything for us to be holy- Jesus’ crucifixion is complete, and we live in His resurrection- yet why do we still sin? It is because we fail to discipline ourselves in the pursuit of our sanctification. (Phil 2:12) We must unceasingly cultivate and work out our sanctification. Our holiness is the only mark that will shine the light of true saving faith in this cursed world. We must draw near to Jesus, the source of living water and eternal life. Then we must live the life of Christ, that is, the life according to Christ. As we do, our holiness will point others to the true and living God.

Every Christian must be a man or woman of prayer. Whenever we pray according to the will of God, He hears us. We must know God’s will to pray accordingly, and the only way to know God’s will is to have an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. (Jn 15:7) As we believe and trust in the Lord with complete dependence, He guides us as we read the Word with faith. Moreover, our prayers must extend into intercessory prayers, as we pray for the brethren in love. We love as Jesus loved us when we pray for one another. (Rom 8:34) Christians must recognize their priesthood unto God and give themselves to prayer by interceding for one another. (1Pet 2:9) In this portion of John’s letter, we see why love and intercessory prayer are always bound together.

Without love, there is no motivation to do anything. Intercessory prayer is motivated by love alone. We must understand how deep our relationships are with fellow believers. It is deeper than earthly familial ties, because we have the same heavenly Father, and the same divine nature. The early church knew this, and in love were willing to risk their own lives for one another. (Matt 12:50; Rom 16:3-4) In verse 16 where John refers to sin not leading to death, he is referring to praying for brothers and sisters in Christ who are growing distant from the Lord because of different circumstances, such as sufferings or sin. Genuine believers are preserved by God’s power- no matter what sin they commit, their salvation is forever secured by the objective work of Christ. (1Jn 1:9; 2:1-2) Believers may, however, experience periods in their life when they wander away from the Lord. It is by the prayers of the brethren, motivated by love, that can restore them back to fellowship with the Lord and His church.

Intercessory prayer is done by love. It is natural to pray for the brother you truly love. We see Jesus’ divine love on the cross when He prayed for those who crucified Him. (Lk 23:34) We are to love like Jesus, and pray for one another without ceasing. (Acts 7:60; 20:31) We pray by asking– we consider our brother’s situation as our own, and with fervency and love, we pour out our hearts to God for our brother. (Matt 15:22; Lk 18:6-7) Our intercessory prayers result in life and restoration for the brethren. (Lk 22:32; James 5:16) In verse 16, Apostle John speaks of a sin leading to death. This is the sin of apostasy. (1Jn 2:18-19) He speaks of those who know the truth, but willfully deny the truth for their own self-gain. Those who reject, deny, and rebuke the conviction of the Holy Spirit can not be restored. (Matt 12:31-32; Heb 6:4-6)

All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. (v.17) Only Christians can pray for those who can be restored from their struggles and sins. God has given us the gift of intercessory prayer to love one another, and we are built up and matured only as we pray for one another. Our prayers must be motivated by love, and done in love, because God looks at the heart of those who call on Him. Let us therefore see our brother with a heart of compassion, and pray for him in love. God Himself will restore and for him give life.

Eternal life is to know God and to live in His presence. Many of us think eternal life pertains only to our future state in heaven, but in this part of Apostle John’s letter we learn that eternal life is here for us now to fully enjoy, taste, and rejoice in. How can we be assured of this eternal life that is here, yet not fully established?

By faith. Eternal life can be experienced by saving faith alone. Apostle John wrote his letter so believers would have no doubt of their eternal life. Through all the trials and sufferings of life, believers can count eternal life as their untarnished hope and most precious possession. (Phil 3:8) Saving faith has these three elements-

– The right source. (v.13) The only source of eternal life is Jesus Christ, and Christ is only known through the gospel. The entirety of Scripture contains the gospel, its essence in Jesus’ death and resurrection. (Jn 20:30-31) God came to the world in human flesh to die in our place. His love, hope, and forgiveness is wrapped up in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and offered to undeserving sinners by His grace alone. Jesus Christ is the right and only source of eternal life. (Rom 10:9, 17; Jn 1:11-12)

– The right response. (v.13) Faith is not merely an intellectual assent, but it is a total trust and dependence on Christ alone. Faith involves repentance- a turning away from sin and turning into Christ- which cultivates your heart to receive forgiveness through the gospel. (Matt 3:1-3) It brings about transformation as faith operates in your heart, bearing the fruit of love for God and for the church.

– The right object. (v.13) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the only object of saving faith. He alone was fully God and fully man, able to stand as man’s sinless substitute to bear the infinite weight of God’s wrath in His divinity. (Jn 1:1-3) He alone conquered sin and death forever by His resurrection. We must depend on Christ alone for our justification. Do you believe and live in the gospel? By faith alone, you can be assured of eternal life.

By prayer. Prayer is the first proof of those who have eternal life. It is the expression of faith, the foundation of the Christian’s every act and belief. Those who are kept from falling away are those with genuine faith, whose lives are marked by prayer. Jesus prayed unceasingly throughout His earthly ministry, up to His very last moments on the cross. Those who have eternal life pray unceasingly because of the confidence they have before God. (v.14) Sin severed communion between man and God, but Jesus restored and reconciled man to God to give him the confidence to approach God without fear. (Gen 3:8-10; Heb 4:16) Believers are now able to pray according to God’s will, knowing they have the requests they have made to God. Every answer to every prayer is from God, and we can be assured He will answer in His sovereign Will and timing. (Phil 4:6-7)

As you mediate and ponder on eternal life, may it be a settled reality and great source of peace in your heart. The more we are convinced of the eternal life we have in Christ Jesus by faith and by prayer, the more we will proclaim Christ in confidence to those around us.

As we learn foundational truths of Scripture that define Christian faith, we need a deep, abiding assurance of the certainty of God’s Word to fortify our spiritual lives. The certainty of God’s saving testimony concerning Jesus Christ is the Christian’s assurance of salvation. In this section of Scripture, Apostle John explains why.

God’s saving testimony is trustworthy. God’s testimony in Scripture is His own revelation. We can depend on His testimony in all circumstances because His revelation is inerrant and infallible. (Jn 20:31) His testimony is superlative– it is greater than the words of man, as infinitely greater as God Himself is to man. As we see who Christ is- God Almighty, Who came to us as man- we see the perfection and greatness of His testimony. (Col 1:16-17) His testimony is the gospel. God the Father sent His only begotten Son into this world to save sinners. The wisdom of man can not compare to the wisdom of Jesus Christ crucified- His gospel is the only testimony we can trust to make us wise unto salvation. (1Cor 15:3-6; 2:2; 2Cor 5:21)

God’s testimony bears fruit. His testimony is not theoretical or abstract, but there is real transformation in the believer’s life, because Jesus dwells in him. The first fruit is inner conviction. The testimony of God is in every Christian’s heart. His inner man is renewed by the Spirit dwelling in him, who leads him and gives him the desire to be more like Jesus. (2Cor 4:7) To have the testimony of God in himself is to have the Holy Spirit. (v.10) This is an undeniable reality of every believer’s life. The Spirit continually dwells in us, and causes our continual transformation. (Rom 8:9; Acts 1:8) In all circumstances, the Holy Spirit causes all believers to choose faith. Believers remain in Christ through all suffering and persecution, not by their own will, but because of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in them. (Jn 6:67-68) Believers choose love, because it is the fruit of the Spirit dwelling in them. We look to Jesus, who is our perfect example of love, who willingly sacrificed Himself on the cross because of His love. Do you love? Our love reflects our salvation. As we understand how much God has loved us even while we were yet sinners, we pursue to love God and love one another. (Jn 13:1; 1Tim 1:5)

How can we have the testimony of God in our hearts? God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (v.11) The one who believes in God’s testimony has the testimony in himself. To believe is to have faith– an ongoing faith that trusts and commits to Jesus Christ alone. Are you believing? The one who believes remains in Christ. In our abiding, we are His sheep, His disciple, His servant, and He is our Shepherd, Teacher, and Master. (Jn 15:4-5) Our relationship to Jesus defines our identity. In our complete dependence on Christ, we obey His Word as we believe in Him. (Matt 8:7-9) All who reject Christ commit the serious sin of misrepresenting God by not believing in Him. It is only by the Holy Spirit we now believe in the gospel, to see that everything is from God, for His glory.

Lastly, the testimony of God bears eternal life. Eternal life is Christ living in us. We are no longer dead in sin, under God’s condemnation, but we now have the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians are the only ones who gain from death, because we are united to Christ in His death and His resurrection. (Phil 1:21) He who has the Son of God has eternal life. Jesus is more precious to the believer than anything that exists in this created world. (Matt 13:44) Do you have this kind of relationship with Jesus? The result of believing in God’s testimony is eternal life. As we continue to abide in Christ and live according to the testimony of God, we must declare God’s testimony to others. His testimony never fails. (Acts 3:16)

Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses on a church door in Germany, thereby sparking the Protestant Reformation. Through the study of God’s Word, Luther and others like him defended the foundational principles of Christian faith, which came to be known as the five solas – Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, and Soli Deo Gloria- Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, Grace Alone, To God Alone be the Glory. Half a century has passed, but the urgency to uphold these foundational truths remains the same. We live in a world that opposes Christ, a world that is deceived by Satan’s schemes. (Eph 6:11-12) Who is the one who overcomes the world? Solus Christus. As Apostle John explains in this portion of Scripture, those who believe in Christ alone is overcoming the world. (v.5)

This is the One who came by water and blood…(v.6) Jesus Christ is God incarnate. He is the eternal God Who came into the world in the likeness of man to accomplish the work of salvation. (Jn 1:1-2, 12-14) Jesus came by water and blood, which represents His perfect righteousness and sacrifice. In His water baptism, God the Creator submitted to the creature’s call for repentance to fulfill the righteousness of God. (Matt 3:13-15) Jesus alone obeyed God’s will perfectly, making Him the only acceptable sacrifice to God. The Law requires blood to be shed for the price of sin, and only the perfect blood of Christ can satisfy God who is holy and just. (1Pet 1:19, Jn 1:29) Jesus loved us, and gave Himself up for us by dying on the cross in our place. In Christ, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of our sins. (Eph 1:7)

It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify…the three are in agreement. (v.6-8) We can believe the work of Christ is still effective for us today, because God the Spirit continues to bear witness of our redemption in Christ. He converts souls as He speaks to us through the Word, always working to show us the truth of Jesus Christ. (Jn 16:13) His testimony is true, because God can not lie. From the beginning to the end of Scripture, there is perfect unity in its testimony of Christ. (Jn 5:39) As we know Jesus and believe He is the Son of God, our faith in Christ will be our victory. In this world all who are born of God will face suffering through their sanctification, but in Christ, we will overcome as we depend on Him. (Jn 16:33)