This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John’s first epistle in a series titled Am I Born of God. This sermon, the eighth in the series, 1 John 4:13-5:13, highlights the importance of love: “The recognition of Christ’s deity, is not something that can occur merely in the head, but must be a genuine and sincere belief that originates in the heart, and then is made public to the world. It is an act of submission and subjection to the Son of God, that leads to God’s salvation.
“If any then desire to know whether or not they are saved, and have true fellowship and union with the heavenly Father, then they need only to ask themselves if both God’s Spirit and God’s love dwells in them.
“By following Christ’s example of love, His people are assured that they shall have nothing to fear in the day of His judgment. Because Christ’s love lives within the hearts of those saved by Him, and they live as He lived in the world, then nothing more is needed for them to have met God’s will for their life. Having obeyed Christ’s two commandments to love both God and his neighbor, allows the believer to approach the tribunal of Christ, with the spiritual confidence that the life lived was in obedience to his Lord.
“There is no fear in love, since perfect love casts out all fear of God, and any sheepishness to be judged by Him. Yet, if fear of divine judgment remains, this is strong evidence, that love still remains an unfinished work in the believer. Just as love is a fruit of the Spirit, fear is a characteristic of the flesh. Because of this, not until love has grown and accomplished its full purpose, revealing obedience to divine will, will all fear of heavenly judgement be removed.
“Ultimately, there is no such thing as a disobedient Christian, or a Christian lacking love, or a Christian who has not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, simply because these three divine signs both confirm and establish where true salvation exists, and where it does not.
“It is sin that weighs men down, and is a heavy weight to bear, and surely not obedience to God’s will. This is because the Lord puts nothing on a man, that is not profitable for his life and good for his soul.
“It is easy to obey God when the heart is right;
“A true child of God therefore cannot be, nor ever will be overcome by this world, as so many who are not the children of God, confirmably are. Hence, Christians are not, and should never be considered victims of this world, simply because through Jesus Christ and His triumphant ministry, they have defeated it.
“Many a sinner has had this world beat them down, drain them of all strength, and ultimately ruin their life. Yet, there is no true Christian that it can be said was overcome in this manner. Because of faith in the Son of God, Christ has made all those born of the Spirit to overcome all the oppressiveness, sin, death, and evil forces in this world.
“There is no true Christian who does not possess a spiritual witness in his own heart, that Jesus is the Son of God. This witness is the Spirit of God, given through Christ, which abides in him. Understandably, no man can ever fully believe upon Jesus Christ, without having a personal witness of experiencing the Lord himself. This is accomplished by the Holy Spirit being given to all who believe upon Him as the Son of God and yield their lives to His lordship.
“There is hardly a verse which is so simple, solid and succinct regarding who has been given eternal life: it is those who possess the Son of God. So that if a man hath the Son, he hath the life of God, but if he hath not the Son, then neither does he possess that spiritual life, that comes only through Him. Ultimately, it is a man’s faith in, obedience to, and relationship with the Son of God, that allows for the gift of eternal life being given to him.
“Because God’s life resides in the Son, and cannot be found in any other place, the apostle’s great aim in writing this epistle is purposed, to lead people to belief in the Son of God, to gain the eternal life of God offered through Him. If Christ is possessed, then a man will know that there is something dwelling in him, apart from his physical and material makeup, which has its origin in God. This is also, the reason why the gospel should be preached today, and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, should be declared to the world. Because only through Him, can men be both given, and come to practically know that God’s eternal life is theirs. To therefore preach Christ and make Him known, is to preach that precious gift of spiritual regeneration and the divine life offered through belief in the Son of God. To preach Christ, is to preach the wonderful revelation that God’s eternal life can be found in Him.”
Broadcast live on 04/02/2023