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In Order That You May Know
Grace To You.org ^ | 1997 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

Posted on 07/09/2018 7:28:08 PM PDT by metmom

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

The apostle John presents eleven objective and subjective tests for assurance of salvation.

The New Testament epistles are filled with enough material on assurance to fill volumes of commentaries. Yet there is one small epistle, 1 John, that was written to deal exclusively with the issue of assurance. The apostle John states his reason for writing this letter in our verse for today: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life” (emphasis added). John did not want his readers to doubt their salvation; he wanted them to have full assurance of it.

Certainly what John wrote in this epistle will not disturb genuine believers, but it will alarm anyone who has a false sense of assurance. In fact, he directed his letter to those who have placed their faith in Christ, which is the bedrock of all assurance: “I have written to you who believe.” There is no place for self-examination outside of faith in Christ. That’s why everything John says about assurance is predicated on faith in Christ and the promises of Scripture.

Throughout his epistle, John maintains a delicate balance between the objective and subjective grounds of assurance. The objective evidence makes up a doctrinal test, while the subjective evidence provides a moral test. John moves in and out between the two kinds of tests as he presents a total of eleven criteria that will indicate whether one possesses eternal life.

As you study through these tests for the next eleven days, they will confirm for you, if you are a genuine believer, the reality of your salvation. But if you have been given a false assurance, you will know where you stand and what you need to do.

Suggestions for Prayer

If you are a true believer, ask God to use these upcoming days to give you a greater love for Him. If you’re not sure if you truly know our great Lord and Savior, ask Him to reveal Himself to you so that these next few days will be life-changing ones.

For Further Study

Read John 20:31. How would reading through the Gospel of John also provide assurance of salvation? Begin such a reading plan.


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; General Discusssion; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: gty

1 posted on 07/09/2018 7:28:08 PM PDT by metmom
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To: Alex Murphy; boatbums; CynicalBear; daniel1212; dragonblustar; Dutchboy88; ealgeone; Elsie; ...

Studying God’s Word ping


2 posted on 07/09/2018 7:28:28 PM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith......)
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To: metmom

bookmark


3 posted on 07/09/2018 9:38:52 PM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: metmom
Throughout his epistle, John maintains a delicate balance between the objective and subjective grounds of assurance. The objective evidence makes up a doctrinal test, while the subjective evidence provides a moral test. John moves in and out between the two kinds of tests as he presents a total of eleven criteria that will indicate whether one possesses eternal life. As you study through these tests for the next eleven days, they will confirm for you, if you are a genuine believer, the reality of your salvation. But if you have been given a false assurance, you will know where you stand and what you need to do.

So much "easy believism," that simple faith in Christ as a promise-giver to save you means you are saved, invoking 1 Jn. 5"13. abstract from faith in whom Christ is, the Lord Jesus. Which means that to believe in the Lord Jesus means one will both rest upon Him to save them by imputed righteousness, and then seek to obey the object of that faith, in accordance with the light even them.

Which Truth and character is what John describes prior to

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 ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)

However, MacArthur must wrongly resort to relegating Hebrews to be writing to unbelievers when it warns believers against having "an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12) And of impenitently willfully sinning, and drawing back unto perdition, (Heb. 12:25-39) and (in Galatians) making Christ to profit them nothing, to become of no effect, being fallen from grace, (Galatians 5:1-4)

4 posted on 07/10/2018 3:12:45 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Trust the risen Lord Jesus to save you as a damned and destitute sinner + be baptized + follow Him)
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To: metmom

1 John 5
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.


5 posted on 07/10/2018 8:30:06 AM PDT by ravenwolf (Left lane drivers and tailgaters have the smallest brains in the world.)
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