Am I Truly Saved – A Study of 1 John – Part 1

Today, Pastors, when faced with questioning or unsure salvation, tend to follow this course of action.

  • Have you believed on the name of Jesus?
  • Did you do it sincerely?
  • Like, did you feel guilty?
  • Then you’re saved! Stop letting the devil put you down.

But I tell you, we need to be careful.

  • Years ago, Pastors would lead those questioning their salvation through 1 John as kind of a test.
    • Is your life meeting the criteria as listed in 1 John?
    • Has a relationship with God caused the types of changes and desires to arise within you?
    • And they would study it together.
    • Discipling and helping an infant in Christ to mature.
    • Working out salvation with fear and trembling, finally comprehending a portion of the magnitude of God’s righteousness and holiness.

1 John 1

  • 1-4
    • Within the first century of the early church we already see a rise in Gnosticism and strong docetism.
      • Gnosticism – the belief in a lesser god that created everything, that the truly divine creator is separate and that Jesus was an emissary for this remote divine creator. Gnosis is the esoteric knowledge, which I think of as super cool secret knowledge, that has been specially bestowed on them through divine enlightenment.
      • Docetism – “the doctrine, important in Gnosticism, that Christ's body was not human but either a phantasm or of real but celestial substance, and that therefore his sufferings were only apparent.”
    • 1-2
      • Testimony of their eyewitness account and physical touch of the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.
        • Luke 22:19-20 – “19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”
        • John 13:23 – “Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.”
        • John 12:3 – “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.”
        • John 13:5 – “After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”
        • John 20:27 – “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”
      • 3-4
        • There is no new revelation of knowledge that you need to be saved other that what has already been declared and preached, and that is as follows.
        • The next bit of this letter is not to destroy your confidence or make you question your salvation as much as spur you unto more righteous living and a closer walk with God.
        • By this letter, test your life and know whether you have been redeemed or falsely professing salvation because of tradition, emotion, or it just seemed like the right thing to do.
        • And in fully becoming aware of Jesus salvation power, let your joy be full.
      • 5
        • God is light
          • Greek word “phos”
            • Meaning – light or fire, purity, brilliance, truth, enlightenment, knowledge, spirit, power, understanding, openly exposed, righteous, holy.
            • Revelation 21:23 – “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”
            • 2 Corinthians 4:6 – “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
          • No darkness at all
            • Greek word “skotia”
              • Meaning – darkness or the wanting of light, empty, hollow, void, desolate, corrupt, wicked, mischievous, immoral, ignorant of spiritual things
              • Darkness travels at the speed of light. More accurately, darkness does not exist by itself as a unique physical entity, but is simply the absence of light.
              • John 1:5 - "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
              • Luke 1:79 – “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
              • Psalms 139:12 – “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”
            • 6
              • Note that this letter is to fellow believers.
              • Fellowship with God
                • Greek word “koinonia”
                  • Meaning – fellowship and communion, communication, participation, and intimacy
                • We do not the truth
                  • There is only one truth and it is not enough just to speak it, but to allow our lives to be an example of it.
                  • 1 Timothy 4:12 – “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
                  • 1 Peter 2:12 – “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
                • 7
                  • Walk in the light
                    • Walk fulfilled and enlightened.
                    • Walk quickened and empowered.
                    • Walk righteously and purely.
                    • Walk with God, for God, in God.
                    • John 8:12 – “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
                    • 1 Peter 2:9 – “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
                  • Walking in the light will generate a desire to be with your brothers and sisters in Christ as well as a deeper love for them.
                  • The Blood of Jesus cleanses all sin.
                    • Titus 3:5 – “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
                    • 2 Corinthians 7:1 – “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
                  • 8-10
                    • You’re going to sin, but you ought to despise it with utter sorrow and disgust.
                      • Psalm 97:9-12 – “9For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. 10Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 11Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 12Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”
                      • 1 Corinthians 15:31 – ““I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”
                    • 7 & 9
                      • He cleanses us and forgives us.
                        • Revelation 7:9-17
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