Jim Thomas, Senior Pastor
The Letters of John: That You May Know…
The Message of 1 John:
God wants you to rejoice in the knowledge of His love for you, which has been displayed vividly in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:18-29
Three tests of authentic, biblical faith:
- The Theological Test: do we believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God?
- The Moral Test: are we walking in the light?
- The Social Test: do we really love others?
“But if the biblical story is true, the kind of certainty proper to a human being will be one which rests on the fidelity of God, not upon the competence of the human knower. It will be a kind of certainty which is inseparable from gratitude and trust.”
– Lesslie Newbigin, Proper Confidence: Faith, Doubt and Certainty in Christian Discipleship
How to remain steadfast with your faith in Jesus Christ:
- Sharpen your awareness
- Realign your allegiance
- Lean into His anointing
- Abide in Christ
Discussion Questions
- What are some similarities between being a Christian today and in the first century? How is it different?
- Authentic Biblical faith has three(3) tests: Theological, Moral, and Social. Knowing the facts about Jesus Christ (Theological Test) is critical to Biblical Faith, but how do we move past the facts to authentic faith?
- Do you agree that joy always follows gratitude? How are you specifically committed to gratitude daily in your own life?
- Is your view of the antichrist challenged by our passage?
- The false Messiahs of life are: Wealth, Pleasure & Power. What tangible actions do you personally take to identify and combat these in your life?
- As you remain steadfast in the faith, what healthy habits could use a refresh?
“The heart can hold a thousand loyalties but only one allegiance.”
– Mark Buchanon
“Indwelling sin is a parasite, and it eats what you do. God’s word is poison to sin when embraced by a heart made new by the Holy Spirit. You starve indwelling sin by feeding yourself deeply on His word. Sin cannot abide in His word. So, fill your hearts and minds with Scripture.”
– Rosaria Butterfield
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
– John 15:4-5
“In a nutshell, abiding in Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. In other words, our relationship to Christ is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles!”
– Sinclair Ferguson
“By faith you became partakers of the initial grace; by that same faith you can enjoy the continuous grace of abiding in Him.”
– Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ: The Joy of Being in God’s Presence
“The branch of the vine does not worry, and toil, and rush here to seek for sunshine, and there to find rain. No; it rests in union and communion with the vine; and at the right time, and in the right way, is the right fruit found on it. Let us so abide in the Lord Jesus.”
– James Hudson Taylor