REVIEW

• John encourages his hearers that the Jesus he knows and preaches is indeed the Messiah and Christ
• This Jesus invites us to live as he did: In the light, in fellowship and averse to sin. This is joy.
• In order to walk as Jesus did we must trust God and his truth about us. Do you trust him?
• Trusting Jesus and living as he did is embracing being set apart – holy – for the purposes of God.

ASSURANCE

What does it mean to be sure of something?

• Being sure means by definition to be “confident in what one thinks or knows; having no doubt that one is right.” Having assurance. 
• Assurance is?

A. a positive declaration intended to give confidence; a promise.

word of honor, word, guarantee, promise, pledge, vow, avowal, oath, bond, affirmation, undertaking, commitment.

B. confidence or certainty in one’s own abilities.

self-confidence, confidence, self-assurance, belief in oneself, faith in oneself, positiveness,
assertiveness, self-possession, self-reliance, nerve, poise, composure, serenity, tranquility.

Opposite: self-doubt, nervousness

C. certainty about something.

certainty, guarantee, sureness, confidence, hope, expectation

D. insurance, specifically life insurance.

What sort of assurance are you looking for?

What does chapter 5 of John’s 1st letter say that we can have assurance in?

• We are born of God if we believe Jesus and trust him by devoting our lives to loving him and others

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

• We can overcome the world

2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

• The testimony of God that Jesus is life – now and eternally – for those who believe

6This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

• In approaching God and him hearing us

14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we
know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

• God gives life

16If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

• Those born of God do not continue to choose sin

18We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

• Jesus – Son of God – gives us understanding to know God

20We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And
we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

So, what does it look like to be a person of assurance?

P.S. 21Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

What’s your next step?