Who Wants to Obey? - [1 John 2:3-6]

This morning we heard a very powerful message on God's work in saving us and I want I'm sure most of you here were there this morning. So I want you to keep that in the back of your mind because our message today is on Sanctification and well, you should never forget the central work and the soul work of God in saving us while you listen to this message and this message.

If you remember the last couple of questions that pastor Mike asked about the sinner's prayer and assurance today's message is Elaborating one of the points of assurance that you heard about this morning.

So I hope that it would be both challenging and comforting to all of you this evening and Before we begin, why don't we go to the Lord in prayer dear Heavenly Father? We thank you Lord for this evening.

We thank you for your word Lord. I ask you for strength to Present your word clearly and accurately and Lord. I pray for each of your children who are here this evening that Lord you would speak to them your word words of comfort encouragement and Exhortation that you have for them today.

We ask all this in Jesus name. Amen. I Do not know if pastor Dave saw my manuscript and asked for that last hymn because That is the theme of What I have to preach today Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

This is a beloved hymn Which describes the Christians life quite beautifully? But as all of you know trust and obedience do not come naturally to all of us. You know very early when you are a baby we see an almost helpless trust that bonds that baby to its mother.

But as the baby grows into a child the growing self-confidence that the child has often results in disobedience. As the sinful nature, which which is within all of us finds expression. Now as an adult obedience is a term that is far removed and in our modern society today.

That's a term that's reserved for slaves of many generations past. Of course, if you grab any adult on the street, he would say yeah I obey the traffic laws and keep the speed limits when I can but who can question man on his moral choices or Rather whom should he obey?

You see our parents have our best interest at times that most of the time and Even though they might want our best From their heart. They're not always right about what they want us to do and There's only one person who is always right and that is God.

He not only loves his children. He not only knows what is best, but he has also told us What is good? He has given us his word the Bible and Our love for him is expressed by obedience to his word. Today's message is who wants to obey?

It's a rhetorical question and my purpose this evening is that each of you will see why you want to obey God. John gives us that reason in today's passage. It's found in first John chapter 2 verses 3 to 6.

Today's passage is the first of three tests that occur repeatedly in the first letter of John and in chapter 2. You find all of these three tests the first test we find in verses 3 to 6. We're going to see today.

It's called the test of obedience or the moral test. The second test which is the test of love or the social test you find in verses 7 through 11 and The third test which is the test of truth or the doctrinal test you find in verses 18 through 27.

Now as you know as a general principle when you read the Bible, it's always good to know what went before. The passage you're reading and to know what comes after and let's briefly survey what John has written before this passage.

We have before us today in chapter 1 verses 1 through 4 John has laid the foundation of the word and that is based on authentic apostolic testimony and In verse 5 you see his gives us the message. God is light and in him There is no darkness or sin at all.

And on the basis of verse 5 he gives from chapter 1 verse 6 through chapter 2 verse 2 3 revealing responses To this God who is light these responses? Reveal either the faith of a believer or they expose the lie of a pretend Christian.

And Concluding with verse 2 which is a great work verse on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Who is the basis of our faith. John now lays out the first test of faith the test of? Obedience. Now before we dive into the depths of God's Word and it is going to be a deep dive.

So you need your oxygen tanks ready? Let's briefly survey the outline of 1st John chapter 2 verses 3 to 6. We'll read it first and By this we know that we have come to know him If we keep his commandments.

Whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments. It's a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him.

Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Now verse 3 affirms that we can have certainty of our faith and the evidence is in our obedience. Verses 4 5 describe two type of people the disobedient and the obedient and Verse 6 is going to give us a beautiful word picture of true obedience.

How you should pattern your life after Jesus Christ. Now, let's begin by looking at John's statement on obedience in verse 3. Obedience is the expression of true faith. In verse 3 we read and by this We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments.

I Want you to listen to this quote. If you want a weedy, I'm sorry if you want evidence of your salvation. If you want to know if you have been truly born again. You can begin to answer that by looking for evidence of obedience this is not salvation by works, but works born of Salvation and that is a quote from our very own pastor Steve.

Now as always let's first begin by looking paying close attention to the words that John uses. John begins by saying by this we know. The first no used in this verse refers to the certainty that a person can have and the Basis of the certainty the basis of the certainty is disclosed in the later half of the verse.

But John is certain that you and I can know something for sure. And the verse reads that we have come to know him. The second no in this verse refers to the faith of a believer in Jesus Christ. You see John uses various terms to describe the believer through the book of 1st John in Chapter 1 verse 6.

He says the believer has fellowship with God in Chapter 2 verse 9. The believer is in the light and in chapter 4 verse 7. He is born of God. But in this verse John uses the word no for a very particular reason.

You see that he was addressing the problem of the early Gnostics the proto Gnostics In the church who were troubling the church and he now uses the terminology that they commonly use. But he uses it correctly and corrects its meaning.

The Gnostics were the false teachers who claim to know God but they did not see holiness as Relevant or practical in their life and John has already addressed some of their problems in chapter 1. Now knowing God meant two things to the Greek in John's days.

To the early Greek God was something that could be intellectually apprehended along with Plato they had great confidence that they could know God by reasoning their way with logic and They could attain the truths about the eternal one.

And of course such knowledge of the truth did not place any moral restrictions on the one who may attain such truth if they could and Later after the conquest by Alexander the Great the Greeks came into contact with the mystery religions of the East and they understood now knowledge of God to be mystical and experiential and they did not place place such an emphasis on the objective knowledge of knowing God and this Knowledge was transitory Just as any feeling and emotions can be and it evaporated after the worship service was over.

You couldn't carry or candles and incense and chants everywhere you went in order to retain your knowledge of God. But in the Bible we find the truth about knowing God. You see knowing God is an intimate relationship.

You understand who God is and you also understand his moral attributes as he relates to you. Now you can relate to God rightly and you can please him by your life when you know who God is. We see this in Jeremiah chapter 9 verses 23 and 24.

We read thus says the Lord let not the wise man boast in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man boast in his might. Let not the rich man boast in his riches. But let him who boasts boast in this that he Understands and knows me that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love Justice and righteousness in the earth for in these things I delight declares the Lord.

Thus you truly know God when you know him as he is. He does what is right in the earth. He delights in righteousness in his people. You cannot divorce the intellectual knowledge about God. From experiencing in your experiencing him in your life as a moral being.

We've seen the first two no's in this verse and let's continue with some of the other words in verse 3. Keep his commandments. Now speaking of Greek the word keep is not the same as the word obey in the original language.

But the meaning of this phrase is very closely tied to that of obedience. Keeping his commandments means obeying his commands now. This is not just a checklist of things that you cross out or a mere blind external conformity to a set of rules.

Absolutely, not it implies a watchful Observant obedience as one of the commentators put it and it comes from an inner desire to understand the requirements of God and to carry out his intended purposes.

Now the last term we want to look in this verse is commandments. Now, what is the term commandments bring to your mind? Are you thinking of the Ten Commandments or mostly the first five books of the law the Pentateuch or All the law and the prophets wines dictionary defines this term as all of God's moral and religious precepts.

Everything we have in God's Word. Everything that God has given for us to obey. Now the express purpose of his commands is for our good. So we may know what pleases God so we may have life. We see this in Psalm 119 verse 11.

I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Now we've seen the translation of the words that John uses without going into the Greek yet but let's try to unpack this verse.

Now pay careful attention because we're not going to place this verse in the context of the rest Of scripture and you're going to see four things about obedience. Firstly obedience is not legalism. Now it may seem that this idea of obedience is too moralistic too legalistic and you may ask is Obedience part of the grace of God that saves us freely.

You and I must understand that obedience is not legalism and God is not requiring his people To obey in order that they may be saved. Let me repeat that God is not requiring his people to obey in order that they may be saved.

Now we see in Galatians 5 chapter 5 verses 1 and 7 for freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Now is Paul talking about? obedience as slavery.

No, he does not. He goes on to talk about the problem of circumcision of the Jews and he says in verse 7. You were running. Well who hindered you from obeying the truth? You see Paul here is commending obedience.

You and I are saved by grace and grace alone. But obedience that God calls for is obedience to God's truth not mere conformity to rules and regulations which cannot save nor sanctify. And this obedience follows after your Justification that occurs where your heart is regenerated by the grace of God that is free.

Now what is this truth that Christians are to obey. We see this truth in all of Scripture it is opened up by Jesus in the New Testament as the purpose of Old Testament law is Explained in light of God's purpose in and through Jesus Christ.

You see Jesus fulfilled the law of the Old Testament so that the requirements of the law in us have been paid by his perfect death and his Resurrection. Now listen to this verse from Jesus sermon on the mount and it will put this perspective of what this.

What God requires of us in chapter 5 verse 27 Jesus says you have heard that it was said you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Now you see Jesus reveals the precepts of God at a much higher standard. The believer obeys the truth not out of fear. But in love he he obeys with a desire to please his God. So all of God's law is good and it is right for you to obey not legalistically, but through faith in love.

Now obedience is not legalistic. And secondly obedience is belief. Expressed it follows after salvation and is not the means to salvation. Which comes first the chicken or the egg? By obedience no one can be saved but obedience proves that the person was saved to begin with.

We see this in Ezekiel 36 25 to 27, which is a passage similar to the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31 Is a kill. 36 25 reads. I will sprinkle clean water on you God says and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness and from all your idols.

I will cleanse you and I will give you a new heart and a new spirit. I will put within you and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

You see God here regenerates sinful Israel and he gives them a new heart and a new spirit. Then alone can they walk in his statutes and obey his rules? You see our obedience in no way can precede the work of God in saving us first.

Paul again confronts this issue in Romans 6 14 through 18. Since one is saved through grace and not obedience should the believer even bother to obey God. This is a very famous passage Paul writes for sinship will have no dominion over you since you are not under law, but under grace.

What then are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace by no means. Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves? You are slaves of the one whom you obey. Either of sin which leads to death or of obedience which leads to righteousness.

But thanks be to God that you who have won slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed and Having been set free from sin have become slaves of righteousness.

Now if you are a true believer, you cannot but obey God. You are a slave of righteousness. Paul says here. Now obedience is not legalistic. It is an expression of faith not its cost. And thirdly this obedience of the believer is not self-generated.

But it is enabled by the Spirit of God dwelling within you. In Romans 8 13. We find that you and I can overcome sin by his spirit. Romans 8 13 reads for if you live according to the flesh you will die.

But if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Our ability to obey is because of the Spirit of God leading us and indwelling us.

And again in the famous passage in Galatians 5 22 we read that the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control. You see this is not a fruit of Pradeep or Bob or Dan or anybody else, but it is a fruit of the Spirit.

You see just as any tree gets its nutrients from the soil along with water so also the believer has to feed on the Word of God and Then he produces the fruit of the Spirit now. This is an obedience to God's Word.

Now I ask you a question are you producing such fruit through obedience? Obedience is not legalistic. It's an expression of faith. It is enabled by the spirit and fourthly it is not burdensome. You see when we talk of obedience and commandments There is an inbuilt mechanism within all of us that cell tells us you know this must be dull.

You know that's the sin nature. That's The principle that is still hanging on to us who wants to obey you think it must be boring it must be dull. It can't be fun to obey. But you see that's not what our master has told us he says in Matthew 11 28 that his yoke is easy.

Do you remember that his yoke is easy? Let me read it for you come to me all who labor and are heavy laden. And I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon me upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart.

And you will find rest for your souls. And he says for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. You see not only is this yoke easy. But we rest in him alone. See don't get me wrong. It is impossible To bear this burden without his power which is why someone pretending to be a Christian has the most difficult job on earth.

You cannot do what God requires without being a believer first. But by resting in his finished work you can find true rest and also the ability to obey his word. I Saw a bumper sticker recently that said that God is still speaking and the first time I read this I saw this I thought they were referring to Hebrews 412 that you know the Word of God is alive and active and working in his people.

Even now, but I later found out that the group that has that sticker. They Reinterpret the Bible with their own moral convictions and their own reasoning and that my brothers and sisters is simply not right.

Your obedience is to the Word of God that is given to us. We cannot reinterpret it. The Bible is definitely not available for fresh interpretation. You cannot put man's thought into God's Word. It means what it says and you obey in applying it to your lives.

Now I remember my summer vacations very vividly. I think I must have sweated a lot even then I'll take the liberty of taking this off now. But the thing that filled my summer vacations was Cricket. Cricket was the game that all young kids used to play in India and it's it can take hours and hours.

I think some of you are smiling. You're familiar with a game and there was this one friend I had in my neighborhood. His name was BK and he was well-loved because he had the equipment for the games, but There was something else that was very very different about this BK he.

You see the the primary purpose of this game. You have to stand for hours in the Sun. Fielding and doing all sorts of things but the primary purpose of the game or the pleasure that you get is in batting.

You know you get one turn to bat and you may have to wait for us to get to that spot to actually bat. But in BK's case there was something very uncanny his mom seemed to have like the spider sense or something.

You know every time not every time but close to every time that BK would step up to bat his mom would call him home. Now, you know if you're like me and if you're like every other kid in the neighborhood, you know.

You would first pretend to ignore your mom and then after a little while you would you know, yell back at mom. Say, you know, I'll come back later or you may just go back fretting and fuming but not so with BK.

With BK, he would drop everything just where it was and run home. It wouldn't matter that he's played for two hours and just waited for his turn to bat. He would just drop everything and run home. And of course to the rest of us lesser models.

It was inexplicable. You couldn't know how this guy did that but you see his love for the game was secondary to his love for his mother. All his desires were secondary to pleasing his mom. Obedience was first when it came to him.

Now, how about you? Is obedience? Important to you or is life and all of its joys more precious to you than listening to your God. Are you responding to God in obedience or Pretending to ignore him and just doing your own thing.

You see if a child can learn obedience to his mother with such love. How much more should you and I who have a blood relation to the lamb obey our master? Now we have seen the truth about obedience To God in verse 3 and we will now look at two types of people that John describes for us beginning with a disobedient one in verse 4.

Verse 4 reads whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. Whoever says I know him as we see in verse we saw in verse 3. This claim is equal into calling yourself a believer.

But is anyone who makes such a claim truly a believer in this verse? We read that this person does not keep his commandments. Here is one who's disobedient to God. Now you see there are two senses in which the word obedience is used in the Bible and I want to kind of clarify.

In case you come upon this later. First is obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This refers to Believing in Jesus this refers to salvation and this obviously comes first. Two of the verses that you'll see this are in 2nd Thessalonians 1 8 and 1st Peter 4 17.

Which refers to the disobedient people who do not believe in Jesus Christ? But once you have obeyed the gospel by believing in Jesus you can and do obey the commandments of God. This is the obedience that John refers to here.

You see if you do not obey if you do not find the need to keep his commandments. And if you treat them as irrelevant John has a name for you. John calls you a liar. He he doesn't mince his words. The name of Christian does not belong to one Who does not hold on to the commandments of God.

The one who does not love and cherish the precepts of God is One who has not yet obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ and John goes on to say something more. He says that the truth is not in such a person.

You see considering the problem of false teachers. John is also warning the believers that anyone who claims to know God anyone who teaches about God But does not practice the truth is definitely not one you want to listen to because he does not have the truth.

The false teacher does not obey God and he does not have the truth in him. Now John calls the disobedient person as an unbeliever. He is lying about knowing God. Now there are three problems with the unbeliever that you should understand and this would help both in self diagnosis if you're concerned about your own salvation or.

It will also help in witnessing when you talk to somebody who does not know the Lord and this will help you in evangelizing. Firstly unbelievers cannot obey. We have already seen that unbelievers cannot obey the commandments of God since they have not been born again.

They are born of corruptible and not of incorruptible seed. We saw in Romans 6 14 through 18 that they are slaves of righteousness Unrighteousness and they do not have the ability to obey the truth. So the unbeliever cannot obey God.

But secondly, they also show by their deeds that their heart is unregenerate. In Matthew 7 18 Through 23 Jesus talks about the evidence that comes out of one's heart. Let me read it for you. Jesus says a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit.

Nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruit. That's the diseased tree which all of us were before we were saved.

Cannot bear good fruit. The unbeliever cannot obey God, but wickedness. Jesus goes on to say in verse 21 Not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. But the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven on that day many will come to me.

Saying Lord Lord did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name and Then will I declare to them? I never knew you depart from me you workers of Lawlessness.

Jesus calls the ones who claims to know God as a worker of lawlessness. It is the evidence of the deeds that proves whether the person is saved and it's definitely not any miracles or mighty works that a Person can do.

Now you see such a verdict from Jesus has a very heavy price to pay. You see the unbeliever cannot obey God the evidence of his deeds. Show that he is unregenerate and thirdly he has to face judgment one day.

You see much as we do not like to talk about this. There is a penalty for the disobedient the fairy tale that all will end. Well is simply not true. We saw Jesus words to the worker of lawlessness in Matthew 7 and Paul writes about them again in Romans chapter 2 verse 6.

He says God will render to each one according to his works to those who by patience and well-doing seek for glory and honor and Immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness.

There will be wrath and Fury you see those who do not obey the truth. Which is obedience to or belief in the gospel who cannot keep the commandments of God. They are by nature obeying wickedness and the judgment of God will come upon them in wrath and fury.

Jesus says that again in very simple terms in John 3 36 who believes in the Son has eternal life. But whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. You see this is very fearful.

God's wrath abides on The one who has not believed in Jesus. It's like knowing that this person is going to the gallows one day for sure and Having the key to freedom right in your own hands. Now John has written this inspired text as a first test of faith.

Now if this test turns out negative if you are disobedient to God's Word this evening. It may well be that you have not obeyed the gospel in the first place. And if that is the case, I urge you be reconciled to God.

Come to Jesus and receive the forgiveness that only he can give. You see by his perfect life by his atoning death his burial and his resurrection. He can save you from the power of sin and from the power of death and that is not the end.

He then enables you to obey his precepts by giving you his Holy Spirit. Now we've seen the first type of person the disobedient. Let's let's now look at the second type of person the obedient that John describes in verse 5.

John writes whoever keeps his word in him truly the love of God is perfected. This verse may seem a little confusing. So let's quickly look through what John writes here whoever keeps his word now this contrasts the true believer from the disobedient one we've seen in verse 4 and John replaces the word commandments with the word in the singular as a sum total of all of God's Precepts and these two are used interchangeably in this passage.

Now love of God. That refers to the love that a believer has for God. Your obedience to God is indeed generated by a true inner conversion. You truly know God as your father and the desire to please him Flows by obedience flows out of that love that you have for him.

Now John calls his love of God as made complete or perfected. Now this does not mean that we love God perfectly all the time but rather that our love for God is fulfilled or Completed by our obedience to his word.

Now I want you to imagine that for a moment. How much do you as a believer want to love God? You know if you could see him here physically you would just want to you know. Fall at your at his feet hug him and then say, you know, I love you Jesus.

But here in this verse John is telling us that you can show your love for him through obedience and You can see your love made complete by obedience to his word. Now there are through two things that a believer must know when it comes to obedience.

Firstly and this comes back to your assurance your obedience to God's Word gives the final evidence of your love. For God, you see Jesus tells us very plainly in John 14 21. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them He it is who loves me.

Not anyone who claims to love God or know God. But rather the one who obeys God is the one who truly does love him. Now obedience is the proof of your love for God, but does this mean that the lover of God never disobeys him ever?

You know, that's not true. The second aspect of Believer is confession. Verse 5 here does not mean that obedience is perfected in the life of a believer. John has already addressed this in chapter 1 verse 9 where he says if he confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

And what sin do you think is there to confess if you are perfect in your obedience to God? The believer you see lives a lifestyle of righteousness a Lifestyle of obedience to God and his precepts, but you cannot live a perfect sinless life on this side of eternity.

Not until you enter heaven. You and I are being sanctified to be more and more like Jesus while we are on earth. Now when the believer does sin it is a break from his normal lifestyle or his pattern of behavior.

As A believer you will repent and confess of your sins rather than deny them or take pleasure in them or just ignore what God says about them and that's a mark of a believer in Confession and Thereby cleansing and forgiveness are provided to the Christian whose lifestyle of obedience proves his faith.

We've seen the role of obedience in our lives as believers. And I want to challenge you some more to greater obedience in your walk with the Lord. You see preparing a message like this Was extremely convicting and I hope to pass on some of that conviction to you by his spirit this evening.

Now when we consider this matter of obedience, it seems only natural for believers to want to obey God. But if you consider the privilege of obeying him We will take greater care in doing so every step of our way and let me explain this see it is not Surprising that all of nature obeys God because God created all of nature now whether it is in keeping the natural laws or when?

You know Jesus supernaturally overrode them we see this happen many times in the Bible and in Mark 4 41 Jesus stills the star by his word and the disciples were amazed and they said who then is this that even wind and sea obey him.

No, not just nature, but even demons tremble and obey God even against their will. In Mark 1 27 Jesus drives out demons from a man in a synagogue and We read that they were all amazed so that they questioned among themselves saying what is this a new teaching with authority?

He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. We must realize the awesome privilege of obeying God from our hearts. You know you are going to be obeying the one who has the power to? Change nature and change demons from their causes to do his will.

Now once you Understand the grandeur of the one whom you are going to obey the Almighty God the Creator infinite majestic in heaven enthroned in glory. When you bask in what he has done for you in redeeming you from the power of sin and death by his own Sacrifice on the cross you cannot but seek his will in his word.

You cannot but eagerly desire to conform your life to his desires and to please him alone. You must obey him. It is a necessity when you know who this God is. Now let's look at a few specific areas where this may be applicable in our lives.

The Bible has a lot to say about sanctification and practical matters. Let's take work for example Paul writes about work in 2nd Thessalonians 3 and Colossians 3. In 2nd Thessalonians 3 11 He writes for we hear that some among you walk in idleness not busy at work.

But busy bodies now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and earn their own living. You see the believer does not waste his time away, but works and provides for himself and his family.

You must obey God in your work and how Colossians 3 22 says slaves obey in everything those who are your earthly masters not by way of high service as people pleasers. But with sincerity of heart fearing the Lord the slave.

Modern translation Employee or to work with sincerity Pleasing God and not just when his earthly master observes him. You see obedience to God and work is Of concern to God who seeks righteousness and the testimony that you bring to his name.