7. 1 John 2:3-6 The Moral Test

The Assurance Test in 1 John 2:3-6

1 John 2, starting in verse 3. Hear now the inspired word of God. By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. The one who says, I have come to know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whoever keeps his word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. The one who says he abides in him ought himself to walk in the same manner as he walked.

Let's pray. Father, once again as we look into your word, and we read these important words, we ask that you would open our hearts, that we would see, hear, and understand what you have to say to us, and that Father, that those who are here are truly Christians, that we would all have the assurance that we would know that we know him.

We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. Please be seated. This past week, in fact it was Monday's headlines and Newsday, read like this, Long Island leads in test opt-outs. And the article goes on to report that 36 of Long Island students opted out of the federally mandated standardized testing.

The debate over standardized testing has produced boycotts and all kinds of protests on Long Island for at least 10 years. Many parents and teachers are opposed to the testing because it discourages teachers to get off the main focus of education and they wind up, quote, teaching to the test.

School administrators often use these test results to evaluate teachers, which also presents a problem. Parents claim that the tests hinder creative learning, and they believe these tests subvert the actual purpose of testing in the first place.

We all know the legitimate purpose of this type of testing is to see if the student understands the material and the course syllabus. That being said, the debate rages on. But also keep in mind there's different kinds of testing.

Besides testing to see if the student has grasped the material, there's aptitude testing. There are entrance exams, and entrance exams are used for many jobs, especially civil service employment, promotional testing, medical testing.

Let's face it, testing is a part of life, not just your academic life, but it's a part of life. The Bible tells us that all of mankind is put to the test. Psalm 11 .5, the Lord tests the righteous and the wicked.

Proverbs 17 .3, the refining pot is for the silver and furnace for the gold, but the Lord tests the heart. In fact, there are even times when God says it's okay to put him to the test. That may be a surprise to you.

Listen to this, Malachi 3 .10, bring the whole tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.

In the text before us today, John tells us in this epistle that there is a test for your assurance of salvation. Remember what we've seen so far in John's letter. His primary purpose in writing this letter is that you may know that you are saved.

In fact, the way John puts it, he wants you to know that you know. This was an overwhelming concern of the Apostle John, and we know that simply by the amount of space in his writings that he gives to this topic.

Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones says that it appears that the word know, K-N-O-W, is one of the Apostle's favorite words based on its frequency. He is concerned about the assurance of salvation, and that becomes abundantly clear as we read.

Look at verse 3, the first of our text this morning. By this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. Now, John has sought to prove his premise of assurance by addressing Christian fellowship in chapter 1 of his letter.

In that chapter he also introduces the concept that God is light. And if we are in fellowship with God, he tells us in that first chapter that we too must walk in the light. We enter into the light by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from all sin.

Hence, we have fellowship not just with God, but with each other as well. We can have assurance of salvation because it was secured by Jesus Christ and not by anything that we have done. And even when we sin, we are still assured of our salvation because of the advocacy of Jesus Christ.

We've looked at this again in chapter 1. Chapter 1, verse 9. Remember this beautiful verse, which should be a comfort to all. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What John does next, concerned about our assurance, is to set forth three tests used to bring assurance of salvation in the remainder of this chapter. First, there's what we've called the moral test. Then there's the social test.

And then the doctrinal test. Now, this morning, we're just going to deal with the moral test. Look at verse 3 again. By this, we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. You know, there's almost an irony.

Well, there probably is. I could call it irony about John's emphasis on knowledge for assurance. I say that because one of the major heresies of the early church was Gnosticism. The name of the Gnostics comes from the Greek word gnosis, which means to know or to understand something.

That's why somebody who doesn't know these days is called an agnostic, from the same root word. See, the Gnostics were heavenly influenced by Greek philosophy, but especially by Plato. The Greeks believed in the primacy of reason and almost exclusively reason.

They rejected anything that appeared to be mystical or mysterious. They believed that reason was the answer to all things, and even God was attainable through reason. Now, this type of thought was actually revived again later on in the 18th century in both Europe and England.

We call those periods, interestingly enough, the Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. We still have those philosophies with us today. The church was not immune to secular influences back in the first century, and neither is it immune today.

You can even see how this develops into cultic type of thinking or practices. We have cults today that teach something like, quote, we and we alone have the secret knowledge which leads to God. That appeals to the intellect.

Just the opposite of the gospel message, which Jesus proclaimed should go to the whole world, to the uttermost parts of the world. In fact, he says it is to be shouted from the housetops. What you hear in secret, shouted from the housetops.

This thinking appealed especially to the intellectuals of that day. Just quickly, there's two major flaws in this philosophy. First, in this philosophy, there's no basis for ethics. A man could be, quote, a knowing one, and yet engage in all sorts of pagan depravity, which is exactly what happened with the Gnostics.

They were extremely immoral people, but claimed to have this special knowledge of God. Second, this philosophy can never satisfy the whole man, because man is more than merely intellect. Gnostic thought can never lead one into a relationship with God.

Alexander the Great rejected this philosophy, and he posited a view that God can be known through an emotional experience. Thus, we have opposed to Gnosticism. We had the Greek mystery religions, and they promised an emotional union with God by setting a certain atmosphere using, interestingly enough, lighting, music, incense, hmm, whatever was necessary to please the senses.

But the mystery religions had two flaws as well. First, an emotional experience doesn't last. It fades. You climb the mountain, sooner or later you've got to come down. It was transient at best. Second, it didn't satisfy the mind or the intellect.

So this left the Greeks with two choices, cold rationalism or a passing emotional experience. Christianity, as John is positing it and defending it in his epistle, is in direct contrast to those extremes, because Christianity is both personal and practical.

Do you remember a few weeks ago I gave you what the perfect definition of Christianity is? Christianity is the person of Jesus Christ. So, how can you know that you know him? It's a pretty simple, straightforward question.

The moral test tells us and gives us a pretty simple and straightforward answer. How do you know that you can know him? That you keep his commandments. So the question is, are you keeping the commandments of God?

Let me rephrase that. Is it even your desire to keep the commandments of the Lord God Almighty? Keeping the commandments is more than refraining from the obvious ones. Thou shalt not commit murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal, etc., etc. Now, we certainly should refrain from those sins. But what about the greatest commandment? Instead of answering, well, I never killed anybody. Let me ask you. Do you love the Lord with all your heart?

With all your soul? And with all your mind? And how about the second? Which sometimes is harder than the first. Do you love your neighbor as yourself? See, keeping those commandments is what John describes as walking in the light.

It is being in fellowship with God and with each other. It reminds me of the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest exposition of what kingdom living should look like in this world.

There are some people who teach that the Sermon on the Mount is for some future age after Christ returns and we're all in heaven. No. Jesus is giving, in that Sermon on the Mount, he's giving what does the kingdom of heaven look like now on earth.

And Jesus explains in that sermon the relationship of law and gospel. And what does he say about the law? He says, not one iota, not one grammatical stroke will pass away until all is fulfilled. The law of God could be repackaged and called in modern terms a guide to holiness.

But I want to refer to the fourth beatitude in that sermon particularly. Matthew 5, 6, this is the fourth beatitude. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

If you remember the first three beatitudes, they're somewhat negative. What I mean by that is it's talking about empty, I don't mean it in a bad way. I hope you're glad to hear that. Sometimes we have to be careful because words mean things.

But what I mean by that is we have to recognize our poverty in spirit. You'll never be saved if you don't see yourself as a wretched man before a holy God. And then that causes you to move into the second beatitude, you mourn over your sin.

And then that leads to the third beatitude which is meekness and lowliness. As pride of necessity vanishes and is vanquished. There's no such thing as a proud Christian. But then that brings us to the fourth beatitude.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Remember now a beatitude is a pronouncement of blessing. The beatitudes are describing the blessed man, the happy man.

And notice what it says, the blessed man or the happy man will be satisfied. And how does it say it in the beatitude? Who is that? The man who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Not those who seek pleasure, not those who seek even happiness.

In fact you know our Declaration of Independence says that we are free to have life, pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They really got that wrong. If you want to be happy, pursue righteousness.

And that's what the beatitude says. Those who recognize that they are in fellowship with the Holy God and desire their heart, the desire of their heart is to please him. That has to be the attitude of the heart of the Christian.

You know looking ahead to chapter 5, John says this, 1 John 5, 3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. But the second half of that verse is extremely important. And his commandments are not burdensome.

If you're looking at keeping the commandments as being a difficult and a burden, you're not understanding what it means. Don't forget that keeping the commandments is not just refraining from sinful activity, but it's the positive righteousness of pursuing God.

Before we move on, let's just look at the contrast between Greek philosophy and the message of scripture. What is the message of scripture? And I'm going to read this from the Old Testament. It's also in the New, but I'm going to read it from Jeremiah chapter 9, verse 23.

Listen to what the Lord says. Thus says the Lord, let not a wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might. Let not the rich man boast of his riches. Well, that wipes out our whole political scene here, doesn't it?

But verse 24 says, but let him who boasts, boasts of this, that he understands and knows me. For I am the Lord who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth. For I delight in these things, declares the Lord.

That's the pursuit of righteousness. And referring to the New Covenant, we also read in Jeremiah chapter 31, verse 34. They will not teach again each man his neighbor, and each man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they will all know me.

From the least of them to the greatest of them, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity and their sins. I will remember no more. What a promise. You come to Christ, you trust in his finished work, and God wipes those sins away, never to be held against you again.

James Montgomery Boyce sums it up this way. There is no knowledge of God without an accompanying righteousness, for God is righteous. This is John's point. It is the first test by which we know that we know him.

So how do we know righteousness is the proof of knowing God? There's a very simple answer to that. Because it's not natural to man. It takes a work of the grace of God to produce that. And then John introduces, following up on this, he introduces two types of men.

First is the false professor. Let's read verse four. The one who says, I have come to know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar. And the truth is not in him. My uncle Connie was a great man of God.

He was a deputy inspector at the police department in New York City. The first one of my family was in law enforcement. And he was also a deacon in his church. And he used to say, there are three types of people you find in church.

You've got believers, you've got non-believers, and then you've got make-believers. Now the difference between a non-believer and a make-believer is simple. The non-believer makes no claim that he knows God.

If you ask him, are you a Christian, he says, no. The make-believer claims to know God. He claims to be a Christian. But this man is a false professor. And John says in this verse, there is one sure way to recognize the false professor.

He does not keep the commandments. Now I'm sure John's words were directed first and foremost to the Gnostics. Because they claim to have this secret knowledge of God. But the application is much broader than that, even in our day today.

Around this nation on Sunday mornings, there are churches that are just full of people. These people are all professing Christians. They claim to know God. They know the words to say when they greet you in the church on Sunday morning.

You can even say in some sense, these are nice people. But many of them are serial commandment breakers. These are the people who Jesus refers to in Matthew chapter 7. Again, remember the Sermon on the Mount reflects kingdom living.

Remember what Jesus said in verse 21 of Matthew 7. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. But he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to me, notice what he says.

Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? And in your name cast out demons? And in your name perform many miracles? And listen to what Jesus says. Then I will declare to them, I never knew you.

Depart from me you who practice lawlessness. Notice how Jesus describes these people. They call him Lord. They can even point to good things they have done. Some were even preachers. They prophesied. And clearly the claim is they know God for they call him Lord.

And what does Jesus say? Depart from me. Depart from me. Those have got to be the scariest words I've ever heard. Depart from me. The Lord Jesus says, depart from me. I never knew you. The implication is clear.

They don't know God for God doesn't know them. What's the reason for this stinging rebuke? They practiced lawlessness. That is what John is saying in verse 4 of this chapter of his epistle. But he expands upon the context.

Look at verse 4 again. The one who says I have come to know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. You can see these are the same people Jesus referred to. But John says if you claim to know him and fail to keep his commandments you're a liar.

That's no small condemnation. Remember what the writer of Proverbs says about liars? Proverbs 6 verse 16. There are six things which the Lord hates. Yes, seven which are an abomination to him. Haughty eyes.

A lying tongue. Hands that shed innocent blood. A heart that devises wicked plans. Feet that run rapidly to evil. And a false witness who utters lies. And the one who spreads strife among his brothers.

Notice the company the liar is compared to. Murderers. Master criminals. Connivers who cause trouble wherever they go. Proverbs calls them abominations to the Lord. And again in Proverbs chapter 12 verse 22.

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. But those who deal faithfully are his delight. In total there are 12 Proverbs that condemn liars. And then don't forget the fate of the two most famous liars probably in all of history.

Ananias and Sapphira. They lied to the Holy Spirit and were struck dead on the spot where they stood. You can read the details in chapter 5 of the book of Acts. But John doesn't just leave it that these men are liars.

Notice what he says. Not only are they liars but the truth is not in them. Why? Because God is truth. Jesus made that clear to his disciples when he said I am the way. The truth and the life. Remember those words of Jesus.

To those who rejected the truth about him. In John chapter 8 verse 44. This is what he says to those who rejected him. You are of your father the devil. And you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.

Whenever he speaks a lie he speaks from his own nature. For he is a liar and the father of lies. The make believer is a false professor and a hypocrite. And Jesus reserved his strongest rebukes for the hypocrites.

I'm going to read just two of the eight woes from Matthew chapter 23. And this gives you an idea of how Jesus looks at hypocrites. In Matthew 23 verse 25. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites.

For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish. But inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. Verse 27. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites. For you like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful.

But inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you too appear righteous to men outwardly. But inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Stinging rebukes. But. And I love that word.

In verse 5 John gives us the positive side of the moral test. Remember what he says. Verse 5. But whoever keeps his word. In him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in him.

Now this. Is not mere repetition. He gives us some important information in his verse. Whoever keeps his word. These are the true believers. Those who keep his commandments. In him. And look what he says.

In him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this. We know that we are in him. Again. Look at the words. The wording is so important. In him the love of God has been perfected. That clause speaks volumes to us.

Let me get real basic for a minute. And I make no apologies of getting really basic at times. When it's necessary. The heart of this whole matter. Is the love of God. Since the very reason we are sitting in this church today.

Is the love of God that was shed abroad in our hearts. John 3 .16. That's what he said. It's a little verse that everybody learns in Sunday school. For God so loved the world. That he gave his only begotten son.

That whoever believes in him shall not perish. But have eternal life. That's a timeless truth that we must never forget. And in 1 John 4 .10. In this is love. Not that we love God. But that he loved us.

And sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. And in Romans 5 .8. But God demonstrates his own love toward us. In that while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us. It all begins with the love of God for his people.

And when we're saved. That love is in us. That's what John says in verse 5. In him the love of God has truly been perfected. Notice carefully the wording again. The love of God has been perfected in the believer.

The tense of the verb points to an action completed in the past. It is something that is done. The insertion of the word truly. Emphasizes the reality and the thoroughness of the perfecting love. So that is.

That is the moral test. And John closes verse. Five. With important words he says by this. We know that we are in him. See God demonstrated his love for us by sending Jesus Christ. Into the world and dying for our sins.

We demonstrate that we love him by keeping his commandments. Then in verse 6 John summarizes what this should look like. In practical terms. Remember the answer to the Gnostic heresy is both doctrinal.

And practical. Look at verse 6. The one who says he abides in him ought himself to walk in the same manner. As he walked. This verse introduces another one of John's favorite topics. That topic is abiding in Christ.

The concept is reported by John and his gospel. In the 15th chapter. If you remember Jesus uses the analogy of being the vine and we are the branches. And in verse 10 we read this. This is the gospel of John verse 15 chapter 15.

If you keep my commandments. You will abide in my love just as I have kept my father's commandments. And abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you. So that my joy may be in you. And that your joy may be made full.

Now. Those two verses. Is a complete sermon right there. So for the next hour. Just wanted to see if you were listening. That's for another time. In his first epistle John says that. One of the tests for assurance of salvation.

Is keeping the commandments of the Lord. According to Jesus keeping the commandments. Abiding in his love. Will result in the joy of the Lord being made full in you. In other words. The right and proper view and use of the commandments.

Brings joy and abiding in love. Now let me clarify this one more time. You cannot earn your salvation by keeping the commandments. Perish the thought. And don't get the idea that that's what the scripture is saying.

Or that I'm endorsing that. Keeping the commandments. Is a demonstration that your salvation is true and real. And will grant you assurance of that fact. Not the salvation itself. What does this look like in practical terms?

Well you walk in the same manner that Jesus walked. To speak of the walk of Jesus is to talk of his life. How did Jesus live his life? He abided in the love of his father. While he walked steadfast to accomplish the work set before him on earth.

Scripture tells us he set his face like flint. Toward Jerusalem. Toward the objective of his mission on earth. And would not be deterred by anyone or anything. Just look at the opposition. That Jesus faced.

The political leaders of Israel tried everything they could. How many different conspiracies to try to stop him. The religious leaders did the same thing. Satan tried to thwart him in the wilderness with three temptations to get him to sin.

Even one of his own disciples wanted to prevent him from his mission to be crucified. And he rebuked Peter as well. But no power on earth or in heaven could divert Jesus from his work on earth. Robert Candler said.

While his feet were busy walking his soul was resting in God. Can that be said of you? Can it be said of us? And John says if we know him we should walk in the same manner as he walked on earth. That is abiding in him.

What does this walk look like? What can we see in this concept of abiding in his love? Pastor Candler gives us four points to consider. These are his but they were so good. I just want to give credit where credit is due.

They're not mine. This is what the walk of Christ looks like. Which means what our walk should look like. First, abiding in Christ means seeing God in all things. And seeing all things in God. Second, the abiding Christian subordinates himself to God in all things.

Submitting himself to God. Committing himself to God. Third, the abiding Christian walks in love. Fourth, the abiding Christian walks in unity with God. Is one mind and one heart with God. In other words, what does the walk look like?

Having a biblical worldview. You know, having been the headmaster of a Christian school for a number of years. It's not surprising to me that our educational system. Which has systematically sought to remove God and the Bible from schools.

Has now subverted the legitimate use of testing. Remove ethical teaching, the ethical teaching of scripture. And then anything goes. But there is a legitimate test for assurance of salvation. John gives us right here in our text this morning.

I want to close with some words from Martin Lloyd-Jones. On his exposition of this point. This is from Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones. He says, it is not experience that enables us to say that we know him. It is not feelings.

Not sensations. Not visions. Not amazing answers to prayer. Not thrills. Not the unusual. We are all familiar with this kind of thing. I came to think the only way in which you can be absolutely sure.

Is that you have one of these things that you should always. And you should always be talking about them. But no, says John. That is not what comes first. That is not the safe thing. What does John say?

By this we know that we have come to know him. If we keep his commandments. Let's pray. You know what, just before I pray. I have to address. Someone here who might be a non-believer. Do you know him?

Are you striving? Is it your desire to keep his commandments? Especially you don't want to fall into that category of being a hypocrite. Stinging rebukes from our Lord. The love of God. It is something.

I can't think of my own salvation without choking up. Each one of us is walking away. We are all rebels to God. Fall on your knees. Repent. Call upon the name of Jesus. Then you will be saved. Then you will have the joy made full.

The joy of Christ. Now let's pray.