Evidences of Salvation / 1 John / 2. The Submission Test

1 JOHN – EVIDENCES OF SALVATION

First of all, let’s look at John’s purpose in writing his letter. Look at 1 John 1:1-3:

1 John 1:1-3 ¶ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us - 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

John is writing authoritatively as an eye-witness of Jesus’ life and teaching. John knows how one comes by eternal life, and the nature of such life when one has it. Therefore, he is in a somewhat unique position to be able to proclaim it. His purpose is that those who read his letter might know that they have “fellowship” with believers.

He says, in verse 3, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

In 1 John 2:19, John will speak fo those who:

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

John is saying in the first few lines of his letter,

“I want you to know that you are of us. I want you to know that you are part of the fellowship. I want you to know that you share in the eternal life which the Father and the Son possess, and which all genuine believers possess. Everything that I am no proclaiming as an eye-witness of Jesus is so that you might know that you too have this fellowship.”

That’s our hope this morning too. We don’t want to cause genuine believers to doubt their salvation, but to rejoice in their salvation as they test themselves to see whether or not they are in the faith. As Paul said to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

So, with that, let’s continue. The second test which John offers to help us to know that we are part of the fellowship of genuine believers is what we will call, “The Submission Test”

2. The Submission Test

1 John 2:3-6 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Immediately we move on from repentance, to active obedience. What John is saying is that genuine believers obey the commands of Jesus. Such obedience, according to John, is evidence that the believer has a genuine relationship with God – he “knows him.” The one who has truly come to know God does not merely feel sorry for sin; he begins to live under the authority of the One he now knows.

We see the same idea in the Gospel of John where obedience is the evidence of a love for Jesus:

John 14:21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."

And notice the language of “knowing Jesus” and “loving Jesus.” This is an obedience not born out of fear, or rigid legalism. Genuine believers love Jesus, and knows that they are loved by Jesus. Our obedience is evidence that we have entered into just that sort of relationship. I obey him because I love him. I obey him because he’s my Lord – and I believe every command he gives is a product of his love for me, and only ever results in my good.

To “keep” Jesus’ word is to live in light of his authority. It’s to allow one’s life to be directed by Jesus’ commands, and for Jesus’ glory. The growing follower of Jesus has a pervasive spirit of watchfulness, which is on guard against attitudes, affections, actions, and influences that might lead him to disobey Jesus.

On the contrary, a persistent pattern of sinful disobedience – a lifestyle of unholiness, seems to signal a lack of love for Jesus. It suggests that this person’s faith may not be genuine.

WORDS VERSUS WALK

You say, “I might not be living like it, but I love Jesus!” Well, the problem with that is you’ve separated words from actions. This is a sort of sentimental approach to Christianity that divorces ones confession of faith from actually living out that faith.

Notice that John does not allow for such a division. He pits words against actions in verse 4:

1 John 2:4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

Words are not enough because the confession which leads to eternal life produces obedience. John is not peddling some strange doctrine here. He’s teaching what Jesus himself taught. Consider John 14:

John 14:21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Jesus says that genuine love for him is always shown through obedience.

To “keep” His word (tēreō) means to guard it, to observe it, to treat it as binding. It is to live in the light of Jesus’ authority rather than our own preferences. The growing believer develops a watchful spirit. He begins to notice the attitudes, desires, relationships, and influences that pull him toward disobedience, and he treats them as threats rather than harmless options.

Further, Jesus says in John 14 that it is only these genuine, commandment-keeping followers who are loved by him and the Father. It’s only the one who genuinely loves Jesus – evidenced through obedience, who experiences the presence of Jesus in their lives. This obedience is not a condition to be loved, but the sure sign that one genuinely loves Jesus. The Father and the Son love those who love Jesus – and those who love Jesus, obey him.

James said similarly:

James 1:21-22 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

The issue is not whether a person can quote Scripture or recite a prayer. The issue is whether the Word of God actually governs his attitudes, affections, and actions.

LOVE PERFECTED IN OBEDIENCE

John says in verse 5 of chapter 2, that it is the one who keeps his word in whom the love of God is truly perfected.

1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.

Commentators disagree on whether or not this is to be understood as God’s love for us, or our love for God. Both of these are true in different ways. I think it is best to understand this as to say that the one who keeps the word of God is the one who is best displaying a sincere love for God. Again, Jesus made the connection unmistakable:

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

WALKING AS HE WALKED

So, what specifically would this loving obedience look like?

1 John 2:5-6 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Verse 6 brings the test to its clearest expression: the one who claims to abide in Christ “ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” Abiding is not a mystical feeling. It is a life that increasingly resembles the life of Jesus - His humility, His purity, His submission to the Father, His love for the Father’s will.

This is not a call to imitate isolated actions of Jesus. It is a call to the same fundamental orientation: “Not my will, but yours be done.” The genuine believer does not treat Christ’s example as optional inspiration. He treats it as the pattern his new nature now desires to follow.

THE TEST APPLIED

This is not works-righteousness. We do not keep His commandments in order to come to know Him. We keep them because we have come to know Him. The new birth produces a new allegiance.

So the questions become personal and practical:

• Is there a growing, settled pattern of submitting to Scripture as the final authority in your life - not just when it comforts you, but when it confronts you?

• When you read the Word privately, do you look for how it should change your thinking, your desires, and your behavior, or do you mainly collect information?

• How do you respond when the Word is preached, taught, or brought to you in counsel or admonition? Do you receive it with meekness, or do you immediately look for reasons it doesn’t apply to you?

• Are there areas of known disobedience you have made peace with? Attitudes you justify, relationships you refuse to surrender, habits you protect?

• Is there a spirit of watchfulness in you - an alertness to the things that would lead you away from obedience?

The one who has truly come to know Christ will not be content with a life that merely talks about Him. He will want his walk to match his words. That desire, however imperfectly realized, is itself evidence that he belongs to Him.

Next time we will consider the “Separation Test".”