This is the twenty-second in a series of verse-by-verse expositions of the book of 1 John. This message was delivered at Hillcrest Baptist Church on the evening of July 27, 2014. This message explores the fact that Biblical faith is not based one wishes or fantasy, but that Biblical faith means we can know. This post contains an audio recording of my message, along with my sermon notes. Please note that the sermon notes are not a full transcript.
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SERMON NOTES:
1 John 5:10-13
v.10:
John draws attention to the internal witness to the Son within the believer’s heart.
Romans 8:15-16
Galatians 4:6
God is the perfect witness, so we can trust His testimony.
Romans 3:4
v.11:
This IS God’s testimony, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which brings eternal life.
John 14:6
John 11:25-26
Do you believe this? It is God’s testimony, the perfect witness. It is God’s gift.
v.12:
That Jesus is God’s Son, is established by God’s own witness from the time of Jesus’ baptism, up to and including his suffering and death.
It is a testimony given through the Spirit and confirmed in the heart of those who believe in the Son.
This promise is a fulfillment of 1 John 1:2-3
Eternal life is present in his Son. In fact, it is His Son.
John 1:1-4
John 14:6
Because God’s gift of eternal life is given in his Son, it follows that he who has the Son has life.
But what if that testimony is rejected? John deals with that, as well.
He who does not have the son of God does not have life.
John 3:36
v.13:
Those who do have the Son, have the blessing of being able to know that they have eternal life.
Some people hope that they will receive eternal life, but John says we can know we have it.
Our certainty is based on God’s promise that he has given us eternal life through his Son.
This is true whether you feel close to God or far away from him. Eternal life is not based on feelings but on facts.
The beautiful thing about the Word of God, is that it is full of assurances. According to this, we don’t have to guess about eternity, we can know.
We can know because God hasn’t called us to a blind faith, but rather He has proven Himself time and again.
Even God’s own definition of faith is very different than what the world knows as faith.
The world defines faith as a strong belief, but God’s definition is something totally different.
According to God, Biblical faith is both testable and provable.
Hebrews 11:1
Biblical faith confounds the world, because it is based on substance and evidence.
It is a substantial faith, based on something real and tangible, not some pie-in-the-sky wish.
Biblical faith is based on evidence.
Biblical faith is characterized by substantial proof, and can be tested and proven.
Most importantly, Biblical faith means we can know.
God has proven Himself in many ways, through His creation, fulfilled prophecy, the accuracy and unity of the Bible to name a few.
What’s more He is proven in our own lives by the evidence of a believer’s transformation, and the fruit they bear.
You can know that you have eternal life if you believe God’s truth.
If you aren’t sure that you are a Christian, ask yourself: Have I honestly committed my life to him as my Savior and Lord?
If so, you know by faith that you are indeed a child of God.
In Defense: The Blog 
Posted on August 2, 2014
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