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Some police departments have a canine division made
up of dogs specifically trained for police work. It is amazing to watch
these animals in action. The dogs have a special relationship with the
person they are trained to work with. They have a strong sense of
loyalty, and they respond quickly to their masters' orders. Whether they
are walking down the street or running after a criminal, there is no
doubt who these dogs belong to. The police dog's quick obedience to his
master's voice reveals his identity.
In a similar way, those who believe in Jesus Christ
should be easily identified by their obedience to their Lord and Master.
This obedience is marked by keeping His commands and by turning from sin.
Keeping His Commands
As we look at 1 John, we read:
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep
His commandments (1 John 2:3).
This verse tells us that we who have accepted Jesus
as our Savior can be sure that our salvation is genuine because of our
obedience to Him.
Maybe you have a solid grasp of the doctrinal truth
about the finished work of Jesus Christ and you have accepted Him as your
Savior, but you still have times when you doubt that your faith is
anything more than mere head knowledge. Maybe you are encouraged that
your concern about your spiritual state is evidence that your faith is
real - but you would like a little more tangible evidence. Well, here it
is: Look at your conduct! Apply the test, "Do I keep God's commandments?"
It shouldn't be hard for you to determine whether or
not your life is marked by obedience. No person is perfect but we are to
strive for perfection! The apostle John in this epistle had already spoken
strongly against people who say, "we have no sin" (1:8) and
''we have not sinned" (1:10). He had already told us about God's
gracious provision of daily forgiveness and cleansing through confession
(1:9). Yet all the while he made it clear that a believer's life is to be
characterized by righteousness rather than by sin. Take an honest
assessment of your life. If you realize that you do love the Lord Jesus
and are walking in obedience to Him, you may take that as an indication
that you are born again.
Remember, you don't need to be perfect. And your
salvation is not based on obedience. But if you genuinely want to obey
the commands of Christ, and if you see evidence of your growth in
holiness, you will have one more reason to believe that you are truly
saved.
Turning From Sin
The other side of our obedience to Christ is a
rejection of sin in our lives.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him,
and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (1
John 1:6).
Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has
neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you.
He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He
who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the
works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His
seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God
(1 John 3:6-9).
These verses may sound like John is saying that we
must be perfectly sinless before we can be sure of heaven. But that's not
what he's saying. His emphasis is that we who have professed faith in
Christ have passed from death to life, from darkness to light. If a person
claims to be a Christian but continues to live in sin--disobeying Christ
s commands and living like an unbeliever--then such a person is deceived.
A believer's life is not to be characterized by sin
but by doing what is right in God's eyes. In other words, what John was
saying is this: If you profess faith in Christ, then your life will show
it. You will not indulge in sinning as a way of life.
John had mentioned the cleansing that is available
for Christians who do sin (1 John 1:9). Although a Christian will sin,
sin will not have mastery over him and he will not give himself to a
decadent way of life (Romans 6:11-14).
Our obedience to Christ, then, has its positive and
negative aspects: We are to keep Christ's commands, and we are to turn
from sin. If our lives are marked by this kind of obedience, it is
another powerful reason to be sure we belong to Christ.
When you read the Bible or hear it taught, are you
quick to obey God's commands? Think about some ways your life
demonstrates that you are a child of God, related to Jesus Christ. If you
know you have put your trust in Christ but you have been walking
disobediently, ask God for forgiveness right now and express your new
commitment to obey Him.
The Bible teaches that assurance of salvation is the
work of the Holy Spirit, who bears witness with our spirit that we are
the children of God (Romans 8:16). I find that this inner confirmation
comes as I fellowship with Christ, am obedient to the Word, and rest
secure in the love of God. I must be careful not to allow hatred or ill
will toward anyone to remain in my heart. When doubting, I try to take an
honest inventory of my life, for God's Spirit cannot witness with my
spirit when I grieve or quench Him through disobedience. I've also come
to see that once I've confessed a sin and turned from it, I am once again
strengthened in my faith.
Curtis
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