How to be Sure You are a Christian

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HOW TO BE SURE YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN

1 JOHN 5: 11-13

January 19, 2020 AM

1 John 5: 11-13  And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

 

How can I be sure that I’m a Christian? How can I be sure that I am saved?

 

 

• You’ll just feel it

• You join the church

• You are a good person

• You are better than the next person

• You won’t have any doubt

 

 

 

I John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

 

Christianity is a personal relationship with the living, all powerful Creator God through faith in His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Becoming a Christian involves receiving the Lord Jesus Christ -- the gift of God's love and forgiveness -- by faith. It results in a threefold commitment to a person, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's examine, one by one, each of elements of Christian commitment.

 

1.AN INTELLECTUAL COMMITMENT

1 John 5: 11-13  And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

 

 

Romans 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

 

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  

 

Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous French general, said during his exile, "I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world, there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him."

 

 

 

2.EMOTIONAL COMMITMENT

 

 

3.A VOLITIONAL COMMITMENT

 

 

Some people are reluctant to obey Christ because they fear He will change their plans and take all the fun out of their lives.

 

Mark 8: 34-36 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

 

You don’t change to be saved. You come to Jesus just as  you are and He changes you. There needs to be a willingness to let Him do that.

 

 

 

 

 

Receiving Christ begins by turning away from yourself, repenting of your sins, and turning to God. It involves trusting Christ to come into your life, to forgive your sin, and to make you the person He wants you to be.

I believe there is a threefold confirmation that Jesus Christ is in our lives.

A. External Witness of God's Word

 

 

1 John 5:11-12 confirm that Christ is in your life if you received Him: And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

B. Internal Witness of the Holy Spirit

 

Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

 

C. Changed Life

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 

 

Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal and abundant life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.