Can God Really Forgive My Sin? 1 John 1:9

A sermon preached at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs on Sunday, September 27, 2009 by Pastor Joe Alain.

Series: Foundations: Lessons On Assurance

This Week's Assurance: Assurance of Forgiveness

Scripture Verse: 1 John 1:9, NIV

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Christians aren’t perfect just forgiven. Because salvation does not mean that we are perfect, we do sin and we must ask God for forgiveness. But we sometimes have a two-fold problem when it comes to seeking forgiveness. Sometimes we don’t feel as if we have any sin and do not need forgiveness. John speaking to believers in 1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” We have a difficult time admitting that we need to be forgiven. The other problem is that we wonder if God can really forgive our sin? We sin and we feel bad because we’ve already talked to God about it, and here we are again.

The truth of our Scripture today is that you and I can have the assurance of forgiveness. Because of what God has done for us in Christ (i.e., His work on the cross), forgiveness for the believer is assured. Let’s read that promise of assurance together. Read 1 Jn 1:9.

Before we look specifically at what this verse says, I want us to examine the need of forgiveness in our lives. Why if God has saved us, forgiven us, do we need forgiveness? Jesus illustrated the need of daily cleansing in our lives when He washed Peter’s feet in the Upper Room. Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet. When he finally allowed Jesus to wash his feet, He told Jesus, “not just my feet but hands and head as well!” (Jn. 14:9). Jesus in turn said, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean” (Jn. 14:10). What was Jesus trying to say? If you are saved, you have been spiritually bathed, you have been washed. But as you walk in this world, you’re feet are going to get dirty. You don’t need another bath; that is, you don’t get saved every time you sin, but you do need to wash your feet; that is, you need daily cleansing from sin. The reason being that sin by its very nature is an obstacle to our fellowship with God and our experiencing God’s abundant life. Remember, sin doesn’t cause you to lose your relationship with God, but it does hinder your fellowship with God.

You and I can do one of three things with our sin. (1) We can cast if off as unimportant, treat it lightly. Redefine it, which is what the world has done with sin. Several years ago a book came out that was a best seller with the title, Whatever Happened to Sin? That’s a good question. What God calls an abomination, today people call an alternative lifestyle. What God calls iniquity, people call an illness. What God calls wickedness, people call weakness.

Sin has been redefined today. If you are lazy you are “Motivationally Dispossessed.” Dishonest – “Ethically Disoriented.” Serial killer – “Socially Misaligned.” Shoplifter – engaged in “Non-Traditional Shopping.” These would be funny if they were not so serious. While seeming to be caring and compassionate ways of describing people’s behavior, these descriptions make the mistake of failing to confront people with their sin.

(2) A second way of dealing with sin is that we can evade our responsibility, blame someone else for our actions. Or (3) We can confess our sin which is the only way to receive God’s forgiveness.

Let’s look together at God’s wonderful promise of forgiveness.
I. The Condition of Forgiveness (1:9a)
“If we confess our sins” “If” (third class conditional clause) tells us confession is a choice; a decision. Forgiveness is conditioned upon something, that something being we must “confess our sins.” What does it mean to “confess our sins”? To confess is to literally say the same thing as God says. It is naming your sin whether it be a thought or action before God. You agree with Him that it is sin. Confession is owning up to our sin.

Jim Meek citing various contemporary illustrations writes that apologies just aren’t what they used to be. Apologies are deployed as a celebrity bailout, a media strategy, and a legal tactic. People want the results of forgiveness without the confession, the clean slate without any action or true remorse on their part. We want clemency without confession. Three days before Edwin Edwards left office, he pardoned 56 people, a good number were convicted murderers. No confession was required. He pardoned 599 persons from 1992-1996. Clemency in this life may be given without confession; however, God’s divine pardon is experienced when (and only when) we “confess our sins,” when we come clean.

See Psalm 32:1-5. When David acknowledged his sin, God forgave Him and removed his guilt. Confession is uncovering our sins, rather than sweeping the dirt of our lives under the carpet. Truth to know: When we uncover (confess) our sins, God covers them. But when we try to cover our sins, God will uncover them (see Prov. 28:13).

This uncovering, confession of sin is to be an ongoing experience. It is a daily cleansing. “Confess” is a present tense verb and means “to keep on confessing.” You’re feet are going to get dirty in this life and God has made a way for you and I to be cleansed. Confession is a way of life for the believer. As soon as we become aware of a thought or action that is not pleasing to God, there is to be instantaneous confession on our part and instantaneous cleansing on God’s part.

I. The Condition of Forgiveness (1:9a)
II. The Confidence of Forgiveness (1:9b)
“He is faithful and just” Just like every promise we have in Scripture, our assurance of forgiveness is based on the faithfulness of God. We are confident that God will forgive our sins when we confess because we have complete confidence in the faithfulness of God. When we confess our sins we need to claim with confidence that God is faithful and has forgiven us. One man was consulting with his pastor because he was being tormented by guilt over a past sin. The pastor asked him if he had confessed his sin to God. The man said, “yes, I’ve confessed it a hundred times.” The wise pastor said, “that’s 99 times too many. You should have confessed it once and thanked God 99 times for forgiving you.”

God is not only faithful but He is “just.” Wouldn’t God’s justice demand that He not forgive us? If God is just can He really forgive my sin? How can God forgive me, a sinner, and still be just? Because God’s demand for perfect justice has been perfectly met in Jesus. If God forgave people apart from the cross of Jesus, He would be unjust. He would be treating sin lightly. But God does not treat sin lightly. Sin must be punished. It must be paid for if God is to forgive and the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that your sin and mine has been paid for in Jesus Christ.

God does not extend pardons without justice. God maintains His perfect justice because my sins – past, present, and future – have already been judged in Jesus. Have you ever noticed how fire fighters will start burns so that the approaching fire will not go any further? The believer stands on a burned patch of ground called mount calvary. Jesus took our sins. He stood in the path of the fire so that we would not have to be burned. That is why God is able to forgive me and He still be completely just. But apart from Christ there is no forgiveness.

If we meet the conditions, “confess our sins,” we can claim with confidence God’s forgiveness. We too will be able to say as David did. “A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise” (Ps. 51:17, NLT).

I. The Condition of Forgiveness (1:9a)
II. The Confidence of Forgiveness (1:9b)
III. The Confirmation of Forgiveness (1:9c)
“to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”
When we meet the condition, God fulfills His promise. And what does He do? The two words used here for forgiveness illustrate what happens when God forgives us.

(1) Removal – “Forgive”
Aorist, active, subjunctive, 3, sing. Literally, it means to carry away (See Mic. 7:19). To forgive is to remove the obstacle, the roadblock that stands in the way between you and God.

(2) Renewal – “Purify”
The word means to cleanse and is the act of making the sinner holy so that he or she is able to enjoy fellowship with God once again. God makes us holy by the process of cleansing or washing. Forgiveness is a washing of renewal, of refreshing. We are brought back to life again so that we can enjoy God’s presence and enjoy life.

Testimony: There’s incredible freedom and power in the act of receiving and extending forgiveness. Gail Hall is going to share a testimony about the power and freedom that forgiveness brings in our lives. Forgiveness is life-changing and it allows us to move forward with God.

If you are going to move forward with God, not only must you be forgiven but you must practice forgiveness. Forgiveness does free us to move forward! If you are a believer today, is there a roadblock in your relationship with God? Is there something that you’re holding on to that God wants you to release to Him? What’s in your pathway that only God can clear? Why don’t you confess that sin to God and receive His forgiveness that will restore your fellowship and joy with Him. God really can forgive you and you can move forward.

You might be here today and you’ve never had that once-for-all experience of forgiveness. You don’t know what it’s like to stand with confidence on that burned patch of ground. You’re not sure you have been forgiven, that you are in Christ. Has there been a once-for-all experience of surrender to God? If not, what’s holding you back? You don’t have to wait till you get your life in order. Jesus came because we couldn’t get our lives together. He came for messed up people and He paid it all by the sacrifice of Himself on the cross for your sins. Will you trust in Him today? Will you give your life to Him and be saved? If you will, you too will experience God’s presence and true joy for life. That’s God’s promise!

For His Glory!

Pastor Joe

YOU CAN ENDURE! 1 Corinthians 10:13

A sermon preached at Hebron Baptist Church, Sunday, September 20, 2009 by Pastor Joe Alain.

Series: Foundations: Lessons On Assurance

Week #3: Assurance of Victory

Focal Verses: 1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Tempt – “to entice to do wrong by promise of pleasure
or gain” (Webster’s)

Temptation is one of the realities that we have to deal with as Christians. Being a Christian does not mean that we will not face temptations. In fact, we may face even greater temptations. The problem of temptation is real and the struggle sometime is overwhelming. Temptation often plays out like this: We are tempted, enticed, then we fall and give in to the temptation, then we feel the guilt that comes after the fall. We start listening to the enemy who says, “I thought you were a Christian. Christians don’t do that.” Because we listen to the enemy of our soul, we sometimes find ourselves caught up in a cycle of defeat. We wonder will it ever end. Can I endure? The truth of our Scripture this week is that You Can Endure! There is a way of escape. There is assurance of victory!

Our assurance of victory is in three things.
I. THE COMMONNESS OF TEMPTATION
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.” There are no new temptations and all of us experience temptation. As Solomon stated, “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecc. 1:9). Whatever temptation you have faced, are facing, and will face, others have faced and endured. One of the challenges of facing temptation is that you often feel as if you are the only one struggling with your particular temptation. You look around and begin to think, “Why am I the only one struggling with this? What’s wrong with me?” The reality is that there’s nothing wrong with you. You are facing what is common to us all. We will see why we face temptation in just a moment, but you would be surprised how many people (in the past and present) are dealing with the same temptation that you are facing right now. This is one reason small groups and biblical fellowship in the church is so valuable. When you interact with other believers you begin to see that we all share similar struggles. As a result, we are able to encourage one another.

Everyone is capable of not only being tempted but falling to temptation as well. The entire passage of 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 stands as a warning of the temptations that we face (see, vv. 6, 11). Right before our focal verse, Paul warns his readers against carelessness and pride. “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Cor. 10:12). Galatians 6:1 has some timely advice for us. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” The context of our verse on assurance is that special privilege is no guarantee that you will not face temptation and trials.

In this passage, the Bible mentions four areas of common temptations that we all are prone to face.

Four Common Temptations
1. Temptation to Idolatry (10:7)
In this passage Paul relates how the events of the Old Testament serve as examples, not to follow but to avoid. And what are we to avoid? Idolatry! Idolatry is allowing someone or something to come before you and your relationship with God. As your English teacher would remind us, a noun is a person, place, or thing. Well, an idol can be a person, place, or anything that comes first in your life before God. If something causes you to not obey God fully, it could an idol in your life. If something in your life cause your love toward God and the things of God to grow cold, it could be an idol in your life. The temptation to idolatry is not usually presented to us in bold terms. Usually, the temptation comes to you under the guise that this action will fulfill some need that you have. In the Bible, Idolatry was always a sign of relationship trouble. When God’s people fell into idolatry, it was because they ceased getting their ultimate needs met by God.

2. Temptation to Immorality (10:8)
The temptation of sexual immorality is not a new temptation. And yes, the godly struggle with issues of purity. It may even be a greater temptation today because of our sex-crazed culture. Some believers may think that they are not prone to temptations of sexual immorality, but “Be careful” God says (1 Cor. 10:12). As long as you’re in your earthly body, you are capable of not only being tempted to immorality, but falling as well. A godly friend of mine that is approaching 80 years old told me that he still struggles with lust! Is there something wrong with him? No, we should expect to be tempted to immorality. It “is common to man.” If idolatry says, “this will fulfill you,” immorality speaks to us, “this will make you feel good.”

3. Temptation to Test God (10:9)
The people in Moses’ day presumed upon God. They didn’t live very long either. The people acted as if it did not matter how they lived or what they did. They thought that God would simply overlook their sin and disobedience. Now, the truth is, God will always be there for you, but that is not a license to test God. The temptation to test God is the temptation that says, “you have to look out for yourself, you cannot trust God.”

4. Temptation to Grumble (10:10)
Some of you have a problem with grumbling. How do I know that? Have I been listening in on your conversations? No, I know that you have a problem with grumbling because it “is common to man,” and I’m included that number. There is the constant temptation for us to grumble, to be discontent about our situation in life. We grumble about our home life, our jobs, our country, even our church. However, when we grumble we are really saying, “God, you messed up!” If we really believe that God works all things for our good and according to His purposes, then grumbling is telling a sovereign God, He doesn’t know what He’s doing.

If temptation is common to all of us, why do we face temptation? There is an unholy trinity at work in your life and in mine. Here is the source of temptation. Here is why every one of us faces temptations.

Three Sources of Temptation
1. Internal Enemy – The Flesh
No, not the physical body, but your nature, the five-sense part of you that is easily dominated by desire. Now desire is not a bad thing. If God did not give us the desire for hunger, we would eventually shrivel up and die. But our fallen human nature says, “Don’t be content with eating to live, live to eat.” And so, we are tempted to over indulge. Some people say, “You should just follow what comes normal.” Now, if we were not fallen creatures, that philosophy of life would work.

But here’s the problem. Because we are fallen human beings, our nature is out of sorts and our desires unchecked by God’s moral law are going to lead to unhealthy and ungodly behavior. How do we suppress the inner nature that wants to do its own thing? We suppress our sinful desires by filling our lives with Christ. We let God’s Spirit control us, so that we do not fulfill the desires of our flesh (See Gal. 5:16-ff.).

2. External Enemy – The World
We’re not talking about the physical creation because creation is good, God says. What we are talking about here is the philosophy or system of thought in the world that leaves God out. It is anti-Christ. The world says hate your enemies, not love your enemies. The world says look out for yourself, don’t place others before you and your needs. The world says let’s settle our differences with war, not peace. The world says take what you want out of life, not wait in patience. The world says acquire, accumulate, for a man’s possessions and achievements are the evaluation of a successful life, not giving to others and serving in some obscure place giving your life away to others. The world appeals to our sense of pride, lust for power, and desire for pleasure.

How do we resist our external enemy? Let me illustrate. I’ve noticed that when Rhonda and I go grocery shopping, if we eat before we go, we spend less money and we make better purchasing choices. Why is that? Because all the goodies and junk doesn’t look nearly as good on a full stomach. But if you go the grocery store hungry, your buggy will be filled up with all kinds of stuff you would not normally buy. When it comes to spiritual matters, we have to change our appetite. If we are full of Christ and His Word, our appetite for the world will be lessened. If we are not full of Christ, we will be empty and prone to being tempted by the attitudes and things of this world.

3. Infernal Enemy – The Devil
Among his many names, our enemy is called the “Devil” (Matt. 4:1), the “Tempter” (1 Th. 3:5), the “Father of Lies” (Jn. 8:44), and the “Deceiver” (Rev. 20:10). He hurls his “fiery darts” (Eph. 6:16) at us tempting us to disobey God, to grumble, to do that which is wrong. I don’t want to give the Devil too much credit but I don’t want to neglect him either. I don’t want you to think that you can fall back and say, “The Devil made me do it.” He can’t make you do anything against your will. But you can give him place in your life, but you have to do that of your own free will. The Devil doesn’t make you do it, but he does make sin attractive. He whispers to you, “You have right to be angry and bitter. You deserve this, you need this because you’re special and no one appreciates you, even God Himself. This will solve all your problems. This will make you feel better.” The Devil whispers and sometimes he shouts, “go ahead” when God says “stop!” He tells us we have a green light when the light is really red.

II. THE CONSTANCY OF GOD
“And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” When we are tempted we need to remember that God is not the one who tempts us. “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed” (Jas. 1:13-14).

We do know that God allows temptation. He’s God and I suppose He could stop all temptation from entering my mind, but He does not. There is a purpose to temptation even though we don’t always understand it at the time. We do know that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. He knows our limits (see Job). And God will use our times of testing for His glory and our good. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that God makes everything beautiful or appropriate in its time. God takes even the dark times, the chaotic times, the times that don’t make sense, and He will work those for our good and His glory (see Rom. 8:28).

God does all of this because He has a plan for your life and for mine. And God has determined that the work that He started He is going to finish (Phil. 1:6). That’s the constancy of God at work. No matter what I am going through, “God is faithful.”

III. THE CERTAINTY OF ESCAPE
“But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” With every temptation God provides a way of escape, a way out, an exit, so that we can stand.

There are three words to summarize our escape strategy when facing temptations.

1. Faith
“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4). We overcome temptation by trusting (that’s what faith is) in our faithful God who gives us the victory. This is why in times of temptation we need to stay close to God. In your difficulties and temptations don’t run from God, run to Him! Let this be a time in your life when your faith grows even stronger. See Hebrews 4:14-16.

2. Flee
“Flee idolatry” Paul said (1 Cor. 10:14). “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Cor. 6:18). For an example of fleeing temptation, see Joseph in the Old Testament as he dealt with Potiphar’s wife. Joseph was not cowardly in fleeing, but wise (Gen. 39:12). Fleeing means putting up boundaries for your protection. What area of temptation do you face? Those are the areas that you need to put up some healthy boundaries. I knew a man who traveled quite a bit. He disconnected his TV in his motel room to avoid the temptations he might face after a long day and night. If the internet tempts you, move your computer into the living room. If you spending too much is a temptation for you, take someone with you when you go to the mall. Do whatever is necessary for you to flee temptation.

3. Fight
Paul said I have fought the good fight of faith. Being a real Christian is not lightweight stuff. It’s serious business and it requires that you stay spiritually fit and in the battle. Don’t give in and don’t give up! Resist the Devil and he will flee from you (Jas. 4:7; 1 Pe. 5:9). We overcome Him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Rev. 12:11). We overcome Him the way Jesus did, through the word (Matt. 4). Jesus fought temptation with the sword of the Word of God! You and I have a powerful weapon for defeating temptation at our disposal. Are we using it? Are we going into spiritual battle without our offensive equipment? If we are, we’re losing! We win with the Word!

I am glad that we have the assurance of victory. You Can Endure! Remember, temptation is common to us all. You’re not alone. Remember, God is faithful, He’s not forgotten you, He’s right there with you. And remember, you have the assurance that God will provide a way of escape for you. Avail yourself to God’s escape plan.

Prayer: Lord, we don’t always understand why we have to face temptations in our lives. But we confess that you are going to do take all things in our lives and work them for our good and for Your glory. We also confess that you are faithful and you are not going to allow us to experience more temptation than we can endure. Thank you for providing a way out and a way up. Thank you in advance for the power that you are going to give us to have great faith in you, to flee temptation, and to fight the spiritual warfare of temptation that we encounter. Father, we praise you that our victory is in Jesus, Your Son and our Savior, and it is in His name that we pray. Amen.

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

PRAYERS THAT GOD ANSWERS John 16:24

A sermon preached at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana on Sunday, September 13, 2009 by Pastor Joe Alain.

Series: Foundations: Lessons On Assurance

Week #2: Assurance of Answered

Focal Verse: John 16:24, NIV
“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

One of the great blessings of knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior is to know that we have access to God the Father. We have an audience with the King of Kings! Paul described this privilege of prayer. “For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit” (Eph. 2:18). And “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Eph. 3:12). God wants you to have the assurance that He does care about you, that He does hear you, and that He will answer your prayers. The truth of our Scripture today is that God does answer prayer.

How can we know that God is hearing our prayers and that He will answer them? What kind of prayers does God answer? Today, I want to talk about the kinds of prayers that God answers.

God answers prayers that are . . .
1. Prayed – “Ask you will receive”
This sounds pretty simple and it is, but for God to answer prayer, the prayer must be prayed (see Jas. 4:2). God knows all about you and He knows what you need, but He wants to hear from you. There is something about voicing our concerns to God personally. God does things in response to our prayers that He would not do otherwise. God answers prayer, are we praying? Our Scripture lays down this timeless principle of prayer, God wants us to “ask” (Jn. 16:24). Why is prayer important? Through prayer, God accomplishes His purposes in us and completes our joy. Prayer is vitally connected to our fullness of joy. Apart from prayer, our joy will be incomplete.

Notice the phrase, “Until now you have not asked.” Jesus is not chastising the disciples for not asking in His name. Jesus was saying that up to that time, the disciples’ had not prayed in His name. Because Jesus was with the disciples in the flesh, there was no need to ask in His name. But now they were about to enter into a new age when they could do that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus was saying “No longer will I physically be here to answer your questions and care for you. From now on, you will be able to pray to the Father in My name, and receive your resources from Him.”

He said something similar in John 14:13-14. “And I will do [fut.] whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do [fut.] it.” Notice here the added element that our prayers are answered for the glory of the Father. More about this in a moment.

So what needs do you have? Bring them to God. Do you need help in a struggling relationship? A problem area of your life? A need for God’s counsel? God wants you to bring your needs to Him and trust Him to meet those needs. His promise is to you is that He will supply all your need according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). What could you talk to your heavenly Father about today? God answers prayers that are prayed.

God answers prayers that are . . .
2. Prayed in Faith
Without faith it is impossible to please God, says the writer of Hebrews 11:6. He goes on to describe what faith means which is instructive to us in the area of prayer. If our prayers are to be effective, (1) first, we must believe that God exists (that is, that He is real) and second, (2) that He rewards those who seek Him (that is, He will answer our prayers).

James has much to tell us about praying in faith. He tells us to not doubt, or waver as one who does not know God (Jas. 1:5-8). To doubt God is to be “double-minded” or literally, “two-souled.” Praying in faith is praying with single-minded confidence because you know the Lord is your heavenly Father. The more that we come to know God intimately, the more focused and unwavering faith we will have in our prayers.

Faith is trusting God’s character and it is taking God at His Word. Maybe we have such a hard time trusting God because we have such a hard time trusting people. We’ve been burned by people who had no integrity, who did not keep their word, who proved to be untrustworthy. As a result of our fractured human relationships which we can see, we have a hard time trusting in a God that we cannot see. But if we are to experience joy that is complete, full, we must learn to trust God and take everything to Him in prayer.

Praying in faith is praying with simple child-like confidence. A pastor prayed for rain one Sunday morning during the service. On the way back to church that afternoon, his daughter said, “Daddy, don’t forget to take your umbrella.” The pastor said, “What for?” His daughter said, “Didn’t you pray for rain today?” Praying in faith is praying with simple child-like faith and expectancy that God is going to answer our prayer.

Melanie Oudin, the 17 year old from Marietta, Georgia has become this year’s US Open sensation defeating opponent after opponent, including three top Russian players: Elena Dementieva (4), Maria Sharapova (29), and Nadia Petrova (13), before falling in the quarter finals. What’s extraordinary is that one year ago she was unknown and ranked 221! Her boyfriend suggested that she put the words “believe” on her tennis shoes. Her simple philosophy of hard work, having fun, and belief has given her great confidence to do the unimaginable. When you and I “do” the work of prayer and simply “believe” God, we see God do the incredible, the unthinkable in our lives.

God answers prayers that are prayed, prayers that are prayed in faith, and prayers that are . . .
3. Prayed in Agreement with God’s Will
What should guide our asking? Our asking should be in agreement with God’s stated will. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us that we can have confidence when we pray according to God’s will. Why is that? When you pray according to God’s will, you are asking for things that God has already said is His will to happen.
What has He said that He wants to see happen in His world? God wants . . .
(1) People to be saved (Rom. 10:13; 2 Pe. 3:9)
(2) To extend forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:9)
(3) To make you holy, like Him (1 Th. 4:3-5; Rom. 8)
(4) You to manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)
(5) You to be a witness for Him (Acts 1:8)
(6) To use you to teach others
(7) To use you to build up His kingdom (Matt. 6:10)
(8) To have a godly family where there is peace.
(9) To bring the Gospel to our community, to show the love of Christ.
If it is God’s will, then pray and claim God’s assurance that He is going to answer that prayer. Evaluate your prayers. What do your prayers look like? Are you praying in agreement with God’s will? This is the key to having assurance of answered prayer.

Imagine, you’re going on a job interview at Raising Canes. Why? Maybe you love their chicken fingers. That’s your “One Love!” Before you go, you would need some knowledge of the company, its product, its founding, philosophy, etc. You would not know what to ask if you had no basic knowledge of the company. It probably would not be a good thing to ask what their top selling hamburger is. They don’t serve hamburgers! No, you do your homework before the interview. You go online and learn about how the company was founded by Todd Graves. You learn their concept, what their slogan is, why they have a yellow Labrador for a mascot, that they are on Facebook, you learn about their involvement in the community. You read their mission statement and their business philosophy. You know Raising Canes inside and out so that you ask questions that will get you the answers that you need.

That’s kind of how prayer works. If you do not know what questions to ask, you’re not going to receive the right answers. The Bible reveals God’s character – who He is, how to know Him, what He desires, his mission statement, His take on what’s important and why, what to pray about. You won’t find out why Raising Canes has a yellow Labrador for a mascot, but you will find out the what, the why, and the wherefore of God’s will and how He wants to work in your life. The more you are intimately acquainted with the Lord and His word, the more mature your prayer life will be. And the more effective and powerful your prayers will be.

The preacher Archbishop Trent is quoted as saying, “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, it is laying hold of His highest willingness.” God desires to work in your life – therefore, pray!

John clearly tells us that prayer that gets answered and brings fullness of joy is prayer offered in “Jesus’ name” (Jn. 16:24). What does it mean to pray in the name of Jesus? Does it mean that we are to simply tack on “in Jesus’ name” at the end of our prayers? Can you make a request to God and then say, “In Jesus’ name. Amen.” Will that guarantee you’ll get what you requested? To ask in Jesus’ name means to ask for something in behalf of Christ. You are saying, “Father, I want this because Christ wants it.”

Praying in Jesus’ name also means that we are praying in His authority. On my own, I have no merit before God, no standing, no right, no authority. I have no account in heaven that I can withdraw from. But when I pray in Jesus’ name, I pray in His authority, I pray on His account and as a result, my prayers are answered.

Here’s a check I wrote out to the bank for cash. There’s no problem with the check. It’s a valid check, all my account information is correct and it is has my signature. There’s just one problem with the check. It’s written for $10,000 and my signature at Regions Bank will not authorize them to release $10,000. I do not have that much money in my account. But if I had a check for $10,000 from Donald Trump, I could take it to my bank with full confidence because Donald Trump’s signature and account has sufficient funds to pay the check. You and I are able to pray and receive from God because we are praying in “Jesus’ name,” not ours. This is why I can pray about anything that is in agreement with God’s will and have the assurance that God is going to answer my prayer. Christ has signed the check!

God answers prayers that are prayed, prayers that are prayed in faith, prayers that are in agreement with God’s will, and prayers that are . . .
4. Prayed with Persistence
“Ask” is a verb (present, active, imperative). The same word is used by Jesus in Matthew 7:7. We are to “ask” and keep on asking! James uses a snapshot from the Old Testament to show us the power of praying with persistence. “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years” (Jas. 5:16b-17).

Jesus told the story of the widow who would not give up (Lk. 18:1-8). What was the lesson? Persistence will be rewarded. Keep on praying. “Always pray and not give up” (v.1). What are your praying about? Are your remaining persistent? Don’t give up! Help is on the way!

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

HOW I KNOW I AM SAVED 1 John 5:11-12

Series: "Foundations: Lessons On Assurance"
Theme: Assurance of Salvation

A sermon preached at Hebron Baptist Church on September 6, 2009 by Pastor Joe Alain

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” 1 John 5:11-12, NIV

One of our basic needs seems to be the need for security. Everyone would like to be sure of the future, sure that everything is going to be alright. We often find ourselves saying the words even when we’re not sure, “Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.” One man said, “They told me to ‘Cheer up, things could be worse.’ So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse!”

However, we don’t want mere words, we want reality. What we’re dealing with today in our topic is a certain biblical reality. It’s not just mere words, it’s truth. And what is that truth? Read 1 John 5:11-12 together.

How can you know that you are saved – that you have eternal life? Is it even possible to know in this life that you are completely and forever saved? And can you lose that salvation once you have it? Today, as we begin this new series, “Foundations: Lessons On Assurance,” I want to share with you how you can know that you are saved. God wants you to be secure in your salvation. He wants you to know. He wants you to face life and death with confidence.

Why is this important? Have you been in an airport and ever noticed the difference between passengers who hold confirmed tickets and those who are on standby. My brother once worked for Delta Airlines and flew all around the country on standby. The ones with confirmed tickets read newspapers or books, listen to their I-pod, visit with friends and family, eat, or sleep. The ones on standby hang around the ticket counter, pace back and forth and are clearly uneasy. The difference is a matter of confidence. The standby people have no assurance they will board the plane and reach their destination. People who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and who believe what the Bible says about salvation, have confidence, they know that God has saved them, forgiven them of their sins and given them eternal life. They know that they are on the plane and will reach their destination. Others live in a state of anxiety, never being sure they have truly been saved.

Assurance of salvation is something that you need to nail down once and forever and you can do that today. During the last election much was made of how a presidential candidate would respond to the 3 a.m. questions. Well, one day you and I are going to receive a wake-up call from the Lord. Will we be ready? God wants you to have the assurance of your salvation so that you will be ready on that day.

Before we answer the question, “How can I know that I am saved?” there are some common objections to this biblical teaching concerning the assurance of salvation (Eternal Security) that we need to look at.

OBJECTIONS TO THE TEACHING OF ETERNAL SECURITY
OBJECTION #1: No one can know with certainty in this life that they are saved. Some people believe that you can only really know after you die and stand before God, but that you cannot know with certainty right now in this life that you are saved. But, do we have to wait until we die to see if we’re going to make it? Are we really sort of on standby? You mean to tell me that even though I have my ticket I may not get on board? Our response to this objection will be obvious in just a few moments because it is clear from Scripture that you can know, you can have certainty.

OBJECTION #2: It is possible for a person to lose their salvation. To some people all talk of having assurance is nonsense because they believe that a person can lose their salvation. And how do you lose your salvation? These people would hold up sin in a Christian’s life as proof that you can lose your salvation. But is sin in a Christian’s life proof that they have lost their salvation? If it is, then you would have to believe that when a person becomes a Christian, they never sin again. Essentially, they would have to become sinless – perfect if you will. But is that what the Bible teaches? Salvation does not mean that you will never sin again. Salvation means that you are forgiven not perfect. I’ve met a few people who thought that they were without sin, but I don’t know of any Christian who has not sinned after they became a Christian.

Here’s an important truth we need to know. Sin breaks our fellowship with God, but sin cannot break our relationship with God. You may have a son or a daughter that decides to go their own way. They may be like the prodigal son. However, he is still your son. She is still your daughter. The relationship hasn’t changed even if the fellowship is strained and in need of being righted. A Christian can fall into sin after salvation. This is not God’s will and it does hinder our fellowship with God but it will not sever our relationship with God.

Now everyone that I have known that believes you can lose your salvation also believes that you can get it back. And how do you get it back? Usually by doing something that the pastor and church tells you to do. But here’s the real problem. If I can lose my salvation, then I have to do something to get it back. And if I can do something to obtain salvation, what is it? And why do I need what Christ did for me on the cross? Salvation is either a gift by grace or it is by works, but it cannot be both! Grace and works as a means of salvation are mutually exclusive. Salvation is given by grace and accepted by faith (Eph. 2:8-9). If there is anything that you can do to keep or regain your salvation, then there will always be the possibility that you have not held up to what you are supposed to do. Also, when do you know if you’ve done what you need to do? How can you ever have assurance that God has accepted you? You cannot if you believe that your salvation hinges on your behavior. You will forever be on standby.

Often a Scripture that is cited as proof that you can lose your salvation is Hebrews 6:4-6. But this passage is not saying that it is possible for a person to lose their salvation. The passage is presenting us with a hypothetical situation to prove the point that you cannot lose your salvation. The passage is actually saying that it is impossible to be lost once Christ has saved us because that would mean Christ would have to be crucified again in order for a person to be saved again, and this is an impossibility. This Scripture also makes it clear that “if” you could lose your salvation, you could never get it back.

If sin breaks our relationship with God and causes us to lose our salvation, then we’re all in trouble. Ill.: What happens if entertain an evil thought while I’m driving home from church today, and then get killed in an accident? Do I lose my salvation? If salvation depends on me I do. And if I do lose salvation when I sin, then I really never had salvation to begin with.

OBJECTION #3: People who teach eternal security give the impression that you can live in sin. I can hear some of my brethren say, “You Baptists (BTW, it’s not just a Baptist doctrine) just believe that you can walk an aisle and say a prayer, and then go out and live like the Devil.” First, I do not know of anyone who believes in the assurance of salvation that would say “trust Jesus and live like you want to.” It’s just the opposite. Because God has saved us and changed us, we want to live life now to please God. He has changed our “want to.”

I think most of us would be quick to say that not everyone who professes Christ possesses Christ. Are there false Christians? Sure. Jesus said so in Matthew 7:21-23. Are there people who just joined the church but did not join Jesus? Yes. Are there people who got wet but didn’t get washed? Certainly. But just because there are some false professors does not negate the reality that there are countless others who have been changed by the power of God and they are seeking to live for Christ.

OBJECTION #4: I do not feel like I am saved.
You cannot trust your feelings. Salvation is not dependent upon our feelings. Some people experience intense emotions while others do not. The validity of your salvation is not based on the magnitude of feelings that you experienced. Granted, we are emotional beings and we do enjoy “feeling” close to God, forgiven, etc. But how you view your salvation should not be dependent on what side of the bed you wake up on.

It’s been my joy and stress relief to know that I have been saved, I am saved, and I will be saved. I have absolute assurance. What God has given me, He will give to you. He has no favorites. The remainder of what I am going to say assumes two things: (1) The Bible is accurate and trustworthy concerning what God says about salvation, and (2) That you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You have asked Him to forgive you of your sins. You have invited Him to take charge of your life.

If you have never accepted Christ as your Savior, then you will doubt, you will not have assurance of salvation. I urge you to trust in Jesus today so that you can begin to enjoy the life that God has for you. You don’t have to remain on standby. Then you will be ready to face life and death. In just a few minutes, you will have that opportunity to accept Christ as your Savior. God wants you to know. Nail this down once-and-for-all today.

I know I am saved because of . . .
1. What Christ Accomplished on the Cross
* Our sin debt is paid in full! 1 Pe. 2:24; 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:5;
Heb. 9:26; 10:11-14. Christ’s sacrifice for sins was once-for-all! Jesus paid for my sins past, present, and even future. If the cross was not sufficient than nothing ever will be. On the cross a holy God was completely satisfied in Jesus.

* God’s gift of righteousness is forever! Rom. 1:17; 3:22;
2 Cor. 5:21. I could never add or subtract to what God has done in Jesus. I know I am saved because of what Christ has accomplished on the cross. What He did for me, He has done for you! Have you believed the Gospel?

I know I am saved because . . .
2. The Bible Says I am Saved (1 John 5:11-12)
Our focal verse 1 John 5:11-12 tells us clearly that if we have the Son we have eternal life. If we do not have the Son we do not have eternal life. It’s really just that simple. I have done what God has required. Jn. 1:12 – I have received Christ! Jn. 3:16 – I have believed in Jesus! Acts 3:19 – I have turned to God! Rom. 10:13 – I have called on the name of the Lord to save me. By faith, I did what God told me to do. Therefore, I can conclude that on the authority of God’s word, I am saved! The question is, “Are we going to believe God’s Word or not?”

I know I am saved because . . .
3. The Power of God Keeps Me Saved
Jesus told His disciples that no one that belonged to God would be lost, it’s impossible – Jn. 6:39-40. No one can snatch us out of God’s hands – Jn. 10:27-29. Nothing can separate us from God – Rom. 8:38-39. Furthermore, God has sealed me forever with the Holy Spirit who lives within me. I am sealed until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14). Peter says that “through faith” we are “shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pe. 1:5). If I am truly saved, how could I ever be lost? Three things would be true if I could be lost: (1) God would have to cease being God! (2) He would be a liar and (3) His Word would have to be a complete fabrication. No, I’m saved and kept saved today because of the power of God.

I know I am saved because of . . .
4. The Change that Has Occurred in My Life
Salvation is a “new birth” (1 Pe. 1:3). In Christ you are “born again.” (1) birth is a one-time experience. In the Bible, you’re not born again, and again, and again (unless you’re a Buddhist or Shirley McClain). (2) this new birth is a spiritual birth that brings change in your life. In Christ you have a new nature. Now, after we are born we must continue to grow. Sometimes we doubt our salvation we are not growing in Christ. When that occurs we’re like the branches that have been cut off from the vine, dry, lifeless, dead. Assurance will be absent if you are not growing in Christ. You may be saved but your great need is to grow in Christ.

This new birth makes you “a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). You become a new person! How do I know? I was there when it happened. I received Jesus and He welcomed me into the family of God. And from that day forward He has been working in my life. I’m not what I ought to be, and I’m not what I will be, but praise God I’m not what I once was. Changes have occurred in my life. I do not fear judgement, my sins have been judged in Christ. No longer a slave to sin, I have resurrection power and I am now more than a conqueror through Christ! I have God’s Life Assurance Policy! Do you (2 Cor. 13:5)?

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe