When you sin does your heart condemn you and say "You're not a child of God?" You see, our consciences are powerful and effective and keeping us from sinning, but sometimes they go beyond their duty and say untrue things about believers when they do sin. Every area of our lives is tainted by sin and depraved, even our "Jiminy Crickets"! In order to have them grow in holiness they, too, must submit to the word of God. So next time your conscience condemns you remember this passage of Scripture.
God knows who belong to him (2 Timothy 2:19). And He has not kept it entirely secret. We can have assurance of our salvation. The Apostle John points out several things that show that the Spirit of God dwells in us as God's children.
1. Love for others. John is not mentioning love for others in general. Specifically he is referring to love for other believers or the church.
2. Answered prayer. Obviously this would be according to the will of God.
3. Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, though, that belief in any imagination of Jesus Christ will not do. The Apostle has written the letter of 1 John to fight the gnostic/docetic heresy that said that Christ only appeared to be flesh and blood. Salvation is possible only by faith in the true Christ. He was God incarnate who came to earth, died and rose again for the forgiveness of the sins of His people.
Do you see these graces in your life? Be assured of your salvation. Although your heart condemns you for sinning, God the Father does not condemn His children. That's what the cross of Christ was all about. Christ took our condemnation. He bore the wrath of God for our sins and by faith we wear the righteousness of Christ and are counted as righteous even though we still sin.
So next time your heart condemns you, make it submit to the written word of God. Continue to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, love the church and continue to go to the Lord in prayer.
1 John 3:18-24 [18] Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. [19] By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; [20] for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. [21] Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; [22] and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. [23] And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. [24] Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
God knows who belong to him (2 Timothy 2:19). And He has not kept it entirely secret. We can have assurance of our salvation. The Apostle John points out several things that show that the Spirit of God dwells in us as God's children.
1. Love for others. John is not mentioning love for others in general. Specifically he is referring to love for other believers or the church.
2. Answered prayer. Obviously this would be according to the will of God.
3. Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, though, that belief in any imagination of Jesus Christ will not do. The Apostle has written the letter of 1 John to fight the gnostic/docetic heresy that said that Christ only appeared to be flesh and blood. Salvation is possible only by faith in the true Christ. He was God incarnate who came to earth, died and rose again for the forgiveness of the sins of His people.
Do you see these graces in your life? Be assured of your salvation. Although your heart condemns you for sinning, God the Father does not condemn His children. That's what the cross of Christ was all about. Christ took our condemnation. He bore the wrath of God for our sins and by faith we wear the righteousness of Christ and are counted as righteous even though we still sin.
So next time your heart condemns you, make it submit to the written word of God. Continue to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, love the church and continue to go to the Lord in prayer.
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