1 jn 3:19-21

Reassuring the True Believer
1 John 3:19-21

Introductory Thoughts

· Example #1

· A man sits under the preaching of God’s Word. He is emotionally distraught and seeking comfort, and something in the evangelist’s message creates within him a powerful emotional reaction.

· The evangelist gives the altar call, and a man goes forward. A counselor has him read a few verses, and leads the man in “the sinner’s prayer.” The evangelist talks to the man and others who have come forward, and says, “You have been saved today, you now have eternal life. Don’t ever doubt this for a minute, and don’t let anyone tell you that you are not saved.” Not knowing what real salvation is, the man takes this word from the evangelist as true.

· As time goes along, the man does not stick with the Gospel, he goes back to his old ways; or, maybe he continues to outwardly identify with the church, and he does clean up his life a bit, but never grows in grace—there is never any positive evidence of a changed life.

· However, whatever the case, he never loses one thing—his assurance of salvation, duly given to him by the evangelist. The man dies, and wakes up in Hell—and he wonders, “What’s the deal?”

· Second Example

· A man is sitting under the preaching of God’s Word, and comes under powerful conviction. He goes forward and pours his heart out before the Lord.

· A counselor well trained in God’s Word sits with the man and explains carefully to him the way of salvation. The man sees his only hope to be Christ, and openly confesses Christ as Savior.

· The evangelist speaks to this man and to others who have responded, and tells them: “You have this day professed Christ as Savior. If this experience and confession is the real thing, the Holy Spirit lives in you, and through Him, God will change your life. Follow your Lord in Baptism, seek His word daily, become identified with a New Testament church, and grow in Grace.

· This man does all the above, and God changes his life. As he grows in grace, he becomes assured in his heart and soul that his salvation experience was the real thing.



1. Assurance

a. First, a few comments about assurance

(1) We are NEVER to give anyone absolute assurance. We can encourage, teach, and re-assure in the sense of helping a believer who is needlessly depressed, but we are NEVER to give absolute assurance of salvation. Assurance of salvation is a work of God wrought in the heart of a believer over a `period of growth in grace. Rom 5:1-5

1 Th 1:4-5 "knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake."

2 Pet 1:1-12***

(2) There is never any Biblical assurance except through God’s grace, and through the Holy Spirit working holiness and perseverance in our lives—Rom 8:13-17

b. The Way to Assurance—19 "And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

(1) What is “this?”—by the evidence of the test of love, which John has just taught us about.

(2) We know—ginosko, know by experience—“It is the mind’s knowledge by which the heart’s doubts may be silenced...” Stott

(3) Verb tense—future tense—we shall know

(4) Of the Truth—John will expand on this in 4:1-6, but if we are a believer, we are of the Truth

(a) Truth is of supreme importance in the Faith,
(b) This idea flies in the face of modern “Christianity,” but it is vital

· Contrary to the teachings and beliefs of human philosophers and occult religionists, Ultimate Truth exists.
· Truth is propositional, that means it is something we can put into words, phrases, and sentences that make sense.
· Biblical Truth is objective "TRUE" Truth.
· Truth is recorded in God's Word, which IS Truth.
· If you are a Christian, Truth is meant to be the focal point of your life .
· Truth is personified in Jesus Christ (Jn 14:6).



(5) Shall Assure—future tense, to make confident
(6) Hearts--consciences
(7) Before Him—in His presence (emphatic)
(8) Bottom line—we receive the blessing of assurance by our changed life—the marks of a believer, in this case the mark of love, are positive evidence of the reality of our salvation.

2 Pet 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

2. The Problem of Guilt and Conscience—

b. The Condemning Heart—20 For if our heart condemns us...”
(1) “If” here is better translated “whenever” (A.T. Robertson); the problems of guilt and doubt do occur from time to time.
(2) “Heart” here most likely refers to conscience. Conscience is that faculty that every human being has as a gift from God,; it is the tables of God’s law written on our heart, on our inner man.

Rom 2:14-15 "for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)"
(3) Conscience is one of our best friends—it is not infallible, and our conscience can lie to us, but you must always take the pangs of conscience seriously.

(4) “Condemn” means to hold something against someone (in your mind), it is literally “knowledge against.” Every believer doubts, every believer has guilt from time to time, and when that happens, it is because our heart, our conscience, is holding something against us.
(a) This can be a sin problem, that is, the guilt can be real and the heart’s condemnation can be beneficial to us.
(b) But, this can be a doctrinal problem—either ignorance of the Doctrine of justification by faith, or failure to apply the doctrine of justification in our life.
(c) If we are saved, and if the guilt is over past sins that have long ago been dealt with, or more recent sins that have likewise been put under the blood, we are surely facing false self-condemnation
(d) Or, it can be a false accusation from the enemy—it could be that the “Accuser of the brethren” is accusing us—Rev 12:10

c. The Source of the Solution—“... God is greater than our heart, and knows all things...”
(1) First, what a statement: God is greater than our heart…if that is not a real put-down, I don’t know what is! It reminds me of what God said to Job when God got tired of Job’s philosophical speculations: see Job 38:1 ff
(2) Second put-down, but gentler—God knows all things! The point? We are not God, and we don’t know what is going on most of the time, but God does.
(3) God provides assurance!

3. The Reassured Believer—“...21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God...”

a. “If” a third-class condition, an honest “if, then” statement.
b. The result of the assurance wrought in our lives by God is peace.

(1) When we are saved, we immediately have peace with God—Rom 5:1
(2) But the Peace of God is the result growth in discipleship and personal holiness—Phil 4:4-7

(a) Attitude—"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
(b) Lifestyle (remember, Jesus is our leader, we are the followers)—5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
(c) Trust—in the Lord—6 Be anxious for nothing,
(d) Seek God for your help—but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
(e) The results of this kind of lifestyle—7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

c. The Confidence that comes from Assurance.

(1) Heb 9:14 "how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

(2) Heb 10:19-22 "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."