“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:3-6 ESV)
How do you know you are saved? This is one of the most important questions anyone can ever ask. Possession of faith saves, but assurance of faith is also vitally important to the believer. Ultimately, the foundation of our assurance is based on looking to the perfect active and passive obedience of Christ. Focusing too much on our own works and godliness is a trap of self-condemnation. As Martin Luther said, “When I look at myself, I don’t see how I can be saved. But when I look at Christ, I don’t see how I can be lost.”
It cannot be ignored, however, that our obedience, as evidence of the Spirit’s indwelling of and work in us, gives us confidence that we truly know and are known by God. By nature, we are at enmity with God (Romans 8:7) and children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), but through the work of regeneration, we have been made alive with Christ. Our mind, will, and affections have been made new and directed toward their proper end. The very fact that we are able to obey and please God is a testament to our union with Christ because “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8).
John’s words are presented both negatively—if you do not obey you do not know God—and positively—if you do obey you do know God. Each professing believer ought to examine his heart to ensure that he is in the faith. While belief precedes and undergirds obedience, both are evidence that should encourage the believer who struggles with assurance of salvation. As Jesus said, “every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:17). Therefore, if there is good fruit, necessarily, there is a good tree.
Looking at your obedience as an aid to assurance does not mean that obedience is the basis of your faith or justification but rather that your obedience is evidence that the Spirit is at work in you to produce the fruit only he can. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34), and out of the tree of faith grows the fruit of obedience. Thus, as a means of gaining assurance, we may look at our pattern of keeping the commandments of God.
John continues by saying that “truly the love of God is perfected” in the person who keeps God’s Word. Initially, it may seem that John is affirming the perfectionism he just denied. But the word “perfected” here does not refer to sinlessness or moral perfection but rather to completion. John is recognizing that the love of God will not leave the believer unaffected. God loves us with purpose, so the believer who obeys is evidencing that the love of God has been brought to completion in producing its intended fruit, just as a farmer who plants a crop fulfills his intended aim at the time of the harvest.
As followers of Jesus, we are to “walk in the same way in which he walked.” This assumes that we know the manner of Jesus’ walk. If we have no knowledge of what a life of obedience looks like, it will be impossible for us to emulate it. Though Christ lived righteously and manifested the fruit of obedience first and foremost as our substitute, he also did so secondarily as an example.
As the Spirit dwells in us, we walk as Christ walked, to the glory of the Father. In so doing, we evidence to ourselves and the world around us that we are new creatures who have been born again to a living hope.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
May we never look to our obedience as the basis for our salvation, but may it encourage us to see the indwelling Spirit at work in us. Enable us to walk faithfully in the manner in which Christ, our perfect substitute, did before us.
In his name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for the education ministry of Good Hope Christian School in South Africa.
- Wednesday: Pray for the Hope Radio ministry in Togo.
- Thursday: Pray for missionaries serving alongside 4 Christ Films as they produce on-site gospel media at biblical locations.
- Friday: Pray for missionaries providing biblical resources to pastors in East Asia.
- Saturday: Pray for the Storytellers Abroad team and their upcoming trip to Nicaragua.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries serving in children’s ministry.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving in the Philippines.
Featured Serving Opportunity:
Director/Coordinator of Administration Management
Location: Bangladesh
Our team needs a humble and willing individual skilled in administration and management to come serve as the Director/Coordinator of Memorial Christian Hospital in Bangladesh.
