09/05/2026
Tomorrow, Lord willing, based on some feedback from the brethren at West Broad Church of Christ, we're starting ANOTHER series, which I am very excited for.
There are few questions more important—and, for some Christians, more unsettling—than this one: “If I died right now, would I be saved?” Or perhaps even more pointedly, “If Jesus Christ returned right now, could I KNOW that I am right with God?”
Some Christians may even be almost afraid to answer that question with a confident “yes.” We understand that Scripture warns against presumption. We KNOW we can fall away. We KNOW that simply saying we belong to Christ does not make it so. And because we take those warnings seriously, sometimes we can swing so far in the opposite direction that we begin to think uncertainty itself is a mark of humility.
But there are other things we ought to "KNOW" about our faith from scripture. Near the conclusion of this letter, John tells us explicitly why he has written: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13, LSB). Notice that John does not say, “so that you may HOPE you have eternal life.” He doesn't say, “so that you may FEEL like you probably have eternal life.” And he certainly doesn't say, “so that you can NEVER really know until judgment day.” He says that you may KNOW.
That word “know” becomes one of the great recurring words of 1st John. His purpose is to give believers confidence grounded not in subjective feelings, but in revealed truth. We can KNOW that we know Him (2:3). We can KNOW that we are in Him (2:5). We can KNOW the truth (2:21). We can KNOW that He abides in us (3:24). We can KNOW that we love God's children (5:2). And ultimately, we can KNOW that we have eternal life (5:13).
So this entire series is going to revolve around that question: How can I KNOW? And John's answer begins with something very important: you don't determine your standing with God merely by looking inward at your feelings. You determine it by looking at what God has revealed. Along the way, we'll also consider how we can KNOW if ones around us are NOT from God, and NOT walking in the light, and how we can have confidence regardless of others' factional faith and false teaching.
Please join us tomorrow 9:30 for Bible Study, 10:30 for worship, where we'll be starting Part One of this series on 1st John. If you cannot, please feel free to listen online at https://www.westbroadchurch.com/media2/sermons
God bless! Seek and submit to the King!
CREDITS: Brother Bob McPherson gave a WONDERFUL lecture series from 1st John at last PTC. I'll be heavily leaning on the great way he organized and explained the epistle. Much thanks to him and praising of God for his efforts.
