15 Evidences of Genuine Faith Part Two

15 Evidences of Genuine Faith—Part Two

2/16/2024

Last month, in 15 Evidences of Genuine Faith—Part One, I began sharing a series of evidences of genuine faith with you from the book of 1 John. Remember we discussed the need for identifying that which is genuine.

I am seeing more and more new articles and discussion about deep-fake videos and how these AI things will affect our justice system. And those reports are, indeed, disconcerting. But I love the clarity of the Scriptures concerning our faith.

John tells us in the theme verse of his book (1 John 5:13) that we can KNOW that we have genuine faith in Christ based on what he has shared through the inspiration of these words he penned in 1 John.

Let’s review where we have been in 1 John 1 briefly and then jump into the next few evidences John shares in this short book:

Personal Acceptance (1 John 1:1-4)
Practical Fellowship (1 John 1:5-7)
Personal Purity (1 John 1:8-10)

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 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.

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the Word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the Light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the Light, and in Him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for His name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:1-17

4. Persistent Obedience (2:1-6)

John’s next test of genuine faith is that a believer will be persistent in his obedience to his Heavenly Father. We know that John is speaking here to believers because the chapter begins with “my little children.” These were people John was seeking to encourage in their walk with Christ. He was writing to them to remind them that Christ is their righteous Advocate before the Father (2:1). And not only is He the perfect Advocate, He is also the One who appeased God’s wrath for your sin and my sin and the sin of the whole world (2:2). It is on this amazing basis of what Christ did for us that John reminds us that an evidence of genuine faith is if we do what He says (2:3). John then lays it out very clearly on the negative side in verse 4 that a person who says he knows God and won’t obey His commands is a liar. And then he turns to the positive again in verse 5. Keeping God’s law is how the love of Christ is perfected in His saints. It is akin to what James speaks of when he writes about a believer whose faith is dead without works that prove what he believes (James 2:17-18). Friend, do you see that it is not our works that God wants, but it is our obedience? I love 1 John 2:6 because it helps me see that the Christian life is not about what I can and can’t do. It is about WHO I want to be like! Jesus is the One who satisfied God’s wrath for my sin. He is the One that every believer should desire to be like by his obedience to His Word!

5. Precious Brotherhood (2:7-11)

John points his finger here at the relationships that believers have and how they will indicate genuine faith. John again addresses “brethren” or brothers in 1 John 2:7 and reminds them of the commandments that Christ has given them to love one another (2 John 5 & 1 John 3:11). And then he references that light and dark idea. Remember that 1 John 1:5 defines light as Christ, and His light is now shining in each of these brethren. Then he addresses this evidence of genuine faith – there should be a genuine love for the brethren in Christ. I am not saying that a believer who hates another believer cannot be saved. But a believer who persists in that hatred ought to check to see if his faith is genuine. Unfortunately, the church today, just like in the first century, can find this hatred to be a stumbling block to spiritual growth. Friend, do you genuinely hold the family relationship within the body of Christ dear to you? Or has your hatred and bitterness toward another believer caused you to doubt your genuine faith? Confess that to God today and do what you can to make it right with that person and then treasure the precious brotherhood giving evidence of your genuine faith!

6. Prohibited Affection (2:12-17)

This is probably one of the more well-known passages in 1 John finishing with the “Love not the world” passage. John addresses this section to the little children (2:12, 13), young men (2:13, 14), and fathers (2:13, 14) continuing his clear message to believers in the church. These first few verses are there to assure John’s readers that he was not unsatisfied with their spiritual conditions, but he was, indeed, encouraged by the spiritual character they possessed. He was reminding them of the blessed forgiveness that was eternally theirs (2:12). He was encouraging them in their dynamic relationship with God (2:13). He was pointing out the spiritual growth in their lives (2:13-14). And he was assuring them that the victory over Satan was already won (2:14)! It is on this foundation that John brings this famous prohibition against loving the world and all that the world entails. John defines the world in three statements – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (2:16). And reminds us that doing the will of God means forsaking these things. Maybe you are wondering how we identify this love of the world in our lives. I don’t believe that it is a rash decision that just one day a person chooses to be worldly. There are symptoms of worldliness that every believer must guard against and ask God to help us with. Let me list five of those major symptoms of worldliness for you.

Disinterest in Spiritual Growth
Defending of Evil Doers
Defilement of Natural Temptations
Decision to Strive for Status Quo
Defying Authority

May God help us to test our faith and guard against these symptoms of worldliness!

So how is your faith thus far? Remember, these tests are to help us, not cause us to doubt. John told his readers at the end of this book that because of all these things seen in our lives, we can KNOW that we have eternal life. Maybe like the believers through all of history, you have recognized some areas where you need to take care of sin in your life and return to what God has done for you. May I encourage you to do that today! Next month, I will continue through 1 John 2 and maybe beyond. May God grant you the clarity to exercise these evidences of genuine faith in your life today!