God’s Love

Authentic Christianity – p.31 John 2:28-3:3

Answer: 1 John 2:28 (NIV)

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

QUESTION…What do you want us to do and why should we do it?

What do we do and why!• The desire of a mature disciple

(2:28a-b)• And now, dear children, continue

in him,• Your continual action of

“abiding” in Christ is the most important part of your spiritual life.

What do we do and why!• The compelling reason for

staying the course (2:28c)so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

What do we do and why!• Who is the liar? It is the man

who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son – 1 John 2:22 (NIV)

What do we do and why!• The second coming of Christ is a

dominant theme of the New Testament.

• 318 times in the 260 chapters • every one of the New Testament

books, • except Galatians…2 and 3 John

and Philemon”

What do we do and why!• John “refers to it not as a mere

point of doctrine…but rather as an incentive for living a righteous life”.

• Some people will experience confidence and others will experience shame”

Answer: 1 John 2:29 (NIV)

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

Question:• How can we know the true

disciples from pretenders?

• You don’t become His because you do right things, but rather you do right things because you are His!

1 John 2:29, 3:4 (NIV)If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

Comparison of Lifestyles• Everyone who acts justly (2:29b) • Everyone who acts sinfully (3:4a)

God’s love… (3:1-3 NIV)How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him..

God’s love… (3:1-3 NIV)• …is worth thinking about. (3:1a)• “See how great a love the Father

has bestowed on us.”

God’s love… (3:1-3 NIV)• …is experienced by us because

of God’s will (3:1a)

God’s love… (3:1-3 NIV)• …determines what we are

(3.1b,c,d)How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

God’s love… (3:1-3 NIV)• …gives us a designation and DNA

change! (3:1b,c)

God’s love… (3:1-3 NIV)• …changes us in a way that is not

understood by those who do not know him (3:1d)The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

God’s love… (3:1-3 NIV)• … determines what we will be

(3:2)Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Four reasons for confidence as a child of God:

• Knowledge of God’s love• Experiencing God’s transforming

work in us• Knowing alienation of the world• Hope of a completed work in us

at the return of Christ

Answer: 1 John 3:3 (NIV)Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure

QUESTION:• How should we respond to God’s

love?• Live pure lives! (3:3)

Bottom Line:• Authentic Christians are children

of God!

For those checking out the Jesus of the Bible…

• Receive the love of God!

For Those who are following the Jesus of the

Bible…• Have a plan to “remain” in

Christ!• Meditate on God’s love for you –

today!!!