Our Salvation: is it a present reality?

Much of the First Epistle of John is concerned with the question of; how do we know we have age upon age lasting life. John presents seven important ways to know that our salvation is a present reality:

Number One

There is no salvation apart from the lord Jesus God’s anointed one. There is no assurance possible except as one simply trusts in Jesus. Sincere, faith in Jesus, God’s anointed one is, an evidence of salvation. It is “you who believe on the name of the son of God” who may “know that you have age upon age lasting life” (5:3). Also, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God.

….Whosoever believes that Jesus is God’s anointed one stands begotten of God… Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the son of God?” (4:15; 5:1, 5). It is important to recognize that such confessions as John mentions in the preceding verses are not mere casual mental assents. In that day whoever made such confession had to be prepared for persecution; perhaps loss of family, friends, job, position in the community, and perhaps ever life itself. So we see that according to John, it is only the one who earnestly believes on the name of the son of God that he may have both age upon age lasting life, and valid assurance of that life.

Number 2

One has assurance of age upon age lasting life in God’s anointed one if he is honoring God’s anointed one as the lord of his life and keeping his words and commandments. “And hereby we know that we know him, IF we keep his commandment. He that says, I know him and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But, whoso keeps his word, in him truly is the love of God perfected; hereby we know that we are in him” (2:3-5. Cf. 3:24; 5:2; John 8:31, 51; 14:21-24; 15:9-14; Hebrews 5:8, 9).

Number 3

One has assurance if he has age upon age lasting life in God’s anointed one IF he is walking after the example of his savior. “He that says the he abides in him ought himself to walk even as he walked” (2:6; cf. John 8:12; 14:12). No man not trying to follow the example of Jesus and to try to walk in his steps has any warrant for assuming he is saved. Jesus cannot be the savior of men who do not accept him as their example.

Number 4

One has assurance that he has age upon age lasting life in God’s anointed one IF he loves the Father and His will, rather than the world. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. IF any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of possessions, is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world passes away, and the desires thereof: but he who perseveres in doing the will of God abides forever” (2:15-17).

Number 5

One has assurance that he has age upon age lasting life in God’s anointed one IF he habitually practices righteousness, rather than sin. “IF you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness stands begotten of Him…. He who practices sin is of the Devil… Whoever stands begotten of God does not practice sin; for His seed remains in him: and he cannot habitually practice sin; because he stands begotten of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil: whosoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, neither him who loves not his brother” (2:29; 3:8-19).

Number 6

One has assurance that he has age upon age lasting life in God’s anointed one if he loves the brethren. “We know we are passed out of death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death. Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has age upon life abiding in him…. My little children; let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him” (3:14, 15, 18, 19. Cf. 2:9-11; 3:23; 4:8, 11, 12, 16, 20: 5:1; John 13:34, 35).

Number 7

The seventh means of assurance that one has age upon age lasting life in God’s anointed one is the consciousness of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. “He that keeps His commandment dwells in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He dwells in us, by the Spirit which He has given to us…. he that believes on the son of God has the witness in himself” (3:24; 4:13; 5:10).

A consciousness of the indwelling presence of the comforter is the most blessed evidence of the possession of age upon age lasting life in God’s anointed one, one may have! But, one will  know the comforting witness of the Spirit only as he manifests the evidences of salvation which John cites.

Conclusion: A quote by Eric Chang

“Salvation in the Lord’s teaching is not a salvation by faith which simply believes that certain things are true; that there is a God; that Jesus died, and so forth. Nor is salvation by means of doing this and that; performing good works; burning candles in churches, putting some money in the offering, doing some kind deeds here and there. It is not a salvation by works, it is not a salvation by intellectual faith; it is a salvation by transformation, a salvation by the grace of God that comes into your life and changes you into a new person.

Now, that is reality! That is talking about something that you know has happened to you; something that you can speak of as your having experienced in your life; and not something that you have believed in your mind through intellectual persuasion.”