Confident Love

November 15, 2020 Background Scripture: 1 John 3:11 – 24; 2 John 4:4 – 11; 3 John 5 – 8 Lesson Passage: 1 John 3:11 – 24 I don’t always “feel” saved. I don’t always feel confident in my ability to live as a Christian. That is a very difficult place to be emotionally and mentally. Emotionally it is difficult because Christians want to feel the assurance of salvation. Assurance is the sense of well-being that comes with knowing that you have been saved and that Christ is keeping you. Anyone who looks at salvation as being “fire insurance” to keep them from the flames of hell is missing out on the true blessing of being saved in a world that is suffering from moral bankruptcy. The blessed assurance that only comes from God is far beyond that. So, what do I do when I have those moments where I don’t always “feel” saved? I thank God for the letters He inspired and instructed John to write to the church. John tackles the challenge of a Christian being confident in their salvation. He offers concrete reminders that help us get back on track with our emotional state. John wrote, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.” That’s where my confidence kicks in. I am reminded that I did not always feel the way I do about Christians. As an unsaved person, I was more critical and condemning of Christians for their shortcomings and slip-ups than I was understanding and supportive of their sincere efforts to get it right. As a Christian, I am all too familiar with the struggle. We have been regenerated on the inside, but we still live in these earthen vessels that are marred by sin. This does not cause a onetime fight or an every now and then struggle. The struggle between the Spirit of God in us and our flesh is a daily fight. Paul was resigned to the fact that he had to die daily to sin. It is the moral and ethical struggle that can cause fluctuations in our feelings. Admittedly, some worldly fights seem easier to wage in the flesh than in the spirit. Those are the times when some Christians think they can “lay down their religion” and deal with the situation at hand in a very comfortable way. However, it never works that way. Any attempt to resolve worldly matters in a worldly way will lead to the Christian being heavily convicted later for the failure to depend on God and His way. It seems at times that Christians suffer in silence waiting to be avenged by God—sadly, we sometimes hope for vengeance more than for God to save the unsaved or convict the saved. Again, this is where John helps us. We must look at all people as being created in the image and likeness of God. As Christians, we get off track; we should accept that other Christians do as well. The same God sustaining us is also sustaining them. We were not born saved. We had to accept Jesus as our personal Savior to be regenerated. God will do the same for others who turn to Him. This should be our prayer rather than a worldly reaction to being wronged. If we can allow ourselves to look at others as God looks at mankind, we will be motivated to meet whatever need we know they have. That’s agape, or benevolent love. God is motivated to meet my needs and He is delighted to do it as I submit to Him and seek Him. As I am motivated to meet the needs of others and delight in the times when I can, or call upon God to do it, then I express a similar love as I have received of God. That is a confident love. Because "He who does not love his brother abides in death.” Then I recall who I am in Christ. The assurance of salvation is a byproduct of a Christian walking in love. It is not spiritual arrogance. It is confident love. Robert C. Hudson October 31, 2020