1 John – An Introduction to 1 John and Critical Theory of Our Society
From the Series: Certainty – Absolute Truths That Bring Joyful Assurance
BY MAX FERNANDEZ
1 John 1:4 “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
Our joy is incomplete without assurance about the complete truth about Jesus. There is no complete jubilation without God’s self-revelation, fellowship with God in Jesus Christ, without believing universal, absolute truths about Jesus Christ, and without assurance that these truths are actually true.
Kids’ Pause: Children, how do you know that something or someone is real when you cannot see him? The book of 1 John answers how you know Jesus is the real, true God.
Our world, especially we in the West, battles with postmodern theory-a worldview (way of seeing the world) that is skeptical of all absolute truth claims or access to absolute truth. However, there are absolute truths that produce joyful assurance, and it is imperative that we examine ourselves as to whether we are (1) really saved, (2) presently finding assurance in these truths, and (3) increasingly growing in these assuring truths.
Are You Really Saved?
The epistle of I John will present 100% absolute, universal truths about God and Jesus Christ that must be believed. The epistle of I John will also present proofs that you can look at to ensure that you are truly a believer.
Kids’ Pause: Children, you can only have eternal life when you believe in Jesus Christ of the Bible. Jesus wants to save you and for you to be assured of your salvation.
Are You Living with Assurance?
The Lord wants his people to live with assurance of eternal life, but it must be assurance based on the truth of Jesus Christ. Christians today, in the West, need to return back to the truth of Jesus Christ to have assurance. Some are living with assurance in the wrong thing, and when that thing is rocked, so is their assurance.
Are You Increasing in Belief of These Assuring Truths?
We must increasingly know and believe what we believe about Jesus. We must learn to rightly articulate what we believe about Jesus. We must have confidence, based on clear truth, for living our Christian lives.
Kids’ Pause: Children, getting to know and obey Jesus is a life-long, wonderful trip. Never stop growing in love and never stop following Him.
Critical, postmodern theory would have you believe that knowledge is relative, but 1 John teaches you that there is absolute truth. Critical, postmodern theory would have you believe that completeness is accomplished by exposing the ills of the past and making repairs and restitution now. Yet, 1 John teaches that completeness of joy is found in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Critical, postmodern theory makes heroes of the removal of boundaries, the changing of terminology, cultural relativism, and intense focus on identity politics. 1 John teaches that the historical, true Jesus of scripture is the hero.
Which one will you believe? These are two teachings in conflict with each other. To believe one is to dismiss the other.
Read the full transcript of the sermon here.
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