MEMORIAL DAY FOR THE CHRISTIAN

For Sure... Without a Doubt... Certainties for the Christian Believer 1 John 5:19
Our world is a world of uncertainties.
We read in the paper everyday of shocking new revelations... leaving us with doubts and fears of what is next... what is going to happen in the future?
Your world can be turned upside down... by just a few words that might take less than 5 seconds to state... Nothing seems sure anymore.
Nations are strong today... and defeated tomorrow.
Many Christians are confused, frustrated and uncertain about their relationship with God.

But... Praise God... the sanctified, the Spirit-filled, are fully persuaded that they are God's children and that He will keep them by His power.

The Christian:

• Knows who he is,
• Knows where he stands
• Knows where he is going.

There is no uncertainty in the Christian life.

Certain = fixed; settled; sure; dependable; reliable; Assured in mind; thoroughly established, as a belief;... certainty = a fact unquestionably established.

John employed the words KNOW, KNOWETH AND KNOWN... 33 times in the 5 short chapters of the First Epistle of John.

1. JOHN WAS CERTAIN HE KNEW JESUS CHRIST.
• 1 John 2:3, "And hereby WE DO KNOW THAT WE KNOW HIM, if we keep his commandments."
• Paul agreed with him... "FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day." 2 Timothy 1:12
• Paul was a great enemy of the church. When a light shone around him and he fell to the ground, he heard a "Voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why persecuteth thou me?' " Paul answered, "Who are thou, Lord?"
But... Paul knew who he was. You cannot have a confrontation with Jesus Christ without knowing who He is.
• Jesus asked His disciples two important questions...
  1. "Whom do men say that I am?"
  2. "Whom do you say that I am?"
  Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God...
  FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT TO YOU... BUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." Matthew 16:13-17.
  Devine revelation... My father has revealed it to you... and to you who know that Jesus is the Son of the living God.
• "He that hath the Son hath life... " 1 John 5:12



2. JOHN KNEW HE HAD A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD.
• From death unto life experience...
  1 John 3:14, "We know we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."
  
   From Death unto Life!
             
   What a statement!
             
   What a transition!
             
   What a transformation!
  
   From the graves clothes of death to a spotless robe of righteousness;
   From Satan to the Savior;
   From Sin to Salvation;
   From Sadness to Gladness;
   From the prison house of death to freedom within the household of faith.
• We become a New Creation ... 2 Corinthians 5:17
  " ... ... old things are passed away; behold, all things become new."
  Old habits and old haunts lose their attractiveness.
  We adopt a new way of life.
  It is an experience of transformation... not conformation.
  "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind... " Romans 12:2
• It is a different realm, a different world.
  "I'm in a new world, old things have passed away...
  Behold all things are new, ever since that happy day.
  He opened up my blinded eyes and then I had a great surprise...
  I'm in a new world, since the Lord saved me."



3. JOHN KNEW HE HAD THE SPIRIT'S INDWELLING.
   • "... And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." 1 John 3:24.
   • "Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit."
   • Paul confirms the same; "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Romans 8:16
   • This is God's masterpiece: A deposit of His Spirit in man.
   • Satan and his workers may destroy our churches, even as in some other
   countries, and he may even burn our Bibles and imprison us, but one thing he cannot reach is the Spirit within us.
   No man can control, stop or destroy the Spirit of God.
   
   
   
4. JOHN KNEW THAT GOD ANSWERS PRAYER.
   
   • "And this is the confidence that we have in him that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." 1 John 5:14.
   • 1 John 3:22: "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
   • When the church prayed, Peter was delivered from prison. Acts 12:5-7.
   
   
   
5. JOHN KNEW CHRISTIANS DO NOT PRACTICE SIN.
   
   • A born-again child of God does not practice sin but lives a righteous life. Jesus told two persons He blessed to: Go and sin no more." John 5:14 and John 8:11.
   • Does this mean it is impossible for a child of God to sin? NO!

     John writes and warns the Christians not to continue to sin; but he goes on to say, but "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:1,2.

   
   
   
6. JOHN KNEW THERE IS A LIFE AFTER THIS ONE.
   • "These things write I unto you... that you may know that you have eternal life... " 1 John 5:13.
   • Paul believed in a future life. "We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God... " 2 Corinthians 5:1.
   • The scriptures declare that Abraham "was seeking a city which hath foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Hebrews 11:10.
   • Job believed this truth.
     He lost everything, including 7 sons, 3 daughters, many servants, 7,000 sheep 3,000 camels, 500 she asses and 500 yoke of oxen. He was smitten with sore boils from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. His wife urged him to curse God and die. His closest friends accuse him of sinning against God. And worst of all, he could not find God (Job 23:1, 2)... ... But, amidst all this, he cried out, "I know my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes---I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" Job 19:25-27
   • John saw his "after this life" home.
     "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Revelation 21:1, 2.
   
   
   
7. JOHN KNEW CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN.
   
   • "... We know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2
   • Other apostles... attest to this truth:
     1 Peter 5:4: "When the chief Shepherd shall appear... ."
     James 5:8: "... .for the coming of the Lord draws near."
     Paul... 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven... "
     Luke... Acts 1:11 "... shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven."
     Jesus himself said "... .I will come again... " John 14:3