OUR SECURE POSITION
IN CHRIST
1 John 3:1-2
HAVE WE EVER COME TO A POINT
WHERE WE HAVE DOUBTED OUR
POSITION AS CHRISTIANS?
WAS THERE EVER A TIME WHEN WE
HAVE ASKED WHETHER WE ARE
SAVED OR NOT?
Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “Perhaps,
the greatest weakness in the
Christian church is that we fail to
realize who we are in Christ.”
Three important truths that will help
us realize our secured position in
Christ:
1. Our Glorious God: His Great Love
and Grace – “Behold what manner of
love the Father has bestowed on
us…”v.1a
Three important truths that will help
us realize our secured position in
Christ:
2. Our Glorious Position: Beloved
children of God – “that we should be
called children of God…”v.1b
Three important truths that will help
us realize our secured position in
Christ:
3. Our Glorious Destiny: Glorified
like Christ – “we know that when He
is revealed, we shall be like Him, for
we shall see Him as He is”v.2b
Context:
1 John 1:29 – True faith is
necessarily connected with a
holy and pure life!
Christianity first begins with
what God has done before
telling us what we must do.
Right thinking or belief leads to
right living!
1. OUR GLORIOUS GOD: HIS
GREAT LOVE AND GRACE –
“Behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on
us…”v.1a
“Behold” in Scripture:
a. As demonstration
(pagpapakita) - John 19:14
b. As admiration (paghanga)
- Lam 1:12
c. As gratification
(pagkamangha na may
kasiyahan) - Psalm 121:4
A.W. PINK:
A1. Behold it with faith and
confidence.
A2. Behold it with adoring
gratitude.
A3. Behold it with exultation
and jubilation.
ISAIAH 40:10
“Behold, the Lord God will
come with might, with His arm
ruling for Him. Behold, His
reward is with Him and His
recompense before Him.”
A.W. PINK: “John would have his little
children contemplate this glorious
truth of the Father’s love with
reverence and awe, for he would stir
up their pure minds to holy
wonderment and admiration. He would
have them engage their best thoughts
thereon to the ravishing of their souls.”
“What manner of love…”
Jer 31:3 – “The Lord appeared to us
in the past, saying: "I have loved you
with an everlasting love; I have
drawn you with loving-kindness.
Rom 5:8
1 John 4:19
“What manner of love…”
The sole origin of this love is within
God.
1. Sovereign in its exercise.
2. Gracious in its communication.
3. Merciful in its regards.
4. Everlasting in its continuance.
(from The Biblical Illustrator Copyright © 2002, 2003,
2006 Ages Software, Inc. and Biblesoft, Inc.)
God has bestowed great love upon
US!
B1. This truth should deepen our
humility.
B2. This truth should strengthen
our confidence.
B3. This truth should excite our
affection.
Eph. 3:16-19; Rom 8:37-39
Charles Wesley: And Can it Be:
“And can it be that I should gain an
interest in the Saviour’s blood? Died
He for me who caused His pain; For
me who Him to death pursued.
Amazing love how can it be that
Thou my God shouldst die for me?
Amazing love how can it be That
thou my God shouldst die for me?
2. OUR GLORIOUS POSITION:
BELOVED CHILDREN OF GOD –
“that we should be called
children of God…”v.1b
Eph 1:4-5:
“In love He predestined us to
adoption as sons through Jesus
Christ to Himself, according to the
kind intention of His will.”
John 1:12-13
I Pet. 1:3
Gal. 4:4-7
We are enjoying full status and
privilege as children of God. God did
not merely remove our guilt. He
bestowed upon us the merit of Christ
and has adopted us as fellow heirs
with our Savior.
Rom. 8:15-17
2 Peter 1:3-4
Romans 5:5
“And hope does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out his love
into our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
whom he has given us.”
Our security is not in our
performance, but in the Father’s
love.
Martin Luther:
“I cannot say that I do feel that I am a
child of God, but I know that I am a
child of God.”
Martyn Lloyd Jones: “We shall never
be more the children of God than we
are now.. I shall be a better man
then, but I shall be no more a child of
God... You are either a child of God or
you are not... once you are born of
the Spirit, you are a child of God (Life
in Christ, Studies in 1 John, 277).
3. OUR GLORIOUS DESTINY:
GLORIFIED LIKE CHRIST – “we
know that when He is revealed,
we shall be like Him, for we shall
see Him as He is”v.2b
Our present humble status in
the world does not reflect our
destiny and we have a lot to
look forward to!
Col. 3:4; Rom. 8:19,23
Jesus will appear.
2 Peter 3:12-13
1 Thess 4:16-18
Rev. 1:7
John Piper:
“We will delight in the Father
with maximum intensity
forever.”
We will be glorified with Him.
Rom 8:17
2 Cor 3:18
Phil 3:20-21
1 Cor 15:50-57
Richard Baxter (Hymn):
Lord, it belongs not to my care
whether I die or live; to love and
serve Thee is my share, and this
Thy grace must give.
If life be long, I will be glad that
I may long obey; If short, yet
why should I be sad to soar to
endless day?
Christ leads me through no
darker rooms than He went
through before; He that into
God’s kingdom comes must
enter by this door.
Come, Lord, when grace hath
made me meet Thy blessed face
to see; for if Thy work on earth
be sweet, what will Thy glory
be?
Then shall I end my sad
complaints and weary sinful
days, and join with the
triumphant saints who sing
Jehovah’s praise.
My knowledge of that life is
small; the eye of faith is dim;
but ‘tis enough that Christ
knows all, and I shall be with
Him!