CHAPTER 11

Signs Of Life (Continued)
 

SIGN OF LIFE # 3--The person who has life LOVES HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST (1 John 3:14).

            The Lord Jesus has told us that the person who is a true believer has passed from __________ unto _________ (John 5:24). How can I know whether or not I have truly passed from ____________ unto _________? God's answer is found in 1 John 3:14 (fill in the blanks and then circle the correct answer):

"I __________ that I have passed from ___________unto__________ because . . .

1. . . .when I was 10 years old I asked Jesus into my heart.
2. . . . I once made a decision for Christ at the close of a church service.
3. . . . I once attended an evangelistic service and I accepted the Lord at that time.
4. . . . right now something is true about my life--I love my brothers and sisters in Christ.

            How do you know that you are alive physically? Because right now there are signs of life present (such as pulse, breathing, movement, etc.).

            The person who does not ___________ his brother has not passed from ______________  unto ___________  because he still abides ____     ________________ (1 John 3:14).

            There are two things that are true in the life of a person who is a child of the devil (1 John 3:10):

1. He does not live a righteous life.
2. He does not ___________________________________.

            What message has God given to the believer (1 John 3:11)? _____________________________________ In 1 John 3:12 we learn that Cain (see Genesis 4:1-11) was a child of _____________________ because two things were true about Cain's life (1 John 3:12):

1. We know that Cain did not live a righteous life because his own works ________________________________________________.
2. We know that Cain did not love his brother because ________________________________.

Read 1 John 3:17 and answer TRUE or FALSE:

            Do we prove that we love a person by saying, "I love you!" (1 John 3:18)? _______

            There are two things that are true about the person who really loves (1 John 4:7):

1. He is ____________ of ___________.
2. He knows ___________ (Compare John 17:3--salvation is not doing SOMETHING; it is knowing SOMEONE!)

            What can we say about the person who does not love (1 John 4:8)? _____________________________________________________  If a man says that he loves God but hates his brother, does he really love the invisible God (1 John 4:20)? ______The person who truly loves God should also __________________________ (1 John 4:21 and compare 1 John 2:9-11).

            In John 13:34 the Lord Jesus, on the night before He died on the cross, gave His disciples a new commandment: "That ye ________ one another; _______________________________, that ye also love one another." This means that we should love our fellow believers in the same way that ____________ loved us! If Christ could love a rotten sinner like you (see Romans 5:6-8), then can you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? _____ How is the world going to know that we are true disciples of Christ (John 13:35)?________________________________________________

            If a person truly loves his brothers and sisters in Christ, will he desire to assemble together with them in a Bible-teaching church (compare Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42)? ______ Did the early church care for one another in love (Acts 2:44-45)? __________

            Circle the correct answer:  

In order for a person to get saved he must. . .

1. . . . believe in the historical reality of Adam and Eve and Jonah and the whale.
2. . . . desire the Word of God and read his Bible every day.
3. . . . love his brothers and sisters in Christ.
4. . . . believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31).

            Important: Once a person BELIEVES on the Saviour, then GOD HIMSELF will work in that person's life (Philippians 2:13) and God's mighty working will be seen in the person's desire for God's Word, love for the brethren, etc. Don't put the cart before the horse! A person must have life before he can show forth life!  In other words, don't try to live the Christian life before you become a Christian!

            Do you really love the saints? Do you pray for them? Do you enjoy being with them? Do you assemble together with them? Do you love being with the children of God more than the children of the devil (Psalm 119:63)? "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith"! Are you dead or alive?
 

SIGN OF LIFE #4--The person who has life OBEYS THE WORD OF GOD (1 John 2:3).

            The person who has eternal life is the person who ___________ the only true God and ________________________ whom He has sent (John 17:3). How can we know whether or not we really know Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord? According to 1 John 2:3, if a person truly knows Christ what will he do? ______________________________________ Consider the person who says, "I'm so glad that I know the Lord Jesus as my Saviour" but as you observe his life you notice that he does not seem to live according to the Word of God. What are two things that are probably true about this person (1 John 2:4)? 1._____________________  2. ________________________________

            According to 1 John 5:3, what is the love of God? _______________________________ We know that God's commandments are not ______________________ (heavy, burdensome). Is it a heavy burden for us to do what God tells us to do? _____ Does God give us commandments so that He can make life miserable for us? _____ Is it true that we are usually most miserable when we fail to obey the Lord? ______ Did David feel that the commandments of the Lord were grievous (Psalm 19:7-11)? ________In Deuteronomy 6:24 we learn that God has commanded us to do certain things "for our ___________________" (compare Deuteronomy 10:13; Jer. 32:39). God wants the very best for us!!

            If a person loves Christ, what will he do (John 14:15)? __________________________________________ The person who truly loves Christ is the person who 1) has His _______________________ and 2)_______________ (obeys) His commandments (John 14:21). If a person really loves the Lord Jesus then he will ___________ (obey) Christ's ________________ (John 14:23). The person who does not love Christ does not ______________________________ (John 14:24). Therefore, how can the believer SHOW that he really loves the Saviour? ___________________________________________

            Now obviously, no believer keeps God's commandments perfectly. We fumble, fail and fall in many ways. So what does 1 John 2:3-4 really mean?

            Consider the Lord's disciples. Were they perfectly obedient? Did one of them ever deny the Lord? Did they all run like scared rabbits when the Lord was arrested? Did they fumble and fall and fail at times? We are amazed then to see what the Lord said about these men in John 17:6: "they have ________ thy ________." Though there were moments of disobedience, their lives were characterized by OBEDIENCE.  Illustration:  If you took a snapshot of Peter denying His Lord, you would conclude that he was very unfaithful to his Lord.  But if you could film his entire life since He met Christ, you would be forced to conclude that his life was characterized by faithfulness and obedience. 

            As you observe some lives, you discover that there are people who could care less about obeying God or doing what the Bible says. Their lives are characterized by DISOBEDIENCE and according to 1 John 2:3-4 they do not really know the Lord.

            Do you really love the Lord Jesus? Do you listen to His voice by reading His Word every day? Do you obey His voice? Do you seek to live your life according to the Word of God? Are you willing to do whatever the Bible says? Are you walking on the path of obedience? "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith!" Are you dead or alive?

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