I. "HEREBY WE KNOW THAT WE DWELL IN HIM, AND HE IN US."
A. In
John 14, Jesus said to His disciples, "In that day you will know that I am in the Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you."
1. In
John 15, Jesus said, "Abide in Me, and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me."
2. Jesus declared to His disciples,
JOH 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
a. The same Greek word translated "dwell in Him" is translated in
John 15:4 "abide."
B. Abiding in Christ is one of the most important essentials of the Christian faith.
1. We cannot make it on our own.
2. Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing."
a. The sooner we admit that, the better off we will be.
C. Jesus tells of the effects of dwelling in Him.
1. We bring forth much fruit.
JOH 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
2. We will have power in prayer.
JOH 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
3. We have fullness of joy.
JOH 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full.
D. Meditate on the wonder of this truth. I can dwell in Him and He will dwell in me.
1. The Lord of the universe will dwell in me.
2. Paul said, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels."
II. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT HE DWELLS IN US?
A. Because He has given us His Spirit.
1. In His letter to the Ephesians, Paul speaks of God sealing us with the Holy Spirit of promise.
EPH 1:13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
EPH 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
2. Paul speaks many times of the ernest of the Spirit.
2CO 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
2CO 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing [is] God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
GAL 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
3. Back in chapter 3, John says,
1JO 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
4. When you contract to make a major purchase, you are often asked to put up ernest money. It is a demonstration that you are sincere or earnest in your desire to complete the transaction.
5. The gift of the Holy Spirit is God's manifestation of His earnest intent to redeem you.
III. AND WE HAVE SEEN AND DO TESTIFY.
A. Back in chapter 1, John said,
1JO 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1JO 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
1JO 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
B. What is the testimony of John?
1. That the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.
2. A couple lessons back we went through all of the places in John's gospel where Jesus declared that He was sent by the Father into the world.
3. Now John is testifying as to the accuracy of that claim.
a. John goes on to testify that the purpose of sending His Son into the world was to redeem the world.
b. Jesus had said that He had come to seek and to save those who were lost.
c. Redemption and restoration is always at the heart of God.
IV. HOW IS THIS ACTUALIZED IN MY LIFE?
A. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God.
1. Not a son of God.
2. But the Son of God.
3. There are many who confess that Jesus is a son of God, much as John said, "Beloved now are we the sons of God."
a. When they say that Jesus is a son of God they are thinking of what is called the universal fatherhood of God.
b. This is the position of the Mormons. It is deceptive because they are saying things that sound orthodox, but when they say that they believe that Jesus is the Son of God, they also believe that Satan is the brother of Jesus which would also make him a son of God.
c. To put Jesus on the same level as Satan is to denigrate our Lord, and make him a created being rather than the Creator which the Bible asserts that He is. "All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made."
B. When I make this confession, God takes up His residence in Me, and I in Him.
Verse-Reference
Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV]
Abbreviate Books
Use SBL Abbrev.
