[printable PDF of part 1][audio MP3 of part 1]
[advance to: part 2]

     Good morning and welcome to the Berean Break.  My name is George A. Sinkie and it is such a privilege to have you join us this morning.  You have given me a stewardship of your time and I know that if you will open your Bible and check out what I say, you will be blessed by the truth that is taught.  As we begin let’s go to God in prayer:

Great God in heaven, Today, at this time, we humble ourselves before You, Be with us, as we study Your word.  And help each one of us to apply that truth into our lives.  We thank You for Jesus, And for the salvation that we can have through Him.  We pray by His authority!  AMEN!!

     Sometimes before I preach a lesson we sing a song called “Give Me The Bible.” And I take that very personally.  In all of my lessons it is the Bible, God’s word and will that matters.  That is why you will hear me so often say to check it out.  Nothing is truth because George A. Sinkie says it… it is truth because it is the will of God.
     The lesson we are going to start today and conclude next Sunday, Lord willing, is one that I gave as a sermon on a Sunday morning.  It was good for those who were there to hear it and it will be good for you to hear it as well.  The title of it is, “Three Tests of Authentic Christianity.”
     When we do those things that God teaches that we should do in the Bible, then we are practicing authentic Christianity.  And since there are so many things done out there that are called Christianity, and are not, it is important to test things to find the truth.
     Today we are going to be looking at two tests that John reveals to us in 1 John, and then next week will look at a third test.  Next to Paul, John wrote more of the New Covenant God established with all mankind than anyone else.  One recurring theme throughout much of John’s writing is love.  But the Love John writes about is tough love, that requires adherence to the will of God.
     It is interesting to note with reference to John’s writing he wrote his gospel so that people could believe and have eternal life, as we read in John 20:30-31, “Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
     And now as he nears the end of his life, God uses him again to teach that we can know that we have that eternal life.  Read with me 1 John 5:13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have
eternal life.”
     Let’s go on into our lesson now and see these first two tests that John gives here in the 1 John.  We’re going to read 1 John 5:1-5, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.  And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

     The first test is that of belief as we see here in the first part of verse one, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” In particular here John is dealing with those who would believe that Jesus is truly the Christ and that He is the Son of God.  John has already instructed his readers to test by what spirit a person speaks by and that test was seen in 1 John 4:2, “By this you know the Spirit of God:  every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;”
     John has already pointed out the condition of those who deny Jesus, and he has done so very forcefully.  Read with me 1 John 2:22-23, “Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.  Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.”
     Three things are pointed out concerning the one who denies Jesus.
          1.  He is a liar.
          2.  He is anti-Christ.
          3.  He does not, and cannot, have fellowship with God.

     The importance of belief, and not just any belief but true belief is seen throughout the Scriptures.  In Hebrews 11:6, it is written, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
     This same necessity of belief is seen as we continue on in 1 John 4.  We already read verse 2 so let’s pick up in verse 3, 1 John 4:3-4, “and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.  You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”
     We are able to overcome because of our faith.  Which is what we read back in our original text.  1 John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

     The first test of authentic Christianity is that it believes that Jesus is the Christ and the He came in the flesh.
     There are many man-made religions that deny the real Jesus.  Some of these religions deny that Jesus is really God, and that is with a capital “G” because it is referring to the true Jehovah God of the Bible.  One of them has even put out its own translation of the Bible and where it refers to Jesus as being God they use a small “g” because they teach that Jesus is a lesser god than Jehovah.
     Others deny the real Jesus when they teach that He is not now King and reigning in His kingdom.  They try to teach that He will come another time to set up an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem.  And there are other false doctrines as well.
     These things do NOT pass this test of authentic Christianity.
     How do you fair in this test, do you really believe?  Do you believe in the real Jesus?

     The second test of authentic Christianity is the test of love.  1 John 5:1b-2 says, “and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.”
     Jesus has laid down the commandment that we love one another in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
     Then just a little later He tells them this again in John 15:12-14, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends, if you do what I command you.”

     Back in 1 John, we see that love is evidence of several things.  First, it is evidence of abiding in the light, 1 John 2:10, “The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”
     Second, it is evidence of being a child of God, 1 John 3:10, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious:  anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”
     And the third one I want to look at is love is evidence of knowing God and of being born of Him, 1 John 4:7-8, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

     But we must remember, as I said earlier, this love that John writes of is a tough love as it is called today.  Some people have changed the words in the end of this verse from “God is love” to “love is God.” They are unwilling to stand up for truth because they “love” so much.  Well that is not the love that God wants us to have.
     John has shown that there is a direct relationship between loving others and loving God and obeying God.  Read with me again 1 John 5:1-2, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.”
     We fail the love test of authentic Christianity if we don’t love God AND love others AND obey God.  There are many today who fail this test of authentic Christianity because they do not love God as evidenced by their rebellion to His will.  They fail because they do not love others.  I can still remember a picture I saw one time of a white supremacist.  In the article it was talking of their hatred for those who were not white, and yet here is this guy holding his Bible, like he is doing what the will of God teaches. (Buzzer sound)  Wrong answer.  This fails the love test of authentic Christianity.
     Just like the love we are to have for God, our love for others must be based on the will of God and that is why we must obey the will of God in order to be saved.  Do you pass this love test of authentic Christianity?

     Next week, Lord willing, we will look at a third test of authentic Christianity.  Earlier in the program I mentioned the song “Give Me the Bible,” I would like you to listen to this song at this time.
     (Audio of “Give Me the Bible”)

     This Berean Break is brought to you, in love, by the pre-denominational and non-denominational church of Christ that meets at 1600 East First Avenue in Mitchell SD.  You are welcome to meet with us at 10:00 Sunday mornings for our assembly followed by a time of Bible Study, also on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 for an additional time to study God’s Word.  If you have a comment or a sincere Bible question, please phone us at 605-770-5555.  We want to remind you of the non-denominational TV program, “KNOW YOUR BIBLE” on KDLT-TV at 9:00 on Sunday mornings.  This is George A. Sinkie for the Lord’s church, here in Mitchell, good-bye for now.  Remember that we care about you and may God bless you as you do His will.
[advance to: part 2]

[printable PDF of part 1][audio MP3 of part 1]