100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:11,040Here is a very wonderful description of the normal experience of the Christian life.200:00:11,040 –> 00:00:17,020Pursue this life to which God has called you, and these blessings will be yours.300:00:17,020 –> 00:00:20,260Your heart will not condemn you400:00:20,260 –> 00:00:24,760You will have confidence even before almighty God500:00:24,760 –> 00:00:29,200And God will hear and answer your prayers.600:00:29,780 –> 00:00:33,520Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick,700:00:33,520 –> 00:00:35,700I’m so pleased you could be with us today.800:00:35,700 –> 00:00:40,700And Colin, God’s blessings are mine, my heart doesn’t condemn me.900:00:40,700 –> 00:00:44,939I have confidence before God, and He’s going to answer my prayers1000:00:44,939 –> 00:00:47,860Really? If only that was always my experience.1100:00:48,380 –> 00:00:53,660Well, you know, these are precisely the things that are promised to us1200:00:53,660 –> 00:00:57,020and are spoken of in the Scriptures that we’re looking at today,1300:00:57,060 –> 00:00:58,660and they’re very, very wonderful.1400:00:58,660 –> 00:01:01,700John speaks in 1 John 3 211500:01:01,700 –> 00:01:07,199of our hearts not condemning us, of us having confidence before God1600:01:07,540 –> 00:01:09,660and whatever we ask we receive from him.1700:01:09,660 –> 00:01:11,559I mean, that’s wonderful. I mean, just read these verses,1800:01:11,559 –> 00:01:14,699you say, Well, I want to know more of that,1900:01:14,699 –> 00:01:16,779but that’s what’s being promised here.2000:01:16,779 –> 00:01:18,739It’s what is being laid before us.2100:01:18,739 –> 00:01:22,379Now, John, as we’ll see, does not lay this out2200:01:22,379 –> 00:01:26,260as being the invariable experience of a believer.2300:01:26,419 –> 00:01:29,139There are times when we find ourselves assailed2400:01:29,139 –> 00:01:31,940with doubts and questions, and so forth.2500:01:31,940 –> 00:01:36,000That is also part of the reality of Christian experience.2600:01:36,000 –> 00:01:39,040But it is a normal part of Christian experience2700:01:39,040 –> 00:01:41,180that we really do have peace with God2800:01:41,180 –> 00:01:43,980and therefore that we should have confidence before him2900:01:43,980 –> 00:01:46,180and peace and know that when we come to pray,3000:01:46,180 –> 00:01:48,980we are asking things of a loving Heavenly Father3100:01:48,980 –> 00:01:51,720who delight to give good gifts to his children.3200:01:51,720 –> 00:01:54,720That really is the normal Christian life and it is wonderful.3300:01:54,919 –> 00:01:57,779And so, let’s savour it a little bit today3400:01:57,779 –> 00:02:02,080and be encouraged by what God has promised to us3500:02:02,080 –> 00:02:04,120and what God holds before us.3600:02:04,120 –> 00:02:06,199Let’s look at these promises together then3700:02:06,199 –> 00:02:10,240in 1 John chapter three, verses 19 to 24.3800:02:10,240 –> 00:02:11,600As we begin the message,3900:02:11,600 –> 00:02:15,440assurance grows as you lean on the word of the Father.4000:02:15,440 –> 00:02:16,479Here is Colin.4100:02:16,479 –> 00:02:19,600We’re facing this very important question.4200:02:19,600 –> 00:02:22,220How can I be sure4300:02:22,220 –> 00:02:23,880that I am a Christian?4400:02:23,880 –> 00:02:28,039How can I know that I have been truly born again?4500:02:28,039 –> 00:02:30,740How can I know with a settled confidence4600:02:30,740 –> 00:02:32,800that one day I really will be4700:02:32,800 –> 00:02:36,919in the Father’s house in heaven?4800:02:36,919 –> 00:02:39,979Now these are real questions4900:02:39,979 –> 00:02:41,960and they often trouble the minds5000:02:41,960 –> 00:02:43,919and hearts of Christian believers,5100:02:43,919 –> 00:02:45,399not only new believers,5200:02:45,399 –> 00:02:49,479but sometimes mature believers as well.5300:02:49,479 –> 00:02:50,740There will be many of us here5400:02:50,740 –> 00:02:52,279in the congregation this morning5500:02:52,300 –> 00:02:54,500who know what it is to say,5600:02:54,500 –> 00:02:56,619am I the real deal5700:02:57,820 –> 00:03:02,360or could it be that I am deceiving myself?5800:03:02,360 –> 00:03:05,539Now this wonderful first letter of John5900:03:05,539 –> 00:03:08,539was written to answer these questions.6000:03:08,539 –> 00:03:10,339We saw earlier the chapter five6100:03:10,339 –> 00:03:13,300in verse 13 states the purpose of the letter.6200:03:13,300 –> 00:03:14,820I write these things to you6300:03:14,820 –> 00:03:17,300who believe in the name of the Son of God,6400:03:17,300 –> 00:03:21,240that you may know that you have eternal life.6500:03:21,300 –> 00:03:24,240So John is writing to believers,6600:03:24,240 –> 00:03:26,820the great majority of us here today in this service,6700:03:26,820 –> 00:03:29,259those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.6800:03:29,259 –> 00:03:32,520He says, I’m writing to you who believe.6900:03:32,520 –> 00:03:35,479And the reason that he’s writing to us who believe7000:03:35,479 –> 00:03:39,440is that we may know that we have eternal life.7100:03:39,440 –> 00:03:41,759By the way, in the verses that were just read to us,7200:03:41,759 –> 00:03:44,360did you notice that this theme of assurance7300:03:44,360 –> 00:03:46,460comes at the beginning and the end7400:03:46,460 –> 00:03:49,320of the section of this letter that was before us today?7500:03:49,320 –> 00:03:54,320Verse 19, by this we shall know that we are of the truth.7600:03:54,440 –> 00:03:59,440Or verse 24, and by this we know that he abides in us.7700:04:00,800 –> 00:04:03,119That’s what this letter is all about,7800:04:03,119 –> 00:04:05,660that’s the central question that’s before us today,7900:04:05,660 –> 00:04:07,460how do we know?8000:04:07,460 –> 00:04:10,679Now, John was confident that the people8100:04:10,679 –> 00:04:13,360to whom he was writing, his first readers8200:04:13,360 –> 00:04:15,539were indeed true believers.8300:04:15,539 –> 00:04:18,220If you look back in chapter two and verse 12,8400:04:18,220 –> 00:04:21,899he says that, I am writing to you little children8500:04:21,899 –> 00:04:26,220because your sins are forgiven.8600:04:26,220 –> 00:04:27,739I’m writing to you fathers,8700:04:27,739 –> 00:04:31,380because you know him who is from the beginning.8800:04:31,380 –> 00:04:34,019And he says, I’m writing to you young men,8900:04:34,019 –> 00:04:37,859because you have overcome the evil one.9000:04:37,859 –> 00:04:39,299These are marvelous statements.9100:04:39,299 –> 00:04:40,459You are forgiven.9200:04:41,380 –> 00:04:46,380You know God, you have overcome the evil one.9300:04:46,559 –> 00:04:48,019There could hardly be a clearer9400:04:48,019 –> 00:04:51,420or a stronger statement of confidence9500:04:51,420 –> 00:04:55,579that these people really are in Christ.9600:04:55,579 –> 00:04:59,799So John is very confident about them,9700:04:59,799 –> 00:05:02,480but the point of his writing is that he wants them9800:05:02,480 –> 00:05:05,220to be sure about themselves.9900:05:05,220 –> 00:05:08,160And so he identifies in this letter10000:05:08,160 –> 00:05:12,500three distinguishing marks or three signs10100:05:12,500 –> 00:05:16,119that we as believers should be able to see in ourselves10200:05:16,119 –> 00:05:20,200that indicate clearly that we are in Christ.10300:05:20,200 –> 00:05:21,579And these three signs are first10400:05:21,579 –> 00:05:23,859that we believe in God’s Son,10500:05:23,859 –> 00:05:26,260second that we love God’s people,10600:05:26,260 –> 00:05:30,100and third, that we obey His commands.10700:05:30,100 –> 00:05:33,260No Christian does these things perfectly.10800:05:33,260 –> 00:05:36,799But in every Christian there really is10900:05:36,940 –> 00:05:39,779a true beginning of each of these things.11000:05:39,779 –> 00:05:42,940In every Christian there is a true beginning of faith,11100:05:42,940 –> 00:05:45,980in every Christian there is a true beginning of love,11200:05:45,980 –> 00:05:47,220and in every Christian11300:05:47,220 –> 00:05:50,739there is a true beginning of obedience.11400:05:50,739 –> 00:05:53,739You can truly say if you belong to Christ,11500:05:53,739 –> 00:05:56,880we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,11600:05:56,880 –> 00:05:58,940we love God and His people,11700:05:58,940 –> 00:06:03,140and we seek to obey His commands.11800:06:03,299 –> 00:06:07,100And John sets out very clearly that these three things11900:06:07,100 –> 00:06:09,839are the irrefutable evidence12000:06:09,839 –> 00:06:12,959that a person really has been born again.12100:06:12,959 –> 00:06:15,320So if you look at chapter 5 and verse 1,12200:06:15,320 –> 00:06:19,320everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ12300:06:19,320 –> 00:06:22,619has been born of God.12400:06:23,579 –> 00:06:27,040Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, John is asking?12500:06:27,040 –> 00:06:29,440You would say, well yes I do.12600:06:29,440 –> 00:06:32,179Well then he would say that’s clear evidence then,12700:06:32,220 –> 00:06:35,739isn’t it that you have been born of God?12800:06:35,739 –> 00:06:38,980Yes, your faith may be mixed up with all kinds of questions12900:06:38,980 –> 00:06:40,899and doubts and fears13000:06:40,899 –> 00:06:44,260but despite all of that you can say in truth today13100:06:44,260 –> 00:06:47,739I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ13200:06:47,739 –> 00:06:50,420and John says if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ13300:06:50,420 –> 00:06:52,220that’s the clearest possible sign13400:06:52,220 –> 00:06:54,100that you have indeed been born of God,13500:06:54,100 –> 00:06:56,220this is how you know.13600:06:56,220 –> 00:06:58,899And he says the same thing about love.13700:06:58,899 –> 00:07:00,579Chapter four and verse seven,13800:07:00,579 –> 00:07:02,339beloved let us love one another13900:07:02,339 –> 00:07:03,619for love is from God14000:07:03,619 –> 00:07:08,619and whoever loves has been born of God.14100:07:08,700 –> 00:07:09,899So he’s making this point,14200:07:09,899 –> 00:07:12,700God has given you new life14300:07:12,700 –> 00:07:14,839and the clear sign and evidence14400:07:14,839 –> 00:07:17,339that he has given you this new life14500:07:17,339 –> 00:07:21,260is that you love Christ and that you love his people.14600:07:21,260 –> 00:07:24,339Yes, sure sometimes your love may burn low,14700:07:24,339 –> 00:07:26,559it may not be as strong14800:07:26,559 –> 00:07:28,179or as clear as it should be14900:07:28,200 –> 00:07:29,600but despite all that,15000:07:29,600 –> 00:07:32,600you could stand with the apostle Peter today15100:07:32,600 –> 00:07:34,839and say to the Lord Jesus Christ,15200:07:34,839 –> 00:07:38,899Lord, you know that I love you.15300:07:40,079 –> 00:07:42,339And then John says the same thing about obedience,15400:07:42,339 –> 00:07:44,500chapter two and verse 29.15500:07:44,500 –> 00:07:49,500You may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness15600:07:49,720 –> 00:07:53,119has been born of him.15700:07:53,119 –> 00:07:55,079And you see, he’s saying the same thing again.15800:07:55,079 –> 00:07:57,339God has given you new life.15900:07:57,339 –> 00:07:59,179Here is the evidence, the sign,16000:07:59,179 –> 00:08:02,579the proof that God really has done this in you.16100:08:02,579 –> 00:08:07,260You are seeking to live according to his commandments.16200:08:07,260 –> 00:08:10,079Now, of course, like every other Christian,16300:08:10,079 –> 00:08:12,820you are still a long way from being the person16400:08:12,820 –> 00:08:15,140that God calls you to be.16500:08:15,140 –> 00:08:17,980But truly, there is within your heart today16600:08:17,980 –> 00:08:21,500a hunger and thirst for righteousness.16700:08:21,500 –> 00:08:24,619And the reason that there is a hunger and thirst16800:08:24,619 –> 00:08:26,779for righteousness in your heart today16900:08:26,799 –> 00:08:29,440is that God’s Spirit lives within you.17000:08:29,440 –> 00:08:33,219You have indeed been born again.17100:08:34,320 –> 00:08:37,760Now, these are the signs that John lays out17200:08:37,760 –> 00:08:41,880that are evidence of new life in Jesus Christ.17300:08:41,880 –> 00:08:44,799They are signs that a believer should be able17400:08:44,799 –> 00:08:47,440to see in him or herself.17500:08:47,440 –> 00:08:49,400And they will confirm to you17600:08:49,400 –> 00:08:50,799that you have been born of God.17700:08:50,799 –> 00:08:54,799You believe in God’s son, you love God’s people,17800:08:54,799 –> 00:08:58,580and you seek to obey his commands.17900:08:58,580 –> 00:09:00,219And by the way, I wonder if you noticed18000:09:00,219 –> 00:09:03,080in the verses that were read for us today18100:09:03,080 –> 00:09:06,000that these three are repeated by John yet again.18200:09:06,000 –> 00:09:09,619He repeats these time and again throughout the letter.18300:09:09,619 –> 00:09:11,179Verse 23 of chapter three,18400:09:11,179 –> 00:09:13,039this is his command,18500:09:13,039 –> 00:09:17,219that we believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ18600:09:17,219 –> 00:09:21,059and love one another, just as he has commanded us.18700:09:21,059 –> 00:09:24,539Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God18800:09:24,539 –> 00:09:27,080and God in him.18900:09:27,080 –> 00:09:29,820So these are the signs of new life.19000:09:29,820 –> 00:09:31,820You should draw comfort from every glimpse19100:09:31,820 –> 00:09:33,700that you have of them in your own hearts19200:09:33,700 –> 00:09:35,239and in your own experience.19300:09:36,320 –> 00:09:39,359And these are the things that you should pursue,19400:09:39,359 –> 00:09:41,580go after these things,19500:09:41,580 –> 00:09:46,359because the more these things grow in your life,19600:09:46,359 –> 00:09:49,700the more you will have the peace and joy19700:09:49,700 –> 00:09:53,820of knowing that you really are in Christ19800:09:54,580 –> 00:09:58,400that you really have been born again,19900:09:58,400 –> 00:10:01,580and that one day you really will be20000:10:01,580 –> 00:10:05,500in the Father’s house in heaven.20100:10:07,280 –> 00:10:12,280And what I want us to see is that this assurance,20200:10:12,340 –> 00:10:15,539that’s the central theme of John’s Gospel20300:10:15,539 –> 00:10:20,539assurance is God’s wonderful gift to those who believe.20400:10:21,520 –> 00:10:26,000And it comes to us through the ministry20500:10:26,000 –> 00:10:31,000of God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.20600:10:32,039 –> 00:10:37,039God wants you to know that you know him.20700:10:37,299 –> 00:10:39,380He doesn’t want you to be in doubt about it.20800:10:39,380 –> 00:10:43,599He wants you to know that you are in Christ.20900:10:43,599 –> 00:10:48,599He wants you to know that you really do have eternal life.21000:10:51,159 –> 00:10:55,840And John gives us a glimpse of how the Father,21100:10:55,840 –> 00:11:00,739the Son, and the Holy Spirit minister21200:11:00,739 –> 00:11:04,500into the hearts of a Christian believer21300:11:04,500 –> 00:11:07,239in order to deliver us from doubt21400:11:07,239 –> 00:11:10,020and from fear and to bring us21500:11:10,020 –> 00:11:14,320into joy and peace in believing.21600:11:15,239 –> 00:11:16,460And we’ll look at that glimpse21700:11:16,460 –> 00:11:19,500in just a moment here on Open the Bible.21800:11:19,500 –> 00:11:22,140Our message today is called Assurance Grows21900:11:22,140 –> 00:11:24,260As You Lean on the Word of the Father.22000:11:24,260 –> 00:11:26,500It’s part of our series, How Can I be Sure,22100:11:26,500 –> 00:11:29,039all about assurance of salvation?22200:11:29,039 –> 00:11:31,099And if you’ve missed any of the series so far22300:11:31,099 –> 00:11:33,020or if you want to go back and listen again,22400:11:33,020 –> 00:11:35,739you can do that by coming online to our website,22500:11:35,739 –> 00:11:40,020openthebible.org.uk or finding us as a podcast.22600:11:40,020 –> 00:11:42,179Those are on all the main podcast sites.22700:11:42,179 –> 00:11:43,960Search for Open the Bible UK22800:11:43,960 –> 00:11:46,700or follow the link from our website.22900:11:46,700 –> 00:11:47,900Back to the message now.23000:11:47,940 –> 00:11:52,080We’re in 1 John chapter three and verses 19 to 24.23100:11:53,000 –> 00:11:54,619Here again is Colin.23200:11:54,619 –> 00:11:59,619Today, we’re going to look then at how God, the Father,23300:11:59,700 –> 00:12:04,000assures us that we are His children.23400:12:04,000 –> 00:12:07,299We’re going to see that assurance grows23500:12:07,299 –> 00:12:11,739as we lean on the word of God, the Father.23600:12:12,900 –> 00:12:14,500Now if you have your Bible open23700:12:14,500 –> 00:12:17,880at the verses that have been read for us today,23800:12:17,880 –> 00:12:20,940you will see that John describes here23900:12:20,940 –> 00:12:24,440three conditions of heart.24000:12:24,440 –> 00:12:27,479He speaks about the condemning heart.24100:12:27,479 –> 00:12:32,400Verse 19, whenever our heart condemns us.24200:12:33,419 –> 00:12:38,099Then in the same verse, he speaks about the reassured heart.24300:12:38,099 –> 00:12:41,719By this we shall know that we are of the truth24400:12:41,719 –> 00:12:45,840and reassure our heart before him.24500:12:46,719 –> 00:12:51,719And then in verse 21, he speaks about the confident heart.24600:12:51,780 –> 00:12:55,780If our heart does not condemn us,24700:12:55,780 –> 00:13:00,659we have confidence before God.24800:13:00,659 –> 00:13:02,760And we’re going to look at these three things24900:13:02,760 –> 00:13:04,359together today.25000:13:04,359 –> 00:13:07,280We’re going to begin with the confident heart.25100:13:07,280 –> 00:13:11,219Now, I want to suggest to you that John is describing here25200:13:11,219 –> 00:13:15,159the normal Christian life.25300:13:15,179 –> 00:13:17,580The normal experience25400:13:17,580 –> 00:13:19,940of the Christian life25500:13:19,940 –> 00:13:24,099is that our hearts do not condemn us.25600:13:24,099 –> 00:13:25,539Verse 21.25700:13:25,539 –> 00:13:30,239Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,25800:13:30,239 –> 00:13:33,359we have confidence25900:13:33,359 –> 00:13:34,460before God.26000:13:35,739 –> 00:13:37,760Now I want us to pause and take in26100:13:37,760 –> 00:13:40,859just how good it is to be a Christian.26200:13:41,679 –> 00:13:46,659I mean, there really is no better life than this,26300:13:47,799 –> 00:13:52,059to know that your sins have been forgiven,26400:13:53,440 –> 00:13:58,440to know that God is for you 100% in Jesus Christ,26500:14:01,039 –> 00:14:03,979to be able to say in your worst day,26600:14:03,979 –> 00:14:06,239as well as your best,26700:14:06,239 –> 00:14:09,340no condemnation now I dread26800:14:09,380 –> 00:14:13,900because Jesus and all in him is mine,26900:14:14,940 –> 00:14:19,440to know that whatever may happen27000:14:19,440 –> 00:14:23,380in this very uncertain world,27100:14:23,380 –> 00:14:27,320you are only a very short distance from your eternal home27200:14:27,320 –> 00:14:29,880where you will see God’s face27300:14:29,880 –> 00:14:32,580and he will wipe all tears away from your eyes27400:14:32,580 –> 00:14:34,700and you will rejoice forevermore27500:14:34,700 –> 00:14:37,359in the glory of his presence.27600:14:37,400 –> 00:14:41,739This is the peace that God wants you to enjoy.27700:14:41,739 –> 00:14:45,400It is the normal experience of the Christian life27800:14:45,400 –> 00:14:49,440that our hearts do not condemn us.27900:14:50,840 –> 00:14:55,359And then John says, describing the Christian life,28000:14:55,359 –> 00:14:57,599that we have confidence before God.28100:14:57,599 –> 00:14:58,599Look at what he says,28200:14:58,599 –> 00:15:00,880beloved if our heart does not condemn us28300:15:00,880 –> 00:15:04,760we have confidence before God.28400:15:04,760 –> 00:15:07,820I wonder how you relate to that word confidence.28500:15:07,820 –> 00:15:08,940You feel confident?28600:15:09,739 –> 00:15:13,000Some people are more confident than others28700:15:13,000 –> 00:15:14,640in relation to their work.28800:15:15,900 –> 00:15:18,580Some people are more confident than others28900:15:18,580 –> 00:15:21,440in regards to relationships.29000:15:22,940 –> 00:15:27,940But here, John speaks about confidence before God.29100:15:30,080 –> 00:15:32,039I mean how amazing is that?29200:15:33,020 –> 00:15:36,280God will destroy the wicked.29300:15:38,000 –> 00:15:42,440The Bible tells us that God will melt the Earth29400:15:42,440 –> 00:15:44,219with fervent heat,29500:15:45,559 –> 00:15:50,559but as a Christian believer, you can say with confidence29600:15:50,659 –> 00:15:54,599that the terrors of law and of God with me29700:15:54,599 –> 00:15:56,320shall have nothing to do29800:15:56,320 –> 00:15:59,559because my savior’s obedience and blood29900:16:00,020 –> 00:16:04,200hide all my transgressions from view.30000:16:05,260 –> 00:16:08,359The normal experience of the Christian life30100:16:08,359 –> 00:16:11,919is that you are able to say, it is well with my soul.30200:16:11,919 –> 00:16:13,840Isn’t that good news?30300:16:13,840 –> 00:16:16,760That’s the normal experience of the Christian life,30400:16:16,760 –> 00:16:18,359that you’re able to say and to know30500:16:18,359 –> 00:16:20,359that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ,30600:16:20,359 –> 00:16:23,080that God’s spirit really lives within you,30700:16:23,080 –> 00:16:24,840that you have peace with God,30800:16:24,840 –> 00:16:28,239that you have confidence before him.30900:16:29,059 –> 00:16:31,780And then John reminds us as he lays out31000:16:31,780 –> 00:16:33,940how good it is to be a Christian,31100:16:35,080 –> 00:16:36,940he reminds us that the normal experience31200:16:36,940 –> 00:16:39,859of the Christian life is that God answers our prayers.31300:16:40,940 –> 00:16:43,140Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us,31400:16:43,140 –> 00:16:45,479we have confidence before God31500:16:45,479 –> 00:16:50,479and whatever we ask, we receive from him.31600:16:51,679 –> 00:16:53,979Now the point of course here is that31700:16:54,179 –> 00:16:59,179as you believe and love and obey God,31800:17:02,159 –> 00:17:05,079the things that you ask of him31900:17:05,079 –> 00:17:09,800will enlarge measure be aligned with his will.32000:17:09,800 –> 00:17:12,020And when the things that you ask of God32100:17:12,020 –> 00:17:17,020are aligned with his will, you will receive what you ask.32200:17:18,819 –> 00:17:20,719Now, every Christian knows what it is32300:17:20,719 –> 00:17:24,739to ask something of God and not to receive it,32400:17:24,739 –> 00:17:26,599but surely we can agree together today32500:17:26,599 –> 00:17:30,680that the normal experience of the Christian life32600:17:30,680 –> 00:17:33,000is that God answers our prayers.32700:17:33,000 –> 00:17:35,479How good is that?32800:17:35,479 –> 00:17:38,640We ask and we receive.32900:17:39,739 –> 00:17:40,599And then John says,33000:17:40,599 –> 00:17:42,420the normal experience a Christian life33100:17:42,420 –> 00:17:45,079is that we live according to God’s commands.33200:17:45,079 –> 00:17:47,439Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us,33300:17:47,439 –> 00:17:49,000we have confidence before God33400:17:49,180 –> 00:17:51,020and then whatever we ask we receive from him33500:17:51,020 –> 00:17:55,359because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.33600:17:55,359 –> 00:17:58,199So you see, John keeps coming back to this life33700:17:58,199 –> 00:18:00,239that God has called us to live.33800:18:00,239 –> 00:18:03,319Believing God, loving God, obeying God’s commands,33900:18:03,319 –> 00:18:04,800that’s the life to which we’re called,34000:18:04,800 –> 00:18:08,660and here he reminds us that as we pursue this life,34100:18:08,660 –> 00:18:13,660assurance will grow and peace will prevail.34200:18:13,800 –> 00:18:18,000So here is a very wonderful description34300:18:18,000 –> 00:18:21,579of the normal experience of the Christian life.34400:18:22,439 –> 00:18:25,660Pursue this life to which God has called you34500:18:25,660 –> 00:18:28,359and these blessings will be yours.34600:18:28,359 –> 00:18:30,359Your heart will not condemn you.34700:18:31,319 –> 00:18:34,699You will have confidence even before Almighty God34800:18:35,719 –> 00:18:40,280and God will hear and answer your prayers.34900:18:41,680 –> 00:18:46,680But there’s more and here John addresses35000:18:48,359 –> 00:18:53,359a very real problem that all Christians deal with sometimes35100:18:55,900 –> 00:18:58,319and some Christians deal with often35200:19:00,020 –> 00:19:03,979and that is the problem of the condemning heart.35300:19:04,880 –> 00:19:06,800Notice what he says in verse 19.35400:19:07,680 –> 00:19:09,760By this we shall know that we are of the truth35500:19:09,760 –> 00:19:12,339and reassured our heart before him35600:19:12,339 –> 00:19:17,339for whenever our heart condemns us35700:19:18,900 –> 00:19:23,439God is greater than our heart and he is everything.35800:19:23,439 –> 00:19:25,160The normal experience of the Christian life35900:19:25,160 –> 00:19:27,599is that our heart does not condemn us36000:19:29,140 –> 00:19:31,500but John, writing to Christian believers,36100:19:31,500 –> 00:19:33,859makes it very clear that sometimes36200:19:33,859 –> 00:19:36,339our heart will condemn us.36300:19:37,520 –> 00:19:39,859And notice that John does not say if,36400:19:39,859 –> 00:19:41,060he says when.36500:19:41,060 –> 00:19:43,219He’s writing to Christian believers36600:19:44,199 –> 00:19:49,239And he says whenever our heart condemns us.36700:19:50,239 –> 00:19:52,939So if you have had this experience you’re not alone.36800:19:52,939 –> 00:19:55,520This is not an unusual thing.36900:19:55,520 –> 00:19:59,219It’s a real problem that John is addressing37000:19:59,219 –> 00:20:01,359for us here today.37100:20:02,420 –> 00:20:05,479Now to be clear, some believers will deal37200:20:05,479 –> 00:20:07,079with this problem of a condemning37300:20:07,079 –> 00:20:09,859heart more than others.37400:20:09,859 –> 00:20:13,140There are several different reasons for that.37500:20:13,180 –> 00:20:15,380One is that some of us are simply37600:20:15,380 –> 00:20:18,939more introspective than others.37700:20:19,939 –> 00:20:24,020Some of us set more demanding standards37800:20:24,020 –> 00:20:26,819for ourselves than others.37900:20:27,939 –> 00:20:30,760And some live with more sins38000:20:30,760 –> 00:20:36,079that have not yet been forsaken than others.38100:20:36,199 –> 00:20:38,140But when all of that is said and done,38200:20:38,140 –> 00:20:40,780most Christians know what it is38300:20:40,819 –> 00:20:44,180at some time or other in our lives38400:20:45,420 –> 00:20:48,760to look into our own hearts and to say,38500:20:50,099 –> 00:20:55,099how could a person who has thought what I have thought38600:20:56,979 –> 00:20:59,260and said what I have said38700:21:00,459 –> 00:21:02,339and done what I have done38800:21:02,339 –> 00:21:05,180really be a Christian?38900:21:06,040 –> 00:21:10,900Could it be that I am, in fact, deceiving myself39000:21:12,619 –> 00:21:15,579and that the truth is not in me?39100:21:16,699 –> 00:21:19,060And if you recognize that kind of thought39200:21:19,060 –> 00:21:21,119or something of a similar sort,39300:21:21,119 –> 00:21:25,859you’re recognizing the reality of the condemning heart.39400:21:25,859 –> 00:21:29,619And John says whenever that happens,39500:21:29,619 –> 00:21:33,319he’s addressing that problem39600:21:33,359 –> 00:21:37,219that all of us at some time are likely to face.39700:21:38,719 –> 00:21:40,060You’ve been listening to Open The Bible39800:21:40,060 –> 00:21:41,599with Pastor Colin Smith,39900:21:41,599 –> 00:21:43,920looking today at the confident heart40000:21:43,920 –> 00:21:45,479and the condemning heart,40100:21:45,479 –> 00:21:48,680and next time we’ll take a look at the reassured heart.40200:21:48,680 –> 00:21:50,859So I hope you’ll join us for that broadcast.40300:21:50,859 –> 00:21:53,079A message is called Assurance Grows40400:21:53,079 –> 00:21:55,359as you lean on the word of the father.40500:21:55,359 –> 00:21:56,920And it’s part of our series,40600:21:56,920 –> 00:22:01,040How Can I Be Sure, all about assurance of salvation.40700:22:01,040 –> 00:22:02,959And if you’ve missed any of the messages40800:22:02,959 –> 00:22:04,920in the series or if you ever want to go back40900:22:04,920 –> 00:22:06,020and listen to them again,41000:22:06,020 –> 00:22:07,479they’re all up on our website,41100:22:07,479 –> 00:22:10,380openthebible.org.uk,41200:22:10,380 –> 00:22:12,560and available as a podcast.41300:22:12,560 –> 00:22:15,859You can find those by searching for Open The Bible UK41400:22:15,859 –> 00:22:18,079or follow the link from our website.41500:22:19,000 –> 00:22:20,839Also on our website and available as41600:22:20,839 –> 00:22:23,520a podcast is Open The Bible Daily.41700:22:23,520 –> 00:22:26,079It’s a series of short two to three minute41800:22:26,079 –> 00:22:29,160daily reflections based on Pastor Colin’s teaching41900:22:29,160 –> 00:22:31,800and read in the UK by Sue MacLeish.42000:22:31,800 –> 00:22:35,199Many Christians find it’s a brilliant way to start the day.42100:22:35,199 –> 00:22:39,079That’s at openthebible.org.uk42200:22:39,079 –> 00:22:41,479Open The Bible is supported by our listeners,42300:22:41,479 –> 00:22:44,739it’s you who keep us on the air and on the internet,42400:22:44,739 –> 00:22:47,140but it’s not just Open The Bible programming42500:22:47,140 –> 00:22:48,199you’re supporting.42600:22:48,199 –> 00:22:51,660Here’s Open The Bible’s executive director John Martin42700:22:51,660 –> 00:22:53,920with a new Open The Bible initiative,42800:22:53,920 –> 00:22:56,180taking the good news of Jesus Christ42900:22:56,180 –> 00:22:58,199to prisoners in UK prisons.43000:22:58,199 –> 00:22:59,839Listeners might be interested to know43100:22:59,880 –> 00:23:02,479where some of the donations to Open The Bible go.43200:23:02,479 –> 00:23:03,780So through a mutual friend43300:23:03,780 –> 00:23:05,739I got to know Gaius Fillingham,43400:23:05,739 –> 00:23:09,199who is the CEO of Daylight Christian Prison Trust43500:23:09,199 –> 00:23:10,859or Daylight for short.43600:23:10,859 –> 00:23:13,979And Gaius and I were talking about some of the resources43700:23:13,979 –> 00:23:15,359that Open The Bible has.43800:23:15,359 –> 00:23:19,180I mentioned Colin has this first person account43900:23:19,180 –> 00:23:20,920of the story of the thief on the Cross,44000:23:20,920 –> 00:23:22,479heaven how I got here.44100:23:22,479 –> 00:23:26,020That was a story that was relevant to prisoners obviously.44200:23:26,020 –> 00:23:28,859I mentioned that the book had actually been produced44300:23:28,859 –> 00:23:32,239as a one hour, one actor filmed performance44400:23:32,239 –> 00:23:35,780and that was available and would that be of use in prisons?44500:23:35,780 –> 00:23:40,300So we produced a prison edition of heaven how I got here,44600:23:40,300 –> 00:23:42,380the story of the thief on the Cross.44700:23:42,380 –> 00:23:45,199150 DVDs were produced.44800:23:45,199 –> 00:23:47,380We did it as a prison edition whereby we had44900:23:47,380 –> 00:23:50,439Open The Bible and Daylight logos on there45000:23:50,439 –> 00:23:54,060and Colin recorded a bespoke little epilogue45100:23:54,060 –> 00:23:55,780to address the prisoners,45200:23:55,780 –> 00:23:57,800point them to the prison chaplain45300:23:57,880 –> 00:23:59,739and encourage them to speak to their chaplains45400:23:59,739 –> 00:24:01,319to get more literature.45500:24:01,319 –> 00:24:05,000We’ve heard from prison chaplains who said the video,45600:24:05,000 –> 00:24:07,479the film has been well received.45700:24:07,479 –> 00:24:09,920We printed a whole load of little booklets45800:24:09,920 –> 00:24:12,479about how to get into heaven,45900:24:12,479 –> 00:24:14,479how they can respond themselves46000:24:14,479 –> 00:24:17,880and those again were distributed with the DVDs46100:24:17,880 –> 00:24:18,920and there’s a whole load more46200:24:18,920 –> 00:24:20,719that can be requested for free.46300:24:20,719 –> 00:24:22,920So donations towards Open the Bible46400:24:22,920 –> 00:24:26,160can be sent directly into that Ministry.46500:24:26,160 –> 00:24:28,400If you’d like to support the work of Open the Bible46600:24:28,400 –> 00:24:30,280generally or our work in prison46700:24:30,280 –> 00:24:32,959in association with Daylight specifically46800:24:32,959 –> 00:24:35,239you can do that online at our website,46900:24:35,239 –> 00:24:38,140openthebible.org.uk47000:24:38,140 –> 00:24:41,680Use the donate button and enter your email address.47100:24:41,680 –> 00:24:44,920On the next page, select between the general fund,47200:24:44,920 –> 00:24:47,219our monthly free offer for New Givers47300:24:47,219 –> 00:24:50,459or Prison Ministry in association with Daylight.47400:24:50,459 –> 00:24:52,939Thanks so much in advance for your support47500:24:52,939 –> 00:24:55,000of the work of Open the Bible.47600:24:55,000 –> 00:24:57,439For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith47700:24:57,439 –> 00:24:58,479I’m David Pick47800:24:58,479 –> 00:25:03,400and I hope you’ll join us again next time47900:25:07,079 –> 00:25:08,699Here’s a problem that all Christians48000:25:08,699 –> 00:25:10,140have to deal with sometimes48100:25:10,140 –> 00:25:12,959and some Christians deal with often48200:25:12,959 –> 00:25:15,660the problem of the condemning heart48300:25:15,660 –> 00:25:17,339That’s next time on Open the Bible
