ABIDING IN CHRIST :I JOHN 2:24-29

INTRODUCTION

There are seven test that one really knows God;

1. keeping God’s commandments. (2:3-6)
2. Loving one’s neighbor. (2:7-11)
3. Growing spiritually (2:12-14)
4. Loving not the world .(2:15-17
5. Guarding against the Antichrist.(2:18-23)
6. Letting the gospel abide in you. (2:28-29)
7. Abiding in Christ (2:28-29)

Today we are discussing test 6 & 7.

Let us learn :-

I.    LETTING THE GOSPEL ABIDE IN YOU ( I John 2:24-27)

1. The Test : Does The Gospel Abide in you ? (v.24)

• What we heard from the beginning is the gospel.
• The message of the gospel

* The gospel of Jesus Christ

* The gospel of the truth, of the word of God itself (V.21)

* The gospel of the apostolic message (I Cor.15:1-4)

* The gospel of salvation (Titus 2:11-14)

If the gospel abide in you, you also shall continue in the Son and in the Father.

• To abide means (Meneto) to abide, to dwell, remain.
• To abide is to continue to live in the Son in the Father.

2. There is the promise of eternal life. (2:25)

• Eternal life is the supreme promise of God to you.
• Once a person believes in Jesus in Jesus Christ, he has eternal life. (John 3:14-15,5:24, 11:25-26, Rom.5:21, I John 5:11-12)

3. Do not be seduced to leave Jesus Christ (2:26)

• Guard against false teaching

4. There is the provision of God to protect us (2:27)

• The Holy Spirit is the anointing – He abides in us.
• The Holy Spirit is the one who teaches us the truth.
• The Holy Spirit seals us and guarantees and assures us that we do abide in Christ (Rom.8:16-17, 2 Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:13-14, Eph. 4:30)

II. ABIDING IN CHRIST (I JOHN 2:28-29)

1. Abiding in Christ means to dwell, continue, stay, sojourn, rest in or upon. It means to be at home in Christ, to be permanently settled in Christ. (I John 4:15-16)
2. The purpose of abiding in Christ is that we may have confidence, and not be ashamed, when Christ comes.

• Jesus Christ is coming again (Mt.16:27, 25:31-32, Jude 14-15, Rev.20:12)
• Our task as believers is to be prepared for the return of Christ.
• We have “Confidence”-Boldness, assurance
• We are not to be “ashamed” when Christ returns to earth (I Cor.3:12-16, II Cor.5:10)

3. The proof of abiding in Christ is living a righteous life. (Matt.7:16-18, 12:35)

• The person who lives a righteous life is the person who abides in Christ . (I John 2:29)

CONCLUSION.

¨ Let the gospel abide in you eternally.

¨ Let Jesus Christ abide in you as you abide in Him eternally.