1 John 4:7 – Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
THEME OF THE DAY: THE CHIEF CHARACTERISTIC IN A CHILD OF GOD. All Christians long for assurance they are true Christians and children of God. Rightly so for assurance is the privilege of every true child of God, but assurance often ebbs and flows in our lives. Some more than others, but no Christian is doubt-free in this life. Charles Spurgeon was quite insightful when he said, “Doubt the Christian who never doubts.” No Christian maintains complete assurance every day of their Christian experience. And we should not be surprised if those fiery doubts are hurled our way. The devil attacks our assurance with vengeance. He knows if Christians are plagued with doubts of their salvation, they will live in joyless turmoil and lack a bold, confident sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Basically persistent doubts create spiritual paralysis in the child of God. A good reminder of this battle within ourselves against assurance is found in our confession of faith, “The London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689, chapter eighteen, paragraph four.” It reads . . .
“True believers may have the assurance of their salvation in different ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some special sin which wounds the conscience and grieves the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation, by God’s withdrawing the light of his countenance, and allowing even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light, yet are they never destitute of the seed of God and life of faith, that love of Christ and of other believers, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived, and by the which, in the meantime, they are preserved from utter despair” (Song of Solomon 5:2, 3, 6; Psalms 51:8, 12, 14; Psalms 116:11; Psalms 77:7, 8; Psalms 31:22; Psalms 30:7; 1 John 3:9; Luke 22:32; Psalms 42:5, 11; Lamentations 3:26-31).
There are many aspects of the confession which encourage us about assurance; the seed of God, life of faith, sincerity of heart, and consciousness of our duty are some of the evidences we may discover within us bringing assurance. But the chief mark brought out in the confession and today’s scripture is love; love for Christ and other believers. In fact, it is the chief characteristic in a true child of God. When doubts come and they will, cling to this piece of evidence for it will lift up the dark clouds of doubt and lack of assurance. The evidence being our love for Christ and other believers.
When the devil darkens our assurance, immediately ask ourselves this question, “Do I love being with God’s people seeking God’s face, learning His truth, worshipping His Person and mutually serving one another?” If we can honestly look to heaven and answer, “Without question, I would rather be with God’s people centered on the things of God than being with anyone else or doing any other thing”, then, beloved, we have the authority and assurance from God’s Word we are His child. The Apostle John writes, “Let us love one another for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” When the Spirit of God dwells in a person so is the love of God. And that love always manifests itself toward God’s people. It is a love that drives us to be spiritually involved with one another; a love that creates a longing to be together in the things of God; a love that takes the longing and turns it into sacrificial practice motivated by delight. Yes, the chief characteristic in a child of God that brings assurance is our love for Christ and one another; a love bringing us together consistently and often in the things of the God who is love.
PRAYER: “Father, help me see the most important characteristic found in Your children is love; for You and Your people.”
QUOTE: “Love is the mark in God’s children and it is a love of action and investment in people, especially God’s people.”