I John 2:28-3:3 Tests for Christians. Do you abide in Christ? Do you practice righteousness? Who knows you? Are you a child of God? Are you pure, just as He is pure? What is your identity?

1. Tests For
Christians #2
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The Test of
Identity

2. 1 John 2:28-3:3 And now, little children, abide in
Him, that when He appears, we may have
confidence and not be ashamed before Him at
His coming. [29] If you know that He is righteous,
you know that everyone who practices
righteousness is born of Him. [3:1] Behold what
manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we should be called children of God!
Therefore the world does not know us, because it
did not know Him. [2] Beloved, now we are
children of God; and it has not yet been revealed
what we shall be, but we know that when He is
revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see
Him as He is. [3] And everyone who has this
hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

3. IDENTIFICATION
A. Identity!
1. Guilt by association? - 1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts
good habits."
2. Innocence by association? – “Good company
promotes good habits.”
3. Character references.
B. Identifying Ourselves With Christ!
1. Not our religious jewelry
2. Not our religious associations
3. Not our religious knowledge, (except like 1
John 2:3)
4. A simple test will do: 1 John 2:28-3:3

4. I. DO YOU ABIDE IN CHRIST?
A. 1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him,
that when He appears, we may have confidence and
not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
B. Abide = dwell with, remain with.
C. John 15:4-8 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5
I am
the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in
Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me
you can do nothing. 6
If anyone does not abide in
Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and
they gather them and throw them into the fire, and
they are burned. 7
If you abide in Me, and My words
abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it
shall be done for you. 8
By this My Father is
glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My
disciples.

5. I. DO YOU ABIDE IN CHRIST?
D. 1 John 4:12-16 No one has seen God at any time.
If we love one another, God abides in us, and
His love has been perfected in us. 13
By this we
know that we abide in Him, and He in us,
because He has given us of His Spirit. 14
And we
have seen and testify that the Father has sent
the Son as Savior of the world. 15
Whoever
confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God
abides in him, and he in God. 16
And we have
known and believed the love that God has for
us. God is love, and he who abides in love
abides in God, and God in him.
E. Our identity is determined by who we spend
time with, where we abide.

6. II. DO YOU PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS?
A. 1 John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous,
you know that everyone who practices
righteousness is born of Him.
B. Practice (“does”)
1. Not “practice” like a piano: what they play.
2. But, “practice” like a Doctor: what they do!
C. Put it into Practice!
1. Everyone who “PRACTICES” righteousness if
born of God.
2. For what are we created? “Good works” Ephes.
2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand that we should walk in
them.

7. II. DO YOU PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS?
D. Who we are is determined by what we do.
1. If we “say” --vs.-- if we “walk” - 1 John
1:6-7 If we say that we have
fellowship with Him, and walk in
darkness, we lie and do not practice the
truth. [7] But if we walk in the light as
He is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from
all sin.

8. II. DO YOU PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS?
D. Who we are is determined by what we do.
2. Jesus’ story of the father and 2 sons - Matthew
21:28-32 "But what do you think? A man had
two sons, and he came to the first and said,
'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' [29] He
answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he
regretted it and went. [30] Then he came to the
second and said likewise. And he answered and
said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. [31] Which of
the two did the will of his father?" They said to
Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly,
I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter
the kingdom of God before you.
a. One said, “I will not,” but repents and works
b. The second said, “I go, sir,” but does not go.

9. II. DO YOU PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS?
D. Who we are is determined by what we do.
3. Do we have faith if we do not have works?
No. - James 2:17-20 Thus also faith by
itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18
But someone will say, "You have faith,
and I have works." Show me your faith
without your works, and I will show you
my faith by my works. 19
You believe that
there is one God. You do well. Even the
demons believe--and tremble! 20
But do
you want to know, O foolish man, that
faith without works is dead?

10. II. DO YOU PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS?
D. Who we are is determined by what we do.
1. Are we God’s children if we act like the
Devil? No. - John 8:44 You are of your father
the devil, and the desires of your father you
want to do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not stand in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he
speaks a lie, he speaks from his own
resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
2. You are identified by your deeds. Do you
Practice righteousness? - Matthew 7:20
Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

11. III. WHO KNOWS YOU?
A.1 John 3:1 - Behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on us, that we
should be called children of God!
Therefore the world does not know us,
because it did not know Him.
B.“Not what you know but who you know &
who knows you?”

12. III. WHO KNOWS YOU?
C. Who Jesus knows
1. Matthew 7:23 - “I never knew you, workers
of iniquity!”
2. Matthew 10:32 - “Whoever confesses me
before men, I will confess before my father.”
3. James 4:4 - Do you not know that friendship
with the world is enmity with God? Whoever
therefore wants to be a friend of the world
makes himself an enemy of God.
4. “I thought I knew you!”
5. “I know him, he would (or wouldn’t) do it

13. III. WHO KNOWS YOU?
D. Know God and be known BY God!
1. “Who is my mother and who are my
brethren?” “The one who does the will
of my Father.” Matthew 12:48, 50
2. You don’t know God unless you obey
him.
3. God doesn’t know you unless you obey
him.
E. We are identified by who knows us. Do
you know God? Does GOD Know You?

14. IV. ARE YOU A CHILD OF GOD?
A. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God;
and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be,
but we know that when He is revealed, we shall
be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
B. As born into the family. - John 3:3-5 Jesus
answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say
to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God." 4
Nicodemus said to Him,
"How can a man be born when he is old? Can he
enter a second time into his mother's womb and
be born?" 5
Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I
say to you, unless one is born of water and the
Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

15. IV. ARE YOU A CHILD OF GOD?
C.As a new life - Romans 6:3-5 Or do you
not know that as many of us as were
baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized
into His death? 4
therefore we were buried
with Him through baptism into death, that
just as Christ was raised from the dead by
the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life. 5
for if we
have been united together in the likeness
of His death, certainly we also shall be in
the likeness of His resurrection,

16. IV. ARE YOU A CHILD OF GOD?
D. As being like our Father - Ephesians 5:1
Therefore be imitators of God as dear
children.
E. As obedient children - 1 Peter 1:14-15 As
obedient children, not conforming
yourselves to the former lusts, as in your
ignorance; 15
but as He who called you is
holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
F. We are identified by who our father is.
John’s son = Johnson; David’s son =
Davidson etc.

17. V. ARE YOU PURE JUST AS HE IS PURE?
A.1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this
hope in Him purifies himself, just as He
is pure.
B.Perfecting holiness - 2 Corinthians 7:1
Therefore, having these promises,
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from
all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
C.Holiness is necessary - Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with all people, and
holiness, without which no one will see
the Lord:

18. V. ARE YOU PURE JUST AS HE IS PURE?
D.Holiness takes diligence - 2 Peter 3:14
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to
these things, be diligent to be found by
Him in peace, without spot and
blameless;
E. We are identified by our purity.
F. Are You Pure Like Jesus?

19. WHAT IS YOUR IDENTITY?
A. Are you abiding in Jesus?
B. Do you practice righteousness?
C. Does Jesus “know” you or does the
world know you?
D. Are you a child of God?
E. Are you pure as he is pure?
F. Who are you really?
G. Who do you identify with?