255. Life Proved By Love.

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. - 1 John 3:14.

THE spiritual things which we speak of are matters of knowledge. John, in almost every verse of this epistle, uses the words "we know."

The philosophical distinction between believing and knowing is mere theory. "We know and have believed."

I. WE KNOW THAT WE WERE DEAD.

1. We were without feeling when law and gospel were addressing us.

2. Without hunger and thirst after righteousness.

3. Without power of movement towards God in repentance.

4. Without the breath of prayer or pulse of desire.

5. With signs of corruption; some of them most offensive.

II. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE UNDERGONE A SINGULAR CHANGE.

1. The reverse of the natural change from life to death.

2. No more easy to describe than the death change would be.

3. This change varies in each case as to its outward phenomena, but it is essentially the same in all.

4. As a general rule its course is as follows—

· It commences with painful sensations.

· It leads to a sad discovery of our natural weakness.

· It is made manifest by personal faith in Jesus.

· It operates on the man by repentance and purification.

· It is continued by perseverance in sanctification.

· It is completed in joy, infinite, eternal.

5. The period of this change is an era to be looked back upon in time and through eternity with grateful praise.

III. WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE.

1. We know that we are not under condemnation.

2. We know that faith has given us new senses, grasping a new world, enjoying a realm of spiritual things.

3. We know that we have new hopes, fears, desires, delights, etc.

4. We know that we have been introduced into new surroundings and a new spiritual society: God, saints, angels, etc.5. We know that we have new needs; such as heavenly breath, food, instruction, correction, etc.

6. We know that this life guarantees eternal bliss.

IV. WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE, BECAUSE WE LOVE. "We love the brethren."

1. We love them for Christ's sake.

2. We love them for the truth's sake.

3. We love them for their own sake.

4. We love them when the world hates them.

5. We love their company, their example, their exhortations.

6. We love them despite the drawbacks of infirmity, inferiority, etc.

Let us prove our love by our generosity.

Thus shall we supply ourselves with growing evidences of grace.