Discipleship In The Light: 1 John 2:18-27

Discipleship in the  light: 1 John 2:18-27

     Christian Assurance

          Doctrine (vv. 18-23)

          Behavioral Transformation  (vv. 24-25)

          Internal Witness (v. 20, 26-27)

          External Witness

     Abide in Him!

Discipleship Group Questions

Launching Questions

• Read 1 John 2:18-27 aloud together. What stands out to you from this passage? What do you remember most from Sunday’s teaching?
• If someone were to ask you, “how can I really know that I’m a Christian?”, how would you answer them?

Encourage

• Consider the four categories of Christian assurance we discussed on Sunday (doctrine, behavioral transformation, internal witness and external witness). Which has been most powerfully active in your own story (ie—which category has provided the greatest sense of assurance in your own life)? For those who aren’t followers of Jesus, what evidence might you have of God’s pursuit of you in this season of life?

Challenge

• Which of the four categories above feels most lacking in your life? Why might that be the case? Take the risk of asking whether this might be an indication of a lack of genuine faith or some other lack in your life. Respond to one another as you answer this difficult and vulnerable question.
• End your time by praying into the categories where you currently are most lacking a sense of God’s assurance. Pray also for wisdom to discern authentic assurance from both its counterfeit and from self-condemnation.