Authentic Faith (Part 1)
Life in the Abbey — Week 7
Speaker: Pastor Jason Parrish
Text: 1 John 5:1–13
Introduction: Is It Cake?
This week, Pastor Jason opened with a simple but brilliant picture drawn from the show Is It Cake?—where incredibly realistic objects are sliced open to reveal whether they’re real or just cake.
The point lands hard: the only way to know what something truly is… is to cut into it. The same goes for faith.
Many believers, whether brand new to Christianity or decades in, wrestle with the same question:
Is my faith authentic?
In this section of his letter, John isn’t vague, mystical, or abstract. He is shockingly concrete. For John, authentic faith has texture, substance, shape, motive, and evidence. It moves a certain way. Sounds a certain way. Loves a certain way.
And in 1 John 5:1–13, John gives the church a diagnostic tool. A spiritual knife that reveals whether faith is genuine—or if it’s “cake.”
This message is Part 1 of Pastor Jason’s teaching on Authentic Faith. John outlines five truths about authentic faith, but this week we focus only on the first two.
1. Authentic Faith Begins With Jesus
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God…” — 1 John 5:1
John’s first claim is unmistakable: faith doesn’t begin with us. It begins with Jesus.
Faith is born, not manufactured.
Many of us try to muster faith from emotion, fear, crisis, or effort. But John insists: faith has its beginning and its end in Jesus Himself. It’s not rooted in circumstances, personality traits, or human ability—it flows from the truth revealed in Christ.
Theologian Howard Marshall explains:
“John’s aim is to show the evidence that a person stands in relationship to God: that evidence is holding to the true faith about Jesus.”
Faith is generated by God because truth is found in God. Since faith is a response to truth, and truth belongs to God, authentic faith rises in us because of who Jesus is.
Peter on the Water: Faith That Begins With Jesus
In Matthew 14:22–30, Peter steps onto the water not because he psyched himself up, but because Jesus said one word: “Come.”
Peter’s faith began in Jesus’ command and Jesus’ authority.
Fear-driven faith—“the world is ending,” “you’re going to hell,” “we’re dying in this storm”—may stir emotion, but it does not produce authentic, durable faith.
Authentic faith begins with Jesus—His identity, His authority, His truth.
2. Authentic Faith Is Obedient Faith
“This is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God and obey His commands…” — 1 John 5:2–3
John now ties authentic faith directly to obedience.
For John:
- Loving God = worship.
- Obeying God = ordering life around Him.
- Loving others = the overflow of worship and obedience.
This echoes Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:35–40:
“All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commands…”
Everything Hangs on Loving God and Loving Others
Pastor Jason illustrated it with shirts on a hanger:
Jesus doesn’t suspend the entire law on “love others”—He suspends it on two realities:
- Love God most.
- Love others well.
When life is organized around loving God (worship + obedience), then love for others becomes pure, grounded, and rightly ordered. All when we do that, all the other commandments become clear because they teach us how to love God and love others properly.
Not a Burden
John says obedience is “not a burden.”
John Stott puts it clearly:
“Love for God is not an emotional experience so much as a moral commitment.”
And Daniel Akin adds:
“True faith always leads to love for God and others, and true love always results in obedience.”
Edmond Hiebert calls this kind of faith:
“love‑prompted obedience.”
This kind of obedience is not crushing. It’s not oppressive. It is Spirit‑empowered, grace‑filled, and evidence of genuine relationship with Jesus.
Conclusion (Part 1)
Authentic faith isn’t a vibe, a feeling, or a mystical energy. John teaches that authentic faith:
- Begins with Jesus, not with us.
- Expresses itself through obedience, rooted in love.
Next week we’ll continue with John’s remaining markers of authentic faith—persevering faith, authoritative testimony, and confident assurance.
For today, John leaves us with a simple mirror:
Does my faith begin with Jesus, and is my life organized by His commands?
Reflection Question:
Where have you tried to manufacture faith instead of rooting it in Jesus Himself?
Prayer Prompt:
Lord, let my faith begin with You and be shaped by loving obedience. Strip away what’s artificial and make my faith genuine, steady, and anchored in Christ.
