Blog Archives

That You May Know

10/25/2020

This is the manuscript for the fourteenth and final sermon in a series of messages from John’s first epistle “The Counsel of a Spiritual Father to His Children.”

I John 5:13 NKJV These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

In the closing verses of John’s epistle, he revealed four things we can know for certain.

1. Our salvation is secure.
2. We can be sure that our prayers will be answered.
3. We are able to intercede for others
4. We are victorious in spite of the power and harassment of Satan

For an audio recording of the sermon click the YouTube link at the end of this manuscript.

You can see the entire service from OCTOBER 25, 2020 on the Christ Church YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/I5B8xXzbpGc

Scripture

I John 5:13‭-‬21 NKJV These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Text:

I John 5:13 NKJV These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Introduction
The spiritual leaders who, through the generations, have consistently pointed people to God have been those who possessed an unshakable faith in God, in his Word, and in his promises. They knew the God whom they served; they believed in him; and when they spoke they communicated that confidence and assurance to others.

Genuine Christianity is based on a “we know” relationship with God. John uses the phrase “we know" or "we may know", or "you may know" throughout his letter.

I John 2:3 NKJV Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

I John 2:5 NKJV But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

I John 2:18 NKJV Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

I John 4:13 NKJV By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

And he uses this phrase throughout the scripture that we just read, 1 John 5:13-21. We could also use the term “we know so”.

We know certain things about Jesus, so, or there”fore, certain things are true.

In the closing verses of John’s epistle, he revealed four things we can know for certain and like him we should have no hesitation; here was a man who knew and knew that he knew, and so can we.

Here are the four things that John revealed that we know that we know.

Our salvation is secure.
We can be sure that our prayers will be answered.
We are able to intercede for others
We are victorious in spite of the power and harassment of Satan

I. John’s first revelation is our eternal safekeeping. Our salvation is secure (1 John 5:13).

Let’s go back to John’s gospel. At the end of it he declared his purpose in writing it.

John 20:30‭-‬31 NKJV And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

In his gospel, when you read it you will see that John showed how a person can receive eternal life by believing that Jesus is the Christ.

His gospel shows how we can receive it, this letter, 1 John, was written so that we will have no doubt that we have eternal life through Christ.

I John 5:13 NKJV These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

To the people whom John originally wrote his letters, these words were light to people living in a world of pagan darkness.

“Light” is a favorite word of John’s—used not only in this letter, but also in his gospel. He saw God and light as inseparable. He literally illuminated his letters and gospel with light as again and again he used that symbolism for God and truth.

John 1:1‭-‬5 NKJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

I John 1:5‭-‬7 NKJV This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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.

The believers in those days were surrounded by people whose lives were saturated with mythology and superstition, and who believed in many gods, most of whom were characterized as jealous, angry, and immoral. These Christians were under constant attack; they were opposed, criticized, ridiculed, and persecuted. That is true for us also today.We are opposed, criticized, ridiculed, and in many places, and even sometimes, here in the United States, persecuted.

So obviously, there were some who had come to doubt their salvation, and this kind of pressure may cause some Christians today to doubt their salvation.

A. Against these constant attacks of doubt John shouts with with ringing assurance.

“You can know that you have eternal life!”

How?

Back to;

I John 5:13 NKJV These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

OK what are “these things”?

First is the settled-sin question.

I John 1:8‭-‬9 NKJV If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

He also talked about our keeping God's commandments;

I John 2:3‭-‬6 NKJV Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

He spoke of the love for one another;

I John 3:10‭-‬11 NKJV In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

And he spoke of the witness of the Holy Spirit;

I John 4:2‭, ‬13 NKJV By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

II. John has revealed the fact that our eternal salvation then he revealed the second thing of which we can be certain and that is answered prayer (1 John 5:14–15).

I John 5:14‭-‬15 NKJV Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

A. This is one of the Bible’s most important statements on prayer.

John teaches three vital things about prayer, the first is that there must be a conviction about prayer. “This is the confidence that we have in him.”

We are not to believe that prayer is just a probability. It is not an exercise to be engaged in as a last resort. We are to believe in the effectiveness of a genuine prayer life.

James 5:16‭-‬18 NKJV Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Second, there is a condition that accompanies prayer.

...if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

He will not answer just because we ask. There is a certain way in which we are to ask—and that is “according to his will.”

Our asking will be according to his will when it is according to his Word.

Matthew 6:9‭-‬10 NKJV In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

Third, when we pray according to His will it brings a conclusion.

“And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Prayer, offered according to God’s conditions, brings us what we ask for. As a matter of faith, we have what we ask for the moment we ask. But as a matter of fact, the answer may be long in coming.

III. John revealed another dimension of faith, another privilege that is ours: intercessory concern.

We are to intercede for others. To intercede means that we are to intervene on behalf of them. We know that we can do that because of what I just said about prayer.(1 John 5:16–17).

Let's read;

I John 5:16‭-‬17 NKJV If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

A. These are awesome and chilling words.

In keeping with the context in which John had been writing, we can assume that the “sin unto death” is that sin committed by the unbelievers who were saying that Jesus was not God come in the flesh.

1 John 2:22‭-‬23 NIV Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

We remember this from our messages on counterfeit Christianity.

John. says we are not to pray for them because

They deny the incarnation. They had intellectually received the Word, and like those described in Hebrews 6, they had “tasted” of heavenly things. But they had not become “new creations,”

Hebrews 6:4‭-‬6 NKJV For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

They had not done what Paul said was necessary for salvation.

Romans 10:8‭-‬9 NKJV But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

These are the people that John says have committed the “sin unto death” and he says that we are not to pray for them.

B. However we can and are to intercede in prayer on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ,

Galatians 6:1‭-‬2 NKJV Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Pray for them to see their sin as God sees it.

Pray for their hard heart to soften.

Pray for them to recognize the kindness of God.

Pray for them to have a desire for God’s Word.

Pray for the consequences of their sin to become clear to them.

Pray for them to be surrounded by people who will speak truth into their life.

Pray for them to recognize that only God can satisfy their deepest needs.

Pray for them to know how much God loves them. and

Pray for them to repent.

We are also to intercede on behalf of unbelievers who are facing eternal destruction.

Unbelievers may believe they are free, but they are in fact enslaved. They are slaves of sin, bound by their sin and sinfulness. Pray that God would liberate them by his gospel.

Romans 6:17 NKJV But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

Unbelievers have been blinded by Satan and will only ever be able to see and appreciate the gospel if God works within them. So pray that God would give them sight—spiritual sight.

II Corinthians 4:3‭-‬6 NKJV But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

As Paul said the gospel "it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,"

Romans 1:16 NKJV For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

IV. Finally, John closed this thrilling epistle on a note of triumph, the revelation that we are victorious in spite of the power and harassment of Satan

He said that Christians can know ultimate victory in spite of the power and harassment of Satan.

I John 5:18‭-‬20 NKJV We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

A. In verse 18 John was describing believers, and the phrase “does not sin” is in the present tense.

It refers not to the committing of an act of sin, but to a continuous lifestyle of sin. We will make mistakes and even sin along the way but we will ot have a lifestyle of sin will not be in the habit of sinning. Rather, we will strive toward godliness.
Why? Because we watch over, or guard, our spiritual lives. So that we can be alert to temptation.

B. In verse 19 John said that Christians have a special identity.

“We know that we are of God.”

Christians belong to a new generation of people, to a new order of life.

Here’s what the Apostle Peter says about us;

I Peter 2:9‭-‬10 NKJV But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Often we are in the minority, but the hope of the world lies in the declaration of Christ through us, who Jesus called “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.”

Matthew 5:13‭-‬16 NKJV “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

II Corinthians 5:20 NKJV Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Conclusion

John concluded his letter in a rather unusual way:

I John 5:21 NKJV Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

An “idol” is anything that comes between God and me, any substitute for God. It may be a desire, an ambition, a pleasure, even a friend. As long as anything in my life is causing a blockage of the light form God, I am powerless as a Christian. I am vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. But once the channel is cleared and there is “nothing between my soul and the Savior,” all is well!

Then I can know whose I am because of the unhindered witness of God’s indwelling Spirit. I can know that I know.

(1 John 5:13)“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”.

Sermon Audio

0 Comments

That Which Overcomes

10/18/2020

0 Comments

This is the manuscript for the thirteenth in a series of messages from John’s first epistle “The Counsel of a Spiritual Father to His Children.”

1 John 5:3‭-‬4 NIV In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

In the section of John’s epistle that we will be studying today, John has some probing things to say about faith in the life of a believer. He gives us the preamble of faith—the foundation, the basic premise, the “launching pad” of a faith that identifies one unmistakably as a member of the family of God. Then, John talks about the practice of faith which, speaks of our relationship with God. Finally, he gives the principle of faith.

So today we are going to look at the preamble, the practice, and the principal of faith.

For an audio recording of the sermon click the YouTube link at the end of this manuscript.

You can see the entire service from OCTOBER 18, 2020 on the Christ Church YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/Th2Ilk8cZvo

Scripture Reading:

1 John 5:1‭-‬12 NIV Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Text:

1 John 5:1 NIV Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

Introduction

In the section of John’s epistle that we will be studying today, John has some probing things to say about faith in the life of a believer. He gives us the preamble of faith—the foundation, the basic premise, the “launching pad” of a faith that identifies one unmistakably as a member of the family of God. Then, John talks about the practice of faith which, speaks of our relationship with God. Finally, he gives the principle of faith.

So today we are going to look at the preamble, the practice, and the principal of faith.

1 First, let’s examine John’s preamble of faith (1 John 5:1).

1 John 5:1 NIV Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

A. John has stated a basic truth: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”

In other words, he was saying that those who have truly experienced the new birth are those who not only have given intellectual assent to the incarnation, Christ coming in the flesh as a man, but who also have received this truth in their hearts. They know, without a doubt that Jesus came in the flesh and lived a sinlessly perfect life on earth.

Remember I said a couple of weeks ago that we don't know about the love of God simply because we have read what the Bible has to say about it, but as believers in Jesus Christ, we have experienced the love of God.

The identifying quality of God’s love, which every believer has experienced, is that Jesus willingly. “laid down his life for us.”

John 10:17‭-‬18 NIV The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

2 Corinthians 5:16‭-‬17 NIV So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

B.   Now John’s underlying theme is in the last phrase of 1 John 5:1.

The NIV translates it, “Everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.”

Here is an equation, in fact the greatest equation in the Bible. Loving God equals loving his children!

John is talking about spiritual family love—not love for the lost person, which is a redemptive, compassionate love, but he is talking about a love for the church, love for our fellow believers. John was presenting a complete cycle: When I love God, I love his children.

We have been talking about this love since we have been in the book of 1 John. A few weeks ago I said that this love, that we as children of God should have, is a spontaneous, sacrificial sharing and satisfying love.
Spontaneous love is explosive, filled with joy and overflowing. Love that is not done out of duty but that flows naturally. It's a supernatural reflex, we don't have to think about it.

1 John 3:14 NIV We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

It is sacrificial meaning that just as Jesus laid down His life for us, John said, “We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. It may not mean physically dying, for someone but it does mean perhaps giving up status or position or comfort for a brother or sister.

By so doing we imitate the love of Christ in our lives. We literally allow Christ to love through us.

1 John 3:16 NIV This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

A sharing love is the kind of love accompanied by deeds!

1 John 3:17 NIV If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

James 2:14‭-‬17 NIV What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

A satisfying love is the kind of love we have that gives us confidence before God because of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3:21‭-‬24 NIV Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Because of this we can have “confidence before God”. We have courage, freedom in speaking, and boldness to stand before God in prayer.

2. In verses 2–5, of 1 John 5, John became very practical in talking about faith, the practice of faith.

1 John 5:2‭-‬5 NIV This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

A.  This brings us to a second equation, the first one was that Loving God equals loving his children: the second equation is Loving God equals keeping his commandments.

Here’s what John did. He had taken the first equation—“Loving God equals loving his children”—and changed it from an attitude into an action. In other words, I can say to you that I love God and consequently his children, and I can fool you, but I cannot fool God. But if I “keep his commandments” and do those things he has told me to do in his Word, you can see that, and know that I am sincere. That is faith in practice and not just in word.

Notice how many times that Jesus equates love for Him with keeping His commands in

John 14:15‭, ‬21‭, ‬23‭-‬24 NIV “If you love me, keep my commands. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Now I want you to look at;

2 John 1:5‭-‬6 NIV And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

B. He said that loving God equals obeying His commands but he also said that keeping God’s commandments is not a burdensome experience.

1 John 5:3 NIV In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

God’s commands are not burdensome. For most people, rules and regulations are unpleasant. We don’t like them; we resent them. But John said there is a difference with the commandments of Jesus. Because his commandments are given in love, they are a delight and not a burden!

Matthew 11:29‭-‬30 NIV Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

3 So far we have looked at the preamble of faith, Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”, the practice of faith is keeping God's commandments now in verses 6–12 John set forth the principle of faith.

1 John 5:6‭-‬12 NIV This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

A. The principle of faith in God is based on two facts about Jesus that John referred to by the use of the words “water” and “blood.”

Let’s go back to

1 John 5:6 NIV This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

“Water” refers to Christ’s baptism by John the Baptist at the beginning of his public ministry. By this act, it was declared to the world that Jesus was the Messiah.

Matthew 3:13‭-‬17 NIV Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

From that moment on, the steps of Jesus were always toward the cross. So then, if the “water” represents the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the “blood” stands for the culmination of it all on the cross.

Ephesians 1:7‭-‬10 NIV In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

1 Peter 1:18‭-‬19 NIV For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

So the principle of Christian faith has been dependent from the beginning on Jesus and on his atonement for sin through his blood shed on the cross.

Hebrews 9:11‭-‬14 NIV But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

B.  The thing that we as Christians can shout with confidence comes in verse 12:

1 John 5:12 NIV Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

When we start to exercise and practice the faith God gave us when we were born again, we begin to feel a power and a peace. We can say, “This is really the life!” Why can we say that? Because we have the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, living within us.

We learned last week that the Spirit that is in us is the most powerful in all creation:

1 John 4:1‭-‬4 NIV Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Conclusion

Many Christians do not “practice” their faith. It lies dormant within them. As a result, they have no joy. They cannot say, “This is the life!” in regard to their Christianity. They have no spontaneity in their love for their fellow Christians. Often they become miserable and defensive in their Christian lives—sometimes even afflicted with self-pity. The practice of our faith is the overcoming power in life.

1 John 5:3‭-‬4 NIV In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Bible Study Audio

0 Comments

Love Versus Fear

10/11/2020

0 Comments

This is the manuscript for the twelfth in a series of messages from John’s first epistle “The Counsel of a Spiritual Father to His Children.”

1 John 4:18 NIV There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Through Jesus Christ, God revealed himself to humans. Through the Holy Spirit, God indwells humans. Today I want to talk about three grand and glorious things about this unique relationship between God and his people.

First, we will look at the gift; then the gain (what we have “gained” in receiving this gift); and finally, the glory, the result of our continuing relationship with God through the Holy Spirit’s presence within us.

For an audio recording of the sermon click the YouTube link at the end of this manuscript.

You can see the entire service from OCTOBER 11, 2020 on the Christ Church YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/U5PbAOmxEqw

Sermon Scripture

1 John 4:11‭-‬21 NIV Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Text:

1 John 4:18 NIV There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Introduction

Through Jesus Christ, God revealed himself to humans. Through the Holy Spirit, God indwells humans. Today I want to talk about three grand and glorious things about this unique relationship between God and his people.

First, we will look at the gift; then the gain (what we have “gained” in receiving this gift); and finally, the glory, the result of our continuing relationship with God through the Holy Spirit’s presence within us.

1. Let’s examine this incomparable gift of God to the believer (1 John 4:12–13).

1 John 4:12‭-‬13 NIV No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

A. The first part of the gift is expressed outwardly.

“if we love one another, God lives in us”

We prove our faith to the world by loving one another—or, more specifically, by letting God love others through us.

John 13:34‭-‬35 NIV “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I may “like” you or “dislike” you; that is beside the point. You may “detest” some of my ways; that, too, is beside the point. The simple truth John has given us is that God dwells in us only if we love one another in spite of who or what we are!

We talked about this the last couple of weeks.

This love is not just affection for others. It is loving them in spite of who they are or what they have done.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said to the crowds there;

Matthew 5:43‭-‬45 NIV“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

That’s the outward expression of this wonderful gift, this personal relationship with God that we exhibit or show this unconditional love to others.

B. The second part of the gift is expressed inwardly.

Again

1 John 4:12‭-‬13 NIV No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

This inward expression is the assurance that we are the children of God.

How do we know that we are his?

Because he has given us his Holy Spirit.

Romans 10:9‭-‬11 NIV If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

When we repented and made this declaration God “baptized,” us into his family.

1 Corinthians 12:12‭-‬13 NIV Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Here baptism by the Spirit is the act by which the Spirit unites us to Jesus Christ and his body, the church. In other words, it’s conversion. It’s becoming a Christian.

Let's look at 1 John 4:12‭-‬13 NIV again

"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit."

The verb phrase, “He has given” (NIV), is a perfect tense, indicating that the gift was a permanent one, given to us at a point in the past to be ours forever.

2 Corinthians 1:21‭-‬22 NIV Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Ephesians 1:13‭-‬14 NIV And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession--to the praise of his glory.

2. That’s the gift, but then, there is the gain (what we have “gained” in receiving this gift) (1 John 4:17).

A.  What do we “gain” in this relationship with God that transforms us and makes us his children?

1 John 4:17 NIV This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

We gain confidence or boldness. Confidence, or boldness, is one of the most important words in the New Testament. Luke said in the book of Acts that the religious authorities were amazed at the “boldness” of Peter and John.

In Acts Chapter 3 there is the story of Peter healing a lame beggar. You should read the story but to cut to the chase Peter and John were arrested questioned about how this beggar was healed and by what power or in whose name they did this.

Acts 4:8‭-‬13 NIV Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” When they saw the courage (boldness, confidence) of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Later on when Peter and John were talking to the others about what had happened they all became bold in their preaching of the gospel.

Acts 4:31 NIV After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

And remember as God’s children we are invited to “come boldly to the throne of grace”.

Hebrews 4:14‭-‬16 NIV Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

This “boldness” is not brashness or reckless presumption, but a “freedom of speech”, so to speak, that God has given believers through the presence of his Spirit indwelling them.

B. Another dimension of this boldness is revealed in verse 17.

1 John 4:17 NIV This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

Christians will have boldness, confidence, “on the day of judgment.” Because of our relationship with God through Christ, we will have no reason to fear judgment.

2 Corinthians 5:6‭-‬10 NIV Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

The judgment seat of Christ is something exclusively for believers, as Christ's evaluation of our works on earth. This will be an assessment of what each saved, heaven-bound Christian has done "in the body" since coming to faith in Christ. How has he or she used this life in Christ? What have they done, for good or for evil?

Romans 14:12 NIV So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

We don’t have to fear this. We’re saved and that’s a permanent fact. It’s here that we are rewarded for what we have done since we were saved.

That’s another sermon for another time but the point today is that because of the Holy Spirit in us we have confidence about judgement

3. We’ve talked about the gift and it’s expression in us both outwardly and inwardly, we’ve talked about the confidence or boldness that we have gained because of the gift, finally, let us see the glory of it all (1 John 4:18–21).

1 John 4:18‭-‬21 NIV There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

A. What kind of “fear” was John talking about in verse 18?

Is it possible that he was talking about fear at the thought of judgment? No because where there is “perfect love” (and it is perfect because it is God’s love in us and not our own), there is trust, confidence, and assurance.

Let's read that again;

1 John 4:18 NIV There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. Just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, so fear cannot survive where there is love.

B.  There is no torment like that produced in a person who lives in fear.

There is a fear of tomorrow, a fear of death, a fear of judgment. And because sin alienates people from God, it is the fear of unbelievers toward a God who they don't know and who they can't call “Father.”

C.  The glorious promise, to those of us who have the Holy Spirit, is that “perfect love drives out fear.”

When we surrender to God and allow God to love through us, there can be no fear. The love of God within us destroys and dissipates fear.

Conclusion

If you are a Christian, you have already received the greatest gift of all— salvation by grace through faith. But have you received the gift John talks about, which ought to be operative in the life of every Christian? Are you letting Christ love others through you, and are you constantly receiving the assurance that you belong to God because of his Spirit within you? Have you gained a “holy boldness,” a freedom to share your faith with others? Are you free from fear because God poured out His love in your heart?

If your answer to any of these questions is no then you are missing out on the gift that God has already given you. You don’t have to look for it, it's there already in the person of the Holy Spirit in you. All you have to do is yield to Him let Him control your life and your emotions. I know that it’s hard sometimes to let go of your emotions, when someone you love and trust disappoints you or slanders you but remember that God loves you and He loves you so much He sent His Son to die for you and give you His Spirit so that you can love like Him.

That's the good news to those of us who are believers and have the Holy Spirit. The bad news to those who are not believers is that you don't have this gift that I have been talking about but you can have it. God wants to give it to you. All you have to do is admit that you can't fix your life, you are not sure and are afraid of judgement. Remember the believer has confidence and is not afraid of judgement. What to do? Well here's the answer

Romans 10:9‭-‬10 NIV If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Sermon Audio

0 Comments

Identifying The Impostors

10/4/2020

0 Comments

This is the manuscript for the tenth in a series of messages from John’s first epistle “The Counsel of a Spiritual Father to His Children.”

1 John 4:1 NIV “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world”.

John outlined four ways in which we can deal with and handle the impostors, the representatives of Satan. Those passing the counterfeit bills to Christians and those to whom we witness.

The four ways are

Recognize who our enemies are
Realize our own identity
Emphasize the truth
Preach the gospel

For an audio recording of the sermon click the YouTube link at the end of this manuscript.

You can see the entire service from OCTOBER 4 ,2020 on the Christ Church YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/CslRKk3DXHc

Scripture Reading:

1 John 4:1‭-‬10 NIV Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Text:

1 John 4:1 NIV “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world”.

Introduction

Nothing is simple about Satan. This archenemy of God and humankind likes nothing better than to be portrayed as a red-skinned simpleton with horns and a pitchfork to be laughed at and joked about. He feels quite comfortable when he is linked to the Halloween setting, complete with witches and goblins and ghosts. He is equally at home with cultured intellectuals, who smile condescendingly at the “myth” of Satan, regarding him merely as a superstitious carryover from primitive religion.

But the truth of the matter is that “Satan is alive and well.” And in every generation he updates his methods of attack.

However, having said that, we know that Satan has already been defeated.

Colossians 2:13‭-‬15 NIV When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

And we know his ultimate end.

Revelation 20:10 NIV And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

But just as a wounded animal is more dangerous and ferocious than at any other time in its life, so it is with Satan, who has been mortally wounded by Jesus Christ. The death-dealing blow was inflicted when Jesus cried from the cross.

John 19:30 NIV When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

However, although mortally wounded with no chance of recovery, Satan is using every thing at his disposal to keep unbelievers blinded from the truth. He can't possess us because the Holy Spirit is in us but, if we allow it he can sure harass us.

In the scripture that Jean read 1 John 4:1-10 John outlined four ways in which we can deal with and handle the impostors, the representatives of Satan. Those passing the counterfeit bills to Christians and those to whom we witness.

The four ways are

Recognize who our enemies are
Realize our own identity
Emphasize the truth
Preach the gospel

I. First, John said that we must recognize our enemy (1 John 4:1, 3).

1 John 4:1‭-‬3 NIV Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

A. Note that John said we are not to “believe every spirit,” but we are to “test the spirits” (NIV).

Now we know, because I have talked about them, that many false spirits exist in the world, and we need to be aware of them.

One is the “human spirit,” which is subject to satanic influence until it comes under the control of Jesus Christ.

We talked about this spirit a few weeks ago when we talked about counterfeits and the counterfeiters.

At that time we identified them from 1 John 2:16 as things from the world.

1 John 2:16 NIV For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

These things constitute the total of human life that exists apart from, alienated from or hostile toward God.

Another spirit is “the spirit of the world”, or the “world system,” which is dominated by Satan,

1 Corinthians 2:12 NIV What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

This spirit is also called “the god of this world” or "god of this abe"

2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Also active in the world are “evil spirits,” or demonic powers, who are representatives of Satan sent out on specific missions.

Ephesians 6:12 KJV For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The angel Gabriel mentioned a couple of them to Daniel.

Daniel 10:12‭-‬13 NIV Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.

Daniel 10:20‭-‬21 NIV So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.

B. What should we do about these spirits?

John said that we are to “test the spirits.”

1 John 4:1 NIV Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

That phrase literally means “to put to the test.”

Verse 3 is the test:

1 John 4:3 NIV but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

Anyone who does not believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh is anti-Christ and anti-God.

We talked about this before too as an anti-Christ spirit—in other words, demonic forces opposed to the truth.

Examples include false teachers, they have the spirit of the Antichrist

1 Timothy 4:1 NIV The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

If they can’t respond like Peter did when Jesus asked the disciples who they said that He was;

Matthew 16:15‭-‬17 NIV “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

If they can’t answer like that they have failed the test.

II. Ok so first we have to identify the enemy, then we must realize our own identity (1 John 4:2, 4).

1 John 4:2 NIV This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

A. Here is the positive side of the test we just talked about.

Romans 10:9‭-‬10 NIV If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

When we make the declaration that “Jesus is Lord” we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, born again and become new creatures.

Let's review a couple of things here

John 3:5‭-‬8 NIV Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

B. Verse 4 is a beautiful reiteration of verse 2.

Verse 2 says

1 John 4:2 NIV This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

In verse 4 John said that the Holy Spirit’s presence in a believer’s life is superior to and more powerful than any other spirit in the universe.

1 John 4:4 NIV You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

So we can say the same thing that Paul said in

Philippians 4:12‭-‬13 AMP I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need. I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]

III. Then number 3 John said that we must emphasize the truth (1 John 4:5–6).

1 John 4:5‭-‬6 NIV They (the impostors) are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

A.  John presented a stark contrast in these verses.

On one side are those of the world system, whose thoughts and actions are dominated by Satan. On the other side are those of us who belong to God and who are indwelt by his Spirit. God gives us spiritual understanding so we can “recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood”

Those of the world speak false things about the Lord. Satan works in them to oppose the truth about Christ. They are from the world. Therefore, they speak from the world. Their ideas come from the world and from Satan. So those of the world will listen to them. They teach what is false and they lead people away from the truth.

In contrast to the false teachers, we belong to God. The ‘We’ includes all those people who speak the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ.

The true Spirit is God’s Holy Spirit. He lives in God’s people.

1 Corinthians 2:14 NIV The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

B. Just as there are two sides doing the talking, the impostors and us the redeemed there are also two classes of listeners that hear the truth and accept it.

1.  Unbelievers who yield to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and receive the Word in all its life-changing power.

John 16:7‭-‬8 NKJV Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

The influence of the Holy Spirit in an unsaved person’s life will lead that person to the realization that they are guilty, that God is just, and that all sinners are deserving of judgment. We are talking about just that in our Bible Study.

Once a sinner has been awakened to his soul’s great need, the Spirit will point him to Christ, the one and only Savior.

2.  The second group of listeners are believers who are already indwelt by the Holy Spirit. One of the Spirit’s ministries is to enlighten believers of God’s truth.

John 14:15‭-‬17 NIV “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John 14:25‭-‬26 NIV “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

IV. So we are to identify our enemy, recognize who we are, we are to speak truth and finally, we are to publicize or preach the gospel.

I don't mean you have to be a preacher to do this

A. Here's our message!

Christianity is a way of life based on the fact that even when we did not love God, he loved us and sent his Son to be the payment for our sins.

Romans 5:7‭-‬10 NIV Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

B. This is a kind of love that we as humans cannot understand.

It is the kind of love that has to be experienced, and when we experience a life filled with this love, we experience God. God who covers our sinful past and seals our future forever.

In his letter to the Ephesians Paul prayed that they could just grasp the depth of that love and I pray the same thing for us.

Ephesians 3:14‭-‬19 NIV For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Psalms 32:1‭-‬2 NIV Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Conclusion

In summary, John has told us that Satan is real; he is committed to keeping unbelievers lost and to harassing Christians. We must realize who we are, and realize that he who is in us is greater than any force of evil in the world.

1 John 4:4 NIV You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

We must emphasize the truth of God, because that is the truth that sets us free.

John 8:31‭-‬32 NIV To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Finally, we must share the good news that “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ”

2 Corinthians 5:16‭-‬19 NIV So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

We like Paul can say:

Romans 1:16‭-‬17 NIV For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Bible Study Audio

0 Comments

That You May Know

That Which Overcomes

Love Versus Fear

Identifying The Impostors

Author

Archives

Categories