Friday, October 13, 2023

What Is Up With Lordship -- Ain't That Some Religious Term? Kurt, Am I To Be Living Under Christ's Lordship?

Yep.  You'd do well to come to God on His terms.. to live in Christ under His Lordship! I mean to let Him bless, direct, empower, and control you in His love. Anyone would. We were designed to live in harmony with God. 

Who has sway, who or what has control, who leads you? The Lordship of Jesus Christ means that Jesus rules without any rivals and that He is given full jurisdiction, ascendancy, and supreme dominion over every area of my life.  That’s who I have personally chosen and yet Jesus Christ is Lord forever no matter what you or I choose. 


Q: What currently is the master passion of your life—is it the gold, the glory, the girls..  or the guys?  Remember, someone or something will control your life whether it's you, your work, your lover, or one of your cherished hobbies.  Perhaps selfish desires control your life like when you go shopping.  Whatever, if this issue of Lordship is not settled, you cannot spiritually advance any further in your relationship with God. Take a moment and ask.. What does the Lordship of Christ mean to you personally?


Photo by Worshae

“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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9,10).

"Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." ~ Charles Wesley

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice is too great for me to give for Him." ~ C.T. Studd


Who is He really? He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Jesus Christ is fully man, but also fully God (The eternal Theoanthropist John 3:16; Hebrews 1:8).  He was sent to save us from our bondage to sin. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-23).  He lived a perfect, sinless life (John 8:46; Hebrews 7:26).  In union with His Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus died for our sins. His vicarious death provided the full payment for all our sins—past present and future (1 Corinthians 15:4; Mark 16:6).  He physically rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven (Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9). 


He is currently engaged in a ministry of prayer on your behalf (Hebrews 7:25). As Lord and Judge Jesus will one day return to judge the world—the living and the dead (Revelation 22:12).  Faith in Christ is the only means by which mankind can escape eternal damnation and judgment.  As the living Lord of heaven and earth, He commands and expects your personal worship and full obedience (Philippians 2:9-11).


We affirm the existence of a triune God, or one God who eternally exists in three distinct Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and that each of these Persons is fully God.  This is the one and only true God.  He is self-existent, eternal, unchanging, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, holy, righteous and loving.  It’s the God of the Bible that we are talking about and in-love with. He created all universes that exist from nothing and He rules over His creation sovereignly including both human and angelic beings.


Who was Jesus to the disciples?

“Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:16).

"And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’" (John 20:28).

"Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:3,4).

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

"My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality" (James 2:1).

What's the test of Lordship "And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).

How did Jesus determine if a person was truly obedient to Him as Lord? Since the real Jesus of the Bible is the Lord of glory, He has claims on your life and time. As Lord, He demands obedience to what He has said.

What has Jesus done (His finished work)? Although created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8-6). Thus mankind was plunged into rebellion against God (Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 5:12). This sin and rebellion produced spiritual death throughout the whole human race (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3). Yet God in His great mercy, even in the Garden, promised to send a Savior for all who would repent and trust Him (Genesis 3:15; John 3:16). Now, by His death on the cross Jesus Christ has crushed the serpent's head and broken the power of sin over all those who place their trust in Him for salvation (1 Peter 3:18).

Jesus’ Death On The Cross Basically Crushed Satan’s Head, So Satan Can’t Crush Your’s.

The Bible says, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

And “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin” (1 John 3:5).

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Easy question for ya, in this verse above Isaiah lists four things Jesus did for us on the cross. They are: 1) ___ 2) ___ 3) ___ 4) ___.


What happened on the Cross? Well, atonement happened (At-one-ment, it's yours for the taking). This is defined as "the reconciliation of God and man by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ." Yes, it could be said that "atonement" is a free gift of right-relationship, it does mean "at-one-ment." Jesus death brought God and man back together (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).

"God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 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. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).

According to 2 Corinthians 5:20, what title has God placed upon you as you represent Him in this world?

The Great Exchange happened. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6).

"For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. " (2 Corinthians 5:21). Now that’s imputation.

 
Have you noticed how many people in our culture around the world are empty, are lonely, are guilty (we don't even need to try and "guilt em"--God's top ten list and their inner conscience does that..), are broken, are hopeless, are hurting and are afraid to die? It's true, but you and I can become part of the Solution for them, instead of part of the problem.  

Yes, people are watching you and me, believer, and some are actually wishing that we will stumble, fall. Some (not all) hope we mess up in sin cuz that might make them feel a little better about themselves inside.

Personally, I'm convinced that most people would rather see a biblical sermon than hear one, (that's why so many stay home from church nowadays, yet there are healthy Christian churches still). Preach the gospel with words and a whole lot of biblical wordless sermons too. Loud, holy and clear wordless messages too. Listen up and out. Hear. Keep your promises, and refrain from making too many of them.

I used to hear my 4A football coach, alcoholic dad (now free from the juice) tell some people: "Your life speaks so loud I just can't hear what you're saying."

"When Christ calls a man or woman, He bids them come and die." ~ Dietrich Bonhoffer 

Have you yet died to worldly religion, to dead works, to vain communication/ideas, to general or exotic weirdness and to your own way?

"If a man hasn't discovered something to die for, he isn't fit to live." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Have you found Christ as Savior and Lord in practice (rather than merely Lord in theory)?

I never want to give a non-repentant person who's intentionally living in sin false hope. Might sound harsh, but I don't want to help them to gain a false assurance of salvation. I'd feel horrible if they split hell wide open. I'd rather build a relationship and show them all the passages clearly addressing their pet sin, as well as give them the whole counsel of God: “You must be born again” (John 3:7).

Need nine points that set lordship-salvation apart from so called easy-believism?:

1.) Repentance is not a simple synonym for faith. Scripture teaches that sinners must exercise faith in conjunction with repentance (Acts 2:38; 17:30; 20:21; 2 Peter 3:9).

2.) A Christian is a new creation and cannot just “stop believing” and lose salvation. Faith itself is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:1–5, 8), and real faith endures forever (Philippians 1:6).

3.) The object of faith is Christ Himself, not a promise, a prayer, or a creed (John 3:16). Faith must involve a personal commitment to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15).

4.) True faith always produces a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17). The inner person is transformed by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20), and the Christian has a new nature (Romans 6:6).

5.) God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3; cf. Romans 8:32). Salvation, then, is not just a ticket to heaven. It is the means by which we are sanctified (practically) in this life and by which we grow in grace.

6.) Scripture teaches that Jesus is Lord of all. Christ demands unconditional surrender to His will (Romans 6:17–18; 10:9–10).

7.) Those who truly believe in Christ will love Him (1 Peter 1:8–9; Romans 8:28–30; 1 Corinthians 16:22). And those we love we long to please (John 14:15, 23).

8.) Scripture teaches that behavior is an important test of faith. Obedience is evidence that one’s faith is genuine (1 John 2:3).

9.) Genuine believers may stumble and fall, but they will persevere in the faith (1 Corinthians 1:8). This was the case for Simon Peter.

A person who has been delivered from sin by faith in Christ should not desire to remain in a life of sin (Romans 6:2). Of course, spiritual growth can occur quickly or slowly, depending on the person and his circumstances. Got questions? I do, and know where to find the answers -- in the Bible (in it God addresses every need of men and women).

Authentically coming to God in true repentance and saving faith, just to take hold of Jesus Christ as both our Savior and Lord matters most during your life here, during my lfe here. We can't hear Christ direct us step by step audibly (maybe someone might hear Him rarely, cuz God can do anything), but we can pray, we can read the Bible, we can test the promptings of the Spirit against the Scriptures and glorify Jesus as we obey God!

Listen Sport, submitting to Christ as Lord both initially when you and I are born again and in an ongoing daily way--it's VERY important and this goes hand-in-hand with trusting in Christ as Savior. Lordship-salvation, which we've all heard about is the opposite of what is sometimes called "cheap grace" or "easy-believism" or the teaching that salvation comes through a mere acknowledgment of a certain set of theological churchy facts.

Day by day, the Spirit wants each of us to say with our thoughts, mouths and lives:

NO to sucking in life, no to suckin' up, and no to suckin' down the alcohol ..and say YES to sober thinking and sobriety.

NO to suckin' in all that's bad for you, no to illicit drug use and YES to wholesome clean living 24/7/365.

NO to excessive self-produced pressures and YES to real friendships.

NO to ungodliness and YES to integrity, godliness, and pure devotion to the Word of God.

NO to sin, Satan, this corrupt world system and to your old nature but YES to Christ, to edifying and evangelistic world changing.

NO to going along with the worldly crowd in the destructive tragetory towards any unholy passing pleasure of sin and YES to standing alone for Jesus (which can be within a crowd).

NO to temptation and falling and YES to God with whatever He really says to do or not to do.

NO to cowardice and YES to bold obedience as a good representitive--as a sterling witness for Christ.

NO to rebellion against direct Authority and flawed delegated authorities (I mean short of sinning, of course many delegated won't tell us to go do that) and YES to biblical obedience.

NO to visiting places where you're overly vulnerable (we're to walk circumspectly in all places really..), to letting temptation linger, to all types of chains of sin and YES to freedom in Christ.

Some sinful mortals want to become your Lord. There are so many voices in this world now and mere distractions too.. vying for our attention daily, but it's His still small voice we need to hear and obey.

"And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.  And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:12-13 nlt, "a still small voice." kjv

“When Christ is supreme in the heart, joy fills it. When He is Lord of every desire, the Source of every motive, the Subjugator of every lust, then will joy fill the heart and praise ascend from the lips. The possession of this involves taking up the cross every hour of the day; God has so ordered it that we cannot have the one without the other. Self-sacrifice.. Much also depends upon the spirit in which we enter the world each day. If we expect people to pet and pamper us, disappointment will make us fretful. If we desire our pride to be ministered to, we are dejected when it is not. The secret of happiness is forgetting self and seeking to minister to the happiness of others. "It is more blessed to give than to receive," so it is a happier thing to minister to others than to be ministered to.” ―Arthur W. Pink

“Sacrifice is connected to anointing. Dedication is connected to Vision. Obedience is connected to Lordship. These are all so interconnected and intertwined in our daily walk with Jesus.” ―Andrey Shapoval

Is it possible for a person to be a reborn Christian and live in lifelong carnality, enjoying the pleasures of sin, and never seeking to glorify the Lord who bought them on the Cross? Can a sinner repeatedly or constantly spurn the lordship of Christ yet lay claim to Him as their Savior? Can someone pray a “sinner’s prayer” and go about his or her life as if nothing had actually happened and still call himself a “Christian”? 

I personally don't know who is really saved around me (Duh), only God sees the heart, but I can enjoy personal assurance in Christ as I walk with, talk with and live under His loving Lordship. 







"The Lord is King! lift up thy voice, O earth, and all ye heavens, rejoice; from world to world the joy shall ring, 'The Lord omnipotent is King!' One Lord one empire all secures; he reigns, and life and death are yours; through earth and heaven one song shall ring, 'The Lord omnipotent is King!'” —Josiah Conder

“Needless to say, the Bible knows of no such grotesque creature as one who is saved but unrepentant.” ―Walter J. Chantry

“Surrendering to Christ is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of yielding every area of our lives to His control. It also involves submitting to His authority, allowing Him to have the final say in our decisions, acknowledging that His plans and purposes are greater than our own and recognizing Him as the rightful Lord and King over our lives.” ―Prasanth Jonathan

"There is nothing holier, or better, or safer, than to content ourselves with the authority of Christ alone." — John Calvin

Is Jesus Lord in you today? Is He your CEDM (Chief Executive Decision Maker? The Lord is King--He always has been, has always deserved to be, and always will be King!

Christ alone totally merits being acknowledged as Lord! The Lordship of Christ was sealed forever by His resurrection. And Jesus' physical resurrection from the dead was the Father's seal of approval on the ministry of His Son, Jesus. Through His resurrection, Jesus rightfully claims Lordship over all people. Romans 1:4 tells us that Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

One day all people will acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, but only those who bow to Him as their Savior now (talkin' bout saving faith and repentance), who submit to His Lordship.. are promised eternal life with Him when He returns.

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).

Jesus is Lord over me because He has purchased me: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9).





“A disciple of Jesus Christ is a visible verbal follower of Jesus Christ at the expense of the ones and things that they hold dear. It's that serious.” ―Kingsley Opuwari Manuel

“Until the will and the affections are brought under the authority of Christ, we have not begun to understand, let alone accept, His Lordship. The Cross, as it enters the love life, will reveal the heart’s truth.” ―Elisabeth Elliot 


Kurt, will everyone ultimately submit themselves to God and gladly recognize His lordship? Will they all go to heaven? Sadly no, but they will bow the knee.





“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead“ (Acts 17:30,31).

“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

See Ephesians 1:7 - we've been redeemed by Jesus? Take hold!

The term, “redeemed" means to buy back. Jesus has bought us back from the power of the devil. We now belong to our original Owner. Since we have been purchased by Christ, we now belong to Him; we are His servants and He is our Lord.

REGARDING THE ONE LORD, I'M NOT YELLIN' OR TALKIN' 'BOUT SOME HALF-HEARTED COMMITMENT.

Suppose you purchased a new midsize car and paid the full price for it in cash. You shook hands with the dealer as he had one of his lot workers go retrieve the car from the detailing garage. You signed all the contracts and there you are—you're standing there waiting on this guy to pull up in your brand-new car.

Then after some minutes, here he comes. That lot worker shows up with a large box of mechanical parts for a midsize car. At this point, the dealer gets involved and really chews him out right in front of you, and then the lot worker says to you, "Oh sorry, I guess I wasn't really paying attention.” So in a flash, he disappears again and some minutes later, that smiley-faced lot guy returns driving a compact car this time. Man, I know what you would probably tell him, "Hey man, this wasn't part of the deal. I bought the midsize, and I mean the whole car. I paid the full price and I expect the full product!"

Q: If we seek first the Kingdom of God (God's rule in our lives), what percentage of the things we need has God promised to provide for us? Does that mean you and I don't have a part to play? Nope.

In the same way, Jesus Christ has paid the full price for you and he is entitled to have ownership of the full product. Every area of our lives; not just some of the areas must be His and then remain under His control. He doesn’t want any half-baked-potato of a commitment!

There’s no room for any misrepresentation in His service. Lordship is a serious matter because the one God wants all people to come into a righteous relationship with Him. He bids us come. Will all? No.

Jesus wants to make sure that the world has a clear picture, a pure witness of the Father. He wants to bless us and use us.

Ever read about the Ark, I don't mean that floating one (it was real too). To reiterate on Lordship, go read about how it took two attempts for King David to bring the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem. The lesson for us? It's imperative to do the will of God His way and in His timing.

"Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. And when they came to Chidon's threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before the God."

"Then David said, ‘No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever.’"

"For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order" (1 Chronicles 13:8-10; plus 15:2-15).

The Bible says "Their heart is divided; Now they are held guilty. He will break down their altars; He will ruin their sacred pillars." (Hosea 10:2).

"Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!" (Psalm 119:2).

God understands our needs: physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual needs. As we yield to His control He has promised to supply all our needs.

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

When Israel got all distracted away.. when Israel went astray from her God (our one God), what was she likened to? (see Hosea 9:1; 4:12).

“Adulterers and adulteresses! 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” (James 4:4).

Q: As you meditate on this verse, what three things does James have to say about those who ignore Christ's Lordship and treasure their friendship with the world?

God is love, but there indeed is a love God hates (and it's not a love for Jesus or for people in this world). Bail on your love for this corrupt world system here.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:34-37).

Photo by Caleb Gios

GOD, THE LORD, HAS PROVEN HIS LOVE FOR YOU. HE STANDS READY TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LIFE THAT IS FULLY YIELDED TO HIM.

Q: Have you repented of your sins and by faith received Jesus Christ inside as your personal Savior and Lord? You can!

 ________Yes

________No

What are you waitin' for? If the answer is no, then decide.. turn from your sins to Him now. By faith expressed through prayer, simply come to Jesus Christ as you are. Been touching on our "Foundation Stones" (and already taught on the Word being true). 
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Thursday, October 5, 2023

Want some more info dealing First John? Okay you're on. In Jesus Christ we indeed are children of God! (Part 2)

Recap and follow-through: The God of the Bible is our loving Father who delights in us and in telling the truth. He is happy to keep us, to fulfill his promises, to bless and use us! He blesses us in order to make each of us a blessing to others. And we family members are to continue on in love all the way Home. We're to obey the Lord each step of the way walkin' in His truth. We're to consistently be practicing righteousness with assurance inside, and not become distracted by false teachers. (Part 1 is here)

I guess in part I now like to study what's so.. while makin' notes.

“Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through the lips and fingertips.” — Dawson Trotman

Q: When was the last time you received a letter from a loved one? What did you do with it, throw it in a drawer, or did you open it up and read it all.

Good question. Did you read the ending only, or did you act like a normal person (cuz you're normal..) and read through the whole letter?

When you receive a letter from a loved one, you don't initially just skip around reading one sentence, or part of a sentence here, and then jump go over there to pick another part of a verse.. do you? I hope not. No, you just read it through from start to finish cuz that's what normal people do.

You jump in wanting to know.. is this just a poem.. is this a family update.. is this a story.. is this all true.. how is this for me.. what am I to do ?

We really want to know.

We read through it all because the contextual ideas in a letter often build off of each other and it’s towards some sort of conclusion.

That’s what we want to do with all the letters in the Bible, because that’s normal.

Bible epistles (like other letters) build off of each sentence that was written. In First John, like with his other letters, we need to see how John said this, this, this and now this and why he said this.

God has a good purpose for the true inspiration in each book of His Bible. He loves you as much as the original audience (the recipients of this letter) and He has a good purpose for your life as well. This letter was written to them and yet it was written for us all because He is for us all. He is for you! He wants us all saved and growing strong (spiritually healthy and mature), He wants us building up our brothers and sisters in the Family, and as an outgrowth of He wants us witnessing and winning lost people to Christ!

It's God's will that His local churches (of every city and Land) are growing larger and smaller at the same time! What I mean is that they are winning more sinners to Jesus in and from each congregation, and are forming more small Bible study, prayer groups for the saints to be nurtured in.

As you heard last week, there are five chapters and a total of 105 verses in First John. The first two chapters are about true fellowship, and then chapters three through five are about true sonship. Let's enjoy both in the Lord!

Photo by Álvaro Serrano

Now let’s dig-in and think on the first chapters in First John some more.

They deal with real fellowship and then real sonship with our loving Heavenly Father.

We get real with God the Father (via our honest confession upwards before Him, with humility and true repentance and saving faith) just to get and walk right with God through Christ. We're blessed. His forgiveness, life and love are totally free! We walk free.

We've joined up with Him and now we want to join up with His church! People have to be born into God’s family and then we can wisely commit in a local expression of His body for accountabitly. We need to be fed the milk of the word and then the meat.

That's how it starts, you get your vertical fellowship right with the Father, and guess what? Then you can enjoy real fellowship on the horizontal plane too, as a real child of God growing up in fellowshipping with Him and His other adopted children (who are living in harmony with the Father).

This First John letter deals with family matters (it's John's longest letter by the way..) -- very interesting information to read from start to finish. So, let's continue through the chapter -- let's go for the Word!

Proceeding on to the end of chapter 3 now! ...[1 Jn. 3:14 nkjv] "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

(Believer, you are a brand-spankin-new-creation in Christ. Let's live like it. See 2 Corinthians 5:17)

(How can I have assurance inside? How can I become a child of God? How can I know whether I am really a child of God? There are only two type of people, lost or saved. Do you remember the significance of when Jesus was telling the religious Jews, “You are of your father the devil” (John 8:44)?)

[1 Jn. 3:20] For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. [21] Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. [22] And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. [23] And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

(God wants you to care and properly discern, to be bold and have confidence in the Spirit. Some time it's challenging! When I seem to run out of love for people that are hard to love, I simply ask the Spirit to pour more of His love in. Then I choose to show love by faith and not wait for some goose bumps or feelings. God's word empowers us to live in love. What is the biblical doctrine of illumination? How does the Holy Spirit illuminate the Bible for us?)

[24] Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us." *Listen, if you're not born again by now, what are you waiting for? Now is good! Come as you are (on His terms to Jesus).

John really cares about right thinking, right attitudes, right standing before the Father in the Son of God, and right living before a watching world ("practicing righteousness") though the false teachers in their midst (the Gnostics) weren't concerned with or doing any of this. They certainly weren't loving the Lord or the brethren.

In First John, the book identifies no specific church, no specific location, and no specific individual to whom it was sent so its called a “general epistle” (that’s its classification actually).

I love the uniqueness of 1st John! It has no introduction, no greeting, no concluding salutation (those general characteristics of a letter), but the epistle is still lovingly intimate in tone.

Christians since the beginning of the Church have rightly considered this letter authoritative.

Who wrote it, from where, and when? The human author is not clearly named by himself. He didn’t identify himself, but the consistent testimony of the early Church (including Polycarp, an early second-century bishop who as a young man knew John personally), says that it was John the disciple, an apostle that Jesus chose who wrote this letter (See Luke 6:13,14).

Think about John’s messages in Revelation 2–3 to the seven churches in the immediate vicinity of Ephesus. It could be that the people in those same churches were in his mind for this letter of love as well. When? The epistle’s similarity with the gospel done by John might mean it was written near that same time period with a date of about AD 90, with John writing it from his exile on Patmos. That is my best guess.

What’s an aspect I just love with the writings in First John? It’s the uncomplicated parallelisms in 1st John.

Think some more about John's simplicity. There is zero "convolvere" with it (the parallelisms aren’t rolled-up and twisted at all). They are not hard for us to grasp: Christ verses antichrists, light verses darkness, truth verses falsehood, righteousness verses sin, the pure love of the Father verses the love of the world, and the Holy Spirit of God verses the unholy spirit of the Antichrist.

The purpose? Like with his gospel, John made his First-John-purpose very clear.

He proclaimed the Good News about Jesus to the recipients of this letter, saying “..so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

And later, John adds in, “so that you may not sin” (2:1) and “so that you may know that you have eternal life” (5:13).

But why? Here's why: John wanted all of his readers to first-hand experience God’s love, and true fellowship with the Father, and loving fellowship with God’s people. Yes, and not allowing any sin and selfishness to get in the way.

The Apostle John Focuses On Three Important Things:

1) The zeal-level of the believers,

2) Loving the truth and others -- standing firm against false teachers with their lame message (i.e., Gnostics), and

3) Reassuring born-again Christians that they do currently have eternal life.

The people had really struggled with discouragement, some due to their own sinful failures and others back then.. due to the presence and negative influence of false teachers right there in their midst.

John’s duty, (and our duty today):

A) Turn people back to God Father and His living Word. B) Ignite the passionate zeal for Jesus Christ in believers so that they live consistently and on fire spiritually. C) Yes, so they will choose to follow the Lord more closely, more maturely, and more obediently as they stand firm against those who aim to sow discord in Christ's own church.

We each have struggles in our Christian walk, like they did. We all have trials, temptations, spiritual attacks, and tough circumstances at times—whether from outside of us or from inside, but we press on to know Jesus well and glorify Him.

We refuse to become blown about by fickle feelings, or different winds of doctrine, worldly influences or other circumstances.

John wanted to see fruit that abides, an increased consistency, and victory instead of spiritual barrenness. This is imperative for us.

Q: Today, have you become parched and weary in well-doing? Are you now a periodic, or are you spiritually fruitful for God's glory? Is your victorious walk in Christ a constant, or a "sporadic thang" that you're feeling concerned about?

God is faithful and He will finish His work in each of us. John knew this. By His strong grace, God will continue to transform us into the image of His Son, Jesus. We just need to put away what can impede growth, hinder, and destroy! I mean ditch all our pet sins along with any strange doctrines in our passionate pursuit of the one true God. As John emphasizes in the very next chapter, “if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12).

Need more background on the setting in John's day?

John was really old at this time, but he was still active in helping the churches to develop and go forward. Therefore he penned this clear letter in order to really minister to the people. Let's all aim to minister to people.

Generally, they don't care how much we as believers really know until they know how much we are prayerful.. and (as an outgrowth) really care.

Q: Were there any other apostolic survivors left on earth at that time? Nope.

John had experienced intimate, eye-to-eye association (real friendship) with Christ all through Jesus’ earthly ministry. He along with over 500 others (see Luke 22:44-49; Acts 1:3-8) had seen Jesus experience His painful physical death and then the resurrection. He’d also seen his ascension up away.

As was earlier predicted by the Apostle Paul (see Acts 20:28–31), false teachers arising from within churches who were very familiar with the trending prevailing climate of philosophies, began hindering. They were infecting the Church with false doctrine, perverting basic apostolic teaching.

And these false teachers wouldn’t stop pushing their strange ideas that became known as “Gnosticism” (from the Greek term “knowledge”). Paul battled for the freedom of grace not from the law, but this Gnosticism was also a very dangerous heresy that threatened the early church believers during the first three centuries.

Gnosticism, influenced by such philosophers as Plato, advocated a bizzare dualism asserting that “matter was inherently evil and spirit was good.” And based on that, these false teachers there, although attributing some type of deity to Christ, then denied his true humanity in order to preserve Him from evil. This Gnosticism taught an “elevated knowledge, a higher truth” known only to those in on the deeper life of things. Only the initiated had the mystical knowledge of truth that was higher even than the Scripture. Such worthless rubbish! Instead of divine biblical revelation standing as judge over man’s thoughts etc., man’s ideas judged God’s revelation (2:15–17).

What was up with that heresy? Some said that Jesus’ physical body while here was not real but it only “seemed” to be physical (that junk is known as “Docetism” from the Greek term that means “to appear”).

The Bible affirms Christ’s complete humanity as well as His full deity. John adamantly taught against all the lies that went against this. Jesus indeed had a physical body. He reminded his audience at that time how he John was personally there and saw Jesus (“heard,” “seen,” “handled,” “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh”—1:1–4; 4:2,3).

As you heard last week in class at Prestonwood, some people falsely taught that Christ’s “spirit” came down onto the human Jesus at his water baptism, but then it left him just before his crucifixion therefore God didn’t die for sinful man. But John taught that God the Son, Jesus, who was water baptized at the beginning of His earthly ministry was the same exact Person who was crucified on the cross for our sins (5:6). It’s true, the Son of God, a man died a substitutionary death, fully atoning for us sinners on Calvary’s cross–He was 100% human (physically real as a man), and 100% God too (see Heb. 2:14–17).

The Gnostics concluded that any sin committed in the physical body did not really matter and that partaking in sin was even permissible. A person then could deny that sin even existed (1:8–10) and disregard God’s holy written law (3:4). But John taught there was indeed a need for obedience to God’s written laws. John defined that true love for God is seen in obedience to His commandments (5:3).

Bottomline: False teachers then and now lack real love.. except for your “seed-faith money.” In fact, false teachers live ticked off at Direct Authority and there’s zero love.. if you reject their strange thinking (3:10–18).

If you as a group remain faithful to apostolic biblical teaching, they really want to separate you away from such a group–from your loving family. It’s what they do.

If you go bail out and go after false teachers then it could show that you don’t yet have genuine salvation (see 2:19). Yes, John taught that. It’s why he sent this letter to the churches he knew, to combat the dangerous false doctrine.

With some homework questions, let’s review this book (First John) a bit and re-read through chapter 3.

What are the core tests of genuine fellowship (see 1 John 1:1–2:17)? What are the core tests of doctrine (see 1:1–2:2)? What is the biblical view of Jesus Christ (He is fully God and fully mansee).

The Bible says, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that [a]your joy may be full." 1 John 1:1-4 nkjv

John basically informs us of His first-love relationship: I've known Jesus personally, and I will witness of Him so others can enjoy fellowship too!

"The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:9-13 esv

Qs: From this letter and the whole Bible what’s an accurate view of sin (See 1:5–2:2)? Are there really mortal and venial sins? What are the basic tests of morals? (See 1 Jn. 2:3–17). Want a biblical view of obedience to God? (See 2:3–6). Why is it so important? Are there rewards for obedience to God fulfilled. Yes! What does it even mean that love is of God? Yes, what's the meaning of 1 John 4:7? What does it mean to let all that you do be done with love? (See 1 Corinthians 16:14). Today we often hear that phrase “love is love” or "the heart loves what it loves"? So how does “love is love” compare to “God is love”? Some young and old, single and married like to make excuses for wrong choices. Some like to use whatever pronouns ..many disingenuous people seek to excuse their sinful perversion. 

Need a biblical view of real love ..that the Gnostics lacked? We're to love in deed and in truth (See 1 John 2:7–17). What exactly is the kind of love that God requires of us? (See 1 John 2:7–11). What’s thee love that God actually hates? (Yes, it's the love of the corrupt world system that He hates, because of what it does to pull people downward spiritually and away. See. 2:12–17). Do you enjoy acceptable worship and fellowship upwards with God? What are the basic tests of genuine fellowship on the horizontal (see 2:18–3:24)? Is there something in this letter dealing with the doctrinal test (see 2:18–27)? What do antichrists (small "a") go do? Got any verses on them? What about on the Antichrist (capital "A")? The antichrists depart from Christian church fellowship. They just can’t stand it--they can't stand the true gospel. (See 2:18–21). They go out when detected.


They creep on in when they are allowed to, but they go out when those in authority expose them with their twisted doctrinal lies. Slimy and subtle, creeping into some churches of our day even. Yes, antichrists (all of them..) can be cleaver for gain, but they outright deny the Christian faith (See 2:22–25). Wisely discern and see them for what they really are (not as real Christian leaders like they want you to view them).

If they don't genuinely repent and start believing in the Jesus of the Bible they will soon hear this from Him: "Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matthew 7:23). Have you ever seen a so called Christian leader renounce the faith and bail out from Christian fellowship? What should our response be when this happens? 

How can one tell or identify the spirit of the antichrist? (See 1 John 4:2–3): “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.”

Antichrists seek to deceive faithful Christian people (See 2:26, 27):

"I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie--just as it has taught you, abide in him." ~ John esv

Even in our day many people claim to be real Christians like the Gnostics in their midst did. Man, I like the series of tests in 1 John! Is there more on the morality test in this letter (See 2:28–3:24)? What about dealing with the purifying hope of the Lord’s soon return (See 2:28–3:3)? Does it address the Christian’s incompatibility with sin? Yup (See 3:4–24)!

With Arminianism - the teaching was: Hey, you can lose your salvation.

With the Antinomians, they taught that you do sin and yet it doesn't really matter.

Both sentences are wrong. We Christians do at times (sadly) sin, and it does indeed matter! There are consequences and serious ramifications.

We want to quickly judge ourselves (with total honesty and true repentance).. before we stand before God's judgment bar. We want to run like Joseph did when needed. We want to flee youthful lusts and avoid all sin--why hurt out faithful Lord!? In 1 John, the author admits that we believers could and do from time to time sin,

In 1 John 3 you sin,
See chp 3 now. Your new nature can not sin. Present tenses. The Christian will sometimes times sins, but hates it (sin does not reigns in us, the direction of our life is toward holiness) Christians at times willfully sin, but the believer can not habitually, persistently, relentlessly sin. You sin when lust conceives in you says James.

What's the requirement of real righteousness (see 3:4–10)? What is the requirement of real love (We opt to lay down our lives for our dear brothers, instead of living with hatred for people like Cain did. 1 John 3:11–24)

Q: Ever encountered a false teacher on the radio, TV, or in a so-called church? What was that like? Can you describe a person in your life who thinks, loves, and acts a lot like Jesus? Who rejects error along with those who keep telling lies, and allows Christ to lead as Lord? Please explain some. What makes that person like Jesus?

Jesus warned that “false Christs and false prophets” will come and will attempt to deceive even God’s elect (Matthew 24:23-27; see also 2 Peter 3:3 and Jude 17-18). The best way to guard yourself against falsehood and false teachers is to know the truth. To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. Any believer who “correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) and who makes a careful study of the Bible can identify false doctrine. For example, a believer who has read the activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16-17 will immediately question any doctrine that denies the Trinity. Therefore, step one is to study the Bible and judge all teachings by what the Scripture says.

1) We need to ask ourselves what does this teacher say about Jesus? In Matthew 16:15-16, Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and cuz he answered like that Peter is called “blessed.”

2) We need to ask ourselves does this teacher preach the gospel and soundly teach the Bible? We hear the bad news about Hell and that we've all sinned. And then we appreciate the gospel--the good news (defined as the good concerning Jesus’ the Father's Solution. Good News: It's the message on His death, burial, and resurrection, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

3) We need to ask ourselves does this teacher exhibit character qualities that glorify the Lord? Of false teachers, what did Jude 11 say? “They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.” In other words, a false teacher can be known by his pride (Cain’s rejection of God’s plan), greed (Balaam’s prophesying for money), and rebellion (Korah’s promotion of himself over Moses). 

Jesus warned about false teachers and he said, “a tree is recognized by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33). They're loveless, except for bucks and themselves. 

"Being loved is life's second greatest blessing; loving is the greatest." ~ Jack Hyles

"You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving." ~ Amy Carmichael 

Got some more questions? 

What does it mean that people by nature are children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3)? Can we be changed inside? Yes. 

What does it mean that we are children of God (1 John 3:1)?

"Manifest," that's one of John’s favorite words of faith. Jesus Christ was manifested that He might reveal God’s Truth, and free Life (abundant, and eternal. See 1 John 1:2), that He might take away our sins (as we ask and allow Him to. Christ is a gentleman who never forces anyone to get saved. He'll have no one unhappy to be in Heaven with Him. See 3:5), that He might destroy the works of the devil (3:8), and that He might disclose God’s great love for sinners (4:9).

What does the Bible say about love? What are the most important verses in the Bible that talk about love?

Are we all God’s children, or only Christians? Is every human being a child of God? Sadly, no. 

Every human being is a loved creation of God, but not all are His children. All could repent of sin and believe in Jesus. Let's live the life and witness verbally (His gospel message) by faith so that many will become children of God. 

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17 nkjv

BTW: There are no illegitimate children per se. If you feel that's you, sorry about that. There indeed are sexual sins that people commit outside of a marriage, but you, child, didn't catch God off guard.

What does the Bible say about God's children doing child evangelism?

Does the Bible teach that love is love, or that some cozy feeling (or other feeling) is love? Uhh, nope. A feeling is just that, a feeling. What is the meaning of that common phrase “love is love”? How does “love is love” compare to “God is love”?

Are we to love ourselves before we can love others? What does the Bible say about self-love, loving self?  

 What's the meaning -- love does not envy (1 Corinthians 13:4)?

What exactly does the Bible mean when it refers to someone as a born-again child of God?

What does it mean that love is not self-seeking (1 Corinthians 13:5)?

Sup with that statement and the meaning of it.. “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18)?

What does it mean that love is not proud (1 Corinthians 13:4)?

What is the "spirit of love" (2 Timothy 1:7)?

What does it mean that husbands are to love their wives? What does Ephesians 5:25-33 mean when it compares the love of a husband for his wife with Christ's love for His Church? 

Does the Bible give husbands a practical way to gauge the authenticity of their love for their wives? Yes, are they genuinely caring for their wives’ needs in a way that's comparable to how they care for themselves? 

“Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church” (Ephesians 5:28–29). 

The “one-flesh” principle actually comes into play here and selfishness has no place in a marriage. Ironically, as a husband meets the needs of his wife, he will find that he himself reaps the benefits. God Himself thought all this up. 

Can you name the different types of love mentioned in the Bible? How many different types of love are mentioned in the Bible?

What does it mean to walk in love (Ephesians 5:2)?

Are you sadly a Christian who's been living in a loveless marriage?

What does God say/the Bible say about selflessness?

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. Sure is.

"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like." ~ Augustine

"You will never really love until you love someone who hates you." ~ Jack Hyles

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