1 John Review

If you turn to 1 John, we are doing a review of 1 John today, so if anybody here is into math, you have about 8 minutes per chapter will get us 40 minutes of Sunday school. And so there's not a lot of time to really get deep, which the whole purpose of a review is to not get deep, but to remind ourselves of things that we've learned over, I believe, the past 23 weeks. So it's been nearly six months, five months of 1 John.

But if you have the page from last week with you, or if I think there was some on the table if you wanted it, at the very top of the page for verse 21 of chapter 5, which reads, Little children or dear children, keep yourselves from idols. I note that this is the seventh time that John addresses his readers as little children. And I listed a few reasons why he does that. one is that he dearly loves them himself and john loves us he wants them to be reminded that like children they can be deceived and he also wants them to experience assurance that it's jesus who's holding them in his hands and what i was asking you to think about during the week i'm not sure if anybody did but if whether you thought about it or not you could think about it now Is there any other truth that touches your heart, something that you think you can believe about yourself because of John's mode of addressing these believers and by extension us as little children?

So what is. What does that say to you in your heart that John and God says little children? I just think of the humility of a child dependent upon parents it's a pattern of our Christian walk we're always dependent we're always in need of their guidance of his guidance absolutely good Alicia Yes. We're all children of the same father. So thus we are all brothers and sisters to one another.

Very good. for those that just came in we're sharing any thoughts that John and God calling us little children brings to your mind or to your heart well excellent those were very good go to 1 John 1 now throughout the book of 1 John he uses the phrase I have written these things to you a number of times and the one in 1 John 5.13 that all the teachers agreed that John was driving at was that he's written these things so that we may have assurance of our eternal life. That one of John's goals of the book, maybe the primary goal was that believers would be able to read the book and as the result have even more confidence that they really do know God, that they will be taken to glory on the day of their death or when Jesus returns. And so in each chapter, there's going to be verses that maybe directly support that or there's going to be other conversations going on.

And so what I wanted to do to give us a little bit of a focus so that we're not just all over the place, was I wanted to look at some verses in each chapter. And feel free if another verse hits you and you want to share it. But what I wanted to ask, if you turn to 1 John 1, 9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I wanted to ask you, how does that verse, if you confess your sins, he's faithful and he's just to forgive you of your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness, how does that verse lead you to assurance that you are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone? Or how does it lead you to greater assurance? Maybe you already feel somewhat assured, but how does that verse contribute to your assurance?

I love it. Y'all thought I'd be teaching today, no? I'm asking questions. I just think it's a daily process of sanctification, if you will. So we never get there. We're never perfectly the Christian follower.

But we want to strive for it. So daily, you've got to admit. You've got to be humble and admit. Lord, I take it this way. I overreact. Whatever it is. and I think as we do that more we're going to he's hearing me now I think it reinforces your confidence because you've got to have daily communication repentance with the Lord good so the consistently agreeing with God confessing about your sin doing that over and over is going to build your confidence as you receive that forgiveness and cleansing Yeah Good I'd like to jump to chapter 2.

I think it ties right in. It says, Little children, I write these things so that you may not sin. If anyone does sin, we have an advocate. The Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, he is the propitiation for our sins and not for our own sins of the whole world. So, again, the reason that we can have confidence is that we are in Christ, and Christ has already took the judgment for the sin that our sin deserves.

Amen. Amen. Alicia? Alicia? Whenever I read that verse, it just reassures us that if we have any sins, mainly, to the God, and it's the verse that's just reassuring us that we're already forgiven. I mean, because Christ already died and died for us and rose again.

And that word reassurance just keeps coming to my mind. You know, you're already forgiven, you know, 50 times. Absolutely. Absolutely. And that goes real well with what Charlie said, that since the propitiation's been made, You're already there with God. Let me ask you two questions.

Why is it faithful and why is it just for God to forgive us our sins? Those are those those words mean something and they mean different things. Any thoughts on why it's faithful and just or either? Andrew? because of a just death at Jesus' time. So I think it has something to do with that. It would be unjust for God to punish you for your sins if he's already punished Christ for your sins, right?

You have double jeopardy then, right? If Christ has paid for your sins, it would be unjust for you to be punished for them, and thus Christ, the propitiation for your sins, means that you can be forgiven. Jeremy? Amen. Amen. God has promised, right?

And we will receive those promises. Gary? I think it speaks to the personal relationship that he has established with us in Christ. He said it's just reassuring that he's always there because Jesus is always there. And to me it kind of defines how that relationship works. That we can always depend on him, always trust him, he's always there for us.

Amen. Excellent. Well, let's move to chapter 2. Let's look at verses 15. 15 to 17. Do not love the world or anything in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life is not from the Father, but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever. So again, feel free if there's another verse in chapter 2 that's jumping out at you to share that, but how does that disposition or attitude of not wanting to love the things that are of the world, but to love the things that are of God, how does that increase your assurance or maybe even bring you to assurance that you are one of God's children?

How does that help you in your walk? You do understand, you need to know this, God wants his people to know that there is people. There's people out there that want you to doubt this, and they'll teach that. In fact, John's writing about these very people. In verse 26 here he says, but God wants you to know. He doesn't want you to walk around wondering, am I good enough, or did Christ really save me?

Does God really love me? He actually wants you to enjoy the idea that you're absolutely, utterly being sung over by Christ at all times. You're a trophy to him. So, Pat? Well, the things of the world, we've got to balance them away. We want to appreciate and show gratitude for the material blessings God allows us to have.

Sure. And not chase after them. And when we, so I think we know that it reinforces us, if we can appreciate them and not get hung up on chasing after them, Because God helps us for what they are. They're nice, but they're not the most important thing. When you're not a believer, you don't look to the veil and things that way that the most important thing This I got to have this But it could be materialism something or lines Or some other thing that you chasing after or contentment you never going to get But with the Lord if you have that belief in the Lord you have contentment then, eh, okay, this is nice, we got this, he allowed me to, whatever, I'm a quickie, we're in a home, whatever, those are all nice things, but they're not the most important.

So don't chase after them. It's not a requirement in your life to make you do that. Yeah, so there's created things, right? And those created things are to be used by us. They were made by God for us to use them. And we can use them in the wrong way.

And then we're using them in a worldly way in a sense, right? Where we're relying on those instead of the God that gave them. That's what you're saying? Yes. Yeah, very good. Carrie? that's an excellent point now what would be a way and i'll ask you or anybody what's a way that you could maybe self-diagnose where your treasure is what is something that could happen in life where you would realize, oh, maybe I'm treasuring something other than Christ, or, oh, I really do seem to be treasuring Christ.

Do you have any examples? No. It's something that happens in life, but certainly what consumes your thoughts and your mind. Okay, so what you're thinking about? Yeah, generally those. And take it to the point where you're honest.

Good. What about when disaster strikes? how can that reveal to you where you've put your heart go ahead expand on that okay yeah yeah are you clinging to the things that okay good along that theme, I know years ago we had, you know, as a young one, we had a pretty tough economic time in 2008 and all that. Same up in Michigan. And so I was like, all of a sudden, there's not enough, right?

Well, we still got to be faithful. But it takes a little thinking. Okay, but what do we have? We know that it's all from the Lord. So that still the balance, it's a smaller pot to work with, but that balance is still we want to be a part of God's favor. We want to be a part of helping with our church, et cetera, things of that nature.

So that I tend to look into, you know, because first, how are we going to make it? Just looking at the financial side of things and then realizing, okay, we're going to make it. We just got to tighten up the budget a little and keep on with the resources he's given us, even though they're smaller. Amen. And that desire to want to help others in the church especially, that brings assurance, knowing that you love others.

Did you raise your hand again? I was just thinking, and it's your question about when the hardship comes, right? Tim always says, when the heat is on, what boils to the top? What boils to the surface? And so you see your response as a result of difficulties. And is it through the Spirit or through the flesh?

What happens to the surface? Yeah. Very good point. Sure. Yeah, Jason. You mentioned kind of like how do we assess our assurance.

Proverbs 14, 12 says, There is a way that seems right to a man, but his end is the way to death. I think that's the last section of that verse. The end is the way to death gives us insight into, as we're going through life, whenever something occurs, whether it's good or bad, how do we react? And one way to ask how are we reacting is appropriate is what is the end of this?

Is the end of this to ultimately glorify God? Is I to dwell with him and be with him, you know, and glorify God? Or is the end of this action that I'm now performing just leading to death? Yeah, that's a very good way to think about it. Look at not just the current state you're feeling, but what's the trajectory, what's it leading to? you can turn to Job 1 if you want or you don't have to but if you know the story well a horrible tragedy came upon Job and his wife Job 1 21 Job says naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I will return Yahweh gave and Yahweh has taken away blessed be the name of Yahweh and it says in all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing Then in chapter 2, Job's wife, given a similar circumstance as Job, losing a lot of things that she says curse God and die in verse 9.

So I think that there's a very stark example of two people experiencing devastation and destruction in this life, difficult circumstances, and they give us two different pictures of how we might respond to God in that circumstance. And so I think that what Carrie said about where your treasure is really shows that you know where your treasure is when somebody can take part of it and you react, right? We know what we treasure by those things.

Nobody can take away the God that you love or move him. And so people can do what they want against God and it doesn't bother the faithful. Let's look at chapter 3. In chapter 3 verse 8 there a verse that says the one who practices sin is of the devil because the devil has been sinning from the very start but i really like this next sentence this is why or the reason the son of god was revealed or the reason he came was to destroy the works of the devil so how can meditation on the idea that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, how can that help lead you to greater assurance?

Say it louder. What did you say? He precedes us, but he's not in and of himself. He's given us the victory. Pastor Bean used to say we're no longer victims, but victors in Christ. Good.

That changes our relationship and it changes our status. Amen. We're no longer victims, but we're victors in Christ. I like that. Can we reply back in a practical application to 1 John 1.9? If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all our iniquities.

Amen. Amen. Yes. or you just went through this experience and you did not testify to me but you came and prayed for yourself and we confess that and know that he'll forgive we're going to listen to that voice trying to break that fellowship that we have with the Father and the Son because the voice here is going in us to convict and convince and praise the repentance Amen.

Amen. let me ask you this how many works of the devil will jesus fail to destroy how many he's going to have absolute and complete total victory he's going to have his way and he's going to have it in the exact timing that he desires to have it and so while we are persisting in this battle, while we're waging war against the flesh, we have confidence that it will ultimately be destroyed by Jesus. And in time, he will progressively, as Pat even started the whole conversation, progressively we're going to enjoy victory over our sin. Jeremy?

That's for those who believe in him. There will be worse than the devil. know that they don't believe in Jesus, that are not destroyed, right? They will have their eternal function. They will, yeah. Right? Or am I thinking about that wrong?

No, I think it's a good point you're bringing up, semantically at least. But for the believer, for certain, we will have total victory one day, and in this life we should see progressive victory. How does it give you assurance then when you fall? Like does assurance only come when you're doing good? Katie? I think it gives you assurance when you fall because you know that God's not going to keep you there.

He's going to continue to change the desires of your heart to look more towards him. And we continue to read his word. That's what changes us. And that's like I feel like a really important thing to remember is to always like in our own loss, We need his word, we need each other, we need this, discussions like this, to help us keeping our eyes forward.

Like, yes, I might sin today, or something in the world looks very appetizing, but Christ is not going to keep it. I think all of us can look back on our lives in our Christian walk, and you look back to where you used to be and where you are now. What are the assurance because of what Christ has brought you through? And to this point, we're going to keep going forward. and so I feel like this just 1 John in general is that beautiful picture of you know his redemptive power our assurance and our continuation of sharing the gospel and giving the gospel for our love for him until we meet him in the end amen yeah Paul said forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead I press on toward the goal for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus in Philippians 3.

There's a sense where we loathe our former sins, we repent when we sin. There's also a sense in Christ where this self-focus of how bad I was, even minutes ago sometimes, it's not good for you. It's always a pressing forward to what God can do and promises to do. Very good comments. Chapter 4. Yeah.

Verse 2. Yep. Yeah. What could the world offer me that's more appealing and more eternal and more satisfying than to be God's child? And not just in theory, but in practice. So that's a lot of emails.

That was for me. Yeah, absolutely. Very good description of it, too. What could compare? Thank you. in prayer now that rattles through my head and I can boldly you know put my pleas before our mediator and know that he's faithful to hear those and take them before the father and so uh how many times in the past without that those words sticking in your head you can make your petitions to God almost shaking with doubt because you think is this too insignificant and that claim to adoption being a child of God gives you such boldness especially if the Lord allows that to just reside in you in your mind you're actually meditating on it allowing that to define your prayers and your interaction with others absolutely they say nobody would wake up a king to ask him for a drink of water but his own son can and we have that same access to God right well chapter 4 verse 17 I read in this way love has been perfected among us so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment for in this world we are just like him there is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear because fear involves punishment the one who fears has not been perfected in love we love because he first loved us so how is this concept of there is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear because fear involves punishment how does this concept help lead you to greater assurance of God's love for you or how do you understand this idea of no fear in love?

Because we're told to fear God, right? We do understand rational fear, like you're driving down the road and another car comes at you. I think there's a normal fear that wouldn't be considered a sinful concept or contradictory to love. So how does no fear in love, when it comes to talking about God and other saints, how does that drive you to greater assurance?

Because it's correction, not punishment. So you don't have to fear it. You just have to accept it and thank the Lord. So when God brings discipline in a believer's life, you recognize that as not punishment, but you do recognize it as a loving father bringing the correction that you most need very good so we don fear the difficulties of life that even we believe come to believers because we trust there from a loving father who knows what best Or at least we say we don Gary I think it has to do with what it says right ahead of that.

First part of verse 17, that we have problems on the day of judgment because in this world we are like them. and I've heard different variations of what that means about in this world we are like him but what I've gained in understanding myself is the fact that this is talking about math it's saying in this world we're like him not waiting until we get to heaven and what gives me confidence and assurance of thinking that way It's Ephesians 4, verse 1 to 4, where we are encouraged to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And that's what takes place when, through regeneration, when we become that new creation, and it's a spiritual event, where now spiritually we are like him because of what Christ has done in us and we have the Holy Spirit working in us. Excellent.

So that confidence helps me get rid of all fears. Helps me understand and receive God's love. That brings up a good question. I think what are some ways that you can boldly say that you are like him? Say that again. What are some ways that you can say that you're like him?

It says here, in this way, love has been perfected among us. So we may have confidence for in this world we are like him or we are just like him. What are some ways we are like him? Forgiving others. That's a way that we're like Christ. Mike?

Loving his word. Sharing his word. Loving the lost. Loving the lost. Loving others. Submitting to God's will.

How about being persecuted? Suffering. Is that something that he did? And I would argue that suffering... I've got Jeremy next. I'd argue that suffering, being persecuted, is one of those times in someone's life that would be most rattling to your assurance.

Right. So every religion in the world, for the most part, teaches if you're suffering, it's because God's mad at you or the gods are unhappy with you. And if you're not suffering, that means you have God's favor. That's what most religions of the world will always teach. you're going to have some weird niche ones that probably don't even have 20 followers but religions that get following promise you something that isn't necessarily promised so suffering can shake your assurance if you're listening to the world if you're listening to those of this world that speak from the world your assurance can suffer because you'll be told well the reason why this is happening is because maybe God doesn't really care about you but then you look to the cross you see the Son of God who is loved perfectly by God suffering and you recognize that we will suffer with Christ in order to be glorified with him and it actually increases your assurance when you find yourself suffering and then you seek for God comfort in that time and you receive it When you find yourself persecuted for righteousness sake, yours is the kingdom of heaven.

And so suffering is another way that we are like Christ. Jeremy? All right. relationship with other believers. Right. And by the spirit that he has given us. Right.

So, the love that we have, the love that is perfect, the love that we talk about here, comes from that God abiding in us. Right. So his abiding in us is what gives us the confidence. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's great.

Jason? You mentioned persecution and tied that into verse 18. There is no clear note in the first time that verse really, really stuck in my head was a documentary on President Dave Harding in the church. And in this documentary, they were interviewing a pastor in the church who had just been blown up by a suicide bomb, went into the service. and the carnage in the documentary really leaves an impression on anyone watching.

And when we were talking to him, he quotes this verse in regards to the question of, why are you still meeting? He said, perfect love casts out fear. You know, the drive and understanding, the fellowship of believers casts out the fear to continue onward. and too often I mean fear is not even incorporated into our language when it comes to just fellowshiping with one another and yet that that's a reality for a lot of believers they have to weigh the cost and the fears of just uniting and being the body of Christ together in public and that should be inspiring and that should give us assurance that even though we don't contemplate that we have to have fear when we gather together we can still be assured that we are a part of the body of Christ and we have those things that other people have to fear we can take for granted and those are things of assurance yeah amen Mike I was thinking of fear in another way we may be fearful to speak up we might seize an opportunity and we're afraid to say I'm going to have to ask.

So, when we have God's love in us, then that fear is washed away and this is an opportunity for me to maybe go talk. I see my discernment. God's Holy Spirit helps me to see that person needs a few words of encouragement, whatever it might be. Instead of just staying in our shell and playing it safe, we overcome that fear by God Spirit in us by wanting to please the Lord He waking me up I have action to do That person needs to be talked to.

She needs encouragement. Whatever it is. That little miniature fear, it will overcome people. Love for God and others is greater than our fear of man or fear of things that could happen in this world. I think a lot of this conversation also goes back to Romans 8. So from 15 on, it says, For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.

For you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, by whom you cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, heirs, heirs of God, fellow heirs of Christ, provided we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified with him. When we, these problems of fear are always going to come out.

And one of the things my dad is going to point it out is when it's a believer suffering, going through a fearful situation, you cry out to God. That's when you cry out. And that's also his spirit testifying as well. So it's all full circle with this whole fear and assurance and like what in suffering and what that does. It's all kind of summed up right there.

We have the spirit that causes us to cry out, not that we cower, so that we find the strength in suffering to continue on, which gives us this assurance that we have the Spirit as well. Amen. We experience the same circumstances and difficulties and emotions and all the things that everybody else experiences, and we respond differently because the Spirit of God abides in us, right?

And so in Chapter 5, which we recently discussed, I think John gives us evidence for the fact that we have confidence before God because we believe that Jesus came we believe it objectively outside of ourselves that it really happened it was a real event and I think John gives us evidence there where he says you have the testimony within you that you also experientially know Jesus and both of those things can be true in the believer's life and are true and will increase your assurance and your joy in christ so as everybody i think should know all the sunday schools i think except one one week or were recorded and are available if you want to catch up on any of them so hopefully you will continue to love this book and study it even more now that now that we've wet your whistle torrents because if i understand god's word at all It means all we've done is scratch the surface of what is here for you. And so let me pray and then we'll get ready for our church service. Father in heaven, I thank you for the wisdom that you have provided to the Christians that were in this room today.

And for all of the different experiences and perspectives that we can bring to your word. And how those things together give us all a greater vision of what John and you were writing to us. Please use this book to assure your people of the hope that they have in Christ and to help them to grow in their holiness as the result. I pray for our service this morning that you would anoint the preacher with unction, that he may preach according to the Spirit of God and that the Spirit of God would go before the Word into the hearts of the people to open our hearts to receive it, that we might be changed by your truth.

Help us all to trust that you are the God you say you are and to believe the things you have written about yourself. And it's in Christ's name I pray. Amen.