The Pursuit of Righteousness

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1 John 3:1–10 NASB95

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

Children of God

Last week we spoke a little about how the children of both God and the devil are obvious

Lets refresh a moment on this

1 John 2:28–29 NASB95

Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

one way Children of God are obvious is that they Abide in God

We talked about living in God we talked about depending on God we talked about remaining in God we talked about continuing in God

These are how we can abide in His

By these we can know we are children of God

Now lets look at our text today Lat 3 sentences

1 John 3:7–10 NASB95

Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

Let No One Deceive you

Many will and Many have

many even you may have been or are in danger of being deceived

Watch out for False teachers

1 Timothy 6:3–5 ESV

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

In Matthew 7:13-14, Christ tells us how hard it is to enter the kingdom of heaven; he describes a narrow road leading to life and a broad road leading to destruction. False teachers are one reason many are on the broad road. In Matthew 7:15-16, Christ said: “‘Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit…”

In fact, one of the most addressed themes in the New Testament are false teachers and false teaching. Warnings about them abound in almost every New Testament book: the Gospels, Paul’s, Peter’s, and John’s epistles, etc. It is a major danger for the church, and it was certainly a danger in Ephesus. Paul warns about false teachers and teachings several times in 1 Timothy. In 1 Timothy 1:3, Paul urges Timothy to command the false teachers to stop teaching false doctrines. They were devoted to myths and endless genealogies and were abusing the law (v. 4, 7). In

1 Timothy 4:1–3 NASB95

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

Here he warns of demonically inspired teachers who forbid marriage and certain foods. False teaching has been a threat in every age including the present. It threatens to keep many from the narrow road leading to salvation and instead leads them to the broad road of destruction.

How can we discern false teachers who threaten the flock?

False Teachers Are Identified by Their False Doctrine

If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness

When Christ said, by their fruit we would recognize them, clearly, one of those fruits is their teaching (Matt 7:16). When evaluating a preacher or teacher, we must consider his or her doctrine. In verse 3, Paul gives several characteristics of false doctrine.

Observation Question: What are characteristics of false doctrine?

False doctrine often teaches rebellion, False doctrine disagrees with the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ, False doctrine does not agree with godly teaching,

False Teachers Are Identified by Their Attitude—One of Pride,False Teachers Are Identified by Their Motive—Profit

So why is this important well because there is allot of false teaching and very few true teachings which has led to spiritual starvation and is leading many to be deceived about their state in Christ and how they are to live in Him

lets look at that text again 1 John 3:7-10

1 John 3:7–10 (NASB95)

Common misconceptions in the church

God Wants Me To Be Happy

We elevate the value of happiness way above healthy levels in this country. Being happy is not bad, in fact I’d say it’s a good thing. But when we make a good thing an ultimate thing ultimately it becomes destructive. And we’ve made being happy an ultimate thing.

Does God want us to be happy? Yes… BUT. Not at the sacrifice of what is most important. God is more concerned with our holiness rather than our happiness. In other words, God is more concerned with our relationship with him and with those around us.

Too often we use our happiness as an excuse to get away with something we shouldn’t be messing with. God wants you to be in a right relationship with him and he wants you to love those around you. Will there be happiness there? Sure, at times. But as in any relationship, there will be struggles and difficulties as well. Happiness should not be our top concern.

Heaven Gained Another Angel

This Christian saying is often said after someone passes away as some kind of comfort. Not only is this not true, humans will not turn into angels, it is also not helpful.

I know most people that say this probably don’t even believe it. It’s just something that comes out when you don’t know what else to say in a difficult situation. So, let me give you something better to say. Nothing.

Your presence is SO much more impactful than the words you say. When you are with someone grieving just sit with them. Avoid sayings like this one and just let your presence be felt.

God Won’t Give Me More Than I Can Handle

I used to tell myself this whenever I was tempted to sin or facing something difficult. I’d tell myself this only to give in to temptation a moment later or throw in the towel the next day. What I’ve realized is most of my life I am not capable of handling.

You have more than you can handle. You cannot do it. But God can.

There will be things in your life that are more than you can handle, but it’s not more than God can handle. God doesn’t call us to a life that we are capable of living. He calls us to a life that we are only capable of living with Him.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says come to me when you are tired and burdened. Your burden is too much, you cannot handle it by yourself. Jesus wants to take on the burden so together you can live as he intended.

This Christian saying has caused a lot of damage to people’s faith. It’s one of the most dangerous things on this list of Christian sayings that are not in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NASB95

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

2 Corinthians 1:8–10 NKJV

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,

So I say all this to say there is deception in the church

He is saying here do not be deceived

Make sure no one deceives you

You cannot claim Jesus and live like the World

The one Who has Jesus has been given power over sin by Christ to purify themselves,

Its by His grace by His mercy and His blood that we can nevertheless there is the call to put the sin to death or the sin will put you to death

The one who fails to change has not become a new creation

Whatever you are not actively changing you are choosing let that sink in for a moment

1 John 3:3–5 NKJV

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

1 John 3:7–10 NASB95

the hope is for those that Trust in Jesus that cling to His cross out of the deepest love the deepest respect the true believer will have evidance of a changed life,

Sanctification will be taking place there will be a purifying oneself of Sin

not a justifying one sin

there will be a deep remorse over ones sins over ones short comings

not a love of those sine

The desire will be not that have “have to repay it but Its my new nature that is my eternal desire that I do,

There will be a action behind that desire

For faith without works is dead

Without evidance the faith isnt faith at all

So make sure no one deceives you the one who Practices righteousness is righteous

Thats a big deal here

While we are made alive by Christ apart from anything we could do saved by grace through faith in Christ alone not in our works

but the one who is saved will practice righteousness

But the one who practices sin is of the devil

The one who loves his sin ,

Loves it more than God family or anything else

who intentionally sins

habitually sins

He is in a state of constant sin

Many are dicieved here because the message of grace has been skewed from it original meaning

many say judge Not...........

What they really mean is they want a Jesus that allows them to sin and gain his glory it doesn't work that way

Ive heard one say dont judge me just because i sin differently than you

now there is intentional sin and then there is that sin that sneaks up on you and before you have even thought it out it bites you thats not what Im talking about here

im talking about that habitual sin

you think it over you know its wrong you feel guilty but you do it anyway, when you ask god for forgiveness you do so knowing you will probably do again before the week is over maybe before the day is over

Let me explain something to you my dear family

hear me the true believer will sin he will fall short scripture says he will. But he doesn't excuse his sin he runs to the father begs for forgiveness and intends never to do again he puts it to death

by the power of the cross the power of the blood of the lamb he calls upon Jesus and says no more I hate this or I hate that i cant stand to disappoint you I need you jesus forgive me that I may honor you give me the strength to overcome this in my life. Then after he gets off his knees every time he is tempted he runs to the father and away from that sin he sees the sin as the Father DOES AS A WRETCHED THING THE WORST THING, THE THING STEALING HIS JOY,

He intends to shed that sin, that sin that drives a wedge between husband and wife father and son mother and daughter

God and self

The sin has to Go that His joy may be made full

We must put the sin to death or it will put us to death

Rob us of the JOy the life the peace that Christ came to give us

not so we would remain slaves to sin but that we would be set free from the bondage of sin that we may live

1 John 3:8–10 (NASB95)

the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.