Guardng God's Truth

INTRO: We will be looking at the various ways a believer can be deceived, but also at the ways a believer can be assured that he or she is walking in truth.

John warned that the sources of deception are varied:

from our own heart

false prophets and teachers

deniers of the deity of Jesus Christ

At the heart of the Christian faith is our emphatic belief that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son and Word of God, who “became flesh and dwelt among us”.

Any teaching denying this truth about Jesus is antichrist in nature and must be completely rejected.

John’s three letters reflect his defense of the Christian faith against deceivers who posed a danger to the early church. Then there were people who denied that Jesus was who the Gospel says He was and is: the enteral begotten Son of God “who was made flesh, and dwelt among” humans, a real man in flesh and form.

In the past they denied the real humanity of Jesus, were as today deceivers admit Jesus lived on earth as a man, but that He was not divine.

Three ways to discern between truth and error.

live close to God once you have tasted His goodness and His grace and loving kindness

be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when the Holy Spirit lives in us our spirit will recognize the spirit

know the truth study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth

GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR FEELINGS

1 John 3:19–24 (NKJV)

And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

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. 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.

What you believe is based on what you know about Jesus Christ.

love the brothren in deed and truth

we are conducting our lives consistence with the truth

Therefore our heart gives us assurance before God that we are living in right relationship with Him.

Paul described it this way, “free from the condemnation of sin”

OBEYING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS MATTER

1 John 3:22–24 NKJV

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 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. 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.

Knowing we are living consistent with the Gospel .

This is preparatory to engaging in effective prayer, so that “whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him (God), because we keep (obey) His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Receiving from God what we ask for in prayer is dependent on having confidence God will hear us.

Asking for anything that is not Gods will does not enter into our praying.

John states emphatically:

1 John 5:14–15 NKJV

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

John believed in obeying all the moral and ethical commandments of God in Holy Scripture. But he focused his attention on two commandments of God:

First, we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ this means we place ourselves under Jesus authority as God’s eternal Son and our Savior and Lord.

Second, we obey the command we love one another

LEARN TO DISCERN GOD’S TRUTH

1 John 4:1–6 (NKJV)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Examine the Spirit

believe not every spirit Do not acknowledge all who claim to be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but test them, let you err either in receiving the false, or rejecting the truth.

The test: 1 John 4:2-3

1 John 4:2–3 NKJV

By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Is Jesus the Christ, the Messiah-Savior God sent to earth. Did Christ live in the flesh

Distinguish Between Truth and Error

1 John 4:4–6 NKJV

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

HOLD TO THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRIST

2 John 7–11 (NKJV)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

There Are Many Deceivers

Do Not Entertain Deceivers

2 John 10–11 “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”