Do you really believe that what you really believe is really real?
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
1 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, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Pray
In the world today, everybody has an opinion on anything and their opinion is “right” and most of the time is presented rather heavily as fact.
> There are lies spun all around us about what or who to believe.
Religion
Government leaders
Occupation
All of this, plus some, causes strife in our world today.
As a whole, people are lost, and have no hope and are being fed LIES.
What are some of the lies that we are told?
> You can worship whatever/whoever you wish because all ways lead to heaven.
> Worship all you want because in the end there is nothing.
> You must have a good job and lots of money to be successful.
And there are so many more!
(Background) The book of 1 John was written within the world view of apocalyptic Judaism.
A. Apocalyptic Judaism is a dualistic worldview that belongs to two opposed groups of people who were ultimately under the control and influence of either God or Satan.
a. this sounds familiar - we see glimpses of this duality all around us in our world today. Some people will be on the side of following God, and some people will be on the side of following the world and creating their “own truth”
b. one writer talks about this and he says
Men knew the truth about God, but they did not allow this truth to work in their lives. They suppressed it in order that they might live their own lives and not be convicted by God’s truth.
bio.warrenwiersbe
The book of Romans addresses this in chapter 2 verse 12
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Those who did not allow what they knew, in their inmost being, to be true about God to work in their lives..... silenced the truth and created their own semblense of “Truth” to follow and did not allow the Holy Spirit to lead them to the real truth>
B. These two groups were thought to act according to the wishes of their Father {God or Satan}.
This viewpoint is clear in the letters of 1-3 John, as well as in John’s gospel most notably in chapter 8 where it leads to warning about dangerous misinterpretation.
The book of 1 John was written to address the church about heresies and to exhort them back to the truth of the gospel.
First John is a simple yet profound response to a heresy threatening the church.
The methodology used is a careful and clear delineation of the truth as it is found in Christ. The two different positions—the correct and the incorrect—are clearly contrasted.
This letter, however, also has a positive purpose of drawing his “children” back to the truth and dissuading them from following the heretics, and furthermore, to respond in relationship with God who was revealed in Christ:
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
The positive purpose is further designated in 5:20: “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.”
One writer says.
The clear understanding of the nature of Christ is of highest importance to the author. The response of the believer for which the author calls is to be “born of God” and to “abide in him.
The nature of the opposition:
the opponents had been members of the Christian community, but had now withdrawn to propagate their own beliefs. (we see this happening today in all of the new and old Cults that are invading the areas)
There is a series of “If” clauses in the last half of chapter 1 that imply that the group was teaching the impossibility of walking in fellowship with God who is light; That there is no freedom from the practice of sin; and that there is no forgiveness and cleansing from sins.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2. So what is the major Christiological error of the heretics?
a bold face denial of the humanity of Jesus which implies that they did not believe he was the Messiah because the Messiah had to be both God and man.
One writer points out
The false spirits in the world can be identified by their confession of Jesus:
1 John 4:2 “2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:”
One can even back this argument up by looking at the first two verses of 1 John 1:1-2
1 John 1:1–2 (KJV 1900)
1 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, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
Furthermore, The liar is identified in 2:22 as the one “who denies that Jesus is the Christ. This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.”
3. What was the practical outcome of both positions?
Irresponsibility; which advocated a life of sin and total disregard for others. which is why John needed to call these apostate believers back to the truth.
Can you see this theme around us today?
I believe you can sum up the people of this world by the phrase “I didn’t do it”.
No one takes ownership of what they believe.
No one can think for themselves and what they believe
Because of this we have a whole culture of trend seeking.
So, Do you really believe that what you really believe, is really real? or are you simply believing what those around you say is true and you are not taking the time to reaffirm what you believe and what is truth.
The way in which John goes about addressing these believers who were apostate and spreading heresy was not adversarial. John addresses them out of love, and truly wants them to come back to what they know in their hearts and from God’s word to be true.
The message which John declares to the believers who were apostate was the Gospel.
Jesus Says “you must be like a child to believe” Matthew 18:3 “3 Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
The message is not difficult to grasp for even the children seek and find.
Believer,
Take heed to the truth of the Gospel. When you are fed lies by the world and the prince of darkness, Go back to what you know to be true and reaffirm for yourself through God’s word what is true. We don’t need “My truth” we need God’s truth.