13. Walking in the Lie vs Walking in the Truth p3

Walking in the Lie vs Walking in the Truth P3: The Blessing that God is to us

1 John 1:5-2:6 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

We saw in verse 8 that denying the condition of sin is self-deception and the result of that is the truth is not in us. Verse 9 stands in stark contrast to verse 8. As a result, seeing our sinful condition, we are not deceived because the truth is in us.

The last time we were together we saw the blessing of confession. To summarize - to confess our sins is to agree with God on 1) our sinful condition and 2) any and all actions that break the law of God. It is more than admission of sin it implies contrition and repentance. Another possible meaning, considering the usage of the word in other verses is that it is also a confessional statement. We also saw that confession of sin does not come naturally to the one walking in darkness because of the self-deception. It is through the Spirit’s work in renewing, regenerating, and saving that we come to the knowledge of sin and submitting ourselves under the authority of God’s Word. Seeing and confessing our sin is a blessing and testimony of the work of grace in our hearts. But the blessing does not stop there. When we read the rest of verse 9 we are plunged once again into the infinite majesty and glory that is God.

There are 2 Points. 1) The Blessing God is to His People generally. He is faithful and just and 2) The Blessing God is to His people specifically. He forgives and cleanses us.

Before we begin point one, I’d like to make some general comments. In verse 5 we see that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. There are 3 aspects of light as it relates to God: truth, revelation, and holiness. And it is God’s holiness that we need to see in order to grasp the enormity of who God is in relation to His people.

1Sa 2:2  “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

Hab 1:13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.

Isa 6:3-5 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" (4) And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. (5) So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."

It is not just that God Himself is holy, but He also requires holiness.

Psa 24:3-5 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? (4) He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. (5) He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Mat 5:48  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

For those that suppose their good works will get them into heaven there is the certainty of God’s judgement and a wretched end. Gal 3:10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

The curse is from God. So we have had a very brief survey on holiness of God, what He requires, and what we will receive relying on the works of the law. Now let us contrast this with 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.

When we look at the verse, we the conjunction ‘and’ linking the adjectives faithful and just. We can split these two adjectives and make two complete true statements. He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and He is just to forgive us and cleanse us from all our sin. We can break this down even further to two complete absolute truths. God is faithful and God is just. There are few verses in the NT that begin with ‘God is’ with an adjective to follow. There is God is true Jn 3:33, God is spirit Jn 4:24, God is a consuming fire Heb 12:29, God is light 1Jn 1:5, God is love 1Jn 4:8,16. But the NT references God is faithful 4x, 1 Cor 1:9, 10:13, 2 Cor. 1:18, 1 Jn 1:9.

I.Who God is to His People – faithful and just

He is Faithful

When the Word of God says God is faithful, it is important to understand the practical implications.

First, it is an essential element of His nature.

(2Ti 2:13) if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

There are times when our faith is weak, and the practical outworking of our faith is marred by the lack of it. But He remains faithful to bring those who are His to glory. The power of His shed blood is no less for them, He who began a good work in you, will no less continue to perfect because of the weakness and frailty of our faith, but He will continue to perfect it in you until the day of Christ Jesus. If, indeed, you are in Christ, though your faith be weak, it is not on the basis of the strength of your faith that you enter into heaven but rather on the efficacy of the Father sending His Son to be a propitiation for our sin.

2) He will do nothing that runs counter to who He is or in any way diminishes His glory and majesty.

(Psa 138:2) I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

3) A promise or covenant made is a promise of covenant kept.

Deu 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

Psa 111:1-10 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. (2) Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. (3) Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. (4) He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful. (5) He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. (6) He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations. (7) The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; (8) they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. (9) He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! (10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

As an aside, clearly, we should make sure that our doctrine in all and every case exalts God and His word. It is the litmus test. Does it exalt God in all His infinite, perfect, attributes? Or does it lessen one to make another plausible. I am speaking specifically of the Arminian doctrine of man’s free will, as they define it, which does damage to God’s sovereignty.

God is faithful to His word, His decrees, His promises, His covenants. What He has predetermined will absolutely come to pass. That which He has promised is kept. His covenants fulfilled.

(Deu 7:9)  Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

Over and over we see the pattern of promise or covenant made and it being fulfilled. The Abrahamic Covenant which was re-stated to the Isaac and then Jacob fulfilled.

Jos 21:43-45  Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there.  (44)  And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands.  (45)  Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

Gal 3:7-8  Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.  (8)  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”

Gal 3:29  And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

God’s faithfulness to us is not an antiseptic faithfulness based on obligation or duty, but it is tied to His love for you.

Eph 1:5 In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

1Jn 4:10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

(Psa 36:5) Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

(Psa 98:3) He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

(Psa 100:5) For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

(Psa 108:4) For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

(Psa 115:1) Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

(Psa 117:2) For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

Of the 190+ verses that speak of God’s steadfast love over 130 of those same verses also speak of His faithfulness

What blessed assurance we have in the testimony of Scripture. Our God is faithful. He is infinitely faithful as he is infinite in His being. Whatever we read in the Scripture we have the absolute assurance of what it says He will do. What a blessing to know that as many as are the promises of God in Christ they are all yes to the praise of His glory!

How frightening is it to know that the same Scripture also pronounces the judgement of God against sinners, against apostates, against those dark forces arrayed against God and His people.

Heb 10:29-31  How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?  (30)  For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”  (31)  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

2Th 1:5-9  This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—  (6)  since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,  (7)  and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels  (8)  in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  (9)  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

He is just as faithful to His word of judgment as He is to His word of salvation. His judgement is not arbitrary but based upon who He is. Which brings us to out next blessing that God is to His people – He is just.

He is Just

The NASB translates this Greek word as righteous. Whichever way your Bible translates it be assured that God is righteous, and he is just stems from the holiness of God.

A. W. Pink begins his chapter on the holiness of gGd. Rev 15:4  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy.”. He only is independently, infinitely, immutably holy. In Scripture He is frequently styled "The Holy One": He is so because the sum of all moral excellency is found in Him. He is absolute Purity, unsullied even by the shadow of sin. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1Jn_1:5). Holiness is the very excellency of the Divine nature: the great God is "glorious in holiness" (Exo_15:11). Therefore do we read, Hab 1:13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. As God’s power is the opposite of the native weakness of the creature, as His wisdom is in complete contrast from the least defect of understanding or folly, so His holiness is the very antithesis of all moral blemish or defilement. "Power is God’s hand or arm, omniscience His eye, mercy His bowels, eternity His duration, but holiness is His beauty" (S. Charnock).

When God renders judgement it is righteous judgment, it is just judgement because He along is holy. Holiness is manifested in His works. "The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works" (Psa_145:17). Nothing but that which is excellent can proceed from Him. Holiness is the rule of all His actions. When He finished His creative work God declared it was "very good" (Gen_1:31). From the angels created in heaven to man created in the likeness of God on the earth. It was all good. Until some of the angelic realm rebelled and left their first habitation and man fell into sin.

God’s holiness is manifested in His law. It is the law of liberty and of love. It shows us how we are to love and worship God and how we are to love one another. In it all sin is exposed and forbidden, not just the outward manifestation of sin but also the sin of the heart. Paul said, "the commandment holy, and just, and good" (Rom_7:12). The psalmist says Ps. 19:8,9 "the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether"

Pink says again, because God is holy He hates all sin. He loves everything which is in conformity to His laws, and loathes everything which is contrary to it. His Word plainly declares, "The Pro 3:32  for the devious person is an abomination to the LORD, And again, "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord" (Pro_15:26). It follows, therefore, that He must necessarily punish sin. Sin can no more exist without demanding His punishment than without requiring His hatred of it. God has often forgiven sinners, but He never forgives sin; and the sinner is only forgiven on the ground of Another having borne his punishment; for "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb_9:22). Therefore we are told, "The Lord will, take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves Wrath for His enemies" (Nah_1:2). For one sin God banished our first parents from Eden. For one sin Moses was excluded from Canaan, Elisha’s servant smitten with leprosy, Ananias and Sapphira cut off out of the land of the living.

When judgement comes, it will be based not on the subjective standard of society but upon the righteous and just holiness of God.

Such is the holiness of God that Christ suffers for the first and only time separation from His Father as the full wrath of God’s judgement on sin is poured out on His son…God the Father’s love for His son, could not “override” His pure holiness at that moment of agony and turning away as the full brunt of our sin is poured out.

1:6  Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

Mal_3:2  But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.

Rev_6:17  for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Application:

God blesses His people, but He Himself is the blessing. He is faithful, what words of comfort to us who at times are weak in faith and practice. All that he has said on our behalf He will do. His steadfast love which has no limits in its height depth, or breadth is ours in infinite measure. The same God and Father of us all who inspired Paul to write Rom 8:38-39  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  (39)  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Is the same who said in Num 23:19 God is not a man that He should lie nor a son of man that He should repent. Has he said and will He not do it or has He spoken and will not make it good?