1 John 5:1-5
Notes
Transcript
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Gnosticism, what is it and how did it influence this letter?
Old letter and things started creeping in.
Gnosticism is a collection of religious and philosophical ideas that emerged in the 1st and 2nd centuries among Jewish and early Christian groups.
Some main teachings...
Dualism in regard to spirit and matter. One is good and the other bad. Spirit is good and matter or the physical is bad.
Because of the teaching of Dualism, what you did in the physical or what you did in the body had no meaning because real life was only in the spiritual realm. Meaning that even the worst of sins didn’t matter because it was in the physical not the spiritual.
Claims of a higher understanding or knowledge. A higher knowledge of truth only known by a select few. This is where the very word “gnosticism” comes from. It comes from the Greek word gnosis which means “to know.”
“Gnostics claim to possess a higher knowledge, not from the Bible, but acquired on some mystical higher plane of existence. Gnostics see themselves as a privileged class elevated above everybody else by their higher, deeper knowledge of God.”
Gotquestions.org
“Gnostics see themselves as a privileged class elevated above everybody else by their higher, deeper knowledge of God.”
This is one of the main purposes of John writing this letter.
To combat all this dangerous teaching in the early church about special knowledge and special revelation that really only lifts up man and lowers Christ.
I have something more than you and you need to listen to me…aka I have power over you.
Man focused over Christ focused.
This teaching of dualism and that our physical works have no meaning, as long as we have the knowledge of who God is.
This teaching of faith without works or deeds is ok, as long as you know who God is.
This is what we’re studying today. Faith equals repentance, action, change of direction, love.
But first, lets not forget what comes first!
I opened todays message with the importance of works or action. And that sin matters.
But what is the truth of our salvation?
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Faith in Christ alone.
By His works alone.
Gift of Grace alone.
Boast in Him alone.
So, we are saved not by anything that we do or say but by the finishing work of Christ. What are we called to do? Believe in Him, have faith in Him. Believe who He is and what He says.
What are we believing? In a nutshell..
You are God and THE Authority in my life. All powerful, all good, all loving, THE creator, NOT the created, has always been, no beginning or ending, all knowing, God!
No other do we put our faith and hope in. Not our mom & dad, brothers or sisters, our government, or ourselves. God and God alone.
But as we know talk is cheap. What does true faith in Christ bring?
The gift of the Holy Spirit!
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
This is what resides in all saved believers, The Holy Spirit!
And the Holy Spirit does not leave us, to this world alone.
He is in all believers. This is amazing!
This is where the power of the believer comes from.
Power to deni self, power to love…comes from the Holy Spirit.
John is pointing out the actions of a true believer in Christ.
Where do these actions come from? Not from within ourselves but through the power of the Holy Spirit that now resides in us!
This is the talk John is using to combat the heresies of the Gnostic teachings.
A Christian or follower of Christ is not one because of knowledge or wisdom but because the Holy Spirit now resides in them and they are not who they used to be.
They aren’t lovers of self but lovers of God and others.
Seeking selflessness over selfishness.
In today’s reading John is giving indicators or signs of a true believer.
Not the reason we are saved but the signs or indicators of Christ’s work in us.
This helps us in 3 different ways.
1. To encourage and rest in.
2. To warn against false belief and false salvation.
3. And lastly to help identify false teachings.
All three are in love.
1. Rest in the love you’ve been given and are giving.
2. Repent, change direction.
3. Watch out, don’t fall for.
All have the same application…looking out for the best interest of others.
So, lets look at these indicators or signs of Christs rebirth in us.
Let’s reread these verses.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
John is giving what a Christian or a follower of Christ is born into.
Believes = Christian
Loves God = Christian
Loves the Church = Christian
Obeident = Christian
Overcomer of the ways of the world = Christian
1. A Christian is a believer.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
A believer in Jesus of the bible. No more, no less.
Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the annointed One, the Chosen One.
He is God, a being that defines Himself as One God in 3 persons.
God, the Father.
God, the Son, Jesus.
And God, the Holy Spirit.
Always has been and always will be.
Not created but The creator.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The perfect being and the only being that could pay our price for sin.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
A believer in Jesus of the bible. No more, no less.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
A Christian believes in the virgin Birth of Jesus and He lived and walked among us. Performed many signs and wonders but most importantly loved perfectly. Was tempted but never sinned. Gave up His life for us on a cross and died. Was buried for 3 days and then rose for more than 500 hundred to see. All this to save sinners like us.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
2. A Christian loves God.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
This is very important!
What do we do with this Christian belief?
Love God!
Why is this important?
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Belief without love for God is what Satan and the demons do.
A Christain loves God!
Loves His being, loves His rightousness, loves His Holiness, loves because we were first loved!
We love because he first loved us.
We see our brokeness and depth of despair. All the pain and hurtful things we’ve done to Him and others, in contrast to His Holy and righteous ways. And we know what we deserve, we know that we have no hope in anything we can do.
Why do we know this? Because we’ve tried to be good, we’ve tried to be righteous, all the while falling right back into to sin.
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
We’re either changed by this or not.
We either love Him or not.
I’m not saying we love Him perfectly but through this new life in love given, we are changed. We are not like the demons…unchanged.
3. A Christian loves the Church.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
What is the church?
The Body of Christ.
For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Christ is the head we are the body.
In the same scripture the church is referred to as the Bride of Christ.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
What are these metaphors but to show the depth of relationship of Jesus to us.
With such depth shown, we can’t just love Him and forget about His body or His bride.
We love those that are born of Him! Pure and simple!
I’ve heard it said, that my Church is on the mountain, just me and God.
Or church don’t save and I don’t have to be with the church to have a relationship with God.
While true the Body, nor the Bride is the savior. What are you saying?
I’ll take the God that serves me but the rest of it you can keep.
What love is in that?
In reference to the Body, I love how you look but I hate who you are.
Or the Bride, I can handle the Husband but that wife has to go.
It’s selfish talk, not loving talk.
As christ has used his body to serve you, you in gratitude, thankfulness, and love serve Him and his body.
4. A Christain is obidient.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Scripture is clear on this, let’s read a few verses.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
Our actions matter!
Any teachings otherwise is wrong.
For the gnostics of the time teaching that our actions don’t matter and it’s all about our spiritually walk, is in so many ways against scripture and the very actions and words of Jesus.
We come to love God’s commandments, teachings, and ways of life.
We’ve walked outside those commandments and felt the yoke of heaviness of life.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Obiedence isn’t always easy when we’re dealing with our flesh, the world, and the devil.
But...
5. A Christian is an overcomer.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Our battles? Our enemies?
Our flesh, the world, and the devil.
Our flesh…comforts, pleasure, wants, desires…over the concern for others.
We steal, cheat, lie, are selfish, for what? Our comforts, pleasure, wants, desires.
By this we harm, are unloving, and anti-christ to others.
This is the opposite of love…this is an enemy…our flesh.
The World.
It oposses God and His love.
Teaches to work hard, be all that you can be. Live you best life now.
You want something, go after it, nothing is out of your reach.
Teaches to trust in you and all that you are…better than everyone else.
This is also is the opposite of love…this is an enemy…the ways of the world.
Lastly, the devil.
The very one that leads to destruction.
The one that hates God and hates who or what He loves.
The one that has no part of your best interest in mind.
This is also the opposite of love…this is an enemy…the devil.
But through faith in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, these things are overcome!
By faith we overcome all these enemies!
By faith Noah built a huge boat in the middle of nowhere.
By faith David beat Goliath.
By faith Moses told Pharoh, let my people go.
By faith Paul endured countless hardships to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to many.
By faith in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, these things are overcome and the new has come!
Let’s pray!
