1 John (6) | I Know Him (1 John 2:3-6)

Confidence We Know Him (vs.3,5)

Know - to perceive with certainty; to understand clearly; to have a clear and certain perception of truth, fact, or anything that exists; excludes all doubt and uncertainty; to have full assurance of.

Hebrews 6:11 tells how we can have full assurance that we know Him.

Hebrews 10:19-25

We know the Lord Jesus by keeping His commandments!

2 Timothy 3:13–17 “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Keep - to conform one’s actions and practice to.

Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Luke 11:28 “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

Disobedient saints will have more doubts about their salvation than obedient saints.

Contradiction In Knowing Him (vs.4)

OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD IS WHAT SEPARATES THE TRUE BELIEVER FROM THE FALSE PROFESSOR.

I am not going to obey what Pepsi’s boss tells me to do, because I do not know him. I am going to obey my boss, because I know him, and he is the head over me.

If you claim to work for Coke, but yet you obey the commands of Pepsi, and disregard the commandments for Coke, you truly do not work for Coke.

You may have the uniform. You may be able to punch in and punch out. You may have a relationship with some of the workers. You may know some of the things to do to make it look like you work at Coke.

You can be religious, come to church on Sundays, be a member of the church. But if you are not trying to obey God’s commandments, you don’t know God.

Titus 1:15–16 “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

The genuine believer occasionally stumbles (as we see in 1:8-10). But the genuine believer’s general manner of life is one of obedience to God’s commandments, while the unbeliever’s general manner of life is one of disobedience to God’s commands and concerned with self and his own will.

Truth - the good news about Jesus Christ, especially as a message that conforms to (and answers) the nature of reality.

John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

1 Thessalonians 2:13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”

It doesn’t matter what I think, or what you think. It matters what God says!

When people don’t receive the word of God, believe that the Bible is the word of God, they are lost.

2 Timothy 3:1-8

2 Timothy 4:1–4 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

When Stephen preached to the Jews, they didn’t want to hear it! (Acts 7:57 “Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,” )

Titus 1:12–14 “One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.”

If you are more willing to follow the commandments of men than the commandments of God, there is a problem.

Keepeth Not His Commandments

Keepeth -  to conform one’s action or practice to.

James 1:22-26

DO!

Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: A good understanding have all they that do his commandments: His praise endureth for ever.”

Matthew 21:28–31 “But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.”

John 7:17 “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

John 13:17 “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

Beholdeth himself (vs.24)

Mirrors do not lie. If you look in the mirror, and see dirt on your face, it is not the mirrors fault. If you choose to leave your home with dirt on your face, that is your fault!

(2 Corinthians 3:18) Beholding - to gaze at one self.

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, we only have to look at Christ, and we can live. (Numbers 21:8 “And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” ) It takes just a glance to be saved, but it takes gazing to be sanctified.

Both the Scriptures (James) and the Spirit (Paul) coincide to help sanctify the believer, but only by doing!

Letting the Scriptures and the Spirit leads to....

Completing In Knowing Him (vs.5)

Perfected - to complete, fulfill, finish, make perfect, consecrate. The basic sense is “bring to completion”; this can refer to making something perfect, accomplishing a task, or fulfilling a scripture, to put something into effect entirely or thoroughly, to bring to a whole, with all the necessary parts or elements, to be or become successfully completed or put into effect, to put something into effect in accordance with a plan or design.

(Positionally) - make perfect

Hebrews 10:14 “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish.)(bumper stickers “I’m Not Perfect, Just Forgiven” is a lie. If you are born again, you are perfect!)

I was wicked, now I’m righteous.

I was darkness, not I’m in light.

I was sinful, now I’m sanctified.

(Practically)

Philippians 3:8-16

Ephesians 4:11-17 (Saints help us to be perfected)

Perfecting - the bringing of someone or something to completion (perfect and adequate in every respect) and fit for some purpose.

Positionally, we are perfected. This is all the work of God. Practically, we are not perfected. God helps us with this perfection, but we need to do a little work ourselves as well.

(Scripture helps us to be perfected)

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (Scriptures help us to be perfected)

Hebrews 6:1–2 “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” (1 Corinthians 3)

Love of God is perfected.

Affection for God is revealed in submission to Divine commands. The more you submit to God, the better the quality of your affection for God.

John 14:15-24

(21) Christ will make himself known to the one who loves Him. Love is the key to knowing Jesus Christ. Some knowledge we can gain whether we love the subject or not.

Most people go to college to learn how to perform a job that they love. When you love something, you want to learn more about it. If we love Christ and want to have fellowship with Him, we must learn of Him and obey the word of God.

Where sincere love to Christ is in the heart, there will be obedience. Love will be a commanding, constraining principle; and where love is, duty follows from a heart of gratitude.

(23) Abode - A hospitable area

A hospitality room, or hospitality suite, is a dedicated space rented by a business or organization for socializing, meeting, and entertaining guests or clients in a non-formal setting, often during conventions, conferences, or sporting events. These private areas provide food, drinks, and a comfortable environment for fellowship.

2 Corinthians 6:16 “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Deuteronomy 11:11-17

God promised physical blessings to Israel if they loved God and kept his commandments. For the NT Christian, God has promised spiritual blessings if we love God and keep his commandments.

2 John 6–8 “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”

Full reward - full compensation for what we have rendered to God by keeping his commandments.

1 Corinthians 3:12–15 “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

2 Corinthians 7:1

Change In Knowing Him (vs.6)

Abideth - to stay put (in a certain place). To dwell, live, or stay.

We Live

1 Corinthians 15:21–22 “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Genesis 5:1 compared with Matthew 1

2 Timothy 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,”

2 Timothy 3:15 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:12–13 “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Galatians 6:15 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”

We’re Lustrated (purified)

1 Corinthians 1:2 “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”

We Look Alike

Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

You are all equally accepted through the Lord Jesus Christ; or you are all on the same level, and entitled to the same privileges in your Christian profession. Bond and free, male and female, Jew and Greek, are admitted to equal privileges, and are equally acceptable before God. And the church of God, no matter what may be the complexion, the country, the habits, or the rank of its members, is one.

The born-again believer in Africa, the born-again believer that is monetarily poor, the born-again believer that’s been born-again for 2 minutes, the born-again believer that is dying of cancer, the born-again believer that is carnal, the born-again believer that is living consecrated to God, the born-again believer that messes up, the born-again believer the pays the most tithes, the born-again believer that can’t pay a dime is all in Christ Jesus and get in on what Christ has!

We’re Lifted

Ephesians 2:4–7 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 3:3 “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

Every born-again believer, with Christ, because we are in Him, are raised up, and sitting in heavenly places right now as we speak.

We’re accepted and welcomed in heaven by the Father because of the merits of what Christ has done.

We have the privileges of heaven are dispensed, where the air of heaven is breathed, where the fellowship and the enjoyment of heaven are known, where an elevation of spirit is experienced as if heaven were begun. Because you are in Christ, Christ is in heaven, you can know heaven right now!

Philippians 3:20–21 “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

Romans 8:16–18 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

We’re Latched

Jude 1 “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:”

Preserved - Saved from injury, destruction or decay; kept or defended from evil.

Change in Knowing Him

Abiding in Him means we are to abide by Him.

John 15:1-10

(vs.6)

1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (Cast into the fire)

Aiden like RC cars. The cars are to be controlled by him. The cars yield, just like an instrument (Romans 6), to the one who is in control. If the RC car has plenty of charge, it can go wherever it is told to go. If it does not have any charge, it is dead and cannot go where it needs to go. The RC car has something on the inside to give it power. The power comes from an external source. Unless that RC car abides in a charger, it cannot have any power.

You don’t need a new battery, you just need to get charged up!