Test of Truth v2
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Children’s Time: I’m going to make a statement and you tell me if it’s true or a lie:
Children’s Time: I’m going to make a statement and you tell me if it’s true or a lie:
1. I ate a lizard for breakfast… [FALSE]
2. I am missing one toe… [FALSE]
3. I like to eat the icing in an Oreo first… [TRUE]
4. I can jump higher than the highest building! [TRUE: Buildings can’t jump!]
5. I can jump higher than the highest building! [TRUE: buildings can’t jump!]
5. Jesus wants us to be truthful [TRUE]
6. Jesus loves you more than you can imagine! [TRUE]
Truth is very important to God; especially the truth that is about Him. He wants all of us to know who He is and what He has done for us, and how we can know beyond any doubt that we are going to heaven.
And to ensure we know, He walks with us, everywhere we go.
SCRIPTURE READING
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
The Test of Truth (2:18–29)
INTRODUCTION
Review:
Three weeks ago, we looked at the importance of walking in fellowship with God...
Two weeks ago Heather preached about the comfort we find living in fellowship with the Good Shepherd from ...
Last week we looked at test of obedience to God...
This week is the Test of Truth; how our alignment with truth helps or hinders our fellowship with God.
God reveals Himself to us in His Word, which is the Truth.Truth is the basis of every positive relationship. NO ONE can maintain a relationship with God grounded in lies. Jesus prayed for us to be guided into truth in John 17:
Use the truth to make them holy. Your word is truth.
We discover a correlation in Scripture between love, freedom, truth, courage, and fellowship with God. We find relationships built on those five things tend to result in joyful relationships and harmonious relationships. While those who do the opposite—hate, enslave others, lie, have unreasonable demands, and promote fear tend to have less satisfying relationships.
If you evaluated your relationships with others and God, how would yours stack up?
NO ONE can maintain a relationship with God grounded in lies. John warns about the anti-Christian teachers already in the world, and he tells us how to recognize them: (1) they have left the fellowship of the truth, v. 19; (2) they deny that Jesus Christ is the Son of God come in the flesh, v. 22; (3) they try to seduce believers, v. 26. John agrees with what Peter describes (): that these false teachers once were in the church, but then departed from the truth they professed to believe.
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].
Then you will know the truth. And the truth will set you free.”
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
I write to you not because you are ignorant and do not perceive and know the Truth, but because you do perceive and know it, and [know positively] that nothing false (no deception, no lie) is of the Truth.
1 jn 2:
If you evaluated your relationships with others and God, how would your’s stack up? Is the foundation love, courage, freedom, fellowship, truth?
to help us discern God’s will and direction for our lives, John constantly inserts warnings into his letter...
JOHN’S WARNING
JOHN’S WARNING
John warns about the anti-Christian teachers already in the world, and he tells us how to recognize them: (1) they have left the fellowship of the truth, v. 19; (2) they deny that Jesus Christ is the Son of God come in the flesh, v. 22; (3) they try to seduce believers, v. 26. John agrees with what Peter describes (): that these false teachers once were in the church, but then departed from the truth they professed to believe.
John warns us about the anti-Christian teachers already in the world, and he tells us how to recognize them:
They have left the fellowship of the truth, v. 19;
They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong.
Part of the reason God calls us to gather as His people is to learn how to deal with our differences…
When people choose to leave and no longer fellowship with the people of God, they are placing themselves above God. The plan for His church has always been the gathering of His people to (1) worship Him, and (2) to learn humility from one another.
I am always amazed how the Lord often uses the least likely person to teach me spiritual truth, and to correct me when I think too much of myself!
They deny that Jesus Christ is the Son of God come in the flesh, v. 22;
Who is [such a] liar as he who denies that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah)? He is the antichrist (the antagonist of Christ), who habitually] denies and refuses to acknowledge the Father and the Son.
The key to understanding what John is saying is to remember he is referring to habitual behavior. The “Teacher” who continually denies Jesus is the Son of God who came in the flesh, is a liar!
There are many people in our world today who think of themselves as spiritual or even religious people. They believe that God exists, and they attempt to worship him in their own way. Maybe they even see Jesus as a great teacher or a prophet from God. But if they don’t believe that Jesus is who HE said He is, they are denying Him
There are many people in our world today who think of themselves as spiritual or even religious people. They believe that God exists, and they attempt to worship him in their own way. Maybe they even see Jesus as a great teacher or a prophet from God. But if they don’t believe that Jesus is who HE said He is, they are denying Him.
Seeing Jesus merely as a great moral teacher is still rejecting Him and therefore rejecting God. God directs our attention to Jesus as the Savior of the world and He doesn’t offer us any alternative paths
Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.
Seeing Jesus merely as a great moral teacher is still rejecting Him and therefore rejecting God. God directs our attention to Jesus as the Savior of the world and He doesn’t offer us any alternative paths (, ).
And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved.
So rejecting Jesus is rejecting God.
(, ).
So rejecting Jesus is rejecting God. But, as says, “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Anyone can be a child of God, if they would believe upon Jesus.
HOWEVER, as says,
But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—
“to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Anyone can be a child of God, if they would believe upon Jesus.
Anyone can be a child of God, if they would believe upon Jesus.
They try to seduce believers, v. 26.
I’m writing these things to warn you about those who are trying to lead you down the wrong path.
1 JN 2:2
John agrees with what Peter describes (): that these false teachers once were in the church, but then departed from the truth they professed to believe.
Here is where the Holy Spirit comes in:
Here is where the Holy Spirit comes in:
The Holy Spirit is our heavenly ANOINTING who teaches us the truth.
The Spirit of God uses the inspired Word of God to communicate God’s truth to us. Look at Verses 20, 27:
You have received the Spirit from the Holy One. And all of you know the truth.
But you have received the Holy Spirit from God. He continues to live in you. So you don’t need anyone to teach you. God’s Spirit teaches you about everything. What he says is true. He doesn’t lie. Remain joined to Christ, just as you have been taught by the Spirit.
Verse 20 reminds us the Holy Spirit is from God, land we know the truth about Jesus Christ.
Verse 27 should not be taken to mean that Christians have no need for pastors and teachers, otherwise would not be in the NT. Rather, he is saying that believers must be Spirit-taught personally through the Word and should not always depend on human teachers.
The verses remind us, the Christian in fellowship with God will read and understand the Bible and be taught by the Spirit!
Verse 27 should not be taken to mean that Christians have no need for pastors and teachers, otherwise would not be in the NT. Rather, he is saying that believers must be Spirit-taught personally through the Word and should not always depend on human teachers. The Christian in fellowship with God will read and understand the Bible and be taught by the Spirit.
In vv. 28–29, John suggests (as Peter also taught) that false doctrine and false living go together. If we believe the truth with our hearts and commit ourselves to it, then we will live holy lives before men. Of course, one of the greatest incentives to holy living is the imminent coming of Jesus Christ. Yet some tragically do not live in fellowship with God, and will be ashamed when He returns!
Now let’s go back for a second to vs18:
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
“The last hour” DOES NOT mean the final week, month, or year—it refers to a period of time—specifically the time preceding Jesus’ second coming (technically referred to as the Parousia; see v. 28).
preceding Jesus’ second coming (technically referred to as the Parousia; see v. 28).
Jesus IS coming (v18); live as true children of God so when He comes, you will be confident and unashamed! (v28)
THE MAIN LESSON of the past 3 weeks is:
THE MAIN LESSON of the past 3 weeks is:
If Christians desire to have fellowship with Christ, they must obey the Word, love God’s people, and believe the truth!
Whenever sin enters into our lives, we are immediately obligated to confess and forsake it, and seek God’s forgiveness.
When we spend time in the Word of God, learning the truth and letting the truth take hold of our inner lives, we remain in fellowship with God and grow in our relationship with Him.
ILLUSTRATION
This past week Father Vic and I were talking about this very thing, and he said many people ask him to pray for God to give them direction as to whether they should stay or leave. He said a simple and profound truth as we talked, Vic said, “If people do not seek God through His Word and prayer, they cannot distinguish God’s voice from their own!”
I believe too often, people mistake their own desires for the voice of God, and discover too late they made terrible decisions!
PRAYER: Lord please remind us that You have already given us the truth—now may we have the sense to read it, and seek You in pray so we can discern Your voice from our own!
Or, to look at it negatively, the Christian who deliberately disobeys the Word, neglects the Word, and who cannot get along with God’s people is out of fellowship with God and in the dark. It is not enough to talk about the Christian life; we must practice it.
“Propitiation” (2:2 and 4:10) has to do with the meaning of Christ’s death from God’s perspective. Christ’s death brought forgiveness; but before God could forgive a guilty sinner, His justice had to be satisfied. This is where propitiation comes in. The word carries the idea of satisfying God’s holiness through the death of a substitute. It does not mean that God was so angry that Christ had to die to make Him love sinners. Christ’s death met the demands of God’s law and thus broke down the barrier between men and God, making it possible for God to take away sin. The word “mercy seat” in is equivalent to “propitiation.” See . The blood on the mercy seat covered the broken law and made it possible for God to deal with Israel.
PRAYER
Lord, please enable us to