"These Things I've Written..." 1 John 2:25-29

Introduction

The apostle John wrote to help the Jewish Christians navigate through the difficult situations they were facing.

They had been labeled by the people in their society as “Jesus followers”

John wrote to encourage the believers to continue moving forward in their faith.

I said last week that we are living in an age when people are turning away from the teachings of the church. Let me tell you a story about one of these people. The COW band. Since that time, 2 of the band members of the regular 6 claim a belief in Jesus Christ and regularly attend church.

There is a true problem that we face in our age and truth is being hijacked. John wrote to the Christians to help them understand their purpose.

1 John 2:25–29 NASB95

25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1. Reap the benefits of Christianity. (25-27)

John speaks of two clear benefits for the Christian in these verses:

The award for our belief is ETERNAL LIFE. This is a divine promise.

The consequence for unbelief is separation from God but the award for faithfulness to God is glory in Heaven forever. This is a gift that Jesus freely offers because of His death and Resurrection.

This is a promise that Jesus made with people. He wrote the contract with His body and His blood.

Too many people don’t understand this great reward because of unbelief.

The Holy Spirit.

It’s an anointing that we receive at salvation and remains with us forever.

“to smear as with an ointment”

Jesus himself promised that the Spirit would remain with us forever. ()

Our Lord called him the ‘the Spirit of truth’ (; ), and promised that he would guide Christians ‘into all truth’.

The Holy Spirit helps Christians discern truth from lies.

We are told that we do not need a teacher contrary to the teachings of the scriptures because we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.

The point under discussion in this time were the variables surrounding salvation. The Holy Spirit will speak to the Christian and provide everything that we need.

John wrote of these things to help Christians who were struggling with being deceived by false teachers.

John did not underestimate the strength or the subtlety of the deceivers.

They have not succeeded, but they are in the process of making the attempt. It is possible for Christians to be deceived by false teachers, by others, and by themselves. The devil himself is the primary deceiver, for he is in his very nature, a “life and the father of lies” ()

Just because a book is sold at a Christian book store does not mean that the book contains gospel truth.

What are the safeguards that Christians have when people are attempting to spread lies?

The Word of God.

Inspired writings of God.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit.

An experience with God.

Both are to be personally an inwardly grasped. Some honour the Word and neglect the Spirit who helps us interpret the Word. Others neglect the Word out of which He teachers.

Don’t honor one and neglect the other.

2. Work with God and not for God. (28-29)

Again, we see John writing about the 2nd coming of Jesus. Here, he writes about Christian conduct.

At His “coming” we want to life wholesome moral lives so that we can have confidence in his coming and not want to run away.

“Coming” - parousia lit. means “presence”.

The personal presence of one now absent.

The visible appearing of one now unseen.

According to John, people will react to His coming in one of two ways.

Some will have “confidence”

Confidence, assurance, courage, or boldness. It signifies freedom of speech. It’s used to describe the Christians boldness of approach both to people and to God.

Shrink away in shame.

The exact opposite. Shrinking back from a sense of guilt.

“speechless”

John clearly states in verse 29 that our righteousness is found immediately in salvation and we are compelled to serve through this new birth.

“God is righteous, and therefore the source of righteousness; when a man doeth righteousness, we know that the source of his righteousness is God that consequently he has acquired by new birth from God that righteousness which he had not by nature.”

Colossians 3:4 NASB95

4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

“Just be with me.”

John writes that Christians have been given a gift at salvation and this gift allows for a natural production of love to other people.

When we choose to be with God, we will do the things that He is doing. We won’t do them to impress Him, we will simply just want to be with Dad. This is God’s goal for every believer. He wants to remove the tension that most people feel. He’s not out to manage you into being a good worker. He wants to teach you how to be holy.

Do you need to grab hold of God’s hand today and simply walk with Him?

If you are saved this morning, you have all the tools that you need.