Free to Not Sin

1 I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO WOULD GO SWIMMING • IN THE AMAZON NEAR A SCHOOL OF PIRANHAS. • I MEAN, SOME THINGS MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL. • LIKE LIGHTING A MATCH TO SEE IF YOUR GAS TANK IS EMPTY. 2 3 • OR PETTING A RHINO TO SEE IF HE'S TAME. • AND YET THERE ARE CHRISTIANS RUNNING LOOSE TODAY • WHO FLIRT WITH RISKS FAR GREATER THAN ANY OF THE ABOVE. • AND THEY DO SO WITH SUCH CALM FACES 4 • YOU'D SWEAR THEY HAD ICE WATER IN THEIR VEINS. • YOU'D NEVER GUESS THEY ARE BALANCING • ON A TIGHT ROPE OF DISASTER WITHOUT A NET. • WHO ARE THEY? THEY ARE THE CHRISTIANS WHO FLIRT WITH SIN, 5 • GETTING AS CLOSE TO IT AS THEY THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH. • LIVING RIGHT NEAR SIN HANGIN OUT WITH SIN, • CONCRETE EXAMPLES • THEY KNOW JESUS, THEY ARE GOIN TO HEAVEN, 6 • THEY EVEN GO TO CHURCH, READ THEIR BIBLE, PRAY. • THEY JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE • OF LIVING LIKE GOD WANTS US TO LIVE. • IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IT IS VITAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND 7 • GOD WANTS TO LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS WORD • WE NEED TO KNOW THIS MEANS STRIVING TO NOT SIN • AND BEING CERTIAN OF OUR POSITION AS CHILDREN OF GOD • IT MEANS LOVING, ONE ANOTHER JUST AS CHRIST LOVED US. 8 • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT HOW • JOHN EXPLAINS THESE VITAL THINGS TO HIS READERS • IN THE BOOK OF 1ST JOHN • TURN TO 1 JOHN 2:1 • JOHN HAD JUST TOLD HIS READERS • THAT ANYONE WHO SAYS HE DOES NOT SIN • IS CALLING GOD A LIAR • AND DOES NOT HAVE THE TRUTH IN HIM • HE TOLD THEM THAT IF THEY CONFESS THEIR SINS 9 • THAT GOD WILL FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND • CLEANSE THEM FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS • NOW HE WILL EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THE FACT THAT GOD WILL FORGIVE OUR SINS • IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO GO SIN 10 1 JOHN 2:1–2 11 MY LITTLE CHILDREN, I AM WRITING THESE THINGS TO YOU SO THAT YOU MAY NOT SIN. AND IF ANYONE SINS, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS; 12 AND HE HIMSELF IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS; AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE OF THE WHOLE WORLD. WE SHOULD SIN LESS • JUST BECAUSE OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND CLEANSED • WHEN WE CONFESS THEM • DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD GO AROUND SINNING 13 • MY LITTLE CHILDREN, I AM WRITING THESE THINGS TO YOU SO THAT YOU MAY NOT SIN. • WE NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO JOHN’S WORDS • JOHN DID NOT SAY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT SIN • JOHN DID NOT SAY SO THAT YOU MAY NEVER SIN 14 15 • HE SAID SO THAT YOU MAY NOT SIN • THIS MEANS WE HAVE A CHOICE, • TO CHOOSE TO NOT SIN ANY GIVEN SIN • IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION 16 • BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE WE HAVE TO • UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN THOUGH OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN • WHEN WE CONFESS THEM, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE CLEANSED 17 • OF ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WHEN WE CONFESS • WE ARE CALLED NOT TO BE SINLESS, BUT TO SIN LESS • IT MIGHT HELP US TO SIN LESS IF WE UNDERSTOOD THAT ALL ALL SIN MUST BE JUDGED 18 • SEE, EVERY SIN MUST COME BEFORE GOD • YES, CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • AND THE ETERNAL DEBT OF A CHRISTIAN 19 • HAS MOST CERTAINLY BEEN PAID • BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN OUR SINS DO NOT COME BEFORE GOD • AND IF ANYONE SINS, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS; • THIS MEANS OUR SINS COME BEFORE THE FATHER AND 20 • JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS STANDS UP FOR US • HE IS OUR DEFENSE ATTORNEY • WELL REALLY THIS WORD ADVOCATE MEANS MORE • THAN JUST DEFENSE ATTORNEY • ADVOCATE IS THE SAME WORD USED OF THE HOLY SPIRIT • JESUS SERVES AS OUR HELPER • WHEN OUR SINS COME BEFORE THE FATHER • JOHN DID NOT WANT HIS READERS TO SIN, • BUT HE KNEW THAT NONE OF THEM WAS PERFECT 21 22 • AND THAT THEY WOULD NEED THE HELP OF THEIR ADVOCATE JESUS CHRIST • HE CAN BE OUR ADVOCATE OUR HELPER BECAUSE HE IS RIGHTEOUS • WITHOUT SIN AND BECAUSE 23 OUR SIN HAS BEEN PAID FOR • TO SIN IS TO THINK, SAY, OR DO SOMETHING • THAT GOES AGAINST GOD’S WILL • BECAUSE OF THIS EVERY SIN IS AN AFFRONT TO GOD’S GLORY 24 • A PENALTY MUST BE PAID FOR EVERY SIN • AND JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS HAS ALREADY PAID THE PENALTY • FOR THE SINS OF EVERYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM AS THEIR SAVIOR • AND HE HIMSELF IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS; • PROPITIATION MEANS THAT WHAT GOD DEMANDED • AS THE PENALTY FOR SIN HAD BEEN SATISFIED • CHRIST’S DEATH ON THE CROSS • SATISFIED GOD’S WRATH AGAINST SIN 25 26 • AND WHEN JOHN SAYS; • AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE OF THE WHOLE WORLD. • HE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE WHOLE WORLD • IS SAVED AND GOIN TO HEAVEN 27 • HE MEANS THAT ANYONE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD • WHO TRUSTS IN JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVOIR • WILL HAVE THEIR SIN DEBT SATISFIED AS WELL • JOHN WANTS HIS READERS TO KNOW THEIR SINS ARE FORGIVEN • AND CLEANSED, THAT THE SIN DEBT IS PAID FOR • AND CHRIST IS THE ONE WHO DID ALL THAT FOR THEM 28 ONE DAY SATAN AND JESUS WERE TALKIN 29 • SATAN HAD JUST COME FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN, • AND HE WAS GLOATING AND BOASTING. • "YES, SIR, I JUST CAUGHT THE WORLD FULL OF PEOPLE DOWN THERE. 30 • SET ME A TRAP USED BAIT I KNEW THEY COULDN'T RESIST. • GOT 'EM ALL!" "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THEM?" JESUS ASKED. • "OH, I'M GONNA HAVE FUN! • I'M GONNA TEACH THEM HOW TO MARRY AND DIVORCE EACH OTHER. 31 • HOW TO HATE AND ABUSE EACH OTHER. • HOW TO DRINK AND SMOKE AND CURSE. • HOW TO INVENT GUNS AND BOMBS AND KILL EACH OTHER. • I'M REALLY GONNA HAVE FUN!" 32 • "AND WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN YOU GET DONE WITH THEM?" JESUS ASKED. • "OH, I'LL KILL 'EM.""HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT FOR THEM?" • "OH, YOU DON'T WANT THOSE PEOPLE. THEY AIN'T NO GOOD. • WHY, YOU'LL TAKE THEM AND THEY'LL JUST HATE YOU. 33 • THEY'LL SPIT ON YOU, CURSE YOU AND KILL YOU!! • YOU DON'T WANT THOSE PEOPLE!!" • "HOW MUCH?" SATAN LOOKED AT JESUS AND SNEERED, • "ALL YOUR TEARS, AND ALL YOUR BLOOD." 34 • SO JESUS PAID THE PRICE • JESUS IS OUR ADVOCATE BEFORE THE FATHER • THE BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN • AND YET JOHN IS TELLING US THESE THINGS NOT 35 • SO THAT WE WILL FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD GO OUT AND SIN • HE IS TELLING US THESE THINGS SO THAT WE MAY NOT SIN • WE MUST NEVER USE FORGIVENESS AS AN EXCUSE TO SIN • WE MUST NEVER USE CHRIST’S PAYMENT AS AN EXCUSE TO SIN • THE FACT THAT WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD • THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER • THE FACT THAT OUR ETERNAL DESTINY IS CERTAIN • SHOULD NEVER BE AN EXCUSE TO SIN 36 • THESE THINGS SHOULD BE THE REASON WE STRIVE • WE PUT FORTH EFFORT TO SIN LESS • WE SHOULD SIN LESS AND LESS 37 • OUT OF THANKS AND GRATITUDE FOR ALL THESE THINGS • WE SHOULD SIN LESS AND LESS • BECAUSE WE ARE IN FELLOW SHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST 38 1 JOHN 2:3–11 39 BY THIS WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE COME TO KNOW HIM, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. THE ONE WHO SAYS, “I HAVE COME TO KNOW HIM,” AND DOES NOT KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM; 40 BUT WHOEVER KEEPS HIS WORD, IN HIM THE LOVE OF GOD HAS TRULY BEEN PERFECTED. BY THIS WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN HIM: THE ONE WHO SAYS HE ABIDES IN HIM OUGHT HIMSELF TO WALK IN THE SAME MANNER AS HE WALKED. 41 BELOVED, I AM NOT WRITING A NEW COMMANDMENT TO YOU, BUT AN OLD COMMANDMENT WHICH YOU HAVE HAD FROM THE BEGINNING; THE OLD COMMANDMENT IS THE WORD WHICH YOU HAVE HEARD. 42 ON THE OTHER HAND, I AM WRITING A NEW COMMANDMENT TO YOU, WHICH IS TRUE IN HIM AND IN YOU, BECAUSE THE DARKNESS IS PASSING AWAY AND THE TRUE LIGHT IS ALREADY SHINING. 43 • THE ONE WHO SAYS HE IS IN THE LIGHT AND YET HATES HIS BROTHER IS IN THE DARKNESS UNTIL NOW. THE ONE WHO LOVES HIS BROTHER ABIDES IN THE LIGHT AND THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR STUMBLING IN HIM. 44 BUT THE ONE WHO HATES HIS BROTHER IS IN THE DARKNESS AND WALKS IN THE DARKNESS, AND DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HE IS GOING BECAUSE THE DARKNESS HAS BLINDED HIS EYES. 45 KEEP WHAT CHRIST COMMANDED • KEEPING CHRIST’S COMMANDS IS AN INDICATION OF FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM • AS WE GO THROUGH THIS LETTER WE ARE GOING • TO SEE JUST HOW IMPORTANT FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST IS (PAUSE) 46 • THE FALSE TEACHERS WERE CLAIMING TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • AND YET THEY WERE WALKING IN DARKNESS AND SIN • THE ONE WHO SAYS, “I HAVE COME TO KNOW HIM,” AND DOES NOT KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM; 47 • THEY ALSO SAID “IF YOU DON’T DO WHAT WE SAY • YOU ARE NOT IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD” • JOHN TELLS HIS READERS • BY THIS WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE COME TO KNOW HIM, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. 48 • JOHN WANTS THEM TO KNOW THEY DO NOT NEED • TO DO THE THINGS THE FALSE TEACHERS ARE TEACHING • THEY CAN BE CERTAIN OF THEIR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • IF THEY ARE KEEPING WHAT CHRIST COMMANDED 49 • SO, WHAT COMMANDS IS JOHN TALKING ABOUT HERE? • SOME FOLKS WANT TO SAY THAT JOHN • MEANS ALL OF GOD’S COMMANDS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BIBLE 50 • BUT WE KNOW WE CAN’T KEEP ALL THOSE • IF WE COULD KEEP ALL THOSE THEN • JESUS WOULD NOT HAVE NEEDED TO DIE ON THE CROSS • I THINK JOHN MAKES IT PRETTY CLEAR WHICH COMMANDS HE MEANS 1 JOHN 3:23 51 THIS IS HIS COMMANDMENT, THAT WE BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER, JUST AS HE COMMANDED US. 52 • I THINK WE CAN BE CERTAIN HE DID NOT MEAN THE LAW OF MOSES ROMANS 6:14 FOR SIN SHALL NOT BE MASTER OVER YOU, FOR YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE. 53 • SO IF WE ARE TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENT • TO TRUST IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER • IT BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE 54 • UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO KEEP A COMMAND • SEE, JOHN DID NOT SAY OBEY, HE DID NOT SAY FOLLOW • HE SAID: WE HAVE COME TO KNOW HIM, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. • NOW PART OF KEEPING SOMETHING IS OBEYING 55 • BUT THERE IS MORE TO KEEPING THAN JUST OBEYING • KEEPING MEANS TO WATCH OVER IT, TO PROTECT IT, TO GUARD IT • IT ALSO HAS THE IDEA OF CHERISHING SOMETHING • OF CONSIDERING SOMETHING PRECIOUS 56 • WE OBEY SOMETHING WE KEEP BECAUSE WE CHERISH IT • BECAUSE IT IS PRECIOUS TO US • AND IF WE DO THAT WITH CHRIST’S COMMANDS • THEN WE CAN KNOW WE ARE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM • THE POINT OF THIS VERSE IS NOT SO THAT 57 • WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE AND SAY THEY • ARE NOT IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT KEEPING CHRIST’S COMMANDS • THE POINT OF THE VERSE IS THAT IF WE LOVE AND HOLD DEAR 58 • CHRIST’S COMMAND TO LOVE GOD AND LOVE EACH OTHER • THEN WE CAN BE CERTAIN WE ARE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST • TO MAKE SURE HIS READERS UNDERSTOOD THIS JOHN REPEATS • THE IDEA BY TELLING THEM TO WALK AS CHRIST WALKED • SINCE WE ARE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST • WE SHOULD DO THINGS THE WAY HE DID THEM. • JOHN WORDS IT THIS WAY; 59 60 • BY THIS WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN HIM: THE ONE WHO SAYS HE ABIDES IN HIM OUGHT HIMSELF TO WALK IN THE SAME MANNER AS HE WALKED. • TO WALK AS CHRIST WALKED IS TO KEEP HIS COMMANDS • BY WALKING, LIVING, AS CHRIST WALKED 61 • NOTICE HOW IT SAYS OUGHT TO WALK AS HE WALKED • IT DOES NOT SAY MUST, OR HAS TO, • WE SHOULD LIVE AS CHRIST DID, LOVING • CARING FOR OTHERS, FORGIVING OTHERS 62 • AND IF WE DO WHAT WE SHOULD DO • WE CAN KNOW WE ARE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST • THEN JOHN GETS SPECIFIC, HE TELLS THEM PART OF • WHAT IT MEANS TO WALK LIKE JESUS • IT MEANS WE NEED TO 63 LOVE LIKE CHRIST LOVED • LOVING YOUR BROTHER IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT, • THAT IS WHY JOHN SAYS • BELOVED, I AM NOT WRITING A NEW COMMANDMENT TO YOU, BUT AN OLD COMMANDMENT WHICH YOU HAVE HAD FROM THE BEGINNING; 64 • BUT CHRIST MADE IT A SPECIFIC COMMAND • AND REALLY BRINGS THIS CONCEPT OF LOVING EACH OTHER • TO THE FORE FRONT WHEN HE TELLS THE APOSTLES JOHN 13:34 65 “A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE TO YOU, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YOU ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. • SO JOHN SAYS • ON THE OTHER HAND, I AM WRITING A NEW COMMANDMENT TO YOU, WHICH IS TRUE IN HIM AND IN YOU, 66 67 • THEN JOHN EXPLAINS THIS IDEA OF THIS COMMANDMENT • THE ONE WHO SAYS HE IS IN THE LIGHT AND YET HATES HIS BROTHER IS IN THE DARKNESS UNTIL NOW. THE ONE WHO LOVES HIS BROTHER ABIDES IN THE LIGHT AND THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR STUMBLING IN HIM. • BUT THE ONE WHO HATES HIS BROTHER IS IN THE DARKNESS AND WALKS IN THE DARKNESS, AND DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HE IS GOING BECAUSE THE DARKNESS HAS BLINDED HIS EYES. • IF WE ARE GONNA WALK LIKE JESUS • IF WE ARE GONNA KEEP HIS COMMANDS 68 69 • WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER • AND ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY ARE WALKING RIGHT • AND DOES NOT LOVE OTHERS IS GONNA MESS UP ALL KINDA STUFF 70 • HE IS NOT JUST GONNA MESS UP LOVING OTHERS • HE IS LIVING IN THE DARKNESS AND IS GONNA • STUMBLE CAUSE HE CANNOT SEE WHERE HE IS GOING • BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT AND CONFESS OUR SINS 71 • IF WE KEEP AND CHERISH HIS COMMANDS • IF WE WALK LIKE CHRIST WALKED • AND LOVE, FORGIVE, CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER • WE CAN BE CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD 1 JOHN 2:12–14 72 I AM WRITING TO YOU, LITTLE CHILDREN, BECAUSE YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN YOU FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE. I AM WRITING TO YOU, FATHERS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW HIM WHO HAS BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING. 73 I AM WRITING TO YOU, YOUNG MEN, BECAUSE YOU HAVE OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE. I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU, CHILDREN, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE FATHER. I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU, FATHERS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW HIM WHO HAS BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING. 74 I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU, YOUNG MEN, BECAUSE YOU ARE STRONG, AND THE WORD OF GOD ABIDES IN YOU, AND YOU HAVE OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE. KNOW OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN • JOHN HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT CERTAINTY OF FELLOWSHIP • BUT NOW HE WILL TALK ABOUT ASSURANCE • KNOWING YOU ARE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, SALVATION 75 76 • HE IS TELLING THEM WHY HE IS WRITING THEM • AND HIS REASONS ARE ALL ABOUT THEIR ASSURANCE • HE SAYS’ • I AM WRITING TO YOU, LITTLE CHILDREN, BECAUSE YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN YOU FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE. 77 • HE IS WRITING TO THEM BECAUSE THEY CAN BE ASSURED • OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THEIR SALVATION, SINCE THEIR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN FOR HIS NAME 78 • JOHN WANTS THEM TO HAVE THIS ASSURANCE SO THAT • THEY WILL NOT FOLLOW THE FALSE TEACHERS • HE GIVES US ANOTHER REASON WE CAN • HAVE ASSURANCE WHEN HE TELL US WE CAN 79 • KNOW THAT WE HAVE OVERCOME • JOHN ACTUALLY MENTIONS THAT • THEY HAVE OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE TWICE • ONCE IN VERSE 13 AND AGAIN IN VERSE 14 • ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE • BY PLACING THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST’S WORK AT THE CROSS • JOHN MAKES THIS CLEAR LATER IN THIS SAME BOOK WHEN HE WRITES 80 81 1 JOHN 5:4 FOR WHATEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMES THE WORLD; AND THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD—OUR FAITH. 82 • KNOWING WE HAVE OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE BY OUR FAITH IN CHRIST • SHOULD HELP OUR ASSURANCE OF OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • WE SO SHOULD KNOW GOD’S WORD ABIDES IN US 83 • IN BETWEEN THE STATEMENTS ABOUT OVERCOMING THE EVIL ONE • JOHN TELLS HIS READERS HE HAS WRITTEN TO THEM • BECAUSE YOU ARE STRONG, AND THE WORD OF GOD ABIDES IN YOU, 84 • SOME FOLKS THINK JOHN IS TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT LEVELS • OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY, NEW CHRISTIANS, • THOSE IN THE PRIME OF THEIR MINISTRY AND THE OLDER CHRISTIAN • OTHERS THINK IT IS ABOUT ACTUAL AGE, YOUNG, ADULT, AND OLD • EITHER OF THOSE MIGHT BE POSSIBLE • I DON’T THINK HE IS TALKING TO THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS • I THINK HE IS USING THESE TERMS TO MEAN EVERYONE 85 86 • HE IS TALKING TO ALL OF THEM, THE CHILDREN, THE ADULTS AND THE ELDERLY • ALL OF THEM, AS BELIEVERS, HAD DONE ALL THE THINGS MENTIONED • THEIR SINS HAD BEEN FORGIVEN • THEY HAD KNOWN CHRIST AS SAVOIR • THEY HAD OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE BY TRUSTING IN CHRIST • AND THE WORD OF GOD WAS ABIDING IN THEM • JOHN IS EXPLAINING TO THEM WHY THEY HAVE ASSURANCE 87 88 • THAT THEY ARE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • SOMETIMES IT CAN BE VERY CHALLENGING • FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ASSURANCE OF THEIR POSITION IN CHRIST • WE HAVE TROUBLE WITH JUST HOW SECURE AND SAFE WE REALLY ARE IMAGINE A BUTTERFLY 89 • FLYING BACK AND FORTH INSIDE THE WINDOW PANE • HE IS TERRIFIED BECAUSE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE WINDOW • IS A SPARROW PECKING AND TRYING TO GET IN TO EAT HIM. • THE BUTTERFLY DOES NOT SEE THE GLASS, • AND EXPECTS ANY MINUTE TO BE CAUGHT AND EATEN • AND THE SPARROW DOES NOT SEE THE GLASS • AND EXPECTS ANY MINUTE TO GET THE BUTTERFLY. 90 91 • YET ALL THE WHILE THAT BUTTERFLY WAS AS SAFE • AS IF IT HAD BEEN MILLIONS OF MILES AWAY, • BECAUSE OF THE GLASS BETWEEN IT AND THE SPARROW. • SO IT IS WITH A CHRISTIAN. SATAN CANNOT TOUCH US • BECAUSE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS BETWEEN US AND HIM. 92 • WE ARE UTTERLY SECURE AND SAFE IN CHRIST • THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD GO • SWIMMING WITH PIRANHAS OR PETTING RHINO’S • IT CERTAINLY DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD GO • MESSIN AROUND WITH SIN • AS A MATTER OF FACT OUR POSITION IN CHRIST • OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • IS WHY WE NEED TO RESIST SIN • ADMIT OUR SIN, CONFESS OUR SIN 93 94 • YES OUR SINS HAVE ALL BEEN PAID FOR • BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD NOT • STRIVE TO KEEP CHRIST’S COMMANDS • AND KEEP MEANS MORE THEN JUST FOLLOW 95 • KEEP MEANS LOVE HIS COMMANDS, CHERISH THEM • HOLD THEM DEAR, PROTECT THEM, GUARD THEM • WHEN WE KEEP HIS COMMANDS WE WILL LIVE LIKE HE LIVED • LOVING, FORGIVING, SERVING ONE ANOTHER 96 • THEN WE CAN BE ASSURED OF OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • THIS ALL BEGINS WHEN WE OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE • BY PLACING OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR PERSONAL SAVOIR • IF THERE IS ANYONE…. 97