“The Unction”
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Deception is an unfortunate reality in our world today. For 6 years starting in 1877, Black Bart committed 28 robberies wearing a flour sack over his head, brandishing a shotgun demanding, “Will you please throw down your treasure box, sir?” He was wounded in his last robbery, dropping a handkerchief with the laundry marking, FX07, which was traced to San Francisco where the police made one of the most surprising, arrests in city history. Black Bart the stagecoach robber turned out to be Charles Bolton, one of San Francisco’s leading citizens with close ties to the police department. He had a reputation as a non-smoking, non-drinking, God-fearing man with big business interests in the gold mines. The citizens of San Francisco were duped into deception, deceived by someone who had the appearance of one life but was living an entirely different one.
Deception is an unfortunate reality in our world today. For 6 years starting in 1877, Black Bart committed 28 robberies wearing a flour sack over his head, brandishing a shotgun demanding, “Will you please throw down your treasure box, sir?” He was wounded in his last robbery, dropping a handkerchief with the laundry marking, FX07, which was traced to San Francisco where the police made one of the most surprising, arrests in city history. Black Bart the stagecoach robber turned out to be Charles Bolton, one of San Francisco’s leading citizens with close ties to the police department. He had a reputation as a non-smoking, non-drinking, God-fearing man with big business interests in the gold mines. The citizens of San Francisco were duped into deception, deceived by someone who had the appearance of one life but was living an entirely different one.
Here we are in 2019 almost 2020 and this is the same story… the same song. We see it in our country’s leadership, on TV and media, and unfortunately in the church. Deception in the church is not something new. It is a reality and has been throughout all of church history. The reality of it is, we are not gonna think that they are deceiving us. We are not gonna think they are deceivers. There are false teachers all over the evangelical christian world. But for some, they don’t know, don’t want to know, don’t care, don’t want to care. But the deception is there and there is wandering from the truth. How can we be safe from this. We will see today.
I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.
1 John
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
Deception
Unction
Abide in Him
The first thing we will look at today is how deception is a reality and we must be prepared to meet it when it comes. Second, we will see how we have the unction, the gift of the Holy Spirit to meet deceptions and win. And finally we will see how life and life more abundant come when we abide in Christ and in Christ alone.
Thesis: Though we are prone to wander because of the flesh and the plan to cause us to wander away by the patterns and philosophies of this world, we are able to stand firm because we have an anointing that teaches us the truth and when we know the truth the truth will make us free.
I. Deception
- Those who want to lead you astray.
A. We have been discussing characteristics of false teachers and false converts over the last couple of weeks. The first point was that they would depart from the faith. The second point was that they would deny the faith. Finally today we will see that they desire to deceive who are in the faith. The depart, they deny and they deceive.
B. The Greek word here planao is translated deceived or led astray - to cause someone to believe and untruth, to mislead, to cause to wander. It is where we get the words planet - a wandering body. or plan - mean a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end. So the idea is that they are planning and scheming to cause you to wander from the truth.
C. This is the weapon of the evil one. They have not deceived you yet, but they are trying to cause you to wander from the truth. This is the weapon of the evil one. Again, they have not succeeded, but they are in process of making the attempt. It is possible for Christians to be deceived by false teachers, as is implied here, by others
Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.
They have not succeeded, but they are in process of making the attempt. It is possible for Christians to be deceived by false teachers, as is implied here, by others (3:7) and by themselves (1:8) The devil himself is the primary deceiver, for he is in his very nature ‘a liar and the father of lies’ ().
and by themselves
Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, p. 117). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
(1:8) The devil himself is the primary deceiver, for he is in his very nature ‘a liar and the father of lies’ ().
The devil himself is the primary deceiver, he is a counterfeiter, he is a deceiver, for he is in his very nature ‘a liar and the father of lies’.
Satan is a counterfeiter. He is a deceiver.
For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
D. Notice here that Jesus says there is “no truth” in Satan! Satan lies because “he is a liar,” and he is the source of lies. Historically Satan’s first lie was to Eve in the Garden of Eden when he questioned what God had said. From then until now Satan is ultimately behind all false teaching and spiritual deception.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 119). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.for he is in his very nature ‘a liar and the father of lies’ ().
E. Jesus said...
For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.
F. Paul said...
But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.
G. John also said...
“But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols.
H. The readers are being targeted by the Gnostics with a view to attracting them to their teaching, and away from the message which they heard from the beginning. The message already given.
the readers are being targeted by the secessionists with a view to attracting them to the secessionist teaching, and away from the message which they heard from the beginning
I. The world today is filled with false doctrine. The personal nature of God is denied in many false religions. Even within Evangelicalism some question God’s omniscience concerning all future events in what is known as the “openness of God” movement. Today it is common for so-called Christian theologians to question or outright deny the inerrancy of Scripture, again sometimes even in the evangelical camp. Many deny Adam was a special creation of God and affirm either evolution or theistic evolution. When it comes to the person and work of Christ, false doctrine abounds. His full deity is denied by some, while others deny his full humanity. His eternal nature is denied by some. His substitutionary atonement on the cross is denied by others. Some have overtly stated that to believe in the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus is tantamount to divine child abuse! The exclusivity of Christ as the only way of salvation is routinely questioned and outrightly denied. For some, while Jesus may be the only way of salvation for us, he may not be the only way for all people. Some deny the necessity of the church in God’s program today. Many cults have the word “church” attached to their name, though in their doctrine they deny basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Errors concerning the person and work of the Holy Spirit abound. The doctrine of the personal return of Christ to the earth is also denied by many. Many other examples of false doctrine today could be listed.
J. He goes on to say that this anointing is “true.” The mark of a false teacher is that he seeks to deceive the faithful with doctrine that is false. Again John’s words cut across the grain of today’s distorted view of truth. Many believe there is no such thing as absolute truth, and thus there can be no “false” doctrine. All viewpoints are equally true as far as many are concerned today. Sadly, statistics show that even among Christians a high percentage of people do not believe in absolute truth. According to the Barna Research Group, statistics (as of 2008) on the question of absolute truth are alarming, even shocking. From a random poll of just over 1,000 adults in the United States, only one-third of all adults (34 percent) believe that moral truth is absolute and unaffected by the circumstances. Slightly less than half of the born-again adults (46 percent) believe in absolute moral truth.
The world today is filled with false doctrine. The personal nature of God is denied in many false religions. Even within Evangelicalism some question God’s omniscience concerning all future events in what is known as the “openness of God” movement.
Kruse, C. G. (2000). The letters of John (pp. 107–108). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
He goes on to say that this anointing is “true.” The mark of a false teacher is that he seeks to deceive the faithful with doctrine that is false. Again John’s words cut across the grain of today’s distorted view of truth. Many believe there is no such thing as absolute truth, and thus there can be no “false” doctrine. All viewpoints are equally true as far as many are concerned today. Sadly, statistics show that even among Christians a high percentage of people do not believe in absolute truth. According to the Barna Research Group, statistics (as of 2008) on the question of absolute truth are alarming, even shocking. From a random poll of just over 1,000 adults in the United States, only one-third of all adults (34 percent) believe that moral truth is absolute and unaffected by the circumstances. Slightly less than half of the born-again adults (46 percent) believe in absolute moral truth.
K. The visible church always will have within it some who are not genuine Christians. Jesus confirmed this in his agricultural Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. Wheat and tares look so much alike that it is difficult to distinguish them. Jesus said the true sower sows the wheat. Satan comes in and sows the tares among the wheat, and they grow together. Some would say the tares need to be weeded out. Jesus said we should not do that. The wheat and tares look so much alike that if we were to go in and uproot all the tares, we might accidently weed out someone who is wheat! God will weed out the tares from the wheat at the end of time, at the last judgment. Therefore, there will always be people who are not true Christians in the local church. Some people depend on their baptism to make them a Christian. Some depend on their outward church membership. Others depend on their works. None of this will get you into Heaven. You can be a member of a church your entire life, die, and end up in Hell. What makes a person a Christian has nothing to do with his baptism, the church he attends, the denomination he belongs to, or the money he gives. What makes someone a Christian is the fact that he or she has repented of sin and put his or her faith in Jesus Christ.
The visible church always will have within it some who are not genuine Christians. Jesus confirmed this in his agricultural Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. Wheat and tares look so much alike that it is difficult to distinguish them. Jesus said the true sower sows the wheat. Satan comes in and sows the tares among the wheat, and they grow together. Some would say the tares need to be weeded out. Jesus said we should not do that. The wheat and tares look so much alike that if we were to go in and uproot all the tares, we might accidently weed out someone who is wheat! God will weed out the tares from the wheat at the end of time, at the last judgment. Therefore, there will always be people who are not true Christians in the local church. Some people depend on their baptism to make them a Christian. Some depend on their outward church membership. Others depend on their works. None of this will get you into Heaven. You can be a member of a church your entire life, die, and end up in Hell. What makes a person a Christian has nothing to do with his baptism, the church he attends, the denomination he belongs to, or the money he gives. What makes someone a Christian is the fact that he or she has repented of sin and put his or her faith in Jesus Christ.
L. These verses remind us that there is a difference between deception and ignorance. Some people are spiritually ignorant and just don’t know any better. I suspect some false teachers do not have an evil agenda to deceive others; they are just being used by the devil. For whatever reason, they don’t know the Scriptures. That’s a case of spiritual ignorance. There is a difference between deliberate deception and spiritual ignorance, but both are bad. You don’t want to be spiritually ignorant. You also don’t want to be deceived spiritually. Paul warns that in the last times “evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (). Notice that Paul calls these people “evil” and “imposters.” He says they will go from “bad to worse” in their activities. Their character determines their activity: “deceiving and being deceived.” This last phrase is particularly interesting. These deceivers are themselves deceived! Satan has deceived them and then uses them to deceive others.
III. Unction
- The Anointing.
A. How can we keep from being deceived by the deceivers?
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.
B. So again we have an anointing and we saw that we should understand Chrisma as the Holy Spirit. We have the Spirit and He is with us, and we do not need anyone to teach us what is true, because we know the truth. Now lets get this right today.
C. I remember I came to be a senior assistant Pastor at a church I was over all ministries that dealt with 35 and under. The senior pastor was over 35 and over. I remember having a conversation with the youth pastor about one of his sermons and told him that I would like to meet so I could help him with some of his theological categories and help with some of his exegesis. He actually told me no and that he did not need me to help him with anything because he had the Holy Spirit and does not anyone to teach him anything. Well the meeting we had after that was not optional.
Today it is common for so-called Christian theologians to question or outright deny the inerrancy of Scripture, again sometimes even in the evangelical camp. Many deny Adam was a special creation of God and affirm either evolution or theistic evolution. When it comes to the person and work of Christ, false doctrine abounds. His full deity is denied by some, while others deny his full humanity. His eternal nature is denied by some. His substitutionary atonement on the cross is denied by others. Some have overtly stated that to believe in the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus is tantamount to divine child abuse! The exclusivity of Christ as the only way of salvation is routinely questioned and outrightly denied. For some, while Jesus may be the only way of salvation for us, he may not be the only way for all people.3 Some deny the necessity of the church in God’s program today. Many cults have the word “church” attached to their name, though in their doctrine they deny basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Errors concerning the person and work of the Holy Spirit abound. The doctrine of the personal return of Christ to the earth is also denied by many. Many other examples of false doctrine today could be listed.
D. This is not what it means. John is not saying that because we have the Holy Spirit we don’t need instruction, if he thought that, he would not be writing this letter to them. This would also contradict a merriad of other scriptures urging us to grow in grace and knowledge. You do not need to taught by people that which you already know. This is what is revealed in Jeremiah.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 120). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
Jeremiah
E. We do not need to be taught things about the Lord that you already know. Remember this point is what John was making in the beginning. John insists that when he himself writes to them it is not because he wants to teach them the truth, but because they know the truth.
author insists that when he himself writes to them it is not because he wants to teach them the truth, but because they know the truth
Kruse, C. G. (2000). The letters of John (p. 108). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
F. When it comes to the basic doctrines of Christianity and the gospel. The context is the teaching that Jesus is the Christ. You know this. The Spirit revealed this truth to you. There is only one foundation… you do not need a person to teach you another foundation. You already know the foundation. If they are saying you need this, which is what the gnostics were saying, you need us to teach you the basics of God, Christ, and the Gospel, then you do not need a teacher of this. You know it. There is only one foundation.
G. Martin Lloyyd Jones - We, as Christians are not supposed to receive fresh truth. The truth, the faith, has been once and forever delivered to the saints and to the apostles.
H. This is why today we are not to be led by those who claim to have new and fresh knowledge of the Lord. When this happens it is meant to lead us astray. This is against the plain teaching of scripture. We don’t need this from others who claim to be teachers. We do not need teaching that will cause us to wander away from the plain truths that the Lord has already revealed to his people. Especially from those who have wandered themselves.
I. What John is saying here is what Paul is saying here...
When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.
1 Corinthians
J. This is an amazing thing about being a Christian today. Maybe we don;t have much natural ability in the intellectual realm, but we have the Holy Spirit to help us to understand and know the truth that counts. This is what I love about Christianity. It is not just for the philosophers and intellectually gifted, the faith is for anybody. We all have an unction. The Holy Spirit helps us to see and understand the glorious nature of the Gospel of Jesus.
K. The gnostics and the world may see us as simple. They may see us as ignorant. The world may dub us as unintelligent… but because we have the Holy Spirit we will understand things that even the greatest worldly philosopher will never understand. Was blind, but now I see.
L. You know these truths. You know that Jesus is the Christ. If you did not you would not be a Christian.
M. Finally, why is it that when we hear about the Holy Spirit enlightening or His work do we tend to go straight to the emotion or mystical. Why when we say the Holy Spirit will reveal do we think it is some inner voice, movement in our stomachs, or even an impression.
N. How does the Holy Spirit do this? Through the scriptures. The work of the Holy Spirit is not to reveal new truths but to illuminate the truths already delivered. Not revelation, but illumination. Notice that John does not say the Holy Spirit is teaching new truth today. The Holy Spirit is not revealing new truth but is rather teaching old truth. The old truth is the truth of the Scriptures. We should always distinguish the doctrine of revelation from the doctrine of illumination. Revelation is completed in Scripture and in the person of Jesus Christ. Illumination is an ongoing process whereby the Holy Spirit illumines this revealed truth to help us apprehend and comprehend it. One of the most important roles the Holy Spirit plays in our lives is that of illumination, helping us to understand the Scripture and discern the will of God.
O. In context John is probably combating the false teachers who were attempting to bring so-called “new knowledge” into the church. The old maxim “if it is new it isn’t true” actually works pretty well when it comes to orthodox doctrine. We should always be wary of all who come in the name of Christ attempting to teach some new doctrine that they or their group have found in the Bible that everyone else has somehow missed over the past 2,000 years. How does the Holy Spirit do this? Through the scriptures.
Notice that John does not say the Holy Spirit is teaching new truth today. The Holy Spirit is not revealing new truth but is rather teaching old truth. The old truth is the truth of the Scriptures. We should always distinguish the doctrine of revelation from the doctrine of illumination. Revelation is completed in Scripture and in the person of Jesus Christ. Illumination is an ongoing process whereby the Holy Spirit illumines this revealed truth to help us apprehend and comprehend it. One of the most important roles the Holy Spirit plays in our lives is that of illumination, helping us to understand the Scripture and discern the will of God. In context John is probably combating the false teachers who were attempting to bring so-called “new knowledge” into the church. The old maxim “if it is new it isn’t true” actually works pretty well when it comes to orthodox doctrine. We should always be wary of all who come in the name of Christ attempting to teach some new doctrine that they or their group have found in the Bible that everyone else has somehow missed over the past 2,000 years.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 124). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
O.
O. Dr. David Allen from Southwestern writes… “In fact, the Bible is the only true source of sound doctrine. All teaching should be measured by whether it comports with Scripture or not.
P. Lets get this right. I once heard someone teach, read a portion of scripture then wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to you. This was grieving. When you are reading the scriptures it is the Holy Spirit speaking to you.
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 123). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
III. Abide in Him
- So do what He taught you… Abide in Christ.
A. Stay with Christ as the Holy Spirit and the Apostles have taught. You don’t need to wander away. Stay where you are. Abide in Christ. In a lot of ways that is what it is all about.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
B. But wandering away thats kind of the issue isn’t it?
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
C. We even sing it in the popular hymn. We are prone to wander Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. And it does not help that the World and the evil one has a plan to cause us to wander away. This is the reality of sin in our lives. It is the reality of the deception of this world. Sin came into this world because of deception. We were all affected by it. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the wages of sin is death.
D. This is why we are to abide in Christ. Because in Christ and in Christ alone is salvation for us. This is why Jesus came. This is what the Spirit has revealed to His people. Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God. Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and he was buried and he was raised on the third day...
E. Abide in Him rest in this truth. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart...
F. Abide in Christ and we will bear much fruit. Apart from Christ we can do nothing. Family, apart from Christ we have nothing. This is why we pray and sing for the Lord to let his goodness like a fetter, bind our wandering hearts to Thee. Abide in or stay connected to Christ today.