AF-S70-051505 1 John I
Alêtheia Christian Fellowship (Sermon 70, 05-15-05)
n Pray---Web site---Celebration Night, May 31---Monthly Newsletter---Mexico---Tres Dias in September---Bible Studies.
1 John 4:1-3 ~
NASB: Beloved, do not believe every spirit (NLT speak by the Spirit), but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit (NLT prophet)that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (NLT became a human being) is from God; and every spirit (NLT prophet) that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist (NLT person has the spirit of the Antichrist), of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
What have we discovered about the Holy Spirit so far?
Chapter 2 said obey His commands and went on to say He commands us to love. Obedience proves His Agapê in us by allowing us to love so it is that love effect that proves the cause, His Agapê through us only comes from Him when we believe in orthodoxy commenserate with His Grace. Love in our heart is obedience, but what is pleasing is when we spend that love. 3:16 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. If we love we know His Spirit abides in us.
Wait there's another, but only one more spirit.
TRUTH----------Serve God/others CHRIST
DECEPTION---Serve self ANTICHRIST self/fear/will to power/warfare
Revelation 19 & 20 Sword and deception.
It is influence, period. The spirits work through willing participants.
Who motivates you?
Now--- What is believing? 1 Corinthians 12:3 curse Jesus or call Him Lord.
So if we think Jesus was a real dude and that He was the divine Christ and that He became a real mortal….
James 219You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
2 John 7-9
7Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
What is the teaching? Orthodoxy amd manifested love.
How does belief work?
1. Holy Spirit prompt
2. Recognition of Truth about God & self
3. Faith, emotional (soul) surrender
4. Holy Spirit revelation (veil lifted)
5. Acceptance, intellectual (spirit) surrender
6. Holy Spirit training (maturation)
7. Understanding, physical (flesh) surrender
8. Confirmation (His presence)
9. Assurance
What is the Test? Once again it is:
1- Orthodox belief commensurate with His Grace.
2- His love in us
3- His love spent through us
1 John 4:4-6 ~NASB: 4You are from God (NLT belong) , little children, and have overcome them (NLT false prophets) ; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. NLT5These people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6But we belong to God; that is why those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception (KJV "of," x5)
In our text we see many false prophets (v2) and so it was a big split and the traitors were enjoying some success
Greater is He… means you don't have to worry about being misled if you have His Spirit in you
Verse 6: Biblical authority, Jesus said My sheep listen to My voice and John along with the other apostles of the first century were those specially designated and gifted to preach the words of Jesus, in effect they are the voice of Jesus. John says all those who are genuine Christians accept the Truth of the apostolic witness, which is the New Testament Bible. The Old Testament authority is thoroughly established also, therefore the Bible you hold in your hands is that message from God that all those born of God listen to because it is the voice of the Word of God.
1 John 4:7-11 ~
NASB: Beloved, let us (NLT continue to) love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us (KJV toward, NLT loved us) , that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him (NLT have eternal life) . In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.