SF205 - CHARACTERISTICS OF COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS (1 John 1 18-28)
@PAGE NUMBER = SF205
@TITLE = CHARACTERISTICS OF COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS
@LEVEL ONE = 1 JOHN 2:18‑28
@LEVEL ONE = INTRODUCTION
@LEVEL TWO = Difficult Question
@LEVEL THREE = What about all those who one time made a profession of faith yet seem to have left the faith?
@LEVEL TWO = Matthew 1:24‑30
@LEVEL THREE = The Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares (Weeds)
@LEVEL TWO = John Calls Counterfeit Christians antichrist.
@LEVEL THREE = Antichrist means "against" or "instead of" Christ. The idea being someone who is opposed to Christ in their profession or lifestyle.
@LEVEL TWO = How Can We Recognize The Weeds?
@LEVEL TWO = Can I Know If I Am Wheat Or Weeds?
@LEVEL ONE = 1A. THEY DESERT THE FELLOWSHIP (v.19)
@SCRIPTURE = "Remained" from meno used 7 times in this passage. Means to remain, live, abide, carries the idea of permanence. Used to refer to God's permanence in contrast to man's variance.
@LEVEL TWO = 1B. Why People Desert
@SCRIPTURE = "did not really belong"
@LEVEL THREE = The only real cause of apostasy is unbelief.
@SCRIPTURE = 1CO 11:19<R>No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval.
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@LEVEL TWO = 2B. When People Desert
@LEVEL THREE = 1C. When the new wears off.
@LEVEL FOUR = No longer "novel" to be a christian.
@SCRIPTURE = 2TI 4:10<R>For Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
@LEVEL THREE = 2C. When real demands are made.
@SCRIPTURE = LUK 9:23<R>Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
@SCRIPTURE = LUK 14:27<R>And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
@LEVEL THREE = 3C. When difficult times come.
@SCRIPTURE = 2TI 4:16<R>At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.
@ILL TITLE = PARABLE OF A WILD DUCK
@ILL TEXT = Some wild ducks were taking their annual northward journey when suddenly a flock of tame ones came into view in a barnyard far below. Leaving his winged friends in flight, one of the migrants landed and mingled for a short time with those on the ground. After eating some of their corn, he flew away. Soon he returned, however, this time remaining somewhat longer. The safety of the farm and the plentiful supply of food were so appealing that he lived among the domestic fowl all summer. When autumn came, he heard the cries of his former companions as they headed southward. He felt a strong desire to join them, but his added weight from eating so much kept him from flying very far. So he settled down and stayed all winter. In the spring he again heard the familiar call of the migrating flock. His eyes gleamed, and he began to flap his wings but made no real effort to fly. That fall the sound of the wild ducks only caused him to raise his head, and from then on he paid no attention at all.
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@LEVEL ONE = 2A. THEY DENY THE FAITH (v.22)
@SCRIPTURE = 1JO 4:3<R>but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
@LEVEL TWO = 1B. They Deny The Leadership of Jesus
@SCRIPTURE = JOH 10:4<R>When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
@SCRIPTURE = JOH 10:14<R>"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me‑‑
@LEVEL TWO = 2B. They Deny The Lordship of Jesus
@SCRIPTURE = LUK 6:46<R>"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?
@ILL TITLE = THE PARABLE OF THE EAGLE
@LEVEL ONE = 3A. THEY DECEIVE THE FAITHFUL (v.26)
@SCRIPTURE = ACT 20:30<R>Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
@LEVEL TWO = 1B. Distort The Truth About Christ
@SCRIPTURE = 2JO 1:7<R>Many 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.
@LEVEL TWO = 2B. Distort The Truth About Man
@SCRIPTURE = ROM 16:18<R>For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
@LEVEL THREE = "I'm Ok, You're Ok"
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@LEVEL TWO = 3B. Distort The Truth About The Bible
@SCRIPTURE = EPH 5:6<R>Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
@SCRIPTURE = COL 2:4<R>I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine‑sounding arguments.
@ILL TITLE = PUT IT AWAY!
@ILL TEXT = Author William Marshall spoke of the singular nature of truth when he said that it is "not to be bribed or coerced. It is of one piece, it knows no double standard." In Marshall's book Eternity Shut in a Span is the story of a night watchman who was a witness in court. He had been on duty at a railway crossing on the night of an accident. A train had struck a car, resulting in serious injury to the occupants. No one else had seen the crash. The watchman testified that he had swung his lantern to warn the driver. The court found him blameless and placed the responsibility for the accident on the motorist. The watchman's friends immediately began to praise him for his faithfulness in waving the lamp. Greatly relieved by the verdict, he whispered to himself, "And all the time I was afraid they would ask me if the lantern was lit."
@LEVEL ONE = 4A. THEY DREAD THE FUTURE (v.28)
@SCRIPTURE = ACT 1:11<R>"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
@LEVEL TWO = 1B. Fear His Coming
@SCRIPTURE = REV 6:15‑17<R>Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"
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@LEVEL TWO = 2B. Fear His Accounting
@SCRIPTURE = REV 20:12‑13<R>And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.
@LEVEL ONE = CONCLUSION
@ILL TITLE = IT'S LATER THAN EVER BEFORE!
@ILL TEXT = The magazine Christian Truth for the Household of Faith relates the story of a small boy who was lying on the living room floor playing with his toys. Nearby stood a large grandfather clock. Noontime was approaching, and when both hands of the old timepiece reached 12, the chimes began to ring. As he always liked to do, the little fellow counted each gong as it sounded. This time, however, something went wrong with clock's inner mechanism. Instead of stopping at 12, it kept right on chiming, 13‑14‑15‑16 times. The boy couldn't believe his ears! He jumped to his feet and ran into the kitchen, shouting, "Grandma! Grandma! It's later than it's ever been before!" Of course, the youngster didn't understand what had happened, but in his excitement he expressed a truth we all would do well to consider.
