1 John 2:4 - He Who Says I Know Him - Part 2
“The Warning about False Pretenses”
1 John 2:4 cf. Matthew 7:21-23
Introduction: give the context – (vv.13-14 wide & narrow gate; vv.15-20 false prophets; vv.21-28 the two builders)
Not everyone who claims to be a Christian really is.
Unbelievers do make false professions of faith in Christ.
People who are not truly Christians can be deceived into thinking they are (1 John 2:3-6)
1. Hebrews 12:14 –“Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” If there is no holiness in your life, you have no hope of seeing God, except to stand before Him in judgment.
2. There are those who think they are saved but at the same time living a life of unholiness. The Holy Spirit.
3. They will be shocked to discover that in the final judgment, heaven is not their final destiny (Matt. 7:21-27)
Not Everyone who says, but “He who Does” – 7:21
A Person Must Profess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Romans 10:9-10)
Not all those who call Him Lord will enter His Kingdom either (Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46)
1. If you are calling Him Lord but living in rebellion & disobeying God you are on shaky ground!
Saying the Right Thing is not Enough
a. 1 John 1:6 those who say they have fellowship with God yet walk in darkness
b. 1 John 2:4 those who say they know Him but do not keep His commandments
c. 1 John 4:20 those who say they love God yet hate their brother
d. Matthew 7:21 cf. John 3:36 those who say ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not obey
2. Many people think they know Him because they:
a. believe the right things about Him, pray, witness, teach
b. dress appropriately, do rituals, faithful church attendance, dad is a Pastor
c. Even confessing Jesus as Lord
A Person Must do more than Profess Jesus as Lord
1B-We need to have a “born again” relationship with Jesus – “God imparts to us a new life from above (2 Cor. 5:17)”
1. John 3:1-7 cf. Ezek. 36:25-27… Titus 3:5
a. It is instantaneous – just as a child is born from his mothers womb
b. It is not the result of human effort – it’s not what you do but what God does to you.
c. It is not based on human effort John 1:12-13 – it is an act of God.
2. The Result of Regeneration is:
A new nature divine nature (2 Peter 1:4); new self (Eph. 4:24); a capacity for righteous living
A new Life A new mind that you might now God (1 Cor. 2:16)
A new hear that you may love God (Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:9)
A new will that you may obey God (Romans 6:13)
2B-We Must Love God Supremely (Luke 14:25-33… Matthew 10:37-39… 1 Corinthian 16:22)
3B-If we call Jesus Lord then we are saying He is the Master of our lives
If He is the Master of our lives are we following in His footsteps, after His example?
1. John 13:13-17 cf. 1 Jn.2:6
2. Peter Tells the Lord No! (Acts 10:9-22)
4B There will come a Day when Every Knee Will Bow & Confess Jesus as Lord (Philippians 2:5-11)
1. People may not want to confess or ever yield to His Lordship in their lifetime, but will one day.
2. Because they confess His name as Lord of all, that doesn't mean they will enter His kingdom (Matt. 7:21).
3. OBEDIENCE, CHARACTER, LIFESTYLE, CONDUCT is the deciding factor.
So we have seen that a person must Profess Jesus as Lord Romans 10:9-10 Do more that profess Jesus as Lord must be born again, love God supremely
A Person Must Do God’s Will
Two Types of False Believers
Those that “say without doing” - Empty words (v.21-23) be doers of the Word not hears only!
Those that “hear without obeying” (v.24-27)
There are Several Categories of deceived people
· Hypocrites – they try to appear religious.
· Those who call themselves Christians – they’ve gone to Sunday school since childhood or “made a decision” for Christ but have no ongoing interest in living out the implications of faith.
· Those who are involved in ministry – they know the facts about the Gospel but are not obedient to the Word of God.
Classic Example of Obedience from our Lord
Parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:28-32)
1. The first son said, “I will not,” but later “repented” & went
2. The second son said, “I go sir,’ but did not obey
3. God command all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:29-30)
4. Jesus Himself said, “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5)
5. John 3:19-20 Many want Jesus but do not want any alteration of their lifestyle.
The Attitude of the Repentant Woman – She came with a broken and contrite heart! (Luke 7:36-50)
1. She sensed a desperate need to be forgiven
2. She approached the Lord despite her sin Jesus says come unto me all who are weary (Matthew 11:28-30).
3. She surrendered to the Lord in utter humility (v.38)
4. She loved much, giving her most prized possession (v.38).
5. This woman loved in deed and in truth (Matthew 25:31-46)
6. She had a godly sorrow which produces repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).
What is the Primary “Will of God”?
The person who does God’s will is the person who truly believes, obeys, and loves God’s Son.
· And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. (1 John 3:23 NKJV)
· “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on Him.” John 3:36
· "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21 NKJV)
· "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. (John 15:10 NKJV)
· "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. (John 15:14 NKJV)
· If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. (1 Corinthians 16:22)
The Lesson here is this:
If a person lives a life of disobedience, it does not matter what he or she says or what good things that person has done. He or she is an unbeliever in danger of eternal damnation.
What “many will say… in that day”– 7:22
The Plea to the Lord Himself: “Lord, Lord”
The “many” that are turned away are religious people—They are the same many as Matthew 7:13
The problem is in v.15-20— false prophets dressed in sheep’s clothing.
1. They believe they should enter heaven for their deeds, this is holding to a form of godliness (2 Tim. 3:5).
2. They are trying to earn God’s favor through external works rather than living out the righteousness that is bases on faith (Romans 10:5-10).
3. They do the right things but do not do them from the heart (Ephesians 6:6).
4. Despite all the good things they claim they have done, they do not do the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21), they live lawlessly (v.23).
5. They know the right words to say, & even believe the right doctrine, but their heart and character do not match.
6. James 2:14,17,18,19,20,26
7. “Go & Make Disciples” – The church is a mission field even as much as outside the church.
We must Examine Ourselves 2 Corinthians 13:5
1. Doctrinal Test – I must have the right doctrine
2. His Spirit bears witness with my spirit saying, “Yes, you are a child of God” (Romans 8:16)
God leads & directs my life by His Spirit (Romans 8:14)
God leads me in my prayer life by crying out “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15)
· Never give anyone a false sense of assurance
· My job is not to convince someone they are saved
· The Holy Spirit convicts a person of his or her sin (John 16:8-9).
3. Works—Fruit of the Spirit—Lifestyle—Conduct—Godly Conduct—Obedience From the Heart
· God wants us to reflect His Character (1 Peter 1:15-16; Matthew 5:48).
· Only the Spirit can produce a life of Holiness
The Plea of their works: “Have we not…done many wonders in Your Name?” v.22
How could someone do these miracles but not be saved?
The 4 Possibilities:
#1-Yes by God's power - the power of God really did this.
#2-They were fake – tricks, false, they were deceived—Satan was behind it.
#3-They thought they did this—some people actually think they are prophesying or casting out demons – Demon of gluttony.
#4-Yes by Satan's powers—Satan can cause a disease, & remove it to make people think it is by God - Job
- The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 NKJV)
God can and even does work through unsaved people.
· Balam (Numbers 23:5), God even used Balams donkey! Yet Peter says he is a lover of wages of unrighteousness.
· Caipahpas, the vile high priest, prophesied of the death of Jesus (John 11:51-52).
· Pilate's wife (Matt.27:19)
· Magician's of Egypt duplicated some of the miracles Moses performed (Exodus?)
· The evil sons of Sceva cast out demons (Acts 19:13-20).
· Jesus warned of false prophets who will come in sheep clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15)
· Matthew 24:24 prophesies that many false Christ’ & false prophets.
· Satan can do dome amazing things, and he will do almost anything to deceive an unbeliever into thinking he or she is saved.
· These works are not the same as living a holy life, without holiness, no one will see God (Hebrews 12:14).
How Does This Happen?
1. Misunderstanding God's Grace (Titus 2:11-12); (Romans 5:20-6:3)
2. False Assurance—let then wrestle until they have assurance, don’t try and give it to them (Romans 8:15-16)
3. Religion – Church Stuff – A Camouflage of Disobedience—Dedicated to the denomination rather then to Jesus.
4. Fire Insurance Mentality - No repentance in their life.
a. They don’t want Hell but they don’t want Jesus either.
b. John the Baptist: Who warned you from the wrath to come? Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7
C.S. Lewis
“When I was a child I often had a toothache and I knew that if I went to my mother she would give me something which would deaden the pain that night and let me go to sleep. But I did not go to my mother at least until the pain became very bad. And the reason I did not go was this, I did not doubt that she would give me the aspirin, but I knew that she would also do something else, I knew that she would take me to the Dentist the next day. I wanted immediate relief from pain but I couldn't get it without having my teeth set permanently right. And I knew those Dentists, I knew they started fiddling around with all sorts of other teeth when they had not yet begun to ache. They will let sleeping dogs lie. Now if I may put it that way, our Lord is like a Dentist, if you give Him an inch, He will take'em all.”
People want the relief from pain (Hell) but they do not want the Lord to mess around with other areas of their life.
The Demands of Discipleship
Simon Acts 8:5-23-He wanted to buy the power of God, but did not want holiness and submission!
He was also a person who responded to the preaching of Philip & was baptized
1. Proverbs 30:12
2. The Warning-The Faith Movement—Health, Wealth, everything else!
Matthew 13:19-22
Let the dead bury the dead—Matthew 8:18-22; Luke 9:57-62
The Final Judgment – 7:23
The End Result (7:23)
“… I will declare to them I never knew you”
Eternal Damnation—The Lord never knew these people
They knew His name, title & position, recognizing Him as Lord
But they did not come to Him for personal salvation
1. Matthew 10:32 – receive Christ in this life & He will receive you in the life to come.
2. John 3:16-20 – men love darkness rather than light, their deeds are evil, these practice evil.
It Is Definite & Christ is the Judge – Hebrews 9:27
“… Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness”
1. John 5:22-23, 27 - The Father has committed all judgment to the Son & that all should honor the Son.
2. Acts 17:31 - God commands all men to repent, He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world
3. 2 Corinthians 5:10 – (For believers) we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
4. Matthew 7:23; Luke 13:27 – Our Lord Jesus is the One who will say, “depart from Me”
5. They trusted in doctrine & works but they did not have a godly lifestyle
Depart – Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19)
Iniquity – lawlessness, wickedness; neglect or opposition to the law of God; doing your will instead of God’s (1Jn.3:4)