Tag Archives: Sermon Notes

“God in the Dark” (Job 2:11-4:17)

by • on 6:15 PM • in Job Study

“God in the Dark”

Job 2:11-4:17

Introduction

 

For every ten people who can withstand the temptations of adversity, only one can stand prosperity-or so it is said. When life is good we have no questions, and when it is hard we have no answers-or so it is said.

Group Discussion

 

Drawing on your own life, talk about why you agree or disagree with the statements above.

Personal Reflection

 

Describe an experience in which you were tempted to doubt God’s goodness. What questions did you ask? What thoughts, if any, did you have of God?

Snap Shot Summary

 

Job has handled his prosperity as a ministry and later defends his stewardship of abundance (29:7-25; 31:24-25). But now he is plunged into excruciating loss, a living death. Job’s new test will examine whether his belief in the goodness of God can be subverted by unalterably negative circumstances. Job will ask questions that are asked in wars and famine, when people are faced with congenital deformities and terminal illnesses. Job will later take up the cause of all the nameless, suffering poor (24:1-25). But in this study Job feels the weight of his own burden first.

Read Job 2:11-13

 

Questions

 

1. At this point in the story Job’s three friends travel a considerable distance to console Job. What actions of the friends indicate they understood how deeply Job was suffering?

For chapters 3 through 31 the story moves from prose to poetry as Job’s three friends discuss the meaning of his adversity and where-if anywhere-God was present in the darkness.

Read Job 3:1-26

 

2. In what ways does Job’s response to his suffering go beyond asking the usual why (3:1-10)?

3. Job’s chief complaint, to our surprise, in not his material loss but the loss of his spiritual estate (3:25-26). In what ways does this challenge you when faced with discontentment?

4. Though Job curses his birthday (3:1), he does not curse God. What is the difference?

5. What does Job think God’s role is in all this (3:11, 16)?

6. What new questions does Job ask in 3:20-26?

7. In what ways does Job’s speech go beyond the “poor me” complaint so frequently uttered by people in times of adversity?

  • Each of Job’s three friends makes a speech with Job responding-a cycle that is repeated three times in the book.

 

Read Job 4:1-17

 

8. Eliphaz responds cautiously at first and then attacks. Why does Eliphaz think Job is suffering?

9. Eliphaz counsels, “Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your  hope?” (4:6). Is this sound advice helpful? Explain.

10. Eliphaz thinks he has God’s word (4:12-17). Job only has dark questions. What have you learned so far about finding God in the midst of pain and loss?

11. How do you feel about living with unanswered questions?

Prayer

 

Ask God to show you how to put aside your life circumstances and find rest for your soul (Matthew 11:28).

Now or Later

 

None of the friends breathes a prayer in the whole book. But Job pours out his heart to God. Prayer is, paradoxically, both a blessing and a battle. Consider some of the many scriptural examples of “Taking God on” by righteous men and women; Abraham haggling over Sodom (Genesis 18:16-33); Jacob wrestling a blessing out of God (Genesis 32:22-29); Jesus praying in the garden (Matthew 26:36-46); Paul pleading three times for the removal of his “thorn” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). See also the Psalms, Jeremiah 20:14-18 and Lamentations 3:1-18. As P. T. Forsyth once said, it may be God’s will that we surmount his will. What we mainly “get” through prayer is God!

C. S. Lewis wrote in ‘A Grief Observed’: “Talk to me about the truth of religion and I’ll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I’ll listen submissively. But don’t come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you don’t understand.” What does this quote and these chapters from Job suggest to you about how to encourage someone who is grieving?

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1 John 2:7 – “Love One Another”

by • on 11:12 PM • in 1 John

“Love One Another” 

1 John 2:7

INTRO:

(1 Cor. 13)

A. Last week, the Apostle John taught on:

            1. the exhortation to ‘NOT LIVE IN SIN’

            2. If we do sin, we have an ADVOCATE

            3. He Himself, is our PROPITIATION for our sins – for entire world

B. John also gave the TEST of KNOWING HIM—-EXPERIENTIALLY-

            1. We demonstrate that we EXPERIENTIALLY KNOW HIM by –

                        a. KEEPING His COMMANDMENTS –

                        b. Keeping God’s PRECEPTS

                        c. All the PRECEPTS/COMMANDMENTS given to us by Christ & epistles

C. In V4 then, John said that anyone who CLAIMS TO BE SAVED;

            1. Yet DOES NOT OBEY God’s Word is a LIAR

            2. And they REALLY AREN’T SAVED

D. They may have an INTELLECTUAL SALVATION

            1. But they REALLY AREN’T SAVED EXPERIENTIALLY

E. The Word of God declares that those who are TRULY SAVED, will:

            1. KEEP God’s commandments

            2. And they will also –

F. ABIDE

            1. More than to just DWELL in the PRESENCE

            2. The idea of FAMILY, interaction, LOVE, participation, Working through problems

G. The true believer will also WALK, even as CHRIST WALKED

            1. We will live like CHRIST

H. The TRUE BELIEVER:

            1. Keeps God’s Commandments

            2. Abides in Christ

            3. Walks like Christ

I. And NOW TODAY;

            1. John CONTINUES this THOUGHT on EXPERIENTIAL FAITH

J. The TRUE believer will also-

            1. EXPERIENTIALLY demonstrate the LOVE OF GOD

“Love is the preeminent mark of a genuine believer. Love for God is the benchmark of one’s relationship to Him, and love for other people is the epitome of human relationships. Because love is the saint’s highest moral duty toward others, it is not only the ultimate mark of genuine salvation, but also provides the supreme assurance of that reality.”                        – John MacArthur

K. And this is the very thing that the APOSTLE JOHN now continues to teach us

            1. As we continue in Verse 7

7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

A. The Word ‘BRETHREN’ is better translated ‘BELOVED ONES’

            1. It refers to ‘GOD’S DIVINE LOVE’

            2. It is, ‘DIVINELY-LOVED ONES’

            3. This is the same word for LOVE as used in:

John 3:16    For God so loved (Divinely-loved) the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

1 John 4:7-8
7 Beloved, let us (divinely…) love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is (Divine…) love.

The Word ‘COMMANDMENT’ here is ‘A PRECEPT’

            1. Again, not in the sense of the MOSAIC LAW

            2. But as an EXHORTATION to the CHRISTIAN, it’s an INJUNCTION

“Which you have had from the beginning”

            1. Refers to the BEGINNING of their SALVATION

A. John no doubt here could remember back to the time when Jesus had just silenced the —

Matthew 22:34-40
34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced…… the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

B. At this point historically, the rabbis had long since started on that vast work of-

            1. Elaboration of the Law that ultimately evolved into the TALMUD

C. Already their commentaries and rulings and binding traditions-

            1. Had begun to replace the Torah in authority

D. The scribes divided all 613 commandments of the Mosaic Law;

            1. Into 248 Do’s (the number of the members of the body, as they counted them)

            2. And 365 Don’ts (One negative commandment for each day of the year)

E. They also saw great significance, too, in there being –

            1. Not only 613 commandments in the Law

            2. But also 613 letters in the Decalogue (The 10 Commandments)

F. They greatly elaborated the Law

            1. Expanding to the point of absurdity

2. For instance, the commandments concerning keeping the Sabbath—

G. According to a 1987 Associated Press story;

1. Here is how an ultra Orthodox Jew observes the Sabbath:

“Before the Jerusalem Sabbath siren wails at sundown Friday night, Orthodox Jews unscrew the light bulbs in their refrigerators so as not to inadvertently turn them on and violate the Sabbath. They turn off their water heaters. They hide money because it is a reminder of daily labor instead of divine rest. They cut their toilet paper in advance because ripping it would violate religious regulations. They light tall white candles moments before sundown because striking a match is banned during the Sabbath. These are some of the acts prohibited during the Sabbath: taking a bath, opening an umbrella, touching a pen (because they feel writing is work). Strict but complicated “carrying laws” govern what objects may be lifted and how far they may be moved.

Much of the Sabbath is spent in three long ritual meals, usually shared with friends who arrive on foot and interrupted frequently by blessings and ancient Hebrew songs. Each meal begins with bread seasoned heavily with salt, which all must eat to remind them of coming out of Egypt with Moses. Cooking is forbidden. Pre-cooked food is kept warm by turning a burner on low before the Sabbath and covering it with a copper plate that stays hot. Games are permitted during the Sabbath but restricted. “Fish” a card game of making pairs, is preferable to “Monopoly” which requires use of play money. Even conversation is regulated (I think that’s a good idea, even at church). Topics of work, politics or commerce are banned. Orthodox Jews strictly limit travel on the Sabbath. Unless one lives within the prescribed allowed walking distance, he cannot attend synagogue services. Many of these regulations are well intentioned but carried to the extreme

H. Many other O.T. laws were elaborated on, and contained in the Talmud, such as

            1. Ceremonially washing before a meal

            2. Mixing of materials in a garment (Bra / blended materials – braking the law)

            3. Turning on a light (kindling a fire)

            4. Distance – got around that by tying ropes to their property to extend travel area

            5. Drinking – sift the drink through their teeth, so as to not swallow a gnat

            6. Dietary laws; Circumcision; Ritual Sacrifices; Feast days; Fasting days

I. The Jews became CONSUMED by EXTERNAL KEEPING of the LAWS;

1. While they overlooked their HEARTS

Matthew 23:23-28
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

J. In all forms of RELIGION, man is CONCERNED with APPEARANCE;

            1. While GOD IS CONSUMED on the HEART

1 Samuel 16:7   But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

K. And this is really what JOHN is stating here in his EPISTLE;

            1. ‘Those who EXPERIENTIALLY KNOW GOD…will LOVE from their HEARTS’

L. It’s EASY to PRETEND to LOVE your BROTHER or SISTER;

            1. And you may be able to PRESENT a FACADE, but GOD SEES the HEART

M. That’s why CHRIST REBUKED the PHARISEES;

            1. They were HYPOCRITES

            2. They APPEARED to be one way…

                        a. But in their HEARTS, they were another person

‘HYPOCRITE’

1. The term used of GREEK ACTORS who stood on stage

            2. Wearing a LARGE MASK, to indicate HAPPY/SAD/ FEAR etc…

HYPOCRITE

1. A person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion

2. A person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

Examples of HYPOCRITE

  1. A HYPOCRITE might be one who criticize other people for not voting

a. But who don’t always vote themselves

       2. Or, as John says here, a HYPOCRITE is one who

            a. Says they LOVE GOD, but yet they HATE their NEIGHBOR

N. So the Jews has elaborated the LAW, to the point of absurdity

            1. They’d become so focused on EXTERNAL OBSERVANCE

            2. And the Jewish leaders laid LOADS on the PEOPLE that they could not bear

Matthew 23:1-7
1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’

James 2:10
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

K. The Rabbis had even made provisions for adultery, divorce,  murder & even HATRED!

1. It’s OK to COMMIT ADULTERY, DIVORCE, MURDER, HATE

2. You just must abide by the             ORAL TRADITIONS of the TALMUD

3. And they BEGAN to ELEVATE the TALMUD above GOD’S WORD!

Matthew 5:27-48  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. 33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

L. Some commandments they rated as great,

1. Some as small, or lesser significant

M. So the lawyers asked Jesus:

1. “What was the GREATEST COMMANDMENT of all the 613 laws”

N. Jesus took His questioner back to the great creedal statements of:

Deuteronomy 6:5           You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 10:12      “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 30:6
And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

O. Jesus then summarized all man’s duty to God and all man’s duty to man in –

1. Two comprehensive statements that were already embedded in the Pentateuch

Leviticus 19:17-18       ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

P. This is exactly how Jesus responded to the lawyer who tried to trap Him –

Matthew 22:36-40       “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Q. The Apostle Paul said much the same thing in Romans 13:8-10

Romans 13:8-10
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

R. Such was the OLD COMMANDMENT

            1. And such was the GREAT COMMANDMENT

“Love God supremely, love all men sincerely.”

S. All the other laws are expositions of these 2 rudimentary & revolutionary principles

            1. If everyone loved God and other people like that…

            2. Then we would not need the countless laws that tie us up in knots to this day

T. The 1st 4 COMMANDMENTS deal w/ mans relationship to GOD

            1. The last 6 Commandments deal w/ mans relationship to MAN

U. And here JOHN is teaching that if our RELATIONSHIP to GOD is CORRECT;

            1. Then it will be EVIDENCED by our RELATIONSHIP to MAN being CORRECT!

V. Essentially, God is saying:

            1. “Don’t tell me you have CORRECT LOVE for ME, if you DON’T love your brother”

W. I think of even what the Lord stated in MATT. 5

1. Concerning our INTERACTIVE relationship with HIM & our NEIGHBOR:

Matthew 5:21-24      “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

X. This whole idea then brings into play the BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE of FORGIVENESS

            1. “Well, WHY DON’T you LOVE your brother?”

            2. “Well, you just have no idea what he / she did to me”

                        a. “Therefore I can NEVER FORGIVE THEM”

Y. Many Christians today are going through life;

            1. Wondering why they DON’T GROW, or why they have a broken fellowship w/ God?

            2. And the ANSWER MAY JUST LIE in UN-FORGIVENESS…

                        a. Either towards your BROTHER / SISTER / NEIGHBOR

                        b. Or in some cases, (bitterness) even TOWARDS GOD

Z. “I’m NOT bitter TOWARDS GOD, I’m bitter towards what happened to me”

            1. When in reality, your bitterness is against God & hindering your walk w/ Him

Exodus 16:4-8     Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6 Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. 7 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.”

A. We may see our COMPLAINING as being directed against our circumstances;

            1. Yet, because GOD is SOVEREIGNLY directing the circumstances of our lives;

                        a. When we complain, it is really against the Hand of the Lord

B. Grumbling & Complaining, left unchecked –

1. Will EVENTUALLY develop into BITTERNESS

2. Which will BREAK DOWN our FELLOWSHIP with GOD & BRETHREN

C. Our RELATIONSHIP with GOD and ONE ANOTHER is INTERTWINED

            1. If I’m right with God;

            2. Then I am in POSITION to be RIGHT with my NEIGHBOR

D. But if I’m NOT RIGHT with my NEIGHBOR;

            1. Then I CAN’T be right with GOD

E. This is the BASE PRINCIPLE that John is TEACHING us here in his EPISTLE

            1. “Do you want to know if you are right with God?”

            2. “You will know if you DIVINELY-LOVE your NEIGHBOR”

F. Because GOD IS LOVE

            1. It stands to REASON that if I’m in FELLOWSHIP with GOD…

            2. Then I am in fellowship WITH DIVINE LOVE

            3. UN-CONDITIONAL LOVE

            4. LOVE that is MERCY FILLED

            5. Love that is GRACE CENTERED

            6. Love that DELIGHTS in FORGIVING the TRESPASSES of a BROTHER

G. But as Paul said in Gal. 5:13 -

Galatians 5:13-15      For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

H. And finally, I leave you with this same commandment from our Lord Himself:

John 13:33-35     Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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1 John 2:1-6

by • on 8:30 PM • in 1 John

“The Test of Knowing Him”

1 John 2:1-6

Intro:

 A. In Chapter 1, beginning in verse 5, John began this thought that he continues into chapter 2

1a My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.

A. “Little children” is the Greek word ‘teknia’

            1. This is a very loving term

            2. As a grandfather speaking to his grandchildren

            3. John was in his 90’s now, and with age he grew in his tenderness

            4. Some elderly people grow in bitterness, but John grew in his LOVE

                        a. For God and His children

B. And John is stating that this is God’s ideal for His children;

            1. That we sin not

C. Back in 1:9, John said “If we confess…”

            1. And so you have you always have those who think:

                        a. “Well, I’ll just go out and sin, and when I’m done & have had my fun…”

                        b. “I’ll just go ask God to forgive me, and all is well”

D. But here John in a very TENDER, GRANDFATHERLY way is saying:

            1. “Please don’t misunderstand me…”

E. He sees the possibility of a 2-fold perversion of his teaching:

#1. ‘If we can never in this life be done away with sin, why strive after holiness?

            a. “It’s useless”

            b. “If you can’t beat it, join it”

#2. ‘If escape is so easy, why dread falling into sin?’

            a. “It’s easy to sin, knowing that we have the blood of Jesus to cleanse us”

F. John is saying “No I am not writing these things to you either to discourage you in the pursuit of holiness or to embolden you in sin, but on the contrary, in order that you may sin not.”

Augustine put it this way:

“Lest perchance he should seem to have given impunity to sins, and men should now say to themselves, ‘let us sin, let us do securely what we will, Christ cleanses us; He is faithful and righteous, He cleanses us from all iniquity’; ‘he takes from thee evil security and implants useful fear. It is an evil wish of thine to be secure; be anxious. For He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, if thou art always displeasing to thyself and being changed until thou be perfect.’ As a physician might say to his patient: ‘your trouble is obstinate; the poison is in your blood, and it will take a long time to eradicate it. But I do not tell you this to discourage you or make you careless; no, on the contrary, to make you watchful and diligent in the use of the remedy’.

H. So the Apostle John, in a very tender way is lovingly warning them -

1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. 1b And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

A. In this expression:

 “if anyone sins”

  • Speaks not of a habitual action, but of a SINGLE ACT
  • Could be better translated:
    • “If any man commit an act of sin”

 

“John regards sin in the believer’s life, not as habitual, but as extraordinary, as infrequent.”                                                                   – Kenneth S. Wuest

B. Our objective as God’s Children is to LIVE FREE FROM SIN;

            1. But IF WE DO SIN.. THEN we have an ADVOCATE WITH the Father

 ‘WITH’ is ‘pros’ “facing” the Father

  • “Our Advocate is always in fellowship with the Father in order that if the saint loses fellowship with Him through cherished and unconfessed sin, He might plead our cause on the basis of His precious blood, and bring us back into fellowship again.”

 

 ‘FACING’ (with)

  • Brings us to this solemn thought, that when we saints sin, the Lord Jesus must face the Father with us and our sin.

  

“The saint has been saved in His precious blood so that he may be able to keep from sinning, and when he does sin, he wounds the tender heart of the Saviour, and forces Him to face God the Father with that saint whom He has saved in His precious blood. How that should deter us from committing acts of sin!”

‘Advocate’ is actually the word ‘paraklētos’

  • “One called to your side”

 

C. In the SECULAR world of that day, an ‘ADVOCATE’ was referred to as –

“A friend of the accused person, called to speak to his character, or otherwise enlist the sympathy of the judges.”

D. This speaks directly of the Holy Spirit, where in John 14:  Jesus said:

John 14:15-1715 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you (Para) and will be in (en) you.

C. It is the Holy Spirit who comes alongside of you to help you

            1. The One who stands up for you

D. In this case, the ADVOCATE;

            1. One who will speak up for you or one who stands on your side

            2. JESUS, OUR ADVOCATE with the FATHER

E. So the goal is to live FREE OF SIN;

            1. But IF WE DO SIN…

                        a. Then we have an ADVOCATE with the Father

 1c ‘Jesus Christ the Righteous.”

“Only the guiltless, the One that is separate from sin, can be the Advocate with God for sinners, in general, the Mediator of salvation, and makes His friendship for us prevalent with God, because only such a one has access to God and fellowship with God. What better advocate could we have for us, than He that is appointed to be our judge.”             – Wuest, Word Studies p. 110

2 And He Himself (Jesus Christ) is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

‘Propitiation’

  • “Signifying that He Himself, through Him alone, the violated holiness and righteousness of God by man’s sin has been propitiated (satisfied).”
  • “This is a personal means through which God shows MERCY to the sinner who believers on the Lord Jesus Christ as the One thus provided.”
  • In a NUT SHELL:
    • ‘Christ Himself provided a way for us to be reconciled to God – Not of works lest anyone should boast’
    • Because Jesus Christ is the PROPITIATION for ALL who BELIEVE, we have (and experience) the MERCY of God
    • The Death of Christ has satisfied the HOLINESS of God, so that we might be RECONCILED to Him

 

A. In CONTRAST to the N.T. definition, the PAGAN USAGE meant:

‘Propitiation’ – “To Appease, to conciliate to one’s self, to make a god propitious to one – the offering of gifts.”

 

“The scriptural conception of the verb is not that of appeasing one who is angry with a personal feeling against the offender; but of altering the character of that which, from without, occasions a necessary alienation, and interposes an inevitable obstacle to fellowship.”    - Canon Westcott

A. Jesus Christ Himself became the propitiation for all our sins

            1. When Christ died on the cross of Calvary…

            2. He assumed all our guilt and paid our penalty in His own blood

            3. Thereby removing our alienation from God

B. Now as believers, we can experience God’s MERCY

            1. On the basis of JUSTICE SATISFIED

C. Who did Christ die for? The Whole World

            1. So that WHOSOEVER BELIEVES in Him should not perish,

            2. But will have ETERNAL LIFE

D. Hyper Calvinism teaches that Christ only died for the ELECT;

            1. But here John tells us that He died for the sin the of WHOLE WORLD

            2. I’ll stick with what Scripture teaches

E. The Precious blood of Jesus Christ was shed to pay for every sin a man may commit

            1. Except for the sin of rejecting Christ as Saviour

Matthew 12:31-32   “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

F. So Praise God!

            1. Jesus Christ Himself has become the PROPITIATION for our sins;

            2. And NOT ONLY OUR, but for ALL WHO will put their faith in Him!

 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

A. John now sort of addresses this question:

            1. “How can I be assured that Christ is all this to me?”

            2. MY:

                        a. Propitiation; Advocate

“How can I be sure that I have an abiding interest in Him?”

B. John gives us several assurances here and in the next few verses:

#1. We know that we know Him, or have a personal relationship with Him because we –

            1. KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS

         

“We don’t keep His commandments in order to be saved, but rather, we keep His commandments as proof that He has become our propitiation, our Advocate.”

 

  • The Evidence of my salvation is demonstrated in my obedience to Christ

 

 ‘BY (in) THIS’…    (the proof that we know Christ, is seen…)

  • If we keep His commandments

 

‘We KNOW Him…’ – “To know by EXPERIENCE”

  • This is a knowledge that is experienced day to day, in walking with Him and keeping His commandments

 

“To know Him refers to a past complete act having present results.”

“If we are keeping His commandments, we know that we have in time past come to know Him with the present result that that state of knowing Him is true of us in the present time.” -Wuest

C. In other words, we PROVE that we KNOW the LORD based on HOW we LIVE

            1. My life DEMONSTRATES this REALITY

            2. We DON’T just ‘TALK the TALK’, but we ‘LIVE THE LIFE’

D. People should be able to look upon our lives and say:

            1. “Based on how they live, I can see that they KNOW the LORD – experientially”

E. This word ‘KEEP’ (keep His commandments)

‘KEEP’ – “to attend to carefully, to guard, observe.”

 

“The word [keep], does not merely speak of the act of obeying His commands, but of a solicitous desire that we do not disobey any of them but on the other hand, that we obey them perfectly. It is a holy fear of disobeying God as expressed in the word phobos (fear) 1 Peter. It is tenderness of conscience; it is vigilance against temptation; it is the fear which inspiration opposes high-mindedness in the admonition, ‘be not high-minded but fear’. It is taking heed lest we fall; it is a constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of heart, and of the insidiousness and power of inward corruption. It is the caution and circumspection which timidly shrinks from whatever would offend and dishonor God and the Savior. It is the saint’s love for God’s Word and His guardianship of that Word lest it be dishonored. To ‘keep’ is a continuous action. It is the habitual, moment by moment safeguarding of the Word by the saint lest he violate its precepts.”                                                                                                   – Alford / Robertson

‘COMMANDMENTS’ – does not refer to the ‘MOSAIC LAW’ but rather: “An order, command, charge, precept.”

F. The ‘PRECEPTS’ or ‘COMMANDMENTS’ are –

            1. Those given by our Lord either PERSONALLY

             2. Or through His Apostles in the N.T. books

 Thus EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE looks like:

  • A Solicitous guarding of the precepts of Christ (paying careful attention to details)
    • A Consuming desire they be honored
      • A passionate determination that they always be kept
        • (This is proof gained from experience that a person has come to an experiential knowledge of the Lord Jesus is at present in that state of knowing Him.)

 

“Experiential knowledge is in contrast with and opposed to a mere theoretical knowledge of His Person.”                                             -W. S. Wuest

 
4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

A. The literal expanded translation of this verse actually reads:

“He who keeps on saying, I have come to know Him experientially with the present result that I am in that state, and His precepts is not habitually guarding with solicitous care, is a liar, and in this one the truth does not exist.”

B. This verse really describes the UNBELIEVER, or the FALSE CONVERT

            1. A lot of people say that they have made a “PROFESSION OF FAITH”

            2. “Yet those who do not keep His Commandments is a liar”

                        a. And the Holy Spirit does not DWELL within him

C. Now somebody might say “WELL, YOU’RE JUDGING ME!”

            1. No, I’m not, the BIBLE is telling you what your SALVATION will look like

D. If you are truly saved, you will live in a HOLY FEAR of God, as DEMONSTRATED by

            1. KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS

E. The Word of God tells what the Christian life will look like:

“He who claims to be a Christian (know God), yet doesn’t keep God’s Commandments is a liar, and he is living in self-deception.”

F. These are really those who will stand before Christ one day, only to hear Him say:

            1. “Depart from Me you workers of iniquity, for I never knew you.”

G. I’m so thankful for the WORD OF GOD that spells it out before we get there!

            1. “If we would judge ourselves now, we will not be judged one day before Christ.”

H. I’d much rather find out NOW, that:

1. I really didn’t have an EXPERIENTIAL RELATIONSHIP w/ God

2. Than one day DIE and find out

            a. How much better to know today

 “The true believer, as a habit of life obeys the Word of God.”

I. So John describes the FALSE CONVERT in Verse 4, and now in V5, the TRUE convert—

            1. He who can walk in the confidence of EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE —-


5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

A. To OBEY GOD’S WORD is to DEMONSTRATE our LOVE for HIM;

            1. To say that ‘I LOVE GOD’ yet live in DISOBEDIENCE is to live a LIE; w/o truth

B. I can make up all kinds of wonderful songs and statements / plaques, about my love for God;

            1. But TRUE LOVE for God is DISPLAYED in BIBLICAL OBEDIENCE

C. Unfortunately, too many people equate their love for GOD as an EMOTION;

            1. And as LONG as they are EXPERIENCING this EMOTION or FEELING of (love)

            2. They feel that they truly love God

            3. Yet, as John declares here, TRUE love for God is demonstrated through our obedience

1 Samuel 15:22-23     So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

D. A lot of people in our age, going through life self-deceived;

            1. Living in Sin, telling themselves that they LOVE GOD –

                        a. Yet living in DISOBEDIENCE to His Word

E. It’s very important to REMEMBER that –

1. The HOLY SPIRIT will NEVER contradict God’s Written Word

F. If you chose to LIVE IN SIN, in a life of DISOBEDIENCE;

            1. You really DON’T LOVE GOD,

a. No matter how EMOTIONAL you might FEEL when you’re high / IN SIN

‘KEEP’ speaks of “habitual, continuous action.”

“Thus whoever keeps on continually keeping the Word. This is the one who has a solicitous, watchful care for the Word so as to guard it from being disobeyed but on the other hand, obeyed.”                                         – K. S. Wuest

 

 “He who claims to love God, yet lives in [perpetual] disobedience is a liar; and he who keeps God’s commandments, lives in truth and the truth is in him.” – Vincent

G. In KEEPING God’s Commandments, His LOVE is PERFECTED in us

“God’s love is perfected in us in that it accomplishes that for which it is intended, namely to cause the saint to obey God’s Word.”

H. NOT because he SHOULD

            1. NOT because it’s the RIGHT THING to do

            2. NOT in order to ESCAPE chastening…

I. BUT RATHER, we OBEY the Word of God because:

            1. We LOVE the LORD JESUS CHRIST

“We don’t obey the Word of God because we HAVE TO; we obey because the LOVE OF GOD has been shed abroad upon our hearts, and it is our life’s desire to please our Master!”

J. It is simply NATURAL to want to PLEASE the ONE you LOVE!

            1. So if the Love of God has been perfected w/in my heart, it will be my desire to Obey

                        His Commandments & be PLEASING to my LORD

K. Paul tells us in Gal. 5:1-26, that we’re NOT UNDER the LAW;

            1. I don’t have a LEGAL RELATIONSHIP with my LORD

            2. I have a LOVING RELATIONSHIP with my LORD

                        a. And the EVIDENCE of that LOVE is seen in my OBEDIENCE! J
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

‘Abide’ – “To remain, to sojourn, tarry. More than merely to position.”

 A. It is used very often of PERSON’S ABIDING IN A HOME;

            1. Which IMPLIES more than MERE POSITION

            2. But RATHER:

‘Abide’

  • FELLOWSHIP
    • COMMUNION
      • DEPENDENCE
        • HARMONY
          • FRIENDSHIP

 

B. To ABIDE in the LORD JESUS therefore implies NOT ONLY POSITION;

            1. But RELATIONSHIP

                        Fellowship; Communion; Dependence; Harmony; Friendship

* 3 GREEK WORDS which gives the 3 aspects of a BELIEVER’S LIFE

#1. ‘Eimi’ – “Refers to the saint’s position in Christ

            1. When we were BAPTIZED by the HOLY SPIRIT into Christ — 1 Cor. 12:13

 #2. ‘Meno’ – (present use of ‘abide’) “Refers to the saint’s fellowship with and dependence upon Him, communion, closeness of union.”

 #3. ‘Peripateo’ – To order one’s behavior to conduct one’s self”

            1. This speaks of the saint’s manner of live

  • Position
    • Fellowship/Dependence/Communion
      • Order of Behavior

 

 C. In Verse 6 here, also notice this word ‘OUGHT’

‘Ought’ – “To owe money, be in debt for, to be under obligation, bound by duty or necessity to do something, it behooves one, one ought.”

D. If you are ABIDING in Christ;

            1. Then you are OBLIGATED to ‘walk just as He walked”

‘Walk’ – “Emphasizing habitual, continuous action.”

“The Christ-like life here admonished must be the continuous, habitual, moment by moment experience of the believer, no spasmodic, infrequent sort of thing.”

CONCLUSION:

 John 15:1-17

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