It's been a few months since I did my Soulies talk, and I'm currently in the process of writing a sermon for the 23rd of August (so appropo it's the 23rd again). I don't know when I'll get around to Isaiah 30, but hopefully these will be helpful in some way to anyone who reads them.
I can’t help but find it a little funny that I’m here tonight. Not long ago, I said in a heated moment that if Soul Revival got a television I would leave. Clearly what I say and what I do are worlds apart. This is both funny and scary. Funny because it shows my words mean very little in light of my actions. Scary because it shows my words mean very little in light of my actions. While I was reflecting on this, it seemed to become more obvious that 1 John was dealing with a similar issue.
Chapter 1 verses 6-9 “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” It is clear what John is saying. If we say we have fellowship but we do not, we are liars. If we claim to be without sin, this does not mean you actually are. But if you confess your sins they are forgiven, they are gone, because in Jesus they are dealt with faithfully and justly.
Chapter 2 verse 4-6 “The man who says ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his words, God’s love is made complete in him. This is how we know that we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” Verses 9 and 10 “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light…” and finally verses 15 and 17 “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The world and it’s desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
See the similarity? If you only say you know God, this is a world apart from doing what he says. If you say it you should walk as Jesus did. If we claim, or if we say, it makes no difference unless our words are backed up with truth.
With this in mind, I would like to explain a couple of things from Chapter 2:18-27;
1. The church is under attack for sure
2. The defense we have is surer
1. The church is under attack for sure
“Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”. Antichrist is word used only by John. What does it mean? Verse 22 explains “Who is the liar? The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist…”
Paul gives the church a similar warning Acts 20:29-30 “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.” There are attacks that will come in from outside the church. However we are also warned of people inside the church. This is John’s warning. Not everyone who says they love Jesus really does. Antichrists are counterfeit Christians (v27), perhaps not in what they say but in how they live. The scariest and saddest thing is that anyone can be a counterfeit christian.
Surely our leaders are safe from being antichrists? I’m sure I do not need to remind you of stories of ministers of the gospel, even in the history of our church, that would speak of Jesus all the time but would not walk as he did. Surely our peers, our brothers and sisters are safe? I can see many familiar faces here tonight, but I can see many empty spaces. The people who would once be sitting there are now filling up pubs and parties, some even saying they still belong to the church. The same could be said for some of those we have lead.
I hope our response, like the disciples when Jesus talked about his betrayal, is “Surely not I, Lord!”. But the fact of the matter is even in my Christian life, what I say and what I do could be, and sometimes is, worlds apart. I tell my boys to love God, but sometimes I love my sin more than I love my God. I say I want to be friends with everyone, but I live like I only want to be friends with some people. You know similar things could be said about you. As is the case with the antichrists John speaks of, it’s a sad truth that our lips and our life do not always agree.
However, keeping that in perspective, we talked two weeks ago about how we will not be perfect until we reach heaven. The Christian life is about daily dying to yourself and becoming more like Jesus, or sanctification if you like big words. Verse 23 contains a good balance of warning and encouragement. “No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”. To understand this, look at the words of verse 17 and 25 – “The world and it’s desires will pass away, but he who does the will of God lives forever. This is what he has promised us – even eternal life”. Whether you are a Christian or not, everything is resting on what you do with Jesus. As we just sang, ALL other ground is sinking sand.
Dear children, this is the last hour. That the church is under attack is for sure, BUT
2. Our defense is surer.
What defense could there be for Christians if it is so hard to tell the difference between the real and the counterfeit? I may sound like a broken record but this is what I love. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, grace, grace, grace. John tells us only two things, and the second is just an extension of the first. Verse 24 and 27 “See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.” and “As for you, the annointing you received from him remains in you…”. Only two things. What you have heard, aka the gospel, and the annointing you received, aka the Holy Spirit. Remember, you have heard it and you have received it. It is not your gift by right, but God’s gift by grace.
Our God is unchanging, and so is his gospel. As we grow, our understanding of the gospel will also. To become a Christian, your understanding of the gospel only needs to be very small. Chapter 2 verse 12 “I write to you dear children because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.” When I became a Christian all I understood was that Jesus died for my sin. Now that I am older I understand better what it means for the word of God to live in me, and for me to overcome the evil one (verse 14 and 5:5). As I grow more I hope to understand better what it means to know him who was from the beginning, to understand the sovereignty of God and all that it means for my life. Jesus does not change, but my understanding of him and my love for him grow deeper.
Can you see this truth? God’s gospel does not change. The more that you learn the more you see it means that Jesus died on the cross in your place for your sins. Rejoice and give glory to God for this dear friends. John does not want this gospel to change. Ever. 1 John 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard… this is what we proclaim to you.” Chapter 2:7 “Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.” And what is that? Chapter 3:11 “This is the message you have heard from the beginning; We should love one another.”
Why would we need anything new? Why would we need anything more than Jesus Christ and him crucified? Creeds may seem boring sometimes, but I’m glad they don’t change. We need to wrestle with the gospel truths they contain. By saying “I believe in God” you just separated yourself from all those who don’t. “the Father” separates from all who don’t believe you can have a relationship with God. “Almighty” separates from all who do not believe that God is in control of everything. “Maker of heaven and earth”, separates us from all who do not believe this world was created, and so on. Every word is making a statement that the God you believe in is the God of the Bible and not the god of anything else. I am thankful for the creeds, I am most thankful for God’s Word. Be set on fire for these truths, ask God to do this in you and nothing will put you out. Attack may be sure, but this defense is surer.
But as I said, there is often a world of difference between what we say and what we do. It is possible for almost anyone to say these words, possibly even believe them, however it is ONLY by the Spirit that we can live them. Romans 8:8 “Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” The Spirit testifies to the truth, and the truth is “those who are lead by the Spirit are Sons of God.” (Romans 8:14). “You have an annointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. (1 John 2:20) As for you, the annointing you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. (1 John 2:27)” You know the truth that Christ died for your sins, you know that you have been made a child of God, you do not need to know anything more than that. You just need to know that more. “But as his annointing teaches you about all things and as that annointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him”(1 John 2:27).
To all who do not consider yourselves Christian, I say look at our lives. Do our lives match what we say? Can you see the love of Jesus and love for Jesus in us? Let us know if you cant! This is important. Do not keep silent until you have heard about Jesus love for you and until you have seen it in us. This world is passing, and it is passing soon, and when it does life and joy and peace and everything will ONLY be found in Jesus Christ. Do not miss out in this last hour.
To all of you who consider yourself children of God, I ask you to think about whether the words that you say and the life that you live match up with the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Attack is sure, but our defense, our Jesus, is surer. “Dear children, let us not love with word or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)
