I John 4:15

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Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

THE STUDY:

          The first two words in this verse “Whoever confesses” have to be looked at first due to the powerful implications they bring. John implies by using the word (hos), the door to salvation is open to any and all! Not just a select few but to the world. No one is excluded from God’s invitation. Anyone may come by confessing Jesus as God’s Son.^[1]

The word “confesses” is the requirement. The translation “confesses” might seem to suggest consent alone. But the verb conveys a more public and active sense of confessing (homologēsē) or making a public and life-shaping claim (Matt 10:32). In the Gospel of John, confessions of faith in Jesus could get one expelled from the synagogue (John 9:22; 12:42). In Rom 10:9–10 confessing Jesus as Lord is inseparably linked to God’s saving work.^[2]

         

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with this understanding that ANYONE who makes a public and life changing claim (confesses Christ as the Son of God) God remains in him and that person remains in God! Simple but yet so mis-understood!

CONCLUSION:

           Let me conclude with this story from Wilbur E. Nelson.

My father was the senior elder in our church for many years. When I was a boy, eleven years of age, an evangelist held a series of meetings in our church. One night he asked every Christian to come forward and also asked those who desired to confess Christ to come with them. My father, of course, went up, and, as I felt the call of God, I followed after him.

          Just as he reached the front he turned around, and seeing me, said, “Johnnie, you go back; you are too young.” I obeyed him, as I had been taught to do, and at thirty-three I came again, but I did not know what I was coming for as clearly at thirty-three as I did at eleven. The church lost twenty-two years of service, while I lost twenty-two years of growth because my own father, an officer in the church, had said, “Go back.”

          Don’t let time be wasted and miss out on the blessings God has for you today. Confess Christ and watch the power that dwells inside you come forth and move in miraculous ways.

 

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

 

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (147). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (147). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 2:22-23 (Part 2)

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Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.

THE STUDY:

          As we have been reading through this book of the Bible (I John), John has been combating these false teachings by the Gnostics, especially from one of its leaders: Cerinthus! He was the leader of a group of Christians who had Gnostic tendencies. He apparently believed that the world was created not by God but by a lesser being (called the Demiurge) or by angels, one of whom gave the law to the Jews. Cerinthus also taught that Jesus was an ordinary man, upon whom “the Christ” descended at his baptism. This divine power revealed the transcendent and unknown God. This “Christ” abandoned Jesus before his crucifixion.^[1]

          John states that the one who denies Jesus, also denies the Father and this person is the antichrist. These are strong words but it is something that was needed to be said, especially from the leadership.

          John goes on to say, No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Two things are happening in verse 23; 1) John is reiterating the fact that the only way to the Father is through the Son and 2) Confession of Christ before men is a prerequisite for confession by Christ before the Father.^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding of the importance of confession. The bible says in Romans 10:9-10, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.   For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

• Any sin that has not been confessed is detrimental to our relationship with Jesus. There is nothing that so takes the joy out of life like unconfessed sin. Confessed sin releases us into a life that is free in Christ.

CONCLUSION:

          To lighten the mood a bit, I ran across this story:

          Four preachers met for a friendly gathering. During the conversation one preacher said, "Our people come to us and pour out their hearts, confess certain sins and deeds. Let's do the same. Confession is good for the soul." In due time all agreed. One confessed he liked to go to movies and would sneak off when away from his church. The second confessed to liking to smoke cigars and the third one confessed to liking to play cards. When it came to the fourth one, he wouldn't confess. The others pressed him saying, "Come now, we confessed ours. What is your secret or vice?" Finally he answered, "It is gossiping and I can hardly wait to get out of here."

           

          Let us remember, the way to the Father is through the Son who requires all believer’s to confess their sins.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (261). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2] Robertson, A. (1997). Word Pictures in the New Testament (1 Jn 2:23). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems.

The Study of I John 1:9

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I John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

THE STUDY

          Verse 9 is the next contrast (#4) which is a positive one. As I stated yesterday, becoming a believer is to ask Christ into our hearts, believe He died on the cross for us, and confess and ask for forgiveness of all those sins.

          Today, let’s look at some key words in this passage; confess, faithful, and just. I have learned through years of ministry that we don’t mind confessing we have sinned, but we don’t like to confess the sin. We are glad in saying, “I am a sinner,” but don’t ask us to share what sin we committed? The bible tells us to confess our sins, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another..” (James 5:16) not, confess we are sinners, but to confess; come in agreement with! By naming it, you are agreeing to this fact that whatever you did, is sin.

          The next two words sort of go hand in hand. When you see one, in scripture, the other is not far behind; Faithful and Just! What stands out to me with these two words is the question of Who? Who is faithful and just? We know that is Jesus. Jesus is the one who we will stand before on Judgment day. He is also the one who forgives and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Why? Because of his love for us and his faithfulness and justice.

           

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

• ·         We walk away with the understanding that confessing sin is what’s required, not just confessing that we are sinners.

• ·         The one who will judge us is the Son of God and he is the one who is faithful and has justified us by his sacrifice.

CONCLUSION:

           A police detective was sentenced to three-years in prison after confessing to planting drugs and other evidence on four men in an effort to brighten his promotion chances. All four had been convicted. As a result of his confession they were given pardons and their names were cleared. The officer turned himself in shortly after becoming an active in a local congregation. “I want to be totally committed to Christ,” he told authorities. “I feel I cannot do that until I have come to terms with my fellow men.”

          This man could have gone to his pastor and confessed that he was a sinner, but his confession of the specific sin not only had an effect on him (Salvation) but on others as well (the 4 men).

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod