I John 3:19-20 (Part 4)

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By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

THE STUDY:

This morning the word that jumps out at me is “everything!” God knows and sees everything! What is the “everything” God knows? Is it that we are better or worse than we think? Have we failed to love, or have we loved better than we think? God “knows we are basically lovers of the brethren (v 14) and as such, are lovers ‘of the truth’ (v 19).” Is our assurance primarily grounded in our performance or in God’s love and mercy?^[1]

Since the issue here is “whenever our hearts condemn us,” our assurance is found in god’s love and Mercy. God’s forgiving love in the “blood of Jesus” is greater than our hearts. The condition is our troubled hearts, the consequence is that God in Christ is greater than our hearts. And the explanation is that God knows us better than we know ourselves. We can trust his love!^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning understanding that God’s love and Mercy is where our assurance lay. Not how good we are in regards to works but how good God is! Not in our occupation (pastor, teacher, etc …) but in God’s occupation: HOLINESS!

• We also walk away understanding that this love and mercy is not something to be taken for granted. Accepting God and his love and mercy is an act that is initiated by us. This love and mercy can also be rejected and left behind by the same person: US!

CONCLUSION:

           What I find so amazing about God is that he sees us for who we can become and not who we are at moments in our lives. Those moments that are not very appealing. I am reminded of times in my life that I have said something, did something, or acted out over something in a very ungodly way. I would look in the mirror afterwards and think to myself, “I don’t like who I see or what I did!” If it was up to me I would have done away with myself. But God didn’t just see those ungodly acts, He saw who I was to become. For that, I am so thankful!

          This morning, you may have said something or did something, recently, that you are not too proud of. I want to encourage you by letting you know that God has seen what happened but He also sees who you can become. Ask God to forgive you and move toward that person God know you can become.

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 (127). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (127). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:6

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No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

THE STUDY:

Two perfect tense verbs appear. The first, “has not seen him,” strongly affirms that the person continuing to live habitually in sin has never truly seen Christ initially and certainly does not have Christ in view now. The second, “has not known him,” stresses that such a one has never authentically “known” Christ and obviously does not know Christ now. True vision and knowledge have abiding results. These verbs provide a direct contrast to the opening lines of the letter.

Abiding in Jesus means sin is excluded. Conversely, ongoing sinning means that Christ is not known. John’s views here are consistent with the dualism expressed throughout. This verse does not declare occasions of sin to be impossible. Rather it asserts that a sinful life does not characterize the child of God. As one is constantly abiding, one is simultaneously kept from the practice of sin. The image of sinlessness is a lofty call to holy and consistent living in obedience before God.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with this morning knowing sin is habitual. We don’t fall into sin like a hole in the ground. We don’t get hit by sin like a baseball coming at us in a battering cage. Sin is a willful transgression against a known law of God. Sin is when we put our hand to God and say, “My way God not yours.”

• Sin is habitual! This habit can be broken through Christ; the one who defeated sin and death. Living a life, in Christ, moves us to become habitual in Christ. This Christian life moves us to a higher level of living. Not a life that doesn’t sin but a life that does not have to sin.  

CONCLUSION:

          A preacher was speaking from the text, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Suddenly he was interrupted by an atheist who asked, “How can blood cleanse sin?” For a moment the preacher was silent; then he countered, “How can water quench thirst?” “I do not know,” replied the infidel, “but I know that it does.” “Neither do I know how the blood of Jesus cleanses sin,” answered the preacher, “but I know that it does.”

          Let me encourage you today with the understanding that Jesus frees us from sin. The power that dwells inside us is sufficient for this life of Holiness. With Christ, WE CAN DO IT!

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 (115–116). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:3 (Part 1)

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And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

THE STUDY:

          Believers strive for a life of purity because Christ “is pure.” The pronoun “he” translates the affectionate pronoun ekeinos (lit. that one), a term often used in 1 John to refer to Jesus. The pronoun makes specific designation—that one. The incarnate, earthly Jesus (2:6) defines the purity in view.

The word “pure” (hagnos) means holy, belonging to God. The purity of Christ calls for his disciple to embrace that same purity. Yet, interestingly, hagnos (Pure) is never used in the Gospels to identify Jesus (Brown 1982, 397). The verb form (hagnizō) appears only here and in John 11:55 in the entire writings of John.

The measure of true holiness is Christlikeness. Holiness is not first and foremost adherence to rules or standards. Rather it is the divine life being lived out through us. The phrase just “as he is pure” involves the possession of the same kind of character Christ displayed. We will see Christ “as he is” and that unhindered seeing leads to a purity of life that is like his.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• What we can walk away with this morning is the understanding that Holiness is not “regulations” but “revelation.” It is Christ being revealed through us in our daily walk with Him.

CONCLUSION:

          Paul tells us to live victoriously and to avoid excesses of the flesh. Moody once illustrated this truth as follows: “Tell me,” he said to his audience, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man said, “Suck it out with a pump.” Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass.” After many impossible suggestions, Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then went on to show that victory in the Christian life is not by “sucking out a sin here and there,” but rather by being filled with the Spirit. ^[2]

          Living a life of Holiness is not removing sin here and there but a life that dies out each every day to Christ: Asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit and letting His ways be yours today!

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 (112). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.