I John 4:16

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So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

THE STUDY:

          John gives us a sense of conclusion to his point concerning the Love of God. He affirms the present experience of churches. They have knowledge (we know) and faith (rely on, lit. we have faith in, pepisteukamen). John describes past experiences that continue to impact the present. The force of these perfect tense verbs can be conveyed as we came to know and continue to know and we believed and continue to believe.

God and love are synonymous—“God is love” (repeating 4:8). God defines true love. This strong and clear equation is expanded by the idea of living (menōn, remaining—a present participle) in love, which is to live in God. The imagery is of settling down in God’s love, taking up secure residence in the heart of God. Christian faith is not occasional but constant. Faith is not just for big events but lived out in all the moments of life’s routine.^[1]

         

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that our knowledge and faith in Christ will permanently change us. We cannot go back to the same thinking and belief as we had before Christ. We have been exposed to the Love of God and that Love changes us. We can walk away from God and go back to the worldly ways but that knowledge and belief, even though it is not being used, is still there.

CONCLUSION:

           One of the greatest joys on earth is the joy of bringing others to a saving knowledge of Christ. I have heard people tell that when they were converted the whole world seemed different; that the sun seemed to shine with a new light; there was new music in the song of the birds; all nature seemed clothed with new beauty and glory.

          Once you taste the sweetness of Christ you can never satisfy that tasteful desire with anything else but Jesus. As we walk out the door, look out the window, or as we drive to our destination this morning let us see the difference Christ has made in our lives and rejoice in 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 (148). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 2:20

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But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.

THE STUDY:

          This morning we are going to look at verse 20. John was combating the Gnostic view which emphasized their own special reception of the Spirit. John responds by emphasizing that only those who have received true anointing are the ones who hold fast to what has been given them, namely, the correct confession of Jesus as the Christ.

          We, as believers in Christ, will face this in our world today. There are organizations and cultish clans teaching a theology that is very close to the Gospel of Christ but it is a false doctrine. There are groups that claim to be Christians but in their teachings they are adding to or taking away from the Gospel of Christ.

          How do we recognize these teachings? How do we combat these false doctrines? We do this through our Knowledge of Christ and his teachings. Some translate this verse “and you all know” (NASB) while others translate it “and all of you know the truth” (NIV) The bottom line is we will know Christ by reading and studying his word while walking with Him daily.

 

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• This morning we walk away with the understanding that there is only one true God. We know this through our walk with Him, through our devotional time with Him, and through our anointing by Him.

CONCLUSION:

The world today has so many things to offer. When I was in High School I had three sports to participate in; football, basketball and baseball. That was it! But in today’s world our children have so many choices when it comes to sports. Religion is not different in today’s culture. There are so many different religions to choose from, so many gods to worship. But there is only one true God.

           

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod