(Text Only)
Title: Heavy Theology with Pastor John
Get your thinking caps on, God’s about to blow you mind.
I. “My Little Children…”
I know we’ve looked at this before, but I just want to re-iterate again that when John uses this term to address his audience he is not being derogatory or superior or condescending. There are several reasons for this, but I want to again remind us of three:
1. John’s age compared to his readers.
John is most likely about 78 when he writes this letter. (16 at the time of Jesus death in 33 A.D. I John written around 95 A.D., therefore, approximately 62 years have passed between Christ’s death and the writing of first John. 16 plus 62 give us 78, the rough estimate of John’s age when he writes this letter.)
2. John is a “Veteran Christian.”
John was 16 when Christ died, and he was with Christ for three years of ministry, so we can safely say that John’s been a believer for about 65 years.
3. The audience are John’s own disciples.
Much of the language John uses assumes that John knew his audience personally, therefore, giving him license to claim them as “his children.”
Application: Context is key when looking at scripture! Don’t be anecdotal Christians, spouting off verses like they are magic sayings or simple proverbs. Be scholars and know the scriptures!
II. There are only two scenarios when Christ returns.
Abide: Greek is meno.
Definition:
In reference to time it means to continue to be, not to perish, to last, to endure.
In reference to state or condition is means to remain as one, not to become another or different.
John tells us that we are to abide in Him, SO THAT when he returns we may have confidence and not be ashamed.
There it is, there are only two choices. When we see Christ we will either have confidence or be ashamed.
Application: Where you are right now (Confident or Ashamed) is a direct result of where you are right now. (Abiding or Deserting).
If you are confident, you are only confident because you believe you are in him, abiding in him, remaining in his will, fighting against your flesh, finding pleasure only in His Will.
If you are ashamed, it is because you are not abiding in him, not having faith to believe in Him, not remaining in his will, giving in to your fleshly desires, and finding pleasure in the world instead of in Him.
III. If you know…
(read v. 29)
How do you know if you know him? For the answer, look at Paul’s own testimony.
Paul relaying his testimony talking about his conversation with Ananias:
“The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know his will, and see the Just one, and hear the voice of His mouth.”
-Acts 22:14
If you know God’s will this morning, it is because you have been chosen for just such a purpose. Just as Yahweh set aside Israel in the Old Testament, so God today is setting aside the Church of Jesus Christ.
And what is our confession? That Jesus is righteous, was not a madman, was not a liar, but exactly who he said he was: The Son of the Living God, sent here to save us from sin, that His father would be glorified!
And if you don’t know if you are chosen I have one thing to say to you: Philippians 2:12.
It is the most important thing you will ever think about in the history of your existence. Period.
Then John says something rather striking, but we can miss it if we don’t look closely: “You know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him.”
There is another way to say it, but the world hates this, but here it goes: if that person is not born of him, what he is practicing is certainly NOT righteousness! (No matter how loudly the world applauds them.)
True righteousness ONLY proceeds from the source of righteousness. It either comes from God, or it is evil.
Sproul’s breakdown of the Christian v. The Non-Christian:
1. The Non Christian can’t choose righteousness, it is impossible. (They are slaves.)
2. The Believer can choose righteousness, but doesn’t always. (We are free.)
BAM!
Praise God, Pray.