Contending For The Faith

Jude

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

Background:
This Epistle was recognized as being authentic by the early Church Fathers such as Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian. As time went on, however, it became a topic of major dispute for its direct quote from the Book of Enoch and its paraphrased quote about Michael the archangel and the devil disputing over the body of Moses.

This is one of the only letters that is included our Biblical canon that starts out with the author identifying as a servant of Jesus Christ and as a brother of a more well known individual. Jude was kind of an obscure person up to this point and Biblically there isn’t much information about him. James on the other hand had become the leader of the church and often presided over meetings.

So what moved Jude to write this letter?
2 Peter 1:21
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Jude, the brother of James, had a burden on his heart for the church. His Epistle was not addressed to any particular congregation, but was meant to be a letter that called the churches to holiness.

*****
What is the Common Salvation that Jude began to write about?

The word “common” is taken from the Greek word Koinos. The meaning of the word is shared by all or by several. When Jude references a “Common Salvation” He is not referring to a Salvation that is so ordinary that everyone has it, rather, he is indicating the availability of it. Now granted, he is writing to the churches, and hopefully the congregants would have been born unto the Common Salvation. If there is a common Salvation, then surely there is a common Savior!

Titus 1:4
4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Romans 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

1 John 2:2
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Acts 4:12
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

This Common Salvation is available to all Romans 1:16, and in 1 John 2:2 it is necessary for all, and in Acts 4:12 it is the only way! We have a common Savior in Jesus!

Contend for the Faith
The word “contend” is taken from a Greek word that means to struggle. This gives the picture of a battle and according to Ephesians 6:10-21, we have been given tools that coincide with our battle for faith. There is a thought process that has to take place as we fight which is found in Romans 12:1,2. Our mind must be renewed, our selves must be given as a complete sacrifice to our God and cause.

Contending for the faith means to struggle, to strive with an adversary, to labor fervently for the faith. There are more variations of the faith today than ever before, and as time goes on, that will continue to increase. We are not just fight for our own faith as that would be presumptuously selfish, but are fighting, struggling for the faith of the world. Many times we become an island to ourselves and only think of things that pertain to us, but we should always go back to the beginning and remember that someone cared that our lack of faith became real faith. With more people in the world and more variations of the gospel, the potential for being deceived is increasing. Hebrews 10:25 reminds us to continue meeting with fellow Christians.

The U.S. Military uses a marketing technique that draws people in. They herald the idea that you can serve a cause bigger than yourselves. This speaks to a lot of people and they will join the army, because they want to be a part of cause that is bigger than themselves.

This is the same reason “exaggerated” of course that terrorists/radical religions will sacrifice themselves spilling that last full measure in devotion to the cause of their religion.

While I have used physical army/battle analogies, it is not a physical battle we face, but a spiritual one. Satan has declared war first of all on the first creation of man, and now on the second creation of man. As children of a New Covenant, we all have targets on our back, and yet we do not feel the heat of the battle. We have become numb to the fight as we succumb to the lies our culture feeds us. Instead of turning the culture upside down, the church is being stood on its head, and the valuables are being shaken out of it pockets one by one.

When it gets to the point that the church cannot call sin as sin; this is part of the tolerant doctrine that has swept across the culture and has invaded the church’s territory.

Spiritually, as Christians, we have become lazy, our lives are more about our comfort physically/or and emotionally and we are not willing to fight spiritually for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.

The Faith That Was Once Delivered unto The Saints
Are we fighting for the purity of the Gospel? Again, this is not about us, but about the message of God! Jesus personally handed this message down to his followers of His day, but now, Jesus’ followers are to be handing this message of Salvation to others in its original purity. What are we doing to maintain that same level of purity in the message we hand to the next person?

Does studying Counterfeits help?
That may help you understand how to reach those deceived in that falsehood.

We should study the real thing.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

What about Study helps?
My personal preference is to read them but not really study from them. I feel that we have so many study helps available to us, and not all of them are good. We become like the authors of anything we read because we are spending time with them and their minds. Their thought process and their belief system all are present in their books whether study helps or not.

Case in Point - So many Study helps yet the plight of the church is more alarming than ever. People are lonely in crowds, some know that God is where to find the answers and they are looking for them, but for now they don’t have them; The church is more focused inwardly than outwardly. The church is more focused on an individual’s issues than on the world’s path of despair. It has become self-centered.

I do not mean to say churches do nothing for God, but can they do more?

Men Crept in Unawares
“Certain Men crept in unawares”.
The church was sleeping and messengers of the devil infiltrated their midst. Their message was one of licentiousness behavior and spiritual laziness. We call this a message of hyper grace. This is a message when grace cannot be violated by your sinful acts. This message denies the Father and the Son.

These messengers were not ordained by God for this message, but the message they took up was already ordained for condemnation.

The true Gospel will always call sin as sin even when committed by a person who has received the gift of God and has tasted of His goodness.

This message that these false teachers were preaching was turning the grace of God into lasciviousness which gave way to licentiousness behavior. Romans 6:1-18 Sin is still sin no matter who commits it and sin will keep you out of heaven.

God Destroyed Them That Believed not
Can a person who has once believed become an unbeliever? Yes, they can! The Israelites were saved passed through the Red Sea and baptism yet because of their unbelief or lack of complete trust they were not heirs of the promise.

God rescued the Israelites from the Bondage that Egypt had place on them. Though they had seen God work in a mighty way in their behalf, they fell time and again to unbelief. God’s people today have also been miraculously saved from bondage, and yet time and again they fall to unbelief. Paul said, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached unto others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9:27

These false teachers speak evil of things they don’t know about. They are not experiencing the true Gospel yet they feel comfortable speaking against it. Their message is full of what they know, selfishness and corruption.

Cain, Balaam, and Korah each took their own way, going against God’s ordained way. They each professed to be religious, but had chosen to rebel against God’s way. 2 Timothy 3:5 Each man was focused on himself instead of serving God and others.

Spots In Your Feasts of Charity
Something that could be beautiful like a feast of love or a communion service can be tarnished by false teachers who have in effect ripped the heart out of the Gospel.

In Revelations 2:6 it talks about the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes and how God hated their deeds. What was this doctrine?

Nicolas was one of the deacons ordained in Acts 6:5. He was a converted pagan who had changed his religion twice. He was a pagan that was proselytized into judaism and then converted into christianity. He had been steeped into the occult and according to historians had brought some of those practices into the church. His doctrine was one of compromise.

Compromise is always rooted in selfishness and when it is present in the church the end result will always be death.

The fact that they murmur and complain means they do not trust God. They value their own lusts and other’s admiration over God’s approval. Such a value system put pleasing self first and pride is at the root of it.

Psalm 121:5 We know that the Lord is our keeper, but He cannot be our keeper unless we willingly allow Him to be our keeper. Our hearts must be in harmony with His heart. 1 John 5:21 Acts 15:29 We need to build ourselves up in the faith. 2 Peter 3:17-18

*****
Hebrews 2:3
2 Peter 2:10-19
John 14:6
2 John 4
3 John 3
Galatians 3:1
Ephesians 4:14
Hebrews 10:25
Romans 6:22
Amos 4:11
Zechariah 3:2
1 Timothy 6:12
Hebrews 7:25
Psalm 86:11
John 8:32
1 Corinthians 6:20
1 Corinthians 7:23
Romans 9:29
Ezekiel 16:49
Hebrews 11:4
1 Corinthians 11:20-22
Deuteronomy 33:2
Matthew 25:31
Romans 1:19-31
Galatians 5:19-21
1 Timothy 4:1-5
2 Timothy 3:1-9
2 Peter 2:1-22
2 Peter 3:1-4
1 John 2:18-19
Romans 16:25
2 Timothy 1:12
Ephesians 3:20
Hebrews 2:18
Philippians 3:21

Zechariah 3:1,2
1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

‪#‎licentiousness‬ ‪#‎lasciviousness‬ ‪#‎Jude‬ ‪#‎falseteachers‬ ‪#‎compromise‬‪ #‎Salvation‬

Walking in Truth

2 John; 3 John

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 4

These epistles have been written decades after Paul and Peter have met with their death, which leaves John as the sole surviving Original Apostle. John continues to promote the Way of Christ which is Truth even though he is aged.

Key Themes: Love and Truth

Deuteronomy 32:4 ~God is a God of Truth
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Psalm 25:10
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

John 14:17
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

For the Sake of Truth

Genuine love cannot be held or expressed unless we live and walk in truth. Truth is the basis for God-like love.

Truth is always an absolute and if we do not subscribe to the absolutes of God’s Word, we leave ourselves open to sin and the end will always be death.

James 1:15 “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

“The elect Lady and her children” has been interpreted several different ways. Some people have said the elect lady was John’s wife, others have said that she was a reference to a church; regardless of who she was, the doctrine that John teaches from this Epistle is Truth that is inspired by God for our edification.

Believers love another “in the Truth” which means without dissimulation.

Romans 12:9-10 9 “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”

What about a social love?

John 4:24 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The only way we can truly love “in truth” is for us to walk in truth and our love will be in truth as well. John 4:24 says we are to worship God in spirit and in truth. Truth comes from God, Love comes from God and they both come together as we become more like God. Loving each other in truth is more than a social love, or showing kindness toward each other. It involves showing love and respect for each other because we are living and walking in truth. This means that we will sacrifice for the good of each other and encourage each other to do what is right.

Truth and Love repeatedly occur in these two epistles. They also appear in 1 John and the Gospel of John.

Agape` Love (God’s Love) is a self-sacrificing love that is devoted to God and to each other.

Genuine Love for God results in a natural obedience to His commands or Laws. God’s Love is so much about loving others and as we yield ourselves to Him, His Love flows through us more naturally than before.

1 John 2:5
“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

Today, what deceivers are declaring that Jesus did not come as the scripture says?

People are being deceived through the doctrines of:
Atheism
Agnosticism
Evolutionism
Jehovah’s Witness
Mormons
Islam
Some factions of “Christianity” who deny the power 2 Timothy 3:5 5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away”.
Those who profess Christianity but refuse to live in accordance with God’s revealed laws.

How should we relate to family, friends, acquaintances who teach and live false doctrines concerning marriage, war, abortion, and so on?

We always need to be respectful of them, but we should also seek to be redemptive in our dealings with them. We may need to limit our interactions with them for the sake of our own family. To wish them God’s Blessing or to say God go with you further substantiates them in their position.

With this I would also say, Do we recognize the danger of false doctrines when it hits close home or does it because it is our physical family or those we have known for years make it less of a false doctrine? God forbid that we should become numb to the deceptions that Satan brings into our midst. Numbness is a precursor to actually falling for the deception.

Should we hear a known false teacher?
What if he or she has some good thoughts?

Are you validating them and exposing others to their doctrines?

A False teacher will always look at truth through their worldview and will also speak it as such. So truth will be tainted with either a false undertone or a false overtone.

Gaius was a faithful brother in the church who had prospered spiritually. He walked in truth, and was known for his hospitality to others.

Romans 12:13 “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”

Titus 1:8 “But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;”

Hebrews 13:2 “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

1 Peter 4:9-11 “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Who was Diotrephes?
Diotrephes was a man mentioned in the Third Epistle of John (verses 9–11). His name means "nourished by Jupiter". "Diotrephes is not a particularly common name."
In addition to being ambitious, proud, disrespectful of apostolic authority, rebellious, and inhospitable, the author of the letter says that Diotrephes tried to hinder those desiring to show hospitality to the brothers and to expel these from the congregation. Not even the location of Diotrephes' church can be determined from the letter.

Taken from the life of Diotrephes, He actually sought for the highest place and put down the apostles in order raise his standing in the church. 3 John says he spoke malicious words concerning them. When a person was hospitable to one of the true prophets he would excommunicate them.

What are ways that we seek for preeminence?
While there is nothing wrong with sharing your opinion, to have to share your two cents worth in every situation, or to speak for the sake of being heard, or to have the last word speak to me of control.
In a church setting, when we speak, we need to be in tune with God so that when we speak it is God speaking through us and not our own thoughts that get brought to the fore-front.

****
2 John
1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds.
12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

****

3 John
1 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:
7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.
9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:
14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

*****

Determining a false Prophet by the Didache
A document established by the Early Church preceding AD 150

11:5 But he must not remain more than one day, or two, if there's a need. If he stays three days, he is a false prophet.
11:6 And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread to last him until his next night of lodging. If he asks for money, he is a false prophet.
11:7 In addition, if any prophet speaks in the Spirit, you shall not try or judge him; for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin cannot be forgiven.
11:8 But not everyone who speaks in the Spirit is a prophet; only he is a prophet who has the ways of the Lord about him. By their ways will the false prophet and the prophet be known.
11:9 Any prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit does not eat it; if he does, he is indeed a false prophet.
11:10 And any prophet who teaches the truth, but does not do what he teaches, is a false prophet.
11:11 When a prophet, proved true, works for the mystery of the church in the world but does not teach others to do what he himself does, he will not be judged among you, for his judgment is already before God. The ancient prophets acted in this way, also.
11:12 But whoever says in the Spirit, "Give me money,"or something else like this, you must not listen to him. But if he tells you to give for the sake of others who are in need, let no one judge him.

‪#‎2John‬ ‪#‎3John‬ ‪#‎Love‬ ‪#‎Truth‬ ‪#‎LoveandTruth‬

Fellowship in Love 1 John 4

Fellowship in Love

1 John 4:1-21

The Foundation of Love

One of the things that really speak to me in this passage is the apostle John’s love that he shows toward the hearers of this letter.  John calls them Beloved, and in various parts of this letter entreats them as a father would his adult children.  He is not belittling or condescending to them; but rather in seeing the danger that lay before the church lay out the warning as if he really did care about them.

1 John 4:1-9

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

John addresses his “Christian” listeners warning them that their are many spirits that try to come into the church that are not of God.  We are to prove the spirits to see whether they are of God.  John 4:2,3 has a couple of tests that need to be put forth in order to see if a spirit is from God.

Spirits must be tested with the truth of God’s Word.  The implication is that there are true spirits and false spirits.  We are to discern between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.  The reason we need to test the spirits is that false prophets abound.  The early church in its zeal and purity had to be on the lookout for false teachings, and today, we need to be on the lookout even more.  

A lot of the false teachings that the church face today are just repackaged ideas that have been around for centuries, and all, if followed will lead you away from the spirit of truth.

False teachers have ulterior motives, even if they don’t understand them.  The bottom line is they are looking for confirmation in their sin and feel vindicated when others follow them.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The antichrist is an ideal and not necessarily a person.  It is a spirit that is against Christ!  This spirit of antichrist will seek to destroy the person of Christ, the power of Christ, and the life of Christ in the life of the believer.

2 Peter 3:17

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

Let’s look at these tests and see how to apply them!  In John 4:2 we have a statement.  “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:”

So all one has to do is say is “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” and you will be received as having the Spirit of God, Right? Wrong! In wording for our modernized western English that is what is says, but the sense of what is really being said is found in the word confesseth.  

The word confesseth comes from a Greek word that is a combination of two other Greek words.  

• the first Greek word is Homou (homoo)
• It means the same or together
• The second Greek word is Logos (Log`os)
• Logos means - Something that is said including one’s thoughts, their reasoning, - There is a big list of various other ways to define it but the basic idea is “what moves you to do something such as why you think what you do and act the way you do” - Your reasoning
• The actual word confesseth, in Greek seen as homologeō - now being a combination of the two other Greek words; bring up the idea of to agree with, give assent to, declare openly, confess, or to praise or celebrate.

Now that we have looked at the word confesseth Let’s look at John 4:2 again. “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:”

If confesseth means what the Greek declares it to mean, then the word is so much more than merely opening your mouth and uttering a few words.  These words have meaning, they have conviction, and they move you to action; because they are a part of your vision.

Matthew 7:15-23

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The False Prophets in Matthew 7:15-23 are depicted as having said a few timely words.  By all appearances they had done everything right verbally, but their fruit was coming straight from the devil.  Their motives were impure.  We could say they talked the talk, but didn’t walk the walk.  

True confession will always affect the way we live our lives, and will always be because we believe in a higher power such as God.  It is the belief in a higher power that cause men and women to order their lives in a fashion that brings glory to the power/God they believe in.

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world”.  Even though we have crucified our flesh, the pull of the world is not necessarily taken away from us.  It can be diminished at times, but is never gone outside of going to Glory.  If the pull of the world had been taken away at our rebirth, what temptation would there be to go chasing after it again?  Yet because we have the Spirit of God living within us and we resolve to listen to His voice, and we use the weaponry that He keeps in store for us, the spirit of this world is no match.

5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

The “they” in John 4:5 speak of the false prophets. The false prophets are of the world, and therefore speak of the world, and the worldly heart will hear them.

Now what are some of the things that are being taught today that resemble worldly doctrines?

• The world’s doctrine is focused on self
• Self assurance
• Self beauty
• Self strength

It is not wrong to affirm someone, but for someone to post self-ies, humble brag, and be dependent on other people’s responses for self affirmation indicate a heart condition that shows pride.  The only opinion that matters is God’s opinion.  When God affirms us as an individual, we should be humbled, that the God of the Universe can be so personal.

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The foundation of Genuine Love is our God who is Love.  This Love that is the very essence of God’s Character is shown to us through a number of venues in which specifically has God pouring out the last full measure for the good of humanity.  Genuine love is a self-less love, it is a devoted love and it is in our devotion to God which will play out in our relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Other tests that are put forth in this passage are: whether one hears the message of God, Love for the brethren which includes being willing to sacrifice your self and your reputation for the brethren.

John 15:13

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

The Confession of Love

1 John 4:11-16

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

In 1 John 4:11-16 there is an outpouring of God’s Love through us toward each other made possible through dwelling in God and He in us.

The Perfection of Love

1 John 4:17-21

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

“Our love is made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment”.  1 John 4:18 is often misrepresented and even though is can apply to the way it is often used it does mean something different.  This verse is often interpreted to mean there should be absolutely no fear/worry, etc…, if you have love.  However, in context, it is talking about fear of judgment.  The words in a paraphrased manner say that if you have love for God that has been perfected, we will have boldness in the day of Judgment.  This is directly linked to assurance of Salvation.  So what is our response?  Are we tormented with thoughts of judgment?

There are some thoughts here in 1 John 4 that may seem elementary to us like the words in 1 John 4:19 “We love him, because He first loved us”.

We would not know love, except for the love that God has shown us. What was that Love? It was God showing us Mercy and taking on a sentence of Death that was ours for our infractions against the holiness/righteousness of God.  We were His enemies, and love as always will win, especially when desperate people accept it.

Our love in return to God’s Love to us will move us to obedience to God’s commandments.  Because we love God, we will live our lives seeking to bring glory to God.  You cannot have love for God and disobedience to His Laws, both and instead of making God a liar through your disobedience, you become the liar because you have obeyed to the father of lies.

We can avoid being misled into false teachings by having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and by following the Holy Spirit.

John 16:13

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Enoch walked with God Genesis 5:22, Moses saw God physically Exodus 33:17-23, and many others saw God at various times and in various manners.  What is meant by know man hath seen God here?  

John 4:24

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.  Jesus Himself said while he was here that God is a Spirit, so what is meant by that?  Consider with me a God who is everything!  A God who reveals parts of Himself from time to time but never everything about Himself.  That would be reserved for the afterlife in glorified bodies that shall be awarded to the faithful. We see God at work in our lives and in the lives of others, so do we see God?  

Psalm 19:1  says “1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”  Observing the natural world that declares the Glory of God is not really looking at something and seeing all of God.  We are seeing one aspect, one characteristic of God, His Glory.  

Now is this all of his Glory?  God’s Glory is unimaginable to the human mind and there is no way we could comprehend it.  To say no man sees God is true, but to say that God is unseeable is wrong.  The evidence of God is all around us and it is because men have closed their minds to the evidence of God that results in their evil existence without God. Romans 1:21.  About 2,000 years ago God chose to reveal His character of Love in its deepest form.  Until that time, humanity had been enemies of God, working against his cause, alongside Satan, and though some of mankind did really try to please God, they were living an incomplete spiritual life.  These people were living without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  God Chose at that time to come and dwell among mankind, teaching them the ways He had ordained for a perfect relationship with Him, and then giving of Himself in the ultimate sacrifice...His own life, rising again to give these same men and women the power to become His sons and daughters. John 1:12