1 John Chapter 2 Pt. 8 Help from The Holy Spirit, and God's Wonderful Word
{Please remember that I published archive indexes to help you find topics that we have studied over four years of ministry with the blog. The index for years 2019 to 2021 was posted September 7, 2022. The index for 2022 was posted January 24, 2023.}
Under the guidance of God's Spirit, the apostle John shared important truth for the church to hear and heed.
He has addressed false professions of faith in Christ. Those who say they know Jesus but do not keep His commands, are liars.
Those who say they love God and hate their brother or sister in Christ are liars. Those who say they love God but live for the world, do not have the truth dwelling in them.
John followed these litmus tests by giving us explicit warnings about the spirit of antichrist.
Those who have the spirit of antichrist, do not abide in the apostolic doctrines.
They deny the deity and eternal existence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Stay in the Word of God and abide in Christ.
1 John 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
John circled back to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the need for each one of us to study and learn the Word of God.
Christians must continue in the doctrines concerning the incarnation, passion, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession of the Lord Jesus.
This is the apostolic truth that we have heard preached from the beginning by Christ's apostles.
What God gave us from the beginning was the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, because it is the power of God unto salvation.
The Father of lights also sent His Spirit to live in us. He is our guide and teacher in the scriptures, and He is always seeking to make us more like Jesus.
This is where Christians must be anchored. Believing the written record God gave us. We must listen to the Holy Spirit as He shows us truths from the scriptures.
The Bible truth about the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ is where we must stay, and we must nurture these truths so that they take root in our soul. Only then, can we bear fruit for our Lord.
God promises eternal life to all who will believe on Christ.
1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
God promised eternal life to all who believe on Christ Jesus. So each one who turns to Christ with repentant faith, to receive his doctrine, and to continue in communion with the Father and the Son, shall have eternal life.
Truth to help us combat error and heresy.
1 John 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
What the apostle has written to this point, was written to help us discern between truth and error.
His warnings conform to other warnings against falling into error.
Proverbs 12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
King Solomon tells us that the way and the life of a righteous man, woman or young person, is an excellent way.
It is the best life we can live on earth, knowing that something far greater awaits us in heaven.
However, we know that our flesh battles against the new man in Christ that was created in us when we trusted Jesus.
Thus, even a believer can be seduced by the way of the wicked person.
Act 20:29-31 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30) Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31) Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
The apostle Paul spoke to the elders from Ephesus one last time, before he departed for Jerusalem.
Paul gave them clear warning about guarding the flock of Christians that they were responsible to shepherd.
He warned that false teachers were like hungry wolves, seeking easy prey to consume. Their attacks and seducing words will be relentless. Indeed, history proves this to be true.
Christians are always besieged by false doctrine and false teachers.
We must judge what they say and do by what God says Christians should say and do.
2 Timothy 3:13-15 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14) But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Timothy was led to saving faith in Jesus Christ by the apostle Paul. He was a young pastor whom Paul carefully prepared to be a leader in the church, after the apostle's death.
Listen to his words of warning. Evil men and seducers will spread and become very prominent.
They say things that people want to hear. For example, who would not want to think that God wants us to be happy, rich and healthy?
Jesus did not teach that. The Bible does not teach that. It is a false gospel preached by false teachers who enrich themselves in the process.
Thus, John, Peter, and Paul always urged us the search the scriptures to see if these things we hear are true. We are called to expose and rebuke the lies, and to turn away from false teachers.
The Word and the Spirit guide us into truth.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
He returns to the "unction" or anointing of the Spirit of God that all Christians receive. He indwells us the moment of our salvation. He is going to work to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. He wants to produce His fruit in our lives.
Jesus called Him the Spirit of Truth and He is our mighty helper when it comes to discerning between good and evil, truth and error.
Just as Jesus told us we must abide in the vine, so we abide in Christ through the indwelling Spirit of God.
He will never ever lead a Christian to say or do something that is contradicted by the Scriptures.
Jesus will return. Live for His glory.
1 John 2:28-29 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29) If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
John uses the words of tender love for each child of God. He tells us to abide in Christ and remain faithful until Jesus returns.
If this is our purpose in life, we will not be ashamed when Jesus comes to take us home to heaven.
Jesus Christ is the perfect expression of the righteousness of God, in all His words, works and He shows us the heart of the Father for us.
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Jesus reminded His disciples, that those who are ashamed of Him, and His words, will find the Son of God will be ashamed of them.
This will happen when Jesus returns in glory of His Father, bringing the holy angels at the last judgment.
This connects with the believer's works being judged by fire (See 1 Corinthians 3:9-16).
Thoughts To Ponder...
Let us anchor our hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to His word.
Let us heed the apostolic warnings.
Let us be on guard against false teaching.
May His Spirit illuminate our hearts and minds so that we might earnestly seek Him.
Bob
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