We Are of God

1 John 4:4-6

 

Not everyone tells the truth.

 

I know, shocker isn’t it.

 

Let's look at 2 Peter together to see how it describes false teachers.

2 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV) 1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, [and] bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

 

2 Peter 2:18-19 (NKJV) 18 For when they speak great swelling [words] of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

 

Let’s take a closer look at 2 Peter 2. It clearly shows us that false teachers are a certainty. Their teachings are harmful, tarnishing the reputation of the truth. These false teachers pursue their own interests—seeking recognition, wealth, or power—and disguise their foolishness with seemingly wise words. They draw people in by exploiting the desires of the flesh.

 

1 John 4:1-2 commands us to rigorously test the spirits to confirm if they are of God. The spirits to be tested are teachers and their teachings. You must evaluate everything I teach against the Scriptures, just as you should with all teaching. 1 John 4:1-2 says:

1 John 4:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

 

“Many false prophets have gone out into the world.”  False prophets are unquestionably empowered and guided by Satan, the prince and power of the air.

Ephesians 2:2 (NKJV) in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

 

The whole world lies in the power of the evil one. The spirit of antichrist that is at work in the world is the same spirit that deceived Eve in the Garden and worked to see that Jesus was crucified.

 

This spirit of antichrist will continue to work in our world until our Lord Jesus returns. He works using tactics that he has used since the beginning.

 

One of the ways he works is by blurring the line between earthly wisdom and the word of God. Let me show you an example.

 

When God promised the land to Israel, it was the land of the Canaanites. The Canaanites worshipped false gods. These gods were called “Baal” (or Baals). Chief among these gods was Molech. (The Hebrew word for king is “Melek.” The Hebrew word for shame is “bosheth.” The Israelites combined the words to make the “king” of the gods’ name sound like “shame,” thus “melek” became “Molech.”) Once Israel moved into the land, it did not take long for Canaanite practices to permeate the lives of the Israelites. Look with me at 2 Chronicles 28:1-4.

2 Chronicles 28:1-4 (NKJV) 1 Ahaz [was] twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do [what was] right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David [had done.] 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made molded images for the Baals. 3 He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

 

David loved the Lord. He was not perfect, but He was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord. That is what God asked of His people then and what He asks of us today. But we see that Ahaz did not do this. Do you notice that he molded images for the Baals, burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom (Gehenna), and burned his children in the fire?

 

Hinnom was a Canaanite (Jebusite) who lived in the land long before Israel arrived. His name became attached to this particular valley, and the valley then became associated with the practice of Canaanite religion, particularly child sacrifice. The Canaanite “Baals” were gods, and “Moleck” was the king of the gods. The Hebrews then said, “They are worshipping the same God we are, but they are representing Him in a different way.” This mirrors the act of the Children of Israel in the wilderness, when they worshipped the Golden Calf that Aaron made. The King of the Egyptian gods was a bull, so the Israelites said, “He is the same God we worship; they just represent Him differently. But what they did was wrong, and God did not let it go.

 

God disciplines the child that He loves, and He disciplined Israel, and these Canaanite religious practices are the reason. Let’s look at what the Lord said through Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremaih 7:30-31:

Jeremiah 7:30-31 (NKJV) 30 “For the children of Judah have done evil in My sight,” says the LORD. “They have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to pollute it. 31 “And they have built the high places of Tophet, which [is] in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart.

 

The abominations that were set up in the temple (“the house which is called by my name”) resulted from the blending of Canaanite beliefs with Scriptural teachings. The result was an extremely destructive perversion of the truth. God dealt with this perversion by taking His people completely out of the land for generations. (These practices were why God removed the Canaanites in the first place.) Notice Jeremiah 7:31. It says, “…to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart.” They mixed the Caanantie religion with what they knew about God, and suddenly, they were sacrificing their children. But didn’t God tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? Weren’t they following what God had done with Abraham? This thinking is why God says, “I did not command it, nor did it come into my heart.”

 

Now jump forward to 1 John. 1 John was written about 820 to 830 years after Ahaz burnt incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom. John was writing to stop the spread of Gnosticism. 

 

Historically, Gnostics used Christian terms — Christ, Spirit, salvation — but filled them with different meanings. Christ became a revealer of hidden knowledge rather than the incarnate Redeemer who atones for sin. Many and complicated teachings were involved; however, for our purposes today, it will be sufficient to say that these teachings grew out of aligning the Christian faith with the thinking of the day. Four different schools of thought were brought into alignment. 

• Greek philosophical dualism (Plato)

• Mystery religion initiation concepts (Isis)

• Jewish apocalyptic speculation

• Christian terminology (Capitalizing on the attractiveness of the truth)

 

Gnosticism did not precede Christianity, but it emerged early as clever men synthesized various philosophies and presented them as truth.

 

This is what continues to happen as the spirit of antichrist works in the world.

 

We must be careful here. Our thinking and teaching are, in many ways, influenced by modern science and contemporary thought. This is unavoidable. But modern science is not inherently false. Much truth can be learned from what God has made.

 

He has given us intelligence and the ability to observe, so that we may continue to grow in our understanding of the universe in which we live. Nuclear power, airplanes, spacecraft, satellites, and even the devices we carry every day all testify to our increasing knowledge and understanding.

 

But as helpful as these things are, they must never become the lens through which we reinterpret the Word of God.

 

With modern technology, we can observe life forming within the womb. We can examine the molecular structure of the ovum and the sperm. We can analyze DNA to identify physical traits and even determine whether a child is male or female.

 

But does any of this diminish the miracle of life? Does our growing knowledge of biological processes lessen—or in any way change—the value of a human life?

 

The answer is no. Science cannot answer moral or spiritual questions. 1 John teaches us an important distinction when it says:

1 John 4:4-6 (NKJV) 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak [as] of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

 

For the child of God who listens to the Word of God, the truth is clear. 1 Corinthians 1 says:

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

 

And then in 1 Corinthians 2, it says:

1 Corinthians 2:4-6 (NKJV) 4 And my speech and my preaching [were] not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

 

Our faith does not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. We must not try to make the truth more acceptable to the world around us. Rather, we must build our faith on the firm foundation of God’s Word.

 

As 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us:

2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

 

We must build our faith on the Word of God. Though we have split the atom, nothing we have discovered has given us any reason to doubt or question the Word of God.

 

Consider the precision of the universe—the fine-tuning of physical laws, the complexity of life, the order we observe at every level of creation. These do not point away from God, but toward Him. In fact, the more we learn about the universe and how it works, the more reason we have to trust the truth of God’s Word.

 

The truth that we should not take innocent human life—because human beings are created in the image of God—is only reinforced by what we have learned through biology and molecular science. The complexity and uniqueness of human life do not diminish our understanding of Scripture; they deepen it.

 

What we must never do, however, is reshape the Word of God to fit new knowledge or clever interpretations. God does not change, and neither does His truth.

 

How is it that in our day it has become okay to ordain the homosexual or transgender? How can some people teach that “Allah” and “God” are the same, or that the “Great Spirit” is another name for God? 

 

We must test the spirits to see whether they are of God. What does Islam say about Jesus? What do the worshippers of the “Great Spirit” say about Jesus?

 

Teachings that distort the truth of Scripture should be confronted. But when we encounter people, we must remember they are made in God’s image and are deserving of our respect and love.

 

Love is not based on what a person believes or even what they do. We are commanded to love—even our enemies. Loving someone does not mean we agree with their beliefs, teachings, or behavior.

 

To love someone is to genuinely care for their well-being, and at times, that will require disagreement. Love also listens. It takes time to understand what another person is saying. Understanding and agreeing are not the same thing.

 

If we are so uncertain of our beliefs that we cannot listen to those who differ from us, then we need to spend more time in the Word of God.

 

Here is how to strengthen your faith. God tells us in Romans 10:17:

Romans 10:17 (NKJV) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

We cannot correct others without the Word of God. But 2 Timothy 3:16 says:

2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Children of God

1 John 3:1-3

 

 

1 John 3:1 (NKJV) Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

 

Let’s just glory in this for a minute! “How great the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure!” Jesus Himself said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

 

God has bestowed such great love and treasure on us, but the world does not know us because it did not know Him. In the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 10 and 11, it says:

John 1:10-11 (NKJV) 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

 

Since the world did not receive our Lord, we cannot expect the world to receive us. Too often, we seek the approval and applause of the world, yet it is this world that preferred to put Jesus to death rather than acknowledge their need for Him. However, some did receive Him. Some, like us, do receive Him, and John tells us in verse 12 of the first chapter of his gospel:

John 1:12 (NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

 

Here we see that we are back to the fact that we who believe are children of God. How should we then live? If we are God’s children, how should we be in this world?

 

Well, since Jesus is the firstborn, He is our example. As He is in the world, so should we be. As a matter of fact, 1 John 4:17 says:

1 John 4:17 (NKJV) Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

 

Well, from all appearances, love has not been perfected in me yet, because I fall far short of this standard. Our passage today acknowledges this when it says:

1 John 3:2 (NKJV) Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

 

Our perfection in love is a work in progress, and none of us has seen what we shall be, but we know we shall be like Him. Beloved, even though we are God’s children, we are not perfect yet. However, we have hope as God’s children. Look at what Philippians 1:6 tells us.

Philippians 1:6 (NIV) being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

Do you see the promise here? It is God who is at work in our lives, and it is He who will complete the work. 1 John 3:3 tells us that we who have this hope purify ourselves. But here is my conundrum: my heart condemns me because I know that I still sin. I fall short. I miss the mark. I am not there yet.

 

1 John 3:20 addresses the heart’s condemnation of oneself.

1 John 3:20 (NKJV) For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

 

God is greater than our heart. Let me explain how this helps.

 

We all know that we have sin. 1 John 1:8 says:

1 John 1:8 (NKJV) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

 

And then, if we look down at verse 10, it says:

1 John 1:10 (NKJV) If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

 

When I read the Word of God, I cannot help but agree with these statements, because the Word is a mirror that shows me myself. My heart is dismayed when I read verses like 1 John 3:7-9.

1 John 3:7-9 (NKJV) 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

 

Let’s focus on verse 9, where it says, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin.”

 

Now, my heart condemns me, because I know I sin. As I just pointed out, 1 John 1:8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” This seems to directly contradict what chapter 3, verse 9, says. How can I be a child of God if I still sin?

 

We need to clarify a couple of things here so that we can understand. First, this verse that says, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin,” uses a verb form that means to be doing something continually. This means a habitual, purposeful ignoring of God’s law. So, the child of God can acknowledge that they sin, but also know that the habitual, intentional practice of sin cannot continue in their life.

 

Let’s now clarify another thing about habitual sin. A child of God can struggle with addiction. Let’s look again at 1 John 3:9.

1 John 3:9 (NKJV) 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

 

Look carefully at this phrase: “for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin.” On the surface, this seems outrageous. What does He mean, “he cannot sin?” We all sin. Did He not give us Paul's example of struggling with sin in Romans 7? I see myself in Romans 7:15.

Romans 7:15 (NKJV) For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

 

Actually, 1 John is talking about this very thing. I do not want to sin because the seed of God, the Holy Spirit, is within me, because I have been born of God. Remember Philippians 1:6. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 

Many Scriptures address what is going on here. For example, consider Hebrews 12.

Hebrews 12:5-8 (NKJV) 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

 

This is what 1 John means when it says we cannot go on sinning because God’s seed remains in us. God deals with our sin. He is not cruel. He is not vindictive. Some of us had parents who were not perfect. Some of us have been parents who were not perfect. And sometimes, we might not have corrected our children the right way. Just maybe a little anger, vindictiveness, or a need to control might have crept in. But this never happens with God. His love and His correction are perfect, and we can rely on Him 100% to deal with our sin. This is why John says God is greater than our heart. We have absolute confidence that our sin is not beyond God’s ability to correct. And thus we know that we will be like Him.

 

I want to share with you part of this truth that breaks our hearts.

 

I want to point you to John chapter 15. Jesus is telling us, His disciples, that He is the vine and we are the branches. He explains that apart from Him, we can do nothing. And, in this, He speaks of the discipline that God works in our lives. He says:

John 15:2 (NKJV) “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every [branch] that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

 

Read that again, carefully. What does He mean, “Takes away?”

 

Look now at 1 Corinthians 11, where we will find an example.

1 Corinthians 11:30-32 (NKJV) 30 For this reason many [are] weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

 

In Corinth, as in the USA, some of God’s children would not be corrected. So, God removed them. They died. Now, please, please take special note of what the Word says in 1 Corinthians 11:32. When a child of God dies because of sin, they go home to be with the Lord. It says we are chastened so that we may not be condemned. He takes us home to save us. Now, here is a glorious truth. We all will die (except those of us who are alive and remain when Jesus returns). None of us will reach sinless perfection this side of seeing Jesus.

 

However, some of us will be taken home early because of sin that controls us and keeps us from being fruitful. Please, please, please be careful here. When you or somebody you know is sick or suffering, do not think that you are sinning more than anybody else, or that God is punishing you. He is pruning you to make you more fruitful, and know that He loves you and is working for your good. James 1:2-4 tells us how to view our suffering.

James 1:2-4 (NKJV) 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

 

Jesus taught a lesson about thinking that someone is being chastened because of sin. Luke 13:1-5 tells us:

Luke 13:1-5 (NKJV) 1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all [other] Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all [other] men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

 

People are not singled out because they are worse sinners. You are not being singled out because you are worse than anyone else. Even though I shared with you some scary thoughts about how sin can affect our lives, my purpose is to encourage you. God is greater than our heart. He knows us better than we know ourselves. We can absolutely trust Him to deal with our sin. We need to focus on the fact that the Father loves us and has given us the right to be called Children of God because that is what we are. The Holy Spirit within you will say, “You are my child, and I love you. Trust Me.”

 

The accuser, the devil, will constantly try to tell you. “You are a sinner. You can’t possibly be a child of God.” If you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and that God has raised Him from the dead. You are saved. You are a child of God. Even if your heart condemns you, remember, God is greater than your heart. You can have confidence before Him, because the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. When the devil tries to tell you that you are hopeless and you’ll never be free, you have an answer. “I am still here.” If God has not taken you home, He is still working, and you are not beyond His ability to heal.

 

Do you remember I shared with you from Romans 7 how Paul struggled with sin? Let’s close by looking at the conclusion that Paul comes to.

Romans 7:24-25 (NKJV) 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

God will deliver you. Call upon Him. Ask Him to deliver you.

Concerning the Word of Life 1 John 1:1

1 John 1:1 (NKJV) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--

"Concerning the Word of Life" tells us what John is writing about. "Concerning" means "related to or about," according to Google Dictionary. John has seen, watched, and touched something that was from the beginning related to the "Word of life."

What is he talking about?

What is the "Word of life?"

John assumes his readers are familiar with the gospel he wrote. The opening paragraph of John's gospel is incredible.

John 1:1-5 (NKJV) ¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

This passage shows that the Word was with God, and the Word was God. From verse two, we see that the Word is a person. "He was in the beginning with God." The Word has gender along with personality. In John's gospel, as in his letter, John starts with "the beginning." In addition, in the gospel account, John includes, "All things were made through (or by) Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

The "Word" is not necessarily the spoken or written word. John was writing in Greek, and Greek has a specific word for the spoken or written word. Instead, John uses a word that means "the concept or idea carried by the spoken word." John uses the word "λόγος" (logos). Logos carries the notion of reason or logic. The idea is that there is a meaning behind any spoken word, and logos is the expression of that meaning.

As the Logos (Word), Jesus is the expression of God. Hebrews 1:1-3 tells us:

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NKJV) ¹God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ²hasin these last days spoken to us by [His] Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; ³who being the brightness of [His] glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Hebrews reiterates the fact that the Father made all things through the Son. Notice especially the beginning of verse three. "Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person." This expression or revealing of God is the "Logos."

The revealing of God through Jesus Christ is also part of the truth expressed in John 1:4. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." John is not trying to confuse us by using terms only a few understand. Instead, he is trying to communicate saving truths concerning the nature of the relationship between Father and Son.

John refers to Jesus as the "Word." We understand that calling Jesus "the Word" points to His revelation of God to us. Without Jesus, we could not know the character and nature of God since it is through Jesus that these things are made known. We can see God's mighty power and wisdom in the things He has made, but to know His person, we must know Jesus Christ.

Because of this connection between knowing God and Jesus Christ, John calls Jesus "the Word of life."

Here again, we must understand the word "life."

The Greek word used by John in 1 John 1 is "ζωή" (zōē). A synonym for zōē in Greek is "βίος" (bios). Both are translated as "life," but zōē has more to do with existence, and bios has more to do with duration. A biography records a lifetime. Zoology studies life in its various forms.¹ Another way to state the distinction is that bios refers to the means of existence, and zōē refers to the fact of existence.

When the Bible speaks of eternal life, it refers to our continuing existence even though our "biological" life ends. As far as Scripture is concerned, every human soul will continue its existence forever. God breathed into man the "breath of life" (Genesis 2:7). As a result, man became a "living being." This gift from God will never end. However, the Scripture speaks of those who reject the Son of God as being cast into the Lake of Fire and calls this the "second death." Death is not the cessation of existence. It is a change in the place of existence. This is why John says in John 17:3,

John17:3 (NKJV): "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

True life is knowing God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Eternal life, life that will never end, is found in the "Word of Life." To be outside of that life is to perish. Jesus said,

John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Until we come to Jesus for life, we are dead, separated from God and His promises. The more we enter into Jesus, the more we enter into life. Jesus taught us to abide in Him, and then our joy will be made full.

We spend our biological lives pursuing things that will not satisfy us. Things will grow old and rust. Our bodies will break down. All the riches we gather on earth and the skills and knowledge we collect will be meaningless if our biological life ends and we don't have the true life given by the "Word of Life."

Gaining this life is as easy as asking. Just call on the name of the Lord and say, "Jesus, I want the life that you offer." Then, set about learning about Jesus through the Bible.

1 Biology is also the study of life, but it is the study of the organisms and systems that function within a living being. In contrast, Zoology classifies different kinds of living beings.