"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish;
neither shall anyone
snatch them out of My hand."
John 10:27-29
and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish;
neither shall anyone
snatch them out of My hand."
John 10:27-29
*************
Let's seek the Lord this day..........
"Holy Father, blessed are You in all the universe. When we stop to consider all that You have made, may we stop and call You blessed. Thank You, Father, for considering us and condescending to us to give us life. All that we have is Yours. All that we are is because of You.
I seek the forgiveness of my sins this day, Lord, because I want to hear from You and I know that my sin keeps me from hearing You. I pray that You will wash me, purge my sins, and cleanse me this day with Your precious blood shed for me.
I lift up each lady reading this study. I pray for her needs, Lord, as You know them. I pray that You will be with her and guide her through her day. Convict her of sin, hear her prayers, and encourage her. I pray that she will keep Your word in her heart. I pray that You will give her a passion and desire for Your word. Walk with her today, Lord, and help her with all her cares and needs.
In Jesus' name....amen."
**************************
In our last study we touched on how to discern between believers and non-believers in the world. John gave us ways to know: non-believers hear the world's teachings and the world does not hear God's teachings. John also gave us hope, as he always does in this little book. He tells us that God is greater than Satan, who is in the world. God is greater than all the false teachers in this world.
John also reminds us that we have overcome all the false teachings and Antichrists that are already in the world.
What great and exuberant joy that brings to the heart of every believer: to know that we have overcome.
Today we will look more into what it means to be a Christian and what our responsibilities are as Christians.
1 John 4:6 "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."
Remember to whom John was writing: new believers. These believers were surrounded by false religions, like the Gnostics, which relied on works and other means to reach their form of salvation. These teachers were not teaching Christ crucified or resurrected. They did not teach God's glory, God's wrath, or God's redemption of man. They did not teach about sin and hell.
Sound familiar?
John wanted his fellow believers to know for sure that they were saved from sin and God's wrath. He wrote this book that they would know. We read this book that we may know and have peace through that assurance.
Remember in our last lesson we looked at how Jesus taught that believers will be known by their fruit.
Please read:
Matt 7:20
Today's teachings want us to look within ourselves for healing. The Bible teaches that we are to look at God for healing.
"We are of God. He who knows God hears us..."
While Jesus walked the earth, who heard Him? Remember last time we looked briefly at how Paul was called into ministry? He was blinded and his ears were opened to Jesus' voice. The others walking with him heard something....but they did not hear Jesus' voice.
John 10:27-29
Those who belong to Christ will hear Him.
John 4:7-10 John 4:39-42 John 5:24
These are examples of those who heard Jesus when He called them. They were chose by Christ before the foundations of the earth, but only when Jesus came to them did they hear Him. His words opened their ears to hear!
John 6:60-67
But many times His disciples found it hard to truly hear the Lord's words. These are called, "hard sayings" of Jesus. Many followed Jesus, but only few stayed with Him.
John 6:68
Simon Peter cries out in desperation knowing that without Jesus and His words, they had nowhere to go.
John 6:70-71
Jesus reminds His disciples that He chose all of them and they all heard His words....even Judas. And yet Judas was never saved, never regenerated.....never redeemed.
Judas walked with Jesus like the others. He witnessed the miracles and the teachings of Christ. Yet he remained unchanged.
It is only Christ Jesus who can change anyone. If He has changed you, take time today to thank Him.
*********************
"He who is not of God does not hear us..."
As we looked at before, only the Spirit of God can give any one person the ability to know the things of God.
1 Cor 2:11-12 Rom 11:33-36
The things of God, unfathomable to the world, are freely given to us by God.
So, that is why those who are not of God do not hear us. We can tell them the gospel message because we have been commanded to, but they will not hear us unless the Spirit of the Lord wills it.
Luke 24:44-49
It is the Lord who opens our understanding and gives us the ability to understand scripture.
So, we are not to worry or be anxious about whether someone is hearing us when we teach the Bible. We are just to take the gospel message and teach it accurately with fear and trembling. The Lord will open the understanding of those He knows. He knows His sheep.
John 10:27-29
*******************
"By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
John warns us that there is a spirit of error. It is real and it is already in the world. We are wise to be prepared to know whether we are being taught the spirit of truth or error.
1 Cor 2:12-16 Rom 8:15
Paul wants us to know that we are children of God....we have a personal relationship with God just as Jesus did. Jesus cried out to His Father by calling Him, "Abba" which is a very personal Aramaic saying that the Jewish people of that time understood.
Mark 14:36 Gal 4:6
We worship a very personal God.
Because we have been given this relationship with God, we too can cry out to Him in such a personal way. We can know the spirit of truth because we are no longer in bondage to the spirit of error!
But to the world, these things are foolishness.
1 Cor 2:14
But we have the mind of Christ!
1 Cor 2:16
So, John tells us that now we can know for sure the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. God does not want His children walking around in ignorance. He wants us to know and have assurance that the things we read in the Bible are TRUTH.
John 17:17
And that truth is what will set us free. Praise God!
**********************
Life Application
One verse I learned and memorized when I was in high school is 2 Tim 1:7
"For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind."
That verse meant a lot to mean then because there was so much uncertainty in my life. My parents were divorced and I didn't know when my next meal was coming from because we had so many money troubles. I didn't know where my mom and I would live because she could not afford to pay the mortgage any longer. I found myself afraid many times; afraid of the future.
This verse still brings me comfort and peace because it is so powerful. God gave us a spirit of POWER and LOVE and of a SOUND mind. These are things the world seeks after, but we have been given these things freely of God.
John writes his first epistle to bring comfort and assurance to new believers. But his little book brings so much comfort and assurance to old believers like me, too! I love that I can read 1 John and have full assurance of my salvation. I love that I can know, truly KNOW, a believer from a non-believer. And I love that God did not leave us here alone without any guidance.
Our son, Nathan, wants to begin a Bible study online for his friends. He says he would love to someday be a youth minister and teach the Bible. He finds it exciting. I love that the Lord put this desire in his young heart so soon. I told him to read 1 John so that he can know of God's plan for his life and have that complete assurance of his salvation.
What joy we have in knowing that our Lord is such a personal God that He is concerned with the hearts of His children. So much so that He has given us a spirit of power and love and a sound mind knowing that this earth is so hectic and scary.
Take all that you have learned today and apply it to your life. You can know for sure God's will for your life. When times get hard, and they will, you can know that you are of God and He abides in you. You can take all these precepts and apply them today for peace tomorrow.
Thank the Lord we do not have to walk through this life with a spirit of fear or that bondage that comes with fear. No sir, we have been set free and given the mind of Christ.
No, go out and use it!
**********************
Until next time....
"We can only live for Christ if we have the Spirit of Christ in us. Paul says in Romans 8 that he who has the Spirit of Christ is the man who belongs to Christ. He who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not know Christ. Our response to God's Word tells others whether we are on the side of the world or on the side of God." -Dr. Joel Beeke (The Epistles of John, 2006, p. 156)
Blessings,
Ruth
"Holy Father, blessed are You in all the universe. When we stop to consider all that You have made, may we stop and call You blessed. Thank You, Father, for considering us and condescending to us to give us life. All that we have is Yours. All that we are is because of You.
I seek the forgiveness of my sins this day, Lord, because I want to hear from You and I know that my sin keeps me from hearing You. I pray that You will wash me, purge my sins, and cleanse me this day with Your precious blood shed for me.
I lift up each lady reading this study. I pray for her needs, Lord, as You know them. I pray that You will be with her and guide her through her day. Convict her of sin, hear her prayers, and encourage her. I pray that she will keep Your word in her heart. I pray that You will give her a passion and desire for Your word. Walk with her today, Lord, and help her with all her cares and needs.
In Jesus' name....amen."
**************************
In our last study we touched on how to discern between believers and non-believers in the world. John gave us ways to know: non-believers hear the world's teachings and the world does not hear God's teachings. John also gave us hope, as he always does in this little book. He tells us that God is greater than Satan, who is in the world. God is greater than all the false teachers in this world.
John also reminds us that we have overcome all the false teachings and Antichrists that are already in the world.
What great and exuberant joy that brings to the heart of every believer: to know that we have overcome.
Today we will look more into what it means to be a Christian and what our responsibilities are as Christians.
1 John 4:6 "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."
Remember to whom John was writing: new believers. These believers were surrounded by false religions, like the Gnostics, which relied on works and other means to reach their form of salvation. These teachers were not teaching Christ crucified or resurrected. They did not teach God's glory, God's wrath, or God's redemption of man. They did not teach about sin and hell.
Sound familiar?
John wanted his fellow believers to know for sure that they were saved from sin and God's wrath. He wrote this book that they would know. We read this book that we may know and have peace through that assurance.
Remember in our last lesson we looked at how Jesus taught that believers will be known by their fruit.
Please read:
Matt 7:20
Today's teachings want us to look within ourselves for healing. The Bible teaches that we are to look at God for healing.
"We are of God. He who knows God hears us..."
While Jesus walked the earth, who heard Him? Remember last time we looked briefly at how Paul was called into ministry? He was blinded and his ears were opened to Jesus' voice. The others walking with him heard something....but they did not hear Jesus' voice.
John 10:27-29
Those who belong to Christ will hear Him.
John 4:7-10 John 4:39-42 John 5:24
These are examples of those who heard Jesus when He called them. They were chose by Christ before the foundations of the earth, but only when Jesus came to them did they hear Him. His words opened their ears to hear!
John 6:60-67
But many times His disciples found it hard to truly hear the Lord's words. These are called, "hard sayings" of Jesus. Many followed Jesus, but only few stayed with Him.
John 6:68
Simon Peter cries out in desperation knowing that without Jesus and His words, they had nowhere to go.
John 6:70-71
Jesus reminds His disciples that He chose all of them and they all heard His words....even Judas. And yet Judas was never saved, never regenerated.....never redeemed.
Judas walked with Jesus like the others. He witnessed the miracles and the teachings of Christ. Yet he remained unchanged.
It is only Christ Jesus who can change anyone. If He has changed you, take time today to thank Him.
*********************
"He who is not of God does not hear us..."
As we looked at before, only the Spirit of God can give any one person the ability to know the things of God.
1 Cor 2:11-12 Rom 11:33-36
The things of God, unfathomable to the world, are freely given to us by God.
So, that is why those who are not of God do not hear us. We can tell them the gospel message because we have been commanded to, but they will not hear us unless the Spirit of the Lord wills it.
Luke 24:44-49
It is the Lord who opens our understanding and gives us the ability to understand scripture.
So, we are not to worry or be anxious about whether someone is hearing us when we teach the Bible. We are just to take the gospel message and teach it accurately with fear and trembling. The Lord will open the understanding of those He knows. He knows His sheep.
John 10:27-29
*******************
"By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
John warns us that there is a spirit of error. It is real and it is already in the world. We are wise to be prepared to know whether we are being taught the spirit of truth or error.
1 Cor 2:12-16 Rom 8:15
Paul wants us to know that we are children of God....we have a personal relationship with God just as Jesus did. Jesus cried out to His Father by calling Him, "Abba" which is a very personal Aramaic saying that the Jewish people of that time understood.
Mark 14:36 Gal 4:6
We worship a very personal God.
Because we have been given this relationship with God, we too can cry out to Him in such a personal way. We can know the spirit of truth because we are no longer in bondage to the spirit of error!
But to the world, these things are foolishness.
1 Cor 2:14
But we have the mind of Christ!
1 Cor 2:16
So, John tells us that now we can know for sure the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. God does not want His children walking around in ignorance. He wants us to know and have assurance that the things we read in the Bible are TRUTH.
John 17:17
And that truth is what will set us free. Praise God!
**********************
Life Application
One verse I learned and memorized when I was in high school is 2 Tim 1:7
"For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind."
That verse meant a lot to mean then because there was so much uncertainty in my life. My parents were divorced and I didn't know when my next meal was coming from because we had so many money troubles. I didn't know where my mom and I would live because she could not afford to pay the mortgage any longer. I found myself afraid many times; afraid of the future.
This verse still brings me comfort and peace because it is so powerful. God gave us a spirit of POWER and LOVE and of a SOUND mind. These are things the world seeks after, but we have been given these things freely of God.
John writes his first epistle to bring comfort and assurance to new believers. But his little book brings so much comfort and assurance to old believers like me, too! I love that I can read 1 John and have full assurance of my salvation. I love that I can know, truly KNOW, a believer from a non-believer. And I love that God did not leave us here alone without any guidance.
Our son, Nathan, wants to begin a Bible study online for his friends. He says he would love to someday be a youth minister and teach the Bible. He finds it exciting. I love that the Lord put this desire in his young heart so soon. I told him to read 1 John so that he can know of God's plan for his life and have that complete assurance of his salvation.
What joy we have in knowing that our Lord is such a personal God that He is concerned with the hearts of His children. So much so that He has given us a spirit of power and love and a sound mind knowing that this earth is so hectic and scary.
Take all that you have learned today and apply it to your life. You can know for sure God's will for your life. When times get hard, and they will, you can know that you are of God and He abides in you. You can take all these precepts and apply them today for peace tomorrow.
Thank the Lord we do not have to walk through this life with a spirit of fear or that bondage that comes with fear. No sir, we have been set free and given the mind of Christ.
No, go out and use it!
**********************
Until next time....
"We can only live for Christ if we have the Spirit of Christ in us. Paul says in Romans 8 that he who has the Spirit of Christ is the man who belongs to Christ. He who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not know Christ. Our response to God's Word tells others whether we are on the side of the world or on the side of God." -Dr. Joel Beeke (The Epistles of John, 2006, p. 156)
Blessings,
Ruth
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