Paint Horses at Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary South Dakota
painted by Cathy & Gordon Illg
|
South Dakota 
Audio Sermon Transcription Word-for-word transcription of the audio sermon - transcribed by Bob Harris |
|
Part II 3:1-11 |
Whenever I talk to a gainsayer, or somebody who doesn’t understand this stuff or whatever, I take them to 1 John, I can show them a couple of things, and it totally doesn’t make sense to them. You know, the obvious ones, 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins,” that kind of thing.
And they say, “Well, you know, I never thought about it.”
Well, yeah, I’m sure you haven’t, because nobody tells you to think about it.
And I was just looking at it again — we’ve got Chapter 3 to do tonight — so I was just going to finish it up, just kind of go through this quickly. And I started to recognize some things. You know, what we need to recognize here out of 1 John is, yes, obviously, this does not match Paul’s doctrine. I mean, Galatians chapter 1, you know, if it’s not what Paul teaches, you don’t apply it. You’ll learn it — admonition, hope, comfort, blah, blah, blah, blah — not a problem with that stuff. But, like I said, if there’s ever a verse that says “Paul only” it’s Galatians chapter 1, verses, you know, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, right in through there.
“Any other gospel unto you” — and that’s not just talking about Jesus died, buried, rose again. Otherwise, what’s the point of all the books of the New Testament? Matthew, Mark, Luke, John — and a couple verses in Corinthians and Timothy as far as the word of God, and then you’re done.
No! “Gospel” is referring to far much more than that. It’s referring to what Paul was taught by revelation of Jesus Christ, chapter 1, verse 12. So, if it doesn’t match what Paul teaches, it’s not today.
And, for people to say you pick and choose verses, that’s just as insane. So we recognize the fact that this stuff isn’t written to us.
OK, so, it helps us see what’s coming out of the Tribulation.
But I was looking at my notes today, and just kind of looking around here at some things. And, you know, I think we need to look at 1 John, and we’re really going to realize what kind of a person will actually be a Christian, if you want to call it that during the Tribulation. You know, somebody who’s saved, somebody who’s actually doing what needs to be done.
And, if we do the right thing based on Paul’s teachings — not because we have to; “all things are lawful”, OK — but if we do the right things, we suffer persecution. Not a problem. I mean, the persecution stinks, but it’s nothing like they’re going to do during the Tribulation, which we know that.
But let’s consider the kind of person you’re going to have to be. See, we can be just as worldly, just as stingy, just as selfish, just as fleshy with our music and everything that we do. We can just be the same ol’ person that we were before we were saved, because “all things are lawful.”
So we lose that guilt, other than the pastors keep putting it on us. We lose that guilt — well, Christ takes away the guilt, Christ takes away the shame. He truly does. He doesn’t want us to have that. He wants us to have the joy. It’s that simple. If I could maintain a joy while I feel like I got really ripped off an witch-hunted here, and really taken to the cleaners, and go find someplace else, and move again. If I could just have joy during this whole thing, why shouldn’t I? So, if you know the Paul verses, I should. I realize that. My flesh wins on these times, and I get all sleepy, and just like “oh, let’s go to bed and just forget about it for a couple hours,” and da da ta da, you know. Stay up till 3 in the morning, typing up applications. This isn’t going anywhere. “Woe is me,” Eyore is my hero.
But we realize that, man, Christ has just taken care of the whole works. We could at least, like he says in Romans 12, at least, you know, “reasonable service,” try to do the right thing. Try to have a decent testimony, cover yourself up for crying out loud, you know. Quit yacking like that; quit doing the stuff you do, especially the public stuff. The private stuff’s between you and God. This public stuff is where we really ought to get some victories; people ought to see that we stand for something other than just religion.
And you get into the Paul teachings, and they wonder why, all this kind of stuff. People say, “Are you worried about your future?”
Yeah. Well, no. Yeah, because I know God isn’t going to just do everybody says is, “OK, now, you’re reading right, you’re reading your Bible, you’re praying right,” well, see, then God will just take you to the next. Yeah, but I’ve got to do applications, I’ve got to say I’ve got to talk to people, I’ve got to make the trip, I’ve got to do this, pay the bills, we’ve got to do all this kind of stuff. It’s just not like what people say. And we know that; Paul doesn’t teach that. He’ll provide our needs, but, you know, let’s define our needs.
So that’s who we are today. Christ knows we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Yeah, we’re worthless. We know that. We realize that. Most Christians are not willing to admit that. They’ll say it, but they don’t admit it. If they don’t live their Christian walk, they think that they start doing good enough, then they’re no longer a worthless person.
Well, myself on the inside is clean. My outside is still fleshy, and it’s full of sin. He hasn’t got rid of that. And when Christ takes care of our sins, it’s because he took care of sin. He didn’t take care of sins by getting us to stop sinning. We know that. OK, I’ve said that for a visitor; I’ve got another visitor, but they come and go. Just ignore it, I guess.
But this person during the Tribulation — yeah, these people are going to be persecuted, too. No, it’s not “persecuted, too.” It’s going to be a kind of persecution that we’ve never had before. And it’s going to take a special kind of person.
Well, they’ll have God. Yeah, but they’re going to have God in a different way than we have God. Acts chapter 2, we know this, that they’re going to have the Spirit of God upon them.
OK, that’s understandable, because he’s going to be upon you, he’s going to be in. But we don’t have him “upon” us. They’re going to have the Spirit of God upon them — Acts chapter 2, that’s what it says. And they’re going to be — well, let’s just read it. Let’s just read it, I guess. Because we’re going to do 1 John tonight, but I am just starting to recognize what 1 John is really exciting to read about here. Looking for Acts chapter 2 right here; it’s right after Acts chapter 1, which is right before Acts chapter 3. Where it says in Acts chapter 2 — these guys are speaking in tongues, and they think that they’re all drinking and stuff, “But Peter, standing up with the eleven” in verse 14 — come on, you guys — “lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.” Which I think is hilarious, because, oh, so if it was a different hour, they could be drunken? This just isn’t the time they get drunk? Ha ha!
“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” That’s in chapter 2, verse 28; he says, “And it shall come to pass in the last days —” see, we’re not in the last days yet “— saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” And he’ll pour out in those days — all that kind of stuff.
We don’t have that today. We have a Bible, and the more we learn our Bible, the more we realize we need to act with wisdom, and we need to be the loud voice, just yelling, screaming preachers. We need to realize the stuff that he says in 1 John isn’t to scare us, which we see these things. It’s a different kind of person.
And, as we read through 1 John, we recognize what this kind of person’s going to be.
Now, let’s just look real quickly, let’s go back to 1 John now, and we’ll see that this person — for example, at the end of chapter 5 here, verse 19 — and it says, “And we know that we are of God.” Now, as we go through 1 John again, we will see some things where these people really are of God, because they are going to have to keep the commandments, they’re going to have to do the right thing, keep the law — they’re going to have to do that. Then they’re of God.
And it says there, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” Yes, they will be separated from that world, but they’ll still be down here.
You know, Peter says in 1 Peter chapter 2 that they escaped the pollutions of the world. We haven’t escaped the pollutions of the world; we all still have jobs, we still work out in this world, we still have TV, we’re watching the news, we’re participating in the news, we pay taxes to the things the news is talking about. This world is perverted and crazy as all get-out, and we’re all part of it.
Now, here’s the break for the women. You don’t have to put up with that. That’s not your calling; it’s not your curse. But, because the men are just worthless little creatures and worthless little situations, and lots of times, the situations such that our health makes, the fact that the wife has to work and the husband doesn’t or can’t. I understand all that stuff.
But most of the people I know of, they just want to make more money, that’s all. And, well, “all things are lawful.” Well, yeah, is it going to cause anybody to stumble? Yeah, your kids — your daughters, especially. Is it going to be an occasion for your flesh? Well, sure it is, because you just want the more money to have the more toys. Is it going to power over you? You betcha it does. You know, you ladies who have ended up having to go to work, you’ve noticed that you changed. The world has changed you. They make you tougher, they make you friendlier, if I say that correctly. You’re more friendly with guys that you’re not even supposed to say “boo” to, because you got your husband or your father — that’s the way it’s written out to be. You wear things that you have to, and you know that in some cases it’s just wrong, just flat wrong. And most of the women don’t have the courage or the strength to stand up for what’s right — unless you’re a Seventh-day Adventist. They always stand up for the tough stuff.
I got a recording. But who knows? They blew it Sunday night.
And you know you’ve changed; you’re more aggressive, you’re louder. You had to be. It’s called survival. OK, well ...
But that’s not the way God designed it.
So, during this time here in the Tribulation — this is the Tribulation, last days will be Tribulation — gonna be tough stuff. We can still deal with what we have. And we can. And it’s going to get harder. We know that; it’s going to get harder. But nothing like these guys.
So we are part of the world. Yet we are of God. We’re sons of God — but differently. We’ll get to that in a couple minutes here. I think I’m starting to recognize what it takes to be a Tribulation person, and I’ll tell you right now, that’s not me. I’m no stronger than you guys are out there. But, yeah, I know, they have the Spirit of God upon their flash, OK, fine and dandy. But it’s still going to be tough. And so when he says something like this at the end of the chapter, we know that we are of God, and we’ll see that when we read 1 John.
I wish I could start over now and just look at it from a person’s point of view that is in the Tribulation. And, yes, the whole world does lie in the wickedness. And, yes, you do now have an understanding. God has given it to you, but it’s not because of your Bible. God has given it to you, remember? First John chapter 2, they’ll be anointed. They’ll know the stuff they need to know.
And there are some other things we’ll pick up as we read here. And they could lose it all by stepping out of the blessings of God, or the chastisement of God, you know, in Revelation chapter 3 there, where he says, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent.” And so, you know, get back on the path, because if you don’t, you’re history. And if I knock on your door and you hear my voice, let me in. I’ll blow your house down! Your house will get blown down by the, you know, by the chinny-chin-chin or something, the wolf will huff and puff and you’re history.
I did a sermon a long time ago on Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf. I first went to some kind of a workshop, and I came back and said, “Man, the churches are just built out of straw and all that kind of stuff.” I remember that sermon. I barely remember it.
So, let’s look at chapter 3 here. I don’t know, we look at chapter 2, for example, and verse 20, these guys will have an “unction from the Holy One.” It’s not that they’re going to pray that you have him for a couple of minutes, like we do today, we pray that, and we know that we don’t know all things. We have a Bible that knows all things, but we don’t know all things. You get my point tonight? It’s going to be a different kind of person to make it through the Tribulation, to be part of that thing.
Well, what do we care, because we’re not going to be in it? Well, I think we ought to look at what it’s going to be like for these people, because we’ve got it easy. And yet, we get all concerned and scared and frustrated and depressed and make some of the dumbest decisions financially, make dumb decisions at work, we make dumb things in town, we watch dumb things that we shouldn’t be watching, and we claim, “Well, you know, I’m just tired of the fight.” Well, why are we so tired of the fight? We don’t even have a fight!
Men have to work out in the world, and the ladies have got children, and the kids are being sucked up like a Hoover vacuum. So, it’s tough to be a mother. Then you get into Proverbs, and you find out how mothers react to kids messing around compared to the father, and there’s a trememdous amount of things to learn here to apply to our lives.
But our lives are nothing like they’re going to be for these folks in this Tribulation. What kind of person is it going to have to be? Well, like I said, they are of God — and that’s what it says. “We know that we are of God.” And they’re not going to be able to be part of the world. The world lieth in wickedness.
Let’s kind of look at this thing here a little bit here. Let’s go to chapter 3, I guess, here. No, let’s go to chapter 2, just finish kind of round it over here. Now, chapter 2, verse 28, where it says, “And now, little children” in verse 28, right after the “anointing” verse. I’m sure that you remember that if you want to show somebody about being anointed, take them to verse 27, and ask them, “Is this you?”
Well, you know, they act like it, don’t they? They act like they need not that any man teach you, because who are you to try to teach me something?
Well, I’m going to show you about Paul rightly dividing.
“No, you’re not! That’s crazy! I just know.”
Why do you think that?
“I just know that.”
No, no, your pastor taught you that, because he doesn’t have any clue either. And you just believe your pastor because you never looked it up yourself, you never had any questions about what you read. You never asked yourself in 1 John 1:9, “So if I just confess my sins, is that what I have to do?” You never ask yourself that; you’re not reading your Bible, you’re just listening to your pastor. That’s all you’re doing.
So, 28, it says: “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.” Well, we know they’re talking about his actual coming down. And, in other words, they can be ashamed at when he comes down. They can actually be caught in something, and they will be ashamed. But they won’t be ashamed if they abide in him.
Now, what does it mean to “abide in him”? Well, let’s get on here: “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” See, the key word in 1 John is the word “doeth.” See, we are “made” his righteousness, right? And we try to do the right things, but these guys will be doing — they’ll have to be “doeth,” “doing.”
OK, chapter 3, verse 1, here we go: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” OK, now we know that verse, we’ve heard that verse, and we say, “Oh, he loves us so much,” you know, “that he calls us” — now, wait a minute! Are we really called “sons of God”? If we go to John chapter 1, let’s go back to John chapter 1 — we probably won’t get by this verse, you watch this. It’s already 6:30. Let’s go to John chapter 1, verse 12. Well, we know, we’ve heard that verse before. John chapter 1, a great chapter. It says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Knowing that for them to “believe on his name,” meaning, they believe that he is the Messiah — that’s his name, the Messiah. They’re not just believing in him, they’re believing on his name — they believe that name is the Messiah; that is, the Son of God. That is the Saviour; that is who’s there. And they believe that, see? And then, because of hat, they’ve got the power to become the sons of God. That’s pretty spectacular.
Now, if we were to go back into the Old Testament, and let’s look at these “sons of God” for a minute. You don’t have to write a great big commentary on the sons of God, who are they, where were they from, and how tall were they, it’s like, you know, you’re just getting off the wagon here wrong.
Genesis chapter 6, for example. It says, “That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” That’s the early days. Talk about, you know, early times.
Verse 4, two verses later, it says: “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, —” after that! “— when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men.” Who is that, da da ta? I don’t care. It tells me that these were the sons of God.
Well, 1 John says, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” Wow, that’s the same company that they’re going to part of. Well, what do they have to do to be the sons of God? Well, they need to “doeth righteousness.”
Well, what about us, you know? Well, let’s get to us in a minute here.
Job chapter 1: “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.” Well, there is the gang; that is the “sons of God.” Job 2: “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD.” And Job 38: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” So, the “sons of God” is a pretty cool group to be onto, you know. And in the Tribulation they will be called the “sons of God,” and, because of that, the world will not know them, because it doesn’t know Christ. So they’ll be separated. They will be not part of the world. But they also won’t be able to buy, sell, or trade anything either. And their persecution? Huge.
You know, it’s kind of funny. Most of our persecution comes from ourselves. Really? A lot of people think, “Well, you know, you’re just weird, and that’s your problem. If you don’t think you’re comfortable, that’s your problem. Change clothes. So quit whining about it.”
One lady years ago said, “I just feel so frumpy in this stuff.” Well, that’s just how you feel. You look fine. If you think you look frumpy, then you’re not going to stay with it, kind of a deal. And when you places, yeah, you are going to feel out of place. Yeah, that’s just the way it’s going to be. Give yourself some time. If it bothers you that much, you’re going to try to fit in — there’s that phrase I’ve heard before — and you’re going to start slipping. Just don’t be in a hurry, because if you take a long time, you won’t even recognize when you’re slipping. But if you do it right away, yeah, you’ll feel odd.
But you look back a couple years, what you were a couple years ago, you’ll realize, “Man, have I changed a lot!” And that’s how we all are.
But the “sons of God” thing here. Let’s look at Romans chapter 8 just for a second here. Romans chapter 8; that is right after, obviously, Romans chapter 7. Did anybody pick up their pages and start going to the left? If you did and you feel stupid, don’t be, because that’s what I just did. And I’m on video. Got to sit up; I won’t look quite so lumpy-dumpy.
Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8, verse 14 — well, look at that! “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” This is Paul. Well, that’s exciting. That Roman chapter 8 is a pretty spectacular chapter, like it ranks right up there with Romans chapter 6.
Let’s look at Philippians chapter 2, verse 15. Philippians 2:15, let’s see what that one says here. Well, look at that! “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst —” in the midst! Well, there’s a clue. “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” See, I didn’t even recognize that little phrase until just now. Underline it: “In the midst.”
Because Peter says “escaped the pollutions of the world.” We’re “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.” Those guys will have to escape it.
And Paul even says that in 1 Corinthians chapter 9; he tells us that people should watch out for other Christians that are messing around. Those aren’t hard to find, are they? Based on Paul’s teaching. And then Paul tells us to stay away from them, and blah blah blah blah, here’s comes the persecution.
Oh, nothing like they’re going to see in the Tribulation, not even close.
And, again, the issue here is, what kind of person is it going to take to be a Christian, a believer, during the Tribulation?
Well, yeah, it says here, “We know we are of God.” Well, see, we know we are of God. Well, how do we know that? Based on the Scriptures, based on Paul. That’s how we know that. And, you’ll see here as we read through 1 John, they’re going to know that because of what they’re doing.
Now, let me ask you and me and everybody else who listens to this later this question right here: Do you know that you are of God because of what you do, or because of what he does, or did to us? Well, I’ll say it right here in front of everybody, because there’s nobody in here, ta da, not even the dog, I know I am of God because of what the Bible told me, what Christ did for me, what Christ did to me. I don’t know that I am of God because of all the things that I do, or look at, or read, or hear, or how I dress, or whatever. I’d like to think that I’m different than the people in lots of ways, but I’m not. I go to the school, you couldn’t pick me out of the crowd as — well, I don’t go to the school anymore. But you couldn’t pick me out of the crowd and say, “There’s a Christian standing over there.”
Heck! Why did I say “heck”? Mark that. I can’t put that in here. Heck. Where is this at? What number are we on here? I got to find this one. I know. I’m going to leave a long pause and I can find that on the video and on the sound thing. I never use that word.
Anyway, you know, there are people who are lost. They’re not even religious, ladies who wear dresses in the school. They just think that’s America’s culture, and they want to stay that way, and they’ve been brought up to be modest, and they are modest.
Imagine being brought up not to be modest — but you’re still modest? What a battle that must be.
So, anyway, and those people are not God. There’s men here who are good fathers and good parents and good workers and good, hard people. They know nothing of God; they’re not of God at all. So if you look at them, they sure look like they must be.
So our “of God” is not because of us doing righteousness. It’s because of what he’s done to us.
And then Paul teaches that we do the righteous thing because of what he’s done to make us of God. In the Tribulation, they will have to do the righteous thing to be called the sons of God. And, yes, they’ll have the Spirit of God upon their flesh, I realize that. We have the Spirit of God in our bodies, and we’re cut away from our flesh, that’s true.
So, wow, what a thing!
Now, look at verse 2. back to 1 John chapter 3, verse 2: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” Well, that’s a great thing. OK, but this is describing them as the sons of God. OK, so if this in Philippians 2:15, back to this thing again in Philippians 2:15 where it says here, blameless and harmless, the sons of God. Oh, there’s another one, too; it’s in Philippians chapter 3, verse 21: “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.” Wow, that’s pretty exciting. That’s pretty exciting.
Hmmm. I wonder why these guys say, “We are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.” Well, we’re going to be fashioned like unto his glorious body. That’s some kind of a clue. I think they would know that, but they might not have their Bible then. But anyway.
So, let’s look at verse 3, here we go: “And every man that hath this hope in him —” hope of what? Well, that you’re the sons of God, and the fact that you don’t know what it’s going to be like, but we know that when he does appear, that we shall be like him. OK, so that’s what they know.
OK, “every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself.” See, now, there’s a difference here. “Purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
Now, here it goes on to explain this whole thing, how they purify themselves: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Oh. Well, see now, this is already flaking away from Paul, isn’t it? Big time. You see, now is when you’ve got to understand the Paul stuff. If anybody out there is reading the whole Bible and dabbling in Paul a little bit, you got it backwards. You read Paul over and over and over again. Paul’s books — over and over and over again. And you understand Corinthians, because it’s before the King James Bible, you understand what that all means, and how that now comes to us through the Bible, and you understand that stuff. Then the rest of the Old Testament makes tremendous sense. This stuff in the Tribulation will make so much sense, because it’s not us.
OK, here’s what the pastor — I’ve heard this a couple of times here — this is how they spiritualize this thing, well, yes, see, this is the Paul guy, see: Yeah, you don’t commit sin now, because, see, we don’t have the law to deal, that doesn’t tell us about those sin, da da ta da. The sin is a transgression of the law, but without the law there is no sin, it says in Romans, so yeah, see, this fits to us.
No, it doesn’t fit to us! You know he was manifested to take away our sins. Yeah, because during the Tribulation — look at the next verse — whoso abideth in him sinneth not.
Well, technically, we don’t sin. But the things we do wrong will come up in the Judgment Seat of Christ. OK, there’s the technical aspect of the whole thing.
Do you want to make that thing fit? Yeah, you’re pushing it, because look at verse 7: “he that doeth righteousness is righteous.” That’s doing. That’s why you see in here, look at verse 7: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” I still got sin in my body. And Paul says, if you want to choose to follow the sin, yeah, go for it. But it’s not going to be registered in the registry as a sin; it’s going to be registered as a bad work.
Is this what he’s talking about here? No, not at all. And you’ll see as you read through this thing. Look at verse 22: “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him.” Now, you know, you’ll recognize eventually that, wait a minute, I’m not getting everything I receive. Well, maybe it’s because you’re not keeping his commandments, see. Maybe it’s because you’re not doing those things that are pleasing in his sight, because it also means if you are doing his commandments and you are the things that please him, then you get whatever you ask for.
Well, there’s more to this. Look at 23: That they should “believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another.” We’re kind of jumping the gun here, but this is not us.
So he’s talking about actual sinning, doing the stuff still. Which, by the way, this is the mentality of the modern Christian. Yes, I’ve trusted Jesus Christ, and I’ve asked him to come into my heart, or whatever, you know, and I’m trying to do the right thing, and God has blessed me. How many people are doing the right thing, and they lost their job, their house burned down, their kids died, somebody gets cancer, they get cancer? Pastors suddenly keel over dead; was it because they weren’t keeping his commandments? Were they not doing those things that were pleasing? No. The sin is still in our flesh; so this isn’t our stuff.
OK, so we got that kind of nailed down, supposedly here. So we’re looking at a person who is of God, and he’s separated from the world — max; he has to be — and can’t sin. Well, why not? Because he is born of God. Is it because he can’t? No, he can —but he better not. Well, why not? Because, “He that committeth sin is of the devil” — and you blew it.
OK, now, let’s read, with that in the background, let’s just kind of read some verses here: “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins.” He didn’t take away my sins; he took away sin. I mean, yeah, he took away our sins, but he didn’t just wipe the slate clean and say, “Now, now, stay clean.” No, he got rid of sin; he got rid of the law, which makes it what sin is to a believer.
OK, “And in him is no sin.” And that’s why these guys say today, “Well, see you’re in Christ?” Yes. “Well, then, you can’t sin.” Well, you just did —kind of a thing.
OK, anyway: “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.” Well, then, if you sin, you must not be abiding in him. Isn’t that what they say to people? Isn’t that what they say to us, if they see us do something wrong or whatever? “See, you can’t possibly be a Christian, with what you just did.” Yeah, I can, I just followed my flesh. But it’s going to come up at the Judgment Seat of Christ; it’s not going to be a sin.
Totally different ball game here, OK?
“Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” Now, how are they going to stop sinning? The Spirit of God upon their flesh. Quite a person they’re going to have to be to be a Christian, a believer, in the Tribulation, because they’ll be of God, but they will not be able to do something they shouldn’t do. They’ve got the power, the Spirit of God upon their flesh to help them do it. But, still ...
We have to be really thankful. They just took us and just cleaned us up, and not based on anything we did, but just on our faith, it’s counted for righteousness.
These guys, their righteousness is going to be accountable to it here. It gets better; it gets more obvious as we go here. Quit yacking and just read the stuff here.
“Little children, let no man deceive you.” Must be a lot of deception going on in those days. “He that doeth righteousness is righteous.” See? There it is! How do you become a righteous person during the Tribulation? By doing righteousness.
Now, what else do you need? Are you of God? Are you, because you’re doing righteousness? Are you righteous because of what you’re doing? Are you righteous because of what Christ did to you, to make you righteous? We know the answer to that.
So, naturally, verse 8 makes sense: “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.” Now here we go: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” So that’s the purpose, huh?
Well, let’s look at 2 Peter chapter 3 to see when that happens. Second Peter chapter 3, verse 7, is a good place to start. “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” Thousand year, da da ta da. Thief in the night, verse 10. “Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be,” verse 12. Thirteen, “look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” That’s what we are talking about here.
Yeah, he’s going to destroy the works of the devil away. What’s this world right now? This is his place, this is his kingdom, this is his, he’s the god of this world. This whole world right now, the way it is, is his works. So, you think that this guy, the Son of God, is going to come back, and he’s just going to destroy the little paeon little works that the devil does in our life and the things that we do? No, he’s going to destroy the works of the devil, and this whole place is the work of the devil, and he’s got to fix it and clean it up. He’s not just going to stop people from sinning. That doesn’t clean the devil’s works up. He’s taken care of sin by taking care of the law for us, but there’s still the devil’s workplace out there with lost people.
And then we see in verse 9, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” No, you just don’t do it. Well, why not? Well, you’re born of God; aren’t you of God? Yeah, well, then, you don’t commit sin. You just don’t do that.
“For his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin.” He can’t? I mean, is he not capable? He’s got the Spirit of God upon him. Then why, if he’s not capable of doing it, does he have to be chastised and, you know, be rebuked by Christ?
I mean, you know, if this guy walks up someplace and there’s something he shouldn’t see, and he’s not capable of turning his eyes, and “how come, all of a sudden, I can’t see in the crowd,” or, “what’s the matter with my eyes?” Well, you can’t sin now, see, you’re born of God. God will stop you from doing the wrong thing, you know.
Is that what they’re talking about here? No, what he’s saying here is, you guys, during the Tribulation, I mean, you just can’t do it. Don’t you dare do it! Well, why not? Because you’re born of God, and somebody’s a believer, you just don’t do that!
Come on, you can’t wear that out there. Why not? Well, because you’re born of God. You’re of God. You don’t just do that. No.
“Here, have a drink.” No, you can’t do that. Why not? Why can’t you do that? Well, you’re of God, see.
“Oh, man, let’s turn on the TV.” No, you can’t do that. Well, why not? I can judge my programs. No, you can’t do that. See, you’re born of God. And you’ll see something you shouldn’t see. Well, what am I going to see? You’re going to see commercials, you’re going to get a need that you want to spend money, you’re going to see people not dressed enough, you’re going to see people talking and you’re going to see perversions.
And, yeah, but the old movies are good! No, the old movies are just as bad if you think about it. If you look at them closely, full of innuendos and stuff.
OK, well, OK, I can’t do that then. How about if I, can I go to the store and get some stuff? Depends on what you’re going to get. What are you going to see in that store? Well, gee, what can I do? I can’t do anything! Boy, doesn’t this sound like the modern Christian whine today? He took care of the law, so that’s not our problem. Our problem is to do the right thing. And when we don’t, it’s going to burn in the Judgment Seat, but all things are lawful, get on with your life.
Then we got the “gracers,” we know them. They’re going to just do everything they want anyway, because we’ve got grace. “Hyper-gracers.” Oh, yeah, you do, but — apparently your bible doesn’t have Timothy and Titus in it. Apparently you’re married to some woman who could care less. If she’s running the ship, you haven’t got the guts to — well, we all know that story.
Anyway — guilty.
So, Tribulation? No, you just don’t do that! How about a divorce? First Peter chapter 2 or 3. Sorry, we just don’t do that in the Tribulation. Paul gives us the outs today; yes, he does. But not during the Tribulation.
Wow! It’s going to be tough. These people in the Tribulation, if they’re born of God, they’re not going to be able to do it. They don’t dare. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” We just don’t do that, kids.
OK, now, before we get into verse 11 — no, we’re not even that far yet. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” Now, remember, we’ll finish up with this. This is the “born of God” stuff. “Born again,” “born of God.” John’s talking about this. The last time John talked about this is in John chapter 3. “Born again.” This isn’t us. We are not “born again.”
Yeah, we’re “born of God”, yeah — but not in the manner that these Jews have to be. And he’s talking about with Nicodemus, yeah, the Jews, the Israelites, yeah, as a nation. Now here we’re talking, “he is born of God” — individuals. But not like we’re talking about.
Paul says we’re sons of God. Totally different, isn’t it? It’s just totally different.
And we’ll finish this up with verse 10 here: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God —” and then it tags up with this thing: — “neither he that loveth not his brother.” All of a sudden, there’s another chapter to study, another topic to study here. See, you’re born of God during the Tribulation; you don’t do the wrong thing. By the way, you’ve got to love your brethren. You mean, I’ve got to do that too? Yeah, you’ve got to do that too.
See, verse 14: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” Oh, really? So, because I’ve got an issue with somebody, I may not be Christian? Yeah, you might not be a believer, because, see, you love the brethren. Well, man, I can’t do anything wrong, and I have to love everybody? The brethren? Oh, man, this is really tough.
Yeah, it is. Yeah, it is. Too bad you didn’t listen to that ol’ fat preacher back in the Dispensation of Grace days. Too bad you listened to your pastor who was trying to teach you Tribulation doctrine today, when you all just kind of played it fun in church — “Yes, amen, amen, amen” — and you knew you were’t doing it.
And you ignored the Paul guy who was trying to tell you, Christ made you that righteousness. Ah, but you played the game and you lost. Now, here we are — Tribulation time. Oh, man, this is tough! Yeah, it is tough. You can’t buy, sell, or trade anything, got to take the mark, got to have a computer. I hate computers! You can’t really do anything without your computer. Besides that, they won’t give you one, because, see, you’re of God. And they hate you. They really hate you. Why do they hate you so much? Because you’re not even any part of them.
See, we’re still out there working. We still have to be a friend, and we have to be out there, we have to be the Christian out there today.
Tribulation? You can’t hang around them. You have to escape the pollution of that world.
Oh, man, I wish I had saved a lot of food in the basement! Wish I had kept my guns and ammo. Protect. Yeah, too bad you didn’t join the Mormon Church — because at least they’re going to be prepared for the Tribulation.
Anyway, so there’s what’s coming out of this 1 John thing for the 15-millionth-time. And I’m starting to recognize the toughness and the difference between us and them, and learning more about what they’re going to be like. And there’s more coming. I mean, it’s just interesting. I hope it’s interesting; it’s been fun for me to realize more than just, this isn’t of Paul and here’s why. OK, we know that; that’s obvious. Chapter 3 — if there’s ever a chapter in that Bible that tells people the difference between Paul and what’s being taught today, it’s 1 John chapter 3.
But we’re not going to look at it that way necessarily. We’re just going to look at what it’s like, what kind of a person is it going to take to be in the Tribulation? It’s quite the person; they’re going to be of God, you know, sons of God — well, so are we. But it’s a different Old Testament thing. They’re sons of — look at what they did. Look at what they were part of. What an eternal future we’ve got coming. We really don’t have a clue, do we, what it’s going to be like.
But look at what the sons of God did in the Old Testament; look at what they have to do to be the sons of God in the Tribulation. Look at what we have to do. We don’t have to do anything; but, if we got any kind of character at all, integrity at all as a Christian, we ought to.
But we fight the flesh all the time. Whew! So did Paul; I know he did. Must have got some victories.
OK, that’s it.
