If only we could get people to pray and study the word, there would be more
love and less deception. Unfortunately some sects and churches have discouraged
them from reading the bible on their own and as a result people depend solely on
their priests or pastors to interpret the word. That would not be so bad if all
preachers and pastors were faithful but power, money and politics tend to defile
us if we don't pray and stay full of the Holy Spirit allowing His love to be
shed abroad in our hearts continually.
1John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And
if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Isn't God great to provide for us a way out of sin. Sin doesn't have to defeat
us. We do not have to live in sin and get into error. God made a provision. All
we have to do is allow Him to cleanse us from sin and fill us with His spirit.
It is a great way. God's way is joy, love and peace. Man's way is misery.
Hallelujah.
1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also
for the sins of the whole world.
Jesus is the answer for the sin, not only in the lives of those that already
believe but it is available to the whole world if they would receive it. The
blood of Jesus is enough to cleanse the sin of every one in the world. Its not
the Father's will that any should perish. We are not predestined to go to hell.
We are predestined to go to heaven but only those that repent and believe the
gospel will be able to enter in. The provision has been provided. We have the
freewill to choose. God does not want puppets. He wants us to freely choose His
way over our own ways and receive His gift of eternal life. How much greater it
is to arrive at the place where we serve God because we love Him and not because
of fear? Fear may be the means to bring us to the place of repentance but after
we get to know God and receive His spirit, we can learn to serve Him in love. We
can be partakers of His holiness by being willing and obedient, not just from
fear of hell. God left no one out of His provision. This good way is available
to all who would believe.
1Jo 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
One sign of whether or not one is saved from sin and "born again" by God's
spirit is that he or she will keep His commandments. If we do not desire to keep
His word, then the truth is not in us. Naturally some come to Christ not knowing
all His word and we can't expect them to become perfect all at once until they
are taught in the word and are sound in faith, but after a while a true believer
should be producing the fruit of the spirit, one of which is love.
1Jo 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.
1Jo 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:
hereby know we that we are in him.
Those that claim the Christian religion and ignore completely the word of God,
cannot be saved. Religion does not save, only Jesus Christ can save anyone from
sin. Jesus saves when we believe in Him. Jesus then gives the Holy Spirit to
those that believe in Him when they have repented or turned from sin and turned to Him.
1Jo 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as
he walked.
Christ is our example, we are to walk as He did. If we are walking in sin, we
are not abiding in Christ.
1Jo 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment
which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have
heard from the beginning.
1Jo 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him
and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
1Jo 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness
even until now.
1Jo 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none
occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jo 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness,
and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
We must overcome the temptation to despise others who may see things differently
than we see it. The church in the Middle Ages absolutely had no authority to
persecute heretics so-called. The ones that do the persecuting are usually the
ones in the wrong.
Think about it. Preachers of the gospel spend their lives trying to get people
saved and on their way to heaven and the rest of us, spend time casting them out
and accuse them of not being of God because they do not join our particular
so-called elect group. I'm advocating love and compassion here, not ecumenical
movements. We do not have to join into one big mega organization or political
power. In fact that is what we should always avoid. The middle age church has
tried that and look what a mess that made of things. We do not have to rejoin
the so called mother church. That is not the first church anyway. Read the book
of Acts and the believers there are very different than what we call church.
There was never a pope until years later. Peter was never any pope or exalted
figure above the other apostles. Joining something is not the answer. Getting
people saved and filled with the spirit is the answer. We speak the word,
God does the saving. We preach the word, God makes one a child of God.
We speak the word, God fills with the spirit. Our part is to teach, God
part is to change the person who is listening. We can't make that happen
by intimidation and telling someone they have to join our group or be baptized
in our church to be saved. Salvation is an inner change in a believer that
only can be done by the spirit of God entering into that person when they
believe in Jesus. We can't make it happen by force. We are the
messengers, we are vessels of the Holy Spirit and that is all. We have to
depend on God for the results.
False doctrine contrary to the correct understanding of the word is an entirely
different matter especially if it puts someone's salvation in jeopardy, hides
the true gospel or allows people to be deceived into thinking they can be saved
and still sin without suffering the consequences of sin or allows people to
think they can be baptized into a church or join a church and expect to be
saved. Jesus alone is the way of salvation. Faith in Jesus is the
only way to be saved. I repeat over and over again. Being born again
by the spirit of God entering in a believer in Jesus is the only way of
salvation. God does it. God saves. We can't make someone "born
again."
In all these things John entreats us to walk in love. If we don't love and show
kindness, why would anyone listen to our message?
1Jo 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you
for his name's sake.
1Jo 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the
beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.
I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1Jo 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is
from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong,
and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Here is a warning many of us tend to forget. His kingdom is not of this world.
We are not to be overly concerned with the things in this life which are
temporary. The more of God's spirit we have the less we will love this present
world. Sin will have no place in a true born again spirit filled child of God.
If we live in continual sin and still claim to be spirit filled, something is
wrong. If our mind is continually on material things and we neglect the
spiritual things, we will starve spiritually. To be carnal minded is
death. To be filled with the spirit is life. We need the teaching of
the word and we need the infilling of God's spirit.
You can go to any church in the world and find someone who sins and still claims
to be saved and filled with the spirit. Where there is a real, there is a
counterfeit. Judge all things by the word of God and by love. If its not in the
word, reject it, if its there be careful what you speak against it.
1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
As individual Christians though, we must study the word and seek to obey God
taking heed to the word. To be wrapped up in the world is the very opposite to
God. Lust of the flesh, pride of life, desires of the flesh is of the world. God
has something much better than the world can't even compare to. Why settle for
these things that pass away quickly. God has things that are eternal. I'm
talking of things of the spirit here, and not material things that pass away.
1Jo 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the
will of God abideth forever.
1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that
antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that
it is the last time.
Doctrine that we know is contrary to the written word is caused by the spirit of
anti-Christ. This could mean someone who is against Christ but we who believe
would not be deceived by someone preaching against Christ. Anti-Christ could
also mean, in place of Christ or representative of Christ but preaching the
wrong things. No one is to stand between us and Jesus Christ. We follow Jesus
and only follow men as far as they follow Jesus. If they stop following the
truth we must stop following them and follow Jesus only.
We must warn against such things as the prosperity doctrine, image worship,
worshipping the saints, Mary worship, and many other things not found in the
bible. Yet we must do so in love and faith in God to change what is wrong. If
one reads church history they can see that many things were added 100s of years
later than when the apostles walked among the living. They picked up doctrines
of men and not of the written word originally given to the apostles of Jesus.
This doesn't mean that if we make one mistake, all is hopeless. John is
teaching the very opposite. If we sin, confess it and renew ourselves to
the Lord right away. Loving the world is continuing in the things of the
world totally disregarding what God's word says. It is not making a one
time mistake which we repent of.
While we warn against loving the world and sin which robs us of our walk with
God in the spirit, let us also be careful to avoid false accusations and
speaking evil of things we know nothing about. We must warn against false
doctrines but we must be careful that the doctrines are false and not just
something we do not understand.
Speaking in tongues as the spirit gives utterance is in the word of God. I am
amazed at the ones I read on the Internet that speak evil of those who speak in
tongues or in other languages when they pray. God gave some this gift and
baptized them in the Holy Spirit and we have no right to accuse them falsely and
say that it was only for the apostles. Peter said it was to all that are afar
off. Just because we don't have the gift to lay hands on someone and they be
healed doesn't mean that those who do so are "of the devil." Just because we
don't have a certain gift doesn't mean that gift does not exist. Sure the devil
may counterfeit anything God gives but that doesn't mean that the gifts and
calling of God is something we should avoid. We do not stop eating food just
because we happen to discover some spoiled food in the refrigerator. I don't
believe speaking in tongues is a lesser gift than the others. In fact just the
opposite is true. Tongues is given to individuals to edify them. The other gifts
are given to edify the whole congregation. Tongues help our private worship and
the other gifts operate in the congregation of believers so that we learn and do
the works of God. How can we say something God gives is inferior? This stuff
comes from repeating what someone says and not from the word of God. The word of
God does not make one gift higher than the other. Paul just makes it plain that
private worship and praying in tongues edifies only the one praying and does not
help someone who may come into our assembly with the desire to hear the word in
a language he can understand. He does not say it is wrong to speak in tongues in
public but he does say it is better to speak in a language the listener can
understand when its time to bring forth the word by a teacher anointed to speak.
If that teacher praises God in a short sentence in tongues, he or she did not do
a big wrong like some accuse. If all he did was speak in tongues when someone is
present that needs to hear the word of God, and the speaker never utters a word
in an understandable language, then we may be critical but I never have seen any
preacher do that so the accusations are false. I've been in Pentecostal churches
all my life and not once have I ever heard a minister of the word give the whole
message in tongues so we could not understand it. Tongues is a gift of God and
is evidence that the spirit of God is present. We should rejoice when we hear
someone speak in tongues, not be critical. We are taking what Paul says to
extremes. Remember he ended that same chapter with the words, "Forbid not to
speak in tongues." Do not forbid people to pray in the spirit and rejoice in the
Lord. In doing so we are quenching the spirit. If it is time for the word to be
preached, then we can keep silent but in the time of worship and praise it is
perfectly okay to praise God in tongues. Confusion only comes when we seek to
interrupt the word going forth or seek to put on a show or show off what we have.
The gifts are given to help us worship God and also to bring others to Jesus
Christ. They are never given to put on any show in order to exalt the one
exercising the gifts. We are not to exalt ourselves but seek to exalt the Lord
and His salvation given freely to all who receive Him. Know one exclusively has
a gift of the spirit that can't be given to anyone else. God's gifts are
freely given to anyone who seeks Him. We have nothing that we have not
received so why boast and think we are higher than anyone else that may not have
what we have?
I'm saying all this to emphasize love, not using the scriptures to attack
someone who loves God and is worshipping God in freedom.
As long as the word is preached to those present in a meeting so that they can
understand that word, it is not wrong to speak in tongues whenever the word is
not being preached.
Let us take the whole bible in correct understanding and not use a few verses
taken out of context to accuse each other falsely. Have compassion. If someone
makes a mistake and speaks at the wrong time, let us not jump to the conclusions
that he or she is of the devil. Don't we all say things occasionally that we
wish we had not of said? The gifts are perfect but we who receive the gifts are
not perfect. Just because someone is excited about what God has given them and
may get a little over emotional and speak at the wrong time, does not mean they
have a wrong spirit. Destroy not those for whom Christ died because they may not
understand how to allow God's spirit to use them in public worship. Paul wrote
his advice, not to condemn us but to instruct us so that all can be edified and
learn God's word. I'm sure his intention was never to downplay speaking in
tongues or cast a bad light on it. It is a gift of God.
Let us walk in love and not false accusations because we may not understand some
things.
I've heard criticism of the Toronto Blessing and Pensacola Florida. I wasn't
there so I can't criticize but I will say this. I have been in Pentecostal
churches all my life and I have not seen what some describe that went on in
those places. I've seen people fall down on occasion but its not an event that
occurs all the time. I've never heard anyone laugh that I can recall, nor bark
nor mimic any animals. I don't know what I would do if that happened. I've never
seen anyone handle snakes or act in a manner that brings reproach upon the
gospel. I'm not saying it does not happen but I've not seen it.
Let us walk in love and do not despise those that do things differently. We
don't'
have to accept it for ourselves if we choose not too.
Here is an example of something that bothers me. I don't understand the modern
charismatic dancing or interpretation dancing. I choose not to partake or attend
where this occurs. That is my right to avoid what I am not comfortable with. Yet
I'm not going to accuse them of being, "not of God" or of the devil. I don't see
it in the word although they use the word and especially King David to justify
the dancing. I don't quite see it the way they do so I leave them alone and they
can leave me alone and not force me to do as they do. Its okay as long as we
love one another. I leave what I don't understand to them and to God.
I've seen spontaneous dancing in the spirit at times but I don't fully
understand those who practice dancing steps to perform in front of an audience.
But I will leave that up to the Lord to deal with. Its okay to disagree with
something we don't understand but we must be careful to walk in love and not
false accuse. I'm not in the wrong if I don't go along with all things that come
along supposedly in the name of the Lord. They should not accuse me and in
return unless they teach a false doctrine that may harm the true message of
salvation, I must not accuse them of not being "of God." Those people claim to
be dancing in the spirit so I'm not going to say they are not just because it is
not the type of spontaneous dancing in the spirit I grew up observing. I
prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt and if its just a fad, pray that we
get back to the real things of the spirit. If that is the real spirit of
God, then God will show me. I trust Him in that.
1Jo 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of
us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they
might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Some left to draw followers after themselves. This we need to be careful of.
We must be careful not to follow vain persons whose main interest is to fleece
the flock of God and do not really care for our eternal souls. We must not
follow man. We must follow the Lord. Sooner or later their ways will manifest
itself. This does not mean all who leave a church is in the wrong.
How can we spread the gospel if we all stay in one congregation and not leave?
Many followed Jim Jones to their death. There was hints earlier on. He led the
people to be dependent upon him alone for their faith and not faith in Jesus
although the name of Jesus was used in the beginning. Joseph Smith deceived his
followers also. They began to believe that there was no salvation outside of the
prophet, Joseph Smith. Yet we see that there were hints at the beginning to show that
Joseph was false. He stated that all the other churches was an abomination.
He was the only one who supposedly had the truth. He was becoming
exclusive. This is dangerous because Jesus is the only way of salvation
whether or not one joins a church. We can be saved in a group or when we
are all alone. While we should never forsake assembling ourselves with
other believers to worship God, that is not the way of salvation. Jesus is
the way. A shut in that has to stay at home is just as saved if they trust
in Christ as the one who attends a believer's meeting every time the doors are
open. Watch
out for anyone who says that we need them and their successors in order to be
saved. Jesus is the key to salvation and the only way to be saved.
1Jo 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
Those that are baptized in the Holy Ghost have God's spirit to teach them all
things. We do not rely on His spirit nearly enough. How do we think the early
church learned things before they had the written word? Now that we do have the
written word, we can compare what someone says with the word to see if it is
true or not.
1Jo 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because
ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
1Jo 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is
antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
If we deny that Jesus is the one God sent in the flesh to save us from sin, then
we are anti-Christ. To deny the Son is to deny the Father. There is no access to
the Father without first going through the Son.
1Jo 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that
acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
1Jo 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.
1Jo 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life,
1Jo 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
1Jo 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.
If we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit that has been given to all who obey the
Lord, we can know who is true and who is not. Jesus said that His sheep will
know His voice.
1Jo 2:28 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.
1Jo 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth
righteousness is born of him.
We have the Holy Spirit, and the written word. We do not have to be deceived.
Beware of anyone who tells us that we can't understand the bible without the
church leaders to interpret it. We can be filled with the teacher, the Holy
Spirit and begin to learn and understand it ourselves.
Teachers and preachers are to bring us to Christ and tell us the good news of
the gospel. They can teach us the word as God gives them understanding but we
must come to the place where we can read and understand it for ourselves. A good
pastor will desire for anyone in his ministry to learn of God and seek God for
themselves. They will not desire people to be dependent upon them continually.
We bring people to Christ, disciple them and then lead them to be filled with
the spirit so that they can go out and disciple others. We don't want to gather
followers after ourselves depending on us or our organization. We want to win
people to Christ and encourage them to become dependent upon Christ.
Persecution scattered the believers in Jerusalem and then the gospel spread
further. If we build one big mega church and stay in one place, the gospel will
not spread. It would be better to start thousands of small congregations all
over the world than to have one mega church in one place. We must not despise
small groups of believers because they are not a large congregation. I know this
is a day of mega churches and it is exciting to see so many worship together in
one place but that would soon get old if they do not continually bring more
people to Jesus and send those people out to make even more disciples.
In all this though, we must walk in love. We can't emphasize this enough.
Biting and devouring one another is not the way to spread the gospel.
1 John 3