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Sermons from 1 John |
HOW TO KEEP FROM BEING SPIRITUALLY
CONNED |
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Recently I received the following letter received (2/28/03) by email:
"Calvary greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am former Mrs. Fatima Aisha Alamin, now Mrs. Elizabeth Alamin, a widow to late Sheik Mohammed Alamin. I am 72 years old. I am now a Christian convert, suffering from cancer of the breast. From all indications, my condition is really deteriorating and it is quite obvious that I may not live more than six months, because the cancer stage has gotten to a very severe stage. My late husband was killed during the Gulf War and during the period of our marriage we had a son who was also killed in cold blood during the Gulf War. My late husband was very wealthy and after his death, I inherited all his business and wealth. My personal physician told me that I might not live for more than six months and I am so scared about this. So, I now decided to divide part of this wealth by contributing to the development of evangelism in Africa, America, Europe and Asian countries. I selected your church after visiting the website ... and I am willing to donate the sum of $10 million U.S. dollars to your church and ministry for the development of evangelism and also as aids for the less privileged around you." The letter went on to describe how to contact her lawyer who would file an immediate transfer of the money. As I read the letter I thought to myself, "This can't be true." Of course after during a little research I found that is was not true. It was a scam letter than had been circulating in various forms. John speaks of those who perpetrate religious scams. He speaks of religious con-artists who are after more than our money. They are after our heart and soul. In our last study we noticed how John calls these religious con-artists "antichrists." As we looked at them we saw that they deny the deity of Jesus Christ, abandon the Church, and seek to deceive the Christian. I want us to once again to look at verses 18-27 of chapter two and learn how we can keep from being deceived by these religious con-artists. In our last study we focused on the word "they" which identifies these religious con-artists in our text. Now, let's focus on the word "us" which identifies the true believer. How can a person keep from being conned by these religious con-artists? First, we must: 1. LISTEN TO THE WORD OF GOD! We read in verse 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." I draw your attention to the word "heard." The word describes a public hearing of the word. John is speaking of the preaching and teaching of God's word. John, and others, had preached to them God's Word and had warned them of the antichrists and religious con-artists that would come. When it comes to being exposed to truth and learning what God says in His Word, there is no substitute for preaching! Preaching is not the only way a believer is to become acquainted with truth, but it plays an important part in believers being grounded in truth. Preaching is an important part of God's plan to build, develop, and ground believers in His Word. One of the ways that believers can protect themselves from being deceived by religious con-artists is by placing themselves under the weekly preaching of God's Word. Now, let me say, believers need to place themselves under the right kind of preaching. What is the right kind of preaching? First, let me say that the right kind of preaching is: (A) Sound Preaching Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:2-3, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” We also read in Titus 1:9, “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” As well, we read in Titus 2:1, “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.” Please note the emphasis of "sound doctrine" in these texts. The word "sound" speaks of that which is, "uncorrupt, true," and that which, "brings spiritual health." Sound doctrine is preaching based on truth and is the presenting and explanation of truth. It is preaching that is not corrupted with ones own personal opinions, but a careful and proper interpretation of what God says in His Word. It is this kind of preaching that helps believers to grow spiritually. Secondly, the right kind of preaching is: (B) Scriptural Preaching Paul said to Timothy, "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine" (1 Timothy 4:13). Timothy was to give careful attention (give attendance) to three things in his preaching. First, to the reading of the scriptures. When Paul spoke of reading, he was referring to more than the reading of books. He was speaking of the reading of the scriptures in the public assembly. For us, he is describing the preacher reading the text of the sermon he is going to preach. We don't always look at the reading of the text of a sermon as a big deal, but Paul told Timothy that he was to take very serious the reading of his text. It has been my custom for many years to have people stand during the public reading of the scriptures. It is God's Word that is being read and should be respected as such. I want the Bible and the reading of the Bible to be viewed as something special. Furthermore, I try not to just hastily read the text, but to read it in such a way that it reveals a reverence for the Scriptures. Paul told Timothy that the reading of the scriptures publicly was to be done in a careful and respectful fashion. Secondly, he was to give careful attention to "exhortation." The preaching is to challenge the people to apply the truths they learn from preaching. When the preacher preaches, he is to be on a mission. He should be after the learning of truth and the application of truth to daily life. Thirdly, he was to give careful attention to "doctrine." Timothy was to take very serious the reading of his text and then teach the people what the text says. I once heard someone describe the text of most preaching as being like the Star Spangled Banner at a ballgame; it gets the sermon started but does not have anything to do with what follows. Preaching is taking a text from the Bible and then helping people to understand what that text says, and then challenge them to apply what that text says to their Christian life. In short, Paul was explaining Bible preaching! He was not speaking of preaching from the Bible, but the preaching of the Bible. There is a big difference. Someone has given what they call a code for rating sermons"
If there were a real code for rating sermons, all sermons should be rated “BB” – Bible based sermons. Preaching is to be sound and scriptural. Why? Preaching is a source whereby one is equipped to recognize religious con-artists. We read in verse 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." John says that they knew the truth. How did they know the truth? They had heard it! He and others had preached to the Bible! They had set before them Divine truth and taught them that God was saying. Again, let me say that there is no substitute for preaching. Drama is okay in its place. Music has an important role in our worship. However, these things should compliment the preaching of the Bible and serve as a means to open hearts up to the preaching of God's Word. When we replace the weekly preaching of the God's Word with other things, we may entertain, but we will not develop and mature believers. To protect themselves from religious con-artists, believers need to listen to God's Word. Secondly, in order for believers to keep from being deceived by religious con-artists they must also: 2. LEARN BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD! We read in verses 20 and 27, "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things," "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." In verse 20 John speaks of the "unction" and in verse 27 the "anointing." They are the same word. In the Old Testament, the "anointing" was associated with three kinds of people; the priests, kings, and the prophets. It was an act whereby one was set apart for a certain office. In the New Testament we find that the "anointing" is associated with every believer and not to a select few. It describes a particular work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer. As we look at John's words we see that every believer is: (A) Indwelt by the Holy Spirit In verse 27 John speaks of how the Holy Spirit abides and dwells in the believer. Paul asked the Corinthian believers, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”(1 Cor. 3:16), " “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”(1 Cor. 6:19). The person of the Holy Spirit lives within every believer. This is not symbolic language, but an divine truth. The body of the believer is an earthly house of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, John describes how every believer is: (B) Instructed by the Holy Spirit The "unction" and "anointing" that John speaks of in verses 20 and 27 speak of the Holy Spirit's work of instructing the believer. In verse 20 he describes how believers "know all things." The believer is able to see spiritual truth clearly. By the Holy Spirit, each believer can understand and comprehend spiritual truth. In verse 27 he describes how "the same anointing teacheth you all things." The Spirit of God is the divine teacher of truth. We read in in John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” Someone might say, “I can’t understand the Bible.” You can if you are saved. You have a teacher. The author of the Book live within you. He enables the believer to understand what He has written. Every believer can understand the Bible. The believer has a heavenly "unction" and "anointing" whereby one can understand what God says in His Word. John reminds us that the Holy Spirit always teaches us “truth” and nothing He teaches is “a lie” (Vs.27). When we hear people say that the Holy Spirit told them this and that and it contradicts the teachings of the Bible, you can be assured that it was not the Holy Spirit that spoke to them. He never contradicts the teachings of the Bible. He is both the author and interpreter of the Bible and all He teaches is true. Because the Holy Spirit is the teacher of truth, “ye need not that any man teach you” (Vs. 27). John is not saying that we should not be taught or that there is no need of teachers. His letter that we are considering is a teaching of truth. What John is telling us that the believer without the aid of a human teacher can still know truth for every believer has an indwelling teacher. John encourages to "abide in Him” (Vs. 27). As believers we are to let the Holy Spirit that lives within us be a constant teacher of truth. If we do so, it will keep us from being deceived by false teachers. He will teach us truth, and, as well, point out false teaching by such deceivers. Thirdly, to keep from being led astray by religious con-artists, we must: 3. LIVE BY THE TRUTH OF GOD! John says in verse 24, "Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father." John speaks of the truth they had heard and how it should abide in them. If so, they would "continue in the Son, and in the Father." They would not be led astray by religious con-artists. John's words tell us to: (A) Let Truth Guide Your Heart As believers we must let the Bible be our final authority. We must filter everything we hear though the Bible. Let truth, not experience be your guide. I remember a lady that once came to me about the subject of speaking in tongues. She had attended a Bible study and claimed the Holy Spirit came upon her and she spoke in tongues. I showed her what the Bible says and then she said to me, "I know what the Bible says, but what about what I experienced?” She went on to say that it must be real because of what she experienced. I reminded her that you never interpret the Bible by your experiences, but your experiences by the Bible. If we allow our feelings, traditions, or experiences be the authority in our life as to what is right or wrong, we are opening the door for false teachers to lead us astray. False teachers play much on the feelings and emotions of people to lead them astray. It is their ace card. The believer must let the Bible be the final authority in their life, not their feelings, traditions, or experiences. Truth must always guide the heart. Secondly, we should: (B) Let Truth Guard Your Heart If we let truth remain in us, it will keep us from being spiritually conned. It is by truth that we "continue in the Son, and in the Father." The secret to abiding and staying true to God is the truth of God. As we keep the Bible the final authority in our life, we are kept faithful to the truth. If we were to live by the Bible, direct our steps by the Bible, and believe only the Bible, it would put many religious con-artists out of business! |