And this morning in the book
of 1 John, the second chapter, we're gonna be looking at several
verses and today the lesson we're gonna call it, Hereby We Know. And that indeed could be a subtitle
for the whole of the book of 1 John and indeed a lot of the
scriptures that we're gonna look into that this morning and see
what that might mean. And in 1 John 2, I'd like to
read verses three through six. It says, and hereby we do know
that we know him if we keep his commandments. He that saith I
know him and keepeth not his commandments, he is a liar and
the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word in
him verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby we know hereby
know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him
ought himself also to walk even as he walked. A couple of things
about the book of 1 John this morning. In the book of 1 John,
the phrase we know is used 13 times. The words for knowledge
Gnosko and Oida is used 41 times. So there's a lot of references
to knowledge and we know, or we know these things. And whenever
in the scriptures it says, and we know, it always brings to me, do I know?
And we have to see what it's referring to, and we know. As
it says here, it starts out in verse three, hereby we do know
that we know him. And then it tells some things,
and we're going to look through that, but it's a very important
phrase and thought that is in the book of 1 John. But this
is true of all the scriptures, even if those words are not used,
on whatever book we're in, that it's God's word to his people,
and we know whatever the scripture says and brings forth is his
word, and thereby we know whatever that word says. We know the language
of it. Now, there's a lot that we can
know the language and the words of it, and hereby we know There's
a different level of knowledge that's spoken about to God's
people, that he reveals things to his people. He reveals the
truth to them. He reveals things that by nature
we do not know. We do not have a propensity towards
or affinity towards holiness or godly things by nature, and
he has to do a work. I'd like to read just a short
passage paragraph from, thought from, the bulletin from last
week. It says, in his natural state,
is a paragraph by Henry Mahan. And it says, man in his natural
state has no desire for the things of God, no interest in the gospel
of saving grace, and when circumstances of sickness, sorrow, or fear
generate some interest, it is usually not sincere or lasting.
But when God is pleased to cross a person's path, awaken his sleeping
soul and create an interest in spiritual matters, That interest
is not only sincere and genuine, but will certainly result in
salvation and eternal glory. Christ said, every man that hath
heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me. And that indeed
is true and the, Those things are only revealed
by God to his people that can say amen, that is so. Only if,
as it says, when he crosses paths with his own and reveals himself
to them, then they know a few things. Then can be said we know. In our natural state, there's
very little that we can know. in nothing in the spiritual realm
at all. We can know the facts of the
matter. There are a lot of people that know the facts or the words
or the English language terms of what the scriptures say, but
that is not eternal life and that is not salvation, having
the word memorized and known. We knew a man sometime back that
just about literally had the Bible memorized, but he didn't
understand what it was talking about. And when he did learn
what it was talking about, then he had something. Then those
things were a blessing that he knew. But he, for years, didn't
know what it was speaking of. He knew the words of it and literally
memorized, which was impressive to me. But he didn't know what
he didn't have, really have the value of it by not having it.
We're going to look at at several passages in 1 John today, but
we're going to be in a few other places too. But I'd like to read
1 John in chapter four. The 1 John chapter four, and I'd like to start reading
with verse 17. It says, herein is our love made
perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because
as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but
perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect
in love. We love him because he first
loved us. If a man say I love God and hateth
his brother, he is a liar, for he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth
God, love his brother also. And this passage we're gonna
look at in all of those thoughts in all of 1 John. But here in
verse 19, especially, we love him because he first loved us.
And that, any, love that we have perceived toward God is because
of what has been done for us in the life that we have. And
we know some things and are sure of some things, and we're gonna
look at several passages that speak to that, as in 1 John chapter
two there. I'd like to start with a book
of Romans. And you'll see how this, as we
go along, ties into, get to 1 John there, but chapter eight of Romans, and Romans has been used a lot
for people starting to relate the gospel to other people, but it's a very, comforting and
uplifting book to God's people. And I'd like to start with just
verse 28 to start with, Romans chapter eight, verse 28. And
it says, and we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are called according to his
purpose. And then verse 37, Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And the, Those verses are claimed by a
lot of people that all things work together for good to them
that love God and they stop a lot of times and don't say to them
that are the called according to his purpose, all things work
out well. Everyone cannot claim and you
can't blanket tell people all things work out for well, not
for all people, but for God's people, all things do, and for
God's glory, all things do work out that way. And then, as we
said there, here in verse three, again, of
1 John chapter two, where it says, hereby do we know that
we know him if we keep his commandments. And we're gonna see how these
things that we know, how that relates to that. But all things
do work that way for God's people and for Him that we know that
we keep His commandments if we are in Him and we're going to
see that we have kept them because He has kept them. That's the
only way that we can say that. And anytime people look at the
scripture and find places where there's something that can be
done to get somewhere. You have to look back and think
again. We're talking about a dead person
doing something and it can't be done. It doesn't matter what
it is. God's people can only claim and know for a fact that
they've done and met all the requirements is because he's
met all the requirements and we are in him. That's the only
way. We can't meet any of the requirements. And so we have to kind of think
that, remember, when it looks like there's something to do
to get a better position. before God, especially as religion
likes to do, you have to look and say, okay, how much can this
dead person do towards that? And if it ever is anything, the
answer's wrong. It's not right. A dead person
can do nothing. A spiritually dead person can
do nothing at all. And only in him can we say that
these have been done, and we're gonna see how the scriptures
speak to that. In 1 John chapter three, Not only are the words, before
we move on a little bit, but for that, when they said that
the words we know and words for knowledge and know were used
many times in the book of 1 John, so is the word love, like people
mention that, and the word Love is mentioned 27 times in the
book of First John, 310 times in all of the King James Version.
So there's a lot of it that speak to that. And that's what people
gravitate and grab ahold of a lot of times is those things that
speak about love, but it's not qualified by how that love, whose
love that is and how that comes about. And a very important through
the book. And we'll see that as a, as the
Lord allows in times ahead that we look into the rest of this
book. But chapter 3 of 1 John, starting
the first verse, 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. 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. And this is another thing
that we know, that when we shall see him, it says that when he
shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as
he is. And this, again, the requirements
of the commandments be kept, and as it speaks about keeping
those commandments, what it's referring to, here we know that
we, it says we shall be like him. And that, what that glorified
body looks like, who knows? But we shall be like him in that
we will bear the resemblance of him and not the resemblance
of Adam that we have by nature here. and that we shall be like
him and all that. that that would refer to, and
as it says, we are heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
That puts us in a pretty good stead, so we shall see him as
he is, and that's the hope that we have in us, that we shall
be like him when we see him. Job, in chapter 19 of Job, and
you probably know what we're gonna, be reading here, but in
Job chapter 19, a lot of ground covered in the
book of Job, a lot of ground covered in many many chapters
in many ways, but here in chapter 19, starting with verse 25. For
I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. Whom shall
I see for myself? whom I shall see for myself and
mine eyes shall behold and not another, though my reigns be
consumed within me. And here, as he says, and he,
and I know that my Redeemer liveth. That's a thing that we all know that
God reveals to us and puts in us that indeed that he is, he's,
He lives, as he says here, I know that my Redeemer liveth and that
he shall stand at the latter day on the earth. And that speaks
to something that we all know and being revealed by God for
you're his, and that's been mentioned and talked about and preached
to us and about here recently, the resurrection. That is a key,
That is a must believe, whatever things people believe about church
government or this or that or other things. There are some
things that we know and that have to be known. And one of
them is indeed that the resurrection, so much hinges on that, so much
hinges on that. And that has to be revealed to
God's people. It's not a natural, thing that
we come by just of ourselves, but when we talk about things
that we know and we know, or hereby we know, this is one that
is not learned or taught to people. This is one that's revealed,
as in all spiritual things are revealed. We can discuss the
resurrection and how it fits into religion and different things,
but you cannot understand or comprehend that unless it's been
given to you. And that's what Job is speaking
to here. Not only does he know that he
will be with him, but that he lives now. It's a present thing
as well as a future thing for Job. In Second Timothy, turn to the book
of Second Timothy with me, if you would, please. Book of Second Timothy and the
first chapter. Second Timothy chapter one, starting
with verse nine. It said, Verse eight, be thou
not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of
me as prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel
according to the power of God, who hath saved us and called
us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according
to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ
Jesus before the world began. but to stop for just a minute
here, saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according
to our works, according to his own purpose and grace. and which
was given us in Christ Jesus and before the world began. There's
a lot compacted into that particular verse of things that we know,
but this is how we stand and who we stand in and why we stand
there in verse 10. But now is made manifest by the
appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death
and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher
of the Gentiles, for the which cause I also suffer these things.
Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed,
and I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I've committed
unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words
which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love, which is in
Christ Jesus. And here this word, and a lot
of people know this verse, but it says, I know who I'm in believed
and persuaded that he's able to keep that, which I've committed
on him against that day. And again, I know that because
it's been, and we know that because it's been revealed to us. It's
not a teaching or a doctrinal, class learning thing. It's revealed. It's revealed. We know who we
believed. And where it says, am persuaded,
and it's not persuaded of men, but persuaded of God himself
that this be so. that persuaded that he's able
to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. And we have to look and at least
the thought about it says, keep that which I've committed unto
him. Uncommitted unto him is our very life and being in him
and committed unto him and we have good strong grounds of scripture
that show that he is able to keep that and to keep those things
which have been committed unto him. And Lord himself said, it
is finished. And as he died on that cross
and then was resurrected and came on the third day and was
ascended to the father. And here, those things that we've
committed unto him. We can only believe that and
know that and be persuaded of that by the Spirit doing that.
We can read the words of it and people can, and I dare say I
knew and I dare say a lot of people have known the words of
those things and not the understanding of it and not the sense of it,
what it is truly speaking to. Turn with me again to the book
of 1 John chapter 5. A couple of times I've looked at
some of the lessons ahead even that we may have or that I'm
looking towards that You could take any of these lessons and
take just from the book of 1 John, there's a lot of ground covered
that would speak to itself and speak to those things. It says in 1 John chapter 5 and
verse 18, actually let's start with verse
13. verse 12, I'm sorry, chapter
five, verse 12 of 1 John. I was gonna skip down, but we're
gonna start here. He that hath the Son hath life,
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things
have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son
of God, that you may know that ye have eternal life, and that
you may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the
confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according
to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hears
us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that
we desire of him. If any man see his brother in
sin, which is not unto death, he shall ask and he shall give
him life. for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto
death. I do not say that he should pray
for it. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not unto
death. We know that whosoever is born
of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself,
and the wicked one touches him not. And we know that we are
of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that
the Son of God has come and hath given us an understanding that
we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true,
even his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal
life. Little children, keep yourselves
from idols. verses here and places that we
read down here that say we know these things. Again, that's a
spot for a heart check on, do we know these things? And do
we know that this is so? And we have to not only look
at other places in scriptures, but we have to consider if if
we have been shown these things by God and we know that that where it says, speaking
to God's people, that we know these things, that it has to
be given to us. And every child of God is gonna
stand in these things, even if some of them are not understood.
And it says, we know that this is a fact. We say, yes, it is
a fact. And we believe these things.
And we pray that God truly causes us to know these
things. and not just know of these things
and not just the words of them. And I think all of the scripture
is a heart check to God's people in that regard. In the book of 1 Corinthians,
in the book of 1 Corinthians, we're gonna be a couple of times
in the book of 1 Corinthians down a little bit farther, but
to start with in chapter one of 1, I'm sorry, chapter three
of 1 Corinthians. Chapter three, and, all right, it says, I want to
read 1 Corinthians chapter 3, starting with verse 10. It says,
according to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise
master builder, I have laid the foundation. and another buildeth
thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man
lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man
build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood,
hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the
day shall declare it. because it shall be revealed
by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort
it is. And it goes on somewhat on that,
but here speaking about no other foundation can be laid than it's
Jesus Christ. And then it says here, any bad build on this foundation,
and verse 13, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the
day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire,
and fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If we
take that literally by our works, it's gonna burn up. There's no
question about what's gonna happen to that work. We have to look
back to that foundation. We have to look to Jesus Christ,
our Lord, that those things are all been built on perfectly on
that perfect foundation. What is there that we have been
built for us is perfect in every regard. Everything is done, every
work that can be looked at that the Lord accomplished, it's It's
purer than pure gold. It's absolutely perfect. Those things cannot be questioned.
They're not going to be burned up. Anything we bring, it's going
to be like Cain did when he brought that sacrifice. That did not
do any good for him. The hope in that was no hope
at all. Abel, with his sacrifice, hope
in the Lord himself, that work is not gonna be burned up. That's
the only work that we can lay claim to and not of our doing
it, but of his doing in our behalf and for us, that that can be
done. And so that is, If this is the
case, then some of those things we can say we know. If the foundation
is right and the works are right, we're standing in pretty good
stead if it comes to comparing works. We know what works we
are built on and stand in. In the book of Galatians, over
just a couple books here, And jumping in a little bit in
the middle of some thoughts here of Galatians, but Galatians chapter
two and verse 16. It says, knowing that a man is
not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of
Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of
the law. For by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified. And here, knowing that, again
using that phrase, knowing that a man is not justified by the
works of the law, that That speaks a lot there and it speaks to
also in the book of Hebrews and other places that speaks about
what the works of the law are worth and what standing that
they accomplish. But here, not by them, but by
the faith of Jesus Christ. believe that we might be justified
by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law. For
the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. We're not
done with that thought yet, but that one there, it states that.
And these things, where it states like this, we know these things.
We know if we stand in him, we know that the works of the law
are of no value to us. Go back to the book of Romans for a couple of spots that speak to this, that we know,
that we know that we are in him. In chapter seven, Romans chapter
seven. In Romans chapter seven and eight
and nine, not especially or just particularly, but they speak
an awful lot to God's people in their natural state and what
they find themselves in and what, and just where we find ourselves
by nature and where we find ourself in Christ himself. And in chapter seven, starting
with verse, let's read, verses 24 and 25, and then we're
gonna go down into chapter eight just a little. It said, O wretched
man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind,
I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of
sin. Verse eight, there is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For the law of the
spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law
of sin and death. For what the law could not do,
and that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned
sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled
in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And here it says, verse 4, that
the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And in him,
it says, in Christ Jesus. And that, again, in 1 John says,
hereby we know we keep his commandments. We don't have to have a checklist. We know where we come out on
that checklist if it's an us thing, but we know that we obey
the commandments in him. In him, we have that. And turn the page, a couple of
pages in Romans to chapter 14. And a lot of it, you have to
fill in the gaps between when we're in some of these books
of the thoughts because they're hinged and pressed upon each
other. And we're picking out just, as it were, some of the
high points or some of the particulars, but I encourage
you to go back and fill in the blanks, as it were, in some of
this. And chapter 14 of Romans, starting with verse 17. It says, for the kingdom of God
is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth
Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men. Let us therefore
follow after the things which make for peace and things whereby
one another one may edify another. But here it says, he that in
these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approveth
of men. And where it talks about righteousness,
peace with God is only obviously in Him. That's where we have
our peace and our holiness and our righteousness and our joy.
And it says, in these things serveth Christ is acceptable
to God and approved of men. And then in chapter 16 of Romans, chapter 16 of Romans, start with
the verse 25 there. It says at the end, Now to him that is of power to
establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept
secret since the world began, but is now made manifest and
by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the
obedience of faith. And these things, as it says
here, according to the gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret
since the world began, but it's made manifest by the scriptures,
by the spirit through the scriptures, revealing these things. We're gonna make a couple more,
one more, two stops, and then we're going to be in this part for today and
pick this up at a later date. But in the book of 1 John, again,
in the book of 1 John, in chapter five, chapter five of 1 John, So in verse 10, it says, 1 John
5, 10. He that believeth on the Son
of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath
made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave
of his Son. And this is the record that God
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. These things have I written unto
you that you believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may
know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the
name of the Son of God. And then verse 20, and we know
that the Son of God has come and hath given us an understanding
that we may know him that is true, And we are in him that
is true, even in his son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God
and eternal life. And then one verse in Romans
chapter eight that is a key or a finishing thought
for right now today. Romans chapter eight, verse 16. And just above we saw there's
no condemnation, that those are in Christ Jesus. But verse 16,
it says, the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits that
we are the children of God. And this is how we can say, and
the only way we can say we know these things, or we know whom
we believed in, is if the Spirit has revealed those things to
us, and made witness, it says, witnesses our spirit that we
are the children of God. And that is the That's the only
way we can know it. It's not by a head knowledge,
it's only by heart that he gives his people. And hereby we know
him, or by these things we stand in, and I encourage you to read
the book of 1 John through, it's not very long, but it has a lot
in it, and it speaks to this. And once again, hereby we know,
that we keep his commandments. If we are in him, we have kept
his commandments. And thank you for your attention
this morning. And once again, be free.