I'd like for you to turn back
with me now to 1 John chapter 4. John's subject in chapter 4 of
his first general epistle is about knowing God. I listen to people talk about
Everlasting life, eternal life. You know what eternal life is
according to the scriptures? To know God. To know Him. To know Him is life. So this is John's subject. here
in chapter four, and it's about knowing God and about our relationship
to others who know Him. What effect does knowing Him
have on the believer? And what effect does knowing
Him have on our relationship with one another? Now that's
what John talks about. There's a notion adopted by this
world that any man or any woman who claims to be a messenger
of God is to be treated with reverence and godly honor. I was taught that from the time
I was a child. It didn't matter if he was a
Methodist or a Lutheran or a Baptist or a Pentecostal or if he had
before his name the word reverend or if he just simply was known
as pastor. No matter what I knew about him,
I was to honor him. I was to honor him. But here
John dispels that notion, telling us rather to try the spirits. By spirits, he's talking about
that spiritual understanding of these men who are speaking
to you. Try the spirits. These self-proclaimed
stewards of God, you try them whether they are of God. We're
not to lynch them on sight. We're not to burn them at the
stake or ignore them because of the way they're dressed. But
we're to try them to see whether they are of God. Well, how does
a person try a minister? Somebody comes up to me, I'm
out here working around in the yard and they drive up and my
name's Reverend so-and-so and if you need somebody to fill
in for you, that's what I do and you just give me a call.
How do I try this man to see if this man is sent of God? Well, you might ask him what
his hope is before God. What's your hope? You might ask
yourself that question this morning. I'm going to ask myself that
question. What is my hope before God? We're taught in the scripture
to be ready to give a reason for the hope that's in us. Somebody asks you, what's the
reason for your hope? You need to be able to tell them. So you might ask him, what is
hope before God? You might ask him to give a reason
for that hope. And you might ask him four simple
questions. Who is Jesus Christ? Who is he? Who is this man that everybody
talks about? Who is this man that time itself
was divided over? Who is Jesus Christ? And why
did he come into this world? And having come here, what did
he do? What did he accomplish in his
life and death? And when he died and God raised
him from the tomb, where did he go? And what's he doing there? What's
he doing there? Who is Jesus Christ? Why did
he come into this world as a man? What did he accomplish in his
life and death? And where is he now? Preachers
are to be tried by what they preach. Preachers know. I'm talking about
God's preachers. They know and understand the
necessity of the Lord Jesus Christ in his incarnation, in his obedience
to the law, in his death on the cross, in his resurrection from
the dead, in his present reign in glory, and in his glorious
return. They can give you a reason for
those things. They can talk to you about those
things. They know. They know. False prophets do
not know. God's preachers do not speak
in generalities. They speak in particulars. You
ever notice you talk to a religious man, he speaks in generalities.
He always speaks in generalities. He never says, this is what I
believe. He says, we believe. God's preachers do not fear the
offense of their message to the wise and prudent or to the proud
and self-righteous. And God's preachers don't speak
over the heads of the people. They speak in plain terms. Plain
terms. And clear illustrations. Now,
having tried the spirits, at the point of being convinced
one way or the other, we're to treat that person according to
our verdict. If he's not a god, don't listen
to him. Don't go any further with him. Don't invite him into
your home. Don't even look at him and say, well, the Lord bless
you. Don't do that. You're putting your stamp of
approval on this man that you just dejected. We're told point blank in John's
second general epistle that whosoever transgresseth and abideth not
in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. And if somebody comes
to you, that is a teacher or a preacher, and he brings not
this doctrine, don't receive him into your house. Don't invite
him into the living room just to be polite. And don't send
him on his way with your blessing. He that biddeth him God's speed
is a partaker of his evil deeds. I don't know why it's so hard
when a man comes with a bunch of mumbo jumbo and you know it's
a lie. In your heart, you know it's
a lie. Why don't you just tell him you don't know what you're
talking about? That's not so. That's not in
the Word of God. Where did you come up with this?
1 John 4 verse 5. Listen to this. They are of the world. Who is
these false prophets? They are of the world. They who believe and preach contrary
to the doctrine of Christ, they are of the world. And they speak
of the world. And the world hears him. I can
change my doctrine. You know that Billy Graham was
asked one time by a reporter, of all people, a reporter asked
him. They said, Mr. Graham, he said, at one time,
didn't you preach the doctrines of Calvinism? Yes, ma'am. It was a woman who was interviewing
him. He said, yes, ma'am. He said, I did. I did. Well, he said, it's obvious you
don't preach those doctrines anymore. Oh, no, he said, I don't
preach that anymore. And she said, well, why not?
He said, it was ruining my ministry. Now, I can change my message.
And I can go out here, and I can preach in any church, any church
up and down the land. They'll invite me in, let me
teach Sunday school, let me be a member of that church. They are of the world. Therefore
the world heareth them. They're on the same plane. They
have the same common ground. Who's the world? The world is
that fallen population of this earth who are dead in trespasses
and sins and walk according to the course of this world and
walk according to the prince of the power of the air. The
scripture says, by one man sin entered into the world, the whole
population of it. And death by sin, and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Who is the world? Our Lord said, this is the condemnation. Light has come into the world,
and the world loved darkness rather than light, because their
deeds are evil. The scripture says, by the offense
of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. So the world
is made up of men and women born with a depraved nature. Totally
depraved. All together in darkness. Not
a clue as to who God is. Not a clue as to how sinful they
are. They're born with a depraved
nature, none righteous, none good, none that understandeth,
none that seeketh after God. Destruction and misery are in
their ways, no fear of God before their eyes. Now they'll hear
each other, they'll hear what their wicked minds devise and
what their wicked hearts can imagine. But they won't receive
the truth about anything. So I don't know if I believe
that. Try it out. Try it out. See how far you get. They won't receive the truth
about anything. 1 John 4, verse 6, we are of
God. Born of God, taught of God, led
of God, sent of God. He that knoweth God, heareth
us. Hereby know we the spirit of
truth and the spirit of error. Now, let's take another step
down here to verse seven. Now, all of that has to do with
understanding and hearing and learning and light and knowing
who's preaching the truth and who's not. Verse seven. Now, beloved, let
us love one another, for love is of God. He that knoweth God,
he heareth us, doesn't he? That's what it said up there.
And now he said, Let us love one another, for love is of God,
and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not
God, for God is love. How does a poor sinner deceived
by false religion, raised to walk in the vanity of his own
mind, Living out his days in a depraved world with a nature
to match, how does a poor sinner come to know and to love God? By the gospel of Jesus Christ. By the gospel of Jesus Christ. There's no other way to know
God than to see Him as He's made manifest in the flesh in the
person of His Son. The Holy Ghost asked these questions. How shall you call on Him in
whom you have not believed? How are you going to do that?
Well, I just called on the Lord. You did? How did you come to know Him?
How did you know who to call on? You just spit out the words,
Lord, and let divinity decipher it? No. How shall you call on
Him in whom you have not believed? How shall you believe on Him
of whom you have not heard? Has to be a hearing. You can't see Him. He came into
the world and the world was made by Him. The world knew Him not.
Came unto His own. His own received Him not. Some way, somehow the sinner
must hear about God. Thirdly, how shall you hear without
a preacher? Who's going to tell you? The
world? Who's going to give you the answers? Who's going to tell
you about God? The man who don't know God? You think God's just going to
open your mind up and pop a vision in it? You need to read the Scriptures. Read the Scriptures. How shall you hear without a
preacher? It pleased God through the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe. Oh, but wasn't no preachers around
me. Really? You need to read that
next verse. How shall they preach except
they be sent? God sends his people a preacher. Now you write it down. That's
how it's gonna be. Ain't my words, that's his words.
God's love is not some passion that suddenly fills the soul
by some supernatural experience. Romans chapter five, verse eight.
Now listen to this. God commendeth his love toward
us. Here's how God's gonna show you
his love. He commendeth his love toward
us. And that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. And then John said this back
here in chapter four, he said here in his love, Not that we
love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation
for our sins. How did we know that? God sent
his son. Love is perceived by faith, which
Paul tells us in Romans 5, 5, it makes not ashamed. This love
is not going to, this word, this faith is not going to leave you
ashamed. It's going to deliver you. And
every time it does, the love of God is shared and brought
in your heart by the Holy Ghost. How could an enlightened sinner,
saved from eternal hell, not love the God who saved him? Huh? All right, now watch this. 1
John 4, verse 17. Herein is our love made perfect. Now I don't know about you, but
I don't have perfect love. I sometimes wonder if I have
any at all. I don't have perfect love. But
that's what he's talking about here. Herein is our love made
perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. We're
not talking about boldness in the assembly. We're not talking
about boldness out in the marketplace. Now we're talking about boldness
before the throne of God at the judgment. Now listen to this. Herein is
our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day
of judgment. Are you listening? Have I got
your attention? Because as he is, so are we. in this world. I have that perfect
love of Christ. If I have Christ, I have it. That's the whole reason God chose
us in Christ. Did you know that? Read Ephesians
chapter 1 verse 3. According as he hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world that we should be
holy and without blame before him being loved. That's that perfect love. And
that perfect love, he tells us, casts out all fear. What, your
love, you got enough love to cast out fear? I want to hear
it. You fear everything coming and
going, and so do I. And we're all ashamed of ourselves
when somebody talks about it. And sometimes when they don't.
I've never been proud of my love, have you? But that perfect love is in him,
see? And if I know something about
that perfect love, that perfect love casts out all fear. What did God withhold in this
perfect love for the believer? What did he hold back? Listen to this. This is called
the golden chain of assurance in Romans chapter eight. It starts
with verse 28 and goes down. But here's what he said. He said, he that spared not his
own son, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? So he's gonna give me the victory. He's going to give me the perseverance. He's going to give me the preservation. He's going to give me all of
these things. And if I understand that love,
and love being the wellspring of all these things, then perfect
love casts out all fear. You see what he's saying? He's
not talking about your perfect love, my soul. We get afraid and run and hide
every time the lightning comes and the winds pick up. We run
and hide in a shelter. Perfect love cast out all fear. I remember Brother Jesse telling
me, this been years ago, and I was, I preached that Sunday
on about us hiding every time the sky gets dark, and the lightning
comes, and the winds, and the tornado warnings, and all of
these things, and he said, I know God sits on the throne, but I'm
a white head, and when it blackens up, I'm gonna hide in the shelter.
So do I. But perfect love would sit there
and watch the television. Perfect love would. Our Lord
walked in the storm that was ready to sink the vessel, full
of experienced fishermen, seamen, who knew what to do in the storm.
And they'd all but lost all hope. The ship was going down, and
here come our Lord, and He was walking on the water, in the
storm, in the dark. Perfect love casteth out all
fear. There's no fear in it. How can
a believer go out and meet a holy God who can see his heart, who
can perceive his thoughts and intent of his heart? How can
you go out with any kind of peace and assurance and faith of God
like that? Because perfect love makes you
bold in the day of judgment. You see what he's saying here? Where are you going to learn
that love? Not from a man who preaches to the world. but from
a man who knows God. You see what John's telling us
all through these verses? This says as he is. It doesn't
say as he was, it says as he is. So are we in this world. Salvation is altogether. owing
to our union with the Lord Jesus Christ, being made one with Him. Now, our Lord talked about this
union in His prayer in John 17. He says in verse 21, that they
all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us, now listen to this, that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest
me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one,
I in them, thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, that
the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them
as thou hast loved me." That's perfect love. Believers are in Christ, and
as He is, so are we in this world. So let's talk about that for
just a minute. How is he right now? As he is, so am I in this work. So how is he? Huh? Is he worried? Is he upset? Is he wringing his hands? Is
he looking down over the banister ahead and wondering if all of
his work is going to come to naught? How is he? He's seated in full confidence of his victory. He's seated at the right hand
of the Father. Oh, how is Christ right now? Well, first of all, he's fully
and completely justified from all sin. Sin has no more to do
with him. Sin has done everything to him
that it could possibly do. Not talking about his sin, I'm
talking about our sins laid on him. He was delivered for our offenses
who did no sin. He was holy, harmless, undefiled,
and as our great substitute and redeemer, he bore our sins in
his own body on the tree. And we see the Son of God coming
into the flesh, hanging naked on that tree, and we see him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. wounded for our transgressions,
bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace upon
him. And we see the Lord laying upon
him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted,
but he opened not his mouth. Why? Why didn't he open his mouth? Why did not the son of God cry
out of his innocence? Cry out concerning a wrongful
judgment? Why didn't he cry out to his
father of a travesty of justice? Why didn't he cry out? Why did
he keep his mouth shut? Because with our sins on him,
he was guilty. And he had no plea. And he stood
before God. without a word. As a sheep before her shearers
is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. And he was taken in judgment,
and he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression
of my people was he stricken. And God made his soul an offering
for sin, and seeing the travail of his soul, he was, is, and
shall evermore be satisfied. He was delivered for our offenses,
raised again for our justification, and He fully justified, welcomed
into glory, put the crown on His head, and sat down at the
right hand of the Father. As He is, so are you right now
in Him. Thank you. We don't believe in shouting
and running out, but that ought to make you want to. Secondly, he's accepted into
honor and blessing. Deserving, fully deserving of
it. He didn't go up there and the
Lord said, well, I ought not let you in. But this one time,
I'm going to make an exception. No, no. He said, well done, thy
good and faithful servant, enter thou in. And when he did, he
said it to you, and he said it to me. Fully deserving. That's why sometimes it's called
a reward. Not because you deserve it, but
because He did and we're one with Him. Over and over throughout His
earthly ministry, He said that He came down from Heaven to do
the will of His Father. He was sent here with a purpose,
and that purpose was to manifest the glory of God in our salvation. And when He died on the cross,
He cried, it is finished. What was the work that the Father
gave Him to do? It was finished. The redemption
He was sent to accomplish. And upon the completion of that
work, he was raised from the dead, escorted into glory on
the clouds, and took his seat at the right hand of God. And unless I'm reading this verse
wrong, Ephesians 2, 6 says, he hath raised us up together and
made us sit together in heavenly places in him. As he is, so are
we in that day. No, that ain't what that says.
As He is, so are we in this world. Being quickened together with
Christ, we already have acceptance with God to the praise of the
glory of His grace wherein He's made us accepted in the blood. Thirdly, Jesus Christ is the
promised heir. He's the promised heir and as
He is, the heir, So are we in this world. We're
joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. And you know what? He's already
received the inheritance and he's given us the earnest of
it through his spirit. All of the promises of God are
yea and amen in him. Paul tells the church in Romans
8, 15, for you have not received the spirit of bondage again to
fear, but you received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father. The spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. And everything God
promised and purposed for his people to have is theirs by way
of the merit of the glorious person of Jesus Christ. Fourthly,
Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father in an eternal
and uninterrupted love. Listen to our great intercessor.
Listen to him as he pours out his heart to the Father. He says,
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. and that the world may know that
thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me."
As He is. Is He loved? You reckon the Father
loved Him when He sat Him down in His right hand? I can't even fathom the love
of God for His Son. I can't fathom that. And He said, the Father loves
you just like He loved His Son. As He is, so are we. He's seated in the full assurance
that all His enemies shall bow before Him and confess His Lordship
to the glory of God the Father. And He sits in a perfect confidence
that all that is yet to be done shall come to pass. And he tells
us in Hebrews 4, 3, for we which have believed do enter into His
rest. We rest with Him. His rest, His victory, His accomplishments,
His righteousness, His sanctification, His redemption. We rest in Him. Everybody that believes does.
Now my friend, let me tell you something. If God can rest in
the mediator, you can rest. If He can rest, I can. I can. Sixthly, and I'll wind this thing
up. Jesus Christ reigns over all. All power in heaven and earth
has been given to Him. There's none that can defeat
Him, change Him, or overthrow His purpose. In Revelation 20
verse 6 it says, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in
the first resurrection. On such the second death hath
no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall
reign with him for a thousand years. Now all these pre-millennials
believe that Christ is going to come a pre-trib rapture and
he's going to get everybody up and they're going to reign with
him for a thousand years and then he's going to come back
and go to the world. That thousand years just simply has to do with
the gospel age. We reign with him. We reign with
him. And there's no possibility that
even the gates of hell should prevail against his church because
his church is one with him whose reign is omnipotent. As he is, so are we in this world. Now go back to our text and I'll
close. Herein is our love made perfect,
verse 17. It's made complete, made full,
made mature. that we may have boldness in
the day of judgment, here and in the hereafter. And that is
because perfect love casteth out all fear. Now listen to this. There ain't no fear in love.
There ain't no fear in love. So how can we have this perfect
love and no fear in judgment? Because as he is, so are we in
this world. And there's coming a day which
we will have that perfect love. Because we'll see him as he is.
And we'll be like him. We'll be like him. Until then,
all I can do is look at it in expectation and worship and think
about it and praise God for it. Thank you.