Let's read this verse again,
1 John 5, verse 19. And we know that we are of God
and the whole world lieth in wickedness. I've entitled this
message, presumption or faith. I have to admit, if somebody
came up to me and said, I know I'm of God and the whole world
is lying in wickedness, I'd meet it with some skepticism. Why would you say that? This
statement is either a statement of incredibly arrogant presumption,
or it's that simple God-given knowledge and confidence that
arises from faith. And let me answer the question
from the beginning, presumption or faith, This is not arrogant
presumption. This is God, John, writing under
the inspiration of the Spirit of God, and he is speaking as
a spokesman for every believer when he says, we know. This is
speaking of every believer. We know that we are of God. and the whole world lieth in
wickedness. Now John uses this, we know a
lot, look in verse 18. We know that whatsoever is born
of God sinneth not. Verse 19, we know that we are
of God. Verse 20, and we know that the
Son of God has come and given us an understanding. Look in
verse six of chapter four, we are of God. He that knoweth God,
heareth us. He that's not of God, heareth
not us. Hereby know we the spirit of
truth and the spirit of error. Now, I can almost feel people
getting upset when they hear him speaking this way. Now, the
knowledge that John is speaking of, we know, is the knowledge
that comes only from Revelation. Let me repeat that. The knowledge
that John is speaking of is the knowledge that comes only from
revelation. No natural man possesses this
knowledge. It's not knowledge that is arrived
at through diligent study and searching. This is not something
you or I can come up with, this knowledge that he's speaking
of where he says, I know. Turn to John chapter three for
just a moment. John chapter three, verse three. Jesus answered and said unto
him, Nicodemus, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man
be born again, born from above, he cannot see. Now that word
see, it's the same word translated no. He can't see, he can't know,
he can't perceive. He cannot understand anything
about the kingdom of God. Now, let me repeat, this knowledge
that we're speaking of is not something that you attain to
through diligent study and searching. This is knowledge that comes
from revelation. God revealing this to you. This is infinitely beyond the
grasp of the natural man. Let me show you another scripture
in 1 Corinthians 2. 1 Corinthians 2, beginning in verse
12. Now we have received not the
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that
we might know the things that are freely given to us of God,
which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. comparing spiritual
things with spiritual, but the natural man, that's the way we
were born into this world. The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto
him, neither can he know them, neither has he the ability to
know them, because they are spiritually discerned. You have to have the
Holy Spirit. You have to have a new nature
to know these things. But he that is spiritual judges,
discerns all things, yet he himself is judged or discerned of no
man. No natural man understands him.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct
him? But we have the mind of Christ. It takes the mind of
Christ to know these things. Now, every believer without exception
is one who knows. The Lord said in John chapter
three, verse 11, we speak that we know and testify that we have
seen. And notice the Lord doesn't say,
I speak that I know. He said, we speak. And he's speaking
of every single believer to ever live. We speak that which we
know. and testify that which we have
seen. Let me give you some examples. Romans chapter three, verse 19. And we know that whatsoever things the law
saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth
may be stopped and all the world Stand guilty before God. We know that. We know that. I know that my mouth has been
stopped. I have no excuses. I have no
way of justifying myself or vindicating myself. My mouth's been stopped.
All I can do is stand guilty. Guilty as charged before God.
Now, not everybody knows that. Matter of fact, everybody that's
not a believer doesn't know it. But every believer knows this. If your mouth has not been stopped
and made you to stand guilty before God, you don't know. You're of that number that Paul
would call ignorant. They being ignorant of God's
righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness
have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.
Listen to this scripture, Romans chapter seven, verse 14. And we know, the we being every
believer, and we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal,
sold, sold under sin. Somebody says, How could a believer
speak that way? Only a believer can speak that
way. Only a believer knows. I think of that scripture in
Romans chapter eight, verse 28. And we know that all things work
together for good. I don't care what it is. I don't
care how bad it may appear. All things, we know, all things
work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
called according to his purpose. Somebody says, well, I don't
know. Well, a believer does. A believer does. A believer is
one who knows and all his knowledge, his knowing is derived from this. I know whom I have believed. That's why I know all things
work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are
called according to his purpose, because I know whom I have believed. Look back at 1 John 2. Verse
20. 1 John 2, verse 20, but you have an unction, an anointing from the
Holy One, and you know all things. I've not written
unto you because you know not the truth, but because you know
it. And no lie is of the truth. Now instead of every believer,
you know all things. And you know that doesn't mean
we have omniscience. You know that. Is Christ all? You believe that? You know all things. What is meant by the world when
he says, and we know that we are of God and the whole world
lieth in wickedness? What is meant by the world? Everyone
and everything that is not of God. John said in chapter two,
love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
Now he's not talking about not loving the beach, or the mountains,
or going camping, or appreciating the blessings of this life. He's
not talking about that at all. What's he talking about? 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.
For all that's of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father. It's of
the world. That's why he's talking about,
when he's talking about love not the world, don't love anything
or anyone that is not of God. Whatever's not of God, do not
love the world. Now, the Lord said concerning
his people in John chapter 17, verse 16, they are not of the
world. Now, if you're a believer, you
know what? You don't find your origin, and that's what that
word means, of, speaks of origin, it's where you're from. They
are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Now what
a mysterious, glorious thing. If I'm a believer, however the
Lord's not of the world, I'm not of this world. He said to the Pharisees in John
chapter eight, verse 23, you are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not
of this world. You know, the Lord's origin is
certainly not of this world. Now, when I speak of the Lord's
origin, he never had a beginning. He's always been. He's always
been. But he proceeded forth and came
forth from God. And that's the origin of every
believer. Turn to John chapter eight. I love this passage of scripture.
I love the way the Lord speaks to these people. He said in verse 42, Jesus said
to him, if God were your father, you'd love me. For I proceeded
forth and came from God. That's my origin. I'm of God.
Neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand
my speech? Even because you cannot hear
my word, you lack the ability to hear my word. You're of your
father, the devil, and the lust of your father you'll do. He
was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because
there's no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh
of his own for he's a liar and the father of it. And because
I tell you the truth, you believe me not. Which of you convinces
me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do
you not believe me? Now listen to this. He that's
of God, heareth God's words. You therefore hear them not,
because you're not of God. Now how plain can words be? If
somebody's of God, I'll tell you this, they'll hear God's
words. And if somebody doesn't hear God's words, and bathe in
God's words, and believe God's words, and receive God's words,
there's a reason. He's not of God. Now, what is
it we know concerning the world? We know that we're of God. We're
gonna get to that more in a moment. And the whole world lieth in
wickedness. What is it we know about this world? It lieth in
wickedness. The whole world, all of it, lieth
and is happy to be there in wickedness." Do you know that? It's what Paul
called this present evil world. Do you know this? The whole world,
that which is anti-God and anti-Christ and anti-gospel and anti-grace,
This whole world lieth in wickedness. Paul said the carnal mind, that's
the mind we were born with, is enmity. And notice the language. It doesn't say it's at enmity.
It says it is enmity against God. It is not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in
the flesh cannot please God. The wicked are estranged from
the womb. They go about as soon as they
be born. Speaking lies. And God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuous. Turn with me to the 14th Psalm
for just a moment. This is the only Psalm that's
repeated. It's repeated in Psalm 53. It's
quoted in Romans chapter three. Did I say Psalm 14 or Psalm 53?
Okay, 14. Look at verse two. Well, let's start verse one.
The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. Now, notice there is is in italics. He knows there's a God. He says,
no, God. I don't like you and I don't
like what you stand for. No, God, I don't believe this. I'm not going to bow to this.
No, God. They are corrupt. They have done
abominable works. There is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven
upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand
and seek God. They are all gone aside. They
are all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. Now, do you know this? Do you know that the whole world
lies in wickedness? And that's what you are by nature.
Do you know this? Remember, a believer is someone
who knows. Do you know this? Now back in our text, in 1 John
chapter five, verse 19, it says, and we know that we are of God. If I'm a believer, I know my
origin. Every believer knows his origin. We are of God. We ascribe nothing to ourselves.
And we really believe salvation is of the Lord. We really believe
that. We know it. We know it. There's no question
with us about this. We know it. We know. I love the
confidence of that. We ascribe nothing to ourselves.
For instance. Do you have faith? Do you believe
the gospel? You know the origin of it, don't
you? You know it came from Him. You know it didn't come from
you. You know it's the gift of His grace. I don't have to convince
any believer of that. They know it so. You know any
faith you have, He gave to you. It's the gift of His grace. We
don't look to our will as the origin, but God's will. I love
that passage of scripture. Who maketh thee to differ? We know, don't we? We know. Who maketh thee to differ? Well,
I can answer that question. God made you to differ if you're
a believer, and you know that. God made the difference in eternal
election when He chose you. Christ made the difference in
redemption when He died for your sins and put them away. God the
Holy Spirit makes the difference in regeneration when He gives
you a new heart. And you now believe. There was
a time when you didn't, but you do now. why he made the difference. You know your origins. You know
where you're from. Every believer. I love that scripture
in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 18, where it says, all things are
of God. All things, listen to this, all
things are of God. And if he's sovereign, and he
is, all things are of God. Not a sparrow falls to the ground
without your heavenly father. I love what Joseph said to his
brothers after they had sold him into slavery. And years later,
when he's the king, he said, now, it wasn't you who sent me. Well, they did too. They conspired
to murder him. Joseph still said, it wasn't
you who sent me, but God. He said, I formed the light,
I create darkness, I make peace, I create evil, I the Lord do
all these things. Somebody says, I just don't believe
that. He's not gonna lose any sleep over you not believing
it. As a matter of fact, it's all according to his sovereign
purpose. He is God and all things are
of God. Aren't you glad it's that way?
But in the context of this passage of scripture, he said in the
previous verse, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creation. He's a new creation. Old things
are passed away. Behold, all things have become
new and all things are of God. Now, yes, all things are of God,
but in the immediate context, in the new creation, all things
are of God. Every bit of it. Just like all
things are of God in the old creation. He didn't have any
help. He didn't consult with me or
you. All things are of God in the new creation. I think of
the scripture in 1 Corinthians 1, verse 30, it's one of our
favorite scriptures. But of him are you in Christ Jesus. Now here is one of the great
mysteries of scripture, this thing of being in Christ Jesus. According as he hath chosen us
in him. There's therefore now no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus. If any man be in Christ, he's
a new creature. Now, what does that mean? Would
you turn with the Hebrews chapter seven? Because I think that this
is the most simple explanation in the scripture to something
that's mysterious. Verse nine. Hebrews chapter seven,
verse nine. And as I may so say, Levi also
who received tithes. Now under the Old Testament economy,
it was the Levites that received the tithes. They were supported
by the people. And you gave your tithes to the Levites. As I may
say also, Levi also who received tithes paid tithes in Abraham,
for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met
him." Now, it doesn't say it's just as if he paid tithes. It says he actually paid them.
When Abraham paid those tithes to Melchizedek, everybody in
his loins paid those tithes. When Levi did it, when Abraham
did it, Levi did it. Now, here's the gospel. When Jesus Christ kept the law,
he did so as in us, him and everybody in him. You remember when we
said to John the Baptist, thus it becometh us to fulfill all
righteousness. When Jesus Christ kept God's
holy law, everybody in him kept God's holy law. It's not as if
they did it. It's not it's charged to their
account. It's they kept the law. When Jesus Christ died under
the wrath of God, I did too. So did everybody in him. Paul
said, I'm crucified with Christ. When Christ was raised from the
dead, everyone of God's elect were raised from the dead even
then. And the scripture says even right
now, we, every believer is seated in the heavenlies. If Jesus Christ
is seated in the heavenlies, so am I, because I'm in him.
glorious mystery of union with Christ. It's so glorious. How
does one get in Christ? Of Him. That's the only answer. Of Him are you in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 2.11 says both he that
sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one. We have the same origin. One. I love to think of the closeness
of this union. It's not real close. It's not
joined together and touching. There's no connecting point.
The Lord uses that Example, the vine and the branches, the same
stem that goes through the vine goes through the branches, and
there's no connecting point. That is the reality of oneness
with the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the same origin. You know, somebody could hear
this and say, you're crazy. Still scriptural, isn't it? To be of God is to be not of
this world. They are not of this world even
as I am not of this world. I love what David said, my springs
are in thee. To be of God, now remember he
said we know we're of God. To be of God is to be chosen
by God. Turn with me to John 15. John 15, beginning in verse 16. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. Somebody says, if you choose
God, that's because he chose you. Wrong. Wrong. You have not chosen me, but I
have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring
forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever
you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
These things I command you that you love one another. If the
world hate you, you know it hated me before it hated you. If you
were of the world, The world would love his own, but because
you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the
world, therefore the world hateth you. If someone doesn't believe in
election, God choosing as an act of his own free and sovereign
will every believer before the foundation of the world, if somebody
doesn't believe that, all they're saying is, I'm not of God. If
you're God, you'll believe. And if you're not of God, you
won't. To be of God is to be of his sheep. Turn to John chapter
10. Verse 24, then came the Jews
round about him and said unto him, how long dost thou make
us to doubt? But it shows how blind they were
when they said that. Lord wasn't making them to doubt. They were
blaming him for that though. How long does thou make us to
doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered
them, I told you. And you believe not. The works
that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me, but
you believe not because you're not of, there's that word, of
my sheep, as I said to you. Now, it's very important. He
didn't say you're not a sheep because you don't believe. He said, you don't believe because
you are not of my sheep. Don't you love the way the Lord
talks? There's no mistaking of what he's saying. He says in
verse 27, My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me
and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. My father which gave them me
is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of
my father's hand. Look in verse 14 of this same chapter. I am
the good shepherd. and know my sheep, and have known
of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even
so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep."
Now, to be of God is to be sheep. And it's to have all the benefits
of the Great Shepherd. You can say, the Lord is my shepherd.
that great shepherd of the sheep who laid down his life for the
sheep and put their sin away. To be of God is to be a sheep,
and to be of God is to be born of God. I talked about this last
week, so I'm not going to say much about it, but look back
in our text in 1 John 5, verse 18. We know that whosoever is
born of God sinneth not. Now, to be Of God is to be fathered
by God. It's to be born of God. It's
to be birthed by God. And you actually have a sinless
nature, a nature that cannot sin. Can that which God has birthed
and brought into existence from His own substance and from His
own character and from His own person, can it sin? No. No. If you are of God, You're born
of God. You've got a nature that does
not sin. You've got another nature that
all it does is sin. And you know that. I don't have to convince
you of that. And won't it be a joy to get away from that? To be born of God is to be taught
of God. I've got just a few more. I'll
be quick. To be born of God is to be taught of God. In John
6, verse 45, it says it's written in the prophets, and they shall
all be taught of God. And what a teacher he is. I don't
know how many times I've heard people say, well, God's trying
to teach me something. No, no, he's not. He doesn't
try to do anything. If he teaches you, you're taught.
And you know what happens when you're taught? Every man therefore
that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me. Now that's what someone does
who's taught of God. It's not just changing a theological
position, going from one position to another or a new leaf and
a new, no. Here's what happens when somebody's
taught of God. They come to Christ for everything. That's it. Until you come to Christ. If
you haven't, you've not been taught of God. And when God teaches
you, you'll come to Christ for everything. You won't so much
come to Him in faith, you'll come to Him for faith. You'll
come to Him for repentance. You'll come to Him for a new
heart. You'll come to Him for everything. And you can't come unless he
draws you, you know that, but you sure come. To be of God is to hear God's
words. He that's of God, heareth God's
words. Now listen to me, everybody that's
of God, they're gonna hear the gospel and they're gonna believe
it. How do you know that? Because
he that's of God, heareth God's words. That's how I know it.
You therefore hear them not because you're not of God. Heedeth of
God, heareth God's words. To be of God is to be not of
works. This is simple enough, isn't it? Romans 9, 11, for the
children being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God, according to the election,
might stand not of works. You know that's not where you're
from. You know that's not your origin. not of works, to him
that worketh not. Did you hear that? To him that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness. Now, if you're God, you're not
of works. You know that. You don't want to have anything
to do with anything like that. If you're of God, you have the
righteousness of God. You actually have the very righteousness
of God as your personal righteousness. Oh, that I may win Christ and
be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of
the law. I don't want to have anything
to do with that. but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God, by faith. To be of God is to have your
sufficiency, your ability to do a thing of God. 2 Corinthians 3, 5, not that
we're sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves,
but our sufficiency. Our ability is of God. It doesn't come from us. It's
of God. Now, you gotta believe. The Holy Spirit doesn't believe
for you. You must yourself believe the gospel. And the only reason
you do it is because your sufficiency is of God. Finally, I got too many points
to this message, I'm sorry. But finally, to be of God is
to be members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. If I'm of God, that means I am
part of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. mysterious, glorious,
and true. I am a part of his body, and
beloved, he's not gonna have a main body. He's not gonna have
any parts missing. This is the will of him that's
in me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing,
but raise it up again at the last day. Now, Every believer, with that exception,
we know we're a God. Understand this is not saying
we know we're saved. That's not what that's saying.
People, you know, when somebody says to me, I know I'm saved,
I'm thinking, I don't know you are. You know, just that kind
of presumptuous way of thinking, I know I'm saved, nobody can
tell me any different. Well, you know, I hope you are. This
is not saying, I know I'm saved. I hope you do, but that's not
what this is saying. This is not talking about assurance of
personal salvation. We know this, we're of God. We're of God. At our origin, we ascribe nothing
to ourself. We're of God. We're one with
Him, have the same origin, chosen of God, birthed of God, the sheep
of God. We're of God. We know we're of
God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. We know. Let's pray. Lord, what a glorious, mysterious, God-honoring, Christ-glorifying
gospel is the gospel of thy son. And Lord, we confess, as thy people, we're of God. And Lord, we confess that this
whole world that is not of God lieth in wickedness. And Lord,
how we thank you for the gospel, this glorious gospel that makes
people like us to be of thee. Bless this message for your glory
and for our good. In Christ's name we pray, amen.