0:00:01.184,0:00:05.113 "I am writing to you, little children, 0:00:05.113,0:00:07.017 because your sins are forgiven 0:00:07.017,0:00:10.761 for His name's sake. 0:00:10.761,0:00:13.167 I am writing to you, fathers, 0:00:13.167,0:00:16.244 because you know Him who [br]is from the beginning. 0:00:16.244,0:00:20.406 I am writing to you, young men, 0:00:20.406,0:00:24.521 because you have overcome the evil one. 0:00:24.521,0:00:27.261 I write to you, children, 0:00:27.261,0:00:30.079 because you know the Father. 0:00:30.079,0:00:31.597 I write to you, fathers, 0:00:31.597,0:00:35.723 because you know Him who [br]is from the beginning." 0:00:35.723,0:00:39.180 Him who is from the beginning. 0:00:39.180,0:00:40.949 The "He" and the "Him" 0:00:40.949,0:00:44.899 throughout this section is Christ. 0:00:44.899,0:00:47.133 The Father is called out distinctly 0:00:47.133,0:00:52.599 by "Father" or by the [br]term "God," the title. 0:00:52.599,0:00:55.762 The name. 0:00:55.762,0:00:57.603 Him who is from the beginning 0:00:57.603,0:01:01.106 throughout 1 John is 0:01:01.106,0:01:02.673 the Lord Jesus Christ. 0:01:02.673,0:01:04.497 "I write to you, fathers, [br]because you know 0:01:04.497,0:01:05.850 Him who is from the beginning. 0:01:05.850,0:01:07.355 I write to you, young men, 0:01:07.355,0:01:08.802 because you are strong 0:01:08.802,0:01:12.006 and the Word of God abides in you, 0:01:12.006,0:01:14.823 and you have overcome the evil one." 0:01:14.823,0:01:17.303 Now, I'm just going to tell you right off, 0:01:17.303,0:01:23.673 this might be a little [br]bit strong to say this, 0:01:23.673,0:01:26.753 but John perplexes me. 0:01:26.753,0:01:28.872 And I don't know how else to say it. 0:01:28.872,0:01:32.793 His mind does not work 0:01:32.793,0:01:36.099 the same way mine does. 0:01:36.099,0:01:37.723 He has an inspired mind, 0:01:37.723,0:01:39.373 so if there's any fault here, 0:01:39.373,0:01:41.253 it's undoubtedly with me. 0:01:41.253,0:01:45.238 To me, Paul is systematic. 0:01:45.238,0:01:47.458 I like Paul's way of thinking. 0:01:47.458,0:01:49.133 I love Paul's letters. 0:01:49.133,0:01:51.982 I can follow his logic. 0:01:51.982,0:01:56.038 He somewhat goes on a straight line. 0:01:56.038,0:01:58.587 John is just so different. 0:01:58.587,0:02:00.123 I'm not saying he's not logical, 0:02:00.123,0:02:01.613 but he's just different. 0:02:01.613,0:02:03.741 John Piper I think hits it on the head. 0:02:03.741,0:02:11.823 He likens John's mind to a bee 0:02:11.823,0:02:13.648 that's coming up to a flower. 0:02:13.648,0:02:14.995 Here you've got the flower 0:02:14.995,0:02:17.497 and the bee just kind of [br]buzzing around like this. 0:02:17.497,0:02:19.300 (buzzing) 0:02:19.300,0:02:21.510 That's kind of how his mind works. 0:02:21.510,0:02:23.871 He likes to circle. 0:02:23.871,0:02:25.841 In other words, he likes to come around 0:02:25.841,0:02:28.106 to the same things over and over again, 0:02:28.106,0:02:30.044 but he doesn't take exactly the same 0:02:30.044,0:02:31.630 trajectory each time. 0:02:31.630,0:02:33.618 He's kind of buzzing around the flower. 0:02:33.618,0:02:35.188 When you get the feeling Paul - 0:02:35.188,0:02:38.652 he's out here and he [br]just goes right in there. 0:02:38.652,0:02:42.050 And I think that's a good way. 0:02:42.050,0:02:43.734 And that's what we see right here. 0:02:43.734,0:02:45.317 I mean, we're going to see this 0:02:45.317,0:02:47.015 all the way through 1 John. 0:02:47.015,0:02:48.777 John is going to repeatedly 0:02:48.777,0:02:52.382 come back around to the same ideas 0:02:52.382,0:02:53.446 over and over. 0:02:53.446,0:02:56.111 He uses a little bit [br]different terminology, 0:02:56.111,0:02:57.755 it's true but you're going to see, 0:02:57.755,0:03:00.389 it's clearly the same thing 0:03:00.389,0:03:02.825 all over again, and all [br]the way through the book, 0:03:02.825,0:03:05.376 he just continuously does this 0:03:05.376,0:03:07.235 same kind of thing. 0:03:07.235,0:03:09.761 Yes, as he buzzes around that flower 0:03:09.761,0:03:12.148 he tends to introduce [br]some new information. 0:03:12.148,0:03:13.556 He takes us deeper. 0:03:13.556,0:03:14.942 He takes us further. 0:03:14.942,0:03:17.637 But he just keeps buzzing [br]around in these circles. 0:03:17.637,0:03:19.324 He's doing it right here. 0:03:19.324,0:03:20.412 I mean think about it. 0:03:20.412,0:03:21.813 "I'm writing to you, little children..." 0:03:21.813,0:03:23.125 "I'm writing to you, fathers..." 0:03:23.125,0:03:24.749 "I'm writing to you, young men..." 0:03:24.749,0:03:27.328 You get the feeling if that was Paul - 0:03:27.328,0:03:28.983 I get this feeling: 0:03:28.983,0:03:30.809 if it was Paul, he would have given me 0:03:30.809,0:03:32.559 an order that was like, 0:03:32.559,0:03:33.674 little children, 0:03:33.674,0:03:34.715 young men, 0:03:34.715,0:03:35.735 fathers. 0:03:35.735,0:03:37.709 I mean, there's descending 0:03:37.709,0:03:38.986 or ascending order. 0:03:38.986,0:03:40.095 There's order there. 0:03:40.095,0:03:42.186 And he would have said it once. 0:03:42.186,0:03:44.567 But that's not good for John. 0:03:44.567,0:03:46.467 He has to come back around and say it 0:03:46.467,0:03:47.516 all over again. 0:03:47.516,0:03:49.240 "I write to you, children..." 0:03:49.240,0:03:50.736 "I write to you, fathers..." 0:03:50.736,0:03:52.269 "I write to you, young men..." 0:03:52.269,0:03:53.753 And you know if you look at it, 0:03:53.753,0:03:55.022 he says some of the things 0:03:55.022,0:03:56.490 exactly the same, 0:03:56.490,0:03:58.537 but he changes some things. 0:03:58.537,0:04:00.788 And he adds different details. 0:04:00.788,0:04:03.612 And that's just John's style. 0:04:03.612,0:04:04.894 You can see this. 0:04:04.894,0:04:10.658 And I'm not saying that [br]there's anything wrong. 0:04:10.658,0:04:13.820 John is not illogical. 0:04:13.820,0:04:15.643 And repitition can be good, right? 0:04:15.643,0:04:20.011 Wise teachers repeat themselves. 0:04:20.011,0:04:22.233 It's like, you know, John is buzzing 0:04:22.233,0:04:23.139 around this thing, 0:04:23.139,0:04:25.176 and if he goes around it [br]once and you didn't get it, 0:04:25.176,0:04:27.057 well, he's going to buzz around it again 0:04:27.057,0:04:29.032 and he's going to say it [br]a little bit differently. 0:04:29.032,0:04:31.168 So probably, if you [br]don't get it the first time 0:04:31.168,0:04:33.884 you can get it the second [br]or the third or the fourth time. 0:04:33.884,0:04:35.305 And each time, he's going to develop it 0:04:35.305,0:04:36.643 a little bit more for us. 0:04:36.643,0:04:38.282 And like I say, we're going to see 0:04:38.282,0:04:40.236 in the months ahead throughout 1 John, 0:04:40.236,0:04:42.298 you're going to feel like, 0:04:42.298,0:04:44.801 weren't we already here? 0:04:44.801,0:04:47.751 Yep, just look back a chapter. 0:04:47.751,0:04:51.734 John already had us right here. 0:04:51.734,0:04:54.909 So, anyway, we see that circling style 0:04:54.909,0:04:59.248 in these three verses before us. 0:04:59.248,0:05:01.575 Now, what I want to do here 0:05:01.575,0:05:03.328 is give you an observation 0:05:03.328,0:05:06.353 and ask a question or two, 0:05:06.353,0:05:08.668 and then seek to answer those questions 0:05:08.668,0:05:09.726 before we move on. 0:05:09.726,0:05:12.027 Here's an observation. 0:05:12.027,0:05:14.211 Throughout 1 John - 0:05:14.211,0:05:16.255 I just want you to think about this. 0:05:16.255,0:05:17.553 I can tell you, 0:05:17.553,0:05:19.217 since I've been reading my Bible 0:05:19.217,0:05:25.525 as a brand new convert 25 years ago, 0:05:25.525,0:05:29.000 every time I'd read this, 0:05:29.000,0:05:31.142 I guess I would wonder, 0:05:31.142,0:05:34.157 why is it even here? 0:05:34.157,0:05:38.410 Why does John have to say it twice? 0:05:38.410,0:05:47.807 Why aren't these folks [br]apparently in order? 0:05:47.807,0:05:51.253 Doesn't he deal with all the Christians 0:05:51.253,0:05:52.773 that he's writing to as though 0:05:52.773,0:05:54.327 they're little children? 0:05:54.327,0:05:56.551 I see that title repeatedly 0:05:56.551,0:05:57.727 throughout this letter 0:05:57.727,0:05:59.409 when he's addressing everybody. 0:05:59.409,0:06:01.683 Why in this one place does he call out 0:06:01.683,0:06:06.249 fathers and young men as well? 0:06:06.249,0:06:08.276 I just want you to see this. 0:06:08.276,0:06:09.963 Throughout 1 John, 0:06:09.963,0:06:11.682 notice 1 John 2:1. 0:06:11.682,0:06:12.779 "My little children..." 0:06:12.779,0:06:14.805 Who's he writing to? 0:06:14.805,0:06:16.169 He's writing to everybody. 0:06:16.169,0:06:18.776 Everybody that he's [br]writing to who's saved. 0:06:18.776,0:06:19.808 Let's just say that. 0:06:19.808,0:06:22.157 He is making a distinction [br]throughout this letter. 0:06:22.157,0:06:25.437 He definitely has Christians in mind. 0:06:25.437,0:06:27.588 But he calls all the Christians 0:06:27.588,0:06:30.603 in 1 John 2:1 "my little children." 0:06:30.603,0:06:32.174 "I'm writing these things so that 0:06:32.174,0:06:33.533 you may not sin." 0:06:33.533,0:06:35.220 Well, he certainly isn't excluding 0:06:35.220,0:06:37.694 the older, more mature whatever 0:06:37.694,0:06:40.430 and saying I don't care about you guys. 0:06:40.430,0:06:43.670 Obviously, he's talking to everybody here. 0:06:43.670,0:06:47.245 "If anyone does sin..." 0:06:47.245,0:06:50.579 If anyone. He's talking [br]to all of them there. 0:06:50.579,0:06:52.554 1 John 2:18 0:06:52.554,0:06:54.133 "Children, it is the last hour 0:06:54.133,0:06:56.530 and as you've heard that [br]antichrist is coming." 0:06:56.530,0:06:59.700 Again, he uses two different Greek terms 0:06:59.700,0:07:02.579 throughout 1 John for "little children," 0:07:02.579,0:07:04.868 but nevertheless, he uses both of them, 0:07:04.868,0:07:05.868 by the way. 0:07:05.868,0:07:08.898 The first time in v. 12 he uses one, 0:07:08.898,0:07:10.906 and then when he refers to the children 0:07:10.906,0:07:13.194 again at the end of [br]v. 13, he uses the other. 0:07:13.194,0:07:16.004 But he's using both of these titles 0:07:16.004,0:07:17.265 throughout the book 0:07:17.265,0:07:19.838 to speak to everybody. 0:07:19.838,0:07:21.177 1 John 2:28 0:07:21.177,0:07:23.135 "Now little children, abide in Him." 0:07:23.135,0:07:24.991 That's everybody. 0:07:24.991,0:07:26.742 Everybody needs to abide in Him. 0:07:26.742,0:07:28.384 1 John 3:7, "Little children, 0:07:28.384,0:07:29.977 let no one deceive you. 0:07:29.977,0:07:33.079 Whoever practices righteousness[br]is righteous as He is righteous." 0:07:33.079,0:07:34.266 That's everybody. 0:07:34.266,0:07:35.831 1 John 3:18 "Little children, 0:07:35.831,0:07:37.594 let us not love in word or talk, 0:07:37.594,0:07:38.996 but in deed and truth." 0:07:38.996,0:07:40.608 1 John 4:4 "Little children, 0:07:40.608,0:07:42.557 you are from God." 0:07:42.557,0:07:44.034 1 John 5:21 "Little children, 0:07:44.034,0:07:46.732 keep yourselves from idols." 0:07:46.732,0:07:48.383 That's the observation. 0:07:48.383,0:07:50.005 The observation is that 0:07:50.005,0:07:52.872 all the way through 1 John, 0:07:52.872,0:07:56.423 he deals with all of the Christians 0:07:56.423,0:07:59.531 as being little children. 0:07:59.531,0:08:06.781 So, here in 1 John 2:12-13 - 0:08:06.781,0:08:09.461 (incomplete thought) 0:08:09.461,0:08:12.464 actually all three of these verses - 0:08:12.464,0:08:14.080 John does something that he does 0:08:14.080,0:08:15.546 nowhere else in his writings. 0:08:15.546,0:08:17.460 Not just anywhere else in this epistle, 0:08:17.460,0:08:19.481 nowhere else in any of his writings 0:08:19.481,0:08:21.581 does he ever call out 0:08:21.581,0:08:24.011 distinct categories of Christians. 0:08:24.011,0:08:26.336 That's my observation. 0:08:26.336,0:08:29.319 And the question is: why? 0:08:29.319,0:08:30.813 And before we try to answer, 0:08:30.813,0:08:33.248 perhaps a second question [br]should be asked as well. 0:08:33.248,0:08:35.776 Why does he throw these categories at us 0:08:35.776,0:08:38.907 in such a seemingly random order? 0:08:38.907,0:08:41.659 Little children, then fathers, 0:08:41.659,0:08:45.795 then young men. 0:08:45.795,0:08:50.231 And you know, who knows, right? 0:08:50.231,0:08:53.839 (incomplete thought) 0:08:53.839,0:08:57.399 Here's a possible solution. 0:08:57.399,0:08:59.626 Why does John address three groups here 0:08:59.626,0:09:01.119 and in the order that he does? 0:09:01.119,0:09:02.924 I mean here's a possible scenario. 0:09:02.924,0:09:07.527 The use of "little children," 0:09:07.527,0:09:10.077 "fathers," "young men," 0:09:10.077,0:09:12.064 and the order that they're in 0:09:12.064,0:09:15.923 may have originated something like this. 0:09:15.923,0:09:19.187 It's very possible that [br]what John's doing here 0:09:19.187,0:09:21.911 in v. 12 "I'm writing to [br]you, little children..." 0:09:21.911,0:09:24.050 is he does what he does everywhere else 0:09:24.050,0:09:25.142 in the book. 0:09:25.142,0:09:29.510 He is talking to everybody. 0:09:29.510,0:09:34.502 But then, what he does, 0:09:34.502,0:09:36.299 just this one time 0:09:36.299,0:09:39.083 and perhaps for no other reason 0:09:39.083,0:09:42.883 than respect, 0:09:42.883,0:09:46.744 just to show honor, 0:09:46.744,0:09:48.765 he feels led to address 0:09:48.765,0:09:51.137 these two specific groups directly 0:09:51.137,0:09:52.654 just this one time. 0:09:52.654,0:09:54.832 And the reason I say that 0:09:54.832,0:09:58.002 is with some biblical validity. 0:09:58.002,0:09:59.873 Think with me here. 0:09:59.873,0:10:01.551 You don't need to turn to it, 0:10:01.551,0:10:02.760 but let me just tell you 0:10:02.760,0:10:04.674 how Philippians starts. 0:10:04.674,0:10:08.364 Philippians - Paul is addressing 0:10:08.364,0:10:09.799 the Philippian believers. 0:10:09.799,0:10:13.498 He says, "Paul and Timothy, 0:10:13.498,0:10:15.322 servants of Christ Jesus..." 0:10:15.322,0:10:17.858 Listen to how he addresses them: 0:10:17.858,0:10:27.046 "to all the saints who are at Philippi 0:10:27.046,0:10:31.508 with the overseers and deacons." 0:10:31.508,0:10:34.356 Now you think about the [br]three categories there. 0:10:34.356,0:10:36.667 The first one is all-encompassing. 0:10:36.667,0:10:39.162 And then the second and third, 0:10:39.162,0:10:43.466 he calls out distinct people 0:10:43.466,0:10:45.584 in the church. 0:10:45.584,0:10:47.990 And he calls out those that are to have 0:10:47.990,0:10:50.493 the highest honor first 0:10:50.493,0:10:54.355 and then those that are honorable, 0:10:54.355,0:10:57.222 but not quite with that[br]venerability second. 0:10:57.222,0:11:04.898 That seems to be perhaps why we get this. 0:11:04.898,0:11:06.642 "Little children" is very endearing. 0:11:06.642,0:11:09.154 He calls them all by that. 0:11:09.154,0:11:10.562 But John knows he's got these 0:11:10.562,0:11:14.318 venerable, grey-haired 0:11:14.318,0:11:16.331 warriors of the cross out there 0:11:16.331,0:11:18.646 and these vibrant, spiritually strong 0:11:18.646,0:11:19.693 young men as well. 0:11:19.693,0:11:21.195 And I don't think it necessarily needs 0:11:21.195,0:11:22.690 to be gender specific. 0:11:22.690,0:11:25.860 He might be encompassing the grey-haired 0:11:25.860,0:11:27.197 and those that are young, 0:11:27.197,0:11:28.586 but he calls them out. 0:11:28.586,0:11:30.536 Like I say, maybe for no other reason 0:11:30.536,0:11:35.388 than just to identify them 0:11:35.388,0:11:37.133 and show his regard for them 0:11:37.133,0:11:39.047 and to show respect. 0:11:39.047,0:11:41.785 Anyway, Philippians 1 gives me 0:11:41.785,0:11:44.501 kind of a pattern for this same thing. 0:11:44.501,0:11:47.767 And so I think it is a [br]worthy cross reference. 0:11:47.767,0:11:50.216 It is worthy to look at. 0:11:50.216,0:11:53.152 Another observation that [br]I would make here: 0:11:53.152,0:11:54.982 As you read through this, 0:11:54.982,0:11:56.160 you never want to say, 0:11:56.160,0:11:59.873 ok, well, I'm not in two [br]of these categories. 0:11:59.873,0:12:01.273 I'm only in the third, 0:12:01.273,0:12:03.235 and so only what's in that third category 0:12:03.235,0:12:04.285 applies to me. 0:12:04.285,0:12:06.020 Listen, I can tell you this. 0:12:06.020,0:12:08.455 Every single thing said 0:12:08.455,0:12:10.841 in each of these categories 0:12:10.841,0:12:12.288 is said of everybody 0:12:12.288,0:12:14.452 somewhere else in 1 John. 0:12:14.452,0:12:16.099 In other words, 0:12:16.099,0:12:17.441 my observation is this. 0:12:17.441,0:12:19.275 When John addresses "little children," 0:12:19.275,0:12:21.762 when he addresses "fathers,"[br]when he addresses "young men," 0:12:21.762,0:12:23.504 he does not mean that what he says 0:12:23.504,0:12:25.721 about the fathers is only applicable 0:12:25.721,0:12:27.274 to them and not to you 0:12:27.274,0:12:30.055 if you're not one of the fathers. 0:12:30.055,0:12:33.480 You follow what I'm saying? 0:12:33.480,0:12:35.278 What's true about one here 0:12:35.278,0:12:37.311 is true about all. 0:12:37.311,0:12:40.606 1 John will show us clearly 0:12:40.606,0:12:41.771 that knowing the father, 0:12:41.771,0:12:43.790 knowing Christ, overcoming the evil one, 0:12:43.790,0:12:45.608 having the Word of God abiding in you, 0:12:45.608,0:12:47.350 these are all realities that are true 0:12:47.350,0:12:49.216 of all Christians. 0:12:49.216,0:12:51.372 John applies these truths 0:12:51.372,0:12:53.500 to specific groups that are real 0:12:53.500,0:12:55.476 and true and valid for the whole church. 0:12:55.476,0:12:57.681 So you don't want to skip over[br]any of these verses as though 0:12:57.681,0:12:59.029 they don't apply to you. 0:12:59.029,0:13:00.885 What's true in each category is true 0:13:00.885,0:13:02.626 of every Christian here. 0:13:02.626,0:13:04.252 That's just an observation. 0:13:04.252,0:13:08.350 So, now, I think we need [br]to really ask ourselves, 0:13:08.350,0:13:11.588 why are these verses here? 0:13:11.588,0:13:15.958 Now, look, if you're not really acquainted 0:13:15.958,0:13:16.997 with 1 John; 0:13:16.997,0:13:18.726 if you just read this letter through 0:13:18.726,0:13:20.717 over and over and over, 0:13:20.717,0:13:23.358 I think it will begin to jump out at you 0:13:23.358,0:13:27.009 that these seem to interrupt the flow. 0:13:27.009,0:13:29.062 They almost seem misplaced. 0:13:29.062,0:13:30.514 I mean, I'm thinking about 0:13:30.514,0:13:32.208 if I'm going to write to somebody 0:13:32.208,0:13:33.658 and tell them why I'm writing - 0:13:33.658,0:13:34.854 "I'm writing to you, little children, 0:13:34.854,0:13:37.016 because your sins are forgiven [br]for His name's sake." 0:13:37.016,0:13:39.463 If I'm going to tell somebody[br]why I'm writing to them, 0:13:39.463,0:13:41.416 I'm typically going to tell them that 0:13:41.416,0:13:43.876 at the beginning of the letter. 0:13:43.876,0:13:45.600 Why am I just going to jump in? 0:13:45.600,0:13:46.957 And the thing about this, 0:13:46.957,0:13:49.487 get a feel for the flow here. 0:13:49.487,0:13:51.044 (incomplete thought) 0:13:51.044,0:13:53.819 Let's read down through these verses 0:13:53.819,0:13:58.438 and omit v. 12, 13, and 14. 0:13:58.438,0:14:00.799 We have these tests of true Christianity 0:14:00.799,0:14:03.591 coming at us one after another 0:14:03.591,0:14:06.382 after another. 0:14:06.382,0:14:09.923 I mean, if you just think about 2:3. 0:14:09.923,0:14:12.299 "By this we know that [br]we've come to know Him 0:14:12.299,0:14:13.746 if we keep His commandments." 0:14:13.746,0:14:15.089 Bang! You're hit with this. 0:14:15.089,0:14:17.119 Do you keep His commandments? 0:14:17.119,0:14:19.031 If you keep His commandments, 0:14:19.031,0:14:21.238 you can know that you know Him. 0:14:21.238,0:14:23.222 This is a test of true Christianity. 0:14:23.222,0:14:25.154 "Whoever says 'I know Him,' (v. 4) 0:14:25.154,0:14:27.718 but does not keep His commandments 0:14:27.718,0:14:30.458 is a liar and the truth is not in him." 0:14:30.458,0:14:34.610 Wow! John's being dogmatic about 0:14:34.610,0:14:36.588 who is in and who is out. 0:14:36.588,0:14:38.443 "Whoever keeps His Word (v. 5), 0:14:38.443,0:14:40.877 in Him truly the love [br]of God is perfected." 0:14:40.877,0:14:42.115 I mean, he's saying, 0:14:42.115,0:14:43.431 you need to be those that 0:14:43.431,0:14:44.781 keep His commandments. 0:14:44.781,0:14:48.007 You need to be those that keep His Word. 0:14:48.007,0:14:50.118 "By this we know that we are in Him." 0:14:50.118,0:14:51.827 How? "Whoever says he abides in Him 0:14:51.827,0:14:53.907 ought to walk in the same way in which 0:14:53.907,0:14:56.531 He walked," and if you [br]don't, you're not true. 0:14:56.531,0:14:58.608 You're not real. 0:14:58.608,0:15:00.052 He goes on to talk about 0:15:00.052,0:15:01.209 this one commandment. 0:15:01.209,0:15:03.209 Love. "I'm writing you no new commandment, 0:15:03.209,0:15:05.035 but an old commandment,[br]that you had from the beginning. 0:15:05.035,0:15:06.545 The old commandment [br]is what you have heard. 0:15:06.545,0:15:07.827 At the same time, it [br]is a new commandment 0:15:07.827,0:15:08.760 that I am writing to you, 0:15:08.760,0:15:10.387 which is true in Him and in you 0:15:10.387,0:15:12.073 because the darkness is passing away; 0:15:12.073,0:15:13.825 the true light is already shining." 0:15:13.825,0:15:15.419 He says this about that commandment: 0:15:15.419,0:15:16.826 "Whoever says he's in the light 0:15:16.826,0:15:19.141 and hates his brother is in the dark." 0:15:19.141,0:15:20.702 You are not true. 0:15:20.702,0:15:22.584 You are not real. 0:15:22.584,0:15:24.958 "Whoever loves his brother [br]abides in the light, 0:15:24.958,0:15:27.324 and in him there is no [br]cause for stumbling." 0:15:27.324,0:15:29.348 "Whoever hates his brother [br]is in the darkness 0:15:29.348,0:15:31.899 and walks in the darkness and [br]does not know where he's going 0:15:31.899,0:15:33.840 because the darkness has [br]blinded his eyes." 0:15:33.840,0:15:35.201 Now you skip over to v. 15. 0:15:35.201,0:15:36.976 "Do not love the world or [br]the things in the world. 0:15:36.976,0:15:38.120 If anyone loves the world, 0:15:38.120,0:15:39.932 the love of the Father is not in him." 0:15:39.932,0:15:41.601 Again. He goes right back to the tests. 0:15:41.601,0:15:42.751 Bang! Bang! Bang! 0:15:42.751,0:15:45.557 You love the world, you don't know God. 0:15:45.557,0:15:47.381 The love of the Father is not in you. 0:15:47.381,0:15:49.638 That means you're lost. 0:15:49.638,0:15:51.310 "All that is in the world,[br]the desires of the flesh, 0:15:51.310,0:15:53.435 the desire of the eyes..."[br]He goes on in v. 18. 0:15:53.435,0:15:55.381 "Children, it is the last hour.[br]As you have heard that antichrist..." 0:15:55.381,0:15:58.251 In v. 19, "they went out from us[br]because they were not of us." 0:15:58.251,0:16:00.539 I mean, what's a good indication[br]that somebody's not real? 0:16:00.539,0:16:02.565 They go out from us.[br]If they go out from us, 0:16:02.565,0:16:03.707 they're not of us. 0:16:03.707,0:16:05.756 I mean, he's got these tests -[br]one after another. 0:16:05.756,0:16:07.963 Why in the world did he just stop in v. 12 0:16:07.963,0:16:09.987 and say, "I'm writing [br]to you, little children, 0:16:09.987,0:16:12.098 because your sins are forgiven." 0:16:12.098,0:16:16.660 It's like John, this interrupts the flow 0:16:16.660,0:16:18.492 of these tests. 0:16:18.492,0:16:21.831 It's like we're getting this barrage, 0:16:21.831,0:16:24.492 and then here's all these tests 0:16:24.492,0:16:25.635 coming at us; 0:16:25.635,0:16:27.476 shaking us with the reality 0:16:27.476,0:16:28.615 of true Christianity 0:16:28.615,0:16:32.343 and John just sort of unexpectedly 0:16:32.343,0:16:36.572 injects v. 12-14. 0:16:36.572,0:16:40.640 So what are we supposed to make of this? 0:16:40.640,0:16:43.328 Well, I think it's clear. 0:16:43.328,0:16:46.847 I think if you have any pastoral bone 0:16:46.847,0:16:48.440 in your body, 0:16:48.440,0:16:51.116 it's clear why he does. 0:16:51.116,0:17:00.568 Just compare 1 John 2:4 and 1 John 2:12. 0:17:00.568,0:17:02.294 Compare them. 0:17:02.294,0:17:03.258 1 John 2:4 0:17:03.258,0:17:05.573 "Whoever says, 'I know Him,' but does not 0:17:05.573,0:17:08.478 keep His commandments is a liar 0:17:08.478,0:17:10.285 and the truth is not in Him." 0:17:10.285,0:17:12.682 Now, let's do that all over again 0:17:12.682,0:17:15.251 with me adding this; 0:17:15.251,0:17:17.298 with you thinking about this. 0:17:17.298,0:17:22.460 How does this make you feel? 0:17:22.460,0:17:24.660 "Whoever says I know Him but does not 0:17:24.660,0:17:26.964 keep His commandments is a liar 0:17:26.964,0:17:30.559 and the truth is not in Him." 0:17:30.559,0:17:32.335 How does that make you feel? 0:17:32.335,0:17:33.736 1 John 2:12 0:17:33.736,0:17:35.831 "I'm writing to you, little children, 0:17:35.831,0:17:37.514 because your sins are forgiven 0:17:37.514,0:17:38.920 for His name's sake." 0:17:38.920,0:17:40.275 How does that make you feel? 0:17:40.275,0:17:42.948 Now, I recognize I changed my tone. 0:17:42.948,0:17:45.062 (incomplete thought) 0:17:45.062,0:17:47.894 But that's kind of the feel. 0:17:47.894,0:17:50.462 Why does he stick these in here? 0:17:50.462,0:17:52.592 I have a feeling he's sticks them in here 0:17:52.592,0:17:56.628 just because of the rigors of these tests. 0:17:56.628,0:18:00.221 These tests can shake you. 0:18:00.221,0:18:02.973 They sift us. 0:18:02.973,0:18:08.075 John knows this letter is tough. 0:18:08.075,0:18:10.200 And it is, is it not? 0:18:10.200,0:18:11.803 I mean, he knows. 0:18:11.803,0:18:15.614 He's calling people out. 0:18:15.614,0:18:19.378 He's calling people liars. 0:18:19.378,0:18:21.465 This is tough stuff. 0:18:21.465,0:18:23.133 (incomplete thought) 0:18:23.133,0:18:25.337 What happens when you start 0:18:25.337,0:18:28.925 telling people, "by this we know 0:18:28.925,0:18:30.390 that we've come to know Him, 0:18:30.390,0:18:31.807 if we keep His commandments." 0:18:31.807,0:18:34.070 I mean, where are your minds going? 0:18:34.070,0:18:37.156 Man, what does my life look like? 0:18:37.156,0:18:39.062 I mean, am I keeping His commandments? 0:18:39.062,0:18:40.723 We just came off [br]the one about loving. 0:18:40.723,0:18:42.108 I mean, you start thinking, 0:18:42.108,0:18:44.131 am I really loving the [br]brothers and the sisters? 0:18:44.131,0:18:45.401 Am I really loving them? 0:18:45.401,0:18:47.674 I mean, any of us that have consciences - 0:18:47.674,0:18:49.739 our imperfections, our failures, 0:18:49.739,0:18:51.287 they begin to jump up and down 0:18:51.287,0:18:52.494 in front of our face 0:18:52.494,0:18:54.137 and we're saying, ok, we know 0:18:54.137,0:18:55.207 this isn't perfection; 0:18:55.207,0:18:56.838 we know that this is a pattern of life, 0:18:56.838,0:18:59.159 and we're asking ourselves, I hope, 0:18:59.159,0:19:00.786 trying to ask ourselves honestly, 0:19:00.786,0:19:02.367 is there an evidence that God has 0:19:02.367,0:19:04.050 done something in my life 0:19:04.050,0:19:05.913 and produced this kind of person 0:19:05.913,0:19:07.092 out of me? 0:19:07.092,0:19:08.867 I mean, he knows that he is 0:19:08.867,0:19:11.577 describing true Christianity 0:19:11.577,0:19:13.987 in terms that are strong. 0:19:13.987,0:19:17.402 Isn't John dogmatic? 0:19:17.402,0:19:19.515 If you say you know Him, 0:19:19.515,0:19:20.907 but this isn't true, 0:19:20.907,0:19:22.743 you're a liar! 0:19:22.743,0:19:27.762 He doesn't have much grey area. 0:19:27.762,0:19:29.549 It's just boom! 0:19:29.549,0:19:31.535 This or this! 0:19:31.535,0:19:33.314 This is true or this is true! 0:19:33.314,0:19:35.356 That's it. Two categories. 0:19:35.356,0:19:37.465 There's no in-between. 0:19:37.465,0:19:40.082 And you can come out of these things 0:19:40.082,0:19:45.486 and feel beat up. 0:19:45.486,0:19:48.527 And you can imagine, 0:19:48.527,0:19:57.216 John - what's the reputation [br]we have of John? 0:19:57.216,0:19:58.980 He's the one that Christ loved. 0:19:58.980,0:20:04.621 He was also called [br]"Boanerges" with his brother. 0:20:04.621,0:20:06.268 The sons of thunder. 0:20:06.268,0:20:08.651 This feels kind of thunderous here. 0:20:08.651,0:20:10.507 But you can imagine John feeling like, 0:20:10.507,0:20:12.763 perhaps - think about it - 0:20:12.763,0:20:14.492 preachers know this. 0:20:14.492,0:20:16.028 You say hard things. 0:20:16.028,0:20:19.370 You get a feeling when, you know, 0:20:19.370,0:20:21.610 you're hitting people with hard things. 0:20:21.610,0:20:22.779 You get that feeling. 0:20:22.779,0:20:24.521 And undoubtedly, he's feeling, 0:20:24.521,0:20:26.193 wow, I've been really forceful; 0:20:26.193,0:20:34.542 I've been intense with people. 0:20:34.542,0:20:37.584 (incomplete thought) 0:20:37.584,0:20:38.962 What happens? 0:20:38.962,0:20:40.373 What happens when you start 0:20:40.373,0:20:43.117 laying tests out like this? 0:20:43.117,0:20:44.926 You know another thing preachers know 0:20:44.926,0:20:47.697 a lot of times is they take out 0:20:47.697,0:20:49.792 the spiritual shotgun 0:20:49.792,0:20:55.676 and this thing is full of bird shot, 0:20:55.676,0:20:58.409 and they aim at a certain person 0:20:58.409,0:21:00.197 or they've got certain people in mind 0:21:00.197,0:21:01.867 that this is really applicable to 0:21:01.867,0:21:02.817 and kaboom! 0:21:02.817,0:21:04.794 They blow a person off the front row 0:21:04.794,0:21:07.024 that they did not mean to hit. 0:21:07.024,0:21:08.632 But that's one of the problems 0:21:08.632,0:21:11.831 when you speak like this, 0:21:11.831,0:21:14.412 you have people that sit there 0:21:14.412,0:21:15.714 who are genuine Christians 0:21:15.714,0:21:19.337 with very tender consciences. 0:21:19.337,0:21:22.772 And you start talking like this, 0:21:22.772,0:21:26.280 and the hardened professing sinner 0:21:26.280,0:21:28.291 back there in that back row 0:21:28.291,0:21:31.511 who this is every bit meant for - 0:21:31.511,0:21:33.891 right over the top of their heads. 0:21:33.891,0:21:36.302 You shoot them and they've got 0:21:36.302,0:21:38.190 the bulletproof vest on. 0:21:38.190,0:21:40.270 It just bounced right off of them. 0:21:40.270,0:21:42.515 And you blew away sister so-and-so 0:21:42.515,0:21:44.483 in the third row. 0:21:44.483,0:21:46.753 And she's feeling crushed, 0:21:46.753,0:21:48.662 like going out of there thinking, 0:21:48.662,0:21:51.839 I can never be a Christian. 0:21:51.839,0:21:54.590 Her failures are there in her face 0:21:54.590,0:21:57.056 and she's going out. 0:21:57.056,0:21:58.306 She's wounded. 0:21:58.306,0:21:59.996 And that's the kind of thing that 0:21:59.996,0:22:02.964 he recognizes happens. 0:22:02.964,0:22:06.316 This very kind of thing. 0:22:06.316,0:22:08.236 As a child of God, 0:22:08.236,0:22:11.376 you can begin to feel like 0:22:11.376,0:22:13.984 you're made aware of your weaknesses. 0:22:13.984,0:22:15.860 You're made aware of your own failures 0:22:15.860,0:22:17.142 and your own struggles, 0:22:17.142,0:22:18.788 and John knows. 0:22:18.788,0:22:21.033 You say hard things like this; 0:22:21.033,0:22:23.046 strong statements. 0:22:23.046,0:22:24.954 You end up wounding people 0:22:24.954,0:22:26.167 and so what he does is 0:22:26.167,0:22:31.176 he actually interrupts these hard things 0:22:31.176,0:22:34.437 and he sticks something very comforting 0:22:34.437,0:22:37.829 and very encouraging right here 0:22:37.829,0:22:40.519 in verses 12, 13, and 14. 0:22:40.519,0:22:43.402 He's backing off. 0:22:43.402,0:22:45.029 He's certainly not backing down 0:22:45.029,0:22:46.375 from anything that he said. 0:22:46.375,0:22:49.192 But he's backing down from his 0:22:49.192,0:22:51.559 rigorous dogmatism 0:22:51.559,0:22:55.089 as to who's a liar and who's true. 0:22:55.089,0:22:58.859 He seems to turn aside for a moment 0:22:58.859,0:23:01.540 of comforting his hearers before he 0:23:01.540,0:23:03.433 goes back and he resumes again 0:23:03.433,0:23:06.020 the strong and rigid doctrine 0:23:06.020,0:23:09.458 that goes back to sifting [br]the hearts of men. 0:23:09.458,0:23:11.522 Now, I think the thing we need to ask 0:23:11.522,0:23:14.670 is well, ok, how are these [br]verses encouraging? 0:23:14.670,0:23:16.284 Because here's the thing; 0:23:16.284,0:23:18.768 here's the thing I'm thinking about. 0:23:18.768,0:23:23.141 Let's say I have a revelation from God, 0:23:23.141,0:23:24.493 just like he did. 0:23:24.493,0:23:25.911 And I know, 0:23:25.911,0:23:28.155 there are lost people 0:23:28.155,0:23:32.513 who profess to be Christians in this room. 0:23:32.513,0:23:34.176 And I come up here 0:23:34.176,0:23:36.180 and I'm giving you the test. 0:23:36.180,0:23:38.689 And I begin to lay these tests down. 0:23:38.689,0:23:40.940 I seek to weed out those who are false. 0:23:40.940,0:23:43.496 I stress you have no [br]true fellowship with God 0:23:43.496,0:23:45.116 if you walk in the darkness. 0:23:45.116,0:23:48.126 I stress that you're a liar [br]about knowing Christ 0:23:48.126,0:23:49.792 unless you keep His commandments. 0:23:49.792,0:23:51.298 I mean, I'm hitting you hard. 0:23:51.298,0:23:53.003 I have this revelation from God. 0:23:53.003,0:23:55.257 I know some of you are not real. 0:23:55.257,0:23:58.398 But at the same time, 0:23:58.398,0:24:01.583 I know that I'm likely going to wound 0:24:01.583,0:24:02.973 some of God's true ones. 0:24:02.973,0:24:04.350 I don't want that to happen. 0:24:04.350,0:24:06.372 But I know in trying to get to the others, 0:24:06.372,0:24:07.924 I've got to speak that strong. 0:24:07.924,0:24:11.208 But I also know how true Christians 0:24:11.208,0:24:15.215 are going to deal with this. 0:24:15.215,0:24:16.607 My question is this, 0:24:16.607,0:24:18.424 if I'm speaking really strong 0:24:18.424,0:24:20.686 and you've got sister so-and-so there 0:24:20.686,0:24:24.249 who is trembling. 0:24:24.249,0:24:28.785 She feels like I'm weak. 0:24:28.785,0:24:31.087 There's these doubts that are cropping up. 0:24:31.087,0:24:32.847 She's questioning. 0:24:32.847,0:24:34.818 She's wondering: am I true? 0:24:34.818,0:24:36.114 Am I false? 0:24:36.114,0:24:39.598 And you know the devil can [br]take advantage right there too, 0:24:39.598,0:24:44.090 and say, you're not keeping [br]His commandments. 0:24:44.090,0:24:46.788 Think about this time and this time. 0:24:46.788,0:24:48.174 You're not loving so-and-so. 0:24:48.174,0:24:49.738 Think about your failures here. 0:24:49.738,0:24:51.086 He can come right along. 0:24:51.086,0:24:53.143 That standard is so high, 0:24:53.143,0:24:55.251 you've never measured up to it. 0:24:55.251,0:24:58.014 Just listen to how he's talking. 0:24:58.014,0:25:01.685 Just listen to John's words. 0:25:01.685,0:25:04.115 And a feeling of [br]condemnation can creep in. 0:25:04.115,0:25:05.983 You feel like there's no hope. 0:25:05.983,0:25:07.652 And here's the thing, 0:25:07.652,0:25:10.032 if you're a true Christian [br]sitting out there 0:25:10.032,0:25:11.522 and you suddenly are flooded 0:25:11.522,0:25:18.270 by what are unwarranted doubts, 0:25:18.270,0:25:20.304 by these tests, 0:25:20.304,0:25:24.623 how is it going to be encouraging to you 0:25:24.623,0:25:27.124 for me just to interrupt all these 0:25:27.124,0:25:29.358 strong assertions, 0:25:29.358,0:25:31.833 and say, "I'm writing [br]to you, little children, 0:25:31.833,0:25:34.317 because your sins are [br]forgiven for His name's sake." 0:25:34.317,0:25:37.064 I mean, if you've just been shaken 0:25:37.064,0:25:39.497 to even wondering if you're [br]truly a child or not, 0:25:39.497,0:25:41.765 and I come along and I say[br]"I'm writing to you, little children," 0:25:41.765,0:25:44.031 you're saying, yeah, but he [br]knows some of us aren't true, 0:25:44.033,0:25:45.626 and I think I'm one of those. 0:25:45.626,0:25:47.374 So I'm not even in that crowd. 0:25:47.374,0:25:49.539 How does that comfort me? 0:25:49.539,0:25:51.466 What does that do for me? 0:25:51.466,0:25:54.220 How does that help? 0:25:54.220,0:25:57.015 If your assurance has been shaken 0:25:57.015,0:25:58.510 by these things, 0:25:58.510,0:26:00.065 some of you, your assurance 0:26:00.065,0:26:03.877 should be shaken by these. 0:26:03.877,0:26:05.872 But if you're genuinely a Christian 0:26:05.872,0:26:07.905 with a sensitive conscience, 0:26:07.905,0:26:11.571 the devil's there throwing [br]accusations at you, 0:26:11.571,0:26:13.357 if your assurance has been shaken, 0:26:13.357,0:26:14.668 how does a verse like this 0:26:14.668,0:26:19.801 rescue you from this? 0:26:19.801,0:26:21.787 I mean, do you see what I'm saying? 0:26:21.787,0:26:23.152 If you're already doubting, 0:26:23.152,0:26:25.213 how does this take away your doubts? 0:26:25.213,0:26:27.767 Wouldn't you just be minded to say 0:26:27.767,0:26:30.802 I don't even think I'm in that group? 0:26:30.802,0:26:31.991 He comes along here 0:26:31.991,0:26:34.136 and he's really positive 0:26:34.136,0:26:37.321 that somebody's sins are forgiven 0:26:37.321,0:26:40.032 for Christ's name's sake. 0:26:40.032,0:26:42.342 But we can tell by the way he's talking, 0:26:42.342,0:26:45.499 he already assumes some of us aren't real. 0:26:45.499,0:26:48.011 And I'm thinking I might [br]be one of those people. 0:26:48.011,0:26:50.003 And so when he goes and he starts talking 0:26:50.003,0:26:51.616 just to the little children, 0:26:51.616,0:26:53.323 how does that help me? 0:26:53.323,0:26:57.445 How does that rescue me 0:26:57.445,0:27:00.965 from my assurance being shaken? 0:27:00.965,0:27:03.215 Here the Holy Spirit undoubtedly prompts 0:27:03.215,0:27:04.822 John to back off for a second 0:27:04.822,0:27:06.537 in order to comfort and encourage 0:27:06.537,0:27:07.803 the true people of God 0:27:07.803,0:27:09.549 lest they become overwhelmed 0:27:09.549,0:27:12.943 by a false sense of condemnation. 0:27:12.943,0:27:15.516 How does saying this rescue them? 0:27:15.516,0:27:17.770 If they come away from [br]these tests with doubts 0:27:17.770,0:27:19.520 by the highness of the standard, 0:27:19.520,0:27:20.837 the dogmatism of John, 0:27:20.837,0:27:22.146 then he just shifts gears 0:27:22.146,0:27:26.657 and he throws these three verses at us. 0:27:26.657,0:27:28.815 "I'm writing to you, little children..." 0:27:28.815,0:27:30.738 Isn't this person just going to conclude 0:27:30.738,0:27:32.409 that they probably aren't really 0:27:32.409,0:27:34.948 one of the little children [br]that John's addressing? 0:27:34.948,0:27:37.744 And brethren, it happens all the time. 0:27:37.744,0:27:39.489 The devil is an accuser. 0:27:39.489,0:27:43.469 And you start setting up things like this. 0:27:43.469,0:27:46.146 Look, there's not one of us that have 0:27:46.146,0:27:48.586 loved the brothers and sisters perfectly. 0:27:48.586,0:27:51.034 There's not one of us that have[br]kept the commandments perfectly. 0:27:51.034,0:27:52.299 There's not one of us that is 0:27:52.299,0:27:55.077 imitating Christ, walking like [br]Christ walked perfectly. 0:27:55.077,0:27:57.364 And as soon as we start looking at this 0:27:57.364,0:27:58.919 and examining this in our life - 0:27:58.919,0:28:00.108 and these are the tests. 0:28:00.108,0:28:01.607 You don't want to ignore them. 0:28:01.607,0:28:02.862 These are God-given tests. 0:28:02.862,0:28:04.599 These have to be true in your life. 0:28:04.599,0:28:06.749 You are in one camp or the other. 0:28:06.749,0:28:08.756 We have to take these things seriously. 0:28:08.756,0:28:12.534 But as we're sorting through our life, 0:28:12.534,0:28:16.159 I think any of us that are honest, 0:28:16.159,0:28:22.761 this makes us feel like 0:28:22.761,0:28:25.863 this is a high standard. 0:28:25.863,0:28:29.951 Who can measure up? 0:28:29.951,0:28:31.506 Does anybody feel like that 0:28:31.506,0:28:40.250 when you hear these things? 0:28:40.250,0:28:44.749 (incomplete thought) 0:28:44.749,0:28:45.697 And I know this. 0:28:45.697,0:28:48.386 I hear this from Christians. 0:28:48.386,0:28:50.521 They struggle. 0:28:50.521,0:28:54.010 They just feel like I don't feel like 0:28:54.010,0:28:56.646 I'm loving the brethren like I ought to. 0:28:56.646,0:28:57.893 I don't feel like my life 0:28:57.893,0:29:00.662 is committed to Christ as it ought to be. 0:29:00.662,0:29:03.429 I don't feel like there's [br]a level of purity there 0:29:03.429,0:29:07.087 that I know there ought to be. 0:29:07.087,0:29:10.675 Here John, he sees [br]the Christian struggling, 0:29:10.675,0:29:12.089 and he interrupts things. 0:29:12.089,0:29:13.331 Just interrupts by saying, 0:29:13.331,0:29:15.685 "I'm writing to you, little children,[br]because your sins are forgiven 0:29:15.689,0:29:18.637 for His name's sake." 0:29:18.637,0:29:20.082 Isn't there a possibility that 0:29:20.082,0:29:22.416 that Christian is just going [br]to get carried away 0:29:22.416,0:29:24.067 with their doubts and assume that 0:29:24.067,0:29:28.215 John's probably not talking about them? 0:29:28.215,0:29:29.175 You know John knows 0:29:29.175,0:29:31.626 that there's imposters among us. 0:29:31.626,0:29:33.433 So he doesn't for a second believe 0:29:33.433,0:29:35.959 that we're all little children. 0:29:35.959,0:29:37.782 How does this really help bolster 0:29:37.782,0:29:41.967 the assurance of the true Christian? 0:29:41.967,0:29:43.680 That to me is huge, 0:29:43.680,0:29:45.014 because I'm looking at this 0:29:45.014,0:29:46.758 and I'm recognizing, 0:29:46.758,0:29:49.801 we get this. 0:29:49.801,0:29:51.660 I know we get people that struggle 0:29:51.660,0:29:52.857 with their assurance, 0:29:52.857,0:29:54.428 and they need to struggle with it 0:29:54.428,0:30:00.916 because they're not measuring up. 0:30:00.916,0:30:03.276 But we get people that get shaken 0:30:03.276,0:30:05.871 and they ought not to be shaken. 0:30:05.871,0:30:09.646 They're not ones that God [br]wants us to weed out. 0:30:09.646,0:30:11.969 They're His true children. 0:30:11.969,0:30:14.489 And so I'm really interested pastorally 0:30:14.489,0:30:17.736 to just examine this and say John, 0:30:17.736,0:30:19.873 teach me here. 0:30:19.873,0:30:28.210 Teach me how to help and to comfort 0:30:28.210,0:30:33.080 the little children when they get shaken. 0:30:33.080,0:30:35.137 So how does it help? 0:30:35.137,0:30:39.381 Well, look, to the best 0:30:39.381,0:30:43.132 that I can decipher here, 0:30:43.132,0:30:45.321 it helps just this way. 0:30:45.321,0:30:47.712 If you think about what's being said here. 0:30:47.712,0:30:49.185 John stops. 0:30:49.185,0:30:54.142 He looks at the Christian 0:30:54.142,0:30:59.102 who is feeling condemned; 0:30:59.102,0:31:04.931 who is feeling overwhelmed; 0:31:04.931,0:31:06.512 who's seen these tests 0:31:06.512,0:31:10.170 and is somewhat unsure, 0:31:10.170,0:31:13.074 and he says, look, 0:31:13.074,0:31:16.263 walking like Christ walked, 0:31:16.263,0:31:18.763 walking in the light, [br]confessing your sins 0:31:18.763,0:31:20.233 when you sin, 0:31:20.233,0:31:21.867 keeping Christ's commandments, 0:31:21.867,0:31:25.882 loving the brethren, 0:31:25.882,0:31:28.003 are you feeling that [br]this is way out there? 0:31:28.003,0:31:31.121 Are you feeling like this is [br]only for Charles Spurgeon, 0:31:31.121,0:31:32.917 Amy Carmichael? 0:31:32.917,0:31:34.318 Only they can live this way. 0:31:34.318,0:31:36.353 Do you feel like this is just impossible 0:31:36.353,0:31:38.299 for the average Christian? 0:31:38.299,0:31:40.523 Do you feel the standard is just too high? 0:31:40.523,0:31:43.052 And that what he's saying in this letter 0:31:43.052,0:31:44.630 is just being too dogmatic 0:31:44.630,0:31:46.488 and there's no hope for you to live 0:31:46.488,0:31:47.522 up to this standard? 0:31:47.522,0:31:49.044 The devil's throwing accusations 0:31:49.044,0:31:50.179 of your failure at you 0:31:50.179,0:31:51.522 and your own ineptness 0:31:51.522,0:31:53.154 at loving the brethren? 0:31:53.154,0:31:54.737 He comes and he says, 0:31:54.737,0:31:59.535 "I'm writing to you, little children, 0:31:59.535,0:32:01.941 because your sins are forgiven 0:32:01.941,0:32:04.666 for His name's sake." 0:32:04.666,0:32:06.217 You see what he's doing? 0:32:06.217,0:32:08.008 He's saying, look, you're thinking 0:32:08.008,0:32:10.530 these things are hard. 0:32:10.530,0:32:12.585 But he says, I know there's reality 0:32:12.585,0:32:13.979 among you. 0:32:13.979,0:32:15.075 I see it. 0:32:15.075,0:32:16.514 I know it. 0:32:16.514,0:32:20.240 He says precious children. 0:32:20.240,0:32:24.972 Let's take your eyes off the tests 0:32:24.972,0:32:27.869 for a second. 0:32:27.869,0:32:30.993 Let's just get your eyes off those 0:32:30.993,0:32:34.325 rigorous tests of true Christianity, 0:32:34.325,0:32:36.758 and turn your eyes 0:32:36.758,0:32:40.963 back to the initial wonders [br]of being a Christian. 0:32:40.963,0:32:44.715 Just forget your own failures. 0:32:44.715,0:32:49.463 You are forgiven for His sake. 0:32:49.463,0:32:51.706 Now you just need to dwell there. 0:32:51.706,0:32:54.994 It doesn't depend on your performance. 0:32:54.994,0:32:58.532 Because that's where [br]tests like that take us. 0:32:58.532,0:33:00.662 They take us to examining our life. 0:33:00.662,0:33:04.317 Rightly so. 0:33:04.317,0:33:06.376 But you can't get away from it. 0:33:06.376,0:33:08.019 You start looking at your life; 0:33:08.019,0:33:11.929 you start looking at your failures; 0:33:11.929,0:33:15.136 you start looking at your performance, 0:33:15.136,0:33:17.104 and he backs off this for a second. 0:33:17.104,0:33:20.214 He says, eyes off performance. 0:33:20.214,0:33:22.410 I want to take you back 0:33:22.410,0:33:24.875 just to the wonders 0:33:24.875,0:33:26.933 that you encountered in Christ 0:33:26.933,0:33:28.128 at the beginning. 0:33:28.128,0:33:30.685 It does not depend on anything 0:33:30.685,0:33:32.698 you have done or are doing 0:33:32.698,0:33:34.408 or will ever do. 0:33:34.408,0:33:38.181 Forgiveness of sins. 0:33:38.181,0:33:41.219 It's all about receiving a gift. 0:33:41.219,0:33:44.820 And it is free. And it is by faith. 0:33:44.820,0:33:45.894 And you know what? 0:33:45.894,0:33:48.145 The enemy of your souls may hound you 0:33:48.145,0:33:50.797 and accuse you and condemn you. 0:33:50.797,0:33:52.923 That may be true. 0:33:52.923,0:33:54.217 For your sins and failures, 0:33:54.217,0:33:55.474 and yes, they're there. 0:33:55.474,0:33:56.795 But you know what? 0:33:56.795,0:33:59.454 You can answer the snake. 0:33:59.454,0:34:01.398 But as much as anything, 0:34:01.398,0:34:07.356 you can answer your own conscience. 0:34:07.356,0:34:09.105 I mean here he is and he's saying, 0:34:09.105,0:34:12.715 I wrote to you because your sins 0:34:12.715,0:34:15.878 have been forgiven for His sake. 0:34:15.878,0:34:17.326 For His sake. 0:34:17.326,0:34:19.753 They haven't been forgiven you 0:34:19.753,0:34:22.492 for keeping any of these tests. 0:34:22.492,0:34:25.268 They've been forgiven for His sake. 0:34:25.268,0:34:26.904 You need to remember that. 0:34:26.904,0:34:28.933 You need to go back there. 0:34:28.933,0:34:30.889 Answer that snake every time 0:34:30.889,0:34:34.340 that he brings up accusations. 0:34:34.340,0:34:36.724 You bring up the name, 0:34:36.724,0:34:38.669 the blood, the righteousness 0:34:38.669,0:34:40.322 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 0:34:40.322,0:34:42.592 You know what you do not want to do? 0:34:42.592,0:34:44.657 You do not want to argue your performance 0:34:44.657,0:34:46.718 with the devil. 0:34:46.718,0:34:49.510 Don't do it. 0:34:49.510,0:34:52.069 Let him back you right into the corner 0:34:52.069,0:34:53.901 where your eyes have no place to go 0:34:53.901,0:34:55.507 but back on the Lord Jesus 0:34:55.507,0:34:58.050 just like in the very beginning. 0:34:58.050,0:35:00.591 It's for His name's sake. 0:35:00.591,0:35:02.782 You rely absolutely and utterly 0:35:02.782,0:35:05.767 upon Jesus Christ and upon Him alone. 0:35:05.767,0:35:06.953 He is your only hope. 0:35:06.953,0:35:09.607 You can be sure that [br]your sins are forgiven. 0:35:09.607,0:35:11.824 Why? His name is at stake. 0:35:11.824,0:35:14.184 It's for His name's sake. 0:35:14.184,0:35:15.715 It must be. 0:35:15.715,0:35:17.304 And he goes on to say this - 0:35:17.304,0:35:19.415 and I'm going to deal with these in pairs. 0:35:19.415,0:35:21.844 If you go down to 1 John 2:13, 0:35:21.844,0:35:23.328 to the end there, 0:35:23.328,0:35:24.789 "I write to you, children." 0:35:24.789,0:35:27.918 This is the second thing he says. 0:35:27.918,0:35:30.590 To the children - the little children - 0:35:30.590,0:35:37.280 "because you know the Father..." 0:35:37.280,0:35:42.550 You know the Father. 0:35:42.550,0:35:44.429 Brothers and sisters, 0:35:44.429,0:35:45.842 again, this backing away 0:35:45.842,0:35:47.382 from these rigorous tests. 0:35:47.382,0:35:48.420 And it's saying this: 0:35:48.420,0:35:50.886 I know this. 0:35:50.886,0:36:00.226 The Spirit is known as [br]the Spirit of adoption. 0:36:00.226,0:36:03.732 And as the Spirit of adoption, 0:36:03.732,0:36:10.647 what does He produce within us? 0:36:10.647,0:36:12.414 What comes out? 0:36:12.414,0:36:14.233 What comes forth? 0:36:14.233,0:36:16.473 What's the cry? 0:36:16.473,0:36:20.995 Abba, Father. 0:36:20.995,0:36:23.741 Abba, Father. 0:36:23.741,0:36:29.666 Again, he backs them off of these tests 0:36:29.666,0:36:33.157 just to the glories, 0:36:33.157,0:36:36.798 just to the simplicity. 0:36:36.798,0:36:43.111 Christian, have you not found 0:36:43.111,0:36:46.611 that God is no longer some far off force? 0:36:46.611,0:36:49.469 Some distant, out there God 0:36:49.469,0:36:53.242 on the horizon? 0:36:53.242,0:36:56.702 So often, the lost man just has this idea 0:36:56.702,0:37:00.142 of God either as Santa Claus 0:37:00.142,0:37:01.914 or is opposed to Him. 0:37:01.914,0:37:05.271 But it's not that anymore. 0:37:05.271,0:37:07.142 He's not some old man upstairs. 0:37:07.142,0:37:10.913 Suddenly, God produces something in you 0:37:10.913,0:37:14.428 when He saves you that cries, 0:37:14.428,0:37:17.534 not just "Father," - "Abba." 0:37:17.534,0:37:20.160 There's an endearment. 0:37:20.160,0:37:23.265 And it's true. It's real. 0:37:23.265,0:37:25.066 Do you not find a sweetness in that? 0:37:25.066,0:37:27.152 It's like he's pulling these Christians 0:37:27.152,0:37:31.025 back from "you're a liar," 0:37:31.025,0:37:32.447 if you don't do this. 0:37:32.447,0:37:35.963 He's pulling them back in to 0:37:35.963,0:37:40.319 just come back to the very wonders 0:37:40.319,0:37:42.236 of the foundations upon which 0:37:42.236,0:37:44.662 your Christianity is built. 0:37:44.662,0:37:48.859 You've been brought into this family. 0:37:48.859,0:37:50.852 And then he says this, 0:37:50.852,0:37:53.395 1 John 2:13 "I'm writing to you, fathers, 0:37:53.395,0:37:56.681 because you know Him who [br]is from the beginning." 0:37:56.681,0:38:00.470 In 1 John 2:14 where he [br]addresses the fathers 0:38:00.470,0:38:02.620 the second time, he says, 0:38:02.620,0:38:04.038 "I write to you, fathers, 0:38:04.038,0:38:06.048 because you know Him [br]who is from the beginning." 0:38:06.048,0:38:07.856 He says exactly the same thing 0:38:07.856,0:38:10.551 about the fathers both times. 0:38:10.551,0:38:13.560 And I don't necessarily think 0:38:13.560,0:38:15.720 Scripturally speaking that we need to 0:38:15.720,0:38:21.188 think just of fathers in an age - 0:38:21.188,0:38:25.114 a physical age sense, 0:38:25.114,0:38:28.435 but more so the spiritually mature. 0:38:28.435,0:38:31.013 But think about this, "Him [br]who was from the beginning" 0:38:31.013,0:38:32.247 as I pointed out before, 0:38:32.247,0:38:34.645 this is speaking of Christ. 0:38:34.645,0:38:36.911 And it's just come back from ideas 0:38:36.911,0:38:38.488 about your performance 0:38:38.488,0:38:41.415 and just think. 0:38:41.415,0:38:43.745 John's saying I know [br]this is true about you. 0:38:43.745,0:38:46.132 I can see it. 0:38:46.132,0:38:48.558 You've been professing to be a Christian 0:38:48.558,0:38:51.249 for a long time, and I can see. 0:38:51.249,0:38:54.399 There's an intimacy you have with Christ. 0:38:54.399,0:38:58.058 I can stand off to the side and watch 0:38:58.058,0:39:00.221 as some of these glorious lines 0:39:00.221,0:39:02.481 come off these songs. 0:39:02.481,0:39:04.922 I'm putting myself in John's position 0:39:04.922,0:39:06.282 if he could see. 0:39:06.282,0:39:07.775 He's saying, I know. 0:39:07.775,0:39:09.447 I can see. 0:39:09.447,0:39:12.234 I can see it in your eyes 0:39:12.234,0:39:15.326 when the name of Christ comes up. 0:39:15.326,0:39:19.720 It's not just some cold, dry, 0:39:19.720,0:39:21.947 like you think when you're lost 0:39:21.947,0:39:24.179 about the idea of religion. 0:39:24.179,0:39:26.814 It was just dry. 0:39:26.814,0:39:29.001 But the name Christ comes now, 0:39:29.001,0:39:30.468 there is a sweetness. 0:39:30.468,0:39:32.549 There is a beauty. 0:39:32.549,0:39:34.650 He can look and say, I know. 0:39:34.650,0:39:38.073 You guys have been walking with the Lord. 0:39:38.073,0:39:39.599 I can see it. 0:39:39.599,0:39:42.342 You know His voice 0:39:42.342,0:39:44.773 in a way you used to not know it; 0:39:44.773,0:39:50.634 His promptings. 0:39:50.634,0:39:54.556 I see this. 0:39:54.556,0:39:56.497 Not just knowing His voice, 0:39:56.497,0:39:58.049 not just knowing His promptings, 0:39:58.049,0:40:01.801 but knowing His silence. 0:40:01.801,0:40:03.860 Just coming to know His dealings 0:40:03.860,0:40:06.927 with His people. 0:40:06.927,0:40:08.104 He says, I see it. 0:40:08.104,0:40:10.508 I know it's there. 0:40:10.508,0:40:12.567 This is spiritual maturity. 0:40:12.567,0:40:13.783 John says I know, 0:40:13.783,0:40:15.626 some of you might be shaken 0:40:15.626,0:40:18.540 by the high standard that I put up. 0:40:18.540,0:40:20.256 But I look at many of you, 0:40:20.256,0:40:21.814 I look at your lives, 0:40:21.814,0:40:27.452 I can see Christ is special to you. 0:40:27.452,0:40:30.326 I know you are not serving Him the way 0:40:30.326,0:40:32.329 you want to. 0:40:32.329,0:40:37.035 I know you're not living the way 0:40:37.035,0:40:40.264 you know He's worthy of. 0:40:40.264,0:40:45.961 But I can see your eyes [br]light up at His name. 0:40:45.961,0:40:48.016 I can see the pain that you have 0:40:48.016,0:40:49.930 when He's dishonored. 0:40:49.930,0:40:51.777 I see that you know Him in a way 0:40:51.777,0:40:54.640 that the rest of the world [br]just doesn't know Him. 0:40:54.640,0:40:56.304 You see, he's bringing these people 0:40:56.304,0:40:58.448 to a place where he's going to 0:40:58.448,0:41:00.020 some of the basics; 0:41:00.020,0:41:06.229 some of the rudimentary realities 0:41:06.229,0:41:12.062 about our walk, 0:41:12.062,0:41:17.723 and how we view Christ. 0:41:17.723,0:41:21.557 How we relate to Christ. 0:41:21.557,0:41:24.230 And then he says this, 0:41:24.230,0:41:26.417 he's going to talk to the young men 0:41:26.417,0:41:30.257 about the devil. 0:41:30.257,0:41:33.977 1 John 2:13 "I'm writing [br]to you, young men, 0:41:33.977,0:41:38.481 because you've overcome the evil one." 0:41:38.481,0:41:39.863 He says just the same thing, 0:41:39.863,0:41:41.159 but adds more detail 0:41:41.159,0:41:43.104 like that bee that he is, 0:41:43.104,0:41:44.717 he circles back around 0:41:44.717,0:41:46.462 and deals with it the second time. 0:41:46.462,0:41:49.328 1 John 2:14 "I write to you, young men, 0:41:49.328,0:41:51.773 because you are strong, 0:41:51.773,0:41:53.407 and the Word of God abides in you, 0:41:53.407,0:41:56.759 and you have overcome the evil one." 0:41:56.759,0:41:58.214 It's like can you imagine? 0:41:58.214,0:42:00.923 You get all these tests thrown at you. 0:42:00.923,0:42:02.114 And you're feeling like 0:42:02.114,0:42:07.202 you've not measured up so perfectly. 0:42:07.202,0:42:08.974 You feel weak. 0:42:08.974,0:42:11.581 You feel defeated by [br]John's high standards. 0:42:11.581,0:42:13.655 And John says, 0:42:13.655,0:42:16.316 what are you talking about? 0:42:16.316,0:42:18.788 I can see you. 0:42:18.788,0:42:21.227 I know you're not perfect. 0:42:21.227,0:42:22.334 But weak? 0:42:22.334,0:42:23.962 When you sit there and talk about 0:42:23.962,0:42:25.633 your weakness and your failures, 0:42:25.633,0:42:28.658 it's sheer ignorance. 0:42:28.658,0:42:30.741 Really? 0:42:30.741,0:42:32.951 What does he see that we don't see? 0:42:32.951,0:42:35.741 John says I know you fail, 0:42:35.741,0:42:38.969 but as I mentioned, 0:42:38.969,0:42:42.666 the true Christian is going to confess it. 0:42:42.666,0:42:44.680 I'm writing to you that you don't sin, 0:42:44.680,0:42:46.560 but when you do, 0:42:46.560,0:42:48.224 the true Christian is going to find 0:42:48.224,0:42:50.281 an Advocate in Christ. 0:42:50.281,0:42:52.405 Their hope is only going to be there, 0:42:52.405,0:42:55.411 and the propitiatory work of His 0:42:55.411,0:42:57.899 upon that cross in satisfying God. 0:42:57.899,0:43:00.285 He says it's ignorance when you talk about 0:43:00.285,0:43:03.158 weakness like this. 0:43:03.158,0:43:06.620 That's strength. 0:43:06.620,0:43:07.892 We look at it as though, 0:43:07.892,0:43:11.944 well, it's only strength [br]if we live perfect. 0:43:11.944,0:43:14.224 He sees strength. 0:43:14.224,0:43:20.007 He sees triumph over the evil one 0:43:20.007,0:43:23.545 when we sin and we go to God 0:43:23.545,0:43:25.722 and we confess it. 0:43:25.722,0:43:29.162 And we look to the healing blood 0:43:29.162,0:43:31.585 of Christ. 0:43:31.585,0:43:35.321 Do you recall what this same John 0:43:35.321,0:43:39.363 tells us in Revelation 12? 0:43:39.363,0:43:43.257 How do they overcome the evil one? 0:43:43.257,0:43:46.757 By the blood of Christ. 0:43:46.757,0:43:51.045 How does the conquering take place? 0:43:51.045,0:43:53.245 So much of the conquering is here 0:43:53.245,0:43:54.498 that when we do fail, 0:43:54.498,0:43:59.289 when we do sin, where do we go? 0:43:59.289,0:44:01.829 We go back to the blood. 0:44:01.829,0:44:04.004 Remember right before that verse, 0:44:04.004,0:44:07.096 it says he's an accuser of the brethren. 0:44:07.096,0:44:09.111 You see, it's in his accusations 0:44:09.111,0:44:10.668 we overcome by the blood. 0:44:10.668,0:44:12.197 How? 0:44:12.197,0:44:14.543 Because you don't want to argue 0:44:14.543,0:44:17.293 performance with the devil 0:44:17.293,0:44:20.879 How do you overcome? 0:44:20.879,0:44:23.278 You know what the way [br]to deal with the devil is? 0:44:23.278,0:44:27.566 And even the accusations [br]of your own conscience? 0:44:27.566,0:44:30.250 It's true. I failed. 0:44:30.250,0:44:32.946 But let me tell you about the blood. 0:44:32.946,0:44:35.844 Let me tell you what that was shed for. 0:44:35.844,0:44:39.742 Devil, I did just fail. 0:44:39.742,0:44:45.617 I can list lots more failures [br]in my life than just that one. 0:44:45.617,0:44:47.788 But let's talk about the blood. 0:44:47.788,0:44:51.627 Let's talk about what that [br]accomplishes in my life. 0:44:51.627,0:44:53.606 These realities are found in Scripture. 0:44:53.606,0:44:55.254 He's talking to these young men 0:44:55.254,0:44:56.787 about the fact that this Word of God 0:44:56.787,0:44:57.906 is abiding in them. 0:44:57.906,0:44:59.660 And John's saying, I see you out there. 0:44:59.660,0:45:01.551 I see you that are reading your Bibles. 0:45:01.551,0:45:03.788 I see you that are affected [br]by the truths in there. 0:45:03.788,0:45:06.548 I see those of you that [br]see the Christ in there. 0:45:06.548,0:45:07.908 And He's your hope. 0:45:07.908,0:45:10.232 I see that. 0:45:10.232,0:45:12.245 I'm writing to you because you're strong; 0:45:12.245,0:45:13.242 you're not weak. 0:45:13.242,0:45:16.152 These things may make you feel like that, 0:45:16.152,0:45:20.382 but you have to recognize, 0:45:20.382,0:45:22.858 the Christianity that God puts forth 0:45:22.858,0:45:24.792 is for the average Christian, 0:45:24.792,0:45:25.954 if we can talk that way. 0:45:25.954,0:45:27.516 It's not just for the Charles Spurgeon's 0:45:27.516,0:45:29.149 and for the Amy Carmichael's. 0:45:29.149,0:45:31.879 This is for us. 0:45:31.879,0:45:37.287 And what these things look like in reality 0:45:37.287,0:45:38.836 is the kind of Christianity 0:45:38.836,0:45:40.925 we're living out in this place 0:45:40.925,0:45:43.131 by and large, most of us. 0:45:43.131,0:45:44.539 Those of us that are true. 0:45:44.539,0:45:45.862 What does it look like? 0:45:45.862,0:45:48.660 Yes, there's going to be failures. 0:45:48.660,0:45:50.241 Yes, that's going to be there. 0:45:50.241,0:45:53.093 Yes, we're going to fall [br]on our faces at times. 0:45:53.093,0:45:55.439 We have doubts and things will crop up. 0:45:55.439,0:45:56.543 And we're not perfect. 0:45:56.543,0:45:58.548 And we know it and John knows it 0:45:58.548,0:46:01.023 and the devil knows it. 0:46:01.023,0:46:03.875 But we don't deny those things. 0:46:03.875,0:46:08.098 We confess it. 0:46:08.098,0:46:13.072 We know. We acknowledge we sinned. 0:46:13.072,0:46:14.476 But devil, you tell me, 0:46:14.476,0:46:16.618 how do you answer to the blood? 0:46:16.618,0:46:19.027 Are you going to keep [br]on with your accusations? 0:46:19.027,0:46:20.718 It says we conquer him that way. 0:46:20.718,0:46:23.698 The truth is he has no answer to that. 0:46:23.698,0:46:25.884 And you know what [br]happens when you do that? 0:46:25.884,0:46:28.361 You just overcame the evil one. 0:46:28.361,0:46:30.652 Really? Wow! 0:46:30.652,0:46:32.328 See, that's what he's saying. 0:46:32.328,0:46:34.632 You're strong! 0:46:34.632,0:46:37.390 You're strong when you do that. 0:46:37.390,0:46:39.857 John is just looking out at many of us 0:46:39.857,0:46:42.746 and he's saying, I know your faith. 0:46:42.746,0:46:45.614 It may be weak, 0:46:45.614,0:46:48.181 but though it's weak, it clings to Christ. 0:46:48.181,0:46:50.095 I see you hesitating; I see you at times 0:46:50.095,0:46:53.544 questioning at the [br]forcefulness of these tests. 0:46:53.544,0:46:55.914 Yes, they're forceful. 0:46:55.914,0:46:57.371 They're strong. 0:46:57.371,0:46:59.564 Yes, your obedience is not always perfect. 0:46:59.564,0:47:03.046 Our love is certainly not always perfect. 0:47:03.046,0:47:05.852 But he says, look, there's evidence; 0:47:05.852,0:47:08.671 there's evidence of reality. 0:47:08.671,0:47:13.787 We must not expect this to be easy. 0:47:13.787,0:47:15.941 Because it's not going to be. 0:47:15.941,0:47:17.627 We're told to strive to enter in. 0:47:17.627,0:47:19.744 Many are going to seek to enter in there 0:47:19.744,0:47:22.819 and they're not going to be able. 0:47:22.819,0:47:24.746 We must not expect everything 0:47:24.746,0:47:27.356 in this Christian life to be automatic. 0:47:27.356,0:47:31.324 A lot of Christians, they become unsettled 0:47:31.324,0:47:32.493 because they feel like, 0:47:32.493,0:47:33.959 well, if I truly got saved, 0:47:33.959,0:47:36.061 this shouldn't be so hard. 0:47:36.061,0:47:37.585 They just feel like the switch 0:47:37.585,0:47:38.845 should just get turned off 0:47:38.845,0:47:45.176 on these lusts and desires of the flesh 0:47:45.176,0:47:48.031 that wage war against my soul. 0:47:48.031,0:47:51.189 It's just like, well, if [br]I was really saved, 0:47:51.189,0:47:55.822 wouldn't I stop feeling that? 0:47:55.822,0:48:00.692 Wouldn't I stop feeling [br]the pull of these things? 0:48:00.692,0:48:02.487 Well, as the Christian, 0:48:02.487,0:48:03.939 you battle this with truth. 0:48:03.939,0:48:05.426 You battle this with the blood. 0:48:05.426,0:48:07.008 Certainly, if you're born again, 0:48:07.008,0:48:08.906 you're a new creation. 0:48:08.906,0:48:10.777 But we know - Peter lets us know, 0:48:10.777,0:48:12.890 it's still a battle. 0:48:12.890,0:48:14.401 You're going to face combat. 0:48:14.401,0:48:15.893 You're going to face conflict, 0:48:15.893,0:48:16.783 fierce warfare. 0:48:16.783,0:48:17.582 It's hard. 0:48:17.582,0:48:18.655 We feel the hardness. 0:48:18.655,0:48:20.343 We watch others fall away. 0:48:20.343,0:48:22.400 It may cause us to tremble all the more, 0:48:22.400,0:48:24.972 but John says I see you there. 0:48:24.972,0:48:27.045 You have foundations in place. 0:48:27.045,0:48:30.010 I see there are those [br]of you that struggle, 0:48:30.010,0:48:31.913 but you show promise. 0:48:31.913,0:48:34.739 I write to you because I see those things. 0:48:34.739,0:48:36.106 Take courage. Take heart. 0:48:36.106,0:48:37.978 Be brave. Be courageous. 0:48:37.978,0:48:41.301 Press onward; upward; forward. 0:48:41.301,0:48:43.033 You may feel weak. 0:48:43.033,0:48:45.177 But you've got to remember, 0:48:45.177,0:48:48.823 when you deal with sin by the blood, 0:48:48.823,0:48:52.481 you overcome a mighty fallen angel. 0:48:52.481,0:48:55.192 You're showing strength. 0:48:55.192,0:48:57.651 You show yourself strong. 0:48:57.651,0:49:01.335 Not in yourself, but in Christ. 0:49:01.335,0:49:07.072 This seems to be what these three verses 0:49:07.072,0:49:09.873 are meant to do; 0:49:09.873,0:49:12.338 just to bring us back 0:49:12.338,0:49:17.763 to the wonderful glories 0:49:17.763,0:49:19.664 of being a Christian. 0:49:19.664,0:49:22.265 Some of these things that are just 0:49:22.265,0:49:25.316 they're there, they're realities. 0:49:25.316,0:49:29.190 John can look at them and say, 0:49:29.190,0:49:31.155 "I'm writing to you, little children," 0:49:31.155,0:49:33.487 because I know these things [br]are true about you. 0:49:33.487,0:49:37.014 I see these things are true about you. 0:49:37.014,0:49:43.246 Look, if these things are [br]not true about you, 0:49:43.246,0:49:47.331 then Christ bids you - 0:49:47.331,0:49:48.862 He bids you to seek Him 0:49:48.862,0:49:50.009 while He may be found. 0:49:50.009,0:49:53.363 He bids you to cry out to Him. 0:49:53.363,0:49:55.732 He bids you, like He says, 0:49:55.732,0:49:57.684 "Come unto Me, all you that labor 0:49:57.684,0:50:00.740 and are heavy laden." 0:50:00.740,0:50:03.613 He bids you to plead for mercy 0:50:03.613,0:50:05.555 in the name of Jesus Christ. 0:50:05.555,0:50:10.925 He bids you do that. 0:50:10.925,0:50:14.979 We don't want to give the dogs 0:50:14.979,0:50:19.936 the children's food. 0:50:19.936,0:50:21.261 But at the same time, 0:50:21.261,0:50:23.305 He doesn't want the children all shaken 0:50:23.305,0:50:27.357 about these things.