Security & Sanctification, p.1

Scriber Bible Celeste go to first John, if you're not a member of grace like church and maybe just list again.

First of all, we're glad that you decided to do that tonight and we plan on being in first John until we get through, so you might want to study along with this first John was written by the aged apostle John.

He's riding in the context of should I say every epistle we study the context of false teaching. There was just an unrelenting effort of folks to come into the church and beer them off of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone and in particular this was the early days of what we call the Gnostic heresy not Gnosticism is like an octopus with a lot of tentacles, but some generally Gnosticism was a teaching that there was an elect group of leaders who had a superior knowledge. If you really want to know how to know God and what Christianity was really about that you had to submit to and learn from these Gnostic their superior knowledge and that which is really contrary to Christianity because no Jesus preach the gospel to the poor Christianity is and about necessarily having the intellect being so enlightened that you know all the facts of the world, though that's good to fill your mind with facts. If you have wisdom to use the facts but nevertheless they would esteem themselves and their great great deep knowledge and you had to follow them in one of the things that they came up with was that Jesus was not physical. He had no physical body. The real Jesus was a spirit and this spirit came upon Jesus in his early life are early ministry that it departed Jesus a lot when he went to the cross or something. It's a mystical kind of a notion, and so on. They would teach in addition to that, that the body is fallen and corrected in CN in all material things are inherently sinful, which is a lot they are not messy and has entered the material world's also entered with the spiritual world. By the way, there are demons and they're not spiritual or good there fallen but nevertheless material is good and of God.

And it's going to last for eternity. By the way he's gonna clean up all the material universe when he returns and restoring this go to be glorious but the Gnostics would say no if it's physical. It's it's it's inherently corrupt. It's irredeemable. You just can't fix it so you might as well just give over to that, the lust of the flesh and just indulge in it because it just can't fix it anyway and some of this was coming and it certainly you can imagine in this day when in the Gentile regions of the world, promiscuity, and fornication was actually a lifestyle.

It was just a common embraced lifestyle. It's always very easy for some of this ungodliness this honoring of God's commandments, primarily in the area of our sexual expression and orientation was just a common part of false teaching. So get that backdrop in your mind. And that's mainly what he's addressing. Pierce was going to Christians you want to have a love for one another and a love for God's commandments that is different from those kind of folks going to be a glaring contrast.

Let's read the text together, first John chapter 2 beginning in verse one my little children are writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate our law euros with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for those of the whole world, but this we know that we've come to know him. If we keep his commandments, the one who says, I have come to know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word and healed the love of God has truly been perfected by this we know that we are in him one who says he abides in him out himself to walk in the same manner as he walked now looking at this hour to talk about two basic things security and sanctification, and one builds on the other our sanctification that is living our life set apart from God living our lives under the rule of Christ, not under the reign of Satan and the values and precepts of this fallen world, but were set apart to live under the rule of Christ under the truth of the word of God, that sanctification set apart for God, but sanctification doesn't flow out of a teeth gritting determination to get our get our flesh in line. It grows primarily out of the glorious joyous security we have, because what Christ has accomplished for us, but in fact if your sanctification your service for God does not grow out of a deep love for Christ, then it has of a faulty foundation. Everything else is going to fail you, but at the love for Christ is there and that motivates you to want to honor him. That's what pleases God's let's talk about I our security in verses one into it first at our security we will talk about our law.

Your arm, I meant to say Christ, our lawyer is called an advocate in the same word below your wicket. Again, my little children when it would just stop there for a moment. This is characteristic of John to get he's older and there's a tenderness and a sweetness to his tone. He has the tender affection of an aged pastor or a spiritual vetting so you spiritual grandfather was very sweet in his demeanor for them. He does the same thing. What down in verse 12, when he says I'm writing to you, little children, you can just sense it in his spirit as he writes the tenderness he says I'm writing they say to you so that you may not sin. Interesting. Just statement right there. It's an Aristotelians and it has the idea of be finished with it no longer is it who you are to embrace and enjoy sin both the habit of CN are an occasional falling into a single act of sin. In other words, don't be like the Gnostics who can and who actually have the audacity to teach that Christian grace means we can be lascivious.

We can just get into the lust and desires of our fallen flesh.

Also, don't go there. That's not who we are, we ought to be those who should once and for all.

That's not who I am anymore. Then he goes on to say in verse one, but if anyone sins. Now he's not saying if anyone embraces and treasures sinning true child of God can do that you may enjoy a sin as a child of God, but you can't enjoy in the sin, but you say that's just turning words know it's not theirs and it is what the Puritan author one time said what my flesh loves. I hate it's a new disposition. So when he says if anyone sins. He's not talking about a lifestyle of embracing and enjoying in CN but I believers occasional sin, even the godliness. Do sin and some of you who think you like a pretty doggone good track record when you have sin, pride just to get some weight. One way or another were humbled by the fact that were still housed in this unredeemed package of humanity, and we all do, at least occasionally fail, our Lord, we do because were naturally weak because were housed in this unredeemed humanity and because of Satan's deceptions and then noticed the security we have, though, I mean how do we loose Christ to be loose.

Seven. Do we lose our home that we lose our fellowship far are we abandoned because were always going to find ourselves falling short from time to time know I'm writing to you that you would be the kind of people who should once for all. That's not who I am titled this in my life. I don't embracing treasure this but middle part of verse one. If anyone sins, we have an advocate Paraclete toss with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous that he hears what John is saying. He said he saying unlike the false teachers who profess to be Christian and are teaching false doctrine particular that salvation is Jesus.

Plus, there delete learning or Jesus plus indulging in these desires of the flesh. Unlike VM, those of us who are truly God's children who walk in the spirit of saying we want to be done with C and we don't want to embrace it and treasure it in our lives. We have a unique exclusive family blessing. What is that that our elder brother Jesus as our personal lawyer.

It's PSR advocate.

He is our personal go-between longer between us and the father of untraceable that is security. You can't be more secure before God and have the son of God, advocating for you before God the father. What a glorious position where if it's an exclusive family blessing is lot regeneration. Nobody but those in the family did regeneration. But in fact they don't even they don't get it. If you tell them about it. You remember to never forget. In one of the presidential debate so years ago George Bush the second was being asked about was he born again. Was he's what he believed about spiritual things and all the topic of being born again, he said, well, honestly I can't explain it because you have an experience that you won't understand it. I don't know the man's heart.

I like a lot of things about George Bush the second, but that's a pretty good answer. These are exclusive family blessings. And if you don't have it.

If you have an experience that you're not going to get it, no matter how much someone explains it to regeneration. We can go through the justification for talking about here, sanctification, and the certainty promise of glorification and then on top of that we have an advocate and intercede for us, Jesus Christ the righteous. What security folks listen, this is the basis for us a warning to keep his commandments. This is the basis for us, wanting to please God and not our flesh and not the world because we are grateful were humbled with joy that we have such an adequate advocate word advocate again is the Greek word Paraclete toss it literally means to come alongside to help ease our will becomes alongside it's almost in in my simple mind I'm I'm struggling and I'm weakened in Jesus's son, you have needs on will come alongside and hold your PIP because you going to face my father one day you will you not know Mike, it, but if I'm with you still be all right. You know you sing that movies and stuff or somebody's going to do bad places. Maybe some gang guy runs that part of town. Whatever it is that all of a sudden, another tough guy comes up says I'm in with it. If you're with me you're okay, but what this means I'll come along beside you in your will be with me and you won't have security before the father meant that this word Paraclete toss is used to get in John 16, seven words translated comforter or helper. Surely, in the glorious security that Jesus Christ is my hope, her and my comforter and about the way the Holy Spirit is the same thing. The Bible says he's one that comes alongside us to be our comfort and are blessed.

Jesus was that to the disciples while he was walking the earth, and he says that after I leave, I got another one stone, and he's just like me and he'll be your comforter, and he only your help.

Folks listen to later not as we face these are difficult days and by the way that these are very difficult compared to what our forefathers went through for Christ, but it is hard and I know people are hurting and people are anxious and people are worried. Here's what I tell you to open your Bible reading Jesus and cry at them as a Christ be my helper be by comfort you see if he won't show up and give you the help and the comfort that unity will will be faithful.

One man wrote that the spirit intercedes to a man for God and the son intercedes God for man so as Christians we get this double blessing that again is an exclusive family blessing. We have the spirit interceding to us revealing God to us and we have the sun representing us to God the father will verse one says he's geez he's our advocate and then he adds this qualifier piece Jesus Christ's the righteous.

Wow what a statement. In other words, he's not just a great guy with great intentions and he'll give you all these guys. He's more than that. He is the one and only human who is fully righteous. He's the human he's fully righteous because not only see fully righteous. He's fully God and he's fully man.

He's the God man. He's the only righteous one.

I found this definition in a lexicon, a great lexicon.

I thought it was real good when you're thinking of righteous righteousness. It means that he is thinking his feelings and his actions is holy conform to the will of the father. Think about that in every way. His thinking in every way his emotions are his feelings, and in every way, his behavior for his actions are holy conform to the will of the heavenly father. There's only one like that in his Jesus Christ. He's the righteous one, therefore he is our adequate advocate. He's fully innocent and bikini and all charges of transgressing or violating God's law and have a lot of those whose earthly ministry, but not one of them would stick because he is righteous, and he fully and perfectly To God's law. Christ is righteous in character, who years and in conduct.

What he does and has done and by the way, he specifically righteous in fulfilling the assigned duties of the office of Christ or Savior, God the father gave God the son, Jesus Christ the commission to fulfill the office of Savior, God the son Jesus Christ suggests father I joyously accept the duties of the office of Savior that is saving our church.

I'm telling you he is faithful to get it done. Now here's the next rotation for you and I were talking about security here were talking about this Jesus Christ is our logger advocate who keeps us settled in our standing in our relationship with God the father he ever lives. The Bible says to make intercession for us. Jesus is not doing his ministry. He's working his ministry right now. I faithfully interceding.

Did you know that he still saving us, not justification. He saving us that we get a liver to glorification right now and he can't fail. So we need to be exhorted tonight that we must not get the view in our minds that God is a God who wants his pound of flesh, that you think God's flock that because you're like that.

Okay, I'll forgive them, okay, I'm going to Passover their sin, but I tell you what I'm going to tell you what I remember do not see what I will get back about that that is not the way God is this what you are you so your ungodly NaturallySpeaking you're the opposite of him.

I don't know why to try to example but also always think of 7-Up the soft drink device. Do they still say it's the un-coal is that I don't know if they do that anymore, not because you have the: you have. It is always brown. It's got a sweet caramel. He tastes kinda and then you have 7-Up. It's the un-: it's clear this got a citrusy taste so it's the opposite. Well, that's the way we are.

There's a God and then the ungodly, God's not like us heat.

He wouldn't forgive and save a T-1 go watch you to what I'm keeping score here to what you know how you blessed me my name know how you did.

My church you know how you dishonored my truce and Moloch you know you lived involved vulgar rebellion and sin and disobedience to your parents dishonoring God ordained authority.

If I'm I'm gonna go get you back for it.

I forgive you but I will get you no no no. Do not put that on God. That's who you talk to when you look in the mirror. That's not the way God is he's not out for his pound of flesh was somehow Jesus over there talking on his robe single God please forgive them. That's not what this is the father wants to forgive you father wants to save you the father wants you to enjoy your absolute unaffordable unchangeable standing of security before him.

For God so loved the world. Think about it, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God wanted to do that because Tim greatly is not up for pound of flesh. He wants you to enjoy in the security that his son gives you, that's who. Years. Second Corinthians 519 says, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to him self so you instance of God the son is the only one that saving you, God the father saving you through God the son God the father wants you to be reconciled is a lot Jesus is for you but the father trying to figure out with the want you to come in or not is a lot Jesus is for you, but God for us and I don't know if I can trust them. Yet, no, no, no, God the father thought this thing up from the beginning. I placed his heart and his eyes of unmerited favor on you before the foundation of the earth had been his son Jesus Christ that their political God, but he is the son of God's son, Jesus Christ, then took on the role the duty of being the Christ the Savior who would righteously achieve a division of making us right in his eyes and secure in his presence. Well, the Bible tells us that we are the unrighteous. We talked about that. Romans 310 through 12 it is written as it is written, there is none righteous, not even one not even one, there is none who understands on your own. You have never understood who God is, or how to find them to get there you would never understood how to appreciate them or treasuring none who understands, there is none who seeks for God. You are sought for religion you sought for. Let's make a deal. God I want and I'll pray a prayer I'll start given my tireless I'll clean up my life a little bit. I do the ordinance of baptism start come to church with my husband or my family or whatever it may be no that's the Lex let's make a deal. God know you have never saw God actually how you're doing and that is seeking your own will be not seeking the glory of God. You never would seek God to honor him and love him and serve him on your own. Verse 12 all have turned aside, together they become useless. There's no one who does good, not even one. Romans 310 through 12.

That's us were the unrighteous ones but no think about it. That's where we are and yet he's this tri-unit. Holy God, to listen that mandates all his creatures be righteous that you hear that he mandates if he does not mandate it.

Then he himself fails the bar of justice which comes out of himself, he would contradict to be hips if he did not mandate all of his creatures be righteous, but as a substitute in our place. Jesus Christ the righteous who is our advocate all words out of our verse here he fulfills the mandate he fulfills it so the father can say not one tiny jot our tittle of my law or my holiness has been offended by allowing these into my family and the security of being mind and being with me forever.

Romans 518 and 19 for then, as through one transgression that was father Adam in the garden of Eden through one transgression.

The resultant condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness. That's Jesus there resulted justification of life to all men. For as thought through the one man's disobedience the many are made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one the many will be made here is righteous. He fulfills the father's mandate on our behalf that all this is based on his righteous character and his righteous conduct conduct rather on our behalf, and he therefore can declare us just look the father didn't cross his eyes okay process is okay are you.for them there.

Just know the father got his hands raised up, and he's excited and joyous and greatly happy. The Bible says there's joy in the presence of the Lord when a sinner repents there. There's a joy in heaven, and it begins with God the father. So don't you make God the father to this all steered distant hardened catalyst a judgment obeying.

He watch you say pays the God of all grace and if you know Christ as Lord and Savior.

He wants you to enjoy your secure the merits of his son Jesus Christ thinking about Jesus being our law. Europe thought what a lawyer he is like about what a lawyer. He is a mean I think I told you this years and years ago when I was a little boy growing up in Larkspur Tennessee. It's a big metropolis, about 40 miles north of here since I one day I was driving through and I don't know why was it I don't.

This is a big deal and all the small towns around that it was a big deal in my town that was if there's a fire. You can't follow the fire truck was just big. I don't know why what all my life as a child don't follow fire chose to guess what, you don't follow fire to me is like one of the seven deadly civilians don't follow fire well I was courting a girl, and she lived at the bottom of the heel down on the Kriegel subdivision down there and I was not going to her house, but I was close to the fire truck went over the hill down toward her house and I saw smoke with all my goods was going on and immediately remembered you don't follow fire truck, go put your expected future sheep. You never get out again and I mean it really was. It was kind of frightening thing is what gives Colette Barney Fife is drilled into me and us. So I followed the fire truck not real far not part to good bit away and I started walking a police officer was down there, and he solemnly saw where I parked, he came up and he gave me a ticket and I had to go to court.

I don't know. I don't remember.

I'm not good at going to court.

Praise the Lord by God's grace, but nevertheless I went to court I'm in, I'm hospice did and I didn't have a longer but my mom knew the judge and he was actually family friend and he just kind of poked at me and teased with me. To be honest and then he just dismissed it and I left the place up what you know it's good to know the judge should have a good thing with Jesus is think about it. Jesus is the best longer because he knows the law, he wrote he knows the case. He's one of us became one of us. He was tempted like we are, except without Sandy. He knows the case. He went to the Krause credit became our sin on the cross he knows the case and guess what he knows the judge he's taught with the judge's tax matter fact and one I can just picture me standing before him.

The judge on the bench with the judge supposed to be in Jesus is standing with me is my advocate, my lawyer and then after Jesus represents me. He goes over there he sits down in the judge chair because the Bible says all judgments been given over to the son think it whatnot. You can have a better lawyer than that. What's God trying to tell us what John tried to tell a series of think about the security you have in Jesus Christ, joy, and it reinstated glory and it tried to read may give you hope even in these uncertain times.

He is your adequate advocate secures you in the infinite, ever present, unquenchable, undeniable love and care of the heavenly father and the father didn't do this, but gradually the father joints and welcome you into the family as his child.

When Satan accuses us the Bible says Satan is the accuser of the brethren, when Satan accuses us we read in Job site was allowed into the presence of God. He made accusations against Job and God gave them some respect, Satan comes before God and accuses us in the court of divine justice.

Jesus our righteous law you're intercedes for us and based on his own merits.

The mighty gavel of divine authority comes down on the bar of justice and God declares us not guilty every single time every single see not not know you and I might argue that some men on week and men I struggle men.

I blew it again just in God's not looking at you. He's looking at the righteousness of his son. So in the merits of his son. He declares you act hold nothing against well I'm struggle hello Bob and preaching what the august body of congregation about 30 minutes. We know what I'm going to I'm going to end here because I don't rush through the rest of this Google talk about sanctification will become back together and how our walk of sanctification. No, listen to this and and and and and I don't know how I missed this at what I do know how Mrs. him earlier to Mr. because I had not experienced it, because as you experience faithful local church life. The Bible comes alive to you in new ways because God's all about the church. This book was written to a group of believers in the church might affect the entire New Testament is centered in local church life. That's going to be universal church one day were all will be one mighty church, but don't work that way you were restricted by time and space and we were were were not in that realm of the eternal glorified state so we have to function as local churches. But if what you go to find your sanctification and the fact that you let me put it this way, the way you walk in sanctification proves that you're truly God's and your truly secure now sanctification centers in your love for the brethren will talk about that more next week