Assurance (Part C)

So we can accept what men say we doing many things every time you go over lower passel bridges you've accepted somebody said this to gold you and we understand this logic, how much greater when it's God's older humans comes along and says denies God's sovereignty has no right to communicate with men. He is no right to have an exclusive religion is not right to damn people he has no right to be God. That's the humanist position. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first John, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching.

Now here's Pastor Rick with this continuing study called assurance first John chapter 5 the Holy Spirit is treated as a person and he is holy and if you blaspheme him you John that deal five him when way that bowing down to Jesus as though he were God because he is. He did not consider it robbery to be counted equal with us so we see this pattern and of course the father's all God. So the Trinity is all over the New Testament there something else I wanted to comment on that just escaped me as I was thinking so I'm babbling to try to retrieve it because I thought it was very important but it's apparently gone so anyway if it comes back to me. Then I'll bring it up but this is a critical information concerning the Trinity and again though it is correct it's not from John's hand and we want to know about that you can again become emotionally emotional and toss it out. I listen to both sides of the argument, I think aside, this is no. John wrote this. I don't think they have the facts on their side, not without creating greater problems in the greater problem is to get rid of the source they have to circuit when I got to go by ancient Greek manuscript anymore. We're going to go by once you got a big problem now so and you should hear the vitriol the hatred coming from Dare you are a devil would dare suggest that you you don't even understand other parts of the Old Testament that have similar issues well. He continues for there are three that bear witness. I hope I've I've communicated that I hope you got that from beginning at in heaven and on earth is believed to have been put thought crept into the Scripture. It's not an original from John.

The evidence is is quite profound on that position. There are mentions of Cyprian using these words in defense of the Trinity, but it is a very that's a stretch actually if you look at which Cyprian said he could go a lot of ways that's it. I remember last time I touch on it and was finished I said boy I'm glad I'm done with this and here I am again, though I don't know if I'll live long enough to go to first John again, but if I do go to verse John and is my choice to be the last book I choose is it's a difficult book to to communicate because of so much of the background and this doesn't help any. Don't be afraid of these things. Your Bible is not been compromised. Not one bit. In fact, it is been proven to be more solid because we have again the way to fact check which was supposed to mean so much. He says, for there are three that bear witness the spirit, the water, the blood and these three agree as one.

That's how verse seven likely should read the John is now saying we have a collection of evidence that supports Christ was real and that everything we preach is genuine as opposed to the naysaying gnostics that come along at John's baptism Christ crossed at the Pentecost of Jesus Christ giving the Holy Spirit carrying Jerusalem till I come. And you shall receive power, and of course that was the Holy Spirit. So God made it clear that Jesus is who he claims to be God in the flesh verse nine.

If we receive the witness of men.

The witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he has testified of his son so we can accept what men say we doing many things every time you drove over lower passel bridges you've accepted somebody said this to gold you and where we understand this logic, how much greater when it's God's older humans comes along and says denies God sovereignty.

He has no right to communicate with men. He is no right to have an exclusive religion is no right to damn people he has no right to be God. That's the humanist position. John is saying that makes no sense. We can if we can receive information from and why can we receive things from God gather a lot of imposters and frauds. But there's also enough material to overcome them. How much more how much greater is God's witness over men. Men may be wrong, God is not. That's why we bring our Bibles. You may go to a church just to say let us not use this church.

This just use another once in all fairness, a good church and maybe the pastor wrong more often something you have the Bible to check him but this church we don't have to worry about that right well the spiritual communication of God again.

Second Peter chapter 1 that you know how can you not love this this there's this fisherman that assists if Peter lived today and was a fisherman like he was then who would go hear him preach who would study his letters and no one Christ put his hands on Peter never let him go. Even when Peter sank had sunk to the worst of the worst, he could be denying the Lord Christ never let them go single them out at the resurrection single them out on the beach. Peter writes we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ were eyewitnesses of his Majesty.

That's the kind of gumption that is expected of we Christians. We talk about our faith was supposed to be able to say no I'm not following fables. I'm not facts to back up what I believe in my facts come from God and that I can demonstrate how they come from God. That's the more prophetic word that Peter would go on to talk about. We have the more prophetic word. We have predictive prophecy both fulfilled in the process of being fulfilled and to be fulfilled. No one else has.

They may have their prophecies but they have no validation of the camper van den.net spiritual feature.

The facts of the New Testament are greater than the facts of everybody else and that alone upsets those who have not the spirit fine God is out for those who receive the truth at my conversion. It was instant I was the antichrist was reading the Bible to disprove the Bible is trustworthy at to disprove that Jesus is who he said he was. I was reading it so that it's a man wrote this, and it's not to be accepted. While I was reading it. God spoke to me in an instant and an instant I knew Jesus Christ to be the son of God. I knew the Holy Spirit to be the Holy Spirit of God. I knew God the father. I knew the Trinity. Instantly I understood the lights just turn inhabited the first verse. I got in a little bit actually was. When I got to that part about weeping and gnashing of teeth. That's when it really began work that I didn't want that, but I was already believing years ago I was working on us a construction site and I just let go of the steel column so I could stand back and look at the piece and out of the corner of my eye I saw electricity coming down the cable of the crane went right into the column would kill me.

I was the fourth story corner of the building and there was nothing but death waiting for me on the ground, a God save me from that I spoke about this with electrician brother and he said that electricity was there before you saw while he's right. I don't know really I know about electricity is that anointing about electricity and if he's right. That's how was it my conversion I was saved even before I knew I was saying. The processes were in place. It was a done deal. That's why I said when I got to the part about weeping and gnashing of teeth. Steve, I was upset it wasn't. I'm not reading this anymore. I am a princess.

I hate this it was want this. I don't want this to happen to me at the hand of Jesus Christ and then soon after he introduced himself. I remember laughing and weeping at the same time nobody was home with me. My point here that I am trying to make is that we have this inner witness of the Holy Spirit.

God is real and he knows how to speak to us. Not a problem for him at all is a problem for those who don't want to hear it and that's what John is a real believers. If you deny Christ in you a liar.

He's blunt right to the point is is for this in the bottom of verse nine for this is the witness of God which he tests has testified of his son and that is the spirit the water and the blood, the Holy Spirit, the life of Christ, the crucifixion of Christ. These are evidences acts chapter 1 verse three to whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Many infallible proofs, Polycarp, in his letter to the Philippine Philippines for Philippians Polycarp was a apostolic father. After the apostle use a disciple of one of the apostles.

He was martyred and 86, 87 years old.

He burned them at the state for not renouncing Christ his writings.

Much of the some of them were here with us to this day. In his letter to the Philippians he says whoever twist the sayings of the Lord to suit his own sinful desires and claims that there is neither resurrection or judgment will that person is the firstborn of Satan guys and play around then say only political correctness is we want to protect the guilty and we want to attack work against the innocent. By protecting the guilty. That's political correct the apostles to said let's just tell the truth and so that the apostolic fathers, and so is every Christian in succession that has been diligent in the work of ministry, who you believe rep Sacca who stands outside the walls of Jerusalem, saying that he's going to kill everybody in the seamlessly come over to him or reasonably Isaiah the prophet, and righteous king Hezekiah that's what it came down to who are you going to believe firsthand.

He who believes in the son of God has the witness in himself.

He who does not believe God has made himself a liar because is not believe the testimony that God is given of his son.

He who believes in the son is a receiver of salvation through Jesus Christ. Salvation has been made to simplify it is been communicated and validated by the Holy Spirit. Of course, the Godhead and Paul all you you can have it without the garden, fathers and sons on living and dying and rising again Holy Spirit communicating. Romans 816 the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, you know, when you talk to God in your prayers and you know he's listening. That is the Holy Spirit testifying your salvation you does not believe God has made him a liar. Seriously, he says we send it right seriously or maybe not at home but I want to go to colloquialisms blunt. That's how he says that you don't believe it. You're the liar that's with Scott set his men live and die insulting God, accepting the thoughts of other men rejecting the testimony of God. The testimony of God is more than just one thing is more to it than just speech or written words, same as with us is more to us than just sharing the gospel message how how are we living how is our testimony, he says, because he is not believe the testimony that God has given of his son.

What an insult to say to God. I believe you. God is telling his is what I did here is what is available in use and I don't believe it. Again, ye believe Satan's lies and Adam supported both one is guilty as the other. Watch out husbands and wives don't fall into the trap of competing with each other. Complement each other find that rhythm that Adam he just he complemented Yves sin where he should've been in rhythm with God. And so if you disagree with Jesus Christ you disagree with his plan of salvation and you're not saved in the Godhead is in unity or concerning this.

Good deeds cannot save anyone. It is the blood of Jesus Christ. And if you're not a believer in you been watching you need understand you cannot earn your way into heaven because you will not enter heaven with an IOU on God, you will not be able to pull out a ticket from your pocket and say I demand entrance into heaven because I've been a good boy next. Oho, you're a sinner you're born a sinner you live a send you die. One, you will either live and die one saved by the grace of Jesus Christ because you submit and believe in his plan for salvation, or you die and you go to hell. And if you you don't have to like it. You don't have to agree with it to better face and then agree with the message of Christ.

Verse 11 that's just missing this is the fear of God is missing from the soul. That's not say you have no fear about your eternal state.

You think somehow you going to pull it off, and Satan is just patting you on the back and you are loving it.

You just a rock star from hell. All the applause of evil is all about your rejecting Jesus Christ. I don't get to preach to unbelievers and I would like to preach to them more. I think we should start a kidnapped ministry throwing metal for now you're a believer Jesus Christ and conquer him in and bring the church.

Verse 11 and this is a testimony that God has given us eternal life, and this is in his son does make no apology is the same well you know this point I watering it down word for testimony is the witness and it is if I can make this word up is a lie. Lists witness the Colts lie all to pull off what they do they have to be dishonest and this should be a disconnect for us anyway when we are saved through the testimony that God reveals to us, our eternal awareness changes is that God has given us eternal life, and this is life in his son instead of punishment and sin. No one wants to die.

Everyone wants to live but okay we do die, so if we die we go to next you want to live happily ever after. Bottom line man is longing for lists. Ecclesiastes 311. He has put eternity in their hearts. That's humanity. He is put eternity into the heart, but there is a way that seems right to man, but it's way leads to death because he will not listen and you cannot force anybody into heaven science and technology cannot give eternal life to man. They cannot take away sin cannot destroy death. There's a big difference between science and scientists. Science is pure, it is the study of creation.

But what scientists do it. Science is another story and that's why they think their get away from Jesus card is found in the evolution of the species evolution was impossible. Billions and billions of years ago and it's impossible 10 seconds ago and will be an impossible billions and billions of years forward and they hate that they cannot produce the missing link.

Now they're lying more and more that just lying and insisting that they have the proof and they don't verse 12.

I know somebody who's going to the University and listen to that gibberish is right now thinking that I'm some sort of archaic fool that I blindly follow Jesus Christ. Once he's become my Lord, I blindly follow him because he's my Lord, but that's not blindness.

As you would like to charge me with it while eyes were wide open and the true believer has met Jesus Christ, and then I'm going to un-meet him to satisfy some bully or some principle of man. Some naysayer if you cut if you're not a believer of Jesus Christ and you come across a genuine Christian vegan nutrition is not going to back down from you on this point. If they do, maybe they're not as genuine as they claim this is by the help of God. Verse 12 for you as a son has live you does not have the son of God does not have life.

Jesus Christ is all the life there is. He says he does not he who does not have the son of God does not have life.

Incidentally, church membership saves no one its membership in the belief category with Christ. Jesus Christ saves us, and it is by faith Hebrews 11 six but without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Which means he can be sought, which means he can be identify which means he can be known, which means you can be pleased which means we can benefit verse 13 these things I've written to you who believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the son of God.

He doesn't say anything here about behavior, but he says everything about belief that you may believe you who believe belief will produce behavior were not saying behaviors and significant were saying. It's by faith through grace you're saved and that not of yourselves, and here he is referred when he says these things I've written to you the whole letter yes, but especially verses 11 and 12. This testimony that God is given us eternal life, and this is in this life is in his son speeding up here because of a little late so I better slow down verse 12 he says he who has the son has life. He who does not have the son does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of God, not in the name of Mary, that is an accursed belief. If you think Mary can save you or anybody else you are totally against the Scripture of God, you may be in line with some religion. When you are out of line with God's word and to be aligned with God's word is to be out of line with his will and to willfully be this way is to say, God, July because when acts 412 says, nor is there salvation in any other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

That's God's view and using another know is that the only name the new make God a liar and the judgment is on you.

You don't make these things up. We call it because there is says that you may know that you have eternal life. We want immortality. We want to live happily ever after. Once through Christ through this life. Luke chapter 1 verse four writing to Theophilus he says that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed to say I'm writing this gospel that I want you to understand that I want you to be assured I don't want you walking around wringing your fingers wondering about where you stand with God is not necessary, we can fix this, that you may know that you have eternal life. John says and that you may continue to believe in the name of the son of God because there were those that were saying. I'm going with the Gnostics. John is saying you crazy what you get this from. I want to close which is several verses that have the do with assurance was no Christian should be walking around in my saved MSA letter you believing in Jesus Christ.

You believe that you are a sinner you confess that you are a sinner you were to not sin. Philippians 16 being confident of this very thing, that he was begun a good work and you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ until he returns. Or you CM second Timothy 112. For this reason, I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that day is committed his life to Christ.

Second Timothy 418 and the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. June 24 now to him was able to keep you from falling at the present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Psalm 23. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This is assurance Blessed assurance don't take it away from yourself. Yes you going to mess up know you don't deserve it. There stands one mightier than you, sandal strap, you're not worthy to loose and he is identified himself with you in sin, even though he is sinless and the last verse I want to quote is from first John four verse seven. Love has been perfected among us in this that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because he is so are we in this world were still here. But we are going to have boldness in the day of judgment to enter into heaven, with thanksgiving, and hard to enter his courts in praise to say this is the day the Lord has made I will be glad and rejoice. All because of price you have rejected Christ through the gospel. Your sin is on you and your form is nobodies fault with yours do something about that with a confession of faith who thanks for tuning in to cross reference rate cross reference is a ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you'd like to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit our website cross reference radio.com find a number of teachings from Pastor Rick available there. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast you subscribe, you will be notified of new editions of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast apps. You can also follow the links@crossreferenceradio.com. We're glad we were able to spend time with you today to the next time to continue learning from the book of first John pastor I hear cross reference