Attached and Attacked (Part B)

I have fought the good fight. Paul said I finished the race, I kept the faith. This man's talking as though this is an accomplishment because it is-fought the good fight, that's what it is. I finished the race, even when tired. I kept the faith and going may have struggled here and there. That's with grace abound Paul at no time would've told you he was sinless, in fact, as he aged, he said I'm a bigger sinner now than I was when I started this is cross-referenced with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Ricky 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-referenced specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Today's message is called attached and attacked Pastor Rick will be teaching through first John chapter 2, they sacrifice to demons, no Moses, no they don't think there demons that they're sacrificing to what he knows they are, and of course we know Moses was politically correct.

No lying in the pulpit brother know he was not. They sacrifice to demons, not to God to God's they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear Johnny-come-lately's they show up late.

They don't know that talking about going over there doing the wrong they're not time-tested and not proven not trustworthy, not true, and we are against that and the people who hold those views. We hope to reach when we can't hope to destroy their influence. Any chance we get. Just like they're trying to destroy ours. That is called war. Paul says it this way in the New Testament is, but I fear less somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ he's talking to men and women say over just you women are susceptible like is all of you are susceptible to this simplicity that is in Christ. Why a Christian so often trying to paint Christianity to improve it. It doesn't need any improvement. It needs practice it needs to be put into work. I don't need another chapter of the Bible. I have my handful with everything I have already. I just need to pull it off to do it. Paul writing to Timothy. He says the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, that time is here. He continues, according to their own desires because they have itching ears, they just gotta have something. He says they will pile up for themselves teachers.

That's what he says and they will turn the years away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. This is what John stealing for all of them were dealing with this we deal with.

If you looking for relief from this, it ain't happening here not on earth.

He continues in verse 27 and you do not need that anyone teach you know clearly well should be clearly is not prohibiting teaching because that's what he's doing his tribute that well would be like saying again when it teaches the libido. Listen to me since this is exactly what he is doing instructing them as he has been told by Jesus.

We know that he is a there's a deeper meaning to this and deeper. I don't mean in the sense what that's are not in that sense at all.

I'll get the bad with Jesus said to his disciples, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

That's the mending of course, Ephesians 4, he himself gave some to be in it with teachers, pastor teachers, not pastors and teachers that we have other teachers in the children's ministry, for example, but I believe that pastors are to be teachers. Otherwise, what's he doing running for office all the time kissing babies and handing out lollipops of something trying to get people to like him. Find out who's housing going dinner at. I'm not saying is wrong to do that, especially if the food is very good but I am saying. That's never a motivation for pastor pastor goes to people's houses, but the Lord tells them to a doesn't go to other houses because it not he's telling them not to be led by the Spirit, and you can do that in different ways a person's disposition. Some bass is a very people minded that just they can do that is no problem for them.

They like being around the people walked into that one.

I don't dislike people well let me be something I like him for us a period of time and then I got a go to my corner. I know blinking time or something but it so I'm going to insert for a few hours, but if I had to be with you all for 24 hours, I'd be dead.

I'm getting get away from me sometimes. But that's another story Seth have any of you ever felt that you'd like to get a break from yourself. You mean you do something really to Omsk. I cannot be like Pastor Rick.

Anyway, let's bring this back to what I'm saying this teaching John 17. I do not pray for these alone. Thank you Lord Jesus, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. How many multitudes or into that. That's us. That's almost between so yeah we we going to believe because of their word their teaching.

So of course he's not prohibiting teaching proper teaching of the Scripture else there would be no such thing as rabbis. So what is going on here is we do show the way of salvation. We don't teach that there are deeper things to it that only we have. We do not abuse the teaching by lording over the flock by pretending to know things that are esoteric. You are not going to find this being preached by the apostles because they've not gone deep enough, which is what the Gnostics were doing and there were some following this stuff because areas were tickling who tell me more. We meet John doesn't know this.

They may not verbalize it. That might've been 2 1/2 years. They were thinking it and we still have people they want knowledge they want Bible dictionaries and and reference books and other books and want to read. Maybe so they can know more than other people, not because they want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and love people and do the work of the Lord.

So what is the motive is always the question when it comes to such things. John chapter 6 verse 45. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be taught by God. Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the father comes to me. You see this conversion and that take. It's about coming to God is the work of the Holy Spirit to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we come to him, not because somebody has some tricky little piece of tidbit knowledge that they think so there is and theirs alone so you can think more highly of them. John is counterattacking dependency on human teachers when it comes to relationship with Jesus Christ. It is fine for pastor to expound on the Scriptures that which I first receive. I have delivered to you to apply the truths from the word something other. He says you need to start doing what I tell you to do because I am always right and you're not wrong, because this is not according to the popes and the magisterium who are wrong. You can disagree with them like you can to so did that mean those reformers. Some of them were brutal in their scathing commentary and attacks on Rome Luther being one of them not being others that those men went would willing to die before giving in to such lies out a hell is what they are. Gnostics wanted to control learning.

They wanted to impart some special thing that they picked up on the way out of hell and these of the Johnny-come-lately's again the warned where we are warned against in Scripture.

So John says you don't need that jump you got the Holy Spirit will guide you into truth. You will learn what the truth is if you are sincere, but if you're up to something is going to be diminished. Your ability to discern truth from error will be diminished if you're not straightforward with God about these things. John 16 verse 13. However, when he the spirit of truth is, he will guide you into all truth for he will not speak of his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak and he will tell you of things to come down here he is saying the Holy Spirit. The spirit of truth will guide but he's also saying the Holy Spirit of God is not going to promote himself is going to be pointing to Jesus. One of the Holy Spirit of God is doing it that way. I better make sure I'm doing it that way to would be kind of would be totally ridiculous to want to speak on our own authority. Imagine a passive thing.

I don't need your prayers. I've got it together to do. First Thessalonians concerning love to to illustrate how this wall works. Paul says but concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. These things are basic to us when you come to Christ. You know you have to love other people, even the ones you don't like. And this is supposed to discuss English Christianity from everything else. There is a lot we always students of the word to those who handled the original languages of the Scripture to those who can chart maps and put it tell us what destinations are those who can judge just come up with all the detailed information that we used to grow in our own faith. Another pastor and I we have a trip coming up will go to to the United Kingdom. I'm going as his translator and I'm waiting to say that and I will use it again. But anyway, it's a sabbatical in taking a time off.

We want to go to the places where men who have influenced our walk in our teaching came from. We want to see it. We want to be close to. It would take a break and and to recharge and get fresh information and come back with stories we made up that we tell you the truth, because they make sermons interesting. It's either that or statistics. Which one do you want 55/60 people recommend fluoride for okay anyway, I have no idea that came in is true and is not alive, nothing false about God just doesn't have to be. It is a God doesn't say what I better I better not tell the truth, they might get mad at me. He doesn't care on like that so nothing from him is false. John's Gospel again in chapter 14 verse 17 the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. Would you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. So what we have almost an John's letter is John saying you not covered all this in my gospel, and for giving it to us again by then the Lord you've got the Holy Spirit what else you need me to say to you, and just on the authority of who he is, the church should be listening to this insane yet we side with John all the way. Not one of those well you know we don't want to go to his head and you know you get carried away. Just be honest, so if someone said from the pulpit. The Bible is not trustworthy once said that Jesus is not all that the apostle said see you discern that you don't need a teacher to come and let me teach you what you saying you know what he's saying you should be getting up and leaving or if you know is going to do that you bring tomatoes and eggs and food fight know you don't do that, of course, but it makes a nice picture. I'm sorry cartoons have influenced me scarred me for life. I see things and sometimes in a Bugs Bunny kind of a way you know where is the Annville of piano falling from when somebody that I don't care for and that's the appeal of the cartoons you can just tell somebody what you really think of them with a baseball bat and not go to jail. I just am I the only one that sees it that way. This is where it would be good to be in a Pentecostal church we I could get people saying Amen brother. A man verse 27 and just as it has taught you, you will abide in him is that relationship with God through the Spirit knowing right from wrong discerning truth from false and again. John 15 abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me, the part that maybe we should walk away with in this moment is neither can you. You can't you cannot abide with Christ without him. So a church that doesn't have Christ is not a church is not the ecclesia is not under the Lordship the curiosity that word comes from a church that does not have Christ is demonic. Why don't they just go again be something else because Satan's got big work for them. Loves the imposter.

He's one himself.

He appears as an angel of life is not and we know it. Though the righteous know it by the spirit of God. That's why what would explain why two people can know the same Bible verse and one gets it in the other refuses.

It because one is a spirit and the other does not. One thief on the cross God. It the other one did not. And this is a principal and you're not.

We are not going to be rid of that principle is good. One and we are energies in the faith are not futile and Satan knows it. He knows it so much. If he finds out your attached to the vine. He's going to attack you so that you are no longer attached to the vine because he is afraid of the fruit. The cluster that comes from clingy and climbing. That's the way it is and I look at my own Christian life. And I think all troubles and failures but also see victories and I would be a liar if I said God is not used me.

I know every Christian that is working hard can say that our influence on others is going to be the salt of the earth.

The light of the world and the fight and the fight in the world or not. Well, we come to verse 28 and there we read and now, little children, abide in him when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. I don't know when use when you preach the word of God, should you. You know should you have a spirit of apology in your tone. No, I think it is the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul, spirit the joints and marrow, it cuts deep. But does not cut recklessly and so to preach the word I'm I'm still learning how to do this. I don't want to ever come off as is mean-spirited, but I also well towards those who sincere, but to those who are insincere. I do want to come off as the enemy of of their insincerity enemy someone struggling I mean someone who is decided that they're not going to submit to God's word and the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospels and yet still want to promote their ideas amongst Christians. One of my supposed to do but bake them a birthday cake and I noticed when I used to preach in the workplace. I which I I think I had the same demeanor as I do now. I noticed eventually that was very attractive to some that there were those who are sick and tired of people tiptoeing around truth of people that were giving them things about religion but not Christ. And when do you passionately share these things and they know that you're going to give beef square with the foursquare you know you not going to deceive them there attracted to that we are all our sinners together. We still want to do our best. We want what God has to offer us when he's working on our hearts. Well, verse 28 rear he says now, little children to term of endearment and gentleness. That's why I started down this trail with, how we in the demeanor when the apostles wrote. They wrote hard and then they put in these little respite stops like here you know you just got through saying anybody does.

This is a liar. Truth is not in them. And then he says now, little children, and is this is hard, spiritual, intellectual, inspirational, these things cower part of the faith fruitful minds on eternity second Timothy chapter 4 I have fought the good fight. Paul said I finished the race, I've kept the faith. This man's talking as though this is an accomplishment because it is. I fought the good fight, that's what it is.

I finished the race, even when tired.

I kept the faith and going may have struggled here and there. That's with grace abound. Paul at no time would've told you he was sinless, in fact, as he aged, he said I'm I'm a bigger sinner now than I was when I started. That was his view of himself, that is the view I think of every Christian who souls following hard after God, the more we learn about God's righteousness and holiness. The more we see ourselves in the more we then appreciate his love and grace for us which can't be turned off Isaac in the Scripture. One of my favorite characters in the book of Genesis is Isaac is like an unsung hero. He never comes across is this is macho, though this is one incident where he certainly had a militant experience, but his meekness in his submission from the earliest time that that we come across. Isaac is a type of Christ in the submission of his and the stories in Genesis 27 and of course there is a lad now easy series. You know, is not a little boy going up to Mount Moriah to be sacrifice made a blood sacrifice and Burke offer hunting hats with that was going with his father to point as he probably could've taken Abraham out, but he submits he is obedient to the death. Christ, of course, is the ultimate obedient to the death obedient to the father.

Philippians chapter 2 and being found in the appearance of a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. So Isaac pictures this for us and we talk about now, little children, abide in him when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. We want to be obedient as best we can in the flesh. Tears us down the we get back up.

We deal with it says at his coming. The appearance of Christ is presence that's degree at his presence visible presence, the rapture, of course, or death. The rabbit at while at the rapture and during that seven year. That's when we will stand before the bema seat. The judgment seat to receive our rewards and maybe some form of rebuke. I don't know how that all works out is no more pain. Remember to let me have it I will.

I'm going to be thinking okay Lord, that's fine. But this list is wet when we get to go out to the courtyard because there's no more pain appears going to be glorious. I want to get so many things to do in heaven. I don't even know what they are.

I'm going to be there. I mean whole thing with the Saints being quiet alike that you know just going out.

It is going to be a hoot and a pure one. Nothing about it will be beautiful. You will feel guilty for having such a good time. You know you tell you. You tell your maybe if you ever noticed your children eating like goats. I'm just want to say stop it. No one's going to take your food because you know and the child heads is the child thinking getting might this is just so good I can't believe I'm allowed to eat it and in heaven we will have that in heaven you will always be one more piece of pie got to it who got to the last piece anyway at his coming. Verse 29. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him. If you know he is righteous.

If you are not to get on know that you still all messed up as you not submitting but if you are a child of God. You are receiving the revelations. You know him is in your heart is the product of remaining with Christ the product. The remaining prices you identify with him. You take on a resemblance to him. Ask chapter 4 verse 13 which which is preceded by, nor is there salvation in any other name for their is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved and then waft up after Peter says that this is what they say that when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceive that they were uneducated and untrained men. They marvel.

They realize they been with Jesus beautiful picture dummies will have degrees from us or wait a minute. They been with Jesus that's distinguished feeling from his preaching the truth they've been with Jesus, what a compliment with that's what we want all of us instead of hiding a Christianity afraid that while we might mess up in front of somebody and and well we have to learn how to cut through that and so are any of you struggling with sin, and doubt your salvation you love the Lord don't doubt that is grace at work. Satan can get to you.

There you struggling your fighting the doubts come from hell they come from a human type of logic, not a spiritual one. This verse is an encouragement in their many of them in the Scripture when he speaks about practice of righteousness will never have absolute achievement righteousness in this life will have moments of it.

Long tracks even but not to perfection, purity is, as Christ yet the determination to be like Christ. That is the perfection that God is looking for that identity to be like Christ coming from being attached to him.

So, to be attached him is to be attacked in your righteousness because you belong to him in a close with this verse words of Jesus. Matthew chapter 7 verse 20 therefore by their fruits you will know them ones that have a hunger and thirst for righteousness versus ones that don't and the Gnostics did not have and everybody knew they were covering up their sin. All of this gibberish, you know, talking loud and saying not thanks for tuning in to cross reference 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.com find a number of teachings from Pastor Rick available there. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast you subscribe will be notified of new editions of cross reference. Just search for cross reference iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast apps. You can also follow the links@crossreference.com. We're glad we were able to spend time with you today to the next time you learning from the book of first John pastor here.

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