Absolute Assurance, Part 2

Our times are fraught with ensuring continuous global economy to the battle against the viral flu to the social unrest that divides our world we live in volatile times gratefully.

The New Testament book of first John has brought a fresh wind of reality and confidence into our lives today on Insight for living with her portion of the final message in Chuck Swindoll 16 part series called living right and a wrong world, including on Monday were looking at first John chapter 5, Chuck titled his message absolute assurance on the significant day in our nation, our father, we thank you for the privilege of prayer. The joy that accompanies knowing we may speak openly and freely to you, our heavenly father through Jesus Christ, your only son, our Lord, in whom we live and move and have our being, in whom is the way the truth and the life in light of what we have heard, we pray for those in uniform today who love this country who serve this country with courage and distinction protect them in dangerous places use their efforts for the purpose of righteousness and we pray father that goodwill, from the difficulty of these days. May they be honored. May they be protected. May they return the open arms of their loved ones, their spouses and their children. Thank you.

Also, our father for the gospel, but knowing Christ can set us free and then finding ourselves at the foot of the cross for the rest of our lives.

We could have a perspective for living that is marked by servant hearted leadership courage to speak the truth and faithful service for his greater cause to this in our father we give our gifts today full of gratitude and with generosity, except our gifts in the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior, and everyone's a and to search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to inside world.org/studies another message called absolute assurance open your Bible to John chapter 20 in verse 31, and you will see either the reason he wrote the gospel. You'll notice first of all, for whom it was written when he began at verse 30 therefore many other signs. Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples which were not written in this book, but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God, to whom did he write the letter to those who were lost.

He wrote the letter for those who were seeking evidence, hard rock solid evidence even miraculous sign that prove he wasn't just another man, but in fact had come from God and was in fact God, these are written that you may believe the purpose for writing is that the reader who is searching for that evidence will find it in the seven miracles in the gospel and finding those coming to terms with those he or she will trust in the one who performed them and as a result will have life in his name.

When you get to the letter of first John chapter 5 verse 13 you notice the contrast this letter is not written to those who were lost, but to those who have already believed.

13 these things I have written to you who believe not, who have yet to believe, but who now believe you who have been walking with Christ, you who have trusted in Jesus as your own master these things I written to you who believe in the name of the son of God, and why John Vaidya written that since we already believed, so that you may know, and the desire of the writer John is that you not only believe it, but you live it, and as a result, you have confidence in fact there are eight bold statements of confidence in these verses. Your pen ready to give you words to_verse 13 these things I written to you who believe, so that you may know KNOW_next verse. This is the confidence which we have in him_confidence there's assurance in the word that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. Verse 15 and if we know_it that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know_it already four times in a few verses down in verse 18 it appears again. We know verse 19 we know verse 20 and we know that the son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may. The eighth time. No, I weary of the cynic who sees a Christian who knows his way in life. Viewing that is arrogance or bigotry. Neither is true.

Arrogance and bigotry come from pride. They are sinful. Confidence is not sinful is a very practical purpose in life. We long to be around people, not who were arrogant but who are confident this world needs Christians who know what they believe were not arrogant about it. Hopefully were gracious hopefully were still learning the arrogant person is unteachable the confident person knows areas and knows what he doesn't know or what she doesn't know John writes that we might know with assurance about these 18 and we find them right here in this section of Scripture look at your Bible first. We can know we have eternal life. You can actually know it. Verse 13 these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. You can know by faith in the son of God, that you have eternal life that isn't arrogant.

That's confident the second thing we can know has to do with prayer. 14 to 70 look at this. Love the verse.

This is the confidence great.

This is the confidence which we have before him what that if we ask what's the word anything, but don't stop reading. There were in the middle of the sentence. That's 1/2 verse and you're always in dangerous territory when you come to have verses culture full of false teachers love them must not use 1/2 verse. This is the confidence which we have before him that if we ask anything according to his will that instantly moves this from the convenient device of imposing our will on God or bending his will to our wish.

According to your will of God. I pray this sound familiar course it does. Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane all father I pray that the cup will pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. The father's answer is no. My will is the cross go there. Never promise someone they will be healed. Repeat never promise anyone they will be healed. You don't know if that's the father's will had been living in the first century and a close friend of Paul and he told me of the thorn in the flesh he was living with.

I would've said to him I want you to know God can heal you of that thorn in the flesh because you could do better work if you don't have that thorn in the flesh, and I'm going to claim God's deliverance that thorn in your life. Paul would've later said to me you know what you way out of line. I prayed three times and the father has said no, no, twice know three times so the Message Is My St., God Street is perfected in your weakness when you are weak. I am strong, relax, live with a foreign may not seem fair or right to you, but last time I checked, no one died and left you here is God or me so must be careful about making God statements to people he will do this or you are going to have this happen. You don't know that you have no confidence in what you can say is I will join you in praying and we will both ask for the father's will and I want to pray that you will have the assurance when it is his will that that's what he would have you do that's prayer with promising members can be yes it can be know it can be.

I look at the next two verses.

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask in God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death.

I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin and there is a sin not leading to death. I do not have a clue what that means. So please don't email me and send me a letter from God that has given you the insight that is one of the conundrums of the Scriptures.

I I felt guilty admitting to myself in my study. After pouring over 16 and 17. I couldn't figure it out when I came across the words of the scholar named Kenneth Wiest listen to Dr. Wiest's words regarding the two verses the present writer confesses his utter inability to understand this verse. Later he says the rest of the verse is an enigma to him and he will not attempt to offer even a suggestion as to its possible interpretation love guys like that. Thank you.

He's gone now but he now knows what the verse means, but back then, you know, I don't know. Chances are good you know know it's a tough section. Let's go to verse 18 is going what we can know we know that no one who is born of God. Since this is about the spiritual life in your reading your breaks, turn on your much, wait a minute. I know God and I sin when you got a deal with this kind of thing the tense of the word sin is a tense that suggest habitually going on virtually without a break constantly as a lifestyle we know that no one who was born of God lives a life like that doesn't mean we never slip into acts of sin. It means we do not persist in sin want to be careful how I see this listed sound arrogant and not confident I believe you can know with a fair amount of assurance that if a person's lifestyle start to finish Dawn dark, day after day week after week, month after month is evil, that person is not a believer, I don't care what they try to tell you because this verse says this that sin continually going on and a child of God are incompatible. Can't a Christian be carnal about talking about carnal Christians here. Of course we can. I have been and you have been. Truth be told, you may be right at this moment, you may be walking against the will of God, and you know what, in your miserable, but it doesn't mean your entire life is spent against the will of God, one who is evil, spends his life like plans evil finds delight in evil does evil is life is a life of sin that person does not know the living God. Those who do know the Lord have periodic times were righteousness comes or life of righteousness occurs or commitment to pray or desire to serve Christ or willingness to sacrifice, but the one who is is born of God does not live a life of habitual sin, but watch closely. This is a sad part of the verse. He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him.

We know that we are of God, but the whole world lies in the power of the contrast look closely, verse 18 continues to say we are kept, and the evil one doesn't even grip us.

Touch is a little weak in the translation.

It should be lays hold of grants clings to holds on to the evil one cannot hold onto the believer's wife said for years.

You have nothing to fear when it comes to the evil one.

If you are a child of God you chapter 4 verse four of first John says. Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world and therefore you have nothing to fear is a doomed individual and his days are numbered. He just want you to take it to where he's going and that's the lake of fire, but he has no hold on the believer. That's what the verse is saying we know that we are God.

Verse 19 that's not arrogant that's not bigoted. It's a statement of confidence because of Christ we know that we are of God, and we also know what that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one for 4 1/2 years of my life. I was an assistant pastor to a very godly man. Dwight Pentecost J. Dwight Pentecost Grace Bible Church in dollars. I serve there all my four years at seminary, but the last two years I was on staff and and then for 2 1/2 more years. He and I were inseparable serve together and I I live my life. Grateful for walking in his shadow carrying his bags honoring his name and I was my pleasure for Fort I have this it really 6 1/2 years to sit under his teaching. Superb exposition explicit use of the text. Careful theology great doctrine are still remember when he was preaching through first John chapter 5 and we got to verse 19. Amazing how certain statements linger in your mind because of who said when we got to verse 19 he said, and never forget. Beloved the whole world lies in the lab of the evil that is a great way to handle it.

You'll notice the words are in italics. The power of appear in italics. Meaning they're not in the original text so the verse says the whole world lies the evil one.

So you have to supply what's there. I think Dr. Pentecost supply is excellent. The whole world lies had a baby lie in your lap you have, haven't you going to sleep you pet the little soft skin on the back of that little head. My son calls it is melon your brother little melon this and baby and you feel that soft skin is warm body is on your knees and he's lying there. This isn't a baby lying in our lab. This is the entire world without Christ helplessly gripped in the power of the evil I deliberately pause because I think the mental image is important in your mind, and I want to give it time to take root.

I believe it would revolutionize our witnessing for the Savior if we remembered every day. Most of those we meet are in the lab of the evil they don't know it they're blind to. They don't realize the danger of that. They don't know where their destiny was taken. They just think it's fun just playing around through life make the best of it. You can view pills help pump the pills this bottle help drink a little more. This relationship might add a little pizzazz. Forget your marriage vows go after it. They only go around once. The lap of the evil one.

I was watching animal planet the other night. I love that program. This particular scene was in a small, and the Python in the small was as long as the tollway for her babies a barrel and ugly that tone and he lives in this chunky slimy water looking for stuff to squeeze all the banks is a pretty root around the out here is the mother of all beasts watching coming ever closer to him and I'm sitting in my chair, going you may is you know you know when you talk to the DV that they didn't all of a sudden, and giant starts wrapping around at pig loses his breakfast, lunch and supper out of both ends any note folks if it took that to make this clear. It's worth it because this is a very depressing thought the whole world is playing on the shore and didn't know the snake is there.

We got a telephone they'll never know. Never know. In fact, the one when we rely on can break the grip that snake and only he can do it. Only he can do it. She's our only hope you're listening to Insight for living in the final message in Chuck Swindoll 16 part study in first John called living right and a wrong world. To learn more about this ministry.

Be sure to visit us online@insightworld.org. Even though this teaching series was originally delivered several years ago. Chuck specifically wanted to present this study in first John right now. It shows the timeless relevance of God's word. These biblical principles provide the cure for culture that's at war with itself, where rage and anger seem to be overshadowing the underlying threat of the global pandemic. In that spirit, we are pleased to freely offer a powerful two-part miniseries called finding healing through forgiveness. While not specifically addressing the pandemic junkets at the root cause and the solution to the chaos in our culture, and his first message Chuck talks about clearing away the trash, we regret, and in his second message he describes the power of forgiveness.

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Call 1-800-772-8888 or go online to insight or/and be sure to join us again Monday, when Chuck Swindoll concludes a study in first John, that's right here on Insight for living. The preceding message absolute assurance and the sound recording copyright in 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited