1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,520 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church podcast, 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,480 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,720 My name is Pastor Josh, and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,480 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,680 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,080 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:17,560 Now, come along. 8 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,440 Let's look into the Bible and see what God has for us here today. 9 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:29,010 All right, we're going to go ahead and jump right into our Bible 10 00:00:29,010 --> 00:00:29,930 study here this evening. 11 00:00:29,930 --> 00:00:32,410 If you have your Bibles, turn with me to First John. 12 00:00:33,050 --> 00:00:33,850 First John. 13 00:00:34,090 --> 00:00:37,130 And we're going to be in chapter number two. 14 00:00:37,130 --> 00:00:39,610 I know it's been a couple weeks since we had vbs Last week 15 00:00:39,930 --> 00:00:44,290 we didn't have our normal Bible study here, but we're going 16 00:00:44,290 --> 00:00:48,450 to try to go back and review a little bit here tonight so that you 17 00:00:48,450 --> 00:00:51,130 can be refreshed in what we were studying. 18 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,640 And we're looking at the book of First John, and we're looking 19 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:59,280 at the idea that the Bible says that with salvation comes a 20 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:00,600 relationship with Christ. 21 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,080 It's more than just having a ticket to heaven, but it's having 22 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:05,080 fellowship with Him. 23 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,200 It's more than just knowing that he exists or recognizing that 24 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:09,920 he is God. 25 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,960 It's understanding that not only is he is God, but that he is 26 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:17,520 my God and that I have a relationship with him and I can know 27 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:17,680 Him. 28 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,990 So the book of First John is written to those who. 29 00:01:20,140 --> 00:01:20,620 Who believe. 30 00:01:21,180 --> 00:01:23,020 We know that through multiple places. 31 00:01:23,020 --> 00:01:25,900 He talks about this idea of knowing God in a personal way. 32 00:01:26,380 --> 00:01:28,780 He calls the reader here little children. 33 00:01:29,100 --> 00:01:31,660 And we know that that's speaking specifically to the idea 34 00:01:31,660 --> 00:01:32,780 that they are children of God. 35 00:01:32,780 --> 00:01:35,780 And we're going to even look at that here this evening, the concept 36 00:01:35,780 --> 00:01:37,580 of being a child of God. 37 00:01:37,820 --> 00:01:41,300 And he talks in chapter one about what it means to walk in the 38 00:01:41,300 --> 00:01:41,500 light. 39 00:01:41,500 --> 00:01:43,980 What does it mean to walk in fellowship with God? 40 00:01:44,780 --> 00:01:47,300 And so a lot of people say, well, I'm a Christian, but I can't 41 00:01:47,300 --> 00:01:49,820 say necessarily that I'm walking in fellowship with God. 42 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,360 Well, chapter one discusses how we can walk in fellowship with 43 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:53,600 God. 44 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,280 Part of that is loving him and loving others. 45 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:02,000 He says the proof of our love for God is our love for others. 46 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,240 And he goes on to say that there's going to be times in our 47 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,040 life where we do fall into temptation, we do fall into sin. 48 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,960 What do we do, verse nine of chapter one, if we confess our sins 49 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,120 and remember what that word confess means? 50 00:02:16,250 --> 00:02:18,050 Confess means to say the same thing. 51 00:02:18,050 --> 00:02:21,370 Literally, that word in the Greek means to say the same thing. 52 00:02:21,370 --> 00:02:24,410 So to agree with God about our sin. 53 00:02:24,810 --> 00:02:28,570 So if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us 54 00:02:28,570 --> 00:02:31,690 our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 55 00:02:31,690 --> 00:02:34,090 That's not talking about the idea that we have to keep getting 56 00:02:34,410 --> 00:02:36,970 saved over and over again every time we sin. 57 00:02:37,210 --> 00:02:40,210 It's talking about this idea that even though we are a child of 58 00:02:40,210 --> 00:02:40,990 God, there. 59 00:02:41,060 --> 00:02:44,780 There might be instances or periods of time in our Christian 60 00:02:44,780 --> 00:02:48,380 walk that we have broken fellowship with our Savior and we 61 00:02:48,380 --> 00:02:50,220 need to have that fellowship restored. 62 00:02:50,220 --> 00:02:51,700 And how do we have that restored? 63 00:02:51,860 --> 00:02:56,580 By recognizing the wrongdoing in our life, recognizing our rebellion 64 00:02:56,740 --> 00:02:58,780 and falling into repentance. 65 00:02:58,780 --> 00:03:00,820 And with that repentance comes restoration. 66 00:03:01,380 --> 00:03:01,940 And so. 67 00:03:01,940 --> 00:03:03,860 So that's what he's talking about there in chapter one. 68 00:03:04,180 --> 00:03:06,380 But then if someone reads chapter one, they might be tempted 69 00:03:06,380 --> 00:03:07,300 to think, well, what. 70 00:03:07,950 --> 00:03:08,910 What about me? 71 00:03:09,070 --> 00:03:10,430 I sin, I fall short. 72 00:03:10,750 --> 00:03:12,590 Do I have to confess every time I sin? 73 00:03:12,910 --> 00:03:16,310 Well, he says there is a process that we must follow. 74 00:03:16,310 --> 00:03:18,670 He says in verse one of chapter two, my little children. 75 00:03:19,390 --> 00:03:22,550 So again, he's speaking to believers, these things write I unto 76 00:03:22,550 --> 00:03:23,669 you that ye sin not. 77 00:03:23,669 --> 00:03:25,470 So now he makes us even feel worse. 78 00:03:26,430 --> 00:03:28,750 So now I'm not supposed to sin at all? 79 00:03:29,070 --> 00:03:30,430 Well, yeah, that's the goal. 80 00:03:30,430 --> 00:03:33,550 The goal is for us to strive to live a life of righteousness. 81 00:03:34,180 --> 00:03:36,980 But in the process of that life of striving for righteousness, 82 00:03:36,980 --> 00:03:40,580 we have the flesh, we have issues, we have temptation. 83 00:03:40,740 --> 00:03:43,620 And so he says, if you do sin, so he says, don't sin. 84 00:03:44,580 --> 00:03:48,860 And if any man sin, so there's a reality here that it is going to 85 00:03:48,860 --> 00:03:50,540 be a problem in our life. 86 00:03:50,540 --> 00:03:55,260 Still, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. 87 00:03:55,260 --> 00:03:59,460 The righteous meaning the way to find restoration, the way to find 88 00:03:59,460 --> 00:04:00,020 righteousness. 89 00:04:00,020 --> 00:04:02,890 Really, the way to find fellowship with God is through Jesus 90 00:04:02,890 --> 00:04:03,250 Christ. 91 00:04:03,570 --> 00:04:05,730 He's the one advocating for us. 92 00:04:06,290 --> 00:04:07,810 He's the one pleading for us. 93 00:04:09,010 --> 00:04:11,650 Someone recently said, you know, Pastor, when. 94 00:04:11,650 --> 00:04:14,690 When I fail, I just feel like sometimes God turns his back on me. 95 00:04:14,690 --> 00:04:16,770 That's the complete opposite of what the Bible says. 96 00:04:17,170 --> 00:04:19,770 There's multiple places in scripture that says that God cannot 97 00:04:19,770 --> 00:04:20,490 deny himself. 98 00:04:20,490 --> 00:04:23,370 And so if God says that I am his child, he's not going to deny 99 00:04:23,370 --> 00:04:23,530 that. 100 00:04:23,530 --> 00:04:25,090 He's not going to contradict himself. 101 00:04:26,130 --> 00:04:28,650 The truth is, is that the Bible even teaches us that even when 102 00:04:28,650 --> 00:04:30,450 we are unfaithful, he is faithful. 103 00:04:31,180 --> 00:04:34,300 And so the idea here is that God is not expecting us to be perfect, 104 00:04:34,540 --> 00:04:37,740 but there is that recognition of the fact that I cannot save myself, 105 00:04:37,740 --> 00:04:39,020 I cannot restore myself. 106 00:04:39,020 --> 00:04:40,700 It must go through Jesus Christ. 107 00:04:40,700 --> 00:04:41,740 Now, how can that happen? 108 00:04:41,740 --> 00:04:43,580 Verse 2 of chapter 2. 109 00:04:43,900 --> 00:04:48,140 And he that's Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. 110 00:04:48,220 --> 00:04:51,500 Now again, that word propitiation is not a word we use 111 00:04:51,740 --> 00:04:55,340 ever in our vernacular in our language today. 112 00:04:55,820 --> 00:04:58,590 But that word propitiation, propitiation means a satisfaction 113 00:04:58,590 --> 00:04:59,190 of wrath. 114 00:04:59,910 --> 00:05:02,590 So, so God must pour out his wrath upon sin. 115 00:05:02,590 --> 00:05:05,590 But Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross. 116 00:05:05,590 --> 00:05:08,110 And therefore Jesus satisfied the punishment. 117 00:05:08,110 --> 00:05:11,790 And therefore when we trust in him, we then have forgiveness and 118 00:05:11,790 --> 00:05:12,869 righteousness and restoration. 119 00:05:12,869 --> 00:05:15,830 So really that's how we can have fellowship with God. 120 00:05:16,230 --> 00:05:20,910 And so then he goes on this discourse about how we as believers 121 00:05:20,910 --> 00:05:22,030 have a new commandment. 122 00:05:22,030 --> 00:05:22,630 Verse 8. 123 00:05:23,220 --> 00:05:24,100 Again, a new commandment. 124 00:05:24,100 --> 00:05:24,980 I write unto you. 125 00:05:25,620 --> 00:05:26,420 What is that? 126 00:05:27,060 --> 00:05:27,660 Verse 10. 127 00:05:27,660 --> 00:05:30,140 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is 128 00:05:30,140 --> 00:05:31,620 none occasion of stumbling him. 129 00:05:31,620 --> 00:05:34,460 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, 130 00:05:34,460 --> 00:05:37,140 and knoweth not whether he goeth, because that darkness hath 131 00:05:37,140 --> 00:05:37,900 blindeth his eyes. 132 00:05:37,900 --> 00:05:42,620 And so the Bible says here again, if we want to walk in fellowship 133 00:05:42,620 --> 00:05:46,980 with God, we have to be aware of the things that hinder our fellowship 134 00:05:46,980 --> 00:05:47,540 with God. 135 00:05:47,700 --> 00:05:49,980 And the very first thing that's mentioned there in verses 136 00:05:49,980 --> 00:05:52,130 10 through a 12 would be this. 137 00:05:52,210 --> 00:05:53,530 Our relationship with others. 138 00:05:53,530 --> 00:05:56,930 If we allow bitterness and division to rise up in our midst, 139 00:05:57,010 --> 00:05:59,730 that is going to limit our fellowship with God. 140 00:05:59,730 --> 00:06:03,170 If I'm at odds with my brother, I am at odds with God, whether 141 00:06:03,170 --> 00:06:04,850 I recognize that or not. 142 00:06:05,250 --> 00:06:08,970 So he says, the way that we can prove our love for God is by 143 00:06:08,970 --> 00:06:09,530 loving others. 144 00:06:09,530 --> 00:06:10,650 Jesus even taught that. 145 00:06:10,650 --> 00:06:12,770 He says, how are people going to know you? 146 00:06:12,930 --> 00:06:16,090 How are they going to know that you are my disciples, that you 147 00:06:16,090 --> 00:06:16,770 love one another? 148 00:06:17,380 --> 00:06:20,540 And so the idea here is that there can be things that can seep 149 00:06:20,540 --> 00:06:24,580 into our lives that can cause the fellowship to be broken between 150 00:06:25,140 --> 00:06:26,820 the Lord and the believer. 151 00:06:27,300 --> 00:06:30,420 And it doesn't mean that God himself just looks down and says, 152 00:06:30,420 --> 00:06:31,700 well, you're a failure. 153 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:32,500 I'm leaving you. 154 00:06:32,500 --> 00:06:36,260 No, it's this instance in which we are the ones that are deviating 155 00:06:36,260 --> 00:06:36,900 from the truth. 156 00:06:36,900 --> 00:06:39,700 We are the ones that are deviating from fellowship with him. 157 00:06:40,660 --> 00:06:41,260 So we. 158 00:06:41,260 --> 00:06:45,540 We saw that one of the aspects of a hindrance to the Gospel hindrance 159 00:06:45,540 --> 00:06:50,180 to fellowship would be that simple fact of rebellion to God and 160 00:06:50,180 --> 00:06:51,100 rebellion to others. 161 00:06:51,100 --> 00:06:54,380 But then we see that another hindrance to fellowship with God 162 00:06:54,380 --> 00:06:55,620 would be a love for the world. 163 00:06:55,620 --> 00:06:56,380 Worldliness. 164 00:06:57,020 --> 00:06:58,460 We call it worldliness today. 165 00:06:58,460 --> 00:07:00,500 And we looked at verse number 15. 166 00:07:00,500 --> 00:07:03,700 It says, love not the world, neither the things that are in the 167 00:07:03,700 --> 00:07:03,980 world. 168 00:07:04,940 --> 00:07:08,500 The warning here is to not grow in our love for the things of 169 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:10,700 this world, but grow in our love for the things of God. 170 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,520 And sometimes what's taught within Christian circles would be, 171 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:18,440 you know what, you just need to stop loving the world, stop wanting 172 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:18,880 the world. 173 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,760 And I understand that, but that's an incomplete statement. 174 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,160 Because what we need to understand that in the Christian 175 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,560 life, it's not just stopping loving the world, but it's loving 176 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:29,280 God in place of the world, right? 177 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,080 And so, so love not the world, neither the things that are in the 178 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:32,240 world. 179 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,600 If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 180 00:07:36,890 --> 00:07:39,810 So we see that the contrast of loving the world is loving God. 181 00:07:39,810 --> 00:07:44,330 So the way that we grow, reject or reject the world, the way 182 00:07:44,330 --> 00:07:47,210 that we grow in our dislike for the things of the world and the 183 00:07:47,210 --> 00:07:50,770 way that we reject those dark things is by loving God and turning 184 00:07:50,770 --> 00:07:51,450 to him more. 185 00:07:51,610 --> 00:07:53,770 And he tells us why we should do that. 186 00:07:53,770 --> 00:07:54,330 Verse 16. 187 00:07:54,330 --> 00:07:57,690 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of 188 00:07:57,690 --> 00:08:00,570 the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the 189 00:08:00,570 --> 00:08:00,690 world. 190 00:08:00,690 --> 00:08:02,490 He says, so you want to know what the world is going to bring 191 00:08:02,490 --> 00:08:02,730 you? 192 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,000 Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. 193 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:07,280 It's not of God. 194 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,400 And those things that are in the world, it says in verse 17 that, 195 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:11,920 that they are going to pass away. 196 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,480 The only thing that will last forever is this. 197 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:17,680 But he that do it, the will of God, abide it forever. 198 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,119 And that's where we ended last time. 199 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,920 He says, there are some hindrances to your fellowship with 200 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:22,160 God. 201 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,600 One would be division and bitterness and hatred towards other 202 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,080 people, specifically our other brothers and sisters in Christ. 203 00:08:28,890 --> 00:08:31,970 Number two, another hindrance to our relationship with God. 204 00:08:31,970 --> 00:08:35,050 Our fellowship with God would be just loving the world, worldliness, 205 00:08:35,210 --> 00:08:37,130 allowing ourselves to be more like the world. 206 00:08:38,730 --> 00:08:42,330 I had an interesting conversation this week with someone 207 00:08:42,330 --> 00:08:45,250 who is not involved with our church, but they do go to another 208 00:08:45,250 --> 00:08:45,690 church. 209 00:08:46,170 --> 00:08:48,490 And they were talking to me and they were saying, you know what? 210 00:08:48,970 --> 00:08:53,210 The leadership had said this statement, and this is a very interesting 211 00:08:53,210 --> 00:08:53,530 statement. 212 00:08:53,610 --> 00:08:56,170 It's so alarming because it's so anti biblical. 213 00:08:56,870 --> 00:08:57,590 They said, you know what? 214 00:08:57,590 --> 00:09:01,430 We need to change the church to be more like the world so that 215 00:09:01,430 --> 00:09:02,390 we can reach the world. 216 00:09:03,830 --> 00:09:06,310 That, and that wasn't just from a member of the church. 217 00:09:06,310 --> 00:09:07,710 It came from the leadership down. 218 00:09:07,710 --> 00:09:10,310 And this, this fellow was like, there's something wrong with 219 00:09:10,310 --> 00:09:10,550 that. 220 00:09:10,630 --> 00:09:11,710 That doesn't sound biblical. 221 00:09:11,710 --> 00:09:14,070 I said, that's anti biblical. 222 00:09:14,070 --> 00:09:15,510 Right, because it's the total opposite. 223 00:09:15,510 --> 00:09:17,830 We must be different than the world. 224 00:09:17,830 --> 00:09:18,110 Right. 225 00:09:18,110 --> 00:09:20,190 Everything in the New Testament that Jesus teaches that 226 00:09:20,190 --> 00:09:23,950 we see in Paul's epistles, even Peter mentions it, that we have 227 00:09:23,950 --> 00:09:26,670 to be distinct, we have to be different, we have to be unique. 228 00:09:26,670 --> 00:09:27,030 Why? 229 00:09:27,270 --> 00:09:30,430 So that the world can see the difference in the belief in Jesus 230 00:09:30,430 --> 00:09:33,830 Christ and what that means, and ultimately so that we can change 231 00:09:33,830 --> 00:09:36,230 the world to look more like the things of God. 232 00:09:37,510 --> 00:09:40,430 And so what we have to understand within our life is that 233 00:09:40,430 --> 00:09:45,910 worldliness is one of those huge, huge hindrances to the truth 234 00:09:46,310 --> 00:09:48,870 of the gospel of Jesus Christ and our fellowship with him. 235 00:09:49,070 --> 00:09:52,550 But then we get to verse number 18 and, and I want to tell 236 00:09:52,550 --> 00:09:54,430 you that there's another hindrance. 237 00:09:54,750 --> 00:09:59,030 It's not just worldliness, but we would even say here it would be 238 00:09:59,030 --> 00:10:04,270 the dangers of false religion, the dangers of believing the wrong 239 00:10:04,270 --> 00:10:05,790 things in a religious fashion. 240 00:10:06,750 --> 00:10:09,070 You know, you can be religious in a lot of areas in your life. 241 00:10:09,070 --> 00:10:11,870 I, I've heard even people say, you know, I religiously go to that 242 00:10:12,270 --> 00:10:13,790 place for breakfast every day. 243 00:10:13,790 --> 00:10:16,350 I'm religiously watching this TV show. 244 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,000 We can be religious about all of the wrong things. 245 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:23,880 And so again, we put up on our sign out by the road, religion doesn't 246 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:24,240 save you. 247 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:24,960 Jesus does. 248 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:25,920 And I stand by that. 249 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,680 And the concept of anyone can be religious, but religion doesn't 250 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:30,080 save. 251 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,240 And he's going to address that here in verses 18 and 19. 252 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,680 And the reality is that there's going to be times in our 253 00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:42,240 life where we can get to a place where we might not even notice 254 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:47,260 that what is being taught or what is being done is actually anti 255 00:10:47,340 --> 00:10:49,100 biblical or antichrist. 256 00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:51,820 And so I want you to see this with me in verse number 18. 257 00:10:51,820 --> 00:10:53,500 This is a very interesting verse. 258 00:10:54,460 --> 00:10:56,500 I don't know how far we're going to get here this evening. 259 00:10:56,500 --> 00:10:57,500 I'm looking at the time. 260 00:10:57,740 --> 00:10:59,900 We might just cover a few verses and that's okay. 261 00:11:00,220 --> 00:11:02,100 But we look at verse 18, he says, little children. 262 00:11:02,100 --> 00:11:06,100 Again, we see that he's referencing believers here, and we 263 00:11:06,100 --> 00:11:09,380 see that he's warning them against another hindrance to their 264 00:11:09,380 --> 00:11:10,300 fellowship with God. 265 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,200 He says, little children, it is the last time. 266 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,640 Now some of us might say, what is he talking about there? 267 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:21,120 He wasn't in the last times. 268 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:22,120 We're in the last times. 269 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,120 I'm going to argue, argue and say that biblically speaking, it 270 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,440 started the end times, right when Jesus ascended to heaven. 271 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:29,720 Right. 272 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:31,760 What he's talking about is that these are the times. 273 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,920 And so this is another argument towards an imminent return 274 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:35,480 of Christ. 275 00:11:36,130 --> 00:11:38,170 The fact that we don't know the day and the time it could be 276 00:11:38,170 --> 00:11:40,090 tomorrow, it could be another 20 years. 277 00:11:40,090 --> 00:11:41,170 We don't know for certain. 278 00:11:41,330 --> 00:11:45,210 But ultimately we even see here that the apostle John recognized 279 00:11:45,210 --> 00:11:46,010 that it could be any time. 280 00:11:46,010 --> 00:11:47,010 He says it's the last times. 281 00:11:47,010 --> 00:11:48,450 Paul mentions it's the last times. 282 00:11:48,850 --> 00:11:51,970 And so the way that we can understand this is that really from 283 00:11:51,970 --> 00:11:55,890 the New Testament age on until today, we see things getting worse 284 00:11:55,890 --> 00:11:58,130 and worse, but ultimately it's been the last times. 285 00:11:59,090 --> 00:12:02,210 And one of the things that I can say with, with certainty, and 286 00:12:02,210 --> 00:12:05,770 people laugh sometimes when I say this, or they scoff or whatever, 287 00:12:06,010 --> 00:12:09,170 but I can guarantee you one thing, we are closer today than John 288 00:12:09,170 --> 00:12:10,450 was to the end times. 289 00:12:10,450 --> 00:12:12,170 Okay, but we are in the last times. 290 00:12:12,170 --> 00:12:15,210 And he's going to describe what will happen during these times. 291 00:12:15,370 --> 00:12:17,050 What we would say is in the church age. 292 00:12:17,770 --> 00:12:18,930 And he says something interesting. 293 00:12:18,930 --> 00:12:20,970 He says it is the last time. 294 00:12:21,930 --> 00:12:26,210 And so John lived with a constant expectancy of Jesus return. 295 00:12:26,210 --> 00:12:27,530 And I think we should do the same. 296 00:12:28,690 --> 00:12:32,010 This is the expectancy that knowing that the Lord could return 297 00:12:32,010 --> 00:12:35,730 at any time, that this could all be it. 298 00:12:36,210 --> 00:12:39,410 And seeing the nature of our times, the Bible tells us to be ready 299 00:12:39,810 --> 00:12:40,970 to redeem the time. 300 00:12:40,970 --> 00:12:41,250 Why? 301 00:12:41,250 --> 00:12:42,530 Because the days are evil. 302 00:12:43,010 --> 00:12:46,250 So he says, because of the situation you find yourself in, be 303 00:12:46,250 --> 00:12:46,690 ready. 304 00:12:47,170 --> 00:12:52,210 And he says, and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come. 305 00:12:54,300 --> 00:12:58,340 Now when you hear that word Antichrist, you probably have some 306 00:12:58,340 --> 00:12:59,500 things pop up in your mind. 307 00:13:00,300 --> 00:13:04,660 Even popular culture has portrayed the Antichrist in movies 308 00:13:04,660 --> 00:13:09,220 and books and whatever, from Christian circles and non Christian 309 00:13:09,220 --> 00:13:10,140 circles for that matter. 310 00:13:10,940 --> 00:13:14,140 And so what John here is referring to in this case is he's 311 00:13:14,140 --> 00:13:16,980 referring, I believe he's referring to the Antichrist, the 312 00:13:16,980 --> 00:13:21,620 one, the man who will come, that is prophesied in scripture. 313 00:13:21,620 --> 00:13:27,780 John refers to that one who is going to be the manifestation of 314 00:13:27,780 --> 00:13:29,100 evil in the end times. 315 00:13:29,420 --> 00:13:32,620 But then he goes on a little bit further and he says, you've heard 316 00:13:32,620 --> 00:13:33,900 that the Antichrist shall come. 317 00:13:33,900 --> 00:13:34,700 Even now. 318 00:13:36,540 --> 00:13:38,540 Are there many Antichrists? 319 00:13:39,580 --> 00:13:42,500 Now that's an interesting way to put it, because there's a lot 320 00:13:42,500 --> 00:13:44,460 of people that might say, well, does that mean that there's 321 00:13:44,460 --> 00:13:46,460 going to be multi multiple Antichrists? 322 00:13:46,820 --> 00:13:50,820 Really, that word Antichrist just essentially means opposite or 323 00:13:50,820 --> 00:13:53,380 instead of Christ, opposite of Christ. 324 00:13:53,940 --> 00:13:55,300 And so what is he saying here? 325 00:13:55,300 --> 00:13:58,540 I, I believe what he is saying is this one day we know that there 326 00:13:58,540 --> 00:14:02,500 is going to be an Antichrist who comes, a person who personifies 327 00:14:02,500 --> 00:14:03,220 the spirit. 328 00:14:03,860 --> 00:14:07,620 But in the meantime, there's going to be a lot of that happening, 329 00:14:07,620 --> 00:14:09,460 a lot of things that are anti God. 330 00:14:09,780 --> 00:14:13,380 Antichrist, anti Bible that are going to be pervading your culture, 331 00:14:13,380 --> 00:14:14,340 be aware of that. 332 00:14:15,150 --> 00:14:17,790 And we would think, yeah, of course that Antichrist stuff is going 333 00:14:17,790 --> 00:14:20,950 to be coming from Satanists, it's going to be coming from the 334 00:14:20,950 --> 00:14:24,990 outside evil people that are open in their rebellion. 335 00:14:24,990 --> 00:14:27,630 You know, all these people that we picture in our mind to be 336 00:14:27,870 --> 00:14:28,710 anti God. 337 00:14:28,710 --> 00:14:31,550 But what we're going to see in the next verse is that this actually 338 00:14:31,630 --> 00:14:33,070 is within the church. 339 00:14:34,270 --> 00:14:38,630 He warns a be aware because the spirit of the Antichrist, the 340 00:14:38,630 --> 00:14:42,010 spirit of rejection, the spirit of rebellion can be in your 341 00:14:42,010 --> 00:14:43,810 midst and you could not be aware of it. 342 00:14:44,370 --> 00:14:48,210 He says, even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know 343 00:14:48,210 --> 00:14:50,050 that it is the last time. 344 00:14:51,250 --> 00:14:55,010 And so I believe that there is a distinction between the capital 345 00:14:55,250 --> 00:14:59,010 a Antichrist and many lowercase Antichrist. 346 00:14:59,410 --> 00:15:02,930 There, there is that spirit of Antichrist already within the world 347 00:15:02,930 --> 00:15:03,210 today. 348 00:15:03,210 --> 00:15:08,340 And many of you see that through open public rebellion of 349 00:15:08,340 --> 00:15:09,300 the truths of God. 350 00:15:09,300 --> 00:15:10,380 It's the world system. 351 00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:14,380 Why, why do you think so many people get uncomfortable when we 352 00:15:14,380 --> 00:15:15,660 talk about Jesus? 353 00:15:15,740 --> 00:15:17,580 Not so much uncomfortable about religion. 354 00:15:17,820 --> 00:15:20,940 You, you can talk, I mean, they say don't talk religion or politics, 355 00:15:20,940 --> 00:15:24,460 but the average person that you come across in the world system 356 00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:27,380 doesn't necessarily care if you say, well, I'm, I'm a religious 357 00:15:27,380 --> 00:15:28,300 man, I'm a man of faith. 358 00:15:28,300 --> 00:15:33,300 Okay, great, but what happens when we take it a step further and 359 00:15:33,300 --> 00:15:36,600 say, my faith is in Jesus Christ, he is my Savior. 360 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,960 That's when we start to see people in the world system squirm. 361 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:41,600 They get nervous, they reject that. 362 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,520 And he's actually going to talk about that here in this next 363 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:44,960 verse. 364 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,560 And so essentially what he's saying is, is that though the world 365 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:53,040 is waiting to see the ultimate revelation of evil in the Antichrist, 366 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,000 there are going to be previews, there's going to be little 367 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,600 snapshots of this man and the mission that he is going to come 368 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,160 about with here in this world today. 369 00:16:03,460 --> 00:16:05,980 And I think that most of us, if we're honest with ourselves, wouldn't 370 00:16:05,980 --> 00:16:08,140 have to look very far to say, yeah, I can definitely tell that 371 00:16:08,140 --> 00:16:10,580 there is the spirit of the Antichrist in our world today. 372 00:16:12,020 --> 00:16:15,860 And so what I would say is this, that, that John is, is indicating 373 00:16:16,020 --> 00:16:20,620 that the presence of evil and the presence of a rejection of Jesus 374 00:16:20,620 --> 00:16:24,980 is something that we need to be aware of within our circles today. 375 00:16:26,980 --> 00:16:30,800 And so we, we go a little bit further and we see verse 19. 376 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,880 And you can't help but link 18 and 19 together because he says there's 377 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:40,560 going to be these people that have this antichrist philosophy. 378 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,120 Verse 19, they went out from us. 379 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,000 And so he says they leave and they reject Jesus. 380 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:52,720 This shows that many of these people that have this focus of Antichrist 381 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:57,690 at one time or another identified themselves with Christian 382 00:16:57,690 --> 00:16:58,210 communities. 383 00:16:59,170 --> 00:17:01,930 And if they were able to identify themselves with Christian 384 00:17:01,930 --> 00:17:06,210 communities back then, we know that by extension it could happen 385 00:17:06,210 --> 00:17:06,610 today. 386 00:17:07,410 --> 00:17:11,450 And if we're not careful, we can allow false religion to seep 387 00:17:11,450 --> 00:17:12,930 into the church. 388 00:17:14,610 --> 00:17:19,730 And, and folks, I would, I would caution you to be very careful 389 00:17:20,130 --> 00:17:23,610 when it comes to people that just say I go to church or I believe 390 00:17:23,610 --> 00:17:28,410 in God or, or I'm a person of faith or even I'm a Christian. 391 00:17:28,890 --> 00:17:29,770 That sounds good. 392 00:17:29,770 --> 00:17:33,210 Like if I meet someone and they go, I'm a Christian too, fantastic. 393 00:17:33,290 --> 00:17:36,090 But then I would say you need to ask if you want to know more, 394 00:17:36,090 --> 00:17:39,570 which I believe you should, you might want to ask some more questions. 395 00:17:39,570 --> 00:17:42,290 And he's going to tell us really how to discern whether that 396 00:17:42,290 --> 00:17:44,730 person is a true Christian or are they Antichrist? 397 00:17:45,770 --> 00:17:47,050 They went out from us. 398 00:17:48,420 --> 00:17:49,460 And so he says they left. 399 00:17:51,140 --> 00:17:54,460 And John wasn't talking about someone who just leaves a good Bible 400 00:17:54,460 --> 00:17:56,780 believing church and go to another Bible believing church. 401 00:17:56,780 --> 00:17:57,860 He's not talking about that. 402 00:17:58,100 --> 00:18:00,100 He's talking about people who reject the faith. 403 00:18:00,100 --> 00:18:00,940 They go away. 404 00:18:00,940 --> 00:18:03,220 They're Antichrist, they're anti biblical. 405 00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:06,820 And he says they went out from us, but they were not of us. 406 00:18:08,260 --> 00:18:12,460 This is a scary verse because a lot of times we often think that 407 00:18:12,460 --> 00:18:15,300 if someone's in our church, they have to be Christian. 408 00:18:15,970 --> 00:18:19,210 If someone gets up and says that they believe in Jesus or that 409 00:18:19,210 --> 00:18:21,410 they, they love God, they must be Christian. 410 00:18:21,410 --> 00:18:23,890 But what we can see is that there are people who turn their backs. 411 00:18:23,890 --> 00:18:24,850 There are people who go. 412 00:18:26,370 --> 00:18:28,890 And a lot of times we have a hard time reconciling that. 413 00:18:28,890 --> 00:18:31,810 We, we believe in eternal security. 414 00:18:31,890 --> 00:18:33,210 I believe in eternal security. 415 00:18:33,210 --> 00:18:36,730 I believe that if someone is saved, nothing that they can do can 416 00:18:36,730 --> 00:18:38,290 get their salvation to leave. 417 00:18:38,370 --> 00:18:42,090 But what we can see here, and, and I'm not the judge, I'm not the 418 00:18:42,090 --> 00:18:44,450 arbiter of who is saved and who is not saved. 419 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,400 But what we can see here is that there will be people who say 420 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,680 that they are a part of us, but they will leave. 421 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,360 And the Bible says they will leave because they were not of us 422 00:18:52,360 --> 00:18:55,640 ever, they were not part of the family of God. 423 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,320 And they will leave when things get rough or they will leave 424 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:00,680 for various reasons. 425 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,280 And he says here they went out from us, but they were not of us. 426 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:09,600 For if they had been of Us, meaning if they were one of us, they 427 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:14,810 would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out that they 428 00:19:14,810 --> 00:19:18,810 might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 429 00:19:20,170 --> 00:19:22,170 This is interesting because, you know, there's a lot of people 430 00:19:22,170 --> 00:19:24,890 that will argue, what about the backslider? 431 00:19:25,450 --> 00:19:29,370 And again, I, I am not in a role to say that that person, if 432 00:19:29,370 --> 00:19:31,690 they've left the church, they're not a Christian. 433 00:19:32,410 --> 00:19:33,010 Okay? 434 00:19:33,010 --> 00:19:36,650 Because I believe that there can be people who fall into carnality, 435 00:19:36,970 --> 00:19:40,490 that are believers and fall into a place of being backslidden, 436 00:19:40,490 --> 00:19:42,090 but eventually will return. 437 00:19:42,490 --> 00:19:45,970 But at the same time, some people say, well, how far, how long 438 00:19:45,970 --> 00:19:49,690 can someone be away from God and church to indicate that they 439 00:19:49,690 --> 00:19:50,730 are not of us? 440 00:19:50,730 --> 00:19:51,930 I don't know that answer. 441 00:19:52,010 --> 00:19:55,050 But the only answer that I can completely give you according to 442 00:19:55,050 --> 00:19:56,970 the word of God, which we're going to see here in a few moments, 443 00:19:56,970 --> 00:20:01,130 is is that person abiding in Christ or are they abiding in anything 444 00:20:01,130 --> 00:20:01,530 else? 445 00:20:01,770 --> 00:20:04,130 If they are trusting in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are 446 00:20:04,130 --> 00:20:04,370 saved. 447 00:20:04,370 --> 00:20:05,250 And that's what he's going to say here. 448 00:20:05,250 --> 00:20:08,100 He's going to talk about discernment and how to recognize 449 00:20:08,260 --> 00:20:14,740 an individual who is either for Christ in Christ or who are rejection 450 00:20:14,740 --> 00:20:15,300 of Christ. 451 00:20:16,020 --> 00:20:20,500 And so in this case, we, we can see that John is ident. 452 00:20:20,580 --> 00:20:23,220 And I, I can't help but think that he's specifically thinking about 453 00:20:23,220 --> 00:20:25,780 certain instances that these people would have understood at this 454 00:20:25,780 --> 00:20:27,940 time and said, you know what people have left. 455 00:20:28,020 --> 00:20:30,380 And the reason why they left is because though they were with 456 00:20:30,380 --> 00:20:31,540 us, they were not of us. 457 00:20:33,470 --> 00:20:37,430 And so there, there is a time and a place for a church to have 458 00:20:37,430 --> 00:20:38,750 purging and pruning. 459 00:20:40,350 --> 00:20:42,990 If you have been part of a church long enough, you have seen 460 00:20:42,990 --> 00:20:43,710 people go. 461 00:20:44,350 --> 00:20:48,230 And in some cases the Bible says that, hey, that is what's going 462 00:20:48,230 --> 00:20:48,710 to happen. 463 00:20:48,710 --> 00:20:51,270 If they're not of us, eventually something is going to 464 00:20:51,270 --> 00:20:53,390 expose that and they will turn their backs and go. 465 00:20:54,270 --> 00:20:58,030 And so a healthy church can have this process happen. 466 00:20:58,360 --> 00:21:03,640 Um, the, the, the compromising false teachers will, will not feel 467 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:10,040 comfortable setting the roots down with a church that is unapologetically 468 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:12,520 gospel centric and Jesus focused. 469 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,240 So, so what, what is John really saying? 470 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,160 He's saying that people who are not true believers and people 471 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:23,440 who are Antichrist will not feel at home in a place that is abiding 472 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:23,880 in Christ. 473 00:21:24,310 --> 00:21:25,590 It will not feel comfortable. 474 00:21:26,070 --> 00:21:28,390 It will feel as if there's something wrong. 475 00:21:28,630 --> 00:21:31,430 And if they're Antichrist, which means essentially they're opposed 476 00:21:31,430 --> 00:21:33,670 to the truth, they're opposed to the gospel. 477 00:21:34,070 --> 00:21:37,230 And essentially, hey, they like religion, but they don't like 478 00:21:37,230 --> 00:21:37,750 Jesus. 479 00:21:37,830 --> 00:21:40,390 That is going to drive people away if Jesus has preached more. 480 00:21:40,390 --> 00:21:42,990 So he says, hey, don't be surprised if this happens. 481 00:21:42,990 --> 00:21:43,750 Be aware of this. 482 00:21:43,750 --> 00:21:46,470 Be aware of the false teacher, Be aware of the false convert. 483 00:21:47,430 --> 00:21:50,870 He goes on in verse number 22 to say, how do you identify the spirit? 484 00:21:52,350 --> 00:21:52,990 Verse number 20. 485 00:21:52,990 --> 00:21:55,710 But ye have an unction or an anointing. 486 00:21:56,110 --> 00:22:00,110 Now, anytime you see the word anointing in Bible, it talks specifically 487 00:22:00,110 --> 00:22:04,190 about being chosen or having an opportunity to do something. 488 00:22:04,590 --> 00:22:09,110 And obviously sometimes you'll even see like as a pastor is, is 489 00:22:09,110 --> 00:22:09,710 anointed. 490 00:22:09,790 --> 00:22:11,030 Some people say he's anointed. 491 00:22:11,030 --> 00:22:14,390 That doesn't mean that there's like, you know, he's, he's different. 492 00:22:14,390 --> 00:22:16,350 He's like a different entity than another person. 493 00:22:16,350 --> 00:22:19,840 It just means that there's a calling in his life for to do something. 494 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:22,400 So he says, you have a calling, you have the opportunity. 495 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:27,520 He refers to this, this thing that all believers should possess, 496 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,920 and that's the discernment to understand if a person is antichrist 497 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,080 or for Christ. 498 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,680 So he says, you have an unction or an anointing from the 499 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:38,960 Holy One and you know all things. 500 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,840 That doesn't mean that he's saying that you, you can know everything, 501 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:43,760 like you're omniscient. 502 00:22:44,980 --> 00:22:47,340 What he's saying here is that you can have discernment to know 503 00:22:47,340 --> 00:22:48,260 the truth of God. 504 00:22:48,740 --> 00:22:50,660 You can, you can see things happening. 505 00:22:50,660 --> 00:22:53,740 He says, you, it's evident to you you shouldn't be able to have 506 00:22:53,740 --> 00:22:57,780 it, you know, bailed over your eyes. 507 00:22:58,420 --> 00:23:01,780 So he says, verse 21, I have not written unto you because you 508 00:23:01,780 --> 00:23:06,020 know, know not the truth, but because you know it and that no lie 509 00:23:06,020 --> 00:23:06,780 is of the truth. 510 00:23:06,780 --> 00:23:07,180 Meaning this. 511 00:23:07,180 --> 00:23:09,460 He says, I'm writing this to you because you know the truth. 512 00:23:09,830 --> 00:23:11,750 I'm writing this to you because you believe the truth. 513 00:23:11,750 --> 00:23:14,150 And so if you know the truth and you believe the truth, you're 514 00:23:14,150 --> 00:23:15,430 able to identify the truth. 515 00:23:15,750 --> 00:23:21,670 Verse 22, who is a liar, but he that denieth Jesus is the Christ. 516 00:23:21,670 --> 00:23:25,190 He says, okay, you want to know who is Antichrist? 517 00:23:25,670 --> 00:23:27,750 Someone who rejects Jesus as the Christ. 518 00:23:28,390 --> 00:23:30,390 Someone who rejects Jesus as Messiah. 519 00:23:30,390 --> 00:23:31,190 It's very simple. 520 00:23:32,710 --> 00:23:35,630 One of the things that I tell people is you want to identify a 521 00:23:35,630 --> 00:23:38,990 false prophet, or you identify a cult, or you want to identify a 522 00:23:38,990 --> 00:23:40,450 false teaching. 523 00:23:40,530 --> 00:23:45,210 Whatever it is, the very first checkpoint that you go to when it 524 00:23:45,210 --> 00:23:48,450 comes to identifying whether or not this is true and this is good, 525 00:23:48,450 --> 00:23:53,410 and this is of God is what is said about Jesus, what is said about 526 00:23:53,410 --> 00:23:55,570 the person and work of Jesus Christ. 527 00:23:55,890 --> 00:23:59,650 Because we know that in other places in scripture, Paul says there 528 00:23:59,650 --> 00:24:02,850 will be other Jesuses taught, brought to you. 529 00:24:03,730 --> 00:24:06,290 You gotta be discerning that it's the Jesus of the Bible. 530 00:24:06,290 --> 00:24:08,140 It's the Jesus who, who is Messiah. 531 00:24:08,140 --> 00:24:11,060 And so what we can see here in this case is he says, you want to 532 00:24:11,060 --> 00:24:12,060 identify the truth. 533 00:24:12,620 --> 00:24:15,260 You, you want to know who is the liar and who is truthful. 534 00:24:15,660 --> 00:24:19,220 Go in this context, in the context of being for Christ and against 535 00:24:19,220 --> 00:24:19,580 Christ. 536 00:24:19,660 --> 00:24:21,900 Just simply see what do they believe about Jesus. 537 00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:24,260 Do they say that he's the Messiah? 538 00:24:24,260 --> 00:24:25,620 Do they say that he is God? 539 00:24:25,620 --> 00:24:27,180 Do they say that he is Savior? 540 00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:33,340 In other words, someone could say, I believe Jesus is a good man. 541 00:24:33,340 --> 00:24:34,880 I, I believe he's a good teacher. 542 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:36,640 I believe he's a creation of God. 543 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,000 I believe he's a manifestation of God. 544 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,520 They could say all these things that might sound Christian 545 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,200 adjacent, but at the end of the day, if they are not saying, 546 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:46,960 it's Jesus alone for salvation. 547 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:48,640 It is Jesus who is God. 548 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:49,719 Jesus is eternal. 549 00:24:49,719 --> 00:24:51,040 Read John, chapter one. 550 00:24:51,120 --> 00:24:53,080 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 551 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:56,680 That he came in the form of man was 100% God, 100% man. 552 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:58,680 If they don't have Jesus, right, I'm going to tell you they're, 553 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:02,780 they're Antichrist, whether they know it or not, because it's 554 00:25:02,780 --> 00:25:04,220 against the truth of the gospel. 555 00:25:05,260 --> 00:25:08,780 And so someone could say, I believe that Jesus existed, but they 556 00:25:08,780 --> 00:25:09,820 might not believe he's Christ. 557 00:25:11,020 --> 00:25:13,740 And so we can't just believe that Jesus existed. 558 00:25:13,740 --> 00:25:16,980 We have to believe and trust and live in the fact that Jesus is 559 00:25:16,980 --> 00:25:17,380 the Christ. 560 00:25:17,380 --> 00:25:20,820 That's what he says there in verse number 22. Who is a liar, but 561 00:25:20,820 --> 00:25:22,700 he that denieth Jesus is the Christ. 562 00:25:22,940 --> 00:25:24,260 He is Antichrist. 563 00:25:24,260 --> 00:25:26,060 He says, you want to know that spirit of Antichrist? 564 00:25:26,300 --> 00:25:27,660 It's he who rejects Jesus. 565 00:25:29,500 --> 00:25:34,420 And I would even venture to say that the Bible says if you reject 566 00:25:34,420 --> 00:25:36,060 Jesus, you're going to reject his teachings. 567 00:25:37,340 --> 00:25:40,620 So let's say someone, let's say someone says, yeah, well, that's 568 00:25:40,620 --> 00:25:41,380 what Jesus taught. 569 00:25:41,380 --> 00:25:43,220 But I don't, I don't care what Jesus taught. 570 00:25:43,220 --> 00:25:44,260 That's Antichrist. 571 00:25:44,260 --> 00:25:46,140 They're rejecting the teachings of Jesus. 572 00:25:47,020 --> 00:25:49,460 It's one thing to say I'm struggling with what Jesus taught. 573 00:25:49,460 --> 00:25:50,900 I, I believe it, but I'm struggling. 574 00:25:50,900 --> 00:25:51,900 And aren't we all? 575 00:25:51,900 --> 00:25:54,860 Are we, Are we all struggling to be who we need to be in life? 576 00:25:54,860 --> 00:25:55,740 I understand that. 577 00:25:55,740 --> 00:25:58,700 So it's not a matter of am I perfect at Jesus teachings. 578 00:25:58,700 --> 00:26:01,580 But what it really is, is if I'm willingly and knowingly rejecting 579 00:26:01,580 --> 00:26:04,460 the teachings of Jesus, I'm willing and willingly and knowingly 580 00:26:04,460 --> 00:26:05,740 rejecting Jesus. 581 00:26:06,300 --> 00:26:10,060 And so it says here he is antichrist and denieth the Father 582 00:26:10,060 --> 00:26:11,020 and the Son. 583 00:26:11,100 --> 00:26:13,180 So what he's essentially saying is you can't come to the Father, 584 00:26:13,180 --> 00:26:13,900 but through the Son. 585 00:26:13,900 --> 00:26:15,420 We know that through John 14:6. 586 00:26:16,460 --> 00:26:19,340 This would be someone who says, I believe in the God of Israel, 587 00:26:19,340 --> 00:26:21,340 but I don't believe that Jesus is involved with that. 588 00:26:22,130 --> 00:26:24,570 Folks, the Bible says, the New Testament teaches that that's an 589 00:26:24,570 --> 00:26:25,570 incomplete gospel. 590 00:26:25,650 --> 00:26:28,810 When Paul defines the gospel in First Corinthians 15, he speaks 591 00:26:28,810 --> 00:26:31,650 to Jesus and the work of Jesus Christ and what he has done for us. 592 00:26:32,530 --> 00:26:35,730 And so the spirit of antichrist identifies itself by the 593 00:26:35,730 --> 00:26:38,770 denial of Jesus and the denial of the Father. 594 00:26:38,770 --> 00:26:43,010 Because if you deny Jesus, you're denying the Father and really 595 00:26:43,010 --> 00:26:50,710 understanding that when we deny, if anyone denies Jesus but 596 00:26:50,790 --> 00:26:53,350 then says that they are religious, essentially what we're 597 00:26:53,350 --> 00:26:54,710 seeing is they're, they're, they're false. 598 00:26:54,710 --> 00:26:55,750 It's a false religion. 599 00:26:56,150 --> 00:26:59,870 And so one of the things that we can identify is one of the things 600 00:26:59,870 --> 00:27:02,110 that holds us back in the Christian life, one of the things 601 00:27:02,110 --> 00:27:05,670 that holds us back in our fellowship with God is tolerating 602 00:27:07,350 --> 00:27:13,030 and compromising and getting buddy buddy with antichrist teachings. 603 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:15,760 We have to be very, very careful about that. 604 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:22,360 And so what we see here at the end of verse 23 is, Whosoever denieth 605 00:27:22,360 --> 00:27:27,720 the Son, the same hath not the Father, but he that acknowledgeth 606 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:29,200 the Son hath the Father also. 607 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:32,480 So he says, it's a package deal. 608 00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:36,320 You can't have God the Father and not have Jesus Christ. 609 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,820 It's by faith and faith alone in Jesus. 610 00:27:41,300 --> 00:27:43,860 Verse 24, Let that therefore abide in you. 611 00:27:44,340 --> 00:27:46,820 So he says, okay, let that sink in. 612 00:27:47,540 --> 00:27:49,220 Let Jesus abide in your life. 613 00:27:49,780 --> 00:27:52,460 Which ye have heard from the beginning, this is what you've been 614 00:27:52,460 --> 00:27:52,740 hearing. 615 00:27:52,740 --> 00:27:55,100 If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in 616 00:27:55,100 --> 00:27:58,020 you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father. 617 00:27:58,020 --> 00:28:01,220 He says, if you want to have fellowship with God, you got to let 618 00:28:01,220 --> 00:28:04,340 the fact that Jesus is Lord abide in your life. 619 00:28:04,500 --> 00:28:08,480 A whole reading you can do is go to John 15 and talk about and, 620 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:09,520 and see what Jesus talks about. 621 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:11,560 When it says, abide in Me, and I in you. 622 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,800 The idea that there's this, he is divine, we are the branches. 623 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:17,160 Without him we can do nothing. 624 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:19,040 That's essentially what John is teaching here. 625 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,880 He says, you got to abide in Christ verse 25. 626 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,360 And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal 627 00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:25,640 life. 628 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,520 So he's like, you got to go back to what he's promised. 629 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,280 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce 630 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:32,600 you. 631 00:28:33,100 --> 00:28:36,660 So the reality here is that he says that these people that have 632 00:28:36,660 --> 00:28:39,620 the spirit of the Antichrist, it's not just that they want to come 633 00:28:39,620 --> 00:28:41,340 in and keep it to themselves. 634 00:28:41,980 --> 00:28:42,380 The. 635 00:28:42,380 --> 00:28:44,020 The idea is, is that they're going to be. 636 00:28:44,020 --> 00:28:46,500 If they're Antichrist, they're anti gospel, therefore they have 637 00:28:46,500 --> 00:28:47,340 their own gospel. 638 00:28:47,420 --> 00:28:49,380 And they're going to try to teach that and they're going to try 639 00:28:49,380 --> 00:28:50,460 to seduce people in. 640 00:28:52,220 --> 00:28:54,820 And sometimes what we think about when it comes to this, we think 641 00:28:54,820 --> 00:28:58,060 about, well, okay, Pastor, I would know if you're up there preaching 642 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:00,760 anti Gospel stuff, I would know. 643 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,960 And you probably would know if I got up here and said anything astray 644 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:08,960 from the gospel, I would hope that most people at Middletown Baptist 645 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:12,240 Church would wave that red flag and make sure that you didn't 646 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:15,440 misunderstand what I said and make sure that I didn't get confused 647 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:19,800 and really have a really good time of conversation. 648 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,520 And then when you realize that it is anti Gospel, that you would 649 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:24,370 turn and go, or keep. 650 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:25,080 Kick me out. 651 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:29,440 And so a lot of times we think that false teaching comes through 652 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,080 the front door, through the pulpit. 653 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,360 And certainly it can, and it has in many cases. 654 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:38,480 But the Bible also says in the book of Jude that sometimes false 655 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,000 teaching can sneak in unawares, unknowingly. 656 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:43,320 And it can come through very. 657 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:47,000 What we would call minimal or small ways. 658 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:49,080 Maybe it's just through conversation. 659 00:29:50,290 --> 00:29:52,410 Maybe you're having a conversation with someone about the 660 00:29:52,410 --> 00:29:54,450 things of God, and they go, oh, that's. 661 00:29:54,690 --> 00:29:55,810 You don't have to believe that. 662 00:29:55,810 --> 00:29:56,850 You don't have to trust in that. 663 00:29:56,850 --> 00:29:57,210 That's. 664 00:29:57,210 --> 00:29:58,610 That doesn't make any sense. 665 00:30:00,210 --> 00:30:04,130 Whether they know it or not, they are teaching and propagating 666 00:30:04,130 --> 00:30:04,890 false teaching. 667 00:30:04,890 --> 00:30:05,730 That's Antichrist. 668 00:30:05,730 --> 00:30:07,810 If it's anti Gospel, it's Antichrist. 669 00:30:08,290 --> 00:30:09,650 We have to be so aware of that. 670 00:30:10,050 --> 00:30:13,450 Because what can happen is that spirit can rub off in our life, 671 00:30:13,450 --> 00:30:17,860 that thinking can rub off in our life, and we can eventually unknowingly 672 00:30:17,860 --> 00:30:20,940 get to a place in our life where we are living Antichrist, anti 673 00:30:20,940 --> 00:30:21,500 Gospel. 674 00:30:22,940 --> 00:30:24,220 And so he goes a little bit further. 675 00:30:24,220 --> 00:30:28,820 He says, but the anointing which ye have received of him abideth 676 00:30:28,820 --> 00:30:31,060 in you, meaning God has given you everything. 677 00:30:31,060 --> 00:30:33,660 You need to read through and see the truth. 678 00:30:34,380 --> 00:30:38,340 If you are open, if you are letting the Spirit guide you, he 679 00:30:38,340 --> 00:30:39,660 will give you that discernment. 680 00:30:41,590 --> 00:30:44,230 So he says, but the anointing which hath received of you have received 681 00:30:44,230 --> 00:30:45,230 of him, abideth in you. 682 00:30:45,230 --> 00:30:47,310 And ye need not that any man teach you. 683 00:30:47,310 --> 00:30:51,550 Meaning you don't have to sit down and have someone tell you, hey, 684 00:30:51,550 --> 00:30:53,190 this is what a false teacher is. 685 00:30:53,350 --> 00:30:55,030 It's like counterfeit money, right? 686 00:30:55,030 --> 00:30:56,550 You just need to know what the truth is. 687 00:30:56,550 --> 00:30:59,430 If you know the truth, you know that something isn't the truth. 688 00:30:59,750 --> 00:31:02,630 I don't need to sit down here with you and tell you every single 689 00:31:02,630 --> 00:31:04,230 false teaching that there is in the world. 690 00:31:04,310 --> 00:31:07,510 I can help you and I can point you through some other false teachings. 691 00:31:07,890 --> 00:31:11,650 But we as Christian, you should have those red flags going 692 00:31:11,650 --> 00:31:13,010 when you hear people preaching. 693 00:31:13,250 --> 00:31:17,730 And if that is anti biblical Christians have enough information 694 00:31:18,050 --> 00:31:21,330 with the Spirit living within them to know that that is wrong. 695 00:31:21,890 --> 00:31:24,850 And so it's knowing God more so that we can know what's not of 696 00:31:24,850 --> 00:31:25,250 God. 697 00:31:25,490 --> 00:31:28,490 And so he says, you don't need anyone to teach you that. 698 00:31:28,490 --> 00:31:31,490 But as the same anointing teacheth you of all these things 699 00:31:31,650 --> 00:31:35,160 and is truth and is no lie, and even as it have taught you, ye 700 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:36,200 shall abide in him. 701 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:38,600 And now little children abide in Him. 702 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:41,720 So he reminds us here live in Christ, abide in him. 703 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,720 That when he shall appear, we may have confidence. 704 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:47,720 Talked about confidence on Sunday morning. 705 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:52,120 This idea that we can be assured that he will keep his word 706 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:53,880 and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 707 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,800 Meaning we don't want him to find us not about his business. 708 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:00,680 We don't want him to find us in a place in rebellion. 709 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:02,790 That that's the last place as Christians we want to be. 710 00:32:03,190 --> 00:32:04,230 We want to be following Him. 711 00:32:04,230 --> 00:32:05,350 We want to be faithful to him. 712 00:32:05,350 --> 00:32:06,150 Verse 29. 713 00:32:06,230 --> 00:32:09,830 If you know that he is righteous, if you, if you know, not 714 00:32:09,830 --> 00:32:13,150 just you think you're convinced, if you know that he is 715 00:32:13,150 --> 00:32:15,950 righteous, you know that everyone that doeth righteousness 716 00:32:15,950 --> 00:32:16,590 is born of Him. 717 00:32:16,590 --> 00:32:22,030 Meaning when we strive for righteousness, it's essentially showing 718 00:32:22,030 --> 00:32:23,630 that we trust in his righteousness. 719 00:32:23,630 --> 00:32:25,030 We trust in his goodness. 720 00:32:25,510 --> 00:32:27,950 When we strive after our flesh, when we strive after the things 721 00:32:27,950 --> 00:32:30,570 of this world, when we buy into the false teachings, that shows 722 00:32:30,570 --> 00:32:33,730 us that we're relying on our own strength and not our relationship 723 00:32:33,730 --> 00:32:35,050 with him and his righteousness. 724 00:32:35,850 --> 00:32:39,010 So this is a tough concept because a lot of times, again, we 725 00:32:39,010 --> 00:32:42,410 think of someone with the spirit of Antichrist as someone who's, 726 00:32:42,410 --> 00:32:45,850 you know, wearing a shirt that has some vulgar thing on it or has 727 00:32:45,850 --> 00:32:48,730 some satanic symbols on, on their, on their person. 728 00:32:48,730 --> 00:32:51,330 And we look at them and go, okay, obviously that's someone against 729 00:32:51,330 --> 00:32:55,410 Christ, but the Bible says that that's not always how Satan 730 00:32:55,410 --> 00:32:55,770 works. 731 00:32:55,770 --> 00:33:00,150 Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it sounds good, and sometimes 732 00:33:00,150 --> 00:33:03,310 a hindrance to the fellowship that we can have with Christ is when 733 00:33:03,310 --> 00:33:06,510 we allow false teaching to seep into the church, either from 734 00:33:06,510 --> 00:33:08,310 the pulpit or from the pew. 735 00:33:08,630 --> 00:33:10,230 And we had to be careful about that. 736 00:33:11,270 --> 00:33:15,230 And, and it's not like we judge people because there are instances 737 00:33:15,230 --> 00:33:19,310 where people just don't know the truth and they need to be taught 738 00:33:19,310 --> 00:33:22,070 the truth and they need to be shepherd and discipled. 739 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,800 But again, it's not a justification for false teaching. 740 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:31,840 And so as a pastor, I had many opportunities to hear people's opinions 741 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:35,160 about the faith and Bible and religion. 742 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:38,280 And there are going to be some times where I hear someone talking 743 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:44,000 and I recognize they're trying to say the right thing, but it came 744 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,800 out a little weird and I might not need to address it right then. 745 00:33:48,350 --> 00:33:51,630 But if someone out now says something anti biblical, as a pastor 746 00:33:51,630 --> 00:33:54,590 but as a believer, I have a responsibility to clarify that and 747 00:33:54,590 --> 00:33:57,470 make sure that, hey, I don't want that to be propagated within 748 00:33:57,470 --> 00:33:58,030 the church. 749 00:33:58,510 --> 00:34:01,630 I don't want that to be hindering your fellowship with God. 750 00:34:02,270 --> 00:34:03,870 And so we need to be careful of that. 751 00:34:04,030 --> 00:34:07,390 Beware of false religion even within our own midst. 752 00:34:07,950 --> 00:34:11,470 If you study church history, it's very. 753 00:34:12,350 --> 00:34:15,230 It's hard to see when it happens, but gradually just there's 754 00:34:15,230 --> 00:34:15,710 a drift. 755 00:34:16,709 --> 00:34:18,469 And we don't want to be the church. 756 00:34:18,469 --> 00:34:20,069 We don't want to be the denomination. 757 00:34:20,069 --> 00:34:23,229 We don't want to be the people that drift away from the truth of 758 00:34:23,229 --> 00:34:23,909 Jesus Christ. 759 00:34:24,789 --> 00:34:27,589 Look, there's a lot of things that we can differ on with people. 760 00:34:29,269 --> 00:34:32,829 You know, there's some churches that worship differently 761 00:34:32,829 --> 00:34:33,549 than we worship. 762 00:34:33,549 --> 00:34:36,269 There's some churches that have different church organization 763 00:34:36,269 --> 00:34:37,829 or what we call polity. 764 00:34:38,069 --> 00:34:38,669 Okay? 765 00:34:38,669 --> 00:34:41,949 There's different churches that have different things that they 766 00:34:41,949 --> 00:34:44,149 do within their ordinances and all that kind of stuff. 767 00:34:44,539 --> 00:34:45,899 And we can have those differences. 768 00:34:46,219 --> 00:34:47,419 We can have those differences. 769 00:34:48,539 --> 00:34:52,059 But if they believe the right things about Jesus and they teach 770 00:34:52,059 --> 00:34:54,579 the right things about Jesus, they are our brothers and sisters 771 00:34:54,579 --> 00:34:55,099 in Christ. 772 00:34:55,499 --> 00:34:57,579 We don't have to necessarily be like them. 773 00:34:57,739 --> 00:35:00,659 But what we do is we say, okay, that's different than being 774 00:35:00,659 --> 00:35:01,819 a false teacher. 775 00:35:02,299 --> 00:35:06,139 But if there is a place that looks just like us and sounds just 776 00:35:06,139 --> 00:35:09,579 like us and does everything the same as us, but they're teaching 777 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,880 the wrong things, that they are not of us, that is not who we 778 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:15,960 want to associate with. 779 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:18,520 And so what, what I'm trying to get to here this evening is that 780 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:22,760 the core of our identification of who we are is what we preach. 781 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:23,560 That's what John says. 782 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,200 John doesn't say, well, they didn't. 783 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:26,520 They didn't do this or they didn't. 784 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:26,760 What. 785 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:27,280 What's the. 786 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:28,040 What's the decision? 787 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:29,080 What's the decider? 788 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:33,760 He says, verse 22, who is a liar but he that denied Jesus the 789 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:34,040 Christ. 790 00:35:36,130 --> 00:35:36,930 So I. 791 00:35:36,930 --> 00:35:40,770 And I'm going to pause here, and I want to give you one last challenge 792 00:35:40,930 --> 00:35:41,570 in love. 793 00:35:42,450 --> 00:35:51,930 Be careful what you take in via Internet or books or radio or 794 00:35:51,930 --> 00:35:53,810 whatever mediality you're bringing in, okay? 795 00:35:53,810 --> 00:35:58,610 Because I encourage you to study things outside of the church. 796 00:35:58,850 --> 00:36:02,150 I encourage you to listen to other pastors and preachers outside 797 00:36:02,150 --> 00:36:02,870 of this church. 798 00:36:03,270 --> 00:36:09,150 But be very, very careful on what you are taking in and what you 799 00:36:09,150 --> 00:36:11,190 are believing and what you're applying to your life. 800 00:36:11,190 --> 00:36:14,910 Because whether we know it or not, everything that we take in affects 801 00:36:14,910 --> 00:36:16,790 our thinking and affects our belief. 802 00:36:17,909 --> 00:36:18,270 And. 803 00:36:18,270 --> 00:36:21,430 And so there are people that are very popular that I would just 804 00:36:21,430 --> 00:36:22,390 say, be careful. 805 00:36:22,790 --> 00:36:24,230 I'm not saying don't listen to them. 806 00:36:24,230 --> 00:36:27,670 I'm saying be careful and judge the message not by the delivery, 807 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:33,320 not by the fanfare, not by the success, not by the growth of ministry, 808 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:36,760 but by what is being said and then what is being done. 809 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:40,120 Because what's being said is one thing, but then what is being 810 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:41,160 done is another thing. 811 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:44,640 And so do your research, do your due diligence, protect your 812 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,640 own mind, protect your heart, protect your family. 813 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:51,240 And ultimately, we want to protect the church and we want to 814 00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:52,600 protect the work of the gospel. 815 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:54,760 So that's what John is talking about here. 816 00:36:55,350 --> 00:36:57,990 We're going to get to verse number one of chapter three next, 817 00:36:58,070 --> 00:36:58,790 next time. 818 00:37:00,070 --> 00:37:03,550 And he's going to talk about this beautiful love that God has 819 00:37:03,550 --> 00:37:05,830 given to us, that we should be called the children of God. 820 00:37:05,830 --> 00:37:08,030 That's an amazing thing to think about that, that we can be 821 00:37:08,030 --> 00:37:08,870 called children of God. 822 00:37:08,870 --> 00:37:11,110 But then he's going to talk about this idea that sometimes children 823 00:37:11,110 --> 00:37:11,910 can be misled. 824 00:37:13,270 --> 00:37:15,430 And what we have to do is we have to be on guard. 825 00:37:15,510 --> 00:37:18,190 And the way that we can be on guard is by following what God has 826 00:37:18,190 --> 00:37:18,350 said. 827 00:37:18,350 --> 00:37:20,950 And he talks about loving, indeed, and in truth. 828 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:24,120 And we'll get there later on. 829 00:37:24,120 --> 00:37:27,640 In First John, First John, chapter four, he says, be sure the 830 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:28,480 spirits are of God. 831 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:30,880 Test every spirit, test every message. 832 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,360 Because there can be people that say, well, I had this miraculous 833 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:36,600 experience and I had this wonderful encounter. 834 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:38,560 It was a religious and emotional encounter. 835 00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:40,160 The Bible says test everything. 836 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:43,840 Is it of God and he'll give us the test again. 837 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:44,760 Is it of Jesus Christ? 838 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:45,840 Did they preach Jesus? 839 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:48,080 And so we're going to go through that as we study First John. 840 00:37:48,260 --> 00:37:50,020 First John's an awesome book to go with. 841 00:37:50,260 --> 00:37:55,060 Go through with someone that number one needs assurance of their 842 00:37:55,060 --> 00:37:55,620 salvation. 843 00:37:55,860 --> 00:37:57,900 If there's someone who's struggling in the assurance of their 844 00:37:57,900 --> 00:37:59,700 salvation, take them to First John. 845 00:37:59,700 --> 00:38:00,500 Because First John. 846 00:38:00,500 --> 00:38:01,940 Is that that standard? 847 00:38:01,940 --> 00:38:03,580 This is what it looks like to be a Christian. 848 00:38:03,580 --> 00:38:05,060 This is what it means to be a Christian. 849 00:38:05,220 --> 00:38:07,980 This is what God expects of us. 850 00:38:07,980 --> 00:38:10,580 This is the warnings of all of these things. 851 00:38:10,820 --> 00:38:13,460 So First John is a good place to go for assurance of salvation. 852 00:38:14,270 --> 00:38:16,870 Another aspect is that even within your own life, I think that 853 00:38:16,870 --> 00:38:22,870 it's a warning and a framework of surety that you know what, as 854 00:38:22,870 --> 00:38:25,390 a Christian, I can trust in God in the midst of difficulties. 855 00:38:25,950 --> 00:38:28,430 And then he writes at the very end, First John, chapter 5, verse 856 00:38:28,430 --> 00:38:28,630 13. 857 00:38:28,630 --> 00:38:31,710 These things have I written unto you that believe in Jesus, that 858 00:38:31,710 --> 00:38:33,710 you can know that you have everlasting life. 859 00:38:35,150 --> 00:38:38,230 I know that I have everlasting life, not because the way that I 860 00:38:38,230 --> 00:38:40,750 feel, but because of what Jesus has told me. 861 00:38:40,750 --> 00:38:41,550 When I'm trusting. 862 00:38:41,980 --> 00:38:44,340 That's what we have to go to when it comes to our confidence in 863 00:38:44,340 --> 00:38:44,620 Him. 864 00:38:45,420 --> 00:38:48,020 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 865 00:38:48,020 --> 00:38:48,620 podcast. 866 00:38:48,860 --> 00:38:51,260 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 867 00:38:51,900 --> 00:38:54,180 If you would like to find out more information about our church 868 00:38:54,180 --> 00:38:57,580 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 869 00:38:57,980 --> 00:39:00,540 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 870 00:39:01,260 --> 00:39:05,700 You can also email me directly at Josh Massaroiddletownbaptistchurch 871 00:39:05,700 --> 00:39:09,410 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast podcast, please subscribe 872 00:39:09,410 --> 00:39:12,970 and follow along for future podcast and updates. 873 00:39:13,610 --> 00:39:14,570 Thank you so much. 874 00:39:14,810 --> 00:39:15,530 God bless. 875 00:39:15,770 --> 00:39:17,050 Have a wonderful day.