Lessons from John

1 John 5:18-19 – The Lessons of John

Intro:  We are almost near the end of this book.  Today we are looking at verses 18-19 and will learn five lessons this morning.  John as we know was called the apostle of love.  He had the clearest vision of all the original apostles of the divinity, humanity and deity of Jesus Christ.  John had the clearest vision of the work of the Holy Spirit. 

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one does not touch him.

1.  There are three things we learn from this verse.  First, anyone born of God does not

     Not continue in sin.  A true believer does not knowingly sin.  They don’t make sin a

     Habit.  David wrote in Ps 66:18, that if we regard or cherish sin or iniquity the Lord

     Will not hear us. 

a.  John is revealing here that this is spiritual knowledge.  When one is regenerated, born

    Again.  He is trying to stay connected with God.  His relationship with God is so

    Important that he does not want to do anything that will hinder or harm this

    relationship.  Cherishing sin, habitually or knowingly sinning hinders, harms and can

    Even destroy our relationship with God.

b.  Christian conduct is a direct result of Christian character.  Action follows priorities,

      Plans and purposes.  You are what you think, say and do.  John says, those who are

      Born of God knowingly do not cherish, regard or habitually sin.  John understands

      that people sin from time to time but he here is talking about actually loving sin. 

      There are a lot of people in the world that love sin.  But the believer should not be one

      Of them.

2.  The one who is born of God is keep safe.  The phrase has a two fold meaning.  First,

      It talks about the divine protection of God.  God does promise to be with His people.

      Matt 28:20, tells us this.  Ps 91, reminds us of angelic protection.  There are many

      Examples of this in scripture.  Daniel in the lion’s den, the three Hebrew boys,

      Peter in prison to name a few.  We have the shield of faith found in Eph 6.  All this

      To assure of God’s continuous protection.

a.. The second aspect is choosing  not put ourselves in a place where we walk out

     From under God’s protection. We will knowingly like Joseph flee temptation and sin. 

     This protects us.  When you know something is bad or dangerous you need not go

     There. 

b.  This helps keep us.  God promises to protect us but let us not put him to a foolish test.

      Satan tried this with Jesus in the temptation in the wilderness.  We

      Have our responsibility, some think that they can live as close to the world as possible

      And not be affected, you will and this will hinder your effectiveness.  Live as far as

      You can from the world and its standards.  Live as close to God as you can and God

     Will be able to keep you better.

3.  John then tells his readers and audience that the evil one cannot touch the child of

     God.  When John wrote this book it was just after him being boiled in oil and being

     Extensively persecuted.  John knew personally this truth.  No matter what the evil one

     Tried John saw first hand God’s power and satan’s ineffectiveness.  I wish this was

     The testimony of more of us.  Remember 1 John 4:4, James 4:7, 1 John 3:8.  John had

     A clear understanding of how satan is defeated.  He has no power or ability over the

     Child of God.  We are not subject to his world, power, devices or authority.  We are

     Under God’s power, authority and will. 

a.  I believe it is time we starting living this way.  Satan is defeated.    

b.  Watchman Nee said, “As believers we are seated in heavenly places.  Satan has to

      Come up to us not we having to go down to him.”  John when he wrote this book was

      Writing to believers who had forgotten their first love.  John wanted them to come

      Back and return to that place of victory.  This is a message to the church in Hay River

      And Canada.

We know that we are children of God, and the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

4.  John reaffirms and reminds his audience that they know they are the children of

     God.  He wants them as they finish the letter to know they are children, joint heirs of

     A great inheritance in God.  Spiritual knowledge is a powerful tool.  You know that

     You have been bought with a price and you are to glorify God with your body and 

     Life.  1 Cor 6:19-20

a. You know your sins are forgiven, You have eternal and abundant life.  You have

     Access to the throne of God in prayer.  (Heb 4:15)  You have dreams and a destiny.

b.  Your know you are protected.   In Christ we will reach self actualization and become

     Well adjusted.  You know that your physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual

      Needs will be met by a personal God.

1  You know God will meet your physical needs.  (Matt 6:33)

2.  God has met your needs today and He will meet them tomorrow.  Matt 6:34,

    Phil 4:6, 19.

3.  God will meet our need for security and love.  Rom 8:35, 39 & 5:8

4.  God has and will meet our need for significance.  Phil 1:21, Eph 2:10, Ps 103:4

c.  John wants his audience and the readers to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they

     Are children of God.  Being a child of God has privileges, rights, authority, power and

     Victory all in Christ. 

5.  John understood the world he live in.  He states that the whole world is under the

     Control of the evil one John understood, the lust of the flesh, (pleasure), lust of the

     Eyes, (materialism), the pride of life, (man’s arrogance, self fulfillment.)  were

     Under the control of the evil one. 

a.  This world system, religions and philosophies are all under the control of the evil one.

      John knew that satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world.  Paul called satan the

      God of this world.  He rules this world and the people who and not Christians are

      Under his control.  John is simple, direct and black and white on this matter.  The

      Early church did not allow grey areas to appear.  You were saved or not.  You were

      God’s or not.  They made no allowance for status, position, upbringing, genealogy,

      Or sexual orientation.  You were a child of God or not.

b.  The church today has muddy the waters, we have made allowances for things and this

      Has made us ineffective. 

c.  The early church leaders fought long and hard to keep the world, satan and the flesh

     From coming in and diluting the church. 

d.  Remember satan is a fallen angel, his principle sin was pride.  He wanted to become

     God.  He was cast out of heaven, became totally corrupt, is the father of all lies an

     Accuser who robs, kills and destroys.  Pretty clear.  The world is under his control.

e.  But we are not.  We are children of God.  Like the writer of Hebrews 11 states.  We

     Are pilgrims passing through.  The world is not worthy of us.  We are in this world

     But not of it.  That is our message today as we get ready for communion.  Remember

     This.