Title: Love of the Father
Text: 1 John 2: 12-17
Date: March 15, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Our text tonight will be in 1 John 2. In verse 12 we find who John is speaking to.
1 John 2: 12: I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
Little children is a description of the believer no matter our age.
Illustration: Little children—honest, obedient questions; compared to older—rebellious, self-justifying questions.
Grace works in the heart to make the believer—from the youngest to the oldest as a teachable little child.
Matthew 18: 3: And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake—no other moive!—BELIEVERs are sinners by nature and practice, not without sin, but we are forgiven of all sins for the sake of Christ.
· Not by worth in us—by the grace of God
· Not by works we have done—because Christ finished the work given him of the Father for us
· Not for our name’s sake (our name by nature is worm)—but for his name’s sake (the LORD our Righteousness—that is our new name.)
· Not merely past sins—past, present and future—all sins forgiven for his name’s sake.
NEXT VERSE WE SEE WHO THIS ASSEMBLY OF LITTLE CHILDREN IS MADE UP OF:
1 John 2: 13: I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1 John 2: 13: I write unto you, fathers,…
Those who have been a long time in the faith, are apt to boast of their wisdom so to prevent it, to keep the aged believer dependent upon Christ his Wisdom he says, because ye have known HIM that is FROM THE BEGINNING. Christ is the Wisdom who was from the Beginning who has made you overcome. No reason to boast in your wisdom.
1 John 2: 13: I write unto you, young men,…
These are middle aged believers. They are in the primes of strength and might and are apt to boast in your strength and power. Lest the young men think they overcame by some power or might in them he because ye have overcome the wicked one. God by his grace gave you faith in Christ who is the Strength and Power who conquered the wicked one for you—you overcame by faith in Christ who did it, not because something you did.
1 John 2: 13: I write unto you, little children,
Little children—babes in Christ—relate most to the care of a tender Father so he says because ye have known the Father. God the Father by his grace revealed Christ the Everlasting, Last Adam to you and keeps you.
By addressing all the same as believers there is an important point: by regeneration, all in Christ whether born of the Spirit today or 70 years ago—we are made partakers of the divine nature, and have all things that pertain to life and godliness
· Ye are washed
· Ye are sanctified
· Ye are justified
· In the name of the LORD JESUS, and by the SPIRIT of our GOD.
Let no man say the work is not finished and the believer must yet do such and such to be complete in Christ. The youngest in grace to the oldest is complete in him—thy sins are forgiven thee.
1 John 2: 14: I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
Maybe he does not mention the babes here because the message of responsibility falls on the older believers and the young believers to provide and instruct the babes.
I. A PLAIN WORD OF INSTRUCTION.
1 John 2: 15: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
Love not the world—believers born of the Spirit of God are not of this world.
John 17: 14: I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15: I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16: They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
The believer was chosen of God before this world was made—not of this world. God the Son came, perfected righteousness for his children, redeemed us out of this world—we are bought with a price we are not our own—we belong to him—not of this world. The Spirit of God has made the believer born from above—not of this world. Our citizenship is in the kingdom of God—not of this world.
Colossians 3: 18: (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20: For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 4: 1: Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Neither love the things that are in this world—With every phase of life comes a new challenge. Aged saints have more bodily weakness. They have looked forward to enjoying the golden years. Their strength is apt to languish. They are apt to grow lukewarm and indifferent and to let the guard down and indulge in things of this world more
Likewise, the young believer has too much confidence in their strength—the young man is either coming into more than he ever had before or on the downside of being a young man and wanting to kick up his hills while he still young.
There is nothing wrong with a man enjoy the good gotten from his honest labor. These are gifts of God.
Ecclesiastes 5: 18: Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19: Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
But in the church of God, God’s grace make us look on what God has given us in a different light.
Illustration: Remember when planning for your children became more important than you?—laying up for the children.
Where God has given true love for brethren—it is manifest in that the fathers in faith and the young men in faith are more concerned about laying up for the babes in Christ than for ourselves.
John just spoke of Christ’s work, of walking as he walked, of the love God gives in the heart for brethren:
· Christ laid up for the children
· Laid up perfect righteousness
· Laid up justifying obedience
· Laid up sanctifying obedience
· Laid up redeeming obedience
· By laying down his life!
THIS IS THE HEART OF THE FATHERS AND THE YOUNG MEN BORN OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD. OUR DESIRE IS NOT TO LAY UP FOR OURSELVES BUT FOR THOSE BABES WHOM CHRIST LAID DOWN HIS LIFE.
II. A PLAIN WORD OF WARNING.
1 John 2: 15:...If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Any man who can forsake the assembly of saints where he is needed most to pursue the honors (pride of life) he lusts after, any who can forsake brethren for his own fleshly ease (pampering of his flesh), any who can forsake babes in Christ for the lust of his eyes does not have the love of the Father in him. Notice the context:
1 John 2: 18: Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. [if you want someone to tell you otherwise and soothe your conscious in rebellion, pay them their harlot’s fee and they will gladly do so but here is the truth about men who leave God’s saints for their fleshly lusts] 19: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
To our young people who are babes in Christ—little children, new in the faith—whom God has called to faith in Christ. The spiritual welfare of these who are yet younger than you is more important than anything else you do in this life.
Education/College—stay close—within an 1 hour of home—close enough to come home on the weekends to services. If for some reason you do move further—make the decision based on where a gospel church is. And if you go there go to every service. Christ Jesus and the gospel is preeminently more important than a degree of any kind from any institution in this world.
A Job/Career—let this be first in your thoughts—what can I do to promote the good of Christ’s kingdom without being consumed away from Christ by a career. Make Christ and the furtherance of his name the chief thing in all you do in this life.
Matthew 6: 24: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 13: 22: He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Fathers and young men (middle aged believers) that is the word and example that you and I are to teach these little babes in Christ. But if any man’s attendance on spiritual things is just for his immediate needs: self, or his own personal family till he gets them all grown and out of the house, and then he leaves and no longer gives himself for those babes in Christ who are coming up behind him—very dangerous!
1 John 2: 15:...If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
III. WHAT IS SO WRONG WITH THE WORLD? LISTEN TO WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT THIS WORLD and EVERYTHING IN IT
1 John 2: 16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Is Satan whispering in your ear saying, “Has God said, that is not what he means.”
· Satan got Eve to look at the fruit—lust of the eyes
· He told her it was good for food—lust of the flesh—food for the flesh
· He told her God was keeping back wisdom, it would make her wise—pride of life
Soon as Adam ate—here is the first man-made church!
· Lust of the eye—I am naked!
· Lust of the flesh—I need a cover for me!
· Pride of life—I can cover myself!
· They made THEMSELVES aprons
· They hid THEMSELVES
· I hid MYSELF, Adam said.
· What about your sin? Genesis 3: 12: And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Did God teach these lusts of the flesh: self-justification, self-righteousness, self-exaltation (pride) and blaming others—all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ, God in human flesh, said this
John 5: 44: How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
Believers know we overcome the wicked one by Christ alone.
· Satan appeals to the lust of the flesh--Make these stones bread—feed your flesh by earthly stones—man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
· Satan appeals to the pride of our flesh— if thou be the Son of God—if you be a child of God—you’ve been on the pinnacle of the temple—you can cast yourself off—God will save you—we will be so proud as to presume upon God? Matthew 4: 7: Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
· To lust of the eyes--Matthew 4: 8: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
You see it is by Christ our Wisdom, Christ our Strength, that the wise old believer has overcome, it is by Christ that you strong men have overcome the wicked one.
IV. NOT ONLY ARE THESE THINGS NOT OF THE WORLD, BUT THEY ALSO WILL NOT LAST
1 John 2: 17: And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
Every last thing in this world that appears most precious, important and valuable to our flesh is marked for destruction. Don’t take my word take God’s word--And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
Illustration: The 460 million dollar man
V. SOMETHING THAT NEVER ENDS
1 John 2: 17:…but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
THE BELIEVER DOES THE WILL OF GOD: We believe on Christ—Christ is the propitiation (atonement) for our sins. We trust him to be our Advocate with the Father. We abide in him, in his gospel and endeavor to keep his word abiding in our hearts and with one another. By his Spirit we observe the new commandment of love: we love God, love Christ, and love our fellow believers, and not the world, and the things of it. What a difference in verse 17: And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.—Abide in Christ.
1 John 2: 24: Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25: And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26: These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27: But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 28: And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
Remember Moses?
Hebrews 11: 24: By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25: Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26: Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Moses is one of those faithful fathers who is still teaching us babes today. But we don’t even know Pharaoh’s name. Where is Pharaoh today? Moses has been with the Lord in eternal glory over 5000 years—as new as the first day. Love not the world, abide in Christ.
AMEN!