Week of Meetings 07 1 John 3: — Svend Christensen

The New Birth and the Heavenly Family

Verse of chapter 2, we're going to chapter 3, 1 John 2, verse 29,. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. Behold what manner of love the Father bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure. Whosoever committed sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away all sins, and in him is no sin.

Whosoever abided in him sinned not, whosoever sinned had not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous. He that committed sin is of the devil, for the devil sinned from the beginning.

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his sin remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.

He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hated his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

But who shall have this world good, and see that his brother hath need, and shut up his vows of compassion from him? How dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence toward God.

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandments.

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us. May the Lord bless to us the reading from his holy word.

Life, Love, and the Structure of First John

Now we come in, you may say, to the second part of this epistle, about love. Brother McHale is saying that some time back he was writing an article for Moody's Moseley, some articles on this epistle, and he found the key to the epistle, the first two chapters being life, the next two love, and the last chapter life.

And that's certainly very suggestive, and we know that others have come up with that same key too, and it certainly is very, very suggestive here that you do have that light we've been dealing with in the first two chapters.

Now we come to love, and then in the last chapter of course it's life. And it's three wonderful words. Now I think in this section we have what we might call some portraits of the heavenly family. Sometimes we say, like father, like son.

Righteousness as the Family Likeness

And that's what we started right in with here in verse 29. If we know that he is righteous, and the word know there is that intuition, knowledge that we have, but the next know is the experimental. You know that everyone that is doing righteousness is born of him.

That know is a different know. The second know, this is the experimental knowledge. First you know it in your mind, if you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone that is doing righteousness is born of him.

So here you have the family likeness. The character of the father, he is righteous. The character of his children should be practical righteousness. That's how we should know the children of God, that they are righteous being alive, they're righteous in their lives.

They're not just like the average middle-run of the people in the world. Christians ought to stand out as people that are people of integrity, people that have standards, people that you can depend upon, people that are really above reproach.

You can count on them. That's what we ought to be like in the practical outworking of all Christian lives. So we should show the characteristics of our heavenly father. He is righteous. So should we be in everyday living and associations and dealings.

All business transactions should be righteous. They shouldn't be shady. They shouldn't be those that have been put on somebody and the pressure laid on them is a bad thing. They should be above that which would bring reproach to the name of our father.

The Father's Astonishing Love for His Children

Then we come in to this father's family likeness. Do we have something about the father's love? He says, Behold, that's the command of John the Baptist, Behold what manner of love the father had bestowed.

What manner of is something that indicates our astonishment or admiration. When you think of the love, the manner of his love, and then think of the objects of that love. Really what makes this love wonderful isn't it?

To think he can love the like of us. Behold what manner of love, what manner of love did he have? I loved you with an everlasting love. What sacrificial love he gave his son. God so loved the world that he gave.

Herein is love, this John in the fourth chapter. Not that he loved us. No, not that we loved God, but that he loved us. It was a voluntary love. A love that came from the father and that's the only reason we can explain it.

Why did God love us? We can't explain it. It's because he's loved. There's nothing lovable about us. There's something like that old scrub woman that got saved, you know. She was a monster before she was saved.

She was just a wicked, violent, tempered woman with a tongue that was just so terrible. And after she was saved there was such a transaction, such a tremendous transformation, such a change, that the people there could hardly believe it.

And they thought the thing would weigh off. And after some time some of her old colleagues got there, you know. And they were love-like characters that she used to be. And they just tormented her. They did everything to her.

And unless the one that had the most wicked tongue, she just poured out a lot of adjectives on her. You're just the holiest and most wicked legend. Oh, she just poured it on. And when she finished the old scrub woman was converted, she looked at him with a big smile and said, Isn't it wonderful that God could love the like of me?

Sure is, isn't it? Behold what manner, what an astonishing fact. What a something that should truly bring our admiration. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. That we, we, think of it, should be called the children of God.

Now the sons of God is not correct there. Paul uses the sons of God in relation to adoption and so on. But John uses the children. That we should be called the children of God. The like of us. Sinners of Adam's race.

Outside the comfort of Israel. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. That we should be called the sons of God. Therefore. Now I understand in the original, looking it up in Vine's book.

The thought is here that we should be called the children of God. For such we are. For such we are, is part of the original. Isn't that grand? Those of us that are saved by the grace of God. Such we are.

Assurance and the Dignity of Being God's Children

Right now we are the children of God. If there is anyone lacking assurance here this morning. These verses should certainly take away some of that lack of assurance. We are the sons of God. It says altogether in verse 2.

This is what we are right now. That's wonderful. Where the Father has bestowed him. While he has bestowed his love upon us. He has opened the floodgates to heaven. And he poured out infinite love and grace.

God who is rich in mercy. God gave heaven's best. What infinite grace and love. And what. How. What an infinite privilege that we are right now. The children of God. What infinite grace. And then. This consciousness.

Now we have a family consciousness here. You have family likeness. Now a family consciousness. We are. You know that should give dignity to the believer. When you're walking through this world. If we remind ourselves we are.

The children of God. Did you think that a king's son has to act a little different than another boy leading? When he's more expected of him? That's why it's even so hard for preachers' children sometimes.

People expect more of preachers' children. When we're here we are the children of God. And once we profess this to the world they expect to see more from us. We need to have this consciousness. We're heaven's blue blood.

But it takes privilege brings responsibility. What man of love is bestowed that we. We are the sons of God. Such we are. We need to be conscious of this constantly. And walk in the light of it. And then it brings out the family consequences.

Why Christians Are Misunderstood by the World

And then for this cause. Should read there. The world knowing us not because it knew him not. We need to be conscious of this. The more we are like the Lord Jesus. The more the world will misunderstand us.

They don't understand us. Someone said there's three standings right here in these verses. First there's our misunderstanding. The world knows us not. Then you have our understanding in verse two. Now are we the sons of God.

That's our understanding right now. And then our understanding. We shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. I think those are three wonderful standings right here in these verses. So we have this.

The consequence of being a Christian. You'll many times be misunderstood. People don't understand you. They didn't understand the Lord Jesus. And they can't understand us. I want to say a word about these glasses here.

You know I used to. We saw a moody film strip one time about the different things that distract the children. When the teachers teaching and the teacher he was teaching kept on taking off his glasses.

And the kids getting their lesson. They counted how many times he took his glasses off and on. Well when I got these I didn't know how strong they were. They were the first I'd had. And when I looked through these they drew all I see is a haze.

And if I looked at this without them all I see is a haze. So if I'd known that I would have got bifocals but I didn't know that. It was really a nuisance. So I wanted to explain that. It's not a murder.

It happened by force to put them on. I'm not used to them very long. Well get the glory. We won't need them. Thanks the Lord. When you have the family crown here. Consequences were misunderstood. Now look.

The Believer’s Present Position and Future Glory

Beloved again. Beloved. Now are we the sons of God. And it doth not yet appear. Here you have a present position. We are. Then we have a prospect. The first unrevealed. It doth not yet appear. It doth not yet appear what it shall be.

We can't enter in right now to what's really awaiting us. We just haven't got the facilities while we are here in these bodies with our present limitations. To understand to enter in the grandeur of the person of Christ.

And of the glory associated with him. And with the place we're going to. We have no idea. We can't enter into it. It's beyond our wildest imagination. But it's wonderful. I have not seen it and I've heard.

But we haven't fully entered into it. But he has revealed unto us by his Spirit. This is a certain wonderful spiritual truth. But there's a sense in which there's certain things we can't enter into now because of our human limitations.

But there's a wonderful prospect that is revealed and that follows. Yet, he said there, but. We know. Oh, I like the way he uses know. We know there's a certainty about the ring here. We know that when he shall appear.

There's no uncertainty about the Lord's coming. We saw that in verse 28. I didn't get time to touch on that last night because time was gone. Look at that verse 28. And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear.

There's a certainty of his coming. There's no question about his coming whatever. When he shall appear. He didn't say if he shall appear, no. He says when he shall appear. We know when he shall appear.

He says again in chapter 2 verse 2. That the certainty of the ring is John's teaching. We know he's going to appear. Is that a good thing to have no soul Christianity? We know we're there from dead unto life.

We know in whom we have believed. We know that he shall appear. In this world people are not sure of anything. They're uncertain about the future. They're uncertain about the present. They're uncertain about what's going to break out next.

Whether the next war's going to break out. When it's going to break out. It's all uncertainty. They don't know when they'll die because we don't need it. But after they die they don't know where they're going.

But a believer, thank God, we know. You sound awful sure of yourself. That's how God wants us to be. I've written these things unto you that you may know. And we know. We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him.

What are you going to be like in heaven? Going to be like him. That's good enough, isn't it? Going to be like him. I won't have wavy hair anymore when I get up there. It's all waved goodbye nearly. But there'll be no wrinkles.

No false teeth. No arthritic pains. We're going to be like him. Perfect. And he says we're going to see him. Something else we know. He said there's some definite prospect, certain things. Here you have something that's very, very definite.

They're revealed. We know that we shall see him. We know we're going to be like him. We shall see him as he is. With the glorious crown of the believer. Then you have the, not only prospect revealed, but you have here, purity is insensitive.

The Hope of Christ’s Coming Produces Holiness

And insensitive to purity. In verse 3, Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Here you have the coming of the Lord brought out more fully along with these other verses.

Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. What it's to do for us. Here you have the certainty of his coming as we said in verse 2. When he shall appear. The consciousness offered is in hope in him.

Every man that hath this hope in him. Now he said he's going to come again. I will come again, he promised. He that cannot lie hath promised, I will come again. So we have this hope in him. He is true.

He cannot lie. We have this hope in him. When he said something, it's as good as before. Then he justified, then he often glorified. We are as good as in glory. As far as the believer is concerned, as good as the Lord has already come.

He said he was coming and that's just as good as the Lord had already come. Because he's coming. So it's a very certain. We can be very conscious of it because it's promised by him. And then it leads to consecration.

And everyone that hath this hope purified himself even as he is pure. It's a purifying hope. It leads to holy living. The consecration of ourselves. Why if we really took him at his word, we really believed the Lord could come any moment.

What a purifying hope this is. Someone asked John Wesley, how would you live tomorrow if you knew the Lord was coming tomorrow evening? John Wesley said, I'd live just the same as I have it planned. That's a man really living for God.

Living daily, momentarily, as the Lord may come any time. So we must go on. Verses 4 to 11, we have the heavenly family in contrast with the unsaved. We've said that before. This book, it has seven main contrasts.

Sin as Lawlessness and the Purpose of Christ’s Manifestation

Whosoever committed sin transgresseth also the law. For sin is the transgression of the law. And we know that he was manifested to take away our sin. In him is no sin. And it's a standard set that anyone who breaks the law and the word of God is lawless.

Due at sin or practice at sin. It's not just one sinful act. But here's a person continually living a sinful life. He's a lawless one. He's one of the ones of darkness. He doesn't have the characteristics of the Father.

He's not like his father. He's not living with that hope in him whereby he's being purified. That purifying hope. He's living a life of lawlessness. Disobedience. When you have the Savior's coming mentioned in verse 5, verse 8 and verse 16.

We'll just mention that very briefly here. First he was manifested, verse 5. And ye know, here's another know, that he, the Lord Jesus, was manifested, number one, to take away our sins. In him is no sin.

He came, he put away, says the writer to the Hebrews, sin by the sacrifice himself. In the Old Testament, the sacrifice is only covered sin. For the Lord Jesus has put away sin. He came to take away sin.

Taken away. Removed it. Gone. I'll remember no more. Far fetches from the West. I'll remember them against you no more. My, what a powerful verse for assurance here. He was manifested to take it away.

Don't let your sins bother your friends. He has taken them away. They're completely taken away as far as the East is from the West. He says, I'll remember them against you no more. What wonderful words of assurance.

Christ’s Victory Over the Devil

Then in verse 8. He that committed sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil.

True death, he destroyed him that hath the power of death, that is the devil, Hebrews 2. He was manifested to take away sin. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. Verse 16. This is one of these lovely 316 verses that you have in the Word of God.

Sacrificial Love and the Christian’s Responsibility

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down all lives for the brethren. The Lord Jesus was also manifested to lay down His life for us. Now he says to the practical application of this.

So we ought to lay down all lives for the brethren. The good shepherd in John chapter 10. He said I'm the good shepherd that giveth His life for the sheep. John says even as the Lord Jesus gave His life for us.

We ought to lay down all lives for the brethren. This is a very, very practical thing, this Christianity, this love. And this is what you get in the next section. Some of the family trademarks, if you like, from verse 10 down to verse 18.

Righteousness and Love in Action

As we say when we're speaking, the time just flies away. But here's some of the family trademarks. One thing that marks the trademark of the believer is righteousness. As you get in these verses, as we saw in verse 29 of the previous chapter.

As you see running down through verses 7 and so on. He that doeth righteousness is righteous even as He is righteous. This is the trademark of the child of God, He is righteous. Another trademark of the child of God, you'll see love in action.

Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and so on. But verse 14, we know that we are passed from dead unto life because we love the brethren. He that loved none, his brother, abided in death. Love is the trademark of the believer.

Love in action. Righteousness in action. Then you have the sacrifice in action. In the Lord Jesus, the pattern that we just saw in verse 16. Hereby we perceive we the love of God because He laid down His life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. What do we ever do to really show that we love the brethren? It's so nice to come to a man and say, I love your brother. But what do we ever do in a practical sense to show that we love him?

Are we willing to really go out of our way to show that we love him? We really need this. When he's being misunderstood, when he's being maligned and so on. How do we show our love to the brethren? This is how that we know by showing him.

That love in action. Love in sacrifice. Sacrifice in action if you like. And then the verse, and with this I'm going to close. 17 and 18. You have kindness in action. Who shall have this world's good, and see this brother have need, and shudder up his bowels of compassion from him?

How dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, need in tongue, but in deed and in truth. This kindness should come out in action. This love should be manifesting itself.

To our neighbors, to our friends, and to people out of our enemies. What's the best way to get rid of an enemy? Destroy him. Some say, boy, I like that. Tell me how to get rid of him. Yes, sir. Make friends with him.

Love him. Get rid of him that the enemy make a friend of himself. Is that possible? This is the best way to get rid of your enemies. And then I might just say this in closing. Verse 19 down. You have something about assurance here.

The heavenly family's assurance. Hereby we know again that we are of the truth and shall assure of it. Here you have assurance. Running down through there are some practical things of assurance. How is assurance described here?

Well, when you have assurance, you know you're of the truth. You're confident in the presence of God. You have a clear conscience. You have a freedom of speech with the Lord. And you get answers to your prayers.

Verse 22. Once and ever we ask, we shall receive of him. When our hearts are right before God, we are clear before the Lord. There's no unconfessed sin. And we're really His. We really have His known soul salvation.

We get answers to all prayers. We'll get more about that in Chapter 5. And we'll stop at a good time today. Just keep it here one hour. It's 1130. So let's close with a word of prayer. Maybe Father McKay, you would dismiss us please.