18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
Introduction: No Match For God
During the 1930s, a missionary in a primitive African village saw firsthand the conflict between the power of the kingdom of evil and the omnipotence of God.
According to author Calvin Miller, a witch doctor had warned the missionary that the tribal god would destroy his school. A bolt of lightning fulfilled his threat. Convinced that the voodoo spirit would not have the last word, the missionary publicly proclaimed that the God of the Bible would strike the witch doctor’s totem with lightning that night. To the utter amazement of the village people, that’s exactly what happened! They saw this as evidence of the superior power of the missionary’s God.
In the book of Exodus, Moses and Aaron could have been intimidated by Pharaoh’s magicians. Their demonic power was clearly evident when their rods became serpents. But God reassured His servants and reminded them of His superior power when Aaron’s rod-turned-serpent devoured the other serpents.
The power of Satan is demonstrated as he works through unbelief and false religious systems. But when we walk with God, we need not be afraid. The devil and all his forces are no match for God.
Source: Herbert Vander Lugt, Our Daily Bread
Thesis: The Power Of Christ Within You Is Greater Than The Power Of Evil Around You.
I. We Know We Are Born Of God 18
18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
A. When Jesus Comes In It Shouldn’t Be A Secret!
1. We should be born again as Nicodemus was.
a. His salvation is recorded in John 3.
b. If John’s Gospel is chronological (and we have not reason to believe it is not) then Nicodemus was born of God at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus.
i. Let us say that Nicodemus was a slow starter.
ii. We see him just twice more in the Bible.
a. Once when he is shouted down by the Sanhedrin for defending Jesus.
b. And last when he brings 100 pounds of myrrh and aloe to anoint the body of Jesus.
2. But there is no doubt that Nicodemus was a disciple of Jesus Christ.
a. Like most of those early disciples it took the death/burial/resurrection of Christ to spur them into action.
b. Let me propose something to you:
i. Were there not 5,000 men (plus women and children) that Jesus fed?
ii. Were there not 4,000 men (plus women and children) that Jesus fed?
iii. If these were two entirely different groups, then there should have been at least 9,000 disciples of Christ at the time of His death (I think this unlikely)
iv. The Bible flatly states there were 120 Disciples of Christ on the day of Pentecost.
v. The church kind of got skinny, eh?
c. Let us chase a rabbit for 60 seconds.
i. If the church is the assembly (the people)…
ii. The people were assembled on the Day of Pentecost (that would be the church right?)
iii. How do some say the church was born on the day of Pentecost?
iv. May I suggest to you…
a. The church was in existence from the time Jesus called the first Apostles!
b. The church (assembly) (those 120 disciples) were EMPPOWERED on the day of Pentecost!
c. Proof?
1. The Holy Spirit fell!
2. The newly empowered Apostle Peter preached!
3. 3,000 souls were saved and ADDED to the church!
“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”
—Acts 2:41
3. It shouldn’t be a secret when we get saved!
B. When Jesus Comes In It Should Put An End To Willful Sin!
1. This Scripture has caused problems for individual believers and theologians alike.
a. Many theologians suggest that once a believer is saved HE IS INCAPABLE OF SIN.
b. To which I would answer, “Balderdash!”
c. There are two groups of sinners alive on the planet today: saved sinners and lost sinners.
2. Allow me to let Dr Alfred Barnes explain this far better than I ever could. *
The new born Christian “is not habitually and characteristically a sinner; does not ultimately and finally sin and perish; cannot, therefore, commit the unpardonable sin, Though he may fall into sin, and grieve his brethren, yet we are never to cease to pray for a true Christian; we are never to feel that he has committed the sin which has never forgiveness, and that he has thrown himself beyond the reach of our prayers. This passage, in its connection, is a full proof that a true Christian will never commit the unpardonable sin, and, therefore, is a proof that he will never fall from grace.
C. When Jesus Comes In – Satan Should Get Kicked Out!
1. What happened when Satan gets kicked out!
a. The new believer begins to do what new believers have been doing for 2000 years!
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
—Acts 2:42
i. They aligned themselves with other believers!
ii. They learned the doctrine of the church!
iii. They fellowshipped with other believers…
a. By partaking the Lord’s Supper…
b. By fellowshipping over meals
iv. They learned how to pray!
b. If there are five things we need to be doing as believers, it is these five things!
2. What happened when Satan doesn’t get kicked out!
a. Let’s say it’s bad, really bad!!
b. Let’s also look at what Jesus said and apply it here!
“43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
44 “Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45 “Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
—Matthew 12:43-45
c. I thought you said once saved always saved? I did!
d. But didn’t Jesus look through Peter and say, “Get behind me, Satan?”
D. Application To The Church
1. When Jesus comes in it shouldn’t be a secret!
2. When Jesus comes in it should put an end to willful sin!
3. When Jesus comes in Satan should get kicked out!
a. We must speak so that others know we are not secret saints!
b. We must act to put an end to willful sin!
c. We must pray to remove Satan from our lives!
Illustration
II. We Know We Are Lead Of God 19
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
A. We Know We Are Lead Of God 19a
1. We are led by:
a. Prophets
b. Preachers
c. Men of God
d. Ministers
e. Other Christian leaders
2. Who have I not mentioned? God!
a. The Apostle John said we are led by God!
b. Listen to the Apostle Paul
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”
—1Corinthians 3:6
c. The Apostle Paul realized he was a little fish in a big wide ocean.
3. How can we strut around spiritually knowing we are minnows in an ocean God created?
4. Had he not birthed us and lead us, we would be on the way to a devil’s hell!
B. We Know We Can Be Swayed By The World/Satan 19b
1. Do you know how long it would take us to fall back into the world?
2. One thought!
3. Satan is a master deceiver and as demonstrated by what Jesus said, he doesn’t give up just because you got saved.
4. Look at a well known defector from Christianity :
a. Marty Sampson from Hillsong Tweeted this: **
i. Pastors fall
ii. Christians can be the most judgmental people
iii. No one talks about the hard issues of Christianity
iv. The Bible is full of contradictions
v. How God can be love but then send people to hell
vi. The Christian faith is not for me
vii. Christianity seems to me like any other religion
b. Question….where's Jesus?
c. Another Question…where’s Satan?
C. Application To The Church
Illustration
III. We Know We Are Enlightened By God’s Son 20
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
A. Things Christians Know (And Appreciate)
1. We know that Jesus came to save us.
2. We know that Jesus has given us critical insight.
3. As Apostle John previous stated, We know that we know Him!
4. We know His truth!
5. We know His Son
6. We know the Father!
7. We have eternal life!
B. Because We Have Been Enlightened We Share The Wealth 20c
1. Why does John us the word “know” 4 times in these verses and 32 times in this small letter?
2. Two reasons:
a. Obviously he wanted us to know that we know what we know.
b. Secondly, John is battling a heresy known as Gnosticism. ***
i. Gnosticism was perhaps the most dangerous heresy that threatened the early church during the first three centuries. Influenced by such philosophers as Plato, Gnosticism is based on two false premises. First, it espouses a dualism regarding spirit and matter. Gnostics assert that matter is inherently evil and spirit is good. As a result of this presupposition, Gnostics believe anything done in the body, even the grossest sin, has no meaning because real life exists in the spirit realm only.
ii. Second, Gnostics claim to possess an elevated knowledge, a “higher truth” known only to a certain few. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis which means “to know.” Gnostics claim to possess a higher knowledge, not from the Bible, but acquired on some mystical higher plane of existence. Gnostics see themselves as a privileged class elevated above everybody else by their higher, deeper knowledge of God.
C. Application To The Church
IV. We Know We Are Lead Astray By The Devil’s Idols 21
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
A. We Should Stay Away From Idols – It Is Forbidden By God
1. It is the second commandment.
2. It is an intractable and terrible evil.
B. We Should Stay Away From Idol By The Example Of Israel
1. Israel was split into two nations because of idolatry:
a. Israel
b. Judah
2. Israel was destroyed and 10 tribes lost because of idolatry.
3. Judah and Jerusalem were destroyed and 2 tribes went into Babylonian Captivity because of idolatry.
4. Do not fall victim of idolatry – Satan seeks to destroy you any way he can!
V. Conclusion
* Barnes, Alfred (1996). Barnes' Notes. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker.
** christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2019/august/leaving-faith-by-losing-focus-part-1.html
*** gotquestions.org/Christian-gnosticism.html
