ASSURANCE TO AVOID DECEPTION

John takes Genesis and a word spoken from the beginning and ties it to Jesus, who is the Light, and says in 1 John that this word from the beginning was declared to the people of the church -- especially the people seeking maturity in the Spirit -- that they might have fellowship with the Father, His Son Jesus and the rest of the church.

It's a message to safeguard God's people.

There are words spoken throughout 1 John that keep repeating the thought of THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW.

• Notice this emphasis John places upon HOW TO KNOW you are God's true child.

1Jo 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

1Jo 2:5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

1Jo 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

1Jo 3:18-19  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  (19)  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

1Jo 3:24  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.

1Jo 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1Jo 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1Jo 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1Jo 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.



All these repeated statements about telling them things SO THEY MIGHT KNOW is a very important point.

• Sheer repetition of them is enough to tell us John is really stressing something to them and to us today as well.

And he is not writing a letter to them because they do not have the truth.

1Jo 2:21  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

By realizing he did not write to them to rebuke them or to give them truth they never had, and saying over and over again that he was helping learn how to KNOW if they were of God, or how TO KNOW they know the Lord, we see a very wonderful message in 1John for every sincere believer today.

You see, there is a devil who knows whether or not we are truly God's people.

• But the devil does not seek to assure you as to that fact.
• When John referred to the beginning and said he was writing because these believers were genuinely saved, but had to KNOW they were of God, it is very interesting that GENESIS, which means BEGINNINGS, has a picture in the beginning when MAN WAS INNOCENT AND WAS IN GOD'S GARDEN AND MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE AND LIKENESS, and a devil came along to tell them they were NOT where they should be.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

From the very start, the devil told Eve something that was not true.

• Basically it was they were outside God's will.

1Jo 3:7  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

John speaks about deception to a people to whom he did not write because they did not have the truth.

• He speaks of deception to a people who were genuine little children "of God".
• He spoke of HOW THEY COULD KNOW THEY WERE "OF GOD".
• Keep in mind John had no rebuke to these people but wrote BECAUSE THEY WERE of the Truth.

1Jo 2:26  These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

And he tells them the reason he is writing is because these genuine people of God is about them that seduce them.

1Jo 3:18-19  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  (19)  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

He is writing to people who are genuine and are truly of God, not because they did not have truth, but because they had it.

• And he says God's people are to love in more than just words, but in deeds or activity.
• And he said this will help them realize they are of the truth.
• It helps them KNOW they are of the truth.
• It ASSURES their hearts before God, and that is a very important thing.
• TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD need to know this WHEN SEDUCERS COME TO LIE TO THEM!

What he is saying is that you can be susceptible to deception although you are of God and in Christ and genuinely of the truth, BY NOT KNOWING SO.

• John began listing HOW TO KNOW you know Him and how to KNOW you are of God, to people who DID know Christ and to people who WERE of God, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE DECEIVED.

And in light of Adam and Even in the beginning who were just where they were meant to be, and only had need to GROW towards eating fruit of Life and becoming FULLY MATURE, we see a very vital message in 1 John.

Gen 1:26-27  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  (27)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen 5:1  This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

God made man in BOTH HIS LIKENESS AND IMAGE.

• Some feel He only made man in his likeness and not His image, because they do not read where He made them in His image in 1 :27.
• But 5:1 says He did make man also in His Likeness.

And look what Satan says:

Gen 3:4-5  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  (5)  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

He told her she could be as ELOHIM.

• English reads "GODS" in 3:5, but in the Hebrew language it is the same words as ...

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

THEY ALREADY WERE AS GOD!

• In Hebrew it reads the devil tell her she would be like God knowing good and evil.
• But she already was like God!
• She was IMMATURE, but she was still God's image and likeness.

1Jo 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.

1Jo 2:28  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.

1Jo 3:7  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

He repeats words to LITTLE CHILDREN.

• They were immature, but they were still genuinely IN THE TRUTH!

And he says something over and over which will help the little children know who they are and recognize deceivers who come to lie to them, because these liars were claiming things that John said was impossible for them to claim due to their lifestyles.

1Jo 1:5-10  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  (6)  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  (7)  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  (8)  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (10)  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

This tells us people were coming to the believers who needed to mature, and were professing they were teaches to help these newer believers.

• But these people were hating others and were not acting like Jesus.
• So these young  believers had to know who was really telling the truth when they would be told by so many different folks what the truth was.
• John said the true ones are the ones who do not hate each other.
• The true ones walk in the light as Jesus is in the light.

The very first word spoken from the beginning by God was LET THERE BE LIGHT.

• And John informs us that GOD IS LIGHT, with no darkness at all in him.
• And if God is Light and He speaks to the world and says LET THERE BE LIGHT, then God is actually REPRODUCING HIMSELF.
• But we know not everything in the world was totally made light.
• Night time still existed.
• Darkness still existed.

Joh 1:4-5  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  (5)  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Joh 1:11-12  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  (12)  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Some received him but others did not.

• And John was saying it was some of these others who never did come to the light, and actually get truly saved, who were still darkness, who were deceivers, like the devil, trying to tell young believers they were not of God and not in Christ, when John said they most certainly were.
• John said they had to know who they were, and had to know their true position of being genuine believers, or else these liars and deceivers would fool them into slipping away, JUST AS THE DEVIL DID TO EVE!

1Jo 2:19  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.

The worst is that these guys were once AMONG the church.

• They were never true believers, because they would never have LEFT.
• And he is not speaking about leaving a denomination.
• A denomination is the Church.
• The CHURCH is the people of God who preach the truth, and LIVE like Jesus lived, or are maturing more and more to act more like Jesus, and are not continuing in sin without growth.

1Ti 2:14  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

When you are deceived, you come into the transgression.

You lose confidence with God.

1Jo 3:18-19  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  (19)  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

DO NOT COME INTO THE TRANSGRESSION!

These people were maturing and were people who were living in more than just their tongues with words, BUT IN DEED and activity.

• And they had to be assured of their position in Christ, because the devil does not care if you are ignorant of your true position.
• He will deceive you into thinking you are not, so that a genuine child of God is messed up and loses out.
• So John said "We need to safeguard you folks, by telling you that these indications in your life of keeping God's commandments, and desiring his will in your hearts, and DOING something about your Christianity, rather than just talking about it, PROVE YOU ARE OF GOD and OF THE TRUTH, so you can pay no mind to these deceivers."

He ASSURED THEM.

• They needed assurance.

Imagine if Eve was ASSURED she was in God's likeness.

• She would have told the devil to get lost and to stop his lying, because SHE WAS in God's likeness.
• She would have had assurance.

It is so important to have assurance, because it allows you to BOLDLY go to God for needs.

• And we cannot make it on our own without God!
• And if we have no confidence in our place in God, although we are everything we should be, just in need of GROWING, and become deceived to think we are not even of God, then we will not GO TO GOD.
• And if we do not go to God, we can NEVER make it through, because without God we cannot live this life.
• So we will stop living this life.
• And when judgment day comes, we will be LOST!

1Jo 3:18-20  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  (19)  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.  (20)  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

If we are truly OF GOD, and IN CHRIST, and do not realize it, our hearts are not assured.

• And many people miss this point, but when we read verse 20 about our heart condemning us, the heart can do so when an unassured HEART, who doesn't know their life's activities prove their place in God, hears a deceiver who tells them they are NOT of God, and such an unassured heart CONDEMNS the person INCORRECTLY!
• If we are condemned, we have no confidence toward God.
• And lack of confidence towards God means we will not go to Him.

1Jo 3:21-24  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  (22)  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  (23)  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 commandment.  (24)  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.


He said you need to know that these things indicate you are where you should be!

He said that if they looked at themselves and the ones John called deceivers, they would realize that John was correct because THEIR OWN LIVES were sincere and walking like Jesus'.

• But these others' were hating and sinning.

Even if you sin, if YOU CONFESS things you are doing fine.

1Jo 1:8-9  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But some sin and do not even say they DID sin, let alone do not even confess their sins.

1Jo 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1Jo 2:1-3  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  (2)  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  (3)  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Some think we should never sin at all, or else we are not saved.

1Jo 3:8-10  He that committeth 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.  (9)  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  (10)  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.

But because we read 1 John 2:1, we know that is not what 3:8-10 means.

• COMMITTETH is a word that means IT CONTINUES ON AND ON.
• But John is saying that a true child of God may sin, and must confess it, and to know that when they do sin they have a propitiation.
• And true children will GROW and become more and more like Jesus.

We will be like Him more and more:

1Jo 3:1-2  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  (2)  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.

Even when he comes, we will grow beyond acting like Him in love in this life, but will become even more like Him when He returns, for we shall see Him!


Notice how John said the truth believers will become more and more like Jesus.

1Jo 1:5-6  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  (6)  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

1Jo 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1Jo 2:6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

HIM and US:
1Jo 3:2  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.


HIM AND US:
1Jo 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

HIM AND US:
1Jo 3:5  And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

So you are like him if you ACT like him.
1Jo 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.


1Jo 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

Peter was one whom the devil was trying to DECEIVE and SIFT.

Luk 22:31-32  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  (32)  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

"CONVERTED" means "BACK ON TRACK" in Greek.

Luk 22:32  GNB But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you turn back to me, you must strengthen your brothers."

Peter did not believe he would get off track to have to return to Christ, but he did.

And after he did, we read this:

Joh 21:3-7  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.  (4)  But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.  (5)  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.  (6)  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.  (7)  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

How did John know it was the Lord?

Luk 5:4-6  Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.  (5)  And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.  (6)  And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

Jesus did that at the very beginning WHEN HE FIRST CALLED PETER!

• Jesus was TURNING PETER BACK to Himself by going to the beginning!

Joh 21:15-17  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.  (16)  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.  (17)  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Jesus actually indicated to Peter that he would love Jesus in a way Peter could not.

Joh 21:18-19  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.  (19)  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

But the fact remains JESUS KNEW ALL THINGS.

• He knew Peter loved him despite his shortcomings.
• And when he said JESUS KNEW ALL THINGS and KNEW Peter loved him, Jesus wanted him to say that.
• And that same phrase is found here:

1Jo 2:7-8  Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.  (8)  Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

Its old because it was the very first word -- LET THERE BE LIGHT.

• But it's new, because our old lives are gone, and our NEW lives are receiving a NEW word we never had before.

1Jo 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

Peter was being condemned.

• But Jesus understood!
• PETER WAS BEING DECEIVED!
• Satan desired to SIFT HIM and DECEIVE HIM.
• But Jesus prayed for Him and Jesus TURNED HIM BACK.
• God may KNOW we are where we should be, but our hearts may condemn us DUE TO A DECEIVER, since our hearts are NOT ASSURED by understanding what we are doing that PROVES we are believers.

You may not be able to follow all the depth of teachings.

• You may not be able to quote the bible backwards and forwards like others.
• But IF YOU DESIRE GOD and TRULY love others, and once hated people and stopped hating them, and ARE CHANGING bit by bit to be ,more like Jesus, THEN YOU ARE FINE.
• Protracted infancy is wrong.
• But we can rescue such people.
• But IF YOU ARE SINCERE, then LET US ASSURE YOUR HEARTS so that you can have boldness and confidence.
• So the deceivers cannot get to you.!

Mat 7:13-21  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  (14)  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  (15)  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  (17)  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  (18)  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  (19)  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  (20)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.