The Four Biggest Theological Mistakes That Evangelicals Are Making Today...

I found this lecture by Dr. Michael Reeves particularly helpful. I think because he is so well read in history it gives him a special ability to open up the Scriptures in a profound way.

1 John 2:1-2

1 John 2:1-2

We Have an Advocate with the Father: Jesus Christ the Righteous

1Jn 2:1  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: 

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

1. John’s Desire is that We Experience True Freedom in Christ, No Longer Bound by Sin. – vs. 1a*
1. Romans 6:1-9 
2. If You Fall into Sin Take Comfort You Have An Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. – vs. 1b*
1. Zechariah 3:1-7 
2. John 14:15-17 
3. Jesus Has Made Satisfactory Payment for Our Sins. – vs. 2a*
1. Hebrews 9:11-14 
4. Jesus Has Made Satisfactory Payment for the Sins of All Men. – vs. 2b*
1. Jesus made sufficient payment for the atonement of all men, but this does not mean that it is efficient to save all from sin. Many who have not been granted saving faith will reject the saving grace of God and be damned to an eternal hell.

                                                               i.      Common Grace

1.      Matthew 5:45 

                                                             ii.      Special or Saving Grace

                                          1.      Ephesians 2:1-10 

God Told Me...?

This is a great resource on youtube if you have not seen it. They are very short videos that are really to the point and seem to be on target almost all the time. Please take a few minutes and watch a couple.

Steven Lawson: Cut to the Heart: Awakening in Scripture

I listened to this message yesterday and then shared it with my trustee board in the evening meeting. I really appreciate Steven Lawson and his ability to uphold our greatest resource the Word of God.

Sermon Recordings

At the moment all that Bethany Church has is audio recordings. If you wish to follow along with the sermon series that way you can find them on our church website. Thank you all again for following along and staying up with my project here on this blog. God bless you and have a great day.

1 John 1:8-10

1 John 1:8-10

Christ is Faithful and Just to Forgive Us Our Sins

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

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

1. When a Person Refuses to Take Responsibility for Their Sin this is the Beginning of Self-Deception and the Path to Mental Illness. – vs. 8a*
1. A great disconnect from the reality of truth, comes from an unwillingness to admit to our wrong doing.

                                                               i.      Romans 3:10-18 

2. When a Person Refuses to Take Responsibility for Their Sin They are Self Deceived and have no Ability to Rightly Understand Truth. – vs. 8b*
1. Truth is best understood by the humble.

                                                               i.      James 4:6 

3. When a Person Refuses to Take Responsibility for Their Sin They Make Christ a Liar. – vs. 10a*
1. 2 John 1:7-11 
4. When a Person Refuses to Take Responsibility for their Sin the Logos (An Honest Search for Truth) is not in Them. – vs. 10b*
1. 1 John 5:10 
5. When A Person Humbles Themselves and Receives God’s Grace they are Forgiven and Cleansed from Sin. – vs. 9*
1. You must Confess

                                                               i.      Confession of guilt is the hinge point upon which sanity turns. When we admit the reality of our guilt and turn to the One who has paid the price for our sin we can receive forgiveness for sin.

1.      Psalm 32:5 

2.      Psalm 51:1-4 

2. Christ is faithful to forgive

                                                               i.      Lamentations 3:22-23 

3. Christ is just to forgive

                                                               i.      Romans 3:22-28 

4. Christ cleanses us from not only the penalty of sin but also its power.

                                                               i.      1 Corinthians 6:9-11

1 John 1:5-7

1 John 1:5-7

God is Light

1Jn 1:5  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. 

1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 

1Jn 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. 

1. God is Light and Has Nothing to Do with Darkness. – vs. 5
1. John uses a double negative to emphasize the reality that God has nothing to do with evil in any way.

                                                               i.      Psalm 27:1

                                                             ii.      Romans 8:1-11 

                                                            iii.      James 2:18-20 

2. If Someone Claims to Walk with God but Walks in Darkness He is a Liar. – vs. 6
1. John is not talking about the Christian that is free in Christ yet still struggles with his old nature (He deals with that in the next passage). Instead, John is speaking about a fraud, someone that claims to be of God but yet is living in sin and is not cleansed by the blood of Christ.

                                                               i.      1 John 2:1-6 

                                                             ii.      Psalm 5:1-6 

3. The Blood of Jesus Christ Frees us to Walk in the Light. – vs. 7
1. This statement is true no matter the order. Those that walk in light and love others are cleansed by the blood of Christ and those that are cleansed walk in light.

                                                               i.      Psalm 56:10-13 

I John 1:1-4

I John 1:1-4

The Evidence of Life

1Jn 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 

1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 

1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 

1Jn 1:4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 

1. Christ is not a Created Being. – vs. 1a*
1. John 1:1-5 
2. Revelation 1:5-8 
2. Christ Even Now Has a Human Nature Just Like Yours and Mine. – vs. 1b*
1. Hebrews 2:9-18 
3. Christ is the Word of Life. – vs. 1c*
1. 1 John 5:6-7 
2. John 1:14 
4. Christ, Who is One in Nature with the Father, was Revealed by the Apostles. The Apostles have Faithfully Testified to Us through the Word. – vs. 2*
1. 1 Timothy 3:16 
2. Jude 1:24-25 
5. Through the Faithful Witness of the Apostles (The Bible) We Have Fellowship with Them. – vs. 3a*
1. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 
6. Through Fellowship with the Apostles (the Bible), We Have Fellowship with the Father and the Son – vs. 3b*
1. Galatians 3:1 
7. The Written Word of God Reveals Christ and Christ Gives us Life Abundant. – vs. 4*
1. John 15:9-13 

1 John

I am thinking I would like to start preaching at our new church in Kansas in first letter of John. It seems daunting but I would like the challenge. Pray for me as I prepare to tackle this wonderful book. It is an incredibly profound book yet the truths are so simple. So you can look forward to that coming soon.