John’s primary PURPOSE is that believers will enter and maintain fellowship with God, with the RESULT of inner joy.“That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that our joy may be full … These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may [continue to] believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1Jo 1:3-4; 1Jo 5:13 (emphasis added)
This compilation of notes represents the truths found in the Epistle of First John.
Gene Cunningham - June 9, 2012
Learn to Discern
We have a debt "...you ought to be teachers". It takes maturity to recognize this. We need to become skillful in discerning good and evil. Why is it so difficult to discern good and evil? It takes time. "And this we will do if God permits" (Heb 6:3). These Hebrews were hungry, motivated Christians, but had fallen away. There is a point of no return.
"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 6:5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6:6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame." (Heb 6:4-6)
Legalism is one of the ways Christians fall away and pervert the gospel message (Gal 5:1-10). "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." (Gal 5:4). Evil looks good and makes sense. God was able to take the greatest act of evil — the cry for the blood of Christ — and make it Good. How do we define evil? "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Gen 2:17. If God is a good God, why does evil happen? Freedom -- the right to choose. Good is what God says is good. Men choose evil (1Jo 2:15).
Conference notes for this series can be found [HERE]
Scripture References: Genesis 2:17, Galatians 5:4, Galatians 5:1-10, Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 6:3, John 2:15
From Series: "Learn to Discern - Denver Colorado 2012"
This series was given at the 2012 annual Colorado conference. The critical need for every believer is to avoid deception by holding to truth.