WEBVTT 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:17.920 Hi, my name is James Rathman. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:19.519 And I'm Bruce Nickley. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:22.879 And this is the Redemption Church Denver Podcast. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:25.600 We are continuing through 1 John. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:28.480 It's uh been a while since we've been here. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:34.240 Due to some sickness and travel, this uh got placed on the back burner a bit for me. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:38.799 Uh but we're back, and today we are going to cover 1 John chapter 2. 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:46.960 1 John 2 is covered in two lessons in the study guide that we're following for our Bible studies this year. 00:00:47.280 --> 00:01:05.840 But we are going to cover those two lessons uh all at once just by covering all of chapter 2 of 1 John, which is a pretty long chapter but is uh wonderful and full of things that you probably recognized or were familiar with anyway, um, and now can locate them in 1 John 2. 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:15.120 So this episode of the podcast is brought to you by the Redemption Church Denver Women's Pickleball Social. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:18.319 This is our first ever women's pickleball social. 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.760 This will take place on Friday, April 24th. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:24.239 So that's sooner than it seems. 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:27.439 Uh Friday, April 24th, from 6 to 8 p.m. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:30.560 at Third Shot Pickleball in Wheatridge. 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:35.920 Third shot probably means something in pickleball, but I've never played pickleball. 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:40.000 So uh that should be a really fun time. 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:43.680 So if you're a woman, if you're a woman at uh RCD, go ahead and sign up for that. 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:49.439 You can sign up in the app or on the calendar at uh redemptiondenver.com. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:54.799 Likewise, on Friday, May 1st, we have our next men's night. 00:01:54.959 --> 00:02:08.960 Uh men's nights this year have been looking at uh uh Christian men throughout history who are worth emulating so that we can draw inspiration from their lives and look at uh certain characteristics that we want to practice all together. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:15.120 It's usually an opportunity to get into a always encouraging, sometimes very funny group chat. 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:18.400 So uh there's another benefit there as well. 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:22.800 That's Friday, May 1st, here at the church from 7 to 9 p.m. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:26.080 Thanks again to our sponsors. 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:29.680 Bruce, I'm so glad to be doing this again uh together. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:35.360 I enjoyed last time so much, and it's uh such a joy to get together and talk through 1 John. 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:36.240 Amen. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:39.199 So uh what do you say we go ahead and jump in? 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:40.159 Great. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:46.479 So 1 John chapter 2 is a long one, sections that we've broken it out into. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:51.120 We'll talk about Christ our advocate, which is described in the first section. 00:02:51.360 --> 00:03:04.719 Then John talks about the new commandment, and then there's something like a like a hymn uh takes like a like a poetic format where he describes that he is writing to little children, fathers, and young men. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:14.879 Then the section that you're probably familiar with, uh the do not love the world, and then a warning concerning antichrists. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:22.000 So we get to uh talk about antichrists, which I'm sure everyone's looking forward to. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:24.479 Lots of talk about the Antichrist. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:26.800 Lots of talk about the Antichrist these difficult days. 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:27.840 Yeah, that's right. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.560 Has that uh uh over the course of your life has that changed at all? 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:35.840 Has there been a time where people aren't talking about the Antichrist? 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:36.319 No. 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:36.879 Yeah. 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:37.280 No. 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:52.719 Every world crisis you see um wa awakens this um fervor about the Antichrist is right around the door, and speculation about who it is and you know how can we identify him. 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:53.280 Yes. 00:03:53.840 --> 00:04:01.759 And we'll get to what the Antichrist is in this chapter, but um uh it's not what is so popularly held out there. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:02.400 Right. 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:02.879 That's right. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:08.159 But we won't we won't be able to relieve any of the need to be talking about it. 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:08.879 No. 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:12.080 Absolutely not. 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:17.279 So let's go ahead and jump in on these first sections um of Christ our advocate. 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:24.800 Um maybe I'll read a little bit to give a refresher in people's minds, and we can uh try and draw out some of the meaning. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:30.240 He begins with, My little children, I'm writing these things to you so that you may not sin. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:35.680 But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:42.399 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:44.720 So let's start there. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:49.759 So He's writing these things to us so that we may not sin. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:58.879 But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:02.480 There are two key words there that I think we want to draw out. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:11.360 The first one is describes Jesus Christ as our advocate, and the second describes Jesus as our as the propitiation for our sins. 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:14.399 What's an advocate? 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:15.759 Yes, great question. 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:18.639 You ever you ever had needed a lawyer? 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:22.720 That's kind of the thrust of his use of this word here. 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:23.120 Yeah. 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:29.600 And it's actually the same word that is applied to the Holy Spirit, who is our paraclete. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:37.839 And we normally think of, well, the Holy Spirit is the one who comes alongside of us and comforts us and aids us. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:46.240 Uh, but in this context, especially around sin, um he's acting kind of as our defense attorney. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:46.720 Right. 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:52.959 And and he's saying, okay, I've we've we have a someone who has sinned here. 00:05:53.040 --> 00:06:02.639 And the thrust of the Greek here, uh, when he says, I write to you so that you may not sin, but if anyone does sin, it has the thrust of, and you probably will. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:03.279 Right. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:07.839 We have an advocate with the father, we have a paraclete, the one who's going to come alongside. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:17.120 And the very first thing that he mentions in his defense of um the believer is his propitiation. 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:17.920 Yeah. 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:20.160 He he brings that up. 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:24.959 Um so there's a there's kind of a courtroom image that we can develop here. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:25.680 Very much so. 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:35.279 So we're accused be when we find ourselves in sin, and as and we stand as the accused on trial, and then who shows up as our attorney? 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:36.720 The Lord Jesus. 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:40.399 The Lord Jesus shows up as a as our attorney. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:43.759 He's going he sits down and says, I'm going to advocate for you. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:44.720 Yeah. 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:46.800 And that's pretty amazing. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:51.120 Then what evidence then does he bring to the table? 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:55.040 I think that's what's the propitiation, if we continue in that metaphor. 00:06:55.759 --> 00:07:03.360 Propitiation, we we encountered this word in Romans, uh, but it's an uncommon word. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:04.000 Right. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:05.279 What does that mean? 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:15.199 Well, um in the RSV version that I grew up on, it uses the word expiation instead of propitiation. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:18.000 And I think that's cowardly. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:27.120 Well, it's uh it's I think it's sprang out of a desire to protect something of the nature of God as being a god of wrath. 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:27.519 Right. 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:30.240 Because that's at the heart of the concept of propitiation. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:33.040 Yeah, they wanted to not have him be a god of wrath. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:33.519 Right. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:33.759 Yeah. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:34.399 Right. 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:35.600 Um J.I. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:42.160 Packer in his wonderful book, Knowing God, um, in his chapter on the heart of the gospel, makes this distinction. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:47.199 Um what's the difference uh between expiation and propitiation? 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:52.319 The difference is that expiation only means half of what propitiation means. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:56.639 Expiation is an action that has sin as its object. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:05.839 It denotes the covering, putting away, or rubbing out of sin so that it no longer constitutes a barrier to friendly fellowship between man and God. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:16.639 Propitiation, however, in the Bible denotes that all that expiation means and the pacifying of the wrath of God thereby. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:17.600 Right. 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:21.439 That's the concept that liberals wanted to get away from. 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:22.079 Yeah. 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:25.120 Um God has no wrath, he's a God of love. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:25.519 Right. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:26.319 Isn't he? 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:26.800 Right. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:28.959 John even says that in this book. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:30.160 Yeah, yeah. 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:34.799 So it so expiation describes the removal of sin. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:43.200 Propion describes the removal of sin and the satisfaction of the wrath of God. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:43.759 Yeah. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:56.720 So that so then when it says that he is the propitiation for our sins, it means that he has taken our sin upon him to remove it. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:03.519 And then we get a glimpse into what is the way that it's removed, the wrath of God is poured out on him. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:05.200 On him at the cross. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:05.840 On him. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:08.399 So he receives the wrath of God. 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:15.759 Because what is the you know, the the what is the punishment for sin? 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:18.000 It's the wrath of God against it. 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:18.559 Yeah. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:19.679 That's what it is. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:20.559 Yeah. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.919 I I uh heard uh RC one of R. 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:24.240 C. 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:41.440 Um podcasts on the cross around Easter time, and he actually took the the view that um Jesus probably was almost unaware of the nails and the the beating that he took. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:41.919 Yep. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:53.679 Because he was he was so focused on what his mission was to endure the wrath of God in our place that is far more horrific. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:57.600 That's what caused him to sweat great drops of blood in the garden. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:04.480 My um one of my favorite sermons ever is uh Keller's sermon on the crucifixion. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:08.080 And he says, Notice what he doesn't cry out. 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:10.799 He doesn't cry out, my hands, my hands. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:14.799 He doesn't cry out my feet, my feet, he doesn't cry out my head, my head. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:16.639 He cries out, my God, my God. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:21.200 Because he's crying out at the point of his greatest pain and suffering. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:21.679 Yeah. 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:37.279 And that that transformed me when I learned that to see the because as you see the depth of his suffering on the cross, you're simultaneously seeing the depth of his love towards you. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:37.840 Yes. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:39.039 In receiving it. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:39.360 Yeah. 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:53.679 And I I I think that's the strange movement of trying to guard the love of God by making the term merely expiation. 00:10:53.919 --> 00:11:03.919 And it's actually hiding the depth of the love of God towards you when you're unable to see the satisfaction of the wrath of God that Jesus bore on your behalf. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:05.840 That's absolutely true. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:10.639 Um Packer quotes um from John Murray's work on the atonement. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:27.200 He says in this vein that the doctrine of propitiation is precisely this: that God loved the objects of his wrath so much that he gave his only son to the end that he by his blood should make provision for the removal of this wrath. 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:40.240 It was Christ's so to do to deal with the wrath, that the loved would no longer be the objects of wrath, and love would achieve its aim of making the children of wrath the children of God's good pleasure. 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:45.519 It's better than you could imagine. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:48.960 The gospel's often better than we would allow ourselves to think. 00:11:51.200 --> 00:12:03.759 When our advocate shows up, so that as we see that Christ is our advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, he is the propitiation for our sins. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:14.720 So he shows up in the courtroom and he pleads on your behalf, and the evidence that he brings to the table is his sacrifice. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:15.600 Exactly. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:17.200 His sacrifice. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.799 This is sufficient. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.840 And then the wrath of God is satisfied. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:22.639 Yeah. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:30.159 He says for our s for our sins, not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:37.200 Does this mean that there's a uh universal atonement? 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:39.840 Well, some would argue that. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:51.360 But um we see this language, the kind of a universalistic um uh uh appeal to the propitiation of Christ. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:54.639 Um, for good reason, I think John speaks this way. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:13:05.279 Um again, John Murray years ago, I ran across um in his work on the atonement, um, three reasons for why John uses this kind of language. 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:14.320 One is that it's a propitiation um that is um there's a scope of the propitiation. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:19.759 There is an ethnic universalism to um the cross and the application. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:20.480 Jew and Greek. 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:23.440 Jew and Greek, Gentile to the nations. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:28.799 Um so that's a good reason for using the world um motif here. 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:32.720 Uh the second reason is the exclusiveness of the propitiation. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:35.519 There is no other sacrifice for sins. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:36.080 Yeah. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:40.960 Where can you if it if it's if for all the world, who can you turn to? 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:42.080 It's only Jesus. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:42.639 Yeah. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:50.480 And uh remember all the Old Testament blood sacrifices were pointing to the one sacrifice that would take away sin. 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:50.879 Yeah. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:54.240 And that was Jesus, um, the Lamb of God. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:59.840 And then the third reason he offers is the perpetuity of the propitiation. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:03.039 Um, it's effective throughout all the ages. 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:03.840 Right. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:12.320 Um, it's just as effective today as it was when the apostles embraced um the gospel um after the resurrection. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:14.639 So three good reasons. 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:29.759 Um, doesn't destroy the what the reform view of the extent of the atonement is, that he died for his sheep, and um he's just got sheep all over the world that he's going to be drawing to through the preaching of the gospel. 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:30.320 Right. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:36.960 Uh I think sometimes people will say I've heard people say there are forgiven people in heaven and there are forgiven people in hell. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:37.440 Uh huh. 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:41.440 And it's just the who received it or who accepted it. 00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:43.840 Something I've heard said riffing off of this thing. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:44.159 Yeah. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:48.000 The concept of forgiven people in hell is uh is a uh like catastrophic. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:49.919 That's a that's a total contradiction. 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:51.519 Yes that's absurd. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:52.639 Yes. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:53.840 Yeah. 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:56.080 They wouldn't be there if they were forgiven. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:57.279 That's right. 00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:58.960 That's right. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:04.240 And and likewise it's worth noting, like what is what what wrath would be reserved for them. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:04.559 Yeah. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:09.679 If the wrath of God was satisfied towards all the people for whom he intended it to be satisfied for, right. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:14.000 Then there's no wrath being poured out on them in hell. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:30.639 Um not that there's not uh difficulty in grasping the effectiveness of the atonement or the particularity of the atonement. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:32.320 There is difficulty in grasping that. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:36.080 Um but the difficulties are not just on that side. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:36.480 Yeah. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:50.399 There's far more strangeness uh to see uh uh that that Christ's atonement was uh uh given to all people and then uh ineffective. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.360 Yeah. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:16:01.519 If John Murray makes a point um that you have to understand these three little words. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:24.000 Um when Paul is talking about um the cross, when he says Christ died for us, that literally means he stood in our place and took the wrath that we deserved and um died as the sacrifice for sins that was the perfect Lamb. 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:29.840 He had no sin to atone for himself, but he gave his life to atone for our sin. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:38.159 Now, if he atoned for the sins of everyone in the world, then everyone's sin has been paid for. 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:47.360 And for God to require that payment again of someone in hell is the concept of double jeopardy, right? 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:50.480 That that we just you know revolt against. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:58.960 God would not be just if their sins were paid for, and yet he required them to pay for their own sins. 00:16:59.279 --> 00:16:59.679 Yeah. 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:00.480 Yeah. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:14.319 Well, then he goes into uh this can this consistent theme throughout John, which is something like our our ability to know that we know. 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:17.279 That's something that he's always referring to. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:20.559 How do I I I think I know this about God? 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:22.240 How do I know I know it? 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:26.640 And he jumps into this and he says, By this we know that we have come to know him. 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:28.319 I think I know Jesus. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:30.079 How do I know I know him? 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:33.039 And so he gives us ways that we can know that. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:41.039 He says, if we keep his commandments, whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:45.039 But whoever keeps his word in him, truly the love of God is perfected. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:47.200 By this we may know that we are in him. 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:52.319 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:56.319 So I sin. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:02.480 There are I don't walk in his commandments often. 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:05.599 I think I know Jesus. 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:11.279 But how do I can I know that I know him? 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:15.920 I think that's what he's really trying to get at here. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:34.400 And when when we read about um keeping his commandments, um the way God even um established the old covenant, um there was the absolute requirement for perfect righteousness laid upon all the people. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:44.960 And yet within the provisions of the temple rituals and so on, uh he made a provision for sin to be atoned for. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:19:02.960 Um so uh even though he requires a perfect obedience, and having this provision for sin, I think can help us understand that the kind of obedience that he requires of his people in the covenant relationship with him is purposeful obedience. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:03.759 Yeah. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:09.359 Um no one can give him, only Jesus could give him perfect obedience. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:17.440 But our striving to give him purposeful obedience, I think, is one of the strongest evidences that we know him. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:23.759 So we can look at our lives and see our purposeful obedience. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.400 Right. 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:30.480 And we can cite that as evidence that I know Jesus. 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:31.200 Exactly. 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:32.559 And we should and we ought to. 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.279 Yes. 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:53.759 And that means that when we find ourselves in patterns of repeated sin, unrepentant unrepentant sin, sins that we're letting linger and not battling against, then we should not expect to have this sort of double level of knowledge that we know that we know him. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:55.680 We we can't have that. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:56.079 Yeah. 00:19:56.319 --> 00:20:00.480 We'll probably find ourselves in states of just perpetually vacillating. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:01.440 Yeah. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:04.319 And and lying about it. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:14.799 Yeah, because that's that's what he says here is um the one who says I know him but is not does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:16.480 It's easy to lie. 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:20.799 I mean, self-deception is one of the easiest things for the natural man to do. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:21.759 Oh, yeah. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:26.880 Just it's uh second nature to deny the truth about yourself. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:27.519 Yep. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:31.599 Um, and to think you're you're a pretty good person. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.319 Yep. 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:34.880 And yet you don't keep the commandments. 00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:35.759 Yep. 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:50.400 Um and it's uh it's so amazing because it is the very law of God that shows us our sin and should drive us to look for a righteousness that is outside of us. 00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:55.200 Because I can't give God the righteousness that he requires of me. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.799 I can't do that. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:04.559 Um, that's despair if I am on that treadmill, because I'll never know if it's enough. 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:09.519 I'll never know if it's in accord with his revealed will perfectly. 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:15.039 Um and so it should drive us to look for a righteousness that is foreign to us. 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:18.559 Aaron Ross Powell And that's where he began this section. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:19.839 That's exactly right. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:24.000 Is showing us the righteousness that is alien to us but is imputed to us. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:24.240 Right. 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:25.680 Shows us our need for it. 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:31.279 And then uh so there's this there's this initial step that must be taken when we find ourselves in sin. 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:33.279 We have to turn to that righteousness. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:35.440 We have to turn to the righteousness of Christ. 00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:36.160 Yes. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:42.000 As our repentance away from him from sin is that returning to Him. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:45.359 Yes, that's the fundamental meaning of repentance. 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:53.359 It's a change of mind, it's a turning away from sin and toward our Savior. 00:21:53.839 --> 00:22:04.319 Um we we I think when Luther starts his 95 thesis, that Um states the first one is our life should be a perpetual repentance. 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:04.880 Right. 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:06.720 That's what he's talking about. 00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:12.400 Repentance is a good thing when we're turning afresh to commune with Christ. 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:12.960 Right. 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:22.000 Turning away from sin, yes, but turning to our Lord in fellowship and communion is at the heart of it as well. 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:35.440 I wanted to, because this is such a central theme in John, I wanted to touch on what the confession says about assurance of grace and salvation, because I feel like we're right in that range of can we have assurance of salvation? 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:37.359 Many people say that you can't. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:52.000 And it sometimes is worn as like a badge of honor that you yet you can't have like in if in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, it's it's like um uh claiming to have assurance of salvation is basically assurance that you don't. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:57.680 And being perpetually torn is um uh evidence that you might. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:06.160 But in um but the truth of scripture is that uh assurance of salvation is is ours to have. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:07.279 It's something that's given to us. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:08.400 The confession says this. 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:23.839 It says in chapter 18, although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and a state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish. 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:44.880 Yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:53.680 So the what this what this paragraph says is Is there such a thing as false assurance? 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:56.640 Yes, there is such a thing as false assurance. 00:23:56.799 --> 00:24:03.440 There are unregenerate, vain men who deceive themselves. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:17.200 But just because there is such a thing as false assurance does not mean that there isn't such a thing as true assurance, that this that assurance of salvation is something truly available to the Christian, and it is given to us. 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:22.400 But it goes on, and this is an important distinction, I think, to make. 00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:38.000 In section three of this it says, this infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it. 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:49.440 Yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given to him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain thereunto. 00:24:51.279 --> 00:25:00.720 So the distinction that's being made here is assurance of salvation and saving faith are not the same thing. 00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:03.599 They are not essentially the same thing. 00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:13.759 You can have saving faith and have long seasons, long stretches in which you don't have assurance of your salvation. 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:17.519 But it is promised to us. 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:23.279 And the way that we can attain it is by ordinary means, ordinary means of grace. 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:36.720 We can attain it by repentance, we can attain it by receiving the word and sacrament, by uh uh keeping the Sabbath and honoring the Lord's day together, by being built up in the church body. 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:43.839 The ordinary means of grace, by reading the scriptures and trusting in them, are sufficient to provide us with assurance of salvation. 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:44.160 Absolutely. 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:45.759 Seeking war against sin. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:53.680 So it's an important distinction because you many people may be thinking, like, I haven't I don't think I have that, or I don't know if I've ever had that. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:57.200 I'm not assured of my salvation, therefore I don't have salvation. 00:25:57.359 --> 00:25:59.119 That's not the way to think about it. 00:25:59.359 --> 00:26:03.359 But you ought to pursue assurance of salvation. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:18.799 And the threats to it, and what we see in 1 John here is if you are living in perpetual unrepentant sin and you're consciously hardening your heart to it, you can't expect to have assurance of salvation. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:26.640 There's there's uh if you're in the midst of that and you feel unassured, that's you're you're right. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:27.200 You're right. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:28.319 That's that feeling. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:30.240 It doesn't mean that you're not saved. 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:31.119 Right. 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:38.400 Uh but it it does mean that you will not have assurance of salvation. 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:40.480 You can't know that you know. 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:44.640 You may know him, but you won't be able to know that you know him. 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:47.039 That's that's attention. 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:52.480 Yeah, and especially, you know, in the normal Christian life, excuse me. 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:54.880 We battle with sin every day. 00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:55.680 Right. 00:26:55.839 --> 00:27:11.440 Um the the battle between the desires of the spirit in Galatians 5 against the battle of or against the um desires of the flesh, it can it can affect our assurance. 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.079 Yes. 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:17.599 Um you know, you you go, I've walked with the Lord 50 years and still struggling. 00:27:17.920 --> 00:27:19.440 I'm struggling with this. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:22.720 Am I a real believer? 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:32.640 And then you go back to the promises, what he says, even in here in 1 John, that if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:33.920 And you do that. 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:41.839 And and that's where you you let the um the scriptures encourage your heart. 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:49.440 Um, because the evil one will come all all day long and say, Oh, look, you did that again? 00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:50.480 Yes. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:28:00.319 Um, and you can say, Well, I did confess it, and he's cleansed me of it, and I'm done with it, so I'm not listening to these fiery darts that come from the evil one. 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:08.240 Yeah, and that that in itself, going through that process is something that gives us and strengthens our assurance. 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:08.960 Yeah. 00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:11.920 Um, an unbeliever wouldn't want to do that. 00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:12.720 No. 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:15.279 No, yeah. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:22.880 Uh I think you you'd said before we started recording the battle is uh part of the evidence of our salvation. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:23.599 Exactly. 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:24.799 The battle against sin. 00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:25.440 Yeah. 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:28.240 I had a professor in seminary, Dr. 00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:51.039 Burchette, who did 35, 40 years of counseling as a pastor, and he he one of the things he said, he says, you know, I'll I'll give more credit to the person who questions whether they really are a believer because of their wrestling with sin, over the person who is what he called cock sure. 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:51.839 Yeah. 00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:53.839 Oh, I'm I'm good with God. 00:28:54.000 --> 00:29:02.640 You know, we're, you know, if you don't see that struggle against the sins of the flesh, there's good reason to question. 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:03.519 For sure. 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:06.000 Bad news for Foghorn Leghorn. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:11.119 Should we move into the new commandment? 00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:21.359 So he moved into the next section and he says, Beloved, I am writing to you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:24.559 The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:36.319 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:40.240 So is it a new commandment or an old commandment? 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:42.160 And maybe what's the commandment? 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:42.720 Yeah. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:50.160 Well, the the old commandment is um Leviticus 19, where he says, love your neighbor as yourself. 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:50.559 Right. 00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:57.920 And Jesus reiterates that um in laying down the two great commandments in the Gospels. 00:29:58.079 --> 00:30:00.720 Um, but in one sense is that new? 00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:03.680 Because that's still binding on believers. 00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:04.319 Right. 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:06.960 Um, love your neighbor as yourself. 00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:13.359 But I think that's kind of the that's the Old Testament standard. 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:38.079 Um, and when Christ came as the true light that's already shining, he kicks it up a notch for his people because of his life um being incarnate, living with his disciples um day by day, they saw what true light and true love and true grace is is really like. 00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:40.720 They saw it embodied in Christ. 00:30:40.880 --> 00:30:41.359 Right. 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:55.599 And when he speaks to them about um the command to love, he kicks it up quite a few notches when he says the new standard, the new commandment is love one another as I have loved you. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:31:03.759 Um, including, you know, he laid down his life for us, John will say we ought to also lay down our lives for one another. 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:08.480 We should have that kind of standard for love in the body of Christ. 00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:14.880 Aaron Ross Powell So it is it's old because it's been there from the beginning, and it's new because it's fully realized in Christ. 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:15.440 Exactly. 00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:22.640 And it's shown to us in Christ in a way that is like when we look back before Christ, it's like it was darkness. 00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:23.200 Yes. 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:25.359 And now the light has shown. 00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:30.160 It's like the difference between uh a um bud and a flower. 00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:32.640 Is there were you uh are they the same thing? 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:34.880 Yeah, in one sense they're the same thing. 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:39.839 But we have different words for them because we know that one when the flower shows up, something new has come. 00:31:40.079 --> 00:31:40.720 Right. 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:51.039 And when you now that you see the you know rose in all of its glory, there's uh a light has dawned, a new thing has shown. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:56.079 And we can't we can't go back to the admiration of the bud that we had before. 00:31:56.240 --> 00:32:01.279 There's something more glorious here that we that we we see the bud was leading to. 00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:05.200 But now that we've seen it, it we can't ignore the fullness of it. 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:29.119 Now that we've seen Christ lay his life down for us, that these promises have been fully realized, there's a a light that has dawned, and a a giving of his spirit to the church in a new way that we might participate in the the love the love that he calls us to in this commandment. 00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:29.599 Yeah. 00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:48.319 And he's he's poured that love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us, and and we are able, by his grace and strength, um, to have that quality of love that should be one of the most distinguishing marks of the local church. 00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:55.200 Um, I'm so thankful for this church, James, to see how the people here really truly love one another. 00:32:55.440 --> 00:33:14.000 Yes, it's a beautiful thing to behold, and it's the world needs to see that because um that's one of the things that Jesus said the world would be watching and actually be persuaded of that the Father has sent the Son into the world by how we love one another. 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:15.200 Yeah, for sure. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:16.400 So for sure. 00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:21.599 Yeah, it is, it's so beautiful, it's such a beautiful thing to be a part of. 00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:26.240