Sermon
True Love for Christ Expressed by Obedience - John 14:15
Publisher transcript
Transcript
-
Thank you for joining us at Key Life Fellowship for her Pulpit
-
Ministry, podcast. Each sermon on this podcast is
-
from our 11 a.m. Sunday service.
-
We are glad that you have joined us digitally, but would love to
-
see you in person on Sunday mornings at either 9 a.m. or 11
-
a.m. Now, let's open God's word and
-
ask him to reveal his truths for our lives.
-
If you have your Bibles, I want you to turn with me and I am
-
excited about being back here to the Gospel of John.
-
We have been traveling through the Gospel of John for some time
-
now. And I can tell you this to me
-
the Gospel of John just continually gets better and
-
better and better with every verse that you look at.
-
And today, in our journey in the Gospel of John, we are going to
-
look at just one verse and I don't like to do that without
-
contextualizing where we are so that you kind of have an idea.
-
I know that we have had the break during Christmas, where we
-
observe the Lord's birth and reminded you that he didn't stay
-
that babe in a Manger as the world wanted him to and wants
-
him to. But then he grew to be the
-
savior of all who would believe and trust in him where he died
-
upon the cross. He was buried.
-
He rose again. But we see in John's 14th
-
chapter here, after our break. Is that our before I break?
-
Excuse me, we looked at the promise that Jesus made to his
-
disciples, after telling them that Peter was going to deny
-
Christ. And after Jesus, predicting the
-
Betrayal of Judas, and after Jesus telling his disciples in
-
chapter 12, that he was going to die, and how he was going to die
-
in an 13, he washed their feet as we know, and in 14, he told
-
them do not let your hearts be troubled and we looked At a
-
message concerning our troubled hearts and to know and to
-
understand that it's trust in Christ that frees us from the
-
Troubles of our hearts in this world.
-
And he gave them great Assurance.
-
Those true believers who were still there in that Upper Room
-
on the night, that Jesus was betrayed.
-
And Jesus is going to continue to teach here and verse 15 and
-
he's going to teach a very powerful lesson.
-
In very few words, just before he gives them the promise of the
-
Holy Spirit. And In the context of him
-
speaking to only his true followers.
-
He's going to say this to them. In verse 15 of chapter 14.
-
He says this and I want you to pay close attention to it.
-
He says, if you love me, you will obey what I Command Jesus,
-
here in this one. Verse is speaking of love, not
-
just spoken. But love shown as we look at a
-
message entitled, true love's for Christ, expressed by
-
obedience, I assure you. This Jesus is saying just as
-
that title has indicated. He is saying if you have true
-
love for me, it will be expressed in your life as
-
obedience to the commands of Christ.
-
It is action-based love. I want everyone to understand
-
that a People claim to love Christ with no action in your
-
life. To back that up is just empty.
-
Talk it is the equivalent of you telling your husband or your
-
wife that you love them verbally using your words to say that I
-
love you but then making them doubt with every single thing
-
that you do you show? Absolutely no love to them.
-
It won't Glowing I assure you this for that person who you
-
tell that you love and you show that you don't it won't take
-
long for them to figure out. You are just a bunch of hot air
-
saying one thing but denying what you say by your actions
-
because we know this That the whole world is going to Define
-
Us by our actions, aren't they? And so, Jesus is making this
-
very clear to his disciples that obedience toward and love for
-
Christ are inseparable. Are you write that down?
-
They are in separable. They are like faith and
-
repentance. Did you know?
-
You can't have one without the other.
-
You can't have faith without repentance and you can't repent
-
without true Faith. They are the The opposite sides
-
of a coin. It would be like taking the head
-
side of a quarter and the tail side of the quarter and
-
splitting them into and we all know this at that point in time
-
you don't have a quarter. Any longer you have a piece of
-
metal that is useless. And so when we look at this
-
obedience toward and love for Christ, we must see that they
-
are inseparable. In fact, Jesus has already
-
indicated and we will reiterate many times today, the gauged, by
-
which you measure your love for Christ.
-
Is what comes out of your life. It is your obedience to his
-
commands. And so we come to this difficult
-
verse in this difficult section of scripture for us to grasp.
-
Because what it does, it quickly grabs our attention doesn't it?
-
There's never been a time in my life and my own personal study
-
or and preparing a sermon, like today.
-
When I came to this verse and I didn't stop after reading it,
-
And examine my own life. For fear that I might have an
-
empty claim without any proof. When I would ask that you would
-
do today, is that you would do the same.
-
As we hear these words, if you love me, you will obey my
-
commands now so that we have kind of an understanding of what
-
it would mean to obey the commands of Christ.
-
I want us to go all the way back to the Old Testament.
-
And I want us to go back to Exodus chapter 20.
Exodus 20 chapter mention
-
Where many people remove this portion of scripture.
-
From the Bible, we remove it from courtrooms, we remove it
-
from classrooms. It is what we know as the
-
decalogue are the Ten Commandments deck up, meaning 10
-
and the ten laws that God gave to Moses, these are the 10
-
things, revealing God's holiness, and his standard for
-
Perfection. What are the Lord's commands?
-
Well, I assure you this, if you have been studying John with us
-
for any amount of time, you know, this in the beginning,
-
John 1:1 was the word and the Word was with God and the Word
-
was God, we know 1:14, the word became flesh.
-
Fish and dwelt Among Us. The one who gave the very
-
commands to Moses there on Sinai.
-
I assure you, this was the word of God.
-
And so, when we look at the world, the Lord's commands here.
-
We see that the Lord's commands are defined by the word.
-
We can't just remove the Ten Commandments.
-
We can't just erase the decalogue from scripture.
-
We must see. What does it mean to a New
-
Testament follower of Christ? And so let's bring ourselves up
-
to speed because we live in a culture where many of This would
-
be embarrassed if we were asked to name maybe perhaps six out of
-
the ten. Let's look at all 10 and we'll
-
look at them briefly and then we will look at what we are going
-
to look at today. Mainly being true, love for
-
Christ expressed by obedience. He says this in Exodus chapter
Exodus 20 chapter mention
-
20 he says you shall have no other gods before me rightly, so
-
because he is the one true. God, the only one worthy of any
-
adoration and worship. We can agree with that.
-
He goes on to say you shall make a no Idols don't.
-
Don't make any Graven. Even images, or Idols for
-
yourself to worship them. Why?
-
Because they're not real at all. There's no life in them at all.
-
They are not truly gods. The third command, he said You
-
shall and not take the name of the Lord.
-
God, the Lord your God in vain. What does that mean?
-
That could be an abbreviation on your text messages.
-
Right? You know the abbreviation that
-
I'm talking about where you use the lord's name in vain, it
-
could be a little attachment. Your curse word that you find
-
yourself doing from time to time, But it could be this, it
-
could be you using the lord's name in vain.
-
Many people do this. Now in the Christian circles,
-
they say God told me to tell you this.
-
God didn't tell you to tell anything to anyone else.
-
Let me assure you that his word is full of all the instruction
-
that they need for life and godliness.
-
Stop telling people that That's using the lord's name in vain.
-
You want that person to be unit manipulated by your psychology.
-
So you blame God for it stop it's not biblical.
-
That's using the lord's name in vain, he goes on and we see
-
there is another command next to keep the Sabbath day.
-
Holy and how do we keep the Sabbath day?
-
Holy as a new testament body of Believers?
-
How do we keep the Sabbath day? Holy it's not meeting on
-
Saturday, when the Sabbath was, it is to enter into the rest of
-
Christ. He is the one who is that
-
Sabbath rest? We know that, he fulfilled that
-
in himself. That's why Jesus said come unto
-
me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you
-
what rest. He is the Sabbath.
-
So honor Christ and abide in him.
-
Command 5, he said, honor your father and your mother honor,
-
your father, and your mother. And we seemingly think that this
-
is not a big deal. In today's time that it's even
-
actually optional from a lot of the parents that I see rearing
-
children. Obedience was never an option
-
around my house. I don't know about.
-
You is ever an option. You obeyed your mother and your
-
father and if you didn't obey your mother, you were dealt with
-
by your father. It's just the way that it works.
-
Many people think. Well, that's not that big of a
-
deal. Well, it's not that big of a
-
deal. Why would Paul, right?
-
Timothy and saying, the last days is that children will be
-
disobedient to their parents. It is a sign of the End of Time.
-
What's a big deal? It is basic human nature.
-
Does not obey my parents, why? Because they're the first
-
god-given Authority in my life, even before the church?
-
Was my parents. They're an authority.
-
My life that God has given me. I didn't ask for them.
-
I was graced with them. He says that we should honor our
-
fathers and mothers and you shall not commit murder.
-
Commit murder and everybody in here.
-
Says, well, I'm good with that most of us, I hope. but the fact
-
the scripture confirms this, that if we hold anger and
-
animosity and hatred in our heart for another brother, it's
-
the same thing, It's the same thing as you're just one step
-
away from it. You're just one step away from
-
committing that action. That's why we are to forgive as
-
we've been forgiven. And to forgive 7 times, 70 and
-
not hold those grudges hold on to that anger.
-
You shall not commit adultery. I realize as I'm finding that
-
area or are you because did you know this every time you look at
-
that pornographic image, that's adultery.
-
You are actually in your mind lusting after a woman at Jesus
-
himself said this if you look after a woman and you've lost,
-
you've committed, adultery in your heart, you've already taken
-
all of the steps except for the physical act, please pay
-
attention to that. Because we live in a society
-
that is inundated by pornography industry.
-
That is bringing in billions upon billions upon billions of
-
dollars each year because men are committing adultery
-
pretending like it's no big deal.
-
It goes on to say, you shall not steal.
-
That is. It means from the IRS since it's
-
tax time. I'll just throw that out there.
-
Fudge on your taxes. Don't steal.
-
Don't take something that doesn't belong to you.
-
This is basic. He goes on and he says, you
-
shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
-
Don't slander, don't gossip. Don't lie about someone else.
-
And he says, you shall not covet, he's not covered.
-
Even when you go to someone's house is nicer than yours.
-
And they have better decorations in you and Why can't you have
-
that? Well why can't you just Rejoice
-
that day have it? And be thankful that God blessed
-
them with it and you be content with what you have.
-
That seems like that's the biblical approach but yet we
-
find ourselves Coveting. Whether that's Someone else's
-
home their possession, their vehicles.
-
Well, their wives their husbands or their children or was my
-
children. Would behave like their children
-
to make them behave? Pretty simple.
-
And they would know since coveting other people's children
-
who are obedient So we look at the Ten Commandments and we look
-
at the Ten Commandments not to say, of course that this is some
-
standard, by which we are to live because as you were looking
-
at that. So was I and I realized I failed
-
many times and these command But it's Christ.
-
Who saved me not so that I can continue to ignore those
-
commands. But so that I can now obediently
-
walk in those commands. And we're gonna see how that
-
happens as we unfold this in one package, this message today.
-
And so what we have to do, in order to understand that in New
-
Testament, light, and please understand this, the New
-
Testament gives greater light to God's desired commands and for
-
us fulfilling them that greater light.
-
Of course, we know is Christ coming to this earth and Christ
-
simplified things for us in Matthew chapter 22, by way of
Matthew 22 chapter mention
-
introduction, we're going to look at This.
-
And then we're going to get back to John 14:15 for the remaining
-
time that we have together. The Matthew chapter 22 verse
Matthew 22 chapter mention
-
verse 37, says, Jesus replied. Love the Lord, your God with all
-
your heart. And with all your soul, and with
-
all your mind, this is the first and greatest commandment.
-
The second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself
-
and then he says this all the law and the prophets hang on,
-
these two commands, all the law, Oh, and the prophets, hang on,
-
these two commands, love the Lord, your God, with all your
-
heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as your self.
-
So we see this, The law in the Light of Christ.
-
Is not corrected, right? He didn't say the law is is
-
useless and throw it out, but in Christ, the law is perfected.
-
It so what I'm saying when I say that it's love for God and love
-
for others because Christ, first loved you does everybody
-
understand how that works. In fact the Apostle John said
-
this and I won't go back and preach the first John I've done
-
that before but he says this this is love, not that.
-
We loved God. But that he?
-
What loved us. And because he loves us, we now
-
know what true love really is. And what I want us to do today.
-
I want us to examine Our Lives to see if we really have true
-
love for Christ in light of these things.
-
Because I assure you of this, the perfect law of God, how many
-
at does? If the Ten Commandments Were
-
Somehow flawed, can I assure you this The Ten Commandments
-
weren't flawed, you are The psalmist calls it, the perfect
-
law of God, it is God's perfect standard.
-
There's nothing wrong with it at all, but everything wrong with
-
us. And so when we see this that it
-
is the perfect law of God and that it hasn't failed because it
-
couldn't Is God, never fails. It was actually fulfilled in
-
Love by God as he loved us and demonstrated his love for us in
-
Christ at Calvary. Remember Romans 5:8.
-
God demonstrates his love for us in that.
-
While we were sinners Christ died for us.
-
And so what Christ is teaching, here is the law of love.
-
Now, when we apply the law of love that, God, loved us first.
-
Not that we loved him. I assure you.
-
That we despise him. We hated his commands.
-
We hated his statutes. We were total, unbelievers, at
-
enmity with God. Enemies of God, Scripture says,
-
but that he loved us and in saying that love a proper
-
response. How do you see the sacrificial?
-
Love of Jesus Christ? And not love the Lord, your God
-
with all your heart, soul and mind and your neighbor as
-
yourself. That's exactly what Jesus is
-
teaching us here. But when we get to John chapter
John 14 chapter mention
-
14, where we will spend our time today, I want you to see this
-
before we go into it. he is not saying, he's not saying that if
-
you obey the commands, Then that will be accredited to you as
-
righteousness. But what he is saying is this
-
because that would be legalism before someone accuses me of
-
being a legalists that's legalism that I'm justified by
-
works of obedience. I'm not I fall short, I assure
-
you But what Jesus is teaching here today and I want to make
-
this very clear because if a preacher preaches on obedient,
-
holy living these days, he's immediately thrown into a
-
category of legalist or Saya, say it is said about him that he
-
preaches legalism. And I'm not preaching, legalism
-
to you. I assure you.
-
I am an advocate and I believe, scripture declares that it is by
-
grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone.
-
If you haven't heard me, say that 42 million times.
-
You've not been here much. But what Jesus is preaching and
-
what I am going to speak on today, in light of Jesus, is
-
this? Though, we can't be made
-
righteous by. Obeying God's commands.
-
If we have been made righteous, it will be proven by the fact
-
that we obey God's commands. So we're not promoting obedience
-
to the law to be saved. Pay attention to this, but we
-
are promoting obedience to the law Giver because we are saved.
-
Does everybody understand that? So we get the 14th verse 15 and
-
I know that was a long intro, but I don't want anyone to beat
-
misled about what I am. Preaching today, I'm not
-
preaching to you morality and I'm not preaching to you
-
legalism. I am preaching to you as
-
Believers and I'm saying this examine your life.
-
You claim to truly love Christ to that I would say in light of
-
what we're going to look at today, do you?
-
Do you do you really love Christ because Christ says this in John
-
14:15 as we've already said, if you love me if oh Jesus teaching
-
concerning true love expressed by obedience, watch his right
-
Leigh provides Assurance. It rightly provides Assurance of
-
Salvation. If you love me, What a big word,
-
only consisting of two letters. If If you love me.
-
In that one statement. he is saying I'm about to provide for
-
you evidence and Assurance of true faith in that one little
-
word if Obedience to Christ commands.
-
I want you to understand as defined by Jesus himself, I
-
don't care what anyone else wants to tell you.
-
We're looking at what Christ said obedience to Christ
-
commands. Proves it proves your true love
-
for him and in that you can have great assurance that you have
-
true. Saving Faith, you can't nor.
-
Should you ever have Assurance of salvation?
-
Vision Without obedience to Christ, let me say that again
-
you can't nor. Should you ever have Assurance
-
of true salvation without obedience to Christ?
-
It is what true faith is going to produce.
-
James himself said this faith without works is what dead?
-
It's dead. It's just a false claim.
-
We know this when we look at Jesus teaching here concerning
-
true, love expressed by obedience, it rightly provides
-
Assurance for who why? I promise you.
-
This you don't have to assure God if anything he already knows
-
those of you who are foolishly thinking that you're going to
-
trick him by some type of insincere love toward him.
-
You're sadly mistaken. He already knows that it's
-
phony. But what it does do, it gives
-
Assurance for yourself as a True Believer.
-
Now, I'm going to do this and I don't do this to embarrass.
-
Anyone have any of you as Believers ever doubted
-
salvation? Maybe that was for a moment.
-
Maybe that was for a season. Have you ever doubted salvation?
-
Just do it real fast? So you don't incriminate
-
yourself? Okay, put it down.
-
Why because your human mind can cause you to doubt things that
-
are absolutely positively, true canted.
-
But we see this what Jesus is teaching here.
-
It rightly provides Assurance. He says if you're going to know
-
that you're truly saved, you can examine your own life and how do
-
you examine your own life? What areas should I look at a?
-
My obedient to the commands of Christ pretty plain and simple.
-
I love that Jesus. Simplifies it so that we can
-
understand it a, my obedient to the commands of Christ.
-
And if I am obedient to the commands of Christ, that brings
-
great assurance. Those commands and being
-
obedient to those commands won't save me.
-
But what they are, is they are proof that I am truly saved
-
first. John 2:3 says this and we know
-
that we have come to know him if we obey his commands, you want
-
to know if you truly know Christ, if you truly love
-
Christ, are you actively Desiring and fulfilling
-
obedience to his commands. That's plain and simple verse 5
-
of that. Same text.
-
I don't intentionally jump over for but I'm going to come back
-
and grab it later and first John but first John chapter 2 verse 5
-
it says but if anyone obeys his word God's love is truly made
-
complete in him. He said you get the love of God.
-
Oh, isn't it? The love of God, that propels us
-
to obedience and Christ for sure.
-
It is. This is how we know we are in
-
him. How do we know that we are in
-
him? If we obey his what is word?
-
If you obey the teachings of Christ, you can have full
-
confidence that you're in Christ.
-
To let me say this, if you have a claim to be in Christ, in a
-
claim to love Christ, truly But you're yet, you're not obedient
-
to the things that his word commands.
-
You're attempting to deceive your own self.
-
You have no insurance at all. But when we have that true love
-
expressed by obedience we can have Assurance for ourselves is
-
in that moment that we examine our lives and we confirm our own
-
salvation. It is in that moment that we do
-
is scriptures as we work it out. We work out our own salvation
-
with fear and trembling, what does that mean?
-
We hash through it, we live it, we see am.
-
I really living in obedient life unto Christ or am I just
-
claiming to love Christ and my life doesn't show.
-
Just as that husband, who would say I love you honey and then He
-
would turn around and abused her every moment.
-
There's no true love there at all, don't be deceived.
-
In fact, John says in his epistle in first John, same
-
John, who's writing, the gospel that we're looking at here.
-
He says in chapter 3 verse 23 and this is his command to
-
believe in the name of his son. Jesus Christ.
-
That's Grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone,
-
but watch this and to love one. Another, as he has commanded us,
-
those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them.
-
And this is how we know that he lives in us.
-
We know it by the spirit he gave us now.
-
I promise you this, at the end dwelling, Holy Spirit lives in
-
you, he is not leading you to disobedience in Christ.
-
Is constantly leading you to obedience in Christ confirming
-
and giving you the assurance that you are truly in Christ.
-
You can say, then that I truly love Christ.
-
And how do I know this? Because I can't sin anymore
-
because I know this, I know that when I do sin, when I doosan, I
-
find myself grieving over that. I can't send comfortably as I
-
once did. I find myself grieving knowing
-
this that it is, that's in, it is, that's in that nail.
-
My Savior to the cross. It is that's in that bore pain
-
and Agony upon his body that's in that belonged to me was
-
pressed upon him and I don't want to see the fact that my
-
savior who loved me so much suffered for me.
-
And so what I do is this, I Repent of it and I turned from
-
it and I confess it Lord that sin is to send that nailed you
-
to the cross and I desire obedience.
-
Why? Because you're pleased with
-
obedience. You're pleased with obedience
-
through faith. It gives great Assurance for the
-
believer to realize that obedience is required by Christ,
-
philo's Christ. It's going to come forth out of
-
my life. If I don't, the opposite is
-
going to come forth out of my life.
-
Now, let me tell you what, I'm not preaching to you today.
-
I'm not preaching to you sinless, perfection. what I am
-
preaching to you, is this, there is no True Believer who can
-
enjoy sin and any amount Any dose of sin offends, the True
-
Believer in your life and in the lives of others.
-
Why? Because the Holy Spirit Bears
-
witness to the opposite of that, he Bears witness to
-
righteousness and Holiness, and obedience to the commands of God
-
for the believer to hold onto sin in their life is to be a
-
miserable, miserable person in my prayer today is that you
-
would trust Christ to free you from that misery today as you
-
confess, that thing, whatever it may be.
-
As you walk in the assurance, that Christ wants us to have
-
that Assurance comes as he said, if you love me, you will obey.
-
If you love me Assurance for yourself, but not only insurance
-
for yourself. Did you notice as Christians, we
-
all live in some type of fish bowl, don't we?
-
Right. The moment that the Lost World
-
Hears, someone say I'm a Christian You know what they're
-
looking for? That time where you mess up so
-
that they can throw it right back in your face.
-
They're looking for that time. What I would say to you is
-
Christians, why do we give them so many excuses?
-
Why do we not see the importance of living a holy and obedient
-
life to the commands of the word of God?
-
And I know what you said but I can't you couldn't apart from
-
Christ but the indwelling Holy Spirit who lives in you as you
-
yield to him I assure you of this he is going to lead you
-
into loving the Lord, your God with all your heart, soul and
-
mind, and love. Your neighbor as yourself and in
-
doing that, you will obey the commands of God.
-
It will bring great Assurance, not only to you but to others.
-
I just yesterday preached, a funeral of a man that I dearly
-
loved as a child and I love the testimony that many gave of him.
-
He was no preacher at all. He was an example of Christ in
-
his life. Here's example by the life that
-
he lived. Was it a perfect life know.
-
We got involved in it it became imperfect at that point in time.
-
I assure you until we are glorified, there will be no
-
Perfection why he is the author and he is the Perfecter of our
-
faith. He is going to do the whole
-
thing. But what I loved about this is
-
the testimony is were his life. Not just the things that came
-
off his lips. He was consistent in his life.
-
If you love me, Jesus said you obey me, it brings Assurance for
-
yourself and insurance for others.
-
Gives others validity to your claim of Faith.
-
They look at you and they say, you know what, that person is
-
not all talk. Why?
-
Because I saw them do what the word of God commands us do.
-
I saw them do that when they didn't have to do that, I saw
-
them. Do that knowing full.
-
Well, that I knew them before they claim.
-
To be Christians and they wouldn't have done that.
-
Gives Assurance to other people that you truly are what you say
-
that you are. Because others are examining Our
-
Lives. I assure you.
-
And when they examine your life, They can't see your thought in
-
word, love for Christ. All they see is what comes out.
-
All they see is what comes out, they see your outward.
-
Either a Disobedience confirming that you are lost or your
-
obedience, conforming that confirming that you are truly
-
one of his so it brings as it rightly should assurance
-
insurance for yourself, insurance for others.
-
So, as I Varley already, clearly stated, let me say it again.
-
Obedience to Christ is not the path to Salvation.
-
But the proof of Salvation to you and to those around you.
-
So examine yourself today, examine your life today and see
-
if there is confirmation that you truly do love Christ because
-
Jesus is teaching here again. True love will be expressed by
-
our obedience to his commands. So love for Christ expressed by
-
obedience to his commands. Offers hope and Assurance
-
ourselves and others. The next thing that we see is
-
this, as we look at the teaching of Jesus, here, in this, one
-
particular verse Jesus, teaching concerning true love expressed
-
by obedience, number 2, rejects perverse, antinomianism.
-
Now I know what you're going to do.
-
You're going to say anti no Mia. What?
-
I've told you often, I will tell you.
-
Again, I will not be the pastor who dumps things down so that
-
you can't come to a clear understanding of the truths of
-
Theology and scripture, but I will be the pastor, who, when we
-
get to these difficult things in these new terms.
-
I will explain to you exactly what they mean.
-
So that you can leave here with some understanding that you
-
didn't have, and some insight into scripture.
-
And so Jesus, teaching concerning love expressed by
-
obedience. We see rightly proves Assurance
-
but it rejects perverse antinomianism, and what Is Aunt.
-
I know me, anism. Well, Jesus says this and 14 15.
-
He says you will. Don't you love that?
-
Not, you might, or you should or may I suggest something to you
-
and you should take it into consideration.
-
He said you will obey what I command.
-
Now, what is anti, know me, anism anti know me, an ism is a
-
term that Is an old dialogical term, that many times.
-
We don't like to talk about because we see it so prevalent
-
in our Christian culture. It is a term meaning no law or
-
against law, or the fact that a person believes that the
-
commands of God, no longer apply because of Grace, and they use
-
Grace as a license to sin. We all understand antinomianism.
-
And it's Smaller understanding, right?
-
It goes like this. You're riding with a friend in
-
his car. You're going through a speed
-
zone of 70 miles an hour. He's rolling about 85 you say to
-
your believing friend, you say, hey man, it's 70 through here.
-
You might want to slow down and you're hyper spiritual friend,
-
who is anti know me and says to you, man I'm not under law.
-
But under grace about the time, the law turns their blue and red
-
lights on and reminds him. You are under the laws of the
-
State of Texas and Paul, I'm over and writes him.
-
A ticket based on that Authority now.
-
We do that. And we see that so many times
-
and this modern Church age, where we abuse Grace by our
-
sinful Disobedience, that is anti, no me anism.
-
It's the idea that because I've been saved by grace alone,
-
through faith alone in Christ alone.
-
I can ignore the commands of God and live in any way that I want
-
to live and still make it to the Pearly Gates.
-
The fact of the matter is is it's heresy, it's not biblical
-
and it is abuse of the grace of God.
-
It is the fact that these anti, no means have done this.
-
They have confused justification, and
-
sanctification. And let me just tell you this,
-
you can't have one without the other but his justification that
-
saves you. It is sanctification that proves
-
as you are being made, holy that you truly have been saved.
-
And so know this. If you are here today and you
-
have received the grace of God by grace alone, through faith
-
alone in Christ alone, and you are saved.
-
That is no excuse for you to sin.
-
In fact, Paul understood that people would think, like this in
-
Romans chapter 6, he wrote this to the Roman Church.
Romans 6 chapter mention
-
He says, in verse 15, What then shall we sin?
-
Because we are not under the law, but under grace and he
-
answers by no means don't, you know that when you offer
-
yourself to someone to obey him a slaves, you are slaves to the
-
one whom you obey, whether you are slaves to sin which leads to
-
death or to obedience which leads to righteousness, watch
-
what he says next. But thanks be to God that.
-
Do you used to be slaves to sin or he talks about their slavery
-
to sin in the past though? You used to live any way that
-
you wanted to live because you were controlled by your own lust
-
of your flesh and your sin nature.
-
He says that's the way you used to live, but thanks be to God
-
that no, you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly
-
obeyed. The form of teaching to which
-
you were entrusted. You have been Free from sin and
-
have become slaves to righteousness, so pay attention
-
to that church slave to righteousness.
-
And what does that? That is righteous acts, that is
-
obedience to the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ.
-
That is loving the Lord, your God with all your heart.
-
Soul and mind, that is loving your neighbor as yourself and
-
fulfilling the law of God in your very life as you walk in
-
the love of Christ verse 19. He says, I put this in human
-
terms because you are weak in your natural selves.
-
Just as you used to offer the parts of your body.
-
D and slavery to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness.
-
So now offer them in slavery to righteousness, leading to
-
Holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you
-
were free from the control of righteousness.
-
What benefit did you reap? At the time?
-
From the things, you are now ashamed of no benefit, right?
-
We're ashamed of those sins. They've benefited us not at all.
-
They were a path of Destruction. Those things result in death,
-
but now verse 22 says that you have been set free from sin.
-
You have and have become slaves. To God the benefit, you reap
-
leads to holiness. Cleanest, what does it lead to
-
holiness? If your life is not constantly
-
being conformed to the image of Christ and of Holiness, you need
-
to really examine. Do you have true love for
-
Christ? Why?
-
If you love me? You will obey what I have
-
commanded. The benefit that you read leads
-
to Holiness in the result is eternal life for the wages of
-
sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal
-
life in Christ. Jesus, our lord.
-
What is Paul saying there? He's saying this the gift of
-
grace through faith, Jesus Christ that you've been given.
-
That gift comes with something and it comes with this, your new
-
responsibility not to live the old way that you used to live in
-
your sin and your pride and in your sinful nature.
-
But it is to live in righteousness, and Holiness and
-
bringing glory and honor to God through Jesus Christ.
-
And what a privilege it is that we get to live a life of
-
obedience. I don't know about you, but I'm
-
tired of Christians who they want to.
-
Get way out on the edge. How much can I still get away
-
with and not abuse the grace of God?
-
That's not a question that we should be asking.
-
We should go back to the heart of God, to the Ten Commandments
-
and say, Here's what pleases God, lord, remove any area in my
-
life that does not, please you show me what it is.
-
Lead Me In obedience to that area.
-
Oh, the antinomian abuses Grace, by their sinful disobedience.
-
They abused Grace because they have no true.
-
Understanding of Grace in the price, that was paid for them at
-
the cross. Oh, how could we abuse the
-
Glorious sacrifice of Jesus Christ that he has graced us
-
with? How can we abuse that by living
-
any way that we want to live, you know, with the attitude that
-
so many Christians have? I would rather ask for
-
forgiveness than permission and just go ahead and do what you
-
want to do anyways and not really worry about all the
-
people that you're going to hurt in the process and all the
-
Fallout. It's going to come from your
-
Disobedience and how your testimony that testimony of
-
Christ. That is so beautiful that we've
-
been given that, we don't deserve how you will drag that
-
through the mud and make a mockery of him.
-
Well, may you hear the word of the Lord today?
-
Where he says, if you love me, You'll obey what I command you
-
want. Abused my grace.
-
Jesus, teaching concerning true love expressed by obedience
-
projects-- perverse antinomianism.
-
That is the abuse of Grace by sinful Disobedience, but it is
-
also the abolishment of God's commands.
-
In the name of Freedom, the antinomian wants to abolish the
-
name. I mean abolish the commands of
-
God in the name of Freedom, all you were here, him all the time.
-
I have freedom in Christ to do, whatever it is that I want to do
-
unfortunate thing, is they forget what?
-
Scripture says, Grace is 5:13. Here's what it says.
-
You my brothers were called to be free, but do not use your
-
freedom to indulge in the sinful nature, rather serve one another
-
in love. Here's that loving one.
-
Another thing that Jesus, Promoted he says the entire law
-
is summed up in a single command, love your neighbor as
-
yourself. Well how important it is that we
-
see that how important it is that we see at Freedom in
-
Christ. It's not freedom to do, whatever
-
it is that we want to do. Many people think that freedom
-
is in Christ is freedom to sin. I said it before and I'll say it
-
again. It's not freedom to sin, freedom
-
from sin. Why would Christ free you from
-
your old life of sin? Only to have you in the name of
-
Freedom abuse Grace in return back to it.
-
It's absolutely contrary to the teachings of the word of God and
-
the teachings of the New Testament Church.
-
Christ said, if you love me. You'll be my commands.
-
Peter says this in First Peter chapter 2.
1 Peter 2 chapter mention
-
He says live as free men but do not use your freedom as a
-
cover-up for evil live as Servants of God.
-
How will people know that your Servants of God I assure you
-
this if you look just like the world you act like the world,
-
you talk like the world. You go to the places of the
-
world, you consume the substances of the world, you
-
party with the world. You do all the things that the
-
world does. They don't really think that
-
you're anything other than the world.
-
He says, don't don't use your freedom as a cover-up but live
-
as Servants of God. Why watch what he says show?
-
Proper respect to everyone. Why?
-
Because everyone's watching you show them that you truly love
-
Christ. Let it be more than just words.
-
He says love the Brotherhood of Believers show them that you
-
love the church right in a day and time where people are
-
telling you that you don't have to love the church and be a part
-
of a church to love Christ. I say this to you.
-
Yes, you do forsake. Not the Assembly of the saying.
-
Let's go to church symbol with other believers and express your
-
love to Christ together in obedience to his commands.
-
He's a show proper respect to everyone, love the Brotherhood
-
of Believers fear, God, there's that love for God, loved him
-
with all your heart, soul and mind.
-
He says, honor the king respect, the authorities that God has
-
plays. When you do this, people are
-
going to see you and they're going to see you as a true
-
Christian who does not abuse Grace, right?
-
Going to see you as some perverse antinomian abolishing
-
God's commands for your convenience.
-
Isn't that what people love to do today?
-
But I enjoy this and so I'm going to fudge in this area of
-
my life. You know what?
-
You're saying listen to me. You love that sin more than you
-
love Christ. He said that's harsh.
-
Well, that's real. That's truth.
-
Jesus said if you love me you will obey what?
-
I command. We cannot live like perverse
-
anti. No means because what Jesus
-
says, rejection reverse antinomian.
-
And antinomianism. We cannot abuse Grace just
-
because we have freedom. Cannot abolish, God's commands.
-
Just because we have Grace, and freedom will see the importance
-
of them working together and I assure you this, any teaching,
-
you write this down, any teaching that removes, or erases
-
required obedience to the Lord's commands, into the teaching of
-
the word of God. Any teaching, it says, you were
-
free to do what you want to do, is contrary.
-
Read to biblical sound teaching walk out when they say that.
-
It's not important that we as Christians are obedient to the
-
commands of God. Why?
-
Because it directly contradicts what Jesus says.
-
And this one particular verse that were looking at today I
-
know some of you at this point in time, your minds are bungled
-
because I threw a new word at you just rest you'll get it.
-
I don't want to move to the last in the final portion of this.
-
Jesus teaching concerning true love expressed by obedience
-
rightly provides Assurance. It rejects perverse
-
antinomianism or an abuse of Grace.
-
But I want you to see this because this is important today
-
and I want you to examine your own lines in light of this.
-
Thirdly, it reveals pseudo, affection pseudo, affection.
-
And what I want to do here is I want to do a reversal of
-
Scripture. A lot of times in interpreting
-
texts and understanding something.
-
It's a good practice to reverse that scripture.
-
And what I mean by that is to take the scripture and to look
-
at it in reverse order. And for example, we are looking
-
at John 14:15 and it says this if you love me, you will obey
-
what I command. Let's reverse the order of that.
-
In the - it says, if you don't keep my commands, you don't
-
truly love me. If you don't keep my commands,
-
you don't truly love me now we know that's not what the Lord
-
said the. Lord said, if you love me,
-
you'll keep my commands. But if we reverse, that will
-
see, there's also truth there to be uncovered.
-
And so we should examine our lives in line of that.
-
Because Jesus teaching concerning true love expressed
-
by obedience, reveals pseudo affection.
-
Oh doesnít reveal that to us. If our love for Christ is not
-
true. It is confirmed by a disobedient
-
lifestyle proving this. Proving that are love that we
-
claim to have is at best fake and phony.
-
Let me just assure you this. Nobody likes a fake, or a phony,
-
even the lost world hates a friend who has to face, right?
-
You'll hear them use that term often because they're phony,
-
they say one thing in front of their face and then they stabbed
-
him in the back when they're away from them.
-
No one likes that. That's why we why would we
-
expect the Lord to like that as well?
-
No understand this. He wants us today to examine Our
-
Lives because when we examine our lives in light of what he
-
has said, it could reveal that some of you could reveal that
-
even I Have a pseudo affection for Christ, the pseudo
-
affection, a fallacy of farce Adlai.
-
It's make believe it is a claim without any substance.
-
First John chapter 2. I told you I would get back to
1 John 2 chapter mention
-
verse 4. Let's get back there and see
-
what it says. It says the man who says I know
-
him but does not do what he commands is a liar.
-
It doesn't get any more clear than that and the truth is not
-
in him. Now again I'm telling you that's
-
not to say if you obey him he will see that as good and he
-
will save you. I'm saying this, if he saves
-
you, he will lead you into obedience and for you to think
-
that you can claim to love Christ.
-
And have no obedience to his commands living the same sinful
-
life that you've always lived continually trying to cover it
-
up as if it's not there. I say this to you, you have a
-
pseudo affection for Christ. It is no true.
-
Love at all for the Savior. I say this in love, I don't say
-
this because I'm upset, I don't say this to try to get you to
-
doubt salvation, I say this today, so that you can leave
-
here with full Assurance of Salvation.
-
As you bend the need to Christ and you cry out to him as Lord
-
and Savior and as he takes over your miserable life and he
-
forgives you of all your sins and grants to you the eternal
-
life that he and he alone has promise.
-
I say this to you. So that if you are walking in
-
the deception of pseudo affection for Christ, meaning
-
this are you love the idea of Jesus?
-
Well, you might even love the thought benefits of Jesus.
-
You might even love coming to church and seeing all your
-
friend. But when you walk out of here,
-
You consistently live exactly like the world?
-
In their sin and in their selfishness and in their
-
Darkness. Can I say this to you friend?
-
Please hear my voice that is pseudo affection for Christ.
-
It is not real. It is only a claim.
-
How do I know that Jesus said, if you do really love me, You
-
obey my commands. And when we reverse that, if you
-
don't obey his commands, you don't really love him.
-
You say, well, who do you think you are?
-
I'm a nobody, I assure you of that.
-
All I have been entrusted to do is to deliver the message of
-
Christ in here. It is John 14:15.
-
If you love him you will obey. Him is your love for him.
-
Just words is it pseudo affection?
-
Is it authentic? How do we know how do we know if
-
it's just mere talk, right? That's the question that we
-
would ask if we begin to examine our life today.
-
Watch this. You want to know if your
-
affection for Christ is pseudo, affection, it will be marked by
-
works of sin. Instead of works of
-
righteousness, works of sin, instead of works of
-
righteousness. Luke chapter 6 verse 43.
-
The Lord himself said this, no good tree Bears.
-
Bad fruit nor does a bad tree bear.
-
Good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its
-
own fruit. People do not pick figs from
-
thornbushes or grapes from Breyers.
-
What is the Lord saying here in agrarian terms?
-
What is he meaning? He's saying this, we all know
-
this, we get apples from an apple tree.
-
We don't get grapes from an apple tree.
-
We don't get lemons. From a kiwi tree.
-
He's saying the tree Bears, the proper fruit.
-
Is your claim to know Christ? Bearing the fruit of Christ and
-
what is the fruit of Priceless obedience to his commands?
-
Just as he said, if you love me, you will obey my commands.
-
Or if you were to look at your life today.
-
I know sometimes it's scary to do.
-
I pray that you would if you were to look at your life today,
-
Is your claim to love for Christ?
-
True love proven by obedience or is it pseudo love proven by the
-
fact that you were still wrapped up in your own sin and your own
-
self-deceit, many claim to love Jesus but yet deny him by their
-
lives. But wasn't that an epidemic and
-
Christianity my prayers this that it would stop today and
-
that we would as Jesus did call for believers to live.
-
Holy lives. Set apart from a lost and Dying
-
World. Isn't that?
-
Not what eat command. Of course he does even when we
-
go back to the promise of Abraham that we have been
-
engrafted into in Christ, the promise to Abraham was that God
-
was going to raise up a people for his name and for his glory
-
he would not raise up a people who were not obedient to the
-
things that he has commanded. I assure you of that pseudo
-
affection to Christ will be marked by works of sin.
-
Instead of works of righteousness, your life will be
-
inundated with sin. You will be the same person that
-
you've always been. And this is false love for
-
Christ and no true Faith at all. I would say be aware of this,
-
we're seeing is accepted more and more and more in our
-
culture. There is no love for Christ and
-
disdain for sin. Any longer proven by are
-
obedient and righteous lives. We can live any way that we want
-
to live. Claim that we're on the path to
-
eternal life and I assure you again of what the Lord said he
-
says, wide is the gate and wide is the road that leads to
-
destruction. But narrow is the gate and
-
narrow is the road that leads to life and few find it.
-
Or you're one of the, are you one of the few today who truly
-
love Christ and is it proven by obedience to his word and his
-
commands? Pseudo affection, for Christ,
-
should be marked by your works of sin.
-
Instead of works of righteousness, but it will also
-
be marked by words without obedience words, without
-
obedience Luke 6:46. Lord says this.
-
Why do you call me? Lord Lord, and do not do what I
-
say. What a statement?
-
What a thought-provoking statement?
-
Because we would never call anyone Lord that we did not obey
-
and the Lord rightfully. So in Luke chapter 6, ask this
Luke 6 chapter mention
-
question, why do you call me Lord, Lord.
-
And then you turn around and you deny that by not following my
-
instruction. I would say this to you today.
-
Why are you calling Lord? Lord and do not do what he says.
-
Because in doing that, you revealed that he is not bored at
-
all. That is pseudo affection?
-
You really don't love Christ. You say, well, you can't say
-
that I really don't love Christ. No, but Christ came.
-
And he said it and if you love him, you will obey his commands.
-
And that if you don't obey his commands, you don't, truly love
-
him. You are that person who calls
-
him, Lord, Lord and does not do what he says.
-
You are one of those persons with words.
-
Mere words. With no accompanying obedience
-
mere talkers, empty, talkers as Peter calls him in second, Peter
-
chapter 2 when he says this, these men are Springs without
-
water and Miss driven by a storm blackest.
-
Darkness is reserved for them for their mouth, empty boastful
-
words and by appealing to them the lustful desires of sinful
-
human nature. They enticed people who are just
-
escaping from those who live in error, they promised them
-
Freedom while they themselves are slaves of depravity for man
-
is a Slave To whatever has mastered him.
-
He's speaking of those false teachers, and false prophets in
-
his day. And he's saying this.
-
He's saying that these people claimed to know Christ and claim
-
to love Christ and claim to have freedom in Christ.
-
But it's only words, they're empty talkers, Jude calls these
-
same Pretenders clouds Without Rain, if you study the small
-
book of Jude, we've all witnessed this, haven't we?
-
Those of us who live on the Texas coast, when we're down
-
there with our family on the beach.
-
You know how beautiful the beaches are if you like muddy
-
sand? You're down there and that storm
-
blows in off the Gulf and you see it those big black clouds,
-
man, they develop out there in the the ocean and they began
-
moving too short and you're picking up kids and you're
-
flinging Cheetos and blankets and towels and all this stuff
-
and you got to get back to the car because the rains coming.
-
You get back to the car and never the first drop of rain,
-
hits the ground and that cloud blows over you and it doesn't
-
form rain. So it gets way Inland.
-
But man, you freaked out. That was a cloud Without Rain.
-
It was just a facade. It was a pseudo rainstorm
-
coming. Some of you have accepted this
-
pseudo, affection for Christ, Your clouds Without Rain your
-
talk without action, your hot air.
-
Nothing backing your claim. Jesus says this to you.
-
Are you listening? It's Gonna Hurt.
-
Let me warn you. You don't truly love me.
-
You don't really love me because if you did love me.
-
You would obey. What I have commanded. so, as
-
your love for Christ, is it authentic Or is it just pseudo
-
affection? How do you know examine your
-
life today? But I'm not going to examine
-
your life because I promise you this I'm going to be busy.
-
Examine time. Why?
-
Because I don't want to settle for pseudo affection because
-
pseudo, affection falls short I want to love God with all my
-
heart soul and mind love my neighbor as myself not so that I
-
can be saved, but because I am truly saved and I want to see
-
that in every area of my life and I don't mind the Holy Spirit
-
showing me, I assure you of that when I missed the mark so that I
-
can what confess that sin and repent of that sin and a lion
-
with the commands of Jesus Christ.
-
My Lord and my savior who love me because of his love, for me,
-
I now can love him in return and how do I express that love.
-
It's not in just living any way that I want to live with with
-
but Will disregard to his commands.
-
I express that love in obedience to his commands.
-
Did you appreciate Christ then live a life that shows that you
-
appreciate Christ by being obedient to his command?
-
The close with this? will obedience to Christ save,
-
you know, Don't ever leave here and say that I said anything of
-
the sort. Obedience to Christ will not
-
save you. However, It will confirm in does
-
confirmed those who are truly saved a saved person will have a
-
desire to obey the Savior that they love person that says he or
-
she has a love for Christ. But has no desire to follow his
-
will or his commands is only deceiving themselves though.
-
I think of that person who makes the profession of Faith saying
-
that they love Christ. And then when you try to get
-
them in the baptismal pool in obedience to the Lord's,
-
command, as a, no, I don't want to do that.
-
What do you mean? You don't want to do that?
-
That is the First Command that he gives to a Believer to follow
-
him and Believers baptism, you don't have an option.
-
Why? Because if you love him, you
-
will obey his commands. Oh, begins there.
-
But it continues in our lives where we obeying his word as he
-
unfolds it to us, as we see those things in our life that we
-
are deficient in. If we confess those things, it's
-
as Sin. And entrust in the Holy Spirit
-
to walk us and carry us into obedience for the glory of God.
-
Do you love Christ this morning? Do you love Christ this morning?
-
A fair question in light of the one verse that we read.
-
Do you love Christ? I would ask that you not examine
-
your husband to see your wife to see your children or your
-
neighbor. You would examine yourself
-
today. You would ask yourself.
-
Do I have a true love for Christ?
-
Confirmed by obedience to what it is that he has commanded.
-
Do I love the Lord? My God with all my heart soul
-
and mind. Am I loving my neighbor as
-
myself in that I assure you you will fulfill the decalogue The
-
Ten Commandments you will walk in obedience to those things.
-
Just as Christ died for you to walk in obedience to those
-
things. You stand your feet.
-
Every head bowed, every eye closed.
-
Father, we do love you today and we thank you so much for your
-
word. Lord Jesus.
-
We thank you that in your word. There is life.
-
Lord, I pray for the person who's here today and they are
-
dead spiritually that they have heard the Word of Life today.
-
I pray that as they examine their lives and they see that
-
they fall short as Sinners, condemned by sin, that they
-
would cry out to Christ, the lord Jesus.
-
The only one who can free them from that.
-
Condemnation, Lord today as they cry out to you, Lord, as your
-
grace Usher's, them into new and eternal life.
-
Lord, that you would Empower them to repent, believe, and
-
trust in you. And that they would leave here
-
changed Forever by what you did for them on the cross, where
-
you've died, where you were, Read and where you Rose again,
-
giving New Life to all who will believe.
-
God, I pray that your will would be done today that the seed of
-
your word would not fall on unfertile ground. but that it
-
would fall on the hearts that you have prepared today to
-
receive salvation and on those who are here to rejoice in the
-
Salvation that they already have received in you, but your will
-
be done in Jesus name. Amen.
-
Thank you for listening to the key Life Fellowship, Pulpit
-
Ministry podcast. If you would like to talk with
-
one of our pastors, please email us at info at Key Life
-
Fellowship, dot org or call us at 28 1689 1604.
-
Or you can also visit our website at www.keytime.com
-
shape.com. We hope and pray.
-
You have a blessed week and remember, you are light in the
-
dark. Or you can also visit our
-
website at www.keytime.com shape.com.
-
We hope and pray. You have a blessed week and
-
remember, you are light in the dark.