John gives us advice about how to be discerning, by asking us that we “test the spirits”.
1 John 3:
1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Love One Another
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.
13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;
20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
1 John 4: Test the Spirits
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
19 We love because he first loved us.
20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Things to think about…
What a great promise, 1Jn 3:2 “what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” This is the heart and hope of heaven, that we will be like Jesus and we will forever be with Him. Amen.
How can we discern between those who are born of God and are the children of God and those who are of the devil? 1Jn 3:1-10. John says, those who continue in sin, vs 8, those who do not practise righteousness and those who do not love other brothers and sisters in Christ, he says, are of the devil, vs 10. But those who practice righteousness, who love others in God’s family and abstain from sin are the children of God, vss 7, 11. Keeping the heart and confessing sin is the key to cleansing the heart from sin’s sickness 1John 1:9.
John affirms how to show our identity as the children of God. It must be practical. We shouldn’t just say that we love each other, but our love must be on display and be backed up by actions, 1Jn 3:16-18.
Godly fruit is one way to discern those who are the true children of God, but John says another way is by confession and heart belief. He says that we shouldn’t believe every spirit, but to test the spirits 1Jn 4:1-6. Anyone who confesses that Jesus has come in the flesh and believes He has come from God and listens to the Apostles teaching, vs 6 is from God. Those that acknowledge that Christ came to the earth and fulfilled His ministry as Saviour on earth and who also believe and follow Scriptures; this is how we discern the spirit of truth as opposed to error, 1Jn 4:6.
John maintains his focus on the fruit of true followers of Jesus. God is love and whoever loves God must love his brother, 1Jn 4:7-21. Jesus tells us to love God and love our neighbours as ourselves. Our nearest neighbours are those within the household of faith. Our Lord also says, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Mt 12:50.
What are you fearful of? John says, “perfect love casts out fear”, 1John 4:18. He says fear involves punishment. But what about the fear of hell. Some are saved through fear, Jude 1:23. But this is a fear of judgment. Our punishment and therefore our judgement rests upon Christ. So, we are not fearful of the Lord’s judgement. If we are not fearful of His judgement, then all other judgements from people or situations pale into insignificance. Rejoice and be at peace – fear not! God loves you!
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Life groups Wednesdays. 6:30pm every Wednesday. 5:30pm prayer.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for Florida and the US as they enter into the elections in a few weeks.
2. Prayer for Israel, Gaza and Lebanon for peace to descend over the region.
3. Pray for Wave of Light ceremony Tuesday night that it would be a time of healing and hope
4. Pray for the work we have going on with site development and TMR and the development of a project team.
5. Keep praying for PlayPatch on Fridays, pray for more families to be reached.
6. Pray for Chaplaincy and Kids Hope at Karalee State School.
7. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
8. Church finances to continue to grow and expenses to be more than met.
9. Pray for Kids@Church, Life groups. Young Adults.
10. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Wednesday afternoons, 5:30pm at church. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
11. Pray about the possibility and planning of a Farmers Market at Chuwar Baptist Church once a month on Saturdays. Anastasia taking the lead on this. Pray for us as we plan
12. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.
13. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. Visitors on Sunday. Pray they feel welcomed in the church
2. Praise God for Sunday’s ministry. The Lord continues to bless his word.
3. Praise God for Kids@Church ministry.
4. Finances continue to be met. Praise God
5. New equipment for PlayPatch
6. New people at church
7. Praise God for our worship team. Well done Zac and Suzy
8. Tad’s health continues to improve.
9. Sally continues to amaze us with her interaction with everyone.
10. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. PlayPatch back this Friday morning – 9:30am. Contact Anna for details
2. Wave of light Ceremony celebrating life in the womb – 18th Oct at Church 6:30pm.
3. Prayer meeting 5:30pm and Life Group Wednesday 6:30pm at church.
4. Carols Sunday 22nd Dec starting from 3pm.
5. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
6. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for October...
Q. 25. Why did they eat the forbidden fruit? A. Because they did not believe what God had said.
Bible References – Gen.3:1-6; Heb.11:6.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jer 33:3
