1 John 4, The Love of God
Jesus is God, came manifest in the flesh.
I’m not scared of the antichrist because the real Christ is in me, and He is greater. It is a spirit of antichrist, a belief that Jesus is not the son of God.
Love is of God, and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God.
This is why I personally don't believe that you can truly love unless you have been born of God, because the Bible says just that!
Barry Bennett-Galatians lesson 7
4:21-26“Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai (The law) which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar- for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children- but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.”
4:28 “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of Promise.”
We, born again Christians, whom Paul is trying to rescue from those who were trying to bring them back under the Covenant of the law, are children of Promise, not of the flesh.
4:29 “But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the spirit, even so it is now.”
Even today those who are legalistic (to any extent) will persecute those who are born according to the promise rather than the flesh!
4:30 “Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? ‘cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.’”
Cast out the legalism from you! Cast out those who wish to keep to the flesh and the law! Christ has become of no effect to those who try to be justified by the law! The son of the bondwoman, those of the flesh, shall not be heir with the sons of the promise.
4:31 “So the, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.”
We are not born in bondage but in freedom! Do not fall from Grace by going back after the law!
Romans 9:7-8 “Nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ‘in Isaac your seed shall be called.’ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.”
Galatians 3:9 “So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”
3:29 “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
We are sons of Abraham in his covenant and children of the promise!
Acts 15:10-11 “Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
This is speaking of the law! As a yoke that no one was able to bear. But rather we believe that through the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we are saved.
Ephesians 2:15 “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances…”
Hebrews 7:19 “For the law made nothing perfect…”
Hebrews 10:1 “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”
1 Corinthians 3:6 “Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.”
3:7 “But if the ministration of death, written and engraved in stones, was glorious…” “Was to be done away with…”
The law was temporary, given for a purpose, but its glory had no glory in comparison to the glory that excels beyond it, for if that which is done away with was glorious, how much more glorious is that which remains?
You are legalistic and still under the law if…
-If you think what you do makes God happier, or love you more.
-If your sin keeps you away from coming before God.
-When you think of Prayer, you first think of how you have been living.
-When you obligate others to live according to your standards. (moral code)
-When you use the law of Moses as your standard of righteousness.
-When you major on behavior modification rather than on relationship.
Why does legalism exist?…
1. Legalism is born of the lack of confidence of men to trust the Holy Spirit.
2. When people do not trust the word of God’s grace to keep people, they create a religious system to try to help out God! You put law on people and they start measuring themselves and lose their confidence in the relationship between them and God.
Areas where legalism THRIVES.
1-Entertainment.
There are some things that you should not listen to or watch, but do not impose on others what you watch and your standards.
2-Outward appearance.
There are some things that should not be worn in public, but we are not to impose law on those who do not agree with us.
3-Music.
People have different tastes, don’t let your taste be a rule of law for someone else.
4-How to raise children.
Everyone has their own way, and everyone wants you to raise yours like they raised theirs! Find the Biblical place where your faith is, and where you will be able to raise your children.
5-Politics.
“uh-oh” “Jesus ate with republicans and sinners” There are some fine Christians that have every other political world view there is, and we can’t let that get in the way of our life with Christ.
6-Stores we buy from.
“oh that store supports this or that” buy from them and you don’t really love God! You can’t buy anything from anyone then, it is legalism.
7-Family Planning.
Don’t go there.
8-Bible Versions.
NIV is the “Nearly Inspired Version” you can’t be legalistic over it, pick one, use it, and don’t eat each other up over it!
9-Tithing.
There should not be a legalistic idea of it, but if someone does have that, then let them live where their faith is.
10-Going to the Doctor.
Don’t judge people for how they take care of themselves.
11-Holidays.
If you are keeping holidays to stay right with God, then you have a problem, if you celebrate them to enjoy them, then great! Don’t be such a stick in the mud! The sun was worshiped at one time too! Does that make it an idol today to you? A Christmas tree is a seasonal decoration that we enjoy, and “The more lights the Better” -Barry Bennett.
Romans 14:13-14, “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brothers way. I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”
Back to verse 5, “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.”
You can be ultra legalistic about anything. And if you have that personal conviction, then I'm not telling you to stop, but I am telling you that it will not draw you any closer to God, and it will not draw someone else closer to God if you try to push it on them. But if it is just your way of life, your habit, if it just helps you be more efficient in life, GREAT!
I really liked that lesson.
-Ben Heath
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