All right, friends, let's turn together now to the book of 1st John, chapter 5. Getting close to the very end of this thing. We'll be looking at verses 18 through 20 today. 1st John 5, 18 through 20. And when you have it there in your Bibles, let's stand together for the reading of God's Word. And before I read, let us pray. Lord God, truly it has been said, the man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. And so, Lord God, speak to us today in a way that will truly nourish our souls and impart strength to us, for we depend upon you for our sustenance, for the strength to continue on in this life, not only as human beings, but as the followers of Jesus Christ, in the narrow way. We pray, Lord God, that as we quiet ourselves to listen, that you would help us, Lord God, to believe all that we hear, to appreciate the importance of the things that your servant John would say to us this morning, and we pray, Lord God, that we would be sanctified by your truth and give you glory for the blessing of this Lord's Day. All this we ask as the church of Jesus Christ together in his name. Amen. So our sermon text again today is 1st John chapter five, beginning at verse 18. Listen now to the word of the Lord. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin. But he who has been born of God keeps himself and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. This is the word of the Lord. Please be seated. The Apostle John's warning about idolatry there in verse 21, the last verse of this epistle, is like the postscript to this letter. John knows this world, he knows the waywardness of his spiritual children, and so, sort of like an anxious father, he can't let these Christians go without one final, and P.S., keep away from idols. Amen. So as the danger of idolatry and warnings about idolatry are an important subject in its own right, I'll save one last sermon just for the postscript. That'll be again in a couple of weeks. But really the proper conclusion to John's first epistle is in these three verses before us this morning. So today's sermon on verses 18-20 will be the real summing up of all that John has impressed upon us over the last year or so. A number of you have told me that you have enjoyed this sermon series on the book of 1 John. I have enjoyed it as well. One thing that I will take away from our study is this. That as Christians, it is important for us to know that we know what we know. Christians don't know everything, and we don't need to know everything, and we shouldn't act as if we know everything. But those things that God has revealed to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ, his son, those things we know to be true. And so as Christians, we should hold and confess those truths confidently. The Gnostic controversy that we've talked about so much that blew through these churches in the first century, it did, in fact, shake the faith of a lot of people in those days. And after this storm had passed, you find them wondering whether they really knew what they thought they knew and whether they really were who they had thought they were. And John's first epistle, among other things, shows us that this is an alarming development. This is a problem in the church when things like this happen, and a problem that needs to be addressed and thankfully can be addressed. And the question is, is how? What is it that John does? And the answer in this first epistle of John is he reassures his brethren. He reassures them. That's what John has been doing all along. He's been reassuring these Christians that there's nothing about the recent controversy with the Gnostics that should make them doubt in the least that they truly know what they know about Jesus Christ nor doubt about themselves that they are truly God's children. You'll notice that each of these three verses begins with the same words. And the words are, we know. You and I, John says. We know, right? And what is it that we know? Here in John's final reassurance in this epistle, We're reminded of three important things. First, he says, we know that a person who is born of God does not continue in the ways of sin. We know that. Verse 18, he says, we know that whoever is born of God does not sin. And again, as back in chapter three, the word sin is in the present continuous verb tense. So you should read this as whoever is born of God does not continue in the ways of sin. So you can think of it this way. Life is a race. That's a Pauline metaphor. Life is a race. We're all runners in the race of life. We see another person, another runner in the race passing by us who is apparently a religious person. You can see that he is a religious person because he has religious symbols, Greek letters tattooed on his bicep. And this religious person is a big talker. You hear him claiming to be spiritually enlightened. claiming that he knows God, that he understands Christ. And you also notice that with unbroken stride, this fellow is just pursuing the sin that he loves for all that he's worth. Plainly, he sees no reason that he should not. So whatever this man who is in this world with us thinks his religion has done for him, it is obviously has nothing to do with quitting the ways of sin. It's not a priority with him. It's not even a recognized objective in his cult. He doesn't have any power to do it anyways. And so it was apparently with the Gnostics. But we Christians know that such a person is not born of God. We're not going to be taken in by the tattoo and the talk. And how do we know? Because this is not what happens when a person is born of God. A person is only truly born again, born of God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son, the Savior of sinners. Through the gospel of his son, God calls his elect, awakens them to spiritual life, forgives their sins in their Savior's blood and breaks their bonds. And it's by this spiritual liberation in the Savior that the true child of God turns from his sins to follow Jesus Christ in the gospel. and the spirit to learn his ways. And as John said back in chapter two, to walk as he walked. That's what happens. The follower of Jesus will stumble at times in the way of holiness. After all, it is the harder way. And so we'll see the child of God doing what the Gnostic talker never seems to do. We'll see him confessing his sin. We'll see him repenting of his sin before God. We'll see him praying to God for help in his struggle with sin. John has been careful to show us all of that in this epistle. But just to continue in the ways of sin, it's impossible. for someone who has had this experience that John speaks of, the experience of being born of God, that he's born of his spirit. As Christians, again, we don't know everything, but we certainly know that. John continues in verse 18 and says, we know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself, And the wicked one does not touch him. So there is a textual variant here in the second part of verse 18. That's why in some Bibles, it's the Christian who keeps himself. And in others, it's Christ who keeps the Christian. And there's a strong argument for both readings, made still more difficult, because John actually teaches both ideas. When the Christian keeps himself, John commends him, as in 1 John 2.14, saying to young Christian men, you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. But it's John's gospel that also shows the Christian, not in his own hands, but in the hand of his Savior, in the hand of the Almighty, being kept by the Good Shepherd. And every Christian who has read John's gospel has heard the son's prayer for him. And Jesus prayed to the father in John 17, 15, for all those that the father had given unto him, saying, keep them from the evil one. So the Christian keeps himself, but Christ keeps him too. And John's point here in verse 18 seems to be that by means of an awakened watchfulness, The one born of God henceforth abides under a sort of spiritual protection in his life. So that's not so easy for the devil to tempt him, to touch him anymore. Far easier, pray, for the devil is the gnostic fool whose false belief that he is spiritual and good with God only makes it that much easier for Satan to deceive him and draw him into sin. So again, there he goes, you see him running headlong after his lust and his sinful lifestyle in the broad way, talking his spiritual nonsense, flashing his meaningless tattoos. You can think of him what you will, but don't think that he is born of God. John says, you say, then who is born of God? And John says, you are Christian. We know that, don't we? We see the difference between us and this fellow. So you keep following Christ, and I'll keep following Christ, and in following him as all God's children do, we know that we will be keeping to the narrow way. This much, at least, is clear. The second thing that John reassures us of here is this, that we know that because we are born of God, that we are at odds with the world. We know that as well. Verse 19, we know that we are of God and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked. So there's an argument that a person might have within himself, an argument of considerable force, which says Well, if the whole world thinks this way, then who am I to think differently, as if I know better than the world? And if everyone is now going this way, then who am I to dig in my heels and resist, as if by my stand I could possibly withstand the whole world? And if that's where you find yourself, in life straining against the contrary currents of the world, it does seem sometimes arrogant to dissent from everybody and pointless to resist. And under that sort of mounting pressure and unrelenting pull, resolve will crumble and even a courageous person will give in. which is why mere courage is not enough. You also have to have knowledge. Verse 20 raises the question, what if the whole world is under the sway of the wicked one? That would explain a lot, wouldn't it? What if that's why they all think like they all think, and we're all together going that way that your better judgment says is the wrong way. And what if you knew that not because you're smart, but because in being born of God through faith in Jesus Christ, the son, God has shown you all this. And that's the reason that you see what you see when others don't see it. Would it still be arrogant to dissent, to disagree with so many people, because unlike them, you actually believe in God? Would it still seem pointless to resist, seeing that you resist the whole world, when we know, Christians, that the only other option is to yield to someone whom John calls the wicked one? This Gnosticism of the first century, it wasn't just a movement, it was the movement for a while. It was the popular Greek philosophy of Neoplatonism, brilliantly wed to the colorful mystery religions of the East. It was sophisticated, it was spiritually satisfying, it was culturally sublime, and it was altogether okay with sin. And that has all the makings of a blockbuster popular movement. And that was Gnosticism. And everyone was doing it as they were heading into the new century, that is, the second century. It was the new thing and it was taking the Greco-Roman world by storm. And it's that Gnostic storm that had just blown through these churches to whom John writes and carried away a sizable portion of its membership. And those few believers who who stood by the apostles teaching about Jesus. So all that they were being left behind. And they could feel the world looking over its shoulder at them with contempt. Would that bother you? Does that bother you? It doesn't bother the Apostle John. Why? Because he was courageous? No. Because he had knowledge. And you have it too. Here John sums up his position nicely. We know that we are of God. on that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. So ask yourself, what is a popular movement like Gnosticism in a world that lies under the sway of the wicked one? Nothing good, certainly. It's like the March of the Pied Piper, that's what it is. prince of the power of the air, leading the spellbound children of wrath into the abyss of their destruction, to use the language of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians. And Christians, God brought us out of that darkness. Out of that deception, out of that slavery. So we know what it is. And John urges and I urge, we're not going back to that now by some other door. No matter how popular it is with the young people. Do they, do their teachers deny that Jesus is the Christ? These Gnostics, do they disclaim any need of his blood? Then we know what we need to know. And we're not going to go along with this to get along, even if it means going against the whole world. And that's not arrogance. It's spiritual discernment. And it's not pointless. It's self-preservation. And it is the assurance that we know what we know. It is the basis of our stance. And then thirdly and finally, John also reassures us of this. We know that in God's Son, we have the true knowledge of God and eternal life. So we know that a person who is born of God does not continue in the ways of sin. That's one thing we know. We know that because we are born of God, we are at odds with the world. And finally, we also know that in God's son, we, we Christians have the true knowledge of God and eternal life. So this is verse 20. He says, and we know that the son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know him who is true and we are in him who is true and in his son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. So John's point here gets to the real heart of what others might see as Christian backwardness and Christian stubbornness. We stand our ground, standing with Christ's apostles against the whole world at times, not just to be right when others are wrong, but because it is in believing what we believe that we find ourselves in possession of what Jesus called The pearl of great price. Our basic Christian conviction, as John teaches us here, is that Jesus Christ is the son of God who has come. He's come from heaven, but he's revealed himself in the flesh and in some doing has shown us his glory. John says in his gospel, John 1 14, the word that is Jesus, the son became flesh and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. And it's showing us that glory, the glory that he is as the eternal son of God who has come. John says Jesus has given us an understanding. And the understanding is this. that if there is a son, then there must be a father. And if the son is the image of his father, then in seeing the glory of the son, then we have seen the glory of the father as well. And you remember, that's what Jesus said and taught to his disciple Philip in John 14, 9, saying, Philip, he who has seen me has seen the father. And seeing the glory of the father in the son is the beginning of understanding and knowing God as the Holy Trinity. Which is to know God true. And that's what Jesus gave us to understand the true God as the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. And this is not just Christian doctrine John impresses upon us here. It's not just something that we know about God. But as John says in the last line of verse 20, this is the true God and eternal life. To know God as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ the Son is to know the Father's love for us through the death and resurrection of his Son. and by faith in the crucified and risen Son to join in the fellowship of that glorious divine love that God is, both with Him and with all His children now and forevermore. John opened this epistle, you remember, in 1 John 1, 3 through 4, by speaking of joy. You remember that? And this is the joy. Our fellowship, John said, with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And the basis of our understanding of the Trinity, which Jesus has given to us. And the point is that whatever attraction Gnosticism may hold for the world, it's not worth losing that. I mean, if you have, And if you know that you have it, we're talking about the pearl of great price. And of course, we who possess the pearl of great price in Jesus Christ would not exchange that priceless pearl for anything in the world, including its approval. So that when the Apostle John sees people leaving the Christian church for something like Gnosticism, John reasons like this, you remember in 1st John 2 19, he says, in effect, they cannot have known what we know. For if they didn't know it, they would not have left this for that. And likewise, when we see people today leaving the church for whatever. For whatever is in conflict with Christ and his teaching, leaving the church for a forbidden relationship. or leaving the church for a career where being a Christian is a liability, or for standing in a particular social group where Christianity is a liability, or leaving the church for some new progressive movement that seems to mean more to people now than Christ ever did, then it is plain, is it not, that these apostates, whoever they are, however many of them there are, that they never knew him as we know him. I mean, a career? Really? Where at the end of it, you get a gold watch to be buried in? A girlfriend, a boyfriend, to what? Gratify the lust of the flesh? Holding the pearl of great price as we do, we know that someone who knows the Lord, who knows whom who is true would never do that. Knowing what we know, we would rather sell the whole world and all its glory than to surrender the fellowship of joy that we now possess and know in God the Father and His Son and our great hopes of eternal life in Him. That we know. And so this is where we will close again, with the exception of the postscript, in a couple of weeks. Because the world is what it is, and this age, what we know it to be, there will be things like Gnosticism, rising again out of the sea to oppose Christ and his church. Satan will see to that. False teaching. and false teaching, antichrists, John calls them, that will confuse things and people and deceive many, drawing them away after themselves, popular movements in which the populace will get swept up and swept away. You can watch it happen. With these movements and the success that they enjoy for a time, there will be disturbing scenes. a mass migration of people, even people who we once called brothers, who profess to believe in Jesus, leaving the church, and in doing so, leaving us behind, thinking that we are unreasonable and stubborn. And it will seem for all the world that it is the evil one who is overcoming the Lamb and his followers and not the other way around. And I suspect that will shake us. as it has shaken Christians before us. These are developments that do not bode well for us in the short term. These are world events that do raise questions, doubts in our minds about God, our God, whether he is truly God and about ourselves, whether we truly are as we have thought we are his children, for whom he cares. And for our faith to waver like that in storms like these, it is a problem. It's one that needs to be addressed, and it can be. The Apostle John has shown us the way in this epistle. What we need in moments in times like this is reassurance. Reassurance. And that's something that the ministry of this place and the fellowship of these Christian people should do. Our time here together partaking of gospel ordinances in the spirit should continually reassure us that we truly know what we know that we know and that we truly are whom God in Christ has given us to believe that we are. And who are we? We are the followers of Jesus Christ in this world. We are the Lord's disciples in our generation, and as his beloved disciples, so we are children of his heavenly Father. And as God's beloved children in Christ, then what? Paul says in Romans 8, 16, the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs. Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. And there's eternal life. Remember what John said back at the beginning of chapter three, marveling, he said to these Christians, the spirit of reassurance, he said, behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God. And therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. Do we Christians really need to come together on Sunday to talk about how badly things are going in the world? Is there anyone that doesn't see that? Does Fox News not do an admirable job making sure that we see it 24 hours a day? Do we need more of that on Sunday? Is that healthy? Is that helpful? Should that be the focus of the sermons that I preach to you? How dismally things are looking right now out there in the world. Is that the conversation that we really need to have over lunch this afternoon? How distressing, how disgusting it is to see the world going to hell in a handbasket, as they say. I'm not saying as Christians we should be ostriches with our heads in the sand. were not to be naive, Jesus' animal metaphor was, were to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. That's the rule. But I'm just saying, I know you know all that. How could you not know? And I know how that affects you, because it affects me the same way. But the question is, Do we know this? Do we know what we know? Do we need to be reminded of that often? Do we need to be reassured? I think you do need that. I think I need that. This epistle is a confirmation that we need that. We all need reassuring as Christ's disciples in this world. So when we're together, I'm saying let's be doing that. Our sermon series on John's first epistle is over, but let's not let that stop us from continuing to reassure one another, as John has modeled for us, that in Jesus Christ we are who we have believed we are and know him who is true and that we have eternal life. And let us rejoice in him, in our worship, in the midst of the world, in the fellowship of the saints on the Lord's day. Because remember that it's the joy of the Lord that is our strength. It is the joy of the Lord that is our stability in the stand that we are taking. It is the joy of the Lord that is the confidence in our Christian stride that we should not be knocked over or blown off our course by the storms that Satan stirs up to trouble our hearts. So let us be reassuring ourselves, one another. And know this finally, that it's not merely John who reassures us in this epistle, nor is it merely we who reassure ourselves in the church, but it is God himself who reassures us in and through these things. The trend. From the Father and the Son in heaven, the Holy Spirit is sent and comes and speaks powerfully to us in God's word. To teach us, to train us in this race that we have entered and that we now run, and all the while assuring us with every step and misstep in the narrow way that we belong to him. We are his. And securely so, not because of what we do or how we perform, but because of what Jesus Christ, in whom we trust, has done for us on the cross. It is God, Peter says. holds us by his almighty power through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last day. It is God, Paul says, who has begun this work in us, we who are his workmanship, and will certainly bring it to its perfection at the consummation. It is God, Jude says, who is able to keep us from stumbling, and to present us faultless before his presence at the eschaton with exceeding joy. And it is God, John shows us, in whose hand we are, the good shepherd keeping us as his sheep, keeping watch over us, keeping us from harm so that there is no one and nothing in all the world that can snatch us away or separate us from God's love. He will see to that. So yes, be watchful, saints. Jesus taught his disciples that. Be watchful and pray always. You need to be watchful and pray. But still more importantly, Christians, trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that you are his and that he has you. And breathe in his confidence as your own. That is not presumption. That is the fuel of perseverance. It's then that being filled with spiritual knowledge and wisdom, even when the whole world is swaying like a willow tree in a hurricane, that you and I will stand firm and immovable together here where we are, and even, I hope, shine brilliantly, confessing the faith of Christ's apostles in dark and contrary times, rejoicing in our hope, not knowing everything, certainly, but certainly knowing Him who is true. Shall we pray? Lord, we thank you for the book of 1st John in the Bible. We thank you for this sermon series that we have enjoyed and profited from. And we thank you, Lord, for all the ways that you have reassured us and continue to do so by your Spirit and your Word. Our prayer, Lord God, is that in this way that you would uphold us and keep us and fulfill all your promises unto us in Christ, unto your glory as our God and faithful Savior. We thank you, Lord God, for this fellowship. Continue to bless us with light and hope and also joy. And may we share the same with Christians everywhere, for surely we need one another right now. We thank you, Lord God, for the opportunity to hear these things and pray to you. Always in Jesus' name, Amen.