EASTER 5 – May 2, 2021 – 1 John 4:1-11
“SAFE FROM DANGER”
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from 1 John 4. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- Obviously the world is a very dangerous place, not only physically but especially spiritually. Jesus warned us: “The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the Word, and it proves unfruitful.” [Mark 4:19] Again, Jesus warned: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” [Mark 8:36]
- So also the apostles warn and encourage us. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” [Rom. 12:2] And again: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. . . . For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness.’” [1 Cor. 2:12; 1Cor. 3:19]
- The apostle John also warns us: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” [1 John 2:15-17]
- Our text warns of a particularly insidious evil in the world – that of false teaching and preaching in regard to God. This is a grave danger that Jesus also warned us of. In view of this evil and the peril it poses, John give us instruction as to how we can live out our lives in this world “SAFE FROM DANGER.”
- He first reminds us that in the world:
I. There Is Much Opposition To God
A. There Are Many False Prophets
Text: “For many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Matt. 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Matt. 24:11,24 “And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. . . For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
B. There Are Many Antichrists In The World
Text: “This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.”
1 John 2:18-19 “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”
C. These Continue To Appeal To Our Fallen Sinful Nature
Text: “They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.”
D. These Refuse To Listen To Apostolic Correction
Text: “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us.”
Tit. 3:10 “A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject.”
Statement: Luther used to speak of the “white devil” and the “red devil.” He was reflecting what Paul wrote the Corinthians: “I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles;, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” [2 Cor. 11:12-15]
Application: Note that this danger and opposition to God occurs within the church, in plain view of the real apostles and real pastors of Christ. Now, it is much worse, much more dangerous outside of the church – where there are no pastors to identify, challenge, and reject false prophets, antichrists, and false apostles. But even within the church there is real and present dangers – and we are waned about this. And we are not only warned but also provided with a methodology to remain “SAFE FROM DANGER.” John encourages us:
II. We Are To Test The Spirits – All Who Seek To Teach Us In The Name Of God – To See If They Are From God Or Not
Text: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”
A. We Check Their Confession Regarding Christ
1. His incarnation – pre-existing Deity, genuine humanity
Text: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.”
2. Likewise we check their teaching regarding God’s free gift of the redemption of all mankind
Text: “Jesus Christ [Jesus Who is the Christ, the Messiah, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.]
Text: “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. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the blood atonement for our sins.”
1 John 2:1,2 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the blood atonement for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
B. We Check To See If They Conform To Scripture And Are Corrected By Scripture
Text: “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.”
Acts 17:10-12 “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the Word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed.”
Rom. 16:17 “Mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine you have received, and avoid them.”
Tit. 3:10 “A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject.”
Statement: These are the criteria by which we are to protect ourselves and one another. They are not that difficult to apply. What we learn from the Catechism, as taught by the Holy Scripture, is capable of keeping us “SAFE FROM DANGER.” It is the simple gospel message – that we are justified by God, declared righteous by Him, our sins washed away and forgiven, by His grace alone, apart from any human works, and this is received by faith alone – which is God’s work, so that all glory, honor, and praise goes to God alone! Then, it is also every Word that God has given to us in the Bible, through the prophets and the apostles who are identified as “the foundation of the church.” [Eph. 2:20]
Application: So, we need to be as noble as the Bereans as we test the spirits to see whether they are from God. We need to check the Scriptures to see if our teachers correspond to the Bible, so that their teaching is true, conveys the reality. If so, we are to embrace them as God’s own servants to do us good. If not, we are to reject them and avoid them, severing any and all fellowship with them. This keeps us, and our brothers and sisters in the faith, “SAFE FROM DANGER.”
Conclusion: A final criteria – so that we know that a person has truly come to know God and His love for us, is our love for one another. It is as John wrote: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. . . . Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Love also then keeps us “SAFE FROM DANGER,” for love is the fulfilling of the law, and fulfilling the law does no harm to our neighbor. And keeping God’s royal law of love brings blessings and safety to us as well. May God grant such safety to each of us, Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.