Warning False Teachers

Warning False teachers,
Jude the half brother of Jesus warning about false teachers writes,
“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.  
For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” Jude 1:1-3
The Christian life is very much one of vigilance. We must be on guard when it comes to our faith. We must watch out for those who claim to be believers in Christ but are not. Jesus himself warned about such people saying,
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  
Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, 
‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:15-23.
It is easy for anyone to string a series of scripture verses together, verses taken out of context made to sound like truth, when in reality it is not the truth.
Especially in within the multimedia world we live in we need to be more vigilant than ever. There is a lot of false information out there.
There are men and women claiming to be believers in Christ who in reality are not.
  Jude says of these people,
“These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead.  
They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Jude 1:12,13.
Thus it is imperative that we as believers in Christ read the scriptures for ourselves. That we be unafraid to question pastors, evangelist, teachers and others who claim to be teaching the word of God. An honest teacher of God’s word will not be insulted by you questioning them.
At the same time it is imperative that we stand up to false teachers and cast them out of our congregations.
The apostle Paul telling us,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Please think about it.

Christians Consider this

Christians Consider this
The apostle John writes,
“Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.” 3 John 1:11.
 Question, do you do what is good?
I ask the question because we quite often don’t always do what is good. In fact quiet often we may think we are doing good but are not.
Consider this. The apostle Paul wrote,
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”Titus 3:1,2
Now ask yourself this question. When a secular government grants rights to groups of people, is it right in a secular democracy, such as we live in here in Canada and the United States, where all are equal, to even attempt to restrict the rights of others, even if we disagree with them from a religious or moral prospective?
Is it right for you as a believer in Christ to force your morals and beliefs on someone?
Consider this. Jesus said,

“So in everything, do to others 

what you would have them do to you, 

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 

                                                 Matthew 7:12.

Think of it this way,

If you are

demonstrating against anyone. 

You are telling them 

they can demonstrate against you.

If you are 

speaking out and trying to restrict the rights of others 

given to them by the lawfully elected government.

You are telling others 

they can try to restrict your rights.

If you are 

imposing your morals however good they may be on others.

You are telling them 

they can impose their morals on you, 

even if they are not as good as yours.

If you are 

trying to impose your faith on others rather than presenting your faith.

You are telling others 

they can impose their faith on you.

If you are

judging others.

You are telling others 

they can judge you in the same way.

Jesus when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
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.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Matthew also records Jesus as saying,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” Matthew 5:43,44.
To do what is right as a Christian is to show unconditional love to all people even if we disagree with them. To do less is wrong.
My point here is, in a secular democracy in which we live, with a government according to the apostle Paul that is allowed to rule by God. We have no right to restrict the rights of others. Nor do we have the right to impose our faith on others. To do so is simply wrong.
The scripture record is clear. Jesus and the disciples lived in the Roman empire. Perhaps one of the most ethnically diverse empires ever to exist. An empire that tolerated what believers in Christ would have considered sin.
Yet there is no record of them protesting against any of it. In fact they did their best to live at peace with all people presenting their beliefs in humility. Respecting the views of others.
The apostle Paul even said,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”Romans 12:18
The apostles did it and in doing so they changed the world.
Thus the question becomes, if you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus, are you doing good or are you, perhaps well intentionally to your way of thinking, trying to restrict others and impose your beliefs on them?
Please think about it.

Christian Life

Christian life
The Apostle John writes,
“The elder, 
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.  
It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.  
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.  
They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.  3 John 1-6.
Here the apostle John commends Gaius for continuing to walk in the truth. He states,
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
What John is saying here I believe reflects what God will say to believers who walk in truth.
Thus my question to you the reader.
If you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus are you truly “walking in the truth”? Are you truly living a life acceptable to God?
Does your life truly reflect the Love of God in all you do?
Before you answer the questions read what James the half brother of Jesus wrote. James wrote,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20
Thus the question becomes, is your faith leading you to do good works?
Please think about it.

Walking in the Truth

Walking in the truth
The Apostle John writes,
“It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.  
And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.  
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. 2 John 1:4-6.
Over and over again the apostle John emphasizes that believers in Christ must love. Love must be the motivating force behind all believers in Christ. As I have quoted in previous blogs Jesus when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
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.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
  What Jesus is saying here echos the words spoke in Deuteronomy that states,
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  Deuteronomy 6:5-7
If you truly love God then you will love all whom He loves. That means everyone. Jesus speaking of himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” John 3:16,17
It is our duty as believers in Christ to show God’s unconditional love to others. The apostle John emphasizes this over and over again.
It is only by showing the love of God to those around us that we can truly win the world for Christ.
Francis of Assisi penned a wonderful prayer that illustrates this. He wrote,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” 

                                                                    Francis of Assisi

If you consider yourself a believer in Christ, ask yourself does this prayer reflect my life?
Please think about it.

Idols

Idols
In the final line 1 John. The apostle makes a definite statement all believers even today must obey. He writes,
“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21.
In John’s day idols were everywhere. Idol worship was in every city, town and village in the Roman world. Temples to the various Roman god’s were easily spotted.
Today in the twenty-first century we have as many idols if not more than existed in John’s day. They are just harder to spot.
Idols are anything we worship other than God knowingly or subconsciously. Money is perhaps top of the list. There are people who put the making of money above all else quiet often even their families. But there are other things. Everything from the latest designer clothing to computers to cell phones, consumer goods, to sporting and entertainment events, to
We just have to look at when a technology company announces the release of its latest, greatest gadget. The lineups for it start early in the morning and go for city blocks.
Now there is nothing wrong with having money or the latest electronic gadget or going to or participating in sports or entertainment events. Money, gadgets and other things can make our lives easier. Sporting and entertainment can help us relax.  The problem comes when we desire them more than we desire God.
Especially if you consider yourself a Christian you need to carefully consider what place money and possessions  and other things have in your life.
You need to ask yourself the question do I put the things of this world, ahead of God?
Please think about it.

Believers Beware

Believers Beware
The Apostle John writing to believers in Christ Jesus said,
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3.
Here John is clearly speaking to believers in Christ. He is warning against people claiming to be believers in Christ that are not. This points back to what he had earlier said in this same letter where he noted,
“Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.  
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” 1 John 2:18,19.
What John calls antichrists are those who sat under the disciples teaching but now deny that Jesus is divine, the Son of God the saviour of mankind, God incarnate.
There are such people around today who call themselves believers in Christ Jesus who deny his deity.
The fact is you cannot deny the divinity of Jesus and the fact that He is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind and be a Christian.
John makes things clear who Jesus is when referring to Jesus as “The Word”, he wrote,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14
Jesus speaking to Martha said,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” John 11:25,26,27.
The apostle Paul speaking of his own faith in Christ noted,
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”Galatians 2:20.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father’” ? 
Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” ? 
  And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire.” 
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. Hebrews 1:1-8.
The facts are simple in order to be a true believer in Christ you must believe in the divinity of Jesus.
That being said as in the days of the apostle John as today there are many teachers and preachers out there claiming to be believers in Christ Jesus who are not. That is why we must heed the warning of the apostle John who said,
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1John 4:1.
The test for telling if someone is a true believer in Christ Jesus is if they believe what the New Testament says about Jesus. If they believe what the writers of the New Testament said about Jesus is true.
If they believe Jesus is the One and only Son of God. God incarnate. The Saviour of Mankind who died for the sins of all who would believe in Him.
Please think about it. 

Christian Actions

Christian Actions
The Apostle John writes,
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18
John here echoes the words of James the half brother of Jesus who said,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20
Christianity is first and foremost a faith of action. It is our faith that saves us. It does however not stop there. True faith spurs us on to good deeds.
As believers in Christ we must help those in need to the extent we are able. I believe the more we are able to help people. The more God will hold us accountable.
Jesus summed up how believers in Christ should act when he said,

“So in everything, 

do to others 

what you would have them do to you, 

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 

                                                     Matthew 7:12.

Put it this way. If you were hungry and in need of clothing or shelter. Would you not want someone to help you. Would you not want someone to help you?
Jesus said this,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:34-46.
Please think about it.

The Reason

The Reason
The apostle John speaking of Jesus tells us,

“But you know that he appeared 

so that he might take away our sins. 

And in him is no sin.” 

                             1John 3:5 

I was once asked the question “why did Jesus come into the world?” The following is simple answers. The apostle Paul writes,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8.
To the Corinthians Paul writes,
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,..” 1 Corinthians 15:3.
To Timothy Paul writes,
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” 1Timothy 1:15,16.
The writer of Hebrews tells us.
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3.
In short God loved us so much he send Jesus to die for our sins so that we could have eternal life with Him.
The twentieth century author, C. S. Lewis said,
“He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” C.S. Lewis.
Lewis noted something else about those who believe in Christ. He wrote,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”  C.S. Lewis.
The apostle John who knew Jesus personally, tells us,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.
Luke’s Gospel illustrates the choice every individual who knows about Jesus must make when he tells of what happened on the day Jesus was crucified. Luke records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43.
There is no middle ground with Jesus, either he is the Son of God who died for the sins of all who would believe in Him or He is not.
The choice is yours and it may be the most important choice of your life. To quote C. S. Lewis again,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis.
Please think about it.

Live in Light

Live in Light
The Apostle John writes,
“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.  
Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.  
But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.” 1 John2:9-11.
Throughout John’s writings we see this recurrent theme of Love. Indeed it is not just a recurrent theme with John. It is the main theme of the whole New Testament. 
John quotes Jesus speaking of himself as saying,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17
Jesus emphasised the importance of love when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
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. 
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Prior to that Matthew records.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” Matthew 4:43,44.
Love must be the key motivator for a believer in Christ.
We must love God, our neighbour, and even our enemy. This is a command from Jesus himself.
Believers in Christ must ingrained in their hearts and practice unconditional love towards all people. Unconditional love defined by the apostle Paul when he said,

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, 

it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, 

always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                                                              1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

We must remember the words of the apostle John who tells us,

“Anyone who claims to be in the light 

but hates his brother is still in the darkness.

Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, 

and there is nothing in him to make him stumble

                                                                    1 John 2:9,10  

Please think about it.

Your Walk

Your Walk
The apostle John writes,
“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.  
The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  
But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:  
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:3-6.
The apostle John speaking to those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ states very clearly,
“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
Walking as Jesus did is walking in love for God, our neighbour and even our enemy. Jesus when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
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. 
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Matthew 5:43-47.
Here is something for those who consider themselves believers in Christ to think about.
Jesus showed unconditional love to all he came in contact with.
In his lifetime he never spoke or protested against anyone outside his faith. He a Jew did speak against the religious leaders who were incorrectly practising the word of God.
He however did not speak against the secular Roman authority even when he was put on trial and led to his death
When the apostle John tells us
“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
 This to my way of thinking is loving all people unconditionally. The apostle Paul defining love as,

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, 

it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, 

always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                            1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

If you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ is this the kind of love you are showing to the world.
Please think about it.

Sin and Forgiveness

Sin and Forgiveness
The Apostle John writes,
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  
If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 1:5 - 2:2.
Here the apostle John talks about sin. Wrong doing.  Sin is falling short of God’s ideal for our lives. If we walk in sin we are walking in darkness. Darkness covers our sins at least from those around us. It does not however cover them from God.
In order to have fellowship with God we need to confess our sins. In the old Testament people would go to the temple in Jerusalem and sacrifice an animal to cover their sins. It was a practice they had to do regularly.
Jesus however came into the world as the final sacrifice. The blood of Jesus shed on the cross cleanses us from sin. John telling us.
“He (Jesus) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
John states clearly,
“...the blood of Jesus, His (God’s) Son, purifies us from all sin.”
John emphasizes,
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
We are all human. We all sin. We all fall short of God’s ideal for our lives. As soon as we realize we have sinned it is important that we confess that sin to God in prayer and as John states,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Are you willing to believe Jesus is the Son of God and accept the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for your sins?
Are you willing to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
The apostle John telling us,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12,13.
Please think about it. 

Beware of False Teachers

Beware of False teachers
The Apostle Peter writing to believers in Christ Jesus writes,
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  
In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” 2 Peter 2:1-3.
Peter here issues a waring about false prophets. He echoes the words of Jesus who said,
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  
Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  
  Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:15-23
Many in the world today are calling themselves Christians who are not. They as Peter states,
“They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.”
As believers in Christ Jesus we need to watch carefully for such teachers. We need to know what we believe and why we believe what we believe.
As believers in Christ Jesus we have the right to judge the teachings of anyone claiming to be Christians.
As a result we need to listen carefully to what evangelist, pastors, priests, and even people just calling themselves Christians are saying.  We need to, within our churches stand up to false teaching.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
As believers in Christ Jesus we must alway remember to present to those around us the pure unadulterated word of God. It is the only way we will truly win souls for Christ.
Please think about it.