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It certainly is good to be home 
and to be back with you. 

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And we have an excellent crowd 
here this evening, and we're 

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grateful for that. 
And we're grateful that you've 

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come to be with us and worship. 
God tonight, I stand before you 

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in this format because I never 
thought that we would finish the

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questions. 
In fact, before I left, I 

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thought, I wonder if I ought to 
get the next chapter completed 

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and then I thought, well, 
there's no way they'll finish, 

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but they did. 
So I was asked to give Victory 

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overview of all three of these 
books and we're not going to go 

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into a study of the verses, 
specifically in these three 

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chapters. 
But there are some historical 

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circumstances and there are some
things that were going on around

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the time of the Apostle, John 
and that's who we believe to 

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write these three Epistles. 
And there were some 

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circumstances and some things 
going on that are really 

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significant, when we understand 
the writings of the Apostle, 

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John A long time ago. 
And so we want to talk about 

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these things for a little while 
tonight. 

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Some things that we can glean 
from it. 

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First of all, the general 
characteristic and I realize 

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we've already gone through one 
chapter of the book of First 

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John. 
But let me just say this though 

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with regards to further proof 
that the Apostle John was the 

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author divinely-inspired. 
Obviously by the Holy Spirit but

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was the author of this epistle. 
We find a great similarity. 

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Clarity that exists between the 
first Epistle of John and the 

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gospel that bears, his name. 
And we find that those 

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similarities are striking, and 
those similarities are obvious. 

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One scholar said, the likeness 
extends to style vocabulary, 

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form, and content, and it is of 
such nature as to convince the 

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most casual reader, that both 
writings are from the same hand,

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the epistle places great 
emphasis on love. 

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In fact, some even called it the
Epistle of love and the word 

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love or its derivatives occur. 
Some 51 times in this first 

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epistle also, various forms of 
the verb to know occur in its 

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vocabulary as well. 
In fact, the idea of knowing or 

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to know seems to be a favorite 
term of John, possibly in 

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refuting, various theories of 
the gnostics who boasted about 

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their Superior. 
Knowledge. 

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You know, there are many things 
that we can look in here. 

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There are many assurances that I
found in the first Epistle of 

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John. 
And, you know, I'll tell you 

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something, I think it's 
important for you. 

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And I to realize that living the
Christian life, there are 

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assurances. 
We can be sure about things. 

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We don't have to wonder whether 
we are saved or not, we don't 

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have to wonder whether we are 
walking in the truth or we are 

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following that which is truth. 
We can know these things in the 

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scriptures and so John says in 
First John 3 and 14 he gives one

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assurance and this is it. 
We know that we have passed out 

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of death unto life You know, 
I'll tell you this Galen has a 

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sermon and I know Terry has 
heard because I've heard it but 

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Galen has a sermon on things we 
can know and it's rather 

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interesting. 
The points that we can actually 

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know when we talk about the idea
of passing from Death unto life.

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When we talked about the idea of
actually being in a safe 

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condition, I believe, as I've 
just mentioned a moment ago that

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we can know with great 
Assurance. 

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Now I'm not saying That by 
audacity or reverence in any 

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way. 
But we can have greater 

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assurance that if we are 
following the things that are 

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outlined in God's word that have
us leave death to life than we 

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can pillow, our heads at night, 
and we can thank the great God 

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Of Heaven for the Salvation that
would await us. 

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And if the Lord would come back 
that night or we would lose our 

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life in that day, then we can 
have a greater assurance that we

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have passed from Death unto 
life. 

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Secondly, in the third chapter 
in the 19th, verse John gives 

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another Assurance. 
He said we know that we are of 

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the truth. 
How many times have you heard? 

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Somebody asked you? 
How do you know if you have the 

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truth? 
I had a Bible study with the 

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young lady earlier, this week 
when I got home from Idaho. 

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And she asked me, she said, no 
wait a minute. 

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How do you know for certain that
you have the truth? 

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You know, we don't have to be 
bashful about the truth and we 

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don't have to wonder if we have 
the truth. 

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John says we can know if we have
the truth. 

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That is an assurance. 
He said we know that we are 

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walking or abiding in truth and 
I'll tell you this to folks, 

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what's buried Sad is sometimes 
not only people in the world. 

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Questioning the child of God 
about this very thing about the 

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truth but very sadly. 
What happens sometimes is even 

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the child of God from time to 
time will question whether we 

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have the truth, I'm reminded of 
a family that had a young that 

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had a son that was, I guess he's
probably close to 30 now but I 

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remember a number of years ago 
when I was talking to her 

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Parents and and they said this 
to me, they said, you know, he's

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really questioning his faith and
how great that is. 

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He's really questioning the 
things that we believe thinking 

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that that was a good thing. 
Well I guarantee you they don't 

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think that now and he no longer 
stands among the faithful. 

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If it says it in the Bible and 
if it says it is truth, we need 

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to accept it and never 
questioned it. 

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When we find the truth that is 
found in the word of God. 

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And we can know that we have the
truth and we can know that we're

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right if we are following what 
the word says and thirdly 

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another assurance and chapter 3 
and verse 24, John says we know 

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that he abideth in us. 
This first epistle is one of 

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fellowship. 
And what we find is we find that

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there are two conditions and 
they are righteousness and love.

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I understand that, as you 
finished the latter part of 

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chapter 1, You went over this, 
but I'll just read these 

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beginning in verse 7 really 
quickly. 

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But if we walk in the light as 
he is in the light, we have 

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Fellowship one with another and 
the blood of Jesus Christ. 

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His son cleanseth us from all 
sin. 

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If we say that, we have no sin, 
we deceive ourselves and the 

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truth is not in us. 
If we confess our sins, he is 

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faithful. 
And just to forgive us, our sins

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and to cleanse us from all 
unrighteousness. 

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If we say that we have not 
sinned, we make him a liar, and 

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his word is not enough. 
Is it is an Epistle of 

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Fellowship based upon two 
conditions and they are 

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righteousness and love. 
And I'll tell you this folks, 

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sometimes people think that 
we're being harsh when we say 

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whether we're in fellowship with
someone or we might speak of 

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someone that is not following 
the same pattern but we are 

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following. 
And we make the statement that 

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were not in fellowship with 
them, but it's quite simple. 

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If I am walking in the light, as
he is in the light and terius, 

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Walking in the light as he is in
the light. 

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Then I have fellowship with the 
Lord and he has fellowship with 

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the Lord and because of that, we
both have Fellowship one with 

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the other. 
But say, for example, that I 

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decide to digress from that 
which is right? 

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And I go off and do anything. 
That is not right, whatever that

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might be. 
And I do something that's going 

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to cause myself to stop walking 
in the light and Terry continues

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to walk in the light. 
He Is in fellowship with the 

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Lord. 
I am not. 

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Therefore, we are not in 
fellowship with each other. 

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That's how we know whether we're
in fellowship with each other. 

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Is if we are both in fellowship 
with the Lord, but in the fourth

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chapter, in the fourth verse, we
find that this is an Epistle of 

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Victory. 
The Bible says, you are, you are

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of God little children and have 
overcome them. 

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Because greater is he, that is 
in you that he that is in the 

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world. 
In the first chapter, we have 

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the way to Victory is pointed 
out in the second chapter. 

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We find declared victory over 
the evil one, the third chapter 

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proclaims victory over 
righteousness, the fourth 

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chapter of shows that we have 
the victory of love. 

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And finally, in the fifth 
chapter, we are shown a glorious

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demonstration of the victory of 
Faith. 

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You know the design of the 
epistle is like this that we 

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gather that in a general sense, 
the Purpose was to supply 

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incredible fashion. 
The evidence is essential to 

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Faith and to encourage, or 
Inspire readers to Greater 

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activity in their service of the
Lord. 

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Now, that's really the point, 
the point wasn't to be 

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complacent when they were 
encouraged. 

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The point was to look at that 
encouragement and calls us to do

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more. 
Let me ask you this. 

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If you're working for somebody 
in a job, And they praise you 

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and encourage you. 
And if they give you words of 

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inspiration, does it? 
Cause you to be complacent and 

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sit back or does it cause you to
want to do more? 

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These things were written in a 
form or a fashion to cause 

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people, to want to do more for 
the cause of Christ and to 

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provide Assurance of God's 
approval, upon all, those that 

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are faithful. 
Now, in doing all of this, we 

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find John in order to accomplish
these objectives found it 

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necessary to combat in. 
Vigorous fashion, the various 

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forms of evil that was 
prevailing in the world and to 

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warn Christians of their deadly 
nature. 

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For example, there were 
pernicious teaching regarding a,

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the person of Christ, there were
those in the church that carried

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such Notions and had apostatize 
from the faith. 

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In first, John chapter 2 and 
verse 19, it says they went out 

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from us but they were not of us 
for if they had been of us, they

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would no doubt have continued 
with us but they went out that 

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they might be manifest that they
were not. 

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All of us. 
Notice what he says that some of

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these erroneous teachings that 
were to talk about in just a 

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moment. 
Had entered in and infiltrated 

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inside the body of Christ and 
some of the The members of the 

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body of Christ carried out, such
erroneous teachings, that were 

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false. 
And because of that, John says 

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they have left the faith. 
But very interesting. 

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He says they left us but they 
really weren't of us for. 

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If they were of us, they would 
still be with us now. 

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What is he talking about? 
Folks, have you ever heard 

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somebody say, you never lost 
what you didn't have? 

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You know, I think that happens 
from time to time. 

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I think there are times when 
people are really do believe the

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rice to believe that every time 
somebody obeys the gospel and 

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then quickly Falls it's because 
they weren't converted. 

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I'm not convinced about anymore.
That is true. 

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That can happen. 
Absolutely. 

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Can happen. 
And we find that in the 

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teachings, in The Parables of 
Jesus. 

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But I also think sometimes the 
devil just come He's in and 

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temps them and they might have 
been converted the day that they

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obeyed, the gospel and they had 
a heart change and they had a 

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life change and they had a 
relationship change with the 

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Lord, but then they fell away 
because of the Temptations of 

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the devil and that can happen. 
But I also know this too. 

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Sometimes people get carried 
away with their own emotions and

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make decisions, and it appears 
like they're standing with us 

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and pretty soon, they no longer 
are. 

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Sometimes those folks, we never 
had and those folks that go 

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after into fast teachings and so
on with regards to this one 

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example, John says they came 
from us but they really weren't 

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with us because if they were 
with us, it would still be here 

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and they were Departed, 
interesting point of 

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perspective. 
Now, what they were talking 

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about is this some denied? 
The deity of the Lord While 

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others denied, his Humanity, for
example, the former said that 

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Jesus was not the Christ, the 
latter said that Christ was not 

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Jesus. 
In other words, the unbelieving 

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Jews were among those who 
recognize that there was a man, 

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and his name was Jesus. 
He was the car, Commander son, 

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he was Jesus of Nazareth, and he
walked on this Earth. 

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And probably was a very good 
man. 

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Many Jews regard. 
Jesus as that, but they don't 

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recognize his deity. 
They don't recognize that he is 

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deity, and that he was in 
heaven, and that he is the 

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Messiah, and that he came down 
to this low ground of sin, 

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sickness and sorrow, to be the 
Lamb of God. 

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But on the other, Hand. 
There were the gnostics and the 

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gnostics questioned his Humanity
you know the word Gnostic is 

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derived from the Greek word no 
Seas Or Nah seas and it's where 

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we get the word knowledge and 
they were so designated because 

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00:14:09,100 --> 00:14:12,600
of their claims to Superior 
knowledge. 

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00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:17,900
The gnostics or gnosticism was 
an admixture of paganism and 

228
00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:23,000
corrupt Christianity, basically 
the theories this, the theory 

229
00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:27,300
regarding Guarded evil as an 
ever-present characteristic of 

230
00:14:27,300 --> 00:14:32,900
matter and its Advocates were 
therefore unable to accept that.

231
00:14:32,900 --> 00:14:36,300
Jesus Christ was actually in the
flesh. 

232
00:14:36,300 --> 00:14:41,200
There for denying that deity 
ever lived in the flesh. 

233
00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:45,600
In this life, it goes further. 
Their belief was also based on 

234
00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:50,400
the fact that they believe that 
it was absolutely impossible for

235
00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:55,500
sinless deity to occupy. 
Material body. 

236
00:14:55,600 --> 00:15:00,000
And because of that, they argued
that the body of Jesus was not 

237
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:04,500
real, but simply an illusion. 
And that the sufferings on the 

238
00:15:04,500 --> 00:15:07,700
cross were apparent and not 
actual. 

239
00:15:07,900 --> 00:15:11,400
But this Theory and its 
practical aspects, LED its 

240
00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,200
devotees in the course of 
conduct. 

241
00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,500
That was essentially Wicked and 
vile. 

242
00:15:18,100 --> 00:15:21,300
And in this much as they 
regarded their bodies as evil, 

243
00:15:21,500 --> 00:15:26,000
They concluded that their It's 
were independent of them and 

244
00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,100
thus undefiled by them. 
Stay with me. 

245
00:15:29,100 --> 00:15:31,200
We're going to wrap this up and 
you're going to see how 

246
00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,700
convenient it is to follow such 
teachings. 

247
00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:39,300
They contended that warrants 
regenerated, they were pure in 

248
00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:43,700
spirit and so it didn't matter 
what the body did since it's 

249
00:15:43,700 --> 00:15:49,300
inherently evil anyway, they 
live lives as a result of 

250
00:15:49,300 --> 00:15:54,100
unrestrained indulgence on the 
ground and on the King and on 

251
00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:59,500
the basis that a jewel can come 
from a manure pile and be just 

252
00:15:59,500 --> 00:16:06,100
as much of a gym as if it was in
the most costly box case that 

253
00:16:06,100 --> 00:16:10,800
money could buy, they believed 
that it was inevitable that 

254
00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,800
their bodies would sin and 
therefore they argued that that 

255
00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,600
a thorough understanding of all 
of these matters. 

256
00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:21,900
Left them free to indulge in any
course of action, which they 

257
00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:25,400
preferred now. 
Other words, they could live any

258
00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,300
way that they wanted to. 
Oh how convenient that is. 

259
00:16:28,500 --> 00:16:31,900
First of all, that was based on 
this erroneous teaching that 

260
00:16:31,900 --> 00:16:36,200
there's no possible way that 
Jesus Christ, the anointed ruler

261
00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:40,800
deity in heaven, could have 
possibly come down in a fleshly 

262
00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:42,400
body. 
And why is that? 

263
00:16:42,500 --> 00:16:47,600
Because the fleshly body is 
inherently evil and corrupt. 

264
00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,900
So how convenient was it for 
them? 

265
00:16:50,100 --> 00:16:53,300
They extended such teaching into
their personal life. 

266
00:16:53,500 --> 00:16:58,800
He said this the spirit is going
to be inherently good anyway and

267
00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,500
the French is going to be 
inherently back anyway, so 

268
00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:05,400
here's the point. 
I'll just live anywhere that I 

269
00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,599
want to do. 
I will indulge myself in every 

270
00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:11,400
way. 
I will live an immoral in Pure 

271
00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,800
Life. 
I will be Wicked and cruel to 

272
00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,200
others. 
I'll do whatever I wrecked 

273
00:17:16,900 --> 00:17:20,500
because it's really not going to
matter when the spirit is 

274
00:17:20,500 --> 00:17:23,300
separated from the body, the 
spirit. 

275
00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:27,400
It's still going to be pure, 
it's still going to be, holy is 

276
00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:31,200
still going to be clean. 
That was the doctrine that was 

277
00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:34,400
pushed and pursued by the 
gnostics. 

278
00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:38,500
And these gnostics were those 
that considered themselves as 

279
00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:44,000
those that had greater knowledge
and therefore members of the 

280
00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:48,100
Lord's Church, some not all John
said, the ones that really went 

281
00:17:48,100 --> 00:17:52,300
with us, they followed some of 
these pernicious ways and they 

282
00:17:52,300 --> 00:17:57,700
followed Some of these doctrines
and teachings in their life as 

283
00:17:57,700 --> 00:18:00,400
well. 
Therefore, it was alleged that 

284
00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:04,400
the gnostics had Superior 
knowledge which prompted them to

285
00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:10,700
styled himself as the gnostics. 
But you know what, further proof

286
00:18:10,700 --> 00:18:13,300
of the reality of the Lord's 
fleshly body. 

287
00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:17,700
John offers a testimony 
involving three of his five 

288
00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:20,600
senses. 
First of all, when we go back to

289
00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,600
the Gospel of John, we all know,
in the very beginning, part of 

290
00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:27,100
the Gospel of John, he 
establishes, that there was 

291
00:18:27,100 --> 00:18:31,100
deity in the beginning, and he 
establishes that Jesus Christ 

292
00:18:31,100 --> 00:18:34,300
was the deity, and he was in the
beginning. 

293
00:18:34,300 --> 00:18:38,500
And the one that came here was 
the very same Rarity. 

294
00:18:38,500 --> 00:18:42,300
That was being Patty in the 
beginning in heaven, when he 

295
00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:46,800
said this, in the beginning was 
the word and the Word was with 

296
00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,800
God. 
And the Word was God, the same 

297
00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:54,100
was in the beginning with God. 
All things were made by him, and

298
00:18:54,100 --> 00:18:57,700
without him was not anything 
made, that was made dropping 

299
00:18:57,700 --> 00:19:03,000
down to verse 14 and the word 
became flesh and dwelt among us 

300
00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:07,300
and we beheld, his glory, the 
glory, as of the only begotten 

301
00:19:07,300 --> 00:19:12,500
of the father full of grace, And
Truth, what'd the Gospel of John

302
00:19:12,500 --> 00:19:16,100
planned out, but tool. 
That's a separate riding than 

303
00:19:16,100 --> 00:19:19,100
this. 
The DP just in the beginning and

304
00:19:19,100 --> 00:19:23,700
that was Jesus Christ called the
word that he became flesh and he

305
00:19:23,700 --> 00:19:28,400
dwelt Among Us. 
So he did live in a fleshly body

306
00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:33,000
here on Earth saying I love that
notice what he says. 

307
00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:37,900
Now, in the first epistle he 
uses or proves the testimony 

308
00:19:37,900 --> 00:19:41,900
that Jesus Christ. 
I was in the flesh by three of 

309
00:19:41,900 --> 00:19:46,700
the five senses. 
He says, he heard he had seen 

310
00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,300
and His Hands had handled the 
Word of Life. 

311
00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:55,600
Jesus Christ, the lord 1st John,
1 and verses 1 through 3. 

312
00:19:56,300 --> 00:19:59,200
And in further refutation of 
these Wicked theories of the 

313
00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:03,100
gnostics, John pointed out that 
the in this epistle that only 

314
00:20:03,100 --> 00:20:08,200
those who do righteousness are 
going to be righteous. 

315
00:20:08,900 --> 00:20:14,800
Only those that are pure are 
going to have hope only those 

316
00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:20,000
and those that habitually sin 
their of the devil First John 3 

317
00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,900
1 through 9 time will not permit
us to go into that. 

318
00:20:23,900 --> 00:20:28,100
Any further that's the first 
epistle and I like spend the 

319
00:20:28,100 --> 00:20:32,200
rest of my time on the second 
and the third and I'm going to 

320
00:20:32,208 --> 00:20:38,200
look at those basically together
the Third writings of John are 

321
00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:43,100
so closely associated so similar
in structure and form so much 

322
00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:46,600
alike and purpose and design 
that they may be best considered

323
00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,200
together in both letters. 
The same general outline is 

324
00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:54,700
followed and much of the same 
phraseology occurs the purpose 

325
00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:57,400
for, which they were written. 
Seems to be something that we do

326
00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,200
today. 
In our teaching number one to 

327
00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,300
strengthen Faith. 
Number two to give encouragement

328
00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:07,400
under trials. 
And number 3, 2 1 Warn against 

329
00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,600
false teachers second. 
And third, John Doe brief are a 

330
00:21:11,608 --> 00:21:16,500
much value to us today because 
they give they give us intimate 

331
00:21:16,500 --> 00:21:19,800
glimpses into the Affairs of the
early church. 

332
00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:24,000
And also revealed that that was 
not that there was a not always 

333
00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:29,000
harmonious times even in 
Apostolic age and that human 

334
00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,000
nature in its dark reforms 
carried over into the church and

335
00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:38,600
influenced at the actions of 
men, even As they do now, they 

336
00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:42,500
contain warning sorely needed in
our time, which should not be 

337
00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:46,200
ignored or disregarded. 
We see in these writings, the 

338
00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:50,600
danger of denying Christ, we see
the danger of failing in 

339
00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:54,500
genuine, love of the brethren. 
We see the danger of not keeping

340
00:21:54,500 --> 00:21:57,800
the Commandments that are given 
in God's word. 

341
00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:02,100
These Whiting Supply us with the
demonstration of the Christian 

342
00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:04,700
Spirit. 
One scholar said that the 

343
00:22:04,700 --> 00:22:10,200
writings our brief If they're to
the point, they're courteous 

344
00:22:10,700 --> 00:22:16,000
sympathetic and they're true. 
And we certainly would do well 

345
00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,600
as our letter writing to mimic 
the writing of the Apostle. 

346
00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:26,400
John so said when Skyler. 
Now, The Second Epistle the 

347
00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:30,900
purpose and design was written 
as a result of information, 

348
00:22:30,900 --> 00:22:35,100
which had come to the Apostle, 
John regarding the children of a

349
00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:38,000
faithful sister. 
That are addressed in it. 

350
00:22:39,900 --> 00:22:42,200
You know, I know there are a lot
of parents here tonight. 

351
00:22:43,900 --> 00:22:47,800
Most of the time. 
You don't hear about your 

352
00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,200
children until they do something
bad. 

353
00:22:52,300 --> 00:22:56,000
Until they do something wrong or
until they're struggling a 

354
00:22:56,008 --> 00:22:58,600
little bit. 
That's usually when we find, 

355
00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:03,000
when we speak of children, and 
when we talk to parents about 

356
00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,500
their children, but I think 
there's a great example here 

357
00:23:06,500 --> 00:23:10,400
that he points out. 
He's going to recognize to this,

358
00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,300
dear sister, he's going to 
recognize that the children, but

359
00:23:14,300 --> 00:23:19,300
our workers are faithful, and 
he's going to complement her and

360
00:23:19,300 --> 00:23:24,400
commend her and commend them. 
And praise them for living a 

361
00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:29,700
faithful life for Walking In 
Truth, as John puts it. 

362
00:23:29,900 --> 00:23:34,000
And he wrote to Rejoice with her
in this and admonish her to 

363
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:38,900
persist in the same manner of 
life and avoid the seductions of

364
00:23:38,900 --> 00:23:42,800
false teachers regularly coming 
her way. 

365
00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,900
You don't take some folks, the 
church The church has the 

366
00:23:47,900 --> 00:23:52,200
responsibility of encouraging 
each other. 

367
00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,600
To not ever give up. 
Oh, that's not the duty or the 

368
00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:02,400
responsibility of any agent, a 
organized group outside of the 

369
00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:07,200
body of Christ, but encouraging,
one another, to keep the fight 

370
00:24:07,500 --> 00:24:10,700
and encouraging those that are 
kind of falling down from time 

371
00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:13,200
to time. 
And helping those that stumbled 

372
00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:17,700
here and there that is the 
responsibility that we have as 

373
00:24:17,700 --> 00:24:20,800
members of the body of Christ. 
Now, what about teachers? 

374
00:24:21,100 --> 00:24:24,900
Teachers need to do many things 
there's more to teaching than 

375
00:24:24,900 --> 00:24:27,900
just being and happiness. 
Be Christian, but as a fact, but

376
00:24:27,900 --> 00:24:31,100
that's part of it teaching 
people and instructing people 

377
00:24:31,100 --> 00:24:34,900
encouraging people to never give
up and praising them. 

378
00:24:34,900 --> 00:24:39,500
When Praise is due is very 
important what if the only thing

379
00:24:39,500 --> 00:24:43,400
you ever heard as a child 
growing up in your house was how

380
00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:47,200
long you were all the things you
did, that were bad, how you come

381
00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:51,800
short here and there and so lat 
it will be discouraging as you 

382
00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:55,600
lived in that existence. 
But folks we do need correction.

383
00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:59,200
Absolutely, and we need the word
of God to correct us when we 

384
00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,300
derail our self from the path of
that which is right, but we also

385
00:25:03,300 --> 00:25:05,700
need the other out. 
So we need a balance in our 

386
00:25:05,700 --> 00:25:09,200
teaching and that is to 
encourage those that are a 

387
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,400
little bit weak and to praise 
those that are doing that which 

388
00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,300
is right and do. 
So in such a way, like John did 

389
00:25:15,300 --> 00:25:21,200
to encourage them and Inspire 
them to do even move, I want to 

390
00:25:21,208 --> 00:25:27,000
ask Ryan and a couple of guys 
that work for me, I asked a 

391
00:25:27,008 --> 00:25:30,700
little talking about various 
ways of coaching, and I know 

392
00:25:30,700 --> 00:25:33,500
there are various ways and I 
know the old ways of coaching 

393
00:25:33,500 --> 00:25:36,600
was just a blister him and 
that's just the way that it was 

394
00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:38,600
and, and back, that's where I 
was coached. 

395
00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:41,400
But I asked them, I said Fellas 
on. 

396
00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:45,100
So let me ask you this, what's 
going to make you work harder 

397
00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:48,200
for me? 
When I turn my back and leave if

398
00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:52,200
I come in and scream at you or 
if I come in and thank you for 

399
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,900
what you've done, appreciate 
what you've done and ask you to 

400
00:25:55,900 --> 00:26:00,500
do more, and I think it's pretty
obvious, but most people will do

401
00:26:00,500 --> 00:26:02,200
more when they're treated like 
that. 

402
00:26:02,700 --> 00:26:05,200
Now, there's a difference 
between correcting and there are

403
00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,200
times when we need to correct, 
we need to correct those that 

404
00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,500
are subordinate to us. 
We need to Correct our children.

405
00:26:10,500 --> 00:26:13,800
We need to correct members of 
the body of Christ that needed 

406
00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:18,300
to, but we need both and we need
to encourage others that are 

407
00:26:18,308 --> 00:26:22,300
members of the body of Christ to
never give up and keep the faith

408
00:26:22,500 --> 00:26:24,900
and do even more with their 
life. 

409
00:26:25,500 --> 00:26:27,900
Third John was addressed to 
Gaius. 

410
00:26:28,300 --> 00:26:31,000
This is a name that was a 
frequent mentioned in the New 

411
00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,500
Testament and therefore, not 
possible, really to identify 

412
00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,800
with certainty. 
We find that that name is found 

413
00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:42,100
in Acts, 19 and 29. 
Acts 20, and verse 4, Romans, 

414
00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:46,100
16, and 23. 
And First Corinthians, 1 and 

415
00:26:46,100 --> 00:26:49,200
verse 14. 
Whether one of these men named 

416
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,900
Gaius or a man, by this name, 
not mentioned over 42, in the 

417
00:26:52,900 --> 00:26:55,600
New Testament. 
We have no means of knowing for 

418
00:26:55,600 --> 00:27:00,100
sure he appears to have neither 
been an elder nor Deacon in the 

419
00:27:00,100 --> 00:27:02,400
congregation where he 
worshipped. 

420
00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:07,500
But a man obviously of 
benevolence Financial standing 

421
00:27:07,500 --> 00:27:10,300
and greatly devoted to the the 
truth. 

422
00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,900
Third John was written for three
purposes. 

423
00:27:14,500 --> 00:27:18,000
Number one, for the purpose of 
commending Gaius for his 

424
00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:22,000
faithfulness Fidelity and 
Hospitality shown to 

425
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,700
missionaries, which had come his
way and to encourage him to 

426
00:27:25,700 --> 00:27:31,000
continue in this grace and not 
be deterred by the opposition. 

427
00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:36,500
Which had risen second purpose 
to rebuke diotrephes for his 

428
00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:40,600
arrogance for his love of 
preeminence and for his 

429
00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:44,500
perverseness And thirdly to 
commend Demetrius. 

430
00:27:44,700 --> 00:27:49,400
A faithful disciple, who Gaius 
is admonished to imitate imitate

431
00:27:49,500 --> 00:27:52,200
in summary, three persons are 
dealt with. 

432
00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:57,800
In third, John Gaius Dependable,
a disciple of Our Lord liberal, 

433
00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:01,700
and giving hospitable and 
devoted diotrephes. 

434
00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:05,400
He was a church boss, dominating
boastful and proud, and 

435
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:11,400
Demetrius commended by us Humber
kindly and Worthy. you know, 

436
00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:16,800
these were three actual men Much
like the writings of the seven 

437
00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:20,900
churches of Asia. 
Terry caught those here, those 

438
00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:26,000
were actual places, but they are
also representative types of 

439
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,600
various states that the church 
can be in today. 

440
00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:33,800
These three men were specific 
real individuals. 

441
00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,500
These were real cases that he's 
referring to. 

442
00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:41,900
They also represent though 
representative types of various 

443
00:28:41,900 --> 00:28:46,100
people in the body of Christ. 
Now, To talk about one thing 

444
00:28:46,100 --> 00:28:48,900
here about what he says about 
imitating. 

445
00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,700
Sometimes we think that 
imitating someone else is 

446
00:28:52,700 --> 00:28:56,500
unoriginal and imitating. 
Somebody else is not a good 

447
00:28:56,500 --> 00:28:58,300
thing. 
That is not true. 

448
00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:03,600
Imitating in itself, is not 
wrong, imitating someone that is

449
00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,100
good is right. 
And let me just say this, I 

450
00:29:07,100 --> 00:29:10,900
believe that Satan Works in a 
couple of ways in the body of 

451
00:29:10,900 --> 00:29:13,200
Christ. 
Let me just do this. 

452
00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:18,200
This is as good as it gets when 
it comes to Art when with me 

453
00:29:18,700 --> 00:29:21,200
just bear with me. 
And I'll try to illustrate 

454
00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:24,200
something here. 
Let's just say that this circle 

455
00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:28,100
represented a Congregation of 
the body of Christ. 

456
00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,500
And let's just say, for sake of 
a better way of putting it, but 

457
00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:35,400
the centering here represented, 
the leadership of the 

458
00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,600
congregation leadership is 
important. 

459
00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,600
Leadership is imperative, in 
fact, if we don't have good and 

460
00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:46,000
proper leadership, Then the 
convert, the congregation can 

461
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:50,900
not be strong, that is a fact. 
But notice how the devil Works 

462
00:29:51,100 --> 00:29:54,300
notice how he worked on this man
named biographies. 

463
00:29:54,300 --> 00:29:57,900
This church boss, but love to 
have the preeminence. 

464
00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,400
He was Vain and proud and 
boastful. 

465
00:30:00,500 --> 00:30:04,000
He was arrogant and conceited. 
Little notice what happens. 

466
00:30:04,100 --> 00:30:08,600
The devil got to him in the 
leadership and that sometimes 

467
00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,900
happens and I am grateful. 
Here comes the becomes the 

468
00:30:11,900 --> 00:30:15,300
positive. 
I'm grateful Don't have it here.

469
00:30:16,300 --> 00:30:20,100
I'm going to say some folks, 
we're not perfect. 

470
00:30:20,900 --> 00:30:24,200
We are not. 
We are all human beings and we 

471
00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:27,600
all make mistakes. 
But I've been out a little bit. 

472
00:30:28,700 --> 00:30:32,500
I'ma tell you something. 
The congregation here is strong.

473
00:30:33,100 --> 00:30:35,500
The congregation here. 
Has strong leaders. 

474
00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:37,500
And we perfect. 
No, but we stumble. 

475
00:30:37,500 --> 00:30:38,800
Yes. 
Do we make mistakes? 

476
00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:40,600
Yes, we do. 
Do we sometimes? 

477
00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:42,500
Do and say things, we wish we 
could take back. 

478
00:30:42,500 --> 00:30:46,300
Yes, myself included, I love us.
We found into that category. 

479
00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:51,400
I'll tell you something, folks, 
we genuinely have men, but lead 

480
00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,800
here, that have the proper 
heart, the proper desire for 

481
00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,100
that, which is good, and that 
which is right. 

482
00:30:57,700 --> 00:31:00,900
And I'll tell you something, if 
Satan can't get to the 

483
00:31:00,900 --> 00:31:06,100
leadership of a congregation, he
cannot tear us down, but there's

484
00:31:06,100 --> 00:31:09,500
another place and you know, why 
he tells Gaius to imitate 

485
00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:13,100
something good by this man named
Demetrius because there are 

486
00:31:13,100 --> 00:31:15,600
other people in a congregation 
to isn't there? 

487
00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:18,900
And let's just say for sake of a
better way to put it on the 

488
00:31:18,900 --> 00:31:21,500
outer Fringe of the 
congregation. 

489
00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:25,500
I'm only saying that because I'm
talking about those that are 

490
00:31:25,500 --> 00:31:27,400
weaker. 
I'm talking about though. 

491
00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:31,300
That are barely hanging on. 
What is something that happens? 

492
00:31:31,300 --> 00:31:33,300
When somebody's barely hanging 
on? 

493
00:31:33,500 --> 00:31:36,500
What are we do? 
Sometimes work is a, what is up?

494
00:31:36,500 --> 00:31:39,400
Seems like a regular occurrence 
with those that are barely 

495
00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:42,800
hanging on. 
What they do, is they migrate 

496
00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,800
toward others that are barely 
hanging on? 

497
00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:47,700
Let me get a straight up this 
way. 

498
00:31:47,900 --> 00:31:51,300
If you're hanging on the side of
the cliffs like this, and right 

499
00:31:51,300 --> 00:31:54,900
next to you is your brother and 
he's hanging to your in exactly 

500
00:31:54,900 --> 00:31:59,500
the same position or he A 
slightly worse off than you and 

501
00:31:59,500 --> 00:32:02,600
you're sitting there hanging 
there and you know, you have to 

502
00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:05,000
do something. 
You have to let go of what 

503
00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:08,900
you're holding onto and you got 
to grab something else or you 

504
00:32:08,900 --> 00:32:12,400
are going to fire and if you 
serve you're going to die. 

505
00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:17,200
What are you going to do? 
Why Frank that's obvious. 

506
00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:21,800
That's obvious when we find that
there's a strong one standing 

507
00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,700
over the cliff like this and 
he's braced, and he reaches down

508
00:32:25,700 --> 00:32:28,300
and gives you the opportunity to
grab his hand. 

509
00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:31,500
He standing on firm, ground on 
Solid Ground. 

510
00:32:31,700 --> 00:32:34,500
Who you going to grab? 
You're going to grab his hand, 

511
00:32:34,500 --> 00:32:35,900
or you going to grab the other 
one. 

512
00:32:35,900 --> 00:32:40,900
That's barely hanging on. in the
cliff, you're going to grab the 

513
00:32:40,900 --> 00:32:46,300
solid hand but what we do 
spiritually is we grab on to the

514
00:32:46,300 --> 00:32:50,800
weaker one and you both fall and
that's the problem. 

515
00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:55,300
Find somebody in the 
congregation. 

516
00:32:56,300 --> 00:33:01,600
That is stronger than you are, 
but has more knowledge than you 

517
00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:06,500
do and imitate them. 
Maybe you have a lot of 

518
00:33:06,500 --> 00:33:09,600
knowledge. 
Maybe you have a lot of strength

519
00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,700
and maybe there's nothing in 
this world that would be real. 

520
00:33:12,700 --> 00:33:16,700
You and living the Christian 
life but the fact but say you 

521
00:33:16,700 --> 00:33:19,300
didn't have all the patients 
that you probably should have 

522
00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:25,200
find somebody that's got that 
and imitate it seek after the 

523
00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:30,400
people that are stronger and 
more knowledgeable than you are.

524
00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:34,600
Don't just find somebody that 
has the same weaknesses you do 

525
00:33:34,900 --> 00:33:39,300
or is weaker than you are. 
Because Like our illustration on

526
00:33:39,300 --> 00:33:44,400
as I pointed out, you're both 
going to fall and imitate that 

527
00:33:44,500 --> 00:33:47,600
which is good. 
You know, sometimes we say well,

528
00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:51,400
you know, I'm My Own man. 
I'm not an imitator now. 

529
00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,100
I'm just talking about the world
in general. 

530
00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,800
Oh, yes, you are. 
And it all starts when you're 

531
00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:01,600
born and you start imitating 
those that are in authority over

532
00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:04,500
you and that your parents are 
the greatest influence that you 

533
00:34:04,500 --> 00:34:08,199
ever have. 
But isn't it kind of strange, 

534
00:34:08,500 --> 00:34:11,699
how all of a sudden parents 
after a certain amount of time, 

535
00:34:11,900 --> 00:34:14,900
they stopped having the same 
clout with children that they 

536
00:34:14,900 --> 00:34:18,100
once had, and All of a sudden 
there's somebody else in the 

537
00:34:18,100 --> 00:34:21,199
world that has more clout than 
your parents. 

538
00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:24,400
There are more alluring and it 
seems as though they have more 

539
00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,800
wisdom and more knowledge than 
your parents have. 

540
00:34:27,900 --> 00:34:31,699
And that's your friends. 
You will imitate your friends. 

541
00:34:31,699 --> 00:34:34,800
You will imitate Role Models 
athletes. 

542
00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,500
And so on, we do that, that's 
what we do. 

543
00:34:38,300 --> 00:34:41,600
We are imitators. 
Nothing wrong with that. 

544
00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:47,199
Just imitate the good. 
Remember when the Bible talks 

545
00:34:47,199 --> 00:34:52,699
about Satan as a, Terry preaches
on this, from time to time when 

546
00:34:52,699 --> 00:34:59,000
Satan is walking about like a 
roaring lion seeking those that 

547
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:02,800
he may devour. 
No, I was talking to a fellow 

548
00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:04,600
this last week about this very 
thing. 

549
00:35:05,700 --> 00:35:07,500
He pointed this out, I'll share 
it with you. 

550
00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:11,500
And as I've said before, I will 
stand on the shoulders of 

551
00:35:11,500 --> 00:35:14,200
successful, man, and use 
whatever it is that I learn from

552
00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:15,700
them. 
And I will share it with others.

553
00:35:15,700 --> 00:35:17,700
Absolutely. 
And I don't mind when others do 

554
00:35:17,700 --> 00:35:20,700
it from me. 
But he thought something he made

555
00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:22,000
a point that was rather 
interesting. 

556
00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:27,100
He said you ever seen a nature 
show you ever seen like a lion, 

557
00:35:27,100 --> 00:35:30,100
a pack of lions and when they 
left him in their habitat and 

558
00:35:30,100 --> 00:35:31,800
when they whacked him out there 
running around. 

559
00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:35,500
And and when they go after prey,
he said, you ever notice who 

560
00:35:35,500 --> 00:35:40,100
they go after they go after the 
little crippled sick animal, 

561
00:35:40,100 --> 00:35:43,600
that's in the pack. 
They don't go after the big one.

562
00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:46,000
In fact, I was watching one of 
the other day. 

563
00:35:46,100 --> 00:35:49,500
When these cats, these leopards 
were following different. 

564
00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:52,300
They were starving to death. 
In fact, they wouldn't go after 

565
00:35:52,300 --> 00:35:55,300
the big one until there were so 
starving that they had. 

566
00:35:55,300 --> 00:35:59,000
No other choice interesting, 
isn't it? 

567
00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:03,600
And the Bible speaks of Satan as
a lion that is going to devour 

568
00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,800
or seeking those that he may 
devour, you know what he's doing

569
00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:10,600
folks? 
He's working not only in the in 

570
00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:13,100
here and he can't get us if we 
won't let him. 

571
00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:18,900
But he's also working out here, 
The little crippled. 

572
00:36:20,500 --> 00:36:26,200
The week one, the sickly one. 
The Devils doing exactly what 

573
00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:32,000
Lions do. 
So if you're out here look to 

574
00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:37,000
someone that stronger than you 
are and imitate them. 

575
00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:42,800
You know, living the Christian 
Life is something we can do. 

576
00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,500
We truly can live the Christian 
Life and be successful doing it.

577
00:36:48,900 --> 00:36:53,200
God has not given me something 
that is not possible for me to 

578
00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:57,900
do, he is giving me everything 
that I need in order to do it. 

579
00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:04,100
But the question is, we have to 
follow his plan and get this 

580
00:37:04,500 --> 00:37:09,000
surround ourselves with people 
that are going to help me be 

581
00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:13,600
successful in doing it. 
That's what we got to do. 

582
00:37:15,100 --> 00:37:18,000
And just about the time when we 
compare ourselves, I remember, 

583
00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:21,600
I'm almost through, but I 
remember in high school, I 

584
00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:25,100
remember my dad was saying, I 
went to a small high school, and

585
00:37:25,100 --> 00:37:28,400
I remember that when I was about
in about going into the 10th 

586
00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:32,200
grade, I remember that without a
little high school of 900, 

587
00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:34,900
students, little tiny High 
School. 

588
00:37:34,900 --> 00:37:40,200
I remember that I was comparing 
myself athletically against 

589
00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:43,200
those that were are in that 
school. 

590
00:37:44,300 --> 00:37:47,700
And you look, Most people have 
done pretty good, I'm stronger 

591
00:37:47,700 --> 00:37:50,700
than they are. 
I'm faster than they are and I 

592
00:37:50,700 --> 00:37:52,800
remember that my dad used to say
no way. 

593
00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:55,800
Do you see? 
What do you see when you compare

594
00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:59,300
yourself with real athletes? 
Well, that just insulted me 

595
00:37:59,300 --> 00:38:04,100
completely Then all of a sudden 
I got exposed to it, I got 

596
00:38:04,100 --> 00:38:07,700
exposed to real athletes, 
athletes that went to five and 

597
00:38:07,700 --> 00:38:10,300
six, a schools. 
I made some real guys. 

598
00:38:11,300 --> 00:38:14,800
And man, I was a little tiny 
fish in a very big pond. 

599
00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:19,100
You know, what happened though? 
You start raising the bar, you 

600
00:38:19,100 --> 00:38:22,400
raise the standard you quit. 
Looking at the little fella that

601
00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:24,100
each twinkies and doesn't work 
out. 

602
00:38:24,100 --> 00:38:26,400
And then you start looking to 
the guy that's really training 

603
00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:28,700
and you look at the real athlete
and you follow him and you get 

604
00:38:28,700 --> 00:38:30,200
better than you ever would have 
been. 

605
00:38:31,100 --> 00:38:34,500
That's the point. 
You get better than you ever 

606
00:38:34,900 --> 00:38:38,300
would have. 
Been, we thank you for listening

607
00:38:38,300 --> 00:38:43,300
to our podcast, put on by the 
Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

608
00:38:43,300 --> 00:38:46,800
Road in Bakersfield, if you 
would like any additional 

609
00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:50,100
information or you would like to
receive a free Bible 

610
00:38:50,100 --> 00:38:55,500
correspondence, course by mail. 
Please email us at info at True 

611
00:38:55,500 --> 00:38:57,500
Church of Christ. 
Bakersfield.com. 

612
00:38:58,700 --> 00:39:03,900
Our service times are on Sundays
at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 

613
00:39:03,900 --> 00:39:08,300
Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. please, 
make plans to join us. 

614
00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,000
We would love for you to be our 
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