Bible Study - Culture (6) - WHen Materialism Consumes - 1 John 2:12-17; 3:16-18 - February 17, 2019

Bible Study – Culture (6) – When Materialism Consumes – February 17, 2019

This is lesson six (6) in our series entitled “Engaging Culture in an Ever-Changing World.”

Our focus scripture is 1 John 2:12-17; 3:16-18.

Possessions never satisfy or last, but the love of GOD does.

Satan does not want you, as a Christian, to know that possessions never satisfy. Beware of the barriers Satan/the world places before you to keep you from experiencing the love of GOD through the indwelling Holy Spirit. JESUS has already won the victory and led Satan captive.

Christians bask yourselves in that victory and live as children of GOD through faith in JESUS.

Who is the author of First John? Of course, the true author is GOD/The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John. John is the son of Zebedee and the brother of James. It is uncertain whether or not John wrote this document to a specific church or had in mind for it to be circulated to a group of churches. The key is that his writing ministered to fellow Christians then and to us now.

Why did he write it? There were false teachers attacking these early Christians. The result of these attacks is reflected in 1 John 2:19-20:

19 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.

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

Those who professed to be Christians were influenced by the false teachers and followed false teachers or teachings. Can that happen to us today? Absolutely!

Those who claimed to be Christians had been led astray from the Christian faith by false teaching. This is why Christians must study and know both GOD’S Word and its application in their lives. Every Christian has been given the Holy Spirit to indwell him or her. Even then, Christians can be misled because they fail to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit such as feeling things are just not right. When you feel that something is not right you need to pray and seek GOD’S wisdom. The Holy Spirit may urge you to read GOD’S Word for guidance.

The indwelling Holy Spirit enlightens, rightly divides GOD’S Word, integrates the application of HIS Word with each Christian through the process of sanctification. In Ephesians 5:26, we read - 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

Paul was writing about the cleansing of the church, not the brick and mortar building but the true Spiritual church being built using living stones. Cleansing is accomplished by the washing of untruths from the lives of Christians as they study, hear and apply GOD’S Word.

Christians, as living stones, have been washed in the shed blood of the Lamb at the instant of salvation and are continually being washed and cleansed by the living water of the Holy Spirit. This is to prepare the true living church to do the will of GOD, to be ready themselves and prepare others for the return of JESUS.

Christians experience issues in life to reveal barriers that need to be cleansed from their lives or exposed by the process of washing. What is GOD washing from our lives? Why is HE allowing washing to take place? It is to remove all barriers which will hinder each Christian and rob him or her from the unspeakable joy of obediently serving HIM upon earth.

GOD uses barriers we encounter to reveal to us the power of GOD in our lives. Can we, as Christians, look beyond the barriers and look to the power of GOD to show us the victory HE has already won on the other side of the barrier?

Let’s consider Matthew 7:7-11:

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Every Christian has questions. JESUS taught that when we hit barriers in our lives we are to ask and keep on asking in faith until resolution. Resolution takes many forms. But to me the ultimate is for us to learn that we can trust GOD for resolution and our faith is made stronger. JESUS was teaching that the one asking, in faith, receives, the one seeking, in faith, finds and the one who encounters closed doors, in faith, will find that GOD will open that door. It each of these situations GOD uses them to build our faith and trust in HIM. Building faith and trust builds the right relationship with HIM. In Proverbs 27:17, we read:

17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

The issues we encounter in life’s journey either help us to grow in our relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS or give Satan the opportunity to rob us of building the right relationship with GOD. Barriers are obstacles to be used to build our relationship with GOD with HIS help.

Some may think of First John as a letter but the written form of First John is more like a teacher writing to urge his readers to follow his instructions. The Apostle John urged fellow Christians to beware of the enemies of the faith. They were to live like children of GOD and to love each other.

Let’s explore!

Let’s read 1 John 2:12-14:

Reasons for Writing

12 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.

14 I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

The Apostle John was writing to fellow Christians.

Notice that the Apostle John referred to “dear children,” “fathers,” “young men” and “the Father.” Of course, “the Father” refers to GOD. It is uncertain who John had in mind when he referred to children, fathers and young men. Was he classifying chronological age or Spiritual maturity? John makes reference to each category: “fathers” knowing GOD from the beginning, “children” having built the right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS and the “young men” have proven themselves in the Christian faith by overcoming the “evil one/Satan/the devil.

The word “knowing” carries the idea of not just knowing about but knowing in an intimate, personal way GOD through faith in JESUS. When we marry, it is the beginning of getting to know our spouse. It is dealing with the issues that life brings to us as a couple. We deal with the issues we encounter in unity and harmony with each other. JESUS is the Spiritual connecter to GOD for every Christian. Every Christian is building the right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

As we read John’s writing, we read about the males and their relationship to GOD. In that time period, in general, those coming from the Jewish faith to CHRIST were to teach the females and needed to be Spiritual examples. We also know that JESUS embraced women as HE ministered and revealed truth to all. So, we can include, mothers, young women and daughters as we read John’s writing.

Each category the Apostle John mentions has a knowing relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. 

That raises a question for all Christians to consider. Do we really know JESUS in an intimate, personal way through faith or do we just know about JESUS? Often, the tests life brings to us reveals our relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. Is our relationship on a firm foundation? Have we built our Spiritual foundation on the solid rock of JESUS or upon the sinking sand of what sounds good, should be or what we want it to be? The rains of life will come and test the foundation upon which we have built upon. Let’s read Luke 6:46-49:

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.

48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

We hear preachers touting that GOD wants every Christian to have things. It is true GOD desires for HIS children to have things as JESUS revealed in Luke 11:9-13:

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks fora fish, will give him a snake instead?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Clearly, GOD is not going to give HIS children something that will harm them. We can desire but it is GOD Who gives. This idea carries over to our next scripture ----

Let’s read 1 John 2:15-17:

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

The Apostle John addressed what the world has to offer to both Christians and non-Christians. What the world offers looks good and is very appealing. They may look good but they are temporary. John was urging all people, Christians and non-Christians, not to be lured into believing what the world has to offer a person is sustainable in light of eternity.

John offers a test for all people as he wrote in verse 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

We must not mistake works as the path to GOD. Doing the will of the Father is accepting JESUS as a person’s Savior and is the absolute first step any person must take. As we read verse 17b “but whoever does the will of God ---- lives forever.” The will of the Father is for all to accept JESUS, HIS Only Son, as their Savior. Faith in JESUS is ground zero. JESUS is the rock upon which Christians build their solid relationship with GOD. Yes, the storms of life will come but when they do those who have built their faith upon truth withstand the storms. By the same token, when the storms of life result in collapse, it reveals that we have built upon a false foundation. It is time to rebuild upon truth.

Let’s read 1 John 3:16-18:

16 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 and sisters.

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

We who know the truth of salvation from eternal death have GOD’S nature in us through faith in JESUS. We, in turn, have the opportunity to invest in the lives of others as we travel along the road of life. GOD brings opportunities to us to use both time and material resources. We, as Christians, need to put our faith into action.

As we consider how we use our time, gifts of the Spirit, resources, etc. do they belong to GOD or do we keep them for ourselves? Ouch!

As Christians journey through life, they are to be wise because they are wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing. Matthew 7:15:

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

The world has bred those who have learned the Christian language to bilk others. Christians beware and pay attention to the indwelling Holy Spirit. Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Blessings!!!