HOW EXCITING WE ARE BACK! THIS IS THE FINAL POST BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BOOK OF REVELATION NEXT WEEK! HEREIN LIES THE CONTINUATION OF SOME THE SYNOPTIC HIGH POINTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT AS WE MOVE TO EXPLORING THE BOOKS OF FIRST AND SECOND JOHN AND JUDE. THOSE OF YOU THAT LOVE THE TRUTH WILL LOVE THIS! THOSE OF YOU THAT DO NOT, WILL NOT, BUT IT IS THE PRAYER OF ALL THE SAINTS BEFORE YOU THAT YOU HEAR AND UNDERSTAND, AS WELL AS MINE. I WILL KEEP IT SIMPLE.

THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN

THIS GOSPEL WAS WRITTEN BY JOHN THE APOSTLE AS A (GENERAL) WARNING AGAINST THE DANGEROUS OPPOSITION TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST.

1 JOHN CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:

JOHN SPEAKING OF CHRIST STATES—

“IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT SINNED, WE MAKE HIM A LIAR, AND HIS WORD IS NOT IN US.”

1 JOHN CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:

CHRIST IS OUR ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER. WE KNOW GOD BY OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIM.

“HE WHO SAYS, “I KNOW HIM”, AND DOES NOT KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM. BUT WHOEVER KEEPS HIS WORD, TRULY THE LOVE OF GOD IS PERFECTED IN HIM. BY THIS WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN HIM.”

“LOVE NOT THE WORLD, NEITHER THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE WORLD. IF ANY MAN LOVE THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM. FOR ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD, THE LUST OF THE FLESH, AND THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE, IS NOT OF THE FATHER, BUT IS OF THE WORLD. AND THE WORLD PASSES AWAY, AND THE LUST THEREOF: BUT HE THAT DOES THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER.

(COMMENTARY: THE THINGS, MATERIALISM, AND DISTRACTIONS OF THE WORLD WE ARE NOT TO LOVE, THERE ARE ENMITY TO OUR LOVE OF CHRIST AND GOD.)

LITTLE CHILDREN, IT IS THE LAST TIME (LATTER DAYS): AND YOU HAVE HEARD THAT ANTICHRIST SHALL COME, EVEN NOW ARE THERE MANY ANTICHRISTS; WHEREBY WE KNOW THAT IT IS THE LAST TIME.”

(COMMENTARY: WE HAVE MANY MINI-ANTICHRISTS AMONG US TODAY!)

 “WHO IS A LIAR BUT HE THAT DENIES THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST?

 HE IS ANTICHRIST THAT DENIES THE FATHER AND THE SON.”

“AND NOW, LITTLE CHILDREN, ABIDE IN HIM (JESUS); THAT, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE MAY HAVE CONFIDENCE, AND NOT BE ASHAMED BEFORE HIM AT THIS COMING.”

1 JOHN CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:

 “HE THAT COMMITS SIN IS OF THE DEVIL; FOR THE DEVIL SINNED FROM THE BEGINNING.

FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED, THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.”

DO NOT MARVEL, MY BRETHREN, IF THE WORLD HATES YOU.

(COMMENTARY: THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, THOSE CARNAL AND SENSUAL ALWAYS DESPISE CHRISTIANS.)

WHOEVER HATES HIS BROTHER IS A MURDERER, AND YOU KNOW THAT NO MURDERER HAS ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN HIM.

BUT WHOEVER HAS THIS WORLD’S GOODS, AND SEES HIS BROTHER IN NEED, AND SHUTS UPS HIS HEART FROM HIM, HOW DOES THAT LOVE OF GOD ABIDE IN HIM?

(COMMENTARY: EACH ONE OF US SHOULD ASPIRE TO HELPING THOSE IN NEED.)

 “MY LITTLE CHILDREN, LET US NOT LOVE IN THE WORD, NEITHER IN THE TONGUE; BUT IN THE DEED AND IN TRUTH.”

 “AND THIS IS HIS COMMANDMENT, THAT WE SHOULD BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS HE GAVE US COMMANDMENT.”

1 JOHN CHAPTER 4 SYNOPSIS:

 “BELOVED, BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT, BUT TRY THE SPIRITS WHETHER THEY ARE OF GOD BECAUSE MANY FALSE PROPHETS ARE GONE OUT INTO THE WORLD.”

 “AND EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSES NOT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH IS NOT OF GOD; AND THIS IS THAT SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST, WHEREOF YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT SHOULD COME; AND EVEN NOW ALREADY IS IT IN THE WORLD.”

(COMMENTARY: THOSE INVOLVED IN “SPIRITUALITY” OUTSIDE OF CHRISTIANITY {I.E. NEW AGE/METAPHYSICS, ETC.} SHOULD TEST THE SPIRITS THAT COME TO THEM, THESE SPIRITS DO NOT ATTEST TO THE SOVEREIGNTY OF CHRIST, SINCE THEY ARE ANTICHRIST DEMONIC SPIRITS. TIME FOR A CHANGE, TIME FOR THE TRUTH!)

“BELOVED, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER; FOR LOVE IS OF GOD . . .”

WHOEVER CONFESSES THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD, GOD ABIDES IN HIM, AND HE IN GOD.

“THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR.”

WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.

IF SOMEONE SAYS, “I LOVE GOD”, AND HATES HIS BROTHER, HE IS A LIAR; FOR HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER WHOM HE HAS SEEN, HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN?

1 JOHN CHAPTER 5 SYNOPSIS:

 WHOEVER BELIEVES THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST IS BORN OF GOD, AND EVERYONE WHO LOVES HIM WHO BEGOT ALSO LOVES HIM WHO IS BEGOTTEN OF HIM.

 OF “HE THAT BELIEVES ON THE SON OF GOD HAS WITNESS IN HIMSELF: HE THAT BELIEVES NOT GOD HAS MADE HIM A LIAR; BECAUSE HE BELIEVES NOT THE RECORD (THE SCRIPTURES) THAT GOD GAVE HIS SON

HE WHO HAS THE SON HAS LIFE; HE WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE SON OF GOD DOES NOT HAVE LIFE.

(COMMENTARY: YES YOU ARE THE WALKING DEAD UNTIL YOU EMBRACE CHRIST AS YOUR LORD, SAVIOR AND MASTER.)

JOHN TELLS THE WHOLE WORLD —

“AND WE KNOW THAT WE (THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH) ARE OF GOD, AND THE WHOLE WORLD LIES IN WICKEDNESS.”

“LITTLE CHILDREN, KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS.”

THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN

 “AND THIS IS LOVE THAT WE WALK AFTER HIS COMMANDMENTS. THIS IS THE COMMANDMENT, THAT, AS YOU HAVE HEARD IT FROM THE BEGINNING, YOU SHOULD WALK IN IT.

 FOR MANY DECEIVERS ARE ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, WHO CONFESS NOT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH. THIS IS A DECEIVER AND AN ANTICHRIST.”

(COMMENTARY: THERE ARE MANY IN THIS WORLD WORKING AGAINST CHRIST BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE ANTICHRIST SPIRIT IN THEM.)

“IF THERE COME ANY TO YOU, AND BRING NOT THIS DOCTRINE, RECEIVE HIM NOT INTO YOUR HOUSE, NEITHER BID HIM GOD SPEED: FOR HE THAT BIDS HIM GOD SPEED IS PARTAKER OF HIS EVIL DEEDS.”

(COMMENTARY: WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE SUCH PERSONS WITH THE ANTICHRIST SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES, OR OUR HOMES.)

THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN

3 JOHN SYNOPSIS:

JOHN COMMENDS GAIUS OF MACEDONIA (A WEALTHY LAYMAN LIVING NEAR EPHESUS) FOR HIS HELP EXTENDING OUTWARD TO THOSE WHO LOVE THE TRUTH.

THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE

THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF JUDE IS THE BROTHER OF JAMES THE APOSTLE. THIS LETTER IS ADDRESSED TO CERTAIN OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH IN SPIRITUAL DANGER, OWING TO THE PRESENCE OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS WHO WERE ACTUALLY PAGAN WORSHIPERS. THESE SO-CALLED CHRISTIANS CLAIMED TO BE ABOVE THE MORAL LAW. JUDE REMINDS THE CHURCH MEMBERS TO KEEP CLOSE TO THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST.

JUDE SYNOPSIS:

HE WARNS THE SAINTS —

 “FOR THERE ARE CERTAIN MEN CREPT IN UNAWARES, WHO WERE BEFORE OF OLD ORDAINED TO THIS CONDEMNATION, UNGODLY MEN, TURNING THE GRACE OF OUR GOD INTO LASCIVIOUSNESS, AND DENYING THE ONLY LORD GOD, AND OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.”

(COMMENTARY: HE MAKES REFERENCE TO THE WAR IN HEAVEN IN THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF OUR PLANET WHERE THERE WAS 1/3 OF THE HOST OF HEAVEN CAST DOWN TO EARTH AS FALLEN ANGELS.

HE ALSO REMINDS THE CHURCH THAT SODOM AND GOMORRAH WAS DESTROYED BY THE EVILS OF FORNICATION AND ALTERNATIVE SEXUALITY.

HE STATES THE PROPHECY OF ENOCH AND HOW THAT PROPHET SAID THE LORD WOULD COME TO EARTH A SECOND TIME (IN THE LAST DAYS) WITH TEN THOUSANDS OF HIS SAINTS TO EXECUTE JUDGEMENT UPON ALL THE UNGODLY.

HE MAKES REFERENCE TO HOW THE APOSTLES HAD PROPHESIED, “THERE SHOULD BE MOCKERS IN THE LAST TIME (END TIMES BEGINNING IN THE FIRST CENTURY A.D.)  WHO SHOULD WALK AFTER THEIR OWN UNGODLY LUSTS.”

HE ADMONISHES THE SAINTS WITH —

” . . . BELOVED, KEEP BUILDING UP YOURSELVES ON YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH, PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST, KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST UNTO ETERNAL LIFE.”

AT LAST HE STATES HOW TO SAVE SOME OF THEIR FELLOW CHURCH MEMBERS FROM THE WORLDLY AND SENSUAL AMONG THEM:

“AND OF SOME (OF THE SAINTS) HAVE COMPASSION, MAKING A DIFFERENCE: AND (YET) OTHERS SAVE WITH FEAR, PULLING THEM OUT OF THE FIRE.”

(COMMENTARY: WHAT HE MEANS IS THAT SOME MEMBERS WILL LISTEN TO SOFT COMPASSIONATE ARGUMENTS OF INSTRUCTIONAL REPROOF; AND THAT SOME ARE HARDHEADED AND WILL HAVE TO BE SHOWN WITH THE HARD TRUTH OF THE HELL THAT AWAITS THEM IF THEY DO NOT CHANGE TOWARD REPENTANCE AND OBEDIENCE.)

 (CLOSING COMMENTARY: WE HAVE JUST RUN THROUGH THE MAJOR TENETS AND BASIC STORY-LINES OF THE 21 LETTERS OF THE APOSTLES. IN THESE LETTERS, THE BAD NEWS IS THAT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF SCRIPTURE WHERE THESE APOSTLES PROPHETICALLY (AND LITERALLY) DECRY THE COMING OF THE APOSTASY OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH. THEY WERE WARNED OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR, AND THROUGH THEIR TEACHINGS SO ARE WE!

 TO A HIGH DEGREE THE APOSTASY EVENTUALLY HAPPENED AS PROPHESIED. SOME HISTORIANS SAY IT OCCURRED BY THE 3RD CENTURY A.D., A MERE 165 YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF CHRIST; SOME OTHERS SAY IT WAS EARLIER BY THE 2ND CENTURY (OR EVEN EARLIER THAN THOSE DATES AND BY THE END OF THE 1ST) WITH THE DEATH OF THE APOSTLES.

 WE KNOW THAT BY A.D. 62, NERO BEGAN THE PERSECUTIONS OF ALL CHRISTIANS IN ROME. MOST OF THE APOSTLES BECAME MARTYRS FOR CHRIST. THE CHURCH WENT UNDERGROUND WITH THEIR WORSHIP IN THE CATACOMBS OF ROME TO ESCAPE PERSECUTION. TO REEMERGE IN SOME DEGREE OF SAFETY, THEY HAD TO COMPROMISE THE PURITY OF THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST BY ACCEPTING CERTAIN LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

BY THE 4th CENTURY A.D. (325 A.D) CONSTANTINE SET UP THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE FROM THE HOLLOW SHELL OF DEVOLVED CHRISTIANITY. IT WAS A PURELY POLITICAL MOVE. WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE PURE FORM OF CHRISTIANITY ROME INCORPORATED INTO THE STATE RELIGION, AS A BLEND OF BOTH PAGANISM AND CHRISTIAN RITUAL. THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY EVOLVE INTO MODERN CATHOLICISM. THE CHURCH IN A SHORT TIME HAD GONE FROM BEING THE PERSECUTED TO BEING THE PERSECUTOR. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REVOLUTION OF PROTESTANTISM WAS JUST AN UNAUTHORIZED OFFSHOOT OF CONSTANTINE’S ALREADY UNAUTHORIZED CATHOLICISM.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I ADVOCATE FOR GRASSROOTS NON-DENOMINATIONAL CHRISTIANITY.

THANK GOD INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ALWAYS HAVE THE BIBLE, AND EACH OF US MUST WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION IN CHRIST ANYWAY.

ONLY THE BIBLE HAS SURVIVED THE AGES AS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RECORD. THIS IS HOW WE CONNECT TO GOD INDIVIDUALLY, AND THROUGH OUR PRAYERS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT EVIL CHURCH MEN AND GOVERNMENTS COULD NOT DIM THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE AGES OF HUMAN HISTORY, NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY TRIED. JESUS CHRIST ENDURES AND CONTINUES TO EXTEND A LOVING HAND TO ALL OF US HERE IN THE LAST DAYS.)

WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN THIS BIBLE SERIES AND WE ARE NOW ABOUT TO OPEN THE BOOK OF REVELATION BOTH FIGURATIVELY AND LITERALLY.

 NEXT . . . THE BOOK OF REVELATION