On Guard Against Sin

1 THE ABC EVENING NEWS REPORTED ABOUT A NEW INVENTION— • A CHAIR ATTACHED TO A SHOTGUN. • YOU USE IT BY SITTING IN THE CHAIR • AND LOOKING DIRECTLY INTO THE GUN BARREL. • THE GUN WAS LOADED AND SET ON A TIMER TO FIRE • AT AN UNDETERMINED MOMENT WITHIN THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS. • THE AMAZING THING WAS THAT PEOPLE WAITED IN LINES • TO SIT AND STARE INTO THE GUN’S PATH! • THEY ALL KNEW THE GUN COULD GO OFF AT POINT-BLANK RANGE AT ANY MOMENT, • BUT THEY WERE GAMBLING THAT THE FATAL BLAST • WOULDN’T HAPPEN DURING THEIR MINUTE IN THE CHAIR. • NOW I KNOW THIS SOUNDS ABSURD TO US • WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD SIT DOWN • IN FRONT OF A SHOTGUN THAT’S GOING TO GO OFF AT SOME POINT • WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT’S WHAT THE WORLD IS DOING ALL THE TIME • THEY’RE PLAYING WITH… HANDLING… AND SITTING DOWN… • RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SIN.. NECK DEEP IN SIN…. • SITTING DOWN RIGHT AT THE FEET OF SATAN... • JUST WAITING FOR THAT SIN TO BLOW THEIR HEAD CLEAN OFF (PAUSE) • AS BELIEVERS WE NEED TO BE ON GUARD • WE NEED TO BE DEFENDING OURSELVES • WE NEED TO BE PREPARED, BECAUSE THE WORLD IS FULL OF SIN. • AND JUST LIKE A SHOTGUN IN YOUR FACE • IT’S GOING TO GO OFF AT SOME POINT IF YOU’RE NOT PREPARED • IF YOU’RE NOT READY IF YOU’RE SITTING THERE • IN THE GRIP OF SIN. • ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN BE PREPARED… BE READY • IS TO BE SURE OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE KNOW • WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AS CHILDREN OF GOD • WE ARE LIVE IN THIS WORLD BUT WE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD • WE ARE CALLED TO KEEP OUR SELVES FROM SIN • TO GUARD OURSELVES FROM FALSE GODS • THE MAN WHO HEARS THE START OF A DIRTY JOKE NEEDS TO WALK AWAY • THE WOMAN WHO SEES SIN BEING GLORIFIED ON HER TV NEEDS TO CHANGE THE CHANNEL • THE KID IN SCHOOL WHO SEES HIS FRIENDS SINNING IT UP • NEEDS TO GET SOME NEW FRIENDS • ALL THESE FOLKS NEED TO BE ON GUARD • NEED TO KEEP THEMSELVES FROM TEMPTATION • THEY NEED TO WALK IN GOD • NOT IN THE SIN OF THE WORLD • TURN TO 1 JOHN 5:18 • THIS IS THE CONCLUSION TO THE BOOK OF 1ST JOHN • JOHN HAS JUST SPENT 5 CHAPTERS TELLING THEM • THEY CAN HAVE ASSURANCE OF THEIR SALVATION • THAT THEY DON’T NEED TO LISTEN TO FALSE TEACHERS • THEY ARE TO TRUST IN CHRIST AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER • NOW HE WILL SUM UP THE ENTIRE BOOK IN THESE LAST 4 VERSES 1 JOHN 5:18 WE KNOW THAT NO ONE WHO IS BORN OF GOD SINS; BUT HE WHO WAS BORN OF GOD KEEPS HIM, AND THE EVIL ONE DOES NOT TOUCH HIM. WE NEED KNOW…WHO KNOWS GOD • THREE TIMES IN THESE LAST 4 VERSES • JOHN IS GOING TO USE THE WORDS WE KNOW • JOHN IS USING THIS PHRASE TO REMIND HIS READERS • OF THE THINGS HE HAS TOLD THEM IN THIS LETTER • THEY KNOW THESE THINGS BECAUSE HE HAS JUST TOLD THEM THESE THINGS • FIRST, HE SAYS; • WE KNOW THAT NO ONE WHO IS BORN OF GOD SINS; • THE POINT HERE IS NOT THAT BELIEVERS NEVER SIN • THE WORD SIN HERE MEANS HABITUAL, ONGOING SIN, SIN LIFESTYLE • THE POINT IS THAT THOSE LIVING AN UN-REPENTANT SIN FILLED LIFE ARE NOT BELIEVERS. • IN CONTEXT THIS IS ABOUT THE SINFUL LIFESTYLE OF THE FALSE TEACHERS • THIS INDICATES THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW GOD, ARE NOT SAVED…. • THIS CONCEPT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR POINTS OF THIS BOOK • IF WE KNOW IT LIKE JOHN SAYS WE KNOW IT • IT WILL CHANGE WHO WE LISTEN TO ABOUT GOD’S WORD • IF WE SEE SOMEONE LIVING A SIN FILLED LIFE, JUST SINNING IT UP • NOT REPENTING, NOT CONFESSING, CALLING SIN SOMETHING OTHER THAN SIN • WE WILL KNOW THEY ARE NOT BORN OF GOD • AND WE WILL NOT LISTEN TO WHAT THEY TEACH… • BEING CAREFUL WHO WE LISTEN TO IS UP TO US • SEE WE NEED TO KNOW OUR PART • THERE ARE ALOTTA THINGS IN THIS LIFE • WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF… • THE WEATHER, OTHER PEOPLE’S HAPPINESS • OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, HOW OUR KIDS TURN OUT • BUT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP OUR SELVES FROM SIN • UNFORTUNATELY, OUR NASB BIBLE • DOES NOT REALLY MAKE THIS CLEAR WHEN IT TRANSLATES THIS VERSE • BUT HE WHO WAS BORN OF GOD KEEPS HIM • THEY ARE TAKING IT TO MEAN CHRIST KEEPS US SAFE FROM SATAN • AND WHILE THIS IS A TRUE STATEMENT THAT IS NOT WHAT JOHN IS TALKING ABOUT • IN THIS CASE THE KING JAMES VERSION IS MUCH MORE ACCURATE WHEN IT WRITES • KJV: BUT HE THAT IS BEGOTTEN OF GOD KEEPETH HIMSELF, AND THAT WICKED ONE TOUCHETH HIM NOT. • IT IS REALLY VERY CLEAR IN THE OLDEST GREEK MANUSCRIPTS • THAT IT IS NOT TALKING ABOUT CHRIST KEEPING US • BUT US KEEPING OUR SELVES • JOHN HAS JUST SAID THAT NO ONE WHO IS OF GOD LIVES A SINFUL LIFESTYLE • NOW HE IS EXPLAINING THAT ANYONE WHO IS BORN OF GOD • KEEPS HIMSELF FROM A SINFUL LIFESTYLE • AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING JOHN HAS TALKED ABOUT • THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE BOOK • CONFESS YOUR SINS, REPENT FROM YOUR SINS, WALK WITH GOD • ABIDE IN CHRIST, LOVE ONE ANOTHER , TRUST IN CHRIST • ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE HOW WE KEEP OURSELVES • PAUL EXPLAINS KEEPING OUR SELVES BY SAYING; EPHESIANS 6:11 PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL. • SEE, IF WE KNOW OUR PART, WE CAN STAND FIRM • WE PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD • BY CONFESSING AND REPENTING, TRUSTING IN CHRIST • LOVING ONE ANOTHER, WALKING WITH, ABIDING IN CHRIST…. • AND WHEN WE DO THAT, WE CAN KNOW SATAN’S LIMITATION • WE CAN KNOW THAT SATAN CANNOT MAKE US SIN • JOHN SAYS; AND THE EVIL ONE DOES NOT TOUCH HIM. • IN MY MIND THE WORD TOUCH MEANS TO COME IN CONTACT WITH • BUT THIS WORD MEANS TO CAUSE SLIGHT HARM • I THINK WHAT JOHN IS SAYING IS THAT WHEN WE KEEP OUR SELVES • BY WALKING WITH ABIDING IN CHRIST • SATAN CANNOT CAUSE US EVEN THE SLIGHTEST HARM BY MAKING US SIN • JAMES SAYS SOMETHING SIMILAR IN JAMES 4:7 SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEREFORE TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU. • MOST PEOPLE JUST READ THE “RESIST THE DEVIL” PART OF THAT VERSE • THEY MISS WHAT IT SAYS BEFORE… SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEREFOR TO GOD • SEE BEFORE WE CAME TO CHRIST, WHEN WE WERE WITHOUT GOD • WE HAD NO MEANS, NO POWER, NO ABILITY TO RESIST THE DEVIL • NOW THAT WE ARE IN CHRIST, WE KEEP CAN OUR SELVES FROM SIN • WE CAN RESIST THE DEVIL HE NO LONGER CAN MAKE US SIN NOW IF I’VE GOT A REMOTE CONTROL CAR • AND I PUSH THE BUTTON TO GO LEFT IT GOES LEFT. • THERE’S NOTHING THAT CAR CAN DO ABOUT THAT • HE CAN’T RESIST IT… HE CAN’T STAND FIRM AGAINST IT • THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO BUT GO LEFT • WHEN I PUSH THE BUTTON TO GO LEFT IT’S GOING TO GO LEFT • THAT’S CALLED CONTROL. • NOW IF I’VE GOT A DOG AND I YELL AT HIM TO GO LEFT • HE MIGHT GO LEFT HE MIGHT NOT • IF HE’S A GOOD DOG HE WILL LISTEN TO MY WORDS AND GO LEFT • THAT’S CALLED INFLUENCE • THE DOG MAY OR MAY NOT DO WHAT I SAY • IF HE LISTENS TO MY INFLUENCE, HE GOES LEFT…. • THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTROL AND INFLUENCE • BEFORE WE CAME TO CHRIST, SATAN HAD CONTROL OVER US • THOSE WHO HAVE NOT ACCEPTED, TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST, • SATAN STILL HAS CONTROL OVER. • HE SAYS GO LEFT, SIN, AND THEY GO LEFT… THEY SIN • ONCE WE’VE ACCEPTED, TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR, • SATAN NO LONGER HAS THAT REMOTE CONTROL…. • BUT, HE STILL HAS INFLUENCE • IF WE DON’T GUARD AGAINST, IF WE DON’T DEFEND AGAINST, IF WE’RE NOT PREPARED • THEN WE’LL LISTEN TO HIS INFLUENCE WHEN HE SAYS GO LEFT… • EVEN THOUGH HE DOES NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER US ANYMORE. • WHEN SOMEBODY CONSISTENTLY READS THEIR BIBLE, • WHEN THEY GO TO BIBLE STUDY, GO TO CHURCH • WHEN THEY LISTEN TO CHRISTIAN MUSIC • WHEN THEY PRAY TO GOD… CONFESS THEIR SINS • SPEND TIME HELPING AND SERVING OTHER PEOPLE • SATAN CAN’T TOUCH HIM, HIS INFLUENCE IS WEAKENED BY THEIR WALK WITH GOD • HE IS STILL THERE…STILL TRYING TO TEMPT THEM • BUT THE MORE WE WALK WITH GOD, THE CLOSER WE WALK WITH GOD • THE LESS HE INFLUENCES, THE LESS WE ARE TEMPTED • OF COURSE, MOST OF THE WORLD IS NOT WALKING WITH GOD 1 JOHN 5:19 WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD, AND THAT THE WHOLE WORLD LIES IN THE POWER OF THE EVIL ONE. WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE FROM • JOHN JUST TOLD THEM THAT PEOPLE • WHO ARE BORN OF GOD KEEP THEM SELVES FROM SIN • NOW JOHN MAKES PERSONAL, SAYING • WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD, • TO BE OF GOD IS THE SAME THINGS AS BEING BORN OF GOD • AGAIN, THIS IS A MAJOR THEME IN THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF 1ST JOHN • JOHN HAS TALKED ABOUT • KNOWING OUR POSITION AS CHILDREN OF GOD • LIVING LIKE CHILDREN OF GOD BECAUSE WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD • HE HAS TOLD US TO HAVE CONFIDENCE AS CHILDREN OF GOD • HE HAS TOLD US WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • AND HERE ONCE MORE IN THE CONCLUSION HE TELLS US • THAT WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD, • THIS MEANS WE ARE CALLED TO KEEP OUR SELVES FROM SIN • THIS STATEMENT CLARIFIES WHO KEEPS THEM SELF FROM SIN • BUT IT ALSO PART OF A COMPARISON • BETWEEN BELIEVERS AND THE WORLD • WE NEED TO KNOW THE WORLD ALLOWS SATAN TO RULE • CHRISTIANS, THOSE BORN OF GOD, KEEP THEM SELVES FROM A SINFUL LIFESTYLE • IN COMPARISON • THE WHOLE WORLD LIES IN THE POWER OF THE EVIL ONE. • WHEN JOHN SAYS THE WHOLE WORLD • HE MEANS EVERYONE WHO IS NOT BORN OF GOD • WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK THAT IT IS JUST THE REALLY EVIL PEOPLE • THAT ARE IN THE POWER OF THE EVIL ONE • BUT ALL THOSE WHO HAVE NOT TRUSTED JESUS CHRIST ARE IN HIS POWER • AND THIS IDEA OF LAYING IN THE POWER OF THE EVIL ONE • IS MUCH MORE INTENSE THAT IT SOUNDS • LAYING IN THE POWER… MEANS REST AT THE FEET OF • IT MEANS PASSIVELY ALLOWING, NOT EVEN STRUGGLING AGAINST SATAN RULING • SATAN DOES NOT HAVE TO FORCE PEOPLE TO SIN • THEY WILLING ALLOW THE EVIL ONE TO GUIDE THEIR ACTIONS • THIS COMPARISON REALLY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS • ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD, THIS EXPLAINS WHY • WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NEWS • AND SEE THESE STORIES OF THINGS HAPPENING • AND HOW PEOPLE BEHAVE AND WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT • AND WE DON’T UNDERSTAND AND WE DON’T AGREE AND WE DON’T FIT IN… • WE FEEL LIKE OH MY…. HOW CAN THEY POSSIBLY THINK, FEEL, SAY THAT. • IT’S BECAUSE WE’RE NOT OF THIS WORLD • WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD WE ARE CITIZENS OF HEAVEN • AND THIS WORLD IS LAYING AT THE FEET OF SATAN ASKING HIM TO RULE OVER THEM. • BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE • IT IS NOT BECAUSE WE ARE SO SMART OR SO PURE SO PERFECT ON OUR OWN 1 JOHN 5:20 AND WE KNOW THAT THE SON OF GOD HAS COME, AND HAS GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM WHO IS TRUE; AND WE ARE IN HIM WHO IS TRUE, IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE. KNOWING WE KNOW BECAUSE OF CHRIST • JOHN IS WRITING THIS BOOK TO REFUTE FALSE TEACHERS • THESE FALSE TEACHERS THOUGHT THEIR SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE • THEIR GREAT PERSONAL SPIRITUALITY • THEIR AMAZING PRACTICES • BROUGHT THEM INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD • JOHN HAS TALKED ABOUT COMING TO KNOW GOD • BY PLACING OUR FAITH IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST • IN THIS CONCLUSION HE MAKES IT VERY CLEAR • WE CAN ONLY KNOW GOD AND ABIDE IN HIM BECAUSE CHRIST CAME AND GAVE US UNDERSTANDING. • AND WE KNOW THAT THE SON OF GOD HAS COME, AND HAS GIVEN US UNDERSTANDING • WE COULD NOT SAVE OUR SELVES • NOT BY OUR KNOWLEDGE AND NOT BY OUR WORKS • CHRIST HAD TO COME AND CHRIST HAD TO GIVE US UNDERSTANDING • WE COULD NOT GET IT ON OUR OWN • THE FALSE TEACHERS WERE CLAIMING TO HAVE GOTTEN • UNDERSTANDING ALL ON THEIR OWN • THEY CLAIMED SPECIAL UNDERSTANDING THAT NO ONE ELSE HAD • WHAT THEY TAUGHT DID NOT COME FROM CHRIST • BUT THAT SPECIAL UNDERSTANDING COULD NOT SAVE THEM • JOHN SAYS CHRIST GAVE US UNDERSTANDING • BUT WHAT IS THIS UNDERSTANDING • THAT HE GAVE US? • THE YOUNG MAN WHO DOES NOT KNOW CHRIST • WHO IS LIVING IN SIN AND SUDDENLY UNDERSTANDS HE IS A SINNER, • UNDERSTANDS HE NEEDS A SAVIOR, • UNDERSTANDS THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR HIS SIN. • THIS YOUNG MAN COULD ONLY UNDERSTAND THIS • BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST CAME AND GAVE HIM UNDERSTANDING • WE ARE NOT CAPABLE OF COMING TO THIS UNDERSTANDING ON OUR OWN • THIS IS THE UNDERSTANDING…. • WITHOUT CHRIST GIVING US THIS UNDERSTANDING • WE CANNOT KNOW THAT WE ARE SINNERS IN NEED OF A SAVIOR • AND THE HE IS THE SAVIOR WHO DIED TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • AND WE MUST UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS IF WE ARE TO KNOW GOD • WE NEED TO KNOW ABIDING IN CHRIST IS ABIDING GOD • THE IDEA OF ABIDING IS ALL OVER THIS BOOK • AND SOMETIMES IT CAN BE HARD TO TELL • IF JOHN IS TALKING ABOUT ABIDING IN GOD OR ABIDING IN CHRIST • SO HERE IN THE CONCLUSION JOHN MAKES IT CLEAR • THAT ABIDING IN CHRIST AND ABIDING IN GOD ARE THE SAME THING • HE SAYS; • SO THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM WHO IS TRUE; AND WE ARE IN HIM WHO IS TRUE, IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. • THAT PHRASE “HIM WHO IS TRUE” MEANS GOD, WE KNOW THAT FOR SURE • BECAUSE JESUS IS DESCRIBED AS HIS SON • AND DID YOU SEE HOW JOHN SAID WE ARE IN HIM WHO IS TRUE, IN HIS SON • THIS MEANS WE ARE IN BOTH HIM WHO IS TRUE AND IN HIS SON • IF WE ARE ABIDING IN CHRIST, WE ARE ABIDING IN GOD • IF WE HAVE THE SON, WE HAVE THE FATHER • IF WE WALK WITH GOD, WE WALK WITH CHRIST • AND THERE IS A VERY SIMPLE REASON WHY THIS IS TRUE • BUT TO UNDERSTAND THIS SIMPLE REASON • WE NEED TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST IS GOD • THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE CONCEPT • JESUS IS GOD, THE FATHER IS GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD • THEY ARE THREE PERSONS IN ONE BEING • WHILE THIS CONCEPT IS SIMPLE UNDERSTANDING • HOW THIS WORKS IS FAR BEYOND HUMAN CAPACITY • THE GOOD NEWS IS WE DO NOT NEED TO KNOW HOW IT WORKS • WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT IT IS A FACT • JOHN STATES THIS FACT WHEN HE SAYS; • THIS IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE. • SOME FOLKS WANNA SAY THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE FATHER • THAT HE IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE • BUT THE GRAMMAR IN THE GREEK POINT TO JESUS • AND NEVER ONCE IS GOD THE FATHER CALLED ETERNAL LIFE • AND THE CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE BOOK • POINTS TO THIS PHRASE BEING ABOUT JESUS CHRIST • THE FALSE TEACHERS WERE TEACHING THAT JESUS WAS NOT DIVINE • AND JOHN IN HIS CONCLUSION MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT • JESUS IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE • ANYONE SAYING JESUS IS LESS THAN GOD • IS IN A VERY TOUGH SPOT C.S. LEWIS ONCE WROTE: • ‘I AM TRYING HERE TO PREVENT ANYONE SAYING • THE REALLY FOOLISH THING THAT PEOPLE OFTEN SAY ABOUT HIM: • ‘I’M READY TO ACCEPT JESUS AS A GREAT MORAL TEACHER, • BUT I DON’T ACCEPT HIS CLAIM TO BE GOD.’ • THAT IS THE ONE THING WE MUST NOT SAY. • A MAN WHO WAS MERELY A MAN AND SAID THE SORT OF THINGS JESUS SAID • WOULD NOT BE A GREAT MORAL TEACHER… YOU MUST MAKE YOUR CHOICE. • EITHER THIS MAN WAS, AND IS, THE SON OF GOD; • OR ELSE A MADMAN OR SOMETHING WORSE. • YOU CAN SHUT HIM UP FOR A FOOL … • OR YOU CAN FALL AT HIS FEET AND CALL HIM LORD AND GOD.’" • JOHN HAS TOLD THEM WHO CHRIST IS, GOD • HE WILL NOW GIVE ONE FINAL INSTRUCTION 1 JOHN 5:21 LITTLE CHILDREN, GUARD YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS. KNOWING WHAT WE GUARD AGAINST • I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT THIS KINDA SEEMED OUTTA PLACE TO ME • I DON’T RECALL JOHN MENTIONING IDOLS ANYWHERE IN THE BOOK • AND OUTTA NOWHERE HE GIVES AN INSTRUCTION • TO GUARD YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS • THE TEXT REALLY DOES SAY IDOLS • BUT HERE’S THE THING THAT WORD IDOLS • IS JUST A WAY OF SAYING FALSE RELIGION • AND JOHN CHOSE THIS WORD VERY CAREFULLY • IDOLS ARE THINGS MADE BY MAN • USED TO WORSHIP FALSE GODS • IN A FALSE RELIGION • JOHN’S PURPOSE IN WRITING THIS BOOK • WAS TO CORRECT THE FALSE TEACHERS AND THEIR FALSE RELIGION • SO, ONE LAST TIME AT THE END OF THE LETTER • HE HAS GIVEN HIS READERS AN INSTRUCTION • TO GUARD AGAINST FALSE TEACHERS AND THEIR FALSE RELIGION I HOPE NONE OF US • WOULD EVER SIT IN A CHAIR • WITH A SHOTGUN ATTACHED TO IT • SET TO GO OFF AT SOME RANDOM TIME • BUT IN A SENSE, THIS IS WHAT WE DO WHEN • WE FAIL TO GUARD AGAINST FALSE TEACHING • WHEN WE FAIL TO KEEP OURSELVES FROM SIN • FAIL TO WALK WITH ABIDE IN JESUS CHRIST WHO IS GOD • IF WE HANG OUT AROUND SIN, IF WE LISTEN TO FALSE TEACHERS • IF WE DON’T WALK WITH, ABIDE IN CHRIST • IT IS GONNA BLOW UP IN OUR FACE AT SOME POINT • JUST AS SURE AS THAT GUN STRAPPED TO THAT CHAIR IS GONNA GO OFF • THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO OBEY GOD, ABIDE IN CHRIST • GUARD AGAINST SIN AND FALSE TEACHING • BUT THE TRUTH IS WE CAN’T DO ANY OF THESE THINGS • UNTIL WE HAVE COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR • AND WE DO THAT BY PLACING OUR FAITH, OUR TRUST • IN CHRIST’S WORK ON THE CROSS • IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE… 97