Jesus Is Better Than Religion 

Art of Abiding

Text: 1 John 2:24–27 (ESV)

24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. 

26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

John writes to the believers at the church in Ephesus to remain faithful (ABIDE in) to the message they heard from Him. 

Abide (menō) – to consistently remain in place with expectation of  something to come

Abide is a key word used 23 times in 17 verses. 

How do I remain faithful and avoid the traps of religious counterfeits? 

When you’ve tasted the real thing, you’ll spit out the spoiled thing

#1 If you abide in Him, His true light abides in you

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

“God is light”

– He is the source of ALL TRUTH

– He is the source of PURE LIFE

“in him is no darkness”

– He is FULLY Good

– His motives and His ways are always Good

“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (vs 6)

“what fellowship has light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14 (ESV)

– Beware of a counterfeit gospel that minimizes the seriousness of sin or allows sin to persist in your life.

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (v 7-10).

In Christ I Have Found…

  • Total Forgiveness for my Sin (2:2)
  • Absolute Victory Over Sin (2:12-14)

Religion will say, “You sinner, get the darkness out!”  Jesus says, “Son, let my light in!”

#2 If I abide in him, His perfect love abides in me

“For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” (1 John 3:11)

The Command to love

  • The old command was “Love as you love yourself”
  • The new command is “Love as I have loved you”

“We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 John 3:12-15).

Beware of a counterfeit gospel that encourages you to hate or hurt your brother. 

When weaponized, religion is a weapon that is far deadlier than the swiftest of swords!

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth (v 16-18).

In Christ I Have Found:

  • An Identity (3:1)
  • A Fellowship (3:24)

( koinōnía) The communion or common faith, experiences, and expressions shared by the family of believers, as well as the intimate relationship they have with God. Allen C. Myers, The Eerdmans Bible dictionary, 1987, 380.

Unity doesn’t mean conformity, it means harmony

#3 If I abide in him, His fullness of life abides in me

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11–13).

We are not waiting on eternity!  Eternal life in me began the moment I died in him!

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.  19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  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. He is the true God and eternal life (vs 18-20)

In Christ I Have Found:

  • A Life free from the power of sin
  • A Life free from the power of the world
  • A Life free to know Him

John’s Final Statement 

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (vs 21). 

An idol is anything or anyone we put above God or between us and God… beware of the counterfeits 

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