by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: TEMPTATIONS CANNOT BE BLAMED ON GOD INTRODUCTION: James switches his focus from Trials sourced in our external circumstances to Temptations arising from sin within. These two can easily be related since our response to external Trials can unleash inner...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: TRIALS TEST OUR FAITH WITH THE GOAL OF PERSEVERANCE INTRODUCTION: James is concerned with the effectiveness of our faith. As we examine our faith, there are two different possible threads of application: If we fail the tests of faith that James has provided...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTALISM AND ECUMENISM MASQUERADE AS LOVE BUT MUST BE EXPOSED AS APOSTASY IF THEY DENY GOD’S TRUTH –WALKING IN CHRISTIAN LOVE REQUIRES OBEYING GOD’S TRUTHINTRODUCTION:They say that good things come in small packages. That is certainly...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE ASSURANCE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BRINGS 3 SOLID CONVICTIONS REGARDING SPIRITUAL VICTORYINTRODUCTION: Key phrase: “We know”Stedman: ” Perhaps the most striking thing about the close of First John is the threefold occurrence of the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE ASSURANCE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BRINGS QUALIFIED CONFIDENCE THAT GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERSINTRODUCTION: – Importance of Prayer – Why doesn’t God always answer our prayers?I. (:14-15) THE EXTENT AND LIMITATION OF OUR CONFIDENCE...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR NEW NATURE IS THE ASSURANCE OF THE POSSESSION OF THE SON HIMSELF — THUS ETERNAL LIFEI. (:11) ETERNAL LIFE IS IN THE SON “And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”Do we have a personal...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR FAITH AND OUR ASSURANCE REST UPON THE HISTORICAL VALIDITY OF THE WITNESSES WHICH GOD HAS PROVIDEDI. (:6) FAITH IN GOD’S WITNESS OF THE INCARNATIONA. (:6a) Baptism of Jesus “This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ;”...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE VICTORY OF FAITH PROVES A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD –TRUE BELIEVERS WILL DEMONSTRATE A NEW NATURE(See notes from previous message; some overlap in terms of verses covered.)I. (:1) OUR LOVING RELATIONSHIP TO THE BRETHREN DEMONSTRATES OUR NEW NATUREA....
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN PRODUCES ASSURANCEI. (:17-18) LOVE FACES JUDGMENT DAY WITH CONFIDENCEA. (:17) Confidence Results from Christlikeness “By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCES THE ASSURANCE OF ABIDINGINTRODUCTION: How do I know that someone is physically dead or alive? Is he thinking, moving, feeling, smelling, speaking, listening, breathing — is he acting in accordance with his nature? Problem: When...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THREE ARGUMENTS FOR LOVING THE BRETHREN(BASED ON THE TRINITY) — cf. BoiceINTRODUCTION: Problems with assurance are not solved so much by introspection (e.g. Am I one of God’s elect?) as by Faith (trusting in the promises of God) + Love (practical...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: TRUTH IS THE BASIS FOR FAITH AND LOVE –SPIRITUAL TEACHING MUST BE EXAMINED TO IDENTIFY ITS SOURCEINTRODUCTION: There is a great tendency today to elevate love about doctrine (truth). But what is the connection and the relative importance?I. (:1)...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE TEST OF ABIDING IS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AND LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN BY THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRITINTRODUCTION:(Most of this involves review of previous material and making some interconnections between major themes that are woven throughout the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN PRODUCES SECURITYI. (:14-15) LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN PROVES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GODA. (:14a) Loving Indicates Life “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.”Piper: “Positively:...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: TRANSITION: A LIFESTYLE OF PRACTICING RIGHTEOUSNESS INVOLVES LOVING THE BRETHRENI. (:10b) FAILURE TO LOVE MARKS YOU AS A CHILD OF THE DEVIL “anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR LIFESTYLE REVEALS OUR FAMILY IDENTITYI. (:2-3) OUR PRESENT CONDUCT SHOULD BE ELEVATED BY OUR FAMILY IDENTITYA. (:2a) Our Present Inclusion in God’s Family “Beloved, now we are children of God”B. (:2b) Our Future Expectation of Ultimate...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE TEST OF SONSHIP IS PRACTICISING RIGHTEOUSNESSINTRODUCTION: Where do you place the dividing line between section 1 and 2? Such a subtle transition that both vs. 28 and 29 belong to both sections. However, we can see the change. The antithesis between...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WALKING IN THE LIGHT MEANS ABIDING IN THE TRUTHI. (:18-19) ABIDING IN THE TRUTH REQUIRES RECOGNITION OF THOSE FORCES THAT OPPOSE THE TRUTHA. (:18) We are living in the age of antichrist — of apostasy and final opposition to Christ “Children, it...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WALKING IN THE LIGHT MEANS SEPARATION FROM THE WORLDI. (:15a) TOTAL SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD IS COMMANDEDA. The Nature of the Separation –“Do not love” an obligation, not an option for the believer There must be a tremendous danger here...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ASIDE: ALL BELIEVERS NEED ENCOURAGEMENT AS THEY APPLY THESE TESTS OF FELLOWSHIPINTRODUCTION: Really only 2 groups being addressed here since “little children” refers to all believers. John then addresses in more detail both the more mature...
