“Beloved Follow”
INTRODUCTION: When John said the “follow” in the text he is using this word to state, do not imitate those who do evil.
What a verse, folks that this verse leaves no leeway. God in simple terms is asking us to follow good and refrain from evil.
There is no slack in this verse, let’s look into this and see what God actually wants us to do.
I. BELOVED FOLLOW NOT
A. That Which Is Evil
(Deuteronomy 12:30) Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
1. Be not snared
2. Enquire not after their gods.
i. Don’t ask questions
a. You will begin to follow them
3. Depart from evil
i. Avoid it
(Psalms 37:27) Depart from evil, and do good;..
B. He That Doeth Evil
1. Hath NOT seen God
(2 Kings 17:15) And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
1. We should not do like them
i. The unsaved
ii. The cultist
iii. The idolator
II. BELOVED FOLLOW THAT
A. Which Is Good
(Luke 17:15) And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
1. Only one of ten turned back
2. Where are the others
i. We were each healed
ii. Where have we been
3. What is Good?
(1 John 3:10 ) In this the children of God are manifest,..
B. The Children Of God Are Visible
(1 John 3:9 ) Whosoever is born of God doth not commit {purposely/habitually} sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1. He does not purposely sin
2. He cannot purposefully sin
i. He is born of God
(1 John 3:6 ) Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever {habitually} sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
3. Whoever habitually abides in sin
i. Even if they call themselves Christians.
ii. Cannot abide in God
iii. You cannot know Him
iv. He sees you not.
C. Shun Evil
(Isaiah 1:16) Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Note: (The sinner must accept the cleansing by the Lord, His blood, not your works)
1. We are going to sin
i. Sometimes purposefully
ii. Sometimes just not thinking
2. It is the habitual, I’m going to do it anyway sin
3. Cease to do evil (Sin)
(Romans 12:1-2) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
D. A Living Sacrifice
1. Your reasonable service
2. How do I do that?
3. By renewing your mind
CONCLUSION:
(Ephesians 2:8-10) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
If we claim Jesus Christ as our eternal Saviour, we must know that it is His blood that washes away our sin. And that we, as Christians should walk in His works.
His paths, the precepts Christ have laid down for you and I. I know that each of us cannot live to the letter of the verse.
He died on that cross for you and me, because He knew we could not follow exactly. I am not giving you an excuse for sinning, just telling you to do better. The best we can because Jesus didn’t have to climb on that cross and died for you and I. I believe He had a choice, the same choice you and I have.
You see Jesus, as a man, had a choice of sinning against God our Father or doing God’s will. Jesus is a man-God who being God could not go against the will of God. But the choice was there.
He chose to shun evil, He chose not to sin, He chose His Father’s will. That is our problem, we choose to accept evil and sin, and we choose not to do God’s will.
My question to you today is: If you died today, would heaven be your home?
If you can say yes, get down to this altar and thank God for what He has given you, praise Him for His Son and your salvation.
If your answer is no or I’m not for sure, that needs to be taken care of today. I pray if there is anyone here who doesn’t know Jesus or isn’t sure that you will take care of that during the invitation time.
You say Bro John I don’t know how to get saved
(John 3:16) (Romans 10:9)
(Joel 2:32) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:..
(Acts 2:21) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(Romans 10:13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(John 10:28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
(John 10:29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
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