Notes on Colossians

The following is the first lesson in a detailed exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Colossians.


The Colossian Letter
Lesson 1
The Apostolic Greeting

Introductory Thoughts

Background: an age like ours

Politically, Nero was the emperor
New religions and cults sprang up constantly
Public morals had hit new lows
There was unrest in many places.

Paul the apostle, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was writing this letter from imprisonment in Rome, to a group of believers who were facing all of this and more.

In addition to all this, the Colossian church was facing a cult group which was growing up in its midst, and it was a weird cult group at that.

1. Questions and issues addressed in this letter (these sound so much like the questions we face daily in this time).

a. Where did the world come from ?
b. Is just any old philosophy or religion OK?—this was a major issue in Paul’s day, as it is in ours.
(1) There were two types of religious faiths in the Roman Empire
(a) Religio Licta—a legal religion recognized by the Roman authorities.
(b) Religio Illicta—an illegal religion
(2) The differences?
(a) To be a religio licta, one had to recognize that all other religions were also OK, and one had to recognize that the emperor was supreme, and sacrifice to him as a “god.”

(b) The only exception to this was the Jewish faith, which was tolerated grudgingly. Instead of sacrificing to the emperor, which the Jews would never do, they offered prayers on his behalf at the temple.

c. Where should the mental focus of believers be?
d. Who is Jesus?
e. Family and work problems
f. Is Jesus’ return soon?
g. The Colossian heresy—combining Jewish legalism and philosophy. Early Gnosticism?

2. Preliminary question: what is a cult?

a. The simple definition: a false religion that claims to be part of the Christian faith.
b. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., are false religions, but are not cults—they don’t claim to be Christian.
c. Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, “Oneness” pentcostalism, etc., these are cults!



3. The Apostolic Greeting—(don’t miss the significance of greetings in the epistles)

a. The (human) Author of the letter: “Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ…”


(1) What is an Apostle? The Apostles were messengers picked by Christ Jesus personally.

(a) Luke 6:13-16, Acts 1:2
(b) Acts 9:13-15, 1 Cor 15:9-10
(c) Heb 2:3-4

(2) Are there apostles today?

(a) No
(b) Reasons
(i) Apostles were foundational—Eph 2:20—once the foundation is laid, it is complete.
(ii) Apostolic requirements can no longer be met—Acts 1:16ff,

(1 Cor 9:1) "Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?"

(c) In a very real way, they are still with us, in their writings.

b. Of Jesus Christ—
(1) Paul’s ministry was dedicated to relating what Jesus wanted him to say, not to his own agenda.
(2) What about the supposed apostles of our day, the Bennies and so on?

c. “Through the will of God.” Paul and the Draft!

(1) First, election—
(a) Paul knew where his salvation came from—Gal 1:13-15
Isa 49:1 ""Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name."

Jer 1:5 ""Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.""

Rom 1:1 "Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God"

Rom 1:6 "among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;"

Rom 1:7 "To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Cor 1:9 "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

Gal 1:6 "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,"

1 Pet 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"

(b) Paul knew he deserved nothing from God—1 Tim 1:15—the chief of sinners, 1 Cor 15—not worthy to be called an apostle.
(c) Paul knew it was all God’s grace—1 Cor 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
(d) And in Paul’s case, the proverb from the lips of Jesus is fulfilled—Mat 19:28-30 "So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
(i) Paul was the Johnny-come-lately, but it is through him, the least of the apostles, that the majority of New Testament writings come.
(ii) The apostle with the next largest contribution is the youth, the youngest apostle, John. Peter has his two letters, but it is Matthew the tax collector who writes a gospel, and Mark, not an apostle himself, who sets down what scholars believe is the gospel from Peter. And it is a Gentile physician, Luke, who has the honor to share with us the most intimate details of the family of Jesus!

(2) Second, election to service! Acts 9:15-16 "But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake.""

(a) Paul is chosen
(b) Paul “must”
(c) Paul “must” suffer—Christ Jesus held nothing back from His apostle. There is a great ministry to be had, but that ministry will be one of sadness and grief of heart.

d. And Timothy the brother—Paul’s reliable younger protégé, the penman of this letter.

4. The Audience of the Colossian letter—Col 1:2 "To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse…”

a. First, the language—“saints and faithful brethren in Christ” in the Greek, is referring to the same group.

(1) There are not “saints” which are a cut above, and then “faithful brethren in Christ” who are saved but not at the same level.
(2) The Greek construction has the two phrases referring to the same group, and so it is. If you are a true believer, you are counted among the saints.
(3) What if one is a professing believer, but is not a “faithful brother (or sister). The implication is that, at best, repentance and restoration is in order, and at worst, their salvation must be called into question.

b. They are “saints and faithful brethren in Christ…” What is a saint?

(1) It is NOT some kind of super-holy person with earned merit to hand out to others, that is a myth.
(2) It is NOT some kind of super-spiritual being that only a few Christians can aspire to be.
(3) A saint is a saved person, period, whether they act like a saint at all!
(4) The word means “set apart.” And, we have been set apart for a purpose, to glorify God in our lives.
(5) It is the common address for believers from Paul—Rom 1:7, 1 Cor 1:2
(6) It is not that we are fully holy, but that is what God called us to be—again, 1 Pet 2:9!
(7) Note that Paul does not address everyone who has attached to the church, in our language, he is not writing to all the members, but to the “saints and faithful brethren.”

c. Faithful brethren (not a gender, an idea), are those who are faithful—period. Even in Paul’s day, there were professing Christians who were not faithful to their calling. This letter is addressed to those who are.
d. “In Christ”—this, of course, is the key. It is not who we are, but whose we are. We are accepted in the beloved. This is one of the key concepts of this letter!

Col 1:2 "To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ…”

Col 1:4-6 "since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven…”
Col 1:8 "who also declared to us your love in the Spirit."

Col 1:12 "giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."

Col 1:14 "in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

Col 1:17 "And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."

Col 1:19 "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,"

Col 1:27-29 "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily."

Col 2:2-3 "that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Col 2:5-7 "For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."

Col 2:9-12 "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

Col 3:3-4 "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

Col 3:10-11 "and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all."

Col 3:15-16 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Col 4:7 "Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me."

Col 4:17 "And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.""

John 1:4 "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."

John 3:15-16 ""that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Rom 6:11 "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Rom 8:1-2 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Rom 8:39 "nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Rom 12:5 "so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another."

1 Cor 1:2 "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:"

1 Cor 1:30 "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption;"

2 Cor 2:14 "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."

2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Gal 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Eph 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,"

Eph 1:6 "to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved."

Eph 2:6-7 "and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

Eph 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Phil 3:9 "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;"

2 Tim 1:9 "who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,"

1 John 2:27-28 "But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming."

1 John 3:24 "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."

1 John 5:14 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."

1 John 5:20 "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, 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."

1 Jn 5:20

We Know We Are In the Father and the Son


1 John 5:20 "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, 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."

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1. The Character of God—Him Who Is True

a. Not just that God tells the Truth—He always does, but that is not the point here—it is that He is the One True God.

(1) There is only one true God

(2) The Gods of the other religions in the world are the inventions of man at best, and at worst, represent demonic powers

1 Cor 10:20 "..the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons."

b. The OT Witness as to the exclusivity of God

Deu 4:35 ""To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him."

Deu 6:4 ""Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!"

Deu 32:39 "'…I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; …”

2 Sam 7:22 ""Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You…”

Psa 83:18 "…You, whose name alone is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth."

Psa 86:10 "For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God."

Isa 43:10 ""You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me."

Isa 44:6 ""Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God."

Isa 45:18 "For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the LORD, and there is no other."

c. The NT Witness to exclusivity of God

Mark 12:29 "Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one."

1 Cor 8:4 "Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one."

Eph 4:6 "one God and Father of all…”

1 Tim 2:5 "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,"


d. The NT Witness to the exclusivity of Jesus

John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

John 17:3 ""And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

Acts 4:12 ""Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.""

e. The OT Witness to the exclusivity of Jesus!

(1) Only one Redeemer

Isa 44:6 ""Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God."

Isa 47:4 "As for our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel."

(2) Christ Jesus is the redeemer!

Gal 3:13 "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law…"

1 Pet 1:18 "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

Rev 5:9 "And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,"


1 Cor 1:30 "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption;"

Eph 1:7 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace"

(3) There is only one true Redeemer, Jesus is the One True Redeemer!

2. We are in the Father Through the Son

a. Salvation is about a relationship.

(1) John 10:27—He knows us
(2) John 17:3—WE know Him
(3) Rev 3:20—relationship

b. Salvation—being In Christ for acceptance, and abiding In Christ –

(1) We are baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit—1 Cor 12:13
(2) In Christ there is no condemnation—Rom 8:1
(3) In Christ we are accepted—Eph 1:6-7
(4) We have been crucified with Christ—Gal 2:20
(5) In Christ, we have resurrection—Col 2:13, 3:1-3

c. Salvation is found In the Father through Christ

Col 3:3 "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

1 John 4:15 "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God."




3. Jesus is God—“…this is the true God…”

a. First, this refers to Jesus; it would be redundant for the apostle to refer back to the Father again.

b. This is one of the clearest statements in the Word on the Deity of Jesus!


c. There is only One True God, and the Son is God!

John 20:28 "And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!""

Acts 20:28 ""Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."

John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."

Rom 9:5 "of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen."

John 8:58 "Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.""

1 Tim 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory."



4. Jesus is Eternal Life—This is the true God and eternal life

a. He is the Source of life— John 1:4 "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."

b. He is the Author of life— Heb 5:9 "… He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,"

c. He is the Giver of life—John 10:28 ""And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."

d. He is the Essence of life—Col 3:4 "When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

John 14:6—“…I AM…the life…”

1 Jn 5:19

You Are NOT On the Fence
(We Know Whose We Are)
1 John 5:19

Introductory Thoughts

· Fence Sitters?
· Take a stand, please—

Ø Moral Issues
Ø For your faith
Ø On your job
Ø In your school
Ø In your family

1. The World Serves Satan—1 John 5:19 "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one."

a. Context—

(1) Five certainties: salvation, answered prayer, victory, whose we are, and Who Jesus is!
(2) Absolute and settled knowledge—innate knowledge—we just know this!

b. Satan has a kingdom—The Present world system is his kingdom

(1) Lk 4:5-7
(2) John 12:31/14:30/16:11

c. Every lost person is a member of Satan’s kingdom and must be won from that kingdom to the kingdom of God
(1) Acts 26:18
(2) 2 Cor 4:3-4
(3) Eph 2:2
d. Many people in the churches are part of the world system

(1) Phil 3:17-19
(2) Mat 13:24-30

e. The kinds of people in the world system

(1) The abject reprobate—Barabbas
(2) The civic reprobate—Pilate
(3) The nominally religious person
(4) The religious hypocrite
(5) The Pharisee

2. We Belong to God—1 John 5:19 "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one."

a. Again, absolute and settled knowledge

b. Christ has a kingdom too—His Kingdom is the Kingdom of God

(1) John 18:33-38—not of this present world system!
(2) Lk 22:24-30
(3) Kingdom of God—70 times
(4) Kingdom of Heaven—32 times.
(5) The consummation of the kingdom—Rev 11:15

c. All who are His have been bought and transferred from the kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of God

(1) Col 1:13-19
(2) 1 Cor 6:18-20


d. The children of the kingdom are different from the children of the world—1 John 3:10 "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother."

3. There is a Struggle between the two kingdoms, and you cannot be neutral.

a. There is a struggle in your own life—1 Pet 2:11, Gal 5:16-25

b. There is a struggle in your family—Mat 10:32-39

c. There is a struggle in the community—Mat 5:13-16

d. There are often struggles in the church

(1) Petty struggles
(2) Personality conflicts
(3) False doctrine
(4) False practice
(5) False brethren

1 jn 5:18

The Certainty of Victory
1 John 5:18

Readings: Rev 12:9-11, 1 John 5:13-21

Introductory Thoughts—

· Know—absolute and settled knowledge, innate knowledge

· Six Things we can know

(1) You can know you have eternal life
(2) You can Know that God answers prayers
(3) You can know that you have victory
(4) You can Know that the we are in God and the World is under the sway of the Devil
(5) You can know that the Son of God has Come
(6) You can know that you are in Him.

· On the subject of Victory in Jesus—first remember: We Are In A War!

· There is a war with sin—1 Pet 2:11-121 "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, ..."

· There is a war with Satan— Eph 6:11-12 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Ø The word for “war” in 2 Cor 10:4-6 means “to conduct a military campaign…” It is the same word from which we get our word “strategy.”

(1) It is fought every day, It is part of life

(2) The results of not fighting: devastation

Ø There are two worlds we are dealing with, the physical and the spiritual—This war is a spiritual warfare, with spiritual enemies.—
· So, there is a war, with sin and Satan, and if we are believers in Christ, we are in the War
· But the Good news is, that the war has been won already!!

1. We Know We Have Victory Over Sin

a. “…We know…” – absolute and settled knowledge, innate knowledge

b. “…all, The One who has been born of God…”

(1) “…All…” (the ones having been born of God )
(2) “…has been born…” =è perfect tense =è an event that happened, that has come to full fruition, and whose effects continue

(3) 1 John 5:1

(4) 2 Cor 5:17

Ø These verses apply to every believer without exception. If you have not been made a new creature in Christ, you are lost!

c. “Not is sinning…” This is present tense, a habit of life, continuous.

(1) A true Christian does not habitually live a life of sin.
(2) 1 John 3:4-10, (see also) Rom 6:6, 14-22

d. Bottom line—the True Believer is not a slave of sin!

2. We Know We Are Kept Secure by Christ—“…but he who has been born of God keeps himself…” (or, is kept)

a. The one born of God—not referring to the New Birth, but to the only-begotten-ness of Christ

(1) John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

(2) NASB—“…He who was born of God keeps him…”
(3) NIV— “…the one who was born of God keeps him safe,…”

b. He Keeps Us—Keep, guard, present tense, continuous

John 17:12 ""While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled."

2 Th 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one."

1 Pet 1:5 "who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Jude 1:24 "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,"

Ø We have victory over sin!

Ø Christ keeps us!

Ø But He does not keep us in sin—He pulls us out of sin!


3. We Know We Have Victory Over Satan

a. The Evil one

(1) Masc. and personal, so not talking about impersonal evil, but a very personal evil one.

1 John 2:13 "I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father."

(2) Who is the evil one?

(a) The Serpent in the garden of Eden, the accuser of the brethren, the deceiver, the father of lies, the murderer

Ø Rev 12:9-11

Ø John 8:44 ""You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."

(b) The one who was the anointed cherub—(Ezek 28:1-18)
(c) The one who seeks whom he may devour—(1 Pet 5:8-9)
(d) The one we are to resist—1 Pet 5:9, James 4:7

b. The Wicked One Does not get a grip on us…

(1) Word means to grasp, to snatch away from

(2) The Devil cannot snatch away one of Christ’s own!

John 10:28-30 ""And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 "I and My Father are one.""

(3) However, that does NOT mean that we will not be tested and tried by the enemy!

2 Tim 3:12 "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

1 Pet 4:12-19 "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; …”

(4) 1 Pet 5:8-9!

(5) How well Peter knew!

Luke 22:31-32 "And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.""

c. But we have the victory now, and the ultimate victory is coming! Rom 16:19-20 "For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."








Applications

1. We are in a war with sin and Satan

2. Sin has been defeated, Satan has been defeated—the Cross and the empty tomb.

3. We need to learn to appropriate and walk in that victory.

John 5:14-17

The Certainty of Answered Prayer
1 John 5:14-17

Introductory Thoughts

· John likes to give his purpose—John 20:30-31

Ø John’s gospel—to lead you to Christ

Ø This letter—to assure true believers

· Our day—a time that denies the existence of absolutes

· Five certainties—

Ø Certain of Salvation—5:13
Ø Certain of answered prayer—5:14-17
Ø Certain of victory—5:18
Ø Certain of whose we are—5:19
Ø Certain that Jesus is God—5:20

1. We know our prayers are answered because we have confidence in God—5:14a

a. Confidence—openness

(1) The Word can mean openness of speech, plainness of speech

John 16:29 "His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!"

Acts 4:31 "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."


(2) The word can refer to confidence in God, which results in boldness

2 Cor 3:12 "Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech;"

Eph 3:12 "… we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him."

(3) The word is also used of boldness and confidence in prayer, especially the privilege that we have as believers to come boldly to the throne of Grace, and this is the usage here in 1 John 5:14—Heb 4:16, 10:19

b. “…this is the confidence we have…”—present tense—continuous

(1) This is what we know, not what we feel

(2) This is faith, not sight

(3) IF you forget for a minute, you only need remember

c. In Him—

(1) The object of our confidence is Christ

(2) Why do we have this confidence in Him?

(a) His Omniscience—He knows!—

John 1:47-49 John 2:23-25
John 6:64 John 13:1
John 13:11 John 18:4
John 19:28

(b) His Love-He cares
(c) His Person—He has promised to answer, so His integrity is on the line
(d) His Omnipotence—He is able to answer—Mat 28:18!

d. Ask, desire—we must ask!

(1) Mat 7:7-11 !!

(2) James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

2. We know our prayers are answered if our prayer is according to His will—5:14b

a. If we desire—conditional sentence—present tense, continuous

b. According to His will—the condition here listed

(1) The Person Praying

(a) The Right motive—James 4:3, Mk 10:35
(b) Abiding in Christ His Word in Us—John 15:1-7

(2) Prayer must be the right kind of prayer

(a) According to His will—1 John 5:14, Mat 6:8
(b) Asking for a good thing—Mat 7:11,
(c) IN faith—Mat 21:22, James 1:5ff
(d) Not doubting—James 1:7
(e) In His name—jn 14:13, 15:16, 16:24, 26

c. He hears—present tense, continuous—

3. God’s Sovereignty

a. God is Sovereign—He is God, and we are not!

Psa 115:3 "But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases."

Psa 135:6 "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places."

b. God knows the plan, we don’t—Jer 29:1-14!

c. We cannot put God into a wristlock “by faith” and make Him do whatever we want. God is going to go according to His plan, and His plan will always be better.

(1) Abraham wandering
(2) Abraham on the mountain
(3) Jacob running from his brother
(4) Joseph in the pit
(5) Moses exiled into Midian
(6) Israel, carried off into captivity
(7) Paul, barely escaping Damascus with his life
(8) Stephen, stoned to death
(9) The Son of God, dying on a cross
(10) Christians martyred
(11) Missionaries slaughtered
(12) Is this being allowed by God? Yes, and more!

4. We know our prayers are answered and we know God answers in His own way—5:15

a. If (since) –1st class condition

(1) Since we know we are heard

(2) Since we have asked in accordance with His will

(3) We know we have our petitions

b. We know—(perfect tense) absolute and settled knowledge

(1) We know that He hears

(2) We know that He answers
c. We have—present possessions!

(1) But I have prayed for things and did not get what I wanted!

(2) Did you pray, “thy will be done?”

d. This is the Key!—Mat 6:10, Jn 4:34, 5:30, 6:38, 8:29

e. The ultimate example—

(1) Luke 22:42-44

(2) Heb 5:7! –He was heard!


5. The example of intercession for a sinning brother—5:16-17

a. The Theological football—the sin unto death—

(1) I will not confuse you by attempting to unravel this ball of string.
(2) But this is either referring to a professing believer sinning in a way that is seems obvious that they must really be lost
(3) Or it refers to a true believer dishonoring God to the point where God kills him.

b. The instruction given—

(1) Pray for the sinning (professing) believer

(2) Pray, “Lord, I don’t know if this person is saved or not, … your will be done…”

(3) How does this illustrate the principle of prayer? Perfectly—we don’t know the secret things that belong only to God, but we pray in accordance with what we do know, and we ask “thy will be done…”

Deu 29:29 ""The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."