1John 4:1-3 – Things I do Not Believe – Bible study

1Jo 4:1-3 Things I Do Not Believe Most of the emphasis of the Bible is on believing. However, there are some things which the Bible warns us against believing, especially as we move further into the end of the age. This evening, I am not preaching on what I do believe but on some things that I do not believe and pray that you do not either. Warning: 1. These are not merely simple truths that we should not believe in but philosophies which shape our thinking process and actions. a. I can refuse to believe in the premillennial return of Jesus and, while I think that would be a serious error, it would not necessarily affect my Christian lifestyle very much. b. But if I refuse to believe in the literal meaning of the Bible, then it will warp every other thing that I believe. 2. Our view on these kinds of truths not only determine our theology, but they determine our worship, our value system, our lifestyle, and ultimately our society. Do not just dismiss them. 3. Many of Gods people are being spoiled. Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. I. I do not believe in Satans demise. 1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: A. Todays society does not believe in the existence of a devil. 1. They have relegated the devil to the arena of mythology. 2. If they believed, they would beware and resist him, not ignore him. 3. Satan is treated like a joke not an enemyand that has been his plan all along. a. We do not fear the things that we laugh at. b. Have you considered how the world was spoon-fed the acceptance of homosexuality? They put homosexual characters on sit-coms and had American first laugh at them, then identify with them, then accept them, and now they support them. c. It is one of Satans tried and true methods of getting what he wants. B. Satan has two goals and two tools for which he has two uses. 1. Satan has 2 goals for every human being on the earth: a. He wants to damn your soul. b. He wants to destroy your life. c. Jesus described Satans goal in three terms. Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, (How he damns you.) and to destroy (How he destroys you.): I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. d. If Satan can get you to quit watching for him, and even more, believing in him, he has won. You will have been stolen and unless something changes, you will be damned. 2. Satan has 2 tools to accomplish those goals and as far as I can tell, these are his only two tools. a. He has deception and oppression, If you are a lost person, oppression can become possession. b. What does the devil do with deception? (two uses) (1) He can make you think the important is trivial. (2) He can make you think the trivial is important. c. Examples: (1) People got up this morning thinking church was not important but stores, arenas, and fields were. Because of that, entire families drove past church where they could have heard news that would have changed their eternity. (2) People jumped up not to read the Bible but the internet, circulars, and television schedules. (3) People relish their memberships in shopping clubs, hunting clubs, and lodges; but not in heaven. (4) People have easily believed the devils deceptions because they do not think he is real. (5) They have no guard, no awareness, no resistance. d. What does the devil do with oppression? (1) Oppression is the feeling of sorrow or heaviness. (2) How does the devil use oppression? (two uses) (a) He exaggerates peoples weaknesses. (b) He exaggerates off peoples emotions. (3) We all have both. (a) We all have weaknesses and we all have emotions. (b) But the devil uses deception to make some people believe their weaknesses and emotions are more important than they actually are. (c) Before long, the devil has them wallowing in fears, feelings of inadequacies, failures, anger, need for vindication and so forth, until they cant function in the everyday world. (d) The devil is easily able to do this because people dont think he is real! They think they are thinking all of these thoughts and never consider an outside influence is deceiving them. C. Here is the reality. 1. If you are a Christian, there is a devil but he has limited power over your life. a. He cannot do anything to you physically. b. He cannot do anything to you spiritually unless God allows him to do it. c. And even the things that God allows him to do are limited by God and your faith. 2. Some things the devil cannot do. a. The devil cannot make you sin. b. The devil cannot make you doubt. c. The devil cannot make you fail. d. The devil cannot break or even hinder your relationship with God. 3. However, the devil can deceive you into doing all of these things if you do not believe in the devil and keep your guard up against him. II. I do not believe in mans goodness. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: A. Society does not believe man is born a sinner but is born innately good. 1. If that goodness is not apparent, somehow society has failed that person and steps must be made to correct both society and that person. 2. Most everything that is wrong with our society today is based on the false philosophy that man is innately good. He just needs a chance to prove it. 3. That is why society has placed an over-emphasis on psychology. a. They are trying to figure out if we were abused, or neglected, or denied for if we are their image of perfected, somehow we were harmed. b. The truth is everyone has been harmed! (1) The most perfect childhood was not perfect and – because of our sin nature – still produce life- long problems! (2) These problems cannot be helped with a counseled life until they have first been helped by a changed life. 4. That is why society thinks the way to fix everything is with money. a. They do not see anything spiritual as existing and so it must be something physical. b. They did not get enough food; they were cold; they need a better house; and on it goes. 5. That is why the justice system has forsaken justice. a. Punishment will just mar the poor thief, drug addict, drunkard, murderer more. b. We need to give them a break. c. By the way, that is why after 911, everyone felt sorry for the Muslims. (1) They started from the false philosophy that we must have hurt them and that is why they want to hurt us. (2) And that is why the world is now turning on Israel. (3) They have concluded that if the Muslims had not been displaced by Israel, the Muslims would have never would have attacked anyone. (4) Never mind what their Koran says or the first 1100 years of their history. (5) The Muslims are just good people who have been abused. 6. That is why we pass children who have not learned. 7. That is we feed people and do not expect them to work. 8. That is why our military and police are the bad people. B. We need to understand that education, food. clothing, a helping hand, mercy, a second chance, understanding, and all of the other things that being tolled out today cannot bring goodness out of a fowl heart. 1. All they can do is to get the attention of the person long enough to tell them what they really need to know. 2. What things do they need to know? a. Man is born a sinner. See Romans 5:12 above.) b. Everyone must be born again. \#John 3:7\ c. Goodness was not born in you but God can put it there. Rev 19:8 And to her was granted (given) that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. III. I do not believe that possessions bring happiness. Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. A. Things do not give happiness. 1. They might make life easier. They might make life more comfortable. They might free up time (although they usually do not!), but they never bring happiness. 2. If possessions brought happiness, the happiest people in the world would be the wealthy. 3. It may be wrong to stereotype all of the wealthy but it sure seems to me like the ones we see are no happier than the non-wealthy. 4. Holidays are a dangerous time for people who think things will bring happiness. a. In 1995, some merchants were expecting a 12% increase in sales over 1994 which was a very lucrative year. b. Did the population increase by 12%? Did inflation raise the prices by 12%? c. No. People are just going to spend more. d. During the holidays, commercials bombard us 24 hours a day for months on end, tempting us to borrow money we dont have to purchase things we dont need to give to people we seldom see and who will never use them or value them. 5. When we do this, we do three things: a. Participate with the wicked. b. Promote the false idea that these things will make people happy. c. Push our children to take our sin and go farther with it than we did. B. Relationships bring happiness. 1. Relationship with Jesus Christ which will give a relationship with God the Father which will give a relationship with every other believe who ever lived. 2. Relationship with your mate. 3. Relationship with your children. 4. Relationship with others.