Okay, let's take our Bibles and turn to the book of 1st John in chapter number 2, and we are continuing this study in the book of 1st John. Again, we're trying to keep the theme of a book of assurance, and truly it is a book of assurance. John does write, these things have I written unto you that you may know. The key verse being, these things have I written unto you that you may know that you have eternal life. Really, there's no truth that is more important to us than the knowledge of our assurance of salvation. Because that assurance of salvation gives us the desire to persevere. Because we know that we are saved, we can persevere. So today, we're going to pick up reading, and our text is going to be from verses 12 through 18. And in this passage, John addresses three different groups inside a church. And he will inform each one of those groups why he's writing to them. But he also lets them know the reason why it's important that he's writing to them. And we're going to start with the introduction where John began with his conclusion over this. So John kind of concluded his thoughts in verse number 18, and we're going to start with that as our introduction. Verse number 18 says, And as you have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time." There's another one of those things that you know. John said they know that it's the last time. The reason this lesson was important to them is because Antichrists are on the scene. Antichrists have come. Those who were against Christ were present and working, you might say, even during the time of John the Apostle. And so that's the reason that he is writing this letter, or one of the reasons he's writing this letter, and why the things that he's speaking to them about are so important. So in these things, John is writing. Each one of these groups, he's addressing the thing which each one of these groups knows, and the places in which they can be assured. And remembering throughout this study tonight that it is the last time being an underlying factor in the things that he is teaching. So in the book of 1 John chapter number 2, begin reading in verse number 12, I write unto you little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake, I write unto you fathers, because you have known Him that is from the beginning. I write unto you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you little children, because you have known the Father. I have written unto you fathers, because you have known Him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." Little children, it is the last time, and as you have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time. Heavenly Father, we just pray that You'll add Your blessings to the reading of Your Word. We pray that You'll open our understanding. And Lord, by our listening to Your Word tonight, we will be encouraged and our faith will become steadfast. And as we walk with You in these last days, that Heavenly Father will be able to stand firm and assured of our faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us tonight, we pray. In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. As we said in our introduction, there are three different groups that John is going to talk to, and the first one he says is little children. John has a way of addressing people, little children, beloved, brethren, and all those things. It is an address of compassion. It is an address of love. But he writes unto them little children, and he writes to them little children both in a physical way, they are little children, but also he is writing to those that are little children spiritually. The first thing that's very important that we know and we learn and really that we are assured of, and he says, little children, they know that their sins have been forgiven. That is a very key thought for us in our walk with the Lord. We need to know that our sins are forgiven, and that is really vital to our walk of faith. It is very important for us to know that our sins are forgiven if we are going to be assured of our salvation. Now think about this. If you question whether your sins are forgiven or not, it will be difficult for you to have confidence and to have assurance in your walk with Jesus Christ. If you don't know that your sins have been washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ, if you think, well, He died for a part of my sins, you know, He died for my past sins, but my sins that I will commit in the future are not yet forgiven, They were not covered by the blood. I still have to ask forgiveness. And if I don't ask for forgiveness, then I'll be lost. If you have that understanding, you can't be very confident of your salvation. You can't have much assurance in your walk with Christ if you still think that there's more work to be done in order to gain acceptance with God. That's why you see many people who are in other organizations. They don't have the confidence in their salvation. They're not assured of their salvation. That's why they'll make statements like this. You don't know for sure if you're going to heaven until you die. That's why when someone passes away, they might say something along the lines of, well, I hope they were saved. I don't know what happened to them in the last hours of their life. And I've heard those statements made by people. And it's made by people who do not understand that their sins are forgiven and they're washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ bore all of our sins in His body on the cross. And if they don't understand that and if they don't know, it's impossible to have assurance. And so, as John is writing to this group of little children, he wants them to know, and he's thankful that they do know, that their sins are forgiven. It is important for them to know that their sins are forgiven because they were imputed to Christ. We talked about this morning with the scapegoat and the high priest taking his hands and placing them upon the goat and the sins would be transferred. The sins of the people would be transferred to that goat and that goat would be sent outside the walls of the city. That is their sins being imputed and that is exactly what happened when Christ bare our sins in his body on the tree. Hold your place there in 1 John chapter number 2 and turn back to the book of Galatians, or I'm sorry, the book of Ephesians in chapter number 4 and verse number 32. And we understand that we are forgiven based upon the fact that Jesus Christ bare our sins in His own body on the tree. Paul talking to the church of Ephesus saying, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. What I want you to see in that passage is we are forgiven based upon the fact that God has forgiven us, based upon the fact that Christ bare our sins in His body. So we're forgiven because God has forgiven us based upon the finished work of Jesus Christ. Very important for the little children to know that. Do you all know that today? If I would go and if I would talk to the little children, and I would walk up and down the aisles, and I would begin to ask the little children, do you know that your sins are forgiven? How do you know that your sins are forgiven? Do you know that your sins are washed away? In the blood of Jesus Christ? What would their response be? We would hope that they would learn that they are sinners and that their sins can be washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ. Very important, very key, very vital in our spiritual walk. Now you take a new Christian, someone who may be old physically but young spiritually, one of the very first things that you want them to learn and to know is that their sins are forgiven them. Also, he says, going back to our text, I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His namesake. And then at the end of verse number 13, he says, I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. It's important for us to also understand, in our spiritual development, the fatherhood of God, that He is our Father. He is our Savior. Jesus Christ is our Savior. And God is our Father. Think about the attributes of a father and what he has for his family. A father loves his children, doesn't he? A father cares for his children. A father protects his children. A father provides for His children. A Father instructs His children. And a Father disciplines His children. The relationship that a father has with his children, you know, it's different than a relationship between a mother and their child, because the mother is the one who is, is the caring and she's the compassionate one. And she's the one that kisses their boo-boos and, and, and, you know, and, and gives them gifts for Easter and all of those things that mommies do, you know, washes the clothes and whatever. The love that a mother has is different than the love of a father They may love equally the same, but it will be displayed in different ways What what is important for us as little children are growing in our spiritual development is for us to know the fatherhood of God to understand that he does love us as one of his children and that He is going to care for us as a father cares for his child, that He is going to protect us from the evil one, that He's going to provide for us and supply all of your need according to His riches and glory, that we're going to be instructed in how to be well-pleasing to Him, and then we also have the expectation of discipline. But it's important for us to understand in our spiritual development that we do have God the Father. It's important for us to know and recognize the fatherhood of God. So John is writing this letter to the little children so that they know that their sins are forgiven and because they have known the Father. Now he talks about writing to the fathers. Verse 13, I write unto you, fathers, because you have known Him that is from the beginning. Verse number 14, I write unto you, fathers, because you have known Him that is from the beginning. John doesn't write any other thing in this passage to the fathers other than that you have known Him from the beginning. He restates the same phrase twice. Anytime you see a statement restated in the scripture, it is for emphasis. Sort of like, um, verily, verily, I say unto you. That would be for us, it would be in bold type, in all caps. We know what that means, right? If somebody writes in bold type, in all caps, when they're texting, that means they're angry or excited or something. Well, it's for emphasis. So John writes to the fathers and he states, I know because you have known him that is from the beginning. Now, notice this is something different than the fathers. It's talking to the same person. It's talking about God, but for the little children it says you have known the father. But when speaking of God to the fathers, he says you know the one that is from the beginning. So they are able to know the One that is from the beginning. They've developed a greater understanding of who God is. It's just not a general knowledge that He is Father, but you begin to understand the eternalness of God. This is very poor English, but in my notes I have written down, you begin to understand and comprehend the eternal Godhood of God. You begin to develop a greater understanding of who God is. You begin to understand some of those attributes, like the infinity of God. You begin to talk about the infinity of God to a little child, and they will have no concept of what you're talking about. But these fathers who are more seasoned in their understanding, and they're established in the faith, we can begin to comprehend what it is, the infinity of God. You begin to talk about the veracity of God, or the foreknowledge of God, or the counsels of God, or the providence of God, the doctrines of God, and our duties to God because you are a father, because you are more well-seasoned, and you are more established. You can comprehend these things and they aren't overwhelming to you, and they secure you in your faith, and they give you assurance because you know who God is. That's important for them. Barnes and his notes on this passage says this, that the fathers understood it thoroughly. John was able to properly address them as aged and established Christians. He was able to call on them to maintain the true doctrines of the gospel against the dangerous errors which then prevailed. Yet He's stating to these fathers because you know the hymn that is from the beginning and you need to stand because there are many Antichrists that are come. There are many Antichrists that are on the scene. It is important for you to know the truth and to practice the truth and believe the truth because listen, the teachers of error are creeping in unawares. And they're able to leave captive those who are unlearned And so it's important for the fathers to be well established and to know the truth and to practice the truth and to stand firm on the truth because the Antichrists are come. He also addresses the young men. How do we know young men? What are we talking about? Well, it's those that are between the little children who are new in the faith and are just beginning to know and understand. And it's not the seasoned. Veterans, Mark Anthony knows I have a big birthday coming up in a couple of months and he's starting to gig me a little bit, you know, about being a very well-seasoned individual, you know. We were talking about my birthday at dinner today and he said, yeah, remember your age is going to have a five in it now too. My birthday's got a five in it, and your age is gonna have a five in it. Just remember that. You know, whatever. That's okay. He hopes that he is this physically fit and all of that when he gets to be my age, right? Yep, but whenever he gets to be my age, I won't know whether he is this physically fit or not. Anyway. But the young men are those that are kind of in between. middle-aged. They're the ones, as a matter of fact, in one of the commentaries that I read, it said, and I hate to tell you this, but I still kind of almost consider myself, well, maybe not. Certainly I consider myself young, but not anymore. It's talking about those that are less than 40. Wow! I'm not a young man anymore. Young men! Those that are in the prime and vigor of their manhood. That's definitely not me. But anyway, that's who John's writing to here. Those in the prime and vigor of their manhood. They are strong. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you." And there it is stated again, you have overcome the wicked one. You see, they are strong because the Word of God abides in them. I can tell you this, if you want your life to be strong, it can only be strong because the Word of God abides in you. You can have no strength in your life if you do not abide in the Word of God. If you do not establish your life upon the principles of the Word of God, if you do not put the Word of God into practice in your life, you cannot and will not be strong. And so we do need to know and understand that those that are strong are strong because the Word of God abides in them. The Word of God lives in them. The Word of God continues in them. It is a shame then in our day that many waste this time, the prime of their life, when they're in the vigor of their manhood, They wasted on personal pursuits. You think about the young men that have been raised up inside this church, and they are in that age of 20 and 30 year old. And how many of them have wasted that time when they should be working the hardest and making the most impact for the cause of Christ, and they're wasting it on worldly pursuits. So John writes to these young men because they are strong, and the Word of God abides in them, and they overcome the wicked one. Again, Barnes in his comments on this says that they have triumphed over the passions which prevail early in life, the allurements of vice, ambition, covetousness, and sensuality. They have shown strength of character, of piety, on which reliance can be placed. So they have used their youth, their youthful vigor, they have used it well for the Lord and they have been able to overcome the wicked one. And again, how many young people today, the wicked one is overcoming in their life and getting the victory in their life because the Word of God does not dwell in them. Because they are spending their lives chasing after the things in this world Satan's got a toehold in their life. Satan's got a grip in their life, and they don't recognize it. Listen, as the Antichrists grow, the need for vigorous perseverance increases. The young men need to stand up. The young men need to learn the Word of God so they can have their lives built upon the doctrines of God. Now, young ladies, this is not excusing you either. It just happens to be that John is writing to young men, but we should see our young ladies being strong also. But let's remember, because of Antichrist's coming, it's why John addressed the church at Corinth And he told them in 1 Corinthians 15-58, therefore you be a steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. That's why Paul told them to be steadfast and unmovable. When you build your life upon the Word of God and the Word of God abides in you, that is how to be steadfast and unmovable. It's how to abide in the work of the Lord. Because the Word of God abides in you. So there are the three different groups that John is addressing. I don't know which group you want to put yourself in. Do you want to call yourself a little child? Do you want to call yourself a young person? Or do you want to call yourself a seasoned elder? I don't know. But you're one of those three. You're one of those three physically. And you're one of those three spiritually. If you remember, I believe it's the writer of Hebrews that had to address those who should be on strong meat now, but they still had need to take the milk of the Word of God. I pray that some of you that's been saved for a number of years would not consider yourself to still be a little child. So after writing to these three and recognizing that many in our Christ have come, now John gives a call to action for these three groups that are mentioned in verses 15 through 17. Now this is a passage of Scripture that we've heard often and people preach entire messages on this and you could preach an entire series of messages on this. The first thing that John tells them to do as they see the Antichrist coming, love not the world. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. You see, the world is very enticing for us. The world is exciting. The world is appealing. The things of the world addresses the flesh. It makes us feel good. It's something that makes us feel important when we chase after these things. It makes us have a sense of accomplishment. It makes us feel like we have some value or some prestige. So we chase after the things of the world so that we can have this personal value. But we want to remember John tells them and reminds them that all that is in the world passes away. You love the things that are in the world. You give yourself to the things of the world. You gain a position. You gain importance. You gain authority. You gain riches, whatever. It is going to pass away. We sang the song whenever I was a young man, and I guess you all sang that song too. Only one life, so soon it will pass. Only what's done for Christ will last. Only one chance to do His will, so give to Jesus all your days. It's the only life that pays when you recall you have but one life. And we do need to understand that. The only thing that's going to matter is the things that you do for Christ. All that is in the world passes away. Remember that. So John says, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. Don't seek those things that are to pamper the flesh, that are to please the eye, that promote pride in living. As you see the Antichrist coming, don't seek after these things. I listened to a message yesterday by Albert Mohler. And in that message, he was talking about the noetic effects of the fall. I asked my buddies under the radar, five guys, I asked them, have any of y'all ever studied the noetic effects of the fall? And they was like, well, we've never even heard of that before. But anyway, I listened to an hour-long message by Albert Mohler on that and he talked about what the noetic effects of the fall are is how the fall affected our thinking process. And so, anyway, in that he was talking about pre-modern society, modern society, post-modern society, and then late post-modern society. And he talked about in each one of those, early on, even in the days, in the pre-modern days, it was very easy for someone to be religious. And so therefore, because all peoples were religious, even the heathen had pagan gods, and everywhere you go there was somebody that was going to worship something. You got into the modern age, we'll put it like this, and I can't remember the numbers that he used, but it was like 90%, it was very possible and probable that you were going to be religious. 90% religious, 10% without religion. But in the late post-modern, which is the place that we're living today, very few people are religious. And it's more impossible to be religious, more improbable that you will be religious. There are more people that are a-religious, that are atheists, that have nothing to do with religion than there are that does. And it's going to be increasingly difficult to be... We're not even talking about... I'm just talking about religious in general. We're not talking about Christian, a follower, a true follower of Jesus Christ. We're including all types of religion in that. Fewer and fewer people are being religious at all. It's going to be increasingly difficult to be that. And so as you see these anti-Christs, the people that are against Christ, as you see them coming on the scene, the more that you love the world and the things that are in the world, the more difficult it's going to be for you to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. And you know, think about this. I think that when my mom had me as a child, as a baby, that she had every thought that I would be saved. Most people had that belief. I wonder about my grandkids. Do you have the reasonable understanding that more than likely they'll be raised in church and follow Christ and be Christians and be saved? It's a smaller percentage that they will be than it was whenever I was born into the world. Because our world is increasingly less religious. People are less and less dedicated to God. So as you see the Antichrist come, the more that you love the world and the more that you love the things that are in the world, the more difficult it is for people to see that they need Jesus Christ. So John is writing them about that. Listen, the more that you love the things that are in the world, the more that your children are going to chase after the things of the world, and the more that the world is going to appeal to them. John uses some very plain language here. At the end of verse 15, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. If the world is His portion, if He lives for the world, if the world is His ruling passion to gain and to enjoy the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. So what is the driving force of your life? Is it to serve God, to advance His kingdom, or to advance this world? If you are chasing after the things of this world, you can have no assurance. Why? Why can you not have assurance? Because we've already said that all that is in the world, the lust of the eye and the pride of life, it's not of God and it will pass away. But I love what he says at the end of verse 17. He that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Notice that assurance again. You do the will of God. You follow Jesus Christ. You put Him first in your life. You seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you. You put God first. You do the will of God. You will abide forever. You can have assurance. You can know. Leave behind the world and the things of the world. Don't chase after those things. Put God first. Seek Him first. All that other stuff will be added to you. But you can have assurance because you're seeking the Lord first. Now, John said, little children, it is the last time. If it was the last time during John's days, don't you think it's really the last time now? Of course it is. We have lived in peace and security for many years here in the United States, but we know as we look and see the signs of the times, the perilous times are approaching, and the need to stand strong and firm grows. It is time for all of us to be strong and to abide in the Word of God, so the Antichrists that are coming will not be able to deceive us. Remember, what's it say? That if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived. So as we see those days getting closer, it's important for us to build ourselves in the Word of God so that we can be strong, so we can stand against the wiles of the devil, and we can have assurance, and we can have confidence in who we are in Christ Jesus, and know that we will live and abide forever. Heavenly Father, we just pray that you add your blessing to your word tonight. Help us, dear Heavenly Father, to stand firm and stand strong, steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in your work. Help us to understand and know that our labor for you is not in vain. Thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ. It is in His name we pray. Amen.