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So this morning we'll be continuing with our dispensational overview of the Bible. And this is part nine in that overview. And just to review a bit, we have been following the future little flock of believers in Israel's prophetic kingdom program from Hebrews through the book of II Peter so far. And we will be continuing to do so today in 1 John and then on into the book of Jude and the book of the Revelation. We've been examining all of the important doctrines, instructions, and exhortations which have been written for these future believers which will enable them to know exactly what will be going on so that they may have the ability to persevere and endure to the end of the tribulation.

We've seen how that the book of Hebrews is the first of these books of doctrines, instructions and exhortations, and how that Hebrews was addressing primarily believers within the little flock who will be in the land in the future, in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, just as so many of them were when Israel's prophetic kingdom program was interrupted in Acts, chapter seven. Then as soon as we progressed out of the book of Hebrews into the books of James and Peter, we were then looking at doctrines, instructions and exhortations written to future members of a little flock who will be located outside of the land. And as we progress on into John's Epistles, we're still going to be seeing doctrines, instructions and exhortations written to members of little flock who will be outside of the land. And we've seen how that every one of these letters written to the little flock of future believers ends with a transitional verse, or maybe a couple verses, connecting verses, which introduce the main issues, which will be expanded on by the next writer. And at our last session, which took us through II Peter, that transitional connecting verse was in chapter three, verse 17, which says, ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware, lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

And as we shall soon see, the book of First John is going to educate the little flock of the future with a series of tests to enable them to know exactly who those wicked will be and what heirs they need to be on the lookout for. So with that, we can move on to the book of First John. But before we begin looking into the instructions and doctrines in these next three epistles of John, and pretty much everything we're going to be looking at will be in the book of First John. I just want to start by saying that if you want to understand what's going on in 1 John, it soon becomes obvious that the things which we find in First John need to be interpreted in light of the doctrines and information which is found in John's Gospel account. You cannot interpret First John correctly without considering the doctrines in John's Gospel account, doctrines which John presented, and so many of the things which Christ said and which John recorded.

That's going to become pretty clear as we work our way on through 1 John. And I'll be pointing these things out to you repeatedly as we progress on through the book. First John starts off this way with the very first issue that John addresses. John starts off with a direct reference back to his Gospel account and the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ to the nation Israel. Just listen to how 1 John begins.

He says, that which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. So in this very first verse, John speaks of that which was from the beginning, and he speaks of the word of life. Well, this is the same terminology and descriptive that John used in his Gospel account where John wrote in chapter one, verse one, in the beginning was the Word, and in chapter one, verse four, in him was life. So we had the beginning, the Word and life. And here in First John, he describes Jesus as the word of life which was from the beginning.

As we continue on in verse 2. For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us that which we have seen and heard. Declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. So John is assuring the little flock of the future that he and the other apostles actually saw him.

They saw Christ, they heard Christ, they even handled Christ. There is no question but that Christ had been there in the flesh, because that is going to be a major issue of the day. In the future there are going to be those who will be denying that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Turn over in 1 John to chapter 4 for a moment, and look at verse 2, and following. He says, hereby, know ye the Spirit of God? Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is God of God. And every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. And this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already is in the world.

So this denial that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, that Christ had previously come in the flesh, is going to be one of the tests that the little flock is going to be able to rely upon to determine who among them are the false brethren, who among them are the tares from the parable of the wheat and the tares, who among them are the imposters and the false teachers who have snuck in among them. Those impostors and false teachers that Peter had warned the little flock about back in II Peter, chapter two.

Let's continue on here. In chapter one and verse four of 1 John and these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. Verse 5 says, this then is the message which we heard of him. Well, the message which they heard of him is what ties this epistle so intimately back to the words which Christ had given them back in the Gospel of John, things that Christ had said to them in John's Gospel account.

And what was part of that message? Well, in verse five it says that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. And back in John's Gospel account, what did John write? He wrote in him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. That's the gospel of John 1:4-5.

Now in John's gospel account, in chapter 8, verse 12, Jesus also said, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. So Jesus as the light is the antithesis of darkness. Continuing on here in verse six, if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

So here we see that there are going to be some people who will be walking in the light and some people who will be walking in darkness. And those who will be walking in darkness are not of God. Well, let's go back to John's Gospel account to look at what else was said about the Light and darkness.

And in John 3, beginning in verse 18, what does John write? He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world. And men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light. Neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. So it's going to be very important for the little flock to know who is walking in light and who is walking in darkness. Those who are walking in darkness are not of God.

And that is what the members of the little flock need to be able to discern so that they will not be influenced by the false brethren and false teachers who will be infiltrating their midst and attempting to draw them back into the apostasy of Israel's vain, apostate religious system. Now, we saw these false brethren and teachers repeatedly as part of the Satanic policy of evil against the little flock in Peter's second Epistle. So the book of first John starts off with this critical division, this division between those who are walking in the light, those who are of God, and those who are walking in darkness, those who are not of God. And this very same division was an issue which developed during Christ's earthly ministry to the nation.

Now let's go to chapter seven, look at verse 38 and following, Jesus says, he that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified. Many of the people, therefore, when they heard this saying, said of a truth, this is the prophet. Others said, this is the Christ. But some said, shall Christ come out of Galilee?

Hath not the Scripture said that Christ cometh of the seed of David? And out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was, so there was a division among the people because of him. Verse 43 says that there was a division among the people because of him. Why was there this division? Well, that question is answered in verses 41 and 42,

others said, this is the Christ. But some said, shall the Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the Scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David? And out of the town of Bethlehem where David was. So during Christ's earthly ministry to the nation Israel, some were saying that their Christ had come in the flesh. Others said, no, this can't be the Messiah.

And as we just saw in First John chapter four, there will be those who will be denying that very same thing again in the future. Turn over to chapter nine in John's gospel account, verse 16. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, this man is not of God. Why? because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, how can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

Go over to John 10. Let's start in verse 17, Jesus says, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. And verse 19, there was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

So this division between those who are of God and those who are not of God is an issue which began developing during Christ's earthly ministry to the nation Israel. And this is an issue which will extend on through the tribulation, right up until that time when Christ returns and separates the wheat from the tares through that baptism of fire which John taught about in Matthew 3: 10-11.

Now when we examine the book of Hebrews, which was the first of the letters of doctrine and instructions to the little flock when Israel's prophetic kingdom program resumes again in the future, I tried to point out to you how that things will be picking up again in the future, right where they left off in Acts chapter seven, when Israel's prophetic kingdom program was temporarily interrupted. And here is another perfect example of that. So how will the little flock know who these false brethren are? Well, John is going to give them a series of tests.

So let's start looking at these tests. Go on back to 1 John and chapter 2. Beginning in verse 1, he writes, My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. So here is the first test. How can members of little flock evaluate whether someone else is walking in the light and in the truth and that they know the Lord? Verse 3 and 4 answers the question.

And hereby do we know that we know him if we keep his commandments? He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. So one of the ways in which the little flock is going to know if they are looking at someone who has the truth in them or not is whether that person will be following the commandments which Christ had given them in the beginning. And isn't that exactly what Christ said to them back in John's Gospel account? We'll go back there again.

Chapter 14, John's gospel account, chapter 14, and look at verse 15. Jesus says, if ye love me, keep my commandments.

Go back to 1 John for a minute. And I want to continue on here in verse nine in chapter two, where John is going to write, He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother is in darkness. Even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him, but he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth. So here John is getting a little bit more specific about who is walking in the light and who is not.

This is the second test as John gets a little more specific. Are these people demonstrating love towards members of the little flock or are they walking in darkness? Anyone who hates their brother is walking in darkness. And again, what did Jesus say to the 12 back in the gospel account, in chapter 15 and verse 10 and following, he said, if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. All right, so this becomes a tremendous issue throughout 1 John, this love for their brothers, it's going to come up over and over again.

But now just think this through for a minute. There are going to be false teachers, false apostles in their midst, those sheep in wolves clothing who are going to be attempting to destroy the members of little flock. Yet the true members of little flock are supposed to walk in love. And the little flock has been instructed to allow these tares to grow up right in their midst until the second coming of Christ, when Christ will purge this apostate element out of the nation of Israel through the baptism of fire. This attitude which the little flock is supposed to have towards all men at that time will shed a great deal of light and understanding on many of the things which Jesus had preached in the Sermon on the Mount.

So let's review a couple of the things that he said back there in Matthew, chapter 5, and we'll start in verse 38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for an for a tooth. But I say unto you that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Do you see how this attitude of not resisting evil is completely consistent with the instructions Jesus gave to the little flock in the parable of the wheat and tares, how that little flock is just supposed to bear with the tares until Christ returns to deal with those tares. And who are those in this verse who would smite a member of the little flock on the cheek? They would be those tares who do not love their brothers as John described in those first two tests we looked at in 1 John.

Look over at verse 43 here in Matthew 5, Jesus says, ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. The verse says you've got to actually pray for them. And that would include these tares which despitefully use you and persecute you.

Now why would the little flock be encouraged to do such a thing as this? Well, because those members of the little flock are supposed to be attempting to get those imposters to convert over to the side of truth just as much as those false brethren are attempting to undermine the little flock through the Satanic policy of evil. And we'll look at one more here, verse 48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is Perfect. Be ye therefore perfect.

How many times have we seen exhortations like this as we worked our way through first and II Peter? Because that's the goal for the little flock. And this was an issue which was introduced by the writer of Hebrews way back in Hebrews, chapter 13, verses 20 and 21, and then picked up by James and then Peter, in which we'll continue on through all of these instructional books for the little flock of the future. Be ye perfect. Now let's go back to first John again.

So what else will the little flock be looking for to be able to determine who are the imposters in their midst? In chapter two, look at verse 15.

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. So here is that issue of the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches spoken of by Jesus in the first parable of the sower. (Matthew 13:22) And we saw these folks in James, chapter five, verses one through five. Remember how that issue will be something which will cause some members of little flock to stumble and to fail to endure to the end the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. So here is the third test. What is a man focusing on? Look at verse 16. For all that is in the world, the lusts 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 passeth away, and the lusts thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. So if the little flock desires to abide forever, they need to seek the will of God and not succumb to the lust of the flesh or to the lust of the eyes, or to the pride of life. All those warnings that James had focused on in his book. What's another test? Drop down to verse 18.

Little children, it is the last time. And as ye have heard, that Antichrist shall come. Even now there are many antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time they went out from us. But they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. So this is the fourth test. May sound a little confusing, but this is a very interesting test. What does it mean in verse 19 that they went out from us but they were not of us. Well, remember that John is writing as a representative of those apostles who were members of the little flock that were in Jerusalem. Those members of the little flock who were in the land, that's where they were supposed to be. That's where their ministry was supposed to begin. But here in 1 John, John is writing to members of the little flock who are also outside of the land. And the verse says, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But what does the verse say that these particular people did?

Verse 19 says, they went out from us. These false teachers, these imposters, have gone out into the world outside the land, claiming to be a part of the little flock who are come from Jerusalem. But if they had really been members of that group in Jerusalem, they would have remained in Jerusalem because that's where this group of believers was supposed to be. At least until they witnessed the abomination of desolation in the temple, which was spoken of by Daniel. And when they saw that they were supposed to flee into the wilderness where they would be supernaturally cared for by the Lord for three and a half years. So these people who went out are false apostles. They're false teachers. They're not who they say they are. They are not prophets or teachers from the little flock in Jerusalem, but they're children of the devil. Remember that in the parable of the wheat and tares, Christ said that the tares had been sown out into the world by the devil. (Matthew 13:38-39)

So they are the tares among the wheat who will be growing up together with the wheat until the harvest, that harvest which Christ explained in Matthew 13:30 and 13:40. It bears repeating again what Christ had warned his disciples about in Matthew 24:24, Christ says, For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. So these impostors are going to be able to demonstrate some of the same signs and some of the same wonders that John and the other apostles had been able to do. And the little flock cannot be allowed to be deceived by those signs and wonders.

Go back to 1 John again. So then, because these imposters are going to be able to demonstrate some of the same signs and some of the same wonders that John and the other apostles had been able to do, John writes to them in chapter two verse 26. What does he write?

These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. Okay. The members of little flock are warned not to be deceived, not to be seduced by these signs and wonders which these false teachers might be able to demonstrate. But the things which these imposters will be professing, the things which they are going to be saying are going to expose them for who they really are. You remember the issue of the tongue in James chapter three, how that the things which a man says is going to reveal the true character of the man.

And here is one of the dead giveaways, the things which these false brethren will be saying. Now go back up to verse 21. Here in 1 John 2 he writes, I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ, he is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father, but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.ee

So here is the fifth test. When these false teachers start insisting that Jesus of Nazareth was not the Christ. Well, that's one of the clincher tests. The little flock will know that these are false brethren. To deny that Jesus is the Christ is essentially to say that this one who is known as Jesus is not of God. And isn't that exactly what the Pharisees were saying back in John's Gospel account when this division within the nation was taking place? Back then again in John's gospel account, in chapter nine, we'll just look at verse 16 again. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

Now why, why would these imposters be teaching that Jesus of Nazareth was not of God, that he was not the Messiah? Well, the reason's very simple. Because they are children of the devil, because they are Satan's men. Because this will open the door for Satan to step right in and declare himself to be the long awaited for Messiah in the person of the Antichrist.

Go back to 1 John. And since we're in this section of 1 John 2. I want to spend a little time on this issue of the unction in verse 20. But ye have an unction from the Holy One. Now who's the Holy One?

The Holy One is Jesus Christ. It's not the Holy Spirit here, but the Holy One. Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. Well, first off, this unction in verse 20 is the same Greek word which is translated anointing down in verse 27. Look at that verse.

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you. And ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. Now, these two verses are the only verses in the New Testament writings where this exact form of the Greek word appears. And It's Strong's number 5545, if you want to make a note of that. And look into this.

So this unction in verse 20 and this anointing in verse 27 are the same thing. And you want to notice that this unction, this anointing, has taught them some things. Both verses indicate that. And again, in these two verses, there are so many things that draw us back into John's Gospel account that we just can't miss them. And we'll see that as we go on here.

Now, most of the time, when I hear teachers of our day interpret these verses, they teach that this unction in verse 20 and this anointing in verse 27 is the implementation of the new covenant. But that cannot be the case. Why? How can I say that? Because when the implementation of the new covenant becomes a reality in the life of a believer, that believer will not be sinning anymore.

The new covenant will be a direct empowerment from the Lord, rendering the believer absolutely righteous and incapable of sinning. The new covenant will result in the righteous character, the necessary spiritual fitness, so to speak, of every individual in the kingdom. Like Christ, just like Christ was exhorting in those verses we looked at in the Sermon of the Mount. Be ye perfect. Those members of the little flock in the kingdom are supposed to be perfect.

Perfect and righteous. But what did we read back in the second chapter of 1 John? Let's look at it again, my little children. These things write I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.

What did we read in the first chapter of 1 John, verse 8, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. And verse 10, if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. So these members of the little flock in the future will not be sinless at this point in God's program. Now, that may seem to contradict some verses we're going to be coming across in chapter three, but we'll deal with that when we get there. But right now I just want to address this concept of the unction and the anointing.

What exactly is it? Well, as we should always do, we want to let the Bible define what these words mean, if it will do so, and it most certainly does. Now, as I said, this form of the Greek word translated unction in verse 20 and anointing in verse 27 is found only in these two verses in the New Testament. And it's Strong's number 5545. And in this form it's used as a noun.

Okay. But as you might expect, this form of the Greek word is directly related to the Greek word for Christ, and pretty much everyone knows it. In the Greek, Christ means the anointed one. Okay, that's Strong's number 5547. And this is also a noun, but there is also a verb form of this Greek word which is Strong's number 5548.

So you have these Strong's numbers 5545, 5547, 5548. They're all related. And you'll see that. And this is where we need to go to get our definition of what is this unction. To begin, to get our definition of what this unction and anointing are referring to, the verb form. And we're going to find that in Luke chapter four, which is a passage which gives us a record of one of Christ's first public sermons. So go to the Gospel of Luke in chapter four, and we'll start putting this all together. We'll begin there in verse 16. And he came to Nazareth. That's Jesus, of course, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath what anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor? He hath what sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of the sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

Well, what we see here is that Christ's anointing was a sending out by the Father to accomplish certain things. Now this verb form for the anointing is seen only four times in the New Testament writings. And with each occurrence you can see clearly how it is associated with being sent out with a commission. And if you want to look into that, the other three occurrences are in Acts 4:27, 10:20-38, and in 2nd Corinthians 1:21. So the unction and the anointing referred to here in first John has everything to do with being sent out with a commission.

And the next question would then would be, when did these members of the little flock receive this commission? And to answer that question, we once again have to refer back to John's Gospel account. So go to John's Gospel account in chapter 17 John 17. And we're going to start here in verse 18.

This is part of the upper room discourse, and Jesus is praying. He says, as thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world. So this verse is part of Christ's magnificent prayer to the Father on behalf of his apostles in that day. And here the Lord is praying to the Father on behalf of the little flock how that he is sending them out into the world. But notice that it is not just these apostles to whom this sending out is going to apply.

Look at verse 20. It says, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word, so, them also which shall believe on me through their word. The them in this verse are members of the little flock which John is writing to in 1 John. The future members of the little flock and the sending out. This unction and this anointing which is referred to in 1 John is even further established when we get to John's Gospel account in chapter 20, verse 21.

Then said Jesus unto them, again, peace be unto you, as my Father has sent me, even so send I you. There is the anointing of the little flock. Now understand now that even though this anointing is not the implementation of the new covenant which would render the little flock incapable of sinning. The little flock of the future is still empowered by the Holy Ghost, very much like we are empowered by the Holy Ghost and are sent out with a very important commission and with some very important information, just as Peter and the 11 were back in the Acts period. And they will be empowered by the Holy Ghost to do what they have been sent out to do, just as Peter and the 11 were empowered in Acts 2.

Now how do we know this? Because John says so in 1 John. Let's go back to 1 John. And in chapter three, look what he says in verse 34.

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us. How? By the Spirit which he hath given us. And he says it again in chapter 4, verse 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

And not only that, but this is completely consistent with the so called unpardonable sin of Matthew, chapter 12, verses 31 and 32. What did Christ warn his followers in that passage? Christ warned them that they had better not blaspheme the ministry of the Holy Ghost neither in this world, neither in the world to come. In first John, the little flock will then be in the world to come. They'll be in the age to come.

Back in the Acts period, that was one particular age for the nation of Israel. Then in the book of Hebrews through the book of Revelation, Israel will be in the age to come. And they better not blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Right now the dispensation of Grace has been going on for 2,000 years and counting. And this dispensation of Grace has nothing to do with Israel's prophetic kingdom program. But when this dispensation of Grace comes to an end, Israel's prophetic kingdom program will resume and that will be Israel's age to come.

All right, back in 1 John again. So the little flock will have a commission, and they will have some very important information, and they will have the truth. Let's read again in chapter 2, verse 20 and 21. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

So the little flock has this unction, they have this anointing, they have this commission from Christ, and this commission has to do with the truth, and they Know the truth. The little flock has been given all the information they need to be able to discern what is correct doctrine and what is a lie. Now let's read verse 27 again. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you. But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Okay, what do we have in this verse? Ye need not that any man teach you. The same anointing teacheth you all things and is truth. And that takes us right back into John's Gospel account again. And let's go to the gospel account of John 16:12, where Jesus says to them, I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them. Now Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. And he will show you things to come.

So Christ's whole discourse in the upper room From John, chapter 14-17 has given the little flock all manner of fantastic truth. But there is even more truth to come when they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit. So by the time we get to these believers in first John, they will not have any need that any man teach them. They will know the truth, and they will know what is a lie, but only if they abide in the truth. Now, just as Peter stressed in his second epistle in that amazing passage in chapter one, verse 19, they need to stay with what the word of God has said to them. You're in John's Gospel. Turn back to chapter 15 and look at what Christ says to them in verse one.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Drop down to verse four. Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me ye can do nothing. So the little flock must abide in Christ by abiding in the words, the words which Christ has been giving them. There is no possible way for them to make it through those last days unless they abide in the words of Christ, which began back in this Gospel account of John.

And then in verse 7, in John 15 he says, if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. So everything will depend upon their ability to abide in the words which Christ had given them from all the way back in the Gospel account of John. Now back to 1 John again and verse 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you, as the same anointing teaches you of all things and is truth, and is no lie and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

So we have the anointing which ye have received in him, abideth in even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. Now little children abide in him. This issue of abiding, abiding and abiding is the key. At least 11 times in 1 John, John uses the word abiding in the context of abiding on what Christ has said, abiding in Christ's commandments to them, abiding in the word of God, sticking with the word of God. So the little flock needs to abide in Christ. They need to abide in the words of Christ which began to be taught by Christ in the Gospel account of John.

Now, as soon as we move into John chapter three, we come to a very interesting passage which is another of the tests for the little flock to help identify who the tares are which are among them. In this section of first John, we're going to see this striking contrast between the characteristic behavior of the tares who are of the devil, in contrast to the characteristic behavior of those who are true members of the little flock. And this is a contrast which is going to take us right back into John's Gospel account again and the interactions which Christ had with certain Jews in John 8. In John 8 Christ presented this tremendous contrast between those in Israel who were behaving as true children of Abraham and those who are behaving as children of the devil.

Now, you don't have to go to John 8 yet, and I hope to make this all clear to you as I attempt to exegete these verses. So we're going to begin looking at some verses in 1 John 3, starting in verse 5, which says, and ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. And let's talk about Christ. He was the one manifested to take away our sins. Verse 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him. Neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous. I want to stop here for a minute to point out that this passage is not going to be teaching that true members of the little flock are sinlessly perfect.

How do we know this? Well, we went back to this verse before. Let's look at it again. Chapter two, verse one. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And we looked before at verse 8 in chapter 1 of 1 John and chapter 10 in 1 John, which both indicate these members of the little flock have sinned. They're not sinless. They're not sinlessly perfect. So the sins which are going to be addressed here in chapter three are going to be referring to certain behaviors, certain actions and teachings of those false teachers, the tares, who will be infiltrating the little flock. In contrast to the behavior, the actions and the teachings of those who are genuine members, true members of the little flock.

Now let's go back into 1 John chapter 3 and continue on here with verse 8. He that committeth sin is of the devil. For the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested. That he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. For his seed remaineth in him. And he cannot sin because he is born of God. In this, the children of God are manifested. And the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God. Neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning. That we should love one another.

You see some problems coming up here. Verse 8 says, he that committeth sin is of the devil. For the devil sinneth from the beginning. This is a very important verse. And it helps us tremendously in our interpretation of the sins which chapter three are referring to. But look again at exactly what this verse says. He that committeth sin is of the devil.

Can that statement, in and of itself, devoid of any other context, be an absolutely truthful statement? Is that a statement of absolute truth? No, can't be. Those members of little flock are not of the devil. Even though we've seen that they might commit sins and in fact have committed sins.

We saw that in chapter 2, verse 1, chapter 1, verse 8, and verse 10. And we're going to see it again in chapter 5, verse 16, and we'll deal with that when we get there. So we are faced with a real conundrum here in verse 8. And verse 6 says whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Verse 9 says, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. And in verse 8 it says that he that committeth sin is of the devil. How can we reconcile these verses with the fact that we know that members of little flock had sinned? In fact, in any dispensation, someone has sinned. Well, one of the things that we need to see and understand is that verse 8 here has a very specific context. And to help us see and understand that context text, we're going to go back into chapter eight in the Gospel account of John, where Christ used Abraham as an example to address this issue of who is of God and who is of the devil.