INTRODUCTION

The first three studies were: How To Have Fellowship With the Father, 1:3; How to Have a Joyful Life with Jesus, 1:4; How to Live Separate from Sin, 2:1. How to Take Seduction Seriously is vital to a happy successful Christian life. Avoiding sin is better than confessing sin!

I have never prepared a sermon with anyone in mind until this study. I am purposely aiming this message to the most dedicated Christian man or woman that is alive on the earth! If that person needs this passage then so do all the rest of us.

It is important to remember that John wrote this material because the heretical leaders were already in the church but had departed from the truth, 2:26.

I. IF YOU THINK YOU DO NOT NEED THIS PASSAGE THEN YOU ARE NOT TAKING SEDUCTION SERIOUSLY. 2:26

A. The setting for the book of First John is to address the problem of Gnostic heresy that taught:

1. Some people were spiritually superior and thus could live as they please.

2. Sin was acceptable and to be expected because matter was evil.

3. Jesus was not a divine savior but was evil because He was human.

B. First generation Gnosticism may now be found as acceptable theology in main line Christianity.

C. Truth can argue from antiquity and even from eternity. It is older than error. To know truth from error is the major purpose of John's writings. To "know" is used about 38 times in this small epistle.

D. John's purpose in writing is to fortify believers against heretical error.

II. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE A MATCH FOR SATAN THEN YOU ARE NOT TAKING THIS SEDUCTION SERIOUSLY. 2:26

A. A sinless, perfect person living in personal daily communication with God would not be a match for Satan.

B. Adam and Eve were seduced by Satan through: doubt, desire, denial, deception, disillusionment, destruction and death, Genesis 3:1-10.

C. Satan’s program has never changed with time and remains very effective.

D. Doubt of God’s Word is the first step to defeat.

III. IF YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO LIVE FOR THE LORD IN YOUR OWN ABILITIES THEN YOU ARE NOT TAKING SEDUCTION SERIOUSLY. 2:27

A. There are three areas that Satan uses to defeat the believer.

1. The world – Romans 12:1 – have a transformed mind.

2. The flesh – II Timothy 2:22 – flee, do not be there.

3. The devil – James 4:7, 8 - draw near to God and resist Satan.

B. There are three ways Satan tempts the believer to sin, I John 2:15,16.

1. Through the lust of the flesh – biological emotional drive mechanisms.

2. The lust of the eyes - desire to have what can be seen, even when it is not good or to get it without working for it, Genesis 3:6; Proverbs 27:20.

3. The pride of life - personal boasting of one's self, achievement, often unreal and untruthful accomplishments in a world system that is Satanically oriented against God.

C. "Seductions" and "lust" imply a strong craving for something forbidden. Lust is used 29 times in the scripture and never in a positive manner. It is used to contrast the believer with the unbeliever, whose lives are often dominated by "uncontrolled and forbidden desires".

D. The counter active agent to desire is "abiding" and "anointing". The anointing in this text is in reference to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit rather than some religious ritual or experience, 3:20. Seeking a special anointing is in itself a misleading heresy when the Holy Spirit is already in every believer, I Corinthians 12:13; II Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13,14. Seeking a lofty spirit is a sign of the Gnostic heresy.

E. If an individual does not have the Holy Spirit indwelling in them they are not a believer, Romans 8:9.

IV. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE ALREADY AN INFORMED BELIEVER THEN YOU ARE NOT TAKING SEDUCTION SERIOUSLY, 2:27.

A. Jesus said when He left He would send the Holy Spirit who would guide the believers as a teacher, John 14:26.

B. Paul wrote that the Holy Spirit would teach by guiding the mind of believers, Romans 8:14-17

C. The teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit does not function in the lives of the unsaved; in fact, their minds are blinded by Satanic philosophies, II Corinthians 4:3-6 until they are convicted and converted.

V. IF YOU ARE RECEPTIVE TO SPIRITUAL LIES THEN YOU ARE NOT TAKING SEDUCTION SERIOUSLY, 2:27.

A. The text connects the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit to one’s ability to withstand seductions.

B. The evidence of being taught by the Holy Spirit is that one is given an ability to perceive error and understand truth. The current level of theological understanding by believers is evidence that very little truth is being taught and errors (lies) are easily received.

VI. IF YOU ARE NOT CONSTANTLY ABIDING IN CHRIST THEN YOU ARE NOT TAKING SEDUCTION SERIOUSLY, 2:28.

A. Truth is not an abstract set of concepts. When truth is received it will change lives. The final evidence in this text that a person is taking seduction seriously is that they will "abide" in Christ as a way of life.

B. Abide is from the Greek word, "meno" meaning, "to stay in a given place", "to continually dwell" "remain" and "endure".

GAA/September 3,2006 (f)