Craig

The Holy Spirit of God dwells in the believer and is greater than false prophets and Satan. The believer has overcome the forces of satan and the world in that the transforming power of the Holy Spirit within us is helping us to overcome our sinful nature and the forces of this world now and in the future. Our growth in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ propels us in overcoming satan, sin, and this world. We should fear nothing but God.

If Jesus was not God in the flesh then God can not and did not identify with humanity. Because you create something doesn't mean you can identify with and know how that creation feels. How creation suffers temptation, etc. By becoming a human being (in Jesus), from cradle to grave, God could then totally identify with humanity. As the writer of Hebrews states, we have a High Priest who can identify with us. Who shared our suffering and knows the challenges of being a human being. Therefore Jesus is on our side and intercedes for us before God the Father. It is all about God experiencing being human and identifying with us in order to save us. Jesus suffered and died on the cross as God incarnate to save humanity from its sin and to reconcile us from Him -- if we accept the offer. Additionally, God became a human being in order to model for us what it means to be a complete human being as He designed it and how to relate to fellow humanity as well as Himself. The bottom line is that Jesus was both divine and human and modeled that we can be both divine and human and have victory over sin and death through the cross. We can be both divine and human as the result of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our very being. Jesus if you invite me into your heart I will sup or abide with you. Satan doesn't want this for humanity.

God blesses and answers the prayers of those that obey and honor Him. Those that respond to His Word. We don't earn anything from God. What God gives is grace and those that respond to His grace receive the benefits of that grace. You can't receive what you don't want or desire. God's grace and the benefit's thereof are not forced on anyone.

To lay down your life for your brother means to love and show compassion however and whenever it is needed. It means placing your brothers before yourself. Bottom line: sacrificing self for the blessing of others. Examples of this kind of love are helping to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others where you have the opportunity and means. In larger congregations, a person can get involved in small groups, a Sunday school class, church activities and ministries. Be intentional and you can meet all kinds of people to bless and share the Christian life with.

Allowing anger to remain in our hearts will allow it to turn into a bitterness that often leads to destructive behavior hurting others as well as ourselves. Anger can turn into hatred leading to murder. Stored-up anger can be released by confessing the anger to God and asking for the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the anger. Forgiving another or asking forgiveness of another may be required to rid oneself of anger. We need to intentionally practice love as defined in I Cor. 13 as a way of life. Love removes anger from our hearts.

Cain resented Abel because Abel's offering was accepted by God and his was not. Cain killed Abel out of misdirected anger. He was angry with God and took it out on Abel. Abel was striving to honor and please God whereas it appears Cain had a different approach. Cain was angry with God over rejecting his offering and even after God personally counciled him on how to make things right he took his anger out on Abel and killed him. Cain killed Abel for doing the right thing and it make him look bad.

The false teachers were downplaying sin as if it wasn't serious in the life of a believer. In fact, they were teaching that the material world and the flesh within it are evil and the spiritual is only good and pure. No matter what one did, the flesh was evil. So, it doesn't really matter what we do in the flesh. The spiritual was the only important thing. However, this teaching is contrary to the Word of God. He expects us to live pure, rightous, and noble lives in this world and in the flesh.

God's seed -- The Holy Spirit -- presence in the believer keeps the believer from habitual sin by being in conflict with the old nature. The Holy Spirit puts pressure on the old sin nature to go away, thus keeping the old sin nature from having sway over the believer. The Holy Spirit within us motivates us and convicts us to be holy and to live righteously taking on the Mind of Christ.

The expectation of Christ's return should motivate believers to purify themselves with a sense of urgency in order to be prepared for Christ's return. Another point to remember is that each person lives in their own end times. We don't know when Christ is coming again and we don't know when we are going to die an earthly death. God shows grace in helping to purify the believer through His Holy spirit

We are made spiritual children of God when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour. Upon accepting Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit fills the believer creating a new perspective and worldview -- a new heart and mind. The Holy Spirit identifies with our spirit making us children of God. It is all about identification. Once I get saved I begin to idenfity with my Father in Heaven. I begin to take on the Mind of Christ.

God calls some to be apostles, evangelists, preachers, and teachers to equip the saints for ministry to the lost and to one another as well as building up the body of Christ -- the Church. The Holy Spirit dwells within the believer personally working to transform us into Christ-like human beings. Helping to take on the "mind of Christ." Individual believers are given supernatural gifts by God through the Holy Spirit to specifically function within a certain role in building up the Church as well as building the Kingdom of God on this planet. Paul gives many examples of gifts given by the Holy Spirit in his Epistles.

To abide/remain/continue in Jesus means consistently living out the commandants and teaching of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. My life should reflect the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christians not abiding in Jesus become "carnal Christians" or stray into distorted gospel, not holding fast to the gospel presented by Jesus Christ and passed to the Apostles. An example could be a Christian not abiding in Jesus is one who might think that Jesus is not the only way, truth, and life. I have met some who proclaim to be Christians who believe there are many ways to Heaven and eternal life. That is not what Jesus Christ taught.

The Holy Spirit's presence in the life of a believer motivates and convicts the Christian to act and think righteously and justly. The fruits of the spirit as described in Galations 5 are evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in the life of a believer. Generally, the Holy Spirit teaches by helping us to understand God's Word, motivating us to live it out, and helps us to apply Jesus' teaching to our life.

John is talking about the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon those who have acknowledged and received Jesus Christ as the The Messiah, repented of sin in His name, and have given their lives to God the Father in His Son Jesus Christ. In general, The Holy Spirit has filled God's anointed Kings, prophets, disciples, and saints throughout time perfect their purpose in building the Kingdom of God on this planet. Every Christian who is in a right relationship with God in Christ has this anointing. Natural man cannot understand nor do the things of God unless they are illuminated and filled with the Holy Spirit.

John's antichrist is the spirit of those who deny that Jesus Christ (the Christ), came in the flesh and was God incarnate according the Gospel of the Apostles. This spirit has existed for two thousand years among some on this planet. The difference between the antichrists in the church John was referring to and the "antichrist" is that at a particular time in history, an individual person, used by satan, will try to displace Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will seek to be the object of adoration and worship.

In this passage John provides three examples of worldliness -- **** of the flesh, **** of the eyes, and the pride of life. These types of sins are difficult to discern in ourselves because we often want to see ourselves in the best of light, thus we blindly or deliberately make excuses for our sin. Worldliness might just lead us to hell or diminish the rewards we might have received in Heaven. Jesus did say that some who say "Lord Lord" he will not know. Paul goes into great detail regarding the judgment seat of Christ.

The world in this passage is the world system in which we exist, i.e. commercial, political, religious, and cultural. If we permit it, the love of this world can preoccupy our attention causing us to be totally immersed in the world and alienated from the Creator. The world does not promote nor practice the values taught to us in the Bible. By and large the world rejects the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The world reflects satanic values, primarily "live for the pleasures of self." If we get caught up in the world we take on worldly values and life styles. This displaces God in our life.

Encouragement is necessary in developing your flock. John as spiritual father to the churches he was shepherding needed to encourage them in the faith. We all need encouraging regardless of our level of spiritual maturity. In encouraging them he restates their position in Jesus Christ as born again Christians.

Hate and unforgiveness blind us spiritually in that it is an exercise of self-will and arrogance. We are directly defying Biblical teaching. We are in disobedience and sin. We defeat hurt and hate by forgiveness and love in Jesus Christ. The forgiveness of those who have wronged or hurt us frees us spiritually and emotionally. The bottom line is God is Love. God should be the center of the Christians' life. Thus love should be also.

If we love God with all of our heart, soul, body, mind, and spirit and our neighbors as ourselves we have achieved the state of obeying Jesus/being Christians without self-righteousness, legalism, and judgmentalism. Love endures all things. Love puts others before itself and walks humbly before God. Love is freedom. Legalism is slavery. If I love Jesus I will obey His commandments. God is love, love has to be at my center.

Not if, but when we sin and confess that sin, God is faithful to forgive that sin. Additionally, we have an advocate interceding on our behalf -- Jesus Christ -- before God. It is comforting to know that Jesus is with me, cares about me; and is willing to intercede on my behalf. The fact that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to suffer and shed His blood for the atonement and forgiveness of my sin motivates me to want to clean my life up, honor Him, and follow Him. I want to make my life a living sacrifice for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Confession is proclaiming and acknowledging to God those things in my life that are not in agreement with God's standards and values. I am agreeing with God that the thing I am confessing is sin and not up to His standards. In turn, I then ask God for forgiveness of that sin. Confession of sin is important because unconfessed sin alienates us from God and other believers, thus making our faith ineffective and empty. Additionally, it prevents God's blessings in our life. If we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from our sins. God will make us righteous in His sight. Confession helps in the development of our character. God's forgiveness is the act of releasing us from the consequences of sin and restoring a right relationship with Him. Cleansing is removing the stain and effects of sin in our spirit, soul, and body. Restoring purity.

That person falls out of fellowship with God as well as other believers and may in fact not even be saved. If I have a vigorous relationship with Jesus then I am progressively growing out of the sins that have dominated my life. At some point I am realizing a transformation of my heart -- thus my desires change. A person can deceive themselves into thinking that sin is justified in their life. James said to not just listen to or hear the word but do it. Because if you don't you are only deceiving yourselves. When we walk in the light we have fellowship with other believers and Jesus's blood cleanses us from all sin. So we have a right relationship with God and other believers. The perfect balance.