Welcome to the MOR-Bible website

May 2018 Printable 174 KB .pdf

Father, I am so thankful for your love through your son the Lord Jesus Christ. Father thank you for showing us how to love one another. Father thank you for all our blessings because you reconciled us back to you by your son. Thank you, Father, for giving us power and authority in the name of Jesus Christ. Father, thank you for making your son, who knew no sin, to be sin for us that we are made the righteousness of God in him. Amen

In the April 2018 article, we read John 17:1-24, and we learned "Life eternal" means to know the only true God and His son Jesus Christ whom God had sent. Those us who believe "on the name of the Son of God" know, without any doubt, we have eternal life! Jesus Christ glorified God his Father on the earth and finished his Father's work on earth. Jesus Christ taught his disciples the detailed accuracy of the Word that God gave him. Jesus Christ prayed that the believers God had given him would be one in the unity of purpose with him and his heavenly Father.

We were reminded that the world is not going to love you because you speak God's Word. You are not "of the world," even as Jesus Christ was not of the world. God's only begotten son shed his blood, and even died physically to set us apart. We are to be set apart by God's Spirit and the truth of God's Word. We are to be one in purpose with God our Father and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ "who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1Timothy 2:4).

In this month's teaching, we will read 1 John 4:1-21, and learn that as children of God not to believe every spirit or prophet. We also will learn how to know whether the Spirit of God is in a person. We will see from God's Word that God in Christ in us the hope of glory is greater than any antichrist spirit that is in the world. We will learn the ways to know if a person is born of God and knows God. Let's start with 1 John 4:1:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

As children of God, we are not to believe every spirit! Why? Because there are antichrist spirts in the world. The word "world" refers to the world since the fall of Adam and Eve, which is separated from God as demonstrated in and through humankind. Satan is the God of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us:

In whom the god [Satan] of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

We are not to listen to every "false prophet" and to "try the spirits." God's Word tells us not to conform to this world. Turn to Romans 12:2:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We are to renew our minds to God's Word that we may prove the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

Back to 1 John 4:2:

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.

How do we know the Spirit of God? We know the Spirit of God because "every spirit that confessed that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God."

Continuing with 1 John 4:3:

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 it in the world.

The spirit of antichrist will not confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This spirit of antichrist is not of God! Our loving Father has given us authority and power over those possessed by the spirit of antichrist.

Let us pick back up at 1 John 4:4:

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them (with that spirit of antichrist): because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

The evil of this world can never make you do wrong. There are only three reasons a born-again believer does wrong: 1. Individual lack of knowledge of God's Word, 2. Lack of self-discipline, or 3. Absence of believing.

All born-again believers have "God in Christ in you the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) and are "seated in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). Born-again believers know they are

. . . far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come (Ephesians 1:21).

Therefore, "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." We remind ourselves daily that we can overcome anyone with the spirit of antichrist by thinking the Word, speaking the Word, doing the Word and operating the manifestations of the spirit!

Back to 1 John 4:5-6:

They are of the world: therefore, speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Because we are born again of God's Spirit, we are of God and those born of God hear us. We know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. This is another reason we are to love one another.

1 John 4:7:

Beloved, let us love [agapao] one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

The word "Love" is agapao. Agapao love is defined as the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation. We must renew our minds to love one another in the body of Christ. Why? Because the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation is of God. This is how the world knows you are born of God and know God! If you don't manifest the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation, you don't truly know God.

1 John 4:8:

He that loveth [agapao] not knoweth not God; for God is love.

God's love becomes yours when you act and are born again of God's Spirit (Romans 10:9). God is love (1 John 4:8). The new birth or being born-again imparts this love of God in your spirit. Therefore, we become children of love. It's on the inside. Romans, 5:5 says:

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [spirit] which is given unto us.

1 John 4:9:

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Do you remember John 3:16?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

All love requires action! God manifested His love for us when we were dead in trespasses and sins because of Adam and Eve's actions.

1 John 4:10:

Herein is love, not that we loved [agapao] God, but that he loved [agapao] us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation [payment] for our sins.

God sent His only begotten son to be payment for our sins! 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us:

For he [God] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

God so loved us that he made His only begotten son to be sin for us who knew no sin. God showed love for us through His son. This lesson reminds us to love one another, just as God loves us.

1John 4:11:

Beloved, if God so loved [agapao] us, we ought also to love [agapao] one another.

Just as our earthly parents taught us by example, God demonstrated how to love by giving His son in love.

1 John 4:12:

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love [agapao] one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

When we manifest the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation toward one another, people know that God dwells in us! This is the way we walk God's Word. We put love into action; people see those actions. We become walking billboards for God's love.

1John 4:13:

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

When you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you are saved (made whole). With the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation (Romans 10:9-10). God creates His spirit in you. For it is God in Christ in you the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27)! God's Spirit also contains God's love "because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5). Now we must manifest this new love by renewing our minds to what God's Word says love is!

Romans 8:9 tells us:

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

If you did not act on God's Word in Romans 10:9-10, then you do not have the spirit of Christ. You are not of God. 1 Corinthians 12:3 tells us "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" or speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is the infallible proof in this senses world that you are born again of God's Spirit, and the spirit of God is in you!

Back to 1 John 4:14-15:

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

God's Word says, "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelled in him [sonship] and he in God [fellowship]! (See July, August, September 2016 teachings on Sonship and Fellowship in August 2017). This is what God's Word says; I didn't write it. The word of God is the will of God. We believe the love God has towards us, as we renew our minds daily to act on that love and to love one another.

1 John 4:16-17:

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Our love is made perfect by fellowship ("he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God") and by sonship ("and God in him"). Because of our fellowship and sonship, we have God's love nature, and we have boldness in the day of judgment. The word "judgment" refers to this current day and time we are living in now, where man does the judgment.

1 Corinthians 4:3-4 says:

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

As Christ Jesus is right now, so are we in this world. We are seated at the right hand of God, just as Christ Jesus is.

Ephesians 2:6:

And hath raised us [the born-again believers] up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

We are currently seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus while we are here on earth. God provides for us, His children so that we need not fear, as there is no fear in this love of God.

1 John 4:18:

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Because our fellowship and sonship are with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, there is no fear in love! God's love is the answer to fear! God's love casts out fear. We love our Father God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind!

1 John 4:19:

We love [agapao] him, because he first loved [agapao] us.

We love God because He first loved us. He is our Father and we are his children. We are of His seed. And as God's children, we are to have the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation toward one another in His household.

1 John 4:20-21:

If a man says, I love [agapao] God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth [agapao] not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth [agapao] God love [agapao] his brother also.

God's Word says if man says he loves God and hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. If we love God, we are to love our brothers and sisters also. This is so important in today's times. You cannot love God and hate your brothers and sisters!

Just to remind us, Jesus told his disciples in John 13:34-35:

A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another.

God's Word says in Mark 3:35:

For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother and my sister, and mother.

In summary, this month's teaching taught us that as children of God we are not to believe every spirit or prophet. We also learned we are God's children, and greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. The antichrist spirits or false prophets of this world can never make you do wrong. You do wrong by choosing to allow yourself through your individual lack of knowledge of God's Word, lack of self-discipline or absence of believing.

God's Word says, "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God" shall have God dwelled in him and him in God!" The word of God is the will of God. We love God because He first loved us, He is our Father and we are his children. We are of His seed. And as God's children, we are to have the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation toward one another in His household. If we love God, we are to love our brothers and sisters also.

Father, thank you for loving us, for giving us your spirit, for calling us to your household. Thank you, Father, for a heart of love. This I pray: that our love may abound yet more and more in the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation toward our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Amen.

Next month's teaching subject: Hearts knitted together in love.

In the Lord,

Ministry of Reconciliation
Son of God through Jesus Christ
Ambassador for Christ

Back to Top