When an All-Knowing God Doesn't Know Me | Student Pastor Zach Hammond
by Zach Hammond
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: teaching
Scripture: 1 John 3:18-22, Matthew 7:21-29, Isaiah 46:9-10, Deuteronomy 30:19, John 7:17, Genesis 22:10-18, Romans 8:29-30, Romans 6:16, Romans 8:38-39, 1 John 5:13-14, Hebrews 3:12-14, Colossians 1:21-23, James 5:19-20, Galatians 5:4, Romans 11:20-22, John 15:1-6, 2 Peter 2:21

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/zach-hammond--when-an-all-knowing-god-doesn-t-know-me
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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Lord, we thank you that you brought us here this evening in Jesus' name. Jesus name. First John chapter number three. First John chapter number three. in your Bibles. If you will turn there, we will quickly get into the word of God. I hope that you uh have your Bibles tonight. We're going to do a study and I'm going to give you a lot of scripture. So, I would normally wouldn't um if you're one of those who um writing your Bibles would be uh good good opportunity for that, but um if you have something to take some notes on, um not because it's necessarily anything I'm saying, but I think it's something that you need to know. It's something that you need to be able to explain and to talk about. And so we will navigate a little bit of tension within uh some theologies and some mindsets um some thought process. A lot of questions in the Bible comes from this tension between these two realities. But it also in the process of us navigating and talking about these that this this topic and this this area of us reading the scripture, it will also naturally it's a popular word but let's just use it. It will naturally deconstruct some other denominations and theologies that are out there. Sadly, that's the case. When you preach truth, it will force you at times. It's good to see the Kanos home tonight. If you're happy to have the Kanos home, can we give them a big hand? We love you guys. We were talking about it last night. I'm like, where are the Kos at? Did they they move or they you know, you guys are doing a great work over there in Japan. We're thankful that you made it home safely and we love you all. So, just go with me tonight. If you want to make some notes, it would be a great thing I think by the end of it that you will uh come to the realization that some things that you run into in conversations with friends, with family members, with even people within the church to try to navigate things in life that come and go. So 1 John chapter 3 and verse number 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts. Everybody say assure >> our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. God knows all things. He knows everything. The end from the beginning. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. Notice the word assurance. Notice the word confidence. Notice some of these the the idea. We all want assurance, right? We want all want certainty. The question tonight, are you going to heaven? Everybody would like to answer that assuredly. Right. Right. I want certainty in that. And so he says he he says, "If your heart condemnth not, then we have confidence then then we have confidence toward God." Look at this verse 22. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. Now, I'm going to get out of the box a little bit. I rarely do this when communicating, but I want you to turn to another passage of scripture. I usually just pull from one. Let's go to Matthew 7. I'll give you just a second to get there. If I beat you there in reading Matthew 7 and verse number 21, you can look on the screen. God knows all things. We're looking for assurityity. Matthew 7 says, "Not everyone," this is Jesus. If you have read letters, this is written in red, "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of the Father which is in heaven." Ties into the end of our previous passage. You got to do the commandments. Right? He says, "Not everybody that calls me, Lord, is going to make it in, but he that doeth the will." Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works, and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken unto him as a wise man, who built his house upon a rock, and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house, and it fell not, for it was built, it was founded on a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, doeth them not, shall be like unto a foolish man who builds his house upon the sand. And the rain descends, the flood came, the wind blew, beat upon the house, and it fell. And the and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings that people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority, not as scribes. So again, even my title is going to have a little tension here, but I need you to go with me, okay? When an all- knowing God doesn't know me, when an all- knowing God doesn't know you. Would you lay your Bibles down? I want pray that God would speak to us tonight. Want to hear from heaven as we study his word on this Wednesday night. Lord, we thank you. I believe that this is a a powerful Lord, a powerful tradition that we have here at this church where we come in on Wednesday nights. We stop in the middle of the week and we set aside a time to worship you, to study your word, to come together to grow, Lord, in our knowledge and understanding. Lord, we study to show ourselves approved tonight that we be not ashamed of this gospel that you would be able to empower us and use us in our families, in our communities, Lord, in this world that we are trying to reach. Lord, speak to us tonight and go from here. We'll give you all the praise, all the glory in Jesus name we pray. Everybody said, "Amen." You may be seated tonight. I've made this statement before in speaking to our students and um at times even teaching here or preaching in the pull pit and it seems to always puzzle people. And so I wanted to kind of go in depth tonight to give an explanation scripturally of some of the tension that happens with our struggle as mankind of why things happen to us. Why is this happening? Why is that happening? How did I end up here? And I I want to I want to go ahead and and just address some things that there's a big difference between what God allows to happen to you. He allowed it to happen to Job. He allows things to happen versus things that you and I either self-inflict or others do to us. Because one is God being an all- knowing God and the other is man being man. He did not intend for Adam to sin. Man made a decision. >> There's a big difference between trials and fire and caves and things that people go through. Some are self-inflicted, some are not. So, as we navigate these things, we have to understand that God knows all things. But at the end of the end of it all, Jesus says these puzzling words of all things before you and I hopefully never hear these words. But the words that will be spoken over someone who does not hear, "Well done, thou good and faithful certain servant." We will hear, "Depart from me. I never knew you." Now, to use these words is somewhat uh somewhat interesting to me because what do you mean God? You don't know me. This contradicts other passages, brother Sullivan, where you formed me in my mother's womb according to Isaiah and Jeremiah. You you you number the hairs on my head according to your own words in Matthew and Luke. And I am fearfully and wonderfully made in your image of all people. And here you are saying you don't know me. I I I I'm I'm appalled. I'm confused. I don't understand. And what do you mean you don't know me? Isaiah 46:9 says, "Remember the former things of old. For I am God and there's none else. I am God and there's none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure." He is alpha. He is omega. He is the beginning and the end. He spoke the heavens into existence. The heavens declare his glory. The scripture goes on and on as the psalmist tries to paint the picture and the prophets describe the things that he has done and will continue to do. The heavens declare his glory. The earth is simply just his foottool. He knows all things and he feels all time and space. You and I understand that he is omnipresent. He is omnipotent. He is all the things. We could go on and on and on and on and on. But the fact and the understanding of that this all knowing God which is believed on by many Christians and and pretty much anybody who believes the Bible can believe all of those things. He created the world. He spoke it into existence. All of those things we just talked about. He's this all knowing God. Those things are easy for man to understand. But the struggle that we have is that we were created, mankind was created with the power to make a choice. This is where all of a sudden there begins to be a little bit of tension. There's two realities and these two cannot be separated. They are overlapping. They are something that have to be in conjunction for you to see that he is an all- knowing God. But mankind still has the choice, the decision to make. That is the difference between you and I and a dog. You and I and a a squirrel, so to say. You and I and a tree. You and I and anything else he's spoken to existence. You and I have been given dominion. We've been given power. We were created in his image. And we are not robots. >> There's some of us that maybe God looks down and wishes we were robots. He could have programmed us a little better, right? Yeah. But we are not robots. We were not created to just do the same thing. We have to make a decision. He says he he says in the in the gospel, he says, "Trouble's going to come, but I'm an overcoming savior. Things are going to happen. It rains on the just and the unjust." He's the beginning. He's the end. It all matters what decisions we make when life happens. How we react to things that we cannot control. This is what puzzles people for some reason is that God knows all things. You telling me, brother Hammond, that God didn't know. Go God don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. God don't know this. God don't know that. When he says, "I never knew you." What do you mean? I'm telling you that God knows every option. He knows every path. It's no different than you coming to church tonight. You could have come from Morganson Road. You could have come from Big Springs. You could have come from 321. You could have took the the the less scenic route or you could have took the scenic route, if you know what I'm saying. You could have come from this side or that side. You could have come multiple ways here. No different than many that are perhaps watching online because you're afraid it's going to snow tonight. There was two decisions. There's nothing wrong with that. But you made the decision to watch online. God bless you. It's good to see you. But there was another decision to come to the house of God, which you made. And to say that God didn't know which decision you were going to make would be wrong. But to say that God knew both decisions would be correct. He knew that if you chose to get in your car and come here and get dressed or he knew that you chose to sit on the couch in case it ices over and you wouldn't be able to get back up your driveway. The decision was yours and God knew both decisions. He knows all things. But you and I have the choice. You and I have the ability to make a decision. And sadly in our humanity and our sinful state that we were born, we don't default to doing well just because we know. Say that again. Just because you read the word of God and you know and you grew up hearing it and you grew up you you you you know you you were you've heard every message there could possibly be preached. You've read through the Bible x amount of times. You've done this. You've done that. But but the bottom line is just because you know it is not going to get you in. Well done requires doing well. We must make a decision. The power of our decisions, the power of our choices is really what I want to uh uh bring to your mind today. I I I take you to Deuteronomy chapter 30 and verse number 19. And I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death. Life and death. It's it's a choice. It's blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life. Please choose life. He says, "Thou hath both thou and thy seed that that that you and your family, you and your offspring, you and your descendants can have life. Your decisions are going to affect somebody else. Your choices are going to affect somebody." Why was I abused? Why did I go through the things that I went through? Why did these things come on me? Did God No, God didn't do that to you. That was a decision of sin of somebody before you. It's choices that sometimes put us in situations that we didn't want to be in, whether they're our own or someone else's. But there's also times where God removes the hedge and has a conversation with the devil about you and Job. He's an all- knowing. There's there's parts of this. John 7:17, if if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. Now, that's powerful. We want to know the doctrine so that we can do it. But he said, many of them that will just do his will, whether we understand or not, we will begin to understand his doctrine by doing his will. It takes a decision. It takes action. So just because you and I perhaps know the truth doesn't that that doesn't necessarily do anything. It will make you free, right? That that the truth shall make but the the opportunity for us to live in truth is that we walk in truth. It it's it's doing and teaching as Jesus's ministry was. It was not just speaking. It was action. It was engagement. It was I'm I'm going to do this. Our lives are about knowing him and making him known through our actions and our words. Let me take you to an Old Testament example that I think is very powerful. Genesis chapter 22 and verse number 10. If you have your Bibles, you'll turn there. You can follow along again once again on the screen. This is a a story that you're going to know. We have Abraham and Isaac. Isaac's the promised uh this promised child and and of all things God asked for Isaac. He says, "I want you to take Isaac up to the mountain. I want you to sacrifice and give him back to me." And it's one of the greatest stories you'll ever read. I think it's powerful for parents. If you're a parent tonight, go read this passage. It's so uh it's so descriptive and it's so interesting. Isaac takes the hand proverbally of his father goes up to the mountain to worship. Why? Because he had worshiped before. He asked where was the sacrifice? He knew what was the process of of of worship. And that's powerful in itself that he had a child that knew how to worship. And so that's something that we take note of. We want to make sure that they know how to worship, but we also want there to be enough of a healthy relationship that a child can ask a question. A child is not a they're not ashamed. They're not scared. It's open dialogue. I want my kids to learn about the things of God and for that matter the things of the world. Anything they need to know that are the oughts and the ought nots from me. I don't want them to have to go ask somebody else. Right? This is a powerful uh powerful picture of submission. Abraham is obviously submitted to God and then Isaac is submitted to his father. And so you see this perfect path, this perfect picture of submission as they walk up to the mountain and they find themselves. I just can't I can't help but just try to fathom this process of he's tying him on the altar and all the the questions is flooding Isaac's mind while the the the emotions of what am I doing is flooding Abraham's mind. And I'll pick up here in verse 10 to keep us from reading the entire story as I've tried to summarize it for you. But Abraham stretches forth his hand. We've got to this moment and this is the climax of here I am. It's actually going to happen. I'm fixing to kill the promise. I'm fixing to kill what God just gave me. Took the knife to slay his son. In verse 11 says, "And the angel Lord called unto him out of heaven and said,"Abraham, Abraham, and he said, here am I." Verse 12, "and he said, lay not thine hand upon the lad." Could you just imagine the relief? Could you imagine the overwhelm of emotions that came upon Abraham? You're not only hearing from God, but you're being overwhelmed with the fact that I I I I didn't know if I could do this to begin with, and here I am about to do it, and God stops me. Neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest God. I want to read that again. For now I know that thou fearst God. Seeest thou has not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, behold, there's a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up as a burnt offering instead for a son. And Abraham called in the name of the uh the place Jehovah Gyra, as it is said to this day, in the mount of the Lord, it shall be seen. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, sayaeth the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and has not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessings I will bless thee. Here comes the blessing. In multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and the sand is upon the seashore. And the seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. and in thy seed shall the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice. Now the question becomes you have a powerful picture. It's the perfect picture of submission from one generation to another. It's the perfect picture of obedience and God doing all the things that God promises when you obey him, he's going to take care of you. But Abraham didn't know there was a ram coming up the other side. Abraham didn't know that there was going to be a a a a a a this this this swap out for his son. He literally pulls the knife back. He's got him on the altar. And this powerful this powerful concept is here in this story that is the word from God came. Now I know that thou fearest God. So, did God not know? We go back to this puzzling question. Did Did God not know this was going? Did God not know? I mean, he's got a ram coming up the other side of them. I mean, he's got all these things happening that plays out after the fact because, you know, we know the end of the story. But Abraham's walking not knowing. And in the midst of all of this, he says, "Now I know that thou fearest God." You mean you didn't know that he feared you here or feared you there? But this is a perfect example of a moment where he's an opportunity to make a choice. Our life is built upon choice after choice after choice after choice to hear, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." So, I I I see this as being such a perfect example. And I know it's hard for you and I to wrap our minds around that that there's so much power in our decisions, but you and I, our decisions are what going to is is what's going to determine our faithfulness. His power and his faithfulness and his ever presence is never in question, but ours is. In our sinful nature, we are powerless without the Holy Ghost. We find ourselves as fickle and as lukewarm, cast out, as the scripture says, without uh without bending of the knee and calling upon the name of the Lord in prayer, without looking to the word of God. So we we see all of this that we could again we could go all throughout the scripture and see all these different things of of just us proving ourselves as humanity to be faithful unto God as he's being faithful unto us. Choose you this day whom you're going to serve. Who's on the Lord's side? It's all about a decision. So all of this put together I I want to just why you say why does all of this matter? Because I want you to understand there's no neutral. There's no form of Christianity that you just coast. There's no I'm just taking this season and just going to kind of flow with. No, no, no. Every day is a decision. Every day is a choice. And and I I want you to understand that this is a a very very very important concept that you understand that I am making a daily decision to follow God. Take up your cross daily and follow me. I die daily. It's decision upon decision upon decision that creates the character for you to be able to call yourself a Christian. a one-time experience on a Sunday morning at a youth camp, at a camp meeting, does it? >> It's consistency of choices that create the character and hopefully they become habits that you become known by your fruit. Too many times Christianity has become a bad taste in people's mouth just because they were planted and I've just been planted and I've stayed in that condition and they call themselves something that's fruitful. But I have to make a choice today. I have to make a decision today to say, "Hey, I'm going to do something. I'm going to be productive. I'm going to be in motion. I'm going to make a decision to pray. I'm going to make a decision to learn. I'm going to make a decision to be better than I was yesterday. I'm not here to compare myself to you, but I am here to compare myself to my own capacity and say, "I want to be better than I was yesterday." >> So, it becomes a series of choices. It becomes a series of decisions. No matter where you're at, whether you hate where you're at or you love where you're at, you can look back and say, "I was a decision away from either being in the good or in the bad." We are not not one of us could stand here and say that we have done this on our own. No, no, no. It's by the grace and the mercy of God. But we all know that our kids, our own lives, our own situations are are my entire life, I could look back and say if I would have made that decision on that evening or if I'd have made that decision in that car or if I'd reacted that way and if I >> it's a decision who's pl which has placed you here. It's choices. And so we see this that there are there are many things that you and I as we begin to live out as Christians, and this is something I want to just just use tonight as a teaching point. If you completely understand what I'm saying, then you're going to realize that there's other people and now that you have this thing called social media. It intrigues me to see, and I know I mentioned this when I was teaching on the oneness of God, but it intrigues me to see the number of people that follow and like people of a background of belief that is not biblical and it's threaded within every word they say. For instance, there are there are many people and I I've talked to some of our students and and and and it's just a it's a way there's this there's a a a way that is that is being portrayed that it's nothing new, but it's by it's it's this it's this term called predestination. This this definition is that simply God's sovereign eternal decree before creation that he unconditionally elects or chooses would be a more simple word. Certain individuals the elect for salvation based solely on his will and grace not on any purses decisions merit faith action by that person. It is unconditional election. It is unconditional. This is you've been selected by God before you come out the wound. When he was forming you, he went ahead and stamped you heaven. I mean, what good is the mark of the beast everybody's worried about? If you've already been marked in the womb, right? That's the doctrine here. It includes God's fornowledge, calling, justification, glorific, all of this is just for the elect. They take the verse from Romans 8 that Paul writes to the church at Rome in verse 29. For whom he did forno, he also did predestinate. Whom he did predestinate, he did also called. And whom he called, he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified. You may have heard of of the Romans road to salvation. I went to school at a non-denominal school. However, my Bible professors were all uh of the doctrine of predestination. So, I grew up with a very uh strong background in apologetics to predestination. Um, I took my Bible teachers to lunch with people like Johnny James. I took them to lunch with my grandfathers. I took them to lunch with people and we had this conversation. I couldn't fathom how they could understand this. I I still have my Bible from school. And when I set it down, brother Chris, it literally falls open to Romans 8. It baffled my mind. But as you begin to read the scripture and you really take in that he's this powerful God and you want assurance, you will get on the side that he's an all- knowing God and he can do anything and he I want this assurance that he can that no matter what I do, he's there. And what does that do? When you separate the two realities of the choice of mankind and the all powerful all- knowing God, you get a theology like predestination. You take a scripture that is first of all, you got to make sure you know that Romans 8:29 is written in past tense. It's not only written in past tense. The word spirit is mentioned over 20 times in the book of book of Romans chapter 8. These people are full of the Holy Ghost. This is the church at Rome. These people have already went through the plan of salvation. He's speaking to them because you don't predestinate an individual. You predestinate groups of individuals. >> That's the word of God. He says that before anything happened, I had a bride >> called the church, >> there's going to be a a plan that the lamb's going to be slain before the foundation of the world that before you ever sin. Why? Because he's an all knowing God. He knew whether I would choose life or I would choose death. He knew whether I would choose this path or that path. But I'll tell you this, there's not any one of us that don't have a path to choose life because he wants every single one of us to make it. >> Are you with me? >> So, we see here that this this choice, this this this Calvinistic view is there. There's even a a version of it that has branched off. It's double predestination where God also decrees repbation, overlooking sin of some sort, ordaining others this past. No matter what you do, even if you're not trying, you're going to heaven. You can do whatever you want to do. Some of you are like, "Hey, I'm joining that church." It's it's it's sad. It's it's one of those things where God there's there's no possible way we could see this and then begin to read other scripture. You you you can't live up to anything. You can't change anything. And obviously it creates this theological tension with all of scripture. And and we see that he writes this because I believe that that that he's he's really wanting Paul is really wanting us to understand the power of the church. It's it's it's the church there. Romans 8 and and you you've got to look at the whole passage because Romans 6:16 says, "Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to him ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness." He has already declared and created a foundation of obedience long before he gets to two chapters later. Again, he doesn't predestinate you and I individually. He predestinates the church. >> Are you with me? >> The church is going to make it whether you choose to be a part of it or not. Noah's ark was going to float whether they got on the boat, one or all eight of them. Are you with me? This this is a process of you and I understanding that there is the will of God. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. Nothing's going to stop the church, but I want to be a part of it. And I'm thankful to still to still understand that the church I don't know if you you you really want to understand many times the church gets it. It's kind of gets a little shaded today. It gets I don't I don't know what the best words are for it, but it kind of gets a bad rap sometimes. church does, you know, it's just a um but I I'll tell you this. It is not the will of God. I I heard Pastor Anthony Mangan say this one time. It is not the will of God for for the church the the the church to go to heaven in a wheelchair. >> That's the way he said it. He said the greatest days of the church are in front of us, not behind us. >> So, I'm thankful to be a bar part of the church. I'm going to remain to be a part of the church because that is the bride of Christ. It's the bride of Christ. Everything was already done for the church to be in its place. In fact, I don't have time to get into this tonight, but another great Bible study that I've never really heard talked about much is if there is a first Adam, brother Erikson, and a second Adam and he became he became that second Adam that he was of the earth, earthy that first Adam and the second was you you've heard all that that they they then the church would have to be the second Eve. Eve gets brought into the picture when everything's done, everything's prepared. We've already named everything. Stuff's already blooming, stuff's already happening, stuff. But I I'm thankful to be a part of the church. There's a lot of things here that that that that we can claim and we can perhaps get a little bit. We look around at the world, we can get a little frustrated. can be a little fearful and you get a but I I'm thankful that I get to come to church three times a week and be reminded that there's a lot of things that may fail and there's a lot of things that may be going under. There's a lot of things that may be uncertain, but this right here is not one of them. You can't stop the church. It's the bride of Christ. So, our choices, they matter. And I want to choose to be a part of the bride of Christ because that church is predestined. That church is predestined and I want to make a decision to be a part to be a part of it. In fact, I I believe the elect in that is whosoever will and the non-elect is whosoever won't. It's it's all a decision. Another doctrine that is based from and we'll quickly move along that is based from the idea when you separate the all- knowing God. And you want this assurance that word assurance comes in to a lot of their theology and their basis of of living is this doctrine of once-s saved always saved eternal security. Perseverance of the saints. This teaches that those who are truly saved, born again even will persevere in faith to the end. and they cannot lose their salvation. No sin, doubt, fear, personal choices or decisions can separate them from the love of God. They take Romans 8 38 and 39. Neither death nor life shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Nothing can stop it. Nothing can separate us. If you make that individual, this comes from this desire inside of us as humans to want assurance. We want certainty. We want to be able to say that nothing can come between me and you. There there is always something and that is me. It's it's my flesh. It's my decisions. So go with me for a minute. 1 John 5 and verse number 13. These things have I written unto you that you believe on the name the name of the son of God. And that name is >> And that name is >> that ye may know that ye have eternal life that you may believe on the name that name is >> of the son of God. And this is the confidence the confidence I have is in him that we have in him not in me not in someone. I have confidence in Jesus. I have confidence in the son of God. If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. Notice that John does not say hope. Notice that John doesn't say guess. Notice he doesn't wish. He says no. His letter is written so that we we believers may walk in confidence, not uncertainty. And John grounds that assurance. I want you make sure you just kind of lean in here. I'm going to make sure that I I say this just right because I want everybody to understand. But assurance, not in human emotions, not in personal performance, not in deeds done, but in Jesus Christ himself through his mercy that draws us to repentance and his grace that teaches us. The letter begins with a clear declaration here in First John. And this is a great study if you're wanting to study something at the beginning of the year that that this declaration of who Jesus is, the eternal word of life made flesh. From there, John shows that Jesus was accomplished to secure salvation. A a a an assurance. This assurance is not based upon some fickle feelings or this unshakable testimony of scripture. What greater certainty could we have than God himself in flesh? This is assurance is what we are looking for. But it's not in us. It's in him. So many who wrestle with doubt do so because they let their emotions guide their faith instead of letting faith guide their emotions. And they ride the highs and the lows of spiritual good days and bad days as though salvation were this fragile thing that is just going to be taken away at any moment and it's just based upon their mood. And John reminds us to that that assurance is steadier than that. It can't be fearful every day. And at the same time, John also warns us of this doctrine of once- saved, always saved. This false assurance. In his day, these false teachers were leading believers astray with a counterfeit gospel which distorted who Christ was. They left church in division while claiming to be saved. Yet, they betrayed their profession. They denied the seriousness of sin. They dismiss the the call of righteous living and holiness. Looking at the doctrine called once- saved always saved. Some interpret this to mean that once a person is saved, nothing, no sin, no rebellion, no unbelief, nothing could separate them from salvation. In attempting to correct the error, the other swings to the opposite extreme. And we can be we can be guilty of this as apostolic. We swing to the other side of any assurance whatsoever. And we we just want to strip our our ourselves of believers of just being so fearful that we're going to lose our salvation any moment that there's no assurance. But then on the other side of that is there's all this assurance that I just going to do whatever I want to do. I'm getting in anyway. Both are wrong. Why? Because it comes back to a decision. And the choice of mankind is what bridges the two together. I've got to choose today who I'm going to serve. So John, he offers something better. He he offers this real assurance rooted in the work of Christ while denouncing lifestyles that contradict genuine Christian faith. Assurance is not a license to sin. If sin is our persistent pattern, we have every reason to examine the authenticity of our profession of Christianity. But neither should our failures drive us into deep despair and anxiety and depression because John plainly tells us if anyone sins we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous. Thus, assurance is not firm, this flimsy, fragile thing that is is self-deceptive or something that we should be all fearful about, but it's also not something that's just we live just wildly in our sin. So, this study of first John is something I recommend especially in the area that we live in in the world where this is a very popular thought process and it's a guide for the uncertainty of the believer. It's a warning to the falsely assured and it's a steady anchor for those who look to know not simply hope that they have eternal life in Jesus Christ. So John frequently uses and you'll see it if you study this first John passage we know we know we know because he believes that believers can live with assurance. They know the truth. They know God. They know that he overcome everything on the cross. They know that he rose from the dead. They know that they can live as their assurance is in him. We have too many people that feel like they have this one-time experience and are good. Many would say tonight would ask the question, why why does why does all this matter? Why why does all this matter? Because once again, if you get this theology wrong or you take these scriptures wrong, you not only have a wrong way of thinking, you have a wrong salvation, which makes it heaven or hell. And the people who believe this way didn't just all of a sudden end up here. It was a process of questioning. It was a process of decisions. It was a process of things happening in their life they didn't understand whether self-inflicted or done by somebody else or this just happened upon them. You'll get into conversations. People will ask questions and you have to have a full understanding of this this this portion of of of how we navigate the scripture. And and I know some of you maybe have been asked these questions. Maybe you've been asked them at work. Maybe you've been in discussions with people and and and and and god forbid we don't understand or know how to answer these questions. But we also need to know that our kids are going to be asked these questions. Next generation's going to be asked these questions. And so we must study to show thyself to prove that we are not ashamed of the gospel. It matters. Why? Because he Hebrews 3:es 12-4 14 says, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be any of you an evil be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and departing from the living God, but exhort uh one another daily. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." Why it matters? Because believers must hold fast to the end. Keep pressing forward. Keep doing what you know is right. Keep doing what you >> The minute. And here's the problem. The minute you say, "Well, I don't believe that, brother Hammond." Well, the minute that we start acting like we've made it, we may not believe it in mind. Well, we are participating in action. >> There's a lot of apostolic churches I walk in that they might not claim once saved, always saved in theology, but they do in action. They act like they've worshiped him enough. They act like they've prayed to him enough. They act like they've served him enough. I've attended church my whole life. I I can miss a a night here or there. I know. The problem with that is is the obedience and the discipline and the choices are going to be what gets us. >> Just because you had an experience Sunday night don't give you the, "Oh, I can take a month off." No, no, no, no, no. God is wanting to do things in our life. Paul says to the church of Colossians, Colossians 1:21-23, "And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable." I don't know about you, but I'm thankful that he was able through his death to rescue me, to pull me out of sin. If you continue in faith, grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. Why does it matter? Because salvation is conditional >> on you continuing in the faith. >> You want assurance? Continue doing what you know is right. >> Assurance is knowing that I prayed today. Assurance is knowing that I read the word of God today. Assurance is knowing that I did everything I could. I didn't put anything in front of him. I tried to obey the ten commandments. I tried to Are you with me? >> That's why it matters. James 5:19. Brother, if any if any of you do heir from the truth and one convert him, again, all of these scriptures break down the philosophy or ideology of predestination or once saved always saved. If you can go to and from, if you can heir from and be converted to, then >> are you with me? Just just hopefully you can you can pick up what he's putting. Let let him know that he which convertth the sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death. Why does this matter? A brother can wonder from truth and be brought back. >> That that that's what it's all about. >> Rejoice with me my son which was lost. Rejoice with me my brother which was lost. Rejoice with me. I my sister which was lost. Thank God. Thank God that there is hope for us. Amen. Thank God that you weren't just predestined in the womb. Thank God that you just don't you know you're you're you're you're I hope that you're understanding what I I thank God for mercy, for grace, for an ability today to change, >> an ability today to make a decision. how contradictory it would be to these theologies to say that it is hopeful. How hopeful could it be that I couldn't make a decision to get myself out of the mess that I'm in? >> There's nothing assuring about that. There's nothing assuring that other than the the fact that I'm not going to make it, brother Lee, because I'm a sinner. I've made decisions. I've said things. You have thoughts. You you you and I have all sinned today. Don't don't act like we haven't. I just hope you've repented. Why? That's a decision. He says, "If a brother wonder, we got to bring him back." Galatians 5:4, "Christ has become of no effect unto you. Whosoever of you are justified by the law, you are fallen from grace." You can't fall from grace unless you were in grace. So, how can you? Again, you see the tension there. Romans 11:20. Well, because of unbelief, they were broken off. And thou standest by faith, and be not high-minded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and the sovereignty of God, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. Paul warns believers that they can be cut off if they stop believing. >> I'm here to challenge you tonight to realize that just because we've been doing this for however long, I know we've got students and we've got kids in classrooms, but for the most part, we've gathered here tonight with seasoned saints of God and we've not arrived. >> We're a few decisions away from having to be brought back in. We're a few dec. No, I want to choose to live for God. John 15:11, I am the true vine. My father is the husband. Every branch that is in me beareth not fruit. He has taken the way. I am the vine. You are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him. The same bring forth much fruit. If any man abide not in me, he's cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gathered them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. The branches that were in Christ can be cut off when they stop abiding. That that completely messes up the idea that we could once make a decision and that forever. No, it's a daily daily choice. Second Peter 2:21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they had known it to turn from the holy commandments delivered unto them. If it had been it'd be better for them not to know then then we we couldn't once be once saved always saved. Right? Yet in the same sense there was a another doctrine that kind of lifted its head and I'm almost done. called the light doctrine. It was all about knowledge. And they took this passage of scripture and said, "I just don't want to learn anymore, brother White. >> I ain't going to church no more. Don't tell me no more because if I don't have if I don't know it, >> but if you don't tell me nothing else, >> I'm good." Right? The problem with that is the greatest revival we would have in America today is if everybody just did what they already know. This sent Sodom and Gomorrah that didn't have no Bible. We have a Bible. >> We have the truth. You're living in the generation of knowledge. I wouldn't take that chance. But we're going to be judged based upon what we knew, the knowledge we have. But also the biggest point in that is what we did with the knowledge. What is the definition of sin? Him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not. It's just not It's not just about knowing. It's about action. It's about reaction to what we have in Revelation. I know it and now I'm going to act in it. This light over here to the left is telling me I'm done. So, go ahead and stand to your feet. I don't know. Brother Cheshar's back there. He's probably telling me to stop. So my question, my question to you in closing tonight is simply this. Does God know you? Does God know you and I? You say, "Brother Hammond, of course he knows us." Let's go back to our opening text. He's numbered the hairs on my head. He's so intrigued with me. He desires my worship. He died for me. I know. I get it. But when he just had one man and one woman, they committed sin and he asked the question, "Where art thou, Adam?" Follow it in scripture. It's quite interesting. I don't ever want God looking for me and I don't ever want God asking me questions he already knows. >> It get answer when you get in the scripture, especially when Jesus is is there in the flesh, he starts asking him questions that he already knows the answer to. It's usually not a good situation. Don't you hate that? Like there's been times I look back and I'm like, "Dad, why'd you ask me that? You already knew." He's like, "I wanted to see if you were going to be truthful, right? I wanted to see if you would be honest that your decisions have put you in the place that you're in. Do you love me, Peter? He already knew whether he did or not. He's a God who's asking a question. He's an all- knowing God who's asking a question, wanting your response. He's wanting your decision. He's wanting to see, will you choose me today? Will you pray today? Reason Job was faced with what he he he went through what he went through is because he had a well-worn path to an altar. He went and prayed on a maybe about his kids. There wasn't nothing that he had to necessarily go for, brother Thompson, but he went just in case. Job was one. He was faithful. He was upright. God knew where to find Job. You could find him over here at this altar every morning at this time. You can find them here during the prayer that's happening from sun up at sun down at about this time or that time. It's the faithfulness. They're going to read my word at this time. They're going to read my my my word at that time. It's a faithful godly decision. So, I say this to encourage somebody tonight. I'm thankful for the generations that got us here and I'm thankful for my heritage. I'm thankful for people who poured into my life. But I'm here tonight. You are here tonight based upon your choices. Your choice or your choices are greater than your childhood. >> You are shaped perhaps by your upbringing, but you are defined by your decisions. >> It was Ruth who made consistent decisions that put her in the right field. She didn't just stumble upon that. She made the decisions to get out of Moab, to get out of God's wash pot. That's what it means. Could you be in a worse situation? Ruth and Boaz don't end up where they're at making the right decision to completely derail the dysfunction of their family. All of the generations of dysfunction lead up to a few consistent choices. So your decisions today are building the character you will be tomorrow. You and I simply, you've heard it, you've seen it maybe on a billboard, you've seen it on social media, but you and I are what we repeatedly do. So I ask you, are you walking in the faithfulness of God? Because I want my faithfulness to please him. I want to hear well done. Thou good and faithful servant. I want to know him, but I got to make him known. The only way I can make him known is fruitfulness. Doing the right thing. So, I challenge you, challenge you, study first John. Read that passage. Understand and know the scripture. Don't fall prey to the ideas and the philosophies and the theologies are being pedled all over the internet as you scroll through things. And if you're not careful again, you'll claim to be the apostolic, the apostles doctrine and believe those things in your mind, but you will fall fall so deep into the idea that I'm just where I need to be. And that's the furthest thing from the truth. God has something greater for you and your family in 2026. Could you lift your hands and let's pray this evening? Lord, we thank you so much for your goodness. I thank you for your word. I thank you for all that you've done for us time and time and time again, Lord. And my life is a response. My life is simply a returning, God, to your goodness, Lord. And I want to make every decision, Lord, that's choosing life. I want to make every choice, God, that's going to be the character that you would have me be, God. Lord, I pray for every father. I pray for every mother, God. Every college age student that's in this room tonight, Lord, to each one of our trendsetters, Lord. each one of our Lord the the faithful saints even those that are watching online tonight Lord that are not able to be here God I pray that you would help us to take inventory God of the decisions daily that we make God Lord I pray that you would move upon our hearts and minds Lord help us to reach our community in Jesus' name we pray everybody said amen >> God bless you dismissed tonight thank you for being here please be careful going