“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20 ESV)

The truth is not in the hypocrite

“Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4 ESV)

The hypocrite’s heart is far from God

“You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (Matt. 15:7-9 ESV)

Hypocrites won’t escape God’s judgement

“Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”

Covered things will be revealed

“Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Luke 12:2 ESV)

The answer to hypocrisy

“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” (Matt. 7:5 ESV)

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:11-12 ESV)

Where demons came from

“Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” (Rev. 12:7-9 ESV)

Test the spirits to see whether they are from God

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1 ESV)

Some will depart from the faith by deceitful spirits and demon teachings

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” (1 Tim. 4:1 ESV)

Demons oppress many

“That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.” (Matt. 8:16 ESV)

Fortune telling and divination is from demons

“As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.” (Acts. 16:16-18 ESV)

Demons are subject to the Name of Jesus

“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10:17 ESV)

Believers will cast out demons

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues.” (Mark. 16:17 ESV)

Jesus appeared to destroy the works of the devil

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8 ESV)

Jesus within you is greater than the devil in the world

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 ESV)

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Pet. 2:9 NIV)

When I was a child attending grade school I was the smallest kid in my class. I had been born early and weighed only a pound and a half. It took me many years to catch up to the others in my age group and I was usually a head shorter than everyone else. Being the smallest in the class put me at the bottom of the list to be chosen on any team sport. I remember well the humiliation of always being the last kid chosen in any lineup.

In the passage at top we learn some wonderful news about being chosen by God

• You are a chosen people. Chosen means to be selected, picked, appointed, elected, favored, hand-picked.
• You are a royal priesthood. A priest acts as an ambassador, a chosen vehicle through whom God has chosen to serve the people and represent Him, on His behalf.
• You are a holy nation. Defined as a kingdom of people who are sacred, consecrated, sanctified, revered, and blessed. 
• You are God’s special possession. Which is the state of ownership, care, custody, charge and guardianship.

And the reason God chose you

• So that you can declare the praises of God. “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!” (Psalms 150:1-6 ESV)
• Because He called you out of darkness. “To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (Acts 26:18 ESV)
• Because He brought you into His wonderful light. “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

 “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” (Luke 2:52 NLT)

“And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.” (1 Sam. 2:26 NIV)

I had a lot to learn

I remember very early on, shortly after I had received Christ, I was leading a Bible study in a Christian coffee house. In the group was a woman who had been a Christian for many years. After the study she said to me, “Young man, you’ve got a lot to learn!” She was certainly correct! It’s been almost 50 years since then, and I’m still learning and growing.

God will continue His work within you

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Phil. 1:6 NLT)

Press on towards the goal in Jesus Christ

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:12-14 ESV)

Grow up in your salvation

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Pet. 2:2-3 NIV)

Be rooted and built up in Him

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Col. 2:6-7 NIV)

Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2 Pet. 3:18 NIV)

Practice and immerse yourself to see progress

“Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.” (1 Tim. 4:15 ESV)

 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:9-10 ESV)

God is faithful and will provide

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13 ESV)

You can rejoice in sufferings

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom. 5:3-5 ESV)

He is greater than the enemy

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 ESV)

God will strengthen you

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13 ESV)

God will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10 ESV)

 Love your enemies and pray for them

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. (Luke 6:27-29 NIV)

Do to others what you’d have then do to you

“Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:30-31 NIV)

Even sinners love those who love them

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.” (Luke 6:32-34 NIV)

Don’t expect anything back

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.” (Luke 6:35 NIV)

God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked

“Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ((Luke 6:35-36 NIV)

 “One Lord, one faith, one baptism…” (Eph. 4:5 ESV)

Not long after receiving Christ as my personal savior I was baptized. I had read the Scriptures about being baptized and wanted to be obedient to God’s Word regarding the matter.

The baptism of Jesus

“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.” (Matt. 3:16 ESV)

All were baptized

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22 ESV)

Baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 28:19 ESV)

We were buried with Him in Baptism

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4 ESV)

You were raised with him through faith

“Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.” (Col. 2:12-13 ESV)

 “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1 ESV)

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

- The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America- July 4, 1776

You are called to freedom

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Gal. 5:13 ESV)

There is freedom where the Spirit of the Lord is

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:17 ESV)

Live as free people serving God

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

Freedom from sin leads to eternal life

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” (Rom. 6:22 ESV)

 The way we previously were… dead in our transgressions and sins

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Eph. 2:2-3 NIV)

But then, God made us alive in Christ by grace

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Eph. 2:4-5niv)

And next, God raised us up with Christ and seats us in heavenly places with Jesus

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…” (Eph. 2:6 NIV)

And He did it for a reason

“…in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:7 NIV)

And it happened by the gift of God’s grace though faith

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV)

We are therefore God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10 NIV)