“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)

 “But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” (John 6:20 ESV)

Jesus’ absolute “I am” statements

We can learn a lot about Jesus by reading His “I am” statements in the Bible. Here are some absolute “I am” statements that He made about Himself.

Jesus said, “Unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins”

“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24 ESV)

Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he”

“So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.” (John 8:28 ESV)

Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am.”

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58 ESV)

When Jesus was betrayed He said , “I am He.”

“They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.”1 Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.” (John 18:5 ESV)

“…for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11 NASB)

Webster’s dictionary of Lord: having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler. leader, chief, superior, monarch, sovereign, king, emperor, prince, governor, commander. The Bible definition of Lord: the name for God, it means that he is above all other things; a name that we use for Jesus; we use it when we obey him; someone with authority.

Jesus Christ is Lord

“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11 NASB)

There is one Lord, Jesus Christ

“…yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” (1 Cor. 8:6 NASB)

He is Lord of lords and King of kings

“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” (Rev. 17:14 NASB)

Preach Christ as Lord

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.” (2 Cor. 4:5 NASB)

Confess with your heart Jesus as Lord

“…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9 NASB)

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart

“…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” (2 Peter 3:15 NASB)

Do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Col. 3:17 NASB)

If you call Him Lord, then do what he says

“Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 NIV)

 “Enlarge the place of your tent; Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not; Lengthen your cords And strengthen your pegs.” (Isa. 54:2 NASB)

Ask God to bless you and enlarge your territory

“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.” (1 Chron. 4:10 NIV)

Ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 ESV)

Your Father who is in heaven gives good things to those who ask him!

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:7-11 ESV)

So that you may abound in every good work

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8 ESV)

 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:58 ESV)

Sometime progress is slow in coming and just plain hard work. When my children were small I was building a fence in my back yard. My son, Matthew, was watching me. I looked up from my work and said to him, “Inch by inch it’s a synch, and by the yard it’s hard!” And without missing a beat he said, “And, by the mile it’s a pile.”  We both laughed. Truth is, most jobs eventually get done if you just stick with them and don’t quit.

Don’t quit

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9 ESV)

Remain steadfast

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV)

Run with endurance the race set before you

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Heb. 12:1 ESV)

It produces character

“And endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” (Rom. 5:4 ESV)

 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-11 ESV)

In the above passage is a list of “the unrighteous” who “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” The passage warns us not to be deceived about this.

This list includes…

• sexually immoral: From the Greek por·neiʹa, where we get the English word pornography. This word is also translated as “whoredom,” “fornication,” and “idolatry.” It means “a surrendering of sexual purity”. It is any type of sexual expression outside the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship (Matthew 19:4–5).

• Idolaters: image-worship or divine honor paid to any created object. Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Romans 1:21-25

• adulterers: adultery generally refers to sexual relations by a married person—either a man or a woman—with someone other than his or her mate.

• homosexuality: God created humans to engage in sex only within the arrangement of marriage between a male and a female. (Genesis 1:27, 28; Leviticus 18:22; Proverbs 5:18, 19)

• thieves: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 19:10 NASB)

• greedy: a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed. “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5 ESV)

• drunkards: a drunkard is person who is habitually drunk. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18 KJV)

• revilers: to reproach angrily and abusively. “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” (Matthew 5:11)

• swindlers: someone who lies or scams to get someone’s money.

What a list! If you look at what we in America entertain ourselves with in our music, tv shows, and movies, you will notice that it’s about participating in the things on the list.

Such were some of you!

The good news is there is hope for those guilty of participating in any of the things mentioned on the above list! The passage continues with, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11 ESV)

You become a new creation

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV)

 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exo. 20:12 ESV)

Complete disrespect!

I happened on a modern sitcom while flipping through the channels (I don’t usually watch them) and I was taken aback by how the main character, a teenage youth, addressed his parents. He called them by their first names, never mom or dad, laughed at them and treated them with complete disrespect. Each time he referred to them in an unflattering manner, the laugh track responded loudly. What really bothered me was that the show was teaching young viewers that it is acceptable to disrespect their parents. According to the Bible this is very dangerous. The Bible commands children to honor their parents and gives the promise that when they do, “It may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Sadly, if children don’t honor their parents the opposite will be true! Things WILL NOT go well for them, and they WILL NOT live long in the land!

For this is right (means it’s righteous)

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” (Eph. 6:1-3 ESV)

Those who resist will incur judgement

“Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Rom. 13:2 ESV)

A sign of the end times

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5 ESV)

Continue to honor them when they are old

“Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” (Prov. 23:22 NIV)

 “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)