I got to be honest with you, at great risk and peril to myself,
I have brought something into this sanctuary.
I know what I'm about to show you, there may be a rush upon me in the pulpit
to try to grab what's in this box.
You might be live streaming right now and you might want to start bidding on things,
but this is not for anyone's purchase.
I hold in my hand this dazzling rock.
Now, I've estimated that if this is a diamond, a real diamond, it's about 600 or 700 carats,
which puts it in like the $150, $200 million range.
Now, you may be wondering some questions.
How have I come across this $150 to $200 million diamond, if it is a diamond?
Now, the question is, how do you know this thing is for real?
How do you know this thing is genuine?
And the way you go about finding whether this particular rock in my hand is genuine
would be to ask some questions, perform some tests.
So the first question you could ask me is,
Pastor Mike, are you and Jenny millionaires without us knowing?
And the easy answer is no, not even close.
So we're not millionaires.
We couldn't afford to buy a $150 to $200 million rock like this.
And if we had it, I wouldn't anyway.
Now, you might ask a different kind of question.
You might, okay, Mike, let's analyze the actual composition of this thing in your hand.
So you're like, if I were to take a 10-pound sledgehammer and bring it down on top of that thing in your hand,
what would happen?
If it were to shatter, I'm guessing that's glass.
But if my 10-pound sledgehammer bounced off that thing, maybe it is a diamond.
Here's another test.
Let's say that you just happen to have a cauldron in your basement that can heat up to about 2,600 to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you drop that this in that, would it melt like wax?
And if that's the case, it's glass.
Or would it stand the test?
Now, here's a question that would really get at the heart of things.
Mike, how did you acquire this thing?
And if I told you I bought it at Hobby Lobby for $9.39,
I think you guys would be like, okay, well, that's kind of cleared it up.
Tests.
How do you know something is the genuine real deal?
You test it.
And in the book of 1 John,
the apostle John sends us a series of tests
to test us
to whether we're genuinely
born of God,
children of God,
followers of Jesus.
And all throughout the book of 1 John,
there is this cycling of tests,
three tests.
There is the belief test.
Do you believe the truth about Jesus Christ,
that He's fully God and fully man,
and died as a propitiation for our sins?
And then there's the obedience test,
the test of saying,
do you obey the commands of Jesus?
Do you obey God's commands in His words?
Are you walking as Jesus Himself walked,
1 John 1.6?
We're going to be looking at the obedience test today.
The third test is the love test,
to abound in love.
Do you love as God loves?
Do you love the other children of God,
bought by the blood of Jesus,
as God loves them?
So when we can sum up these tests
as the belief tests,
the obedience test,
and the abound.
Believe,
obey,
and abound in love.
And this morning,
as I mentioned,
we're looking at the obedience test.
This test actually spans
1 John 2.28-3.10.
And what we see happening in these verses
is that John connects our present obedience,
what he calls practicing righteousness in 2.29.
He connects them to the appearing of Jesus Christ.
In fact,
he connects them to two appearings of Jesus Christ.
In our section that I'm going to preach this morning,
in chapter 2.28-33,
he connects our present obedience
to the future appearing of Jesus.
And in verses 3,
chapter 3,
verse 4-10,
he connects our present obedience
to the past appearing of Jesus Christ.
So,
for the next two weeks,
part 1 and part 2,
the obedience test
of present obedience to Jesus
because of the appearing of Jesus.
So,
here's the big idea.
If you're following me along,
if you want to jot these down
in the back of your bulletins,
here's the big idea.
Christian,
your future hope
fuels
your present obedience.
Child of God,
your future hope
in Christ,
in His coming,
in His glory,
motivates
your present obedience
to Christ.
Future hope
fuels
present obedience.
And so,
the way that we're going to go about this
is I'm going to ask you
three diagnostic questions
about your present obedience
with an eye
to the future coming of Jesus.
So,
let's look at
this first
diagnostic question.
will you stand
before Him
confident
or will you
shrink
from Him
in shame
when He comes?
Let me read
1 John
chapter 2
28-33
and now
little children
abide in Him
so that when He appears
we may have confidence
and not shrink from Him
in shame
at His coming.
If you know
that He is righteous
you may be sure
that everyone
who practices righteousness
has been born of Him.
See what kind of love
the Father has given us
that we should be called
children of God
and so
we
are.
The reason
why the world
does not know us
is that it did not
know Him
beloved.
We are God's children
now
and what we will be
has not yet appeared
but we will
we know
that when He appears
we shall be like Him
because we shall
see Him
as He is
and everyone
who thus hopes
in Him
purifies himself
as He is pure
now.
So,
when He comes
will you stand
before Him
confident
or will you
shrink from Him
in fear?
Let me just
establish
just
a couple
things first.
First,
Jesus is coming
back.
If you flip back
in your Bibles
to Matthew
chapter 25
it's at the end
of the first book
of the New Testament.
Jesus has entered
into Jerusalem
He's just days
hours away
from being crucified
and He is explaining
to those listening
what's going to happen
at the end times.
And one of the things
that's going to happen
is He's coming back.
And so in chapter 25
verse 31
Jesus says this
about Himself.
When the Son of Man
comes in His glory
and all the angels
with Him
then He will sit
on His glorious throne.
Jesus is coming back.
Jesus has said
He's coming back.
He has foretold us
because He's our
great prophet
that He's coming back.
What we know
even from Billy's reading
of 1 Thessalonians 5
is that He's coming back
suddenly
like a thief.
He's coming back
at a time
no one knows
the day or the hour.
Matthew 24 verse 36.
And when He comes back
everyone will see it.
It will be undeniable.
You look at Revelation 1-7
and all the nations
of the world
apart from Him
are going to groan
at His coming.
It's going to be obvious
for all.
It is the game changer.
He's coming back.
But the second thing
you need to know
about His coming
is that when He comes back
He will judge
all humanity
that ever lived.
If you still have your finger
in Matthew 25
in verse 32
we read
before Him
the Son of Man
sitting on His throne
as a king
before Him
will be gathered
all the nations.
And He
will separate people
one from another
as a shepherd
separates the sheep
from the goats.
It's a picture of judgment.
And He will place
the sheep
on His right hand
but the goats
on the left.
Then the king
Jesus
will say to those
on His right
come
you are blessed
by my Father
and inherit
the kingdom
prepared for you.
Come on in.
And then in verse 41
then He will say
to those on His left
depart from me
you cursed
into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil
and his angels.
When He comes back
He's going to judge
all humanity.
He's going to separate
all humanity
as those who have
trusted in Him
and lived for Him
and those who have not.
In 2 Corinthians 5.10
we read this
that every Christian
will stand before
the judgment of seed
not just to say
welcome in
but Jesus will
judge them
on what they have
done for Him.
we will stand
before the judgment
seat of Christ
to receive what is due
for what He has done
each has done
in the body
whether good or evil.
Again this
2 Corinthians 5.10
is not a judgment
of whether or not
you belong to Jesus
but a judgment
of reward
for how you've
invested your life
for Jesus
on earth.
That's why
2 Corinthians 5.11
says
Paul says
knowing the fear
of the Lord
I'm going to be judged
by Him someday
I persuade others
now.
Every one of us
will stand before
Jesus
when He appears
and to give an account
for how we have
lived our life.
So let me bring you
back to
1 John 2.28
When we read
and now little children
abide in Him
so that when He appears
we may have confidence
and not shrink from Him
in shame
at His coming
when He appears
and His coming
are talking about
the same thing
when He comes back
and when He judge.
When He appears
will you stand
before Him
and have confidence?
confidence.
It's a really
interesting word
in Greek.
It literally means
to speak boldly.
To say
I've got nothing
to hide.
Could you imagine
Jesus coming back
in His glory
and you stand
before Him
and be able to say
I've got nothing
to hide.
It's not a confidence
in your own righteousness
as though your salvation
is riding on it.
You can't save yourself.
Only the finished work
of Jesus
His righteousness
imputed to you
can save you.
So what's the confidence in?
It's in the confidence
of saying
now that He has saved me
I have given
everything I can
for Him
without regret.
I've lived my life
as best I could
for the one
who gave His life
for me.
And to be able
to stand before Jesus
and say
Jesus I wish
I had more years
to have given to you.
I wish I had more lives
to give to you
to bring more people
to you
to declare your praises
to live for your glory
to practice righteousness.
I wish I had more time.
Not because you're looking
to earn salvation
but in response
to what He's done
for you
as worship
unto Him.
I only wish
I had more time.
Will you stand
before Him
with confidence
oh Jesus
only if I had
more to give
or
will you shrink
from Him
in shame?
All of us
know what shame is.
All of us
know what it's like
to have a reckoning
with someone
like our parents
or our teachers
coaches
bosses
you name it
we all know
what it's like
to have a reckoning
with someone
and we don't
want to be seen
we don't want
to make eye contact
because we've got
nothing to show.
Could you imagine
a blood bought
follower of Jesus
standing before Him
upon His return
and shamefully
not wanting
to make eye contact
with Christ
because they know
they've wasted
their life?
Could you imagine
that?
Having wasted
your life
for living
for the things
that this
present world
says is important
but in the end
it just
passes away.
Could you imagine
someone living
decades
of their life
having given
their life
to things
that are
lesser
and temporary
and you've got
to explain
yourself
to Jesus?
C.T. Studd
wrote a book
or wrote a poem
it's probably
my favorite
poem
yours
stands up
just one life
which will soon
be passed
only what's done
for Christ
will last
will you be honest
with yourself
this morning
if Jesus
were to appear
this afternoon
and you found
yourself standing
before Him
would you stand
with confidence
oh Jesus
only if I had
more time
I would do
so much more
for you
or would you
not want to
make eye contact
with Him
would you be
ashamed
well I've got
good news
for you
there's a way
to avoid
the shame
on that day
it's right here
in our text
and now
little children
abide
in Him
so that
purpose clause
when He appears
we may have
confidence
and not shrink
from Him
and shame
at His coming
do you know
how not to be
ashamed on that day
you abide
in Him
now
you abide
in Him
now
and you can be
confident
before Him
on that day
Jesus
pictures
this
abiding
relationship
as an
ongoing
dependent
relationship
to Him
where you
are
perpetually
recognizing
Him
as who
He claims
to be
King of kings
and Lord of lords
the source
of life
and you
are
seeking
to constantly
obey
what He's
told you
to do
out of obedience
to Him
when you live
like that
you are
a branch
abiding
to Jesus
the vine
I am the vine
you are the branches
anyone who abides
in me and I in him
bears much fruit
practices righteousness
for apart from me
you can do nothing
imagine Jesus
is the son
of our solar system
and we are
planets
in abiding
orbit
around Him
and we are
orbiting around Him
with joy
knowing who He is
obeying what He says
and we give Him
all the glory
any glory we have
is coming off
of His glory
in verse 29
we read
if you know
that He is righteous
you may be sure
that everyone
who practices righteousness
has been born of Him
if you know
that Jesus
is righteous
if He is pure
and He is pure
if He is good
He is good
if He is holy
He is holy
and if He is honorable
He is honored
in heaven
above all else
right now
if you know this
about Jesus
and you are abiding
in Him
you can be sure
anyone
yourself included
who is practicing righteousness
who is seeking
to be pure
who is seeking
to be good
who is seeking
to be holy
who is seeking
to live an honorable life
in God's eyes
that that person
has been born of God
too
born of Him
the Father
this is the first time
this phrase
born of Him
is used
in the first John
and it's going to be used
nine times
in the rest of the book
if you have
been born of God
you have been
made alive
by the Spirit of God
you've been regenerated
it's John 3
and you have
a whole new set
of desires
for your God
because you're
now His child
and now
you have an inclination
of heart
to practice righteousness
to please Him
practicing righteousness
is a shared fruit
of all who belong
to God
all who are born of God
and it resonates
with one another
if you're not practicing
righteousness
but
and you're not abiding
in Jesus
you need to start
asking a question
are you in fact
a child of God
and if you come
to the conclusion
that I don't think
I am
the solution is
trust in Jesus
turn from your sins
turn from what
you're trusting
and that's not Jesus
and turn to Jesus
who will light you up
and deliver you
from your sins
when Jesus returns
will you stand
before Him confident
or will you shrink
from Him in fear
and the solution is
abide in Him now
and you will be confident
before Him then
our future hope
fuels our present
obedience
the second question
is this
do you know
who you belong to now
and who you belong to
no longer
you
Christian
you cannot
forget
who you are
when the
when the Apostle John
finishes writing
verse 29
and he finishes
with those words
has been born
of Him
born of the Father
that moves
John
onto a topic
that never got
old for him
here's John
writing in his 70s
and what he's about
to say to us
is high
hearted
joy
and you can tell
because one of the
things he does
is he includes
himself
in what he has
to say
see what kind
of love
the Father
has given
to
us
that we
should be called
children of God
and so we are
that should be an
exclamation point
not a period
Christian
you must
be thoroughly
convinced
of God's
out of this world
love
for you
you know
when I was
writing this sermon
I was thinking
that
another option
for this
second
diagnostic
question
would be
this
when you
think about
God's
love
Christian
do you
think of
God's
love
as
general
and
ordinary
like
wallpaper
or
do you
think of
God's
love
as
particular
to
you
and
extraordinary
that
he
would
love
you
there's
this
little
phrase
what
kind
see
what
kind
of love
the
father
has
given
to
us
that
is
a
bigger
deal
than
what
the
English
seems
to
convey
it's
one
word
in
Greek
and it
basically
means
this
you're
not
from
around
here
out
of the
country
out
of this
world
extraordinary
Matthew
8
Jesus
is
on the
sea
of
Galilee
in a
boat
with his
disciples
in the
sea
of
Galilee
is
raging
it's
crazy
Jesus
is
sleeping
his
disciples
are
freaking
out
and
they
finally
say
let's
wake
up
the
master
and
they
say
save
us
we're
perishing
Jesus
says
where's
your
faith
and
then
he
gets
up
stands
up
and
he
rebukes
the
wind
and
the
waves
and
it's
completely
calm
and
you
know
what
the
disciples
then
say
he's
not
from
around
here
who
is
this
guy
he's
not
from
this
country
and
they
were
amazed
they
marveled
this
word
used
of
Jesus
in
Matthew
8
is
being
used
here
in
1
John
3
1
of
God's
love
for
us
it's
extraordinary
it's
out of
this
world
what
kind
of
love
is
this
love
that
God
so
committed
to
us
that
he
would
even
call
us
his
children
you
got to
understand
something
brothers
and
sisters
he
doesn't
love
us
because
we're
lovable
we
are
yes
his
image
bearers
but
we've
rejected
him
we've
rebelled
against
him
and
we
followed
the
prince
of
the
power
of
the
air
for
some
duration
of
our
lives
and
he
loved
us
still
what
kind
of
love
is
that
we
were
his
enemies
and
now
we
are
his
children
because
of
his
out
of
this
world
love
for
us
he
loves
us
from
heaven
here
extraordinary
Romans 5
8
but God
demonstrates
his own
love
towards
us
and that
while we
were yet
sinners
Christ
died
for us
he
didn't
love
us
because
we
are
lovable
but
because
he
is
loving
because
he
is
good
because
he's
kind
and by
his
sovereign
grace
he
chose
us
in
his
love
from
before
the
foundation
of
the
world
for
himself
you
can't
earn
it
it's
right
there
see
what
kind
of
love
the
father
has
given
to
us
it's
a
gift
you
can't
earn
this
love
but
we
forget
amidst
COVID
spikes
amidst
racially
tension
tense
moments
in our
city
amongst
political
upheavals
in our
nation
we
lose
sight
of
that
we
have
these
screaming
nows
in our
face
and we
lose
sight
of
God's
great
love
for
us
not
to
mention
the
constant
press
from
our
culture
to
think
just
as
isolated
individuals
to
think
materialistically
to
prize
entertainment
and check
out
in all
this
stuff
we
forget
who
we
are
and
John
says
at the
end
of
in the
middle
of
3
1
and
so
we
are
exclamation
point
children
of
God
loved
by
God
the
father
that's
who
you
are
that's
who
I
am
that's
who
you
are
and
we
can
never
forget
about
it
imagine
what
happens
when
you
start
living
your
life
and
you
have
this
track
on
replay
in
your
mind
that
says
something
like
this
God
loves
me
not
because
I'm
lovable
but
he
is
loving
God
loves
me
and
I'm
his
child
and
he's
my
heavenly
father
could
you
imagine
what
happens
when
you
thinking
about
that
and
walking
through
your
life
I
need
to
tell
you
something
if
you
are
meditating
on
God's
love
for
you
you're
going
to
grow
in
faith
in
what
God
says
about
you
and
you're
going
to
grow
confident
and
you're
going
to
have
a
growing
distaste
for
sin
here's
why
God's
love
for
you
isn't
just
a
rub
your
back
kind
of
love
God's
love
for
you
child
of
God
is
a
purifying
love
it's
a
holy
love
it's
a
Hebrews
12
discipline
of the
father
who
is
seeking
for
us
to
share
in
his
holiness
and
harvest
a
harvest
of
joy
love
his
love
for
us
is
a
Romans
8
seeking
to
conform
us
to
the
image
of
his
beloved
son
in
holiness
love
that's
how
he's
going
to
love
us
and
that's
why
we
live
in
contrast
to
the
world
it's
right
there
in
the
text
the
reason
why
the
world
does
not
know
us
is
that
it
did
not
know
him
the
world
is
the
unregenerate
humanity
regard
us
they
don't
hold
us
in
high
esteem
we
used
to
live
among
them
we
get
it
we
know
why
and
they
don't
hold
us
in
high
regard
because
they
don't
regard
him
that
could
either
be
the
father
or
Jesus
what
we
can
say
is
they
don't
have
high
regard
for
our
great
triune
God
you
used
to
be
part
of
the
world
but
when
God
in
his
love
called
you
as
his
child
to
himself
he
called
you
out
of
the
world
and
as a
result
of being
born
of
God
we
have
these
new
inclinations
to
love
God
and
to
long
for
the
return
of
Jesus
which
fuels
our
present
obedience
let
me
ask
you
the
last
question
who
or
what
are
you
putting
your
hope
in
who
or
what
are
you
putting
your
hope
in
we
see
this
in
verses
two
and
three
if
you're
a
child
of
God
you
are
loved
by
God
you
abide
in
Christ
now
to be
confident
before
Christ
then
and
what
we're
going
to
see
now
is
when
you
hope
in
the
Jesus
of
then
when
he
comes
in
his
glory
you
will
become
like
Jesus
now
beloved
we are
God's
children
now
and
what
we
will
be
has
not
yet
appeared
but
we
know
that
when
he
appears
we
shall
be
like
him
because
we
shall
see
him
as
he
is
and
everyone
who
thus
hopes
in
him
purifies
himself
as
he
is
pure
hope
is
a
very
interesting
word
the
biblical
use
of
hope
and
the
world's
use
of
hope
are
two
very
different
meanings
of
hope
the
world
uses
hope
more
along
the
lines
of
wishful
thinking
it's
like
wouldn't
it
be
really
good
if
this
happened
or
that
happened
wouldn't
it
be
really
good
if
this
vaccine
came
in
and
we
got
everybody
vaccinated
and
there
was
no
more
COVID-19
that's
a
hope
there's
no
promises
wouldn't
it
be
really
good
if
when
Joe
Biden
becomes
our
president
things
just
dramatically
change
and
there's
peace
in
our
country
no
promises
wouldn't
it
be
really
good
if
there's
no
more
racial
tension
in
the
city
of
Kenosha
and
we
don't
have
to
see
those
kind
of
block
hadings
of
Sheridan
anymore
no
promises
the
world's
hope
gives
no
real
substance
to
set
your
heart
fully
upon
biblical
hope
is
a
forward
aimed
faith
in
the
rock
solid
promises
of
God's
word
biblical
hope
is
a
faith
filled
confidence
that
God
will
be
faithful
to
all
of
his
promises
so
the
question
is
what
kind
of
hope
have
you
been
hoping
with
have
you
been
hoping
with
a
small
h
world's
hope
you
know
that
because
you're
suffering
great
disappointment
and fear
or
have
you
been
hoping
with
capital
h
hope
the
promise
that
Jesus
is
coming
back
and
you
will
see
him
in
1
John
3
2
John
reminds
us
that
we
are
living
between
the
already
and
the
not
yet
we
are
now
God's
children
because
of what
Christ
has
done
but
what
we
will
be
has
not
yet
appeared
what
we
will
be
now
that's
an
interesting
phrase
that
kind of
grabs
my
attention
a little
bit
what
we
will
be
so
it
sounds
as
like
John
is
saying
who
I
am
right
now
in my
present
state
is
not
going
to
be
what
I
will
be
in
my
final
state
Christian
your
present
state
of
being
and
that
body
of
yours
with
all
those
sinful
desires
of
yours
is
not
your
final
state
of
being
your
final
state
of
being
depends
upon
Christ's
appearing
look at
verse
two
beloved
we are
God's
children
now
and
what
we
will
be
has
not
yet
appeared
but
we
know
that
when
he
appears
we
shall
be
like
him
because
we
shall
see
him
as
he
is
our
present
state
is not
our
final
state
and
our
final
state
will
take
place
at
his
appearing
when
we
see
him
and
we'll
be
like
him
his
appearing
is
the
same
word
that
we
saw
in
2
28
and
it's
actually
the
same
word
that
shows
up
in
1
John
1
2
when
the
life
is
made
manifest
the
life
appears
speaking
of
Jesus
life
appears
and
John
says
and
we
behold
him
and
we
bear
testimony
to
him
he's
talking
about
the
first
appearing
of
Jesus
here
we're
talking
about
the
second
appearing
of
Jesus
and
you
will
see
him
you
will
see
him
and
you
will
see
him
as
he
is
and
when
we
see
him
as
he
is
in
that
moment
we'll
be
made
like
him
turn
into
your
Bibles
to
Philippians
chapter
3
verse
20
and
21
hear
God's
word
but
our
citizenship
is
in
heaven
and
from
heaven
we
await
a
savior
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
that's
hope
it
goes
on
who
will
transform
our
lowly
body
to
be
like
his
glorious
body
by
the
power
that
enables
him
even
to
subject
all
things
to
himself
in other
words
when
he
comes
back
we
get
transformed
by
his
power
in a
likeness
of
his
glory
brother
and
sister
you've
got
a
resurrection
body
coming
if you
flip back
a little
bit more
to
first
Corinthians
15
talking
about
the
return
of
Jesus
I
tell
you
this
is
verse
50
I
tell
you
this
brothers
flesh
and
blood
cannot
inherit
the
kingdom
of
God
nor
does
the
perishable
inherit
the
imperishable
that
means
we
got
a
problem
because
we
can't
enter
into
the
kingdom
of
glory
as
we
are
behold
Paul
says
I
tell
you
a
mystery
we
shall
not
all
sleep
but
we
will
all
be
changed
in a
moment
in the
twinkling
of an
eye
at the
last
trumpet
for
the
trumpet
imperishable
and we
shall
be
changed
at his
coming
for
this
perishable
body
must
put
on
the
imperishable
and this
mortal
body
must
put
on
immortality
when
the
perishable
puts
on
the
imperishable
and when
the
mortal
puts
on
immortality
then
shall
come
to
pass
the
saying
that
is
written
death
is
swallowed
up
in
victory
oh
death
where
is
your
victory
oh
death
where
is
your
sting
we
will
be
singing
that
when
Jesus
comes
back
and
we
see
him
face
to
face
we
will
see
him
as
he
is
when
he
comes
back
he's
going
to
come
back
in
glory
and
we
will
be
immediately
dramatically
completely
and
eternally
changed
as
he
is
your
present
state
isn't
your
final
state
and
your
final
state
will
be
like
Jesus
in
his
glory
so
here's
what
that
means
now
because
of
what
Christ
has
done
sin's
penalty
has
been
paid
for
us
amen
now
because
of
what
Jesus
has
done
sin's
power
has
been
broken
for
us
but
we
still
struggle
right
then
when
he
comes
sin's
presence
is
going
to
be
completely
eradicated
because
we
shall
be
like
him
hope
do we
have
any
glimpses
of
Jesus
in
his
glorious
state
that
you
can
set
your
heart
on
we
do
in
Matthew
17
2
the
transfiguration
we
get a
little
glimpse
of
Jesus
in
his
glory
but
I
want
to
aim
you
at
revelation
1
12
through
16
revelation
19
11
through
16
revelation
21
22
through
27
these
are
all
depictions
of
Jesus
in
his
glorious
state
and
when
you
start
setting
your
heart
on
the
wonders
of
these
depictions
of
Jesus
in
his
brilliance
you
will
find
hope
and
motivation
to
say
no
to
sin
now
it's
biblical
hope
it's
forward
aimed
faith
in
the
promise
of
God's
word
that
we
will
be
like
him
we
will
see
him
as
he
is
and
here's
the
effect
chapter
three
verse
three
and
everyone
who
thus
hopes
in him
purifies
himself
as
he
is
pure
everyone
who
hopes
in
him
it's
a
purifying
hope
brothers
and
sisters
the
thought
of
the
glorious
return
of
Jesus
and
we
shall
see
him
as
he
is
a
purifying
hope
worldly
hope
is not
a purifying
hope
biblical
hope
in the
return
of
Jesus
is
when
dwelling
on the
risen
reigning
radiant
Christ
and you
realize
that we're
one day
closer to
his return
it
causes
a hunger
to practice
righteousness
now
to be
pure
now
to be
good
now
to be
honorable
now
just as
he is
righteous
when we
hope
in the
glorious
coming of
Jesus
then we
become
like him
now
beholding
him
we
are
transferred
from
one
degree
of
glory
to
the
next
now
if
you're
struggling
with
a
particular
area
of
sin
let
me
consider
help
you
to
consider
something
would
you
start
spending
time
in
passages
like
revelation
one
and
revelation
19
and
revelation
20
21
and
22
so
that
God
forms
in
your
mind
this
glorious
Christ
and
as
you
start
to
see
him
as
he
is
in
your
heart
inclines
itself
and
wants
to
worship
and
live
for
him
and
become
like
him
it
starts
crowding
out
sinful
desires
another
way to
think
about
it
is
this
if
you've
got
a
question
mark
on
something
you're
thinking
something
you're
feeling
something
you're
doing
or
you're
about
to
say
would
it
make
any
difference
if
Jesus
came
in that
moment
came
back
in his
glory
would
it
make
any
difference
in what
you
would
do
what
you
would
say
what
would
you
think
and
feel
what
you
would
click
what
would
you
send
would
make
any
difference
when
you
hope
in the
glorious
Jesus
then
you
become
like
him
in
purity
now
child
of
God
your
future
hope
fuels
your
present
obedience
alright
I brought
you through
three
diagnostics
when
he
returns
will
you
stand
before
him
in
confidence
or
shrink
from
him
in
fear
abide
in
him
now
and
be
confident
before
him
then
do
you
know
who
you
are
now
and
who
you
belong
to
no
longer
God
when
he
called
you
as
his
child
to
himself
he
called
you
out
of
the
world
remember
who
you
are
you
are
beloved
of
God
who
or
what
are
you
putting
your
hope
in
because
when
you
hope
in
the
glorious
coming
of
Jesus
then
you
will
become
like
him
now
the
future
of
appearing
of
Jesus
is
not
just
a
orthodox
box
to
check
it's
a
doctrine
that
motivates
us
unto
practical
holiness
now
it fuels
our
practice
of
righteousness
and
it
shows
that
we
are
children
of
God
will
you pray
with me
God
in
heaven
we
thank
you
for
a
timely
message
on
this
topic
and
God
we
ask
that
you
by
your
Holy
Spirit
would
press
in
these
truths
into
our
hearts
so
that
we
would
be
rightly
affected
God
if
you
by
your
Holy
Spirit
has
convicted
people
of
sin
all
glory
to
your
name
God
may
we
repent
and
believe
in
joy
God
if
you
have
convicted
people
that
they
are
not
children
of
God
transferred
them
from
the
kingdom
of
darkness
into
the
kingdom
of
your
beloved
son
today
would
you
have
them
God
call
out
to
you
and
confess
you
Lord
Jesus
as
Lord
and
God
I
pray
that
you
would
all
use
all
of
this
to
focus
us
as
a
you