3 And hereby we do know that we know HIM, if we keep HIS commandments.
4 He that saith, I know HIM, and keepeth not HIS commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in HIM.
5 But whoso keepeth HIS word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in HIM.
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Examples:
💥 A man in our little church group filed divorce papers against his wife at the US courts.
When I heard about this, I contacted this man and told him there is only one scriptural reason for a man to divorce his wife.
Jesus said:
Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
I asked this man: "Was your wife unfaithful to you."
He grew very silent and thought about it and said, "No."
He withdrew the divorce papers against his wife.
This shows he knows God and loves God.
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💥 A divorced man who taught Bible at the church I once attended, was reported to have a "girlfriend."
Yet there was no open evidence of a girlfriend. He never brought her to church. He kept her secret from the church group.
I went to this man and told him I had heard about this girlfriend and I asked him if this was true that he had a girlfriend. He replied, "Yes."
He was extremely evasive about this girlfriend.
I finally said to him, "Are you having sexual intercourse with this woman?"
He said, "Of course." (He showed no repentance nor shame.)
I was deeply grieved and said to him, "OH ... you know the Bible as well as I do. I can have nothing more to do with you."
I Corinthians 5:11;13 (Paul instructs us) But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. ... Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
This man replied, after I said I could have no more to do with him: "That's right." (continuing to show no shame nor repentance of his sin)
This man says he knows God ... but the Bible says that is not true.
If one in the body of Christ is committing sin, it is the churches business to follow the scripture after the sin is acknowledged by the one who is doing that sin. We simply do what the Bible says to do.
A man who is called a brother, knows such things as fornication and drunkenness are sins. So it is not a matter of teaching him. He already knows. So Paul says for us to put such a one away and do not keep company with him. By doing this we show ourselves to be of God, removing the wicked from us in the case of "a brother".
We do not judge the world. But Paul tells us to judge "a brother" if this is the case: if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. (I had been attending this man's Bible class. I could no longer do this.)
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I Corinthians 5:6 Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
I Corinthians 5:15-18 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith HE, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith HE, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
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💥 The way we live and what we do shows evidence as to whether or not we know God and belong to HIM.
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