Macarthur Daily Bible - Dec 6th - Test The Spirits

Hosea 3:1–4:19 Psalm 138:7–8 Proverbs 29:18 1 John 4:1–21
- “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.” - humanity is always rejecting God and chasing idols - The human heart is an Idol factory
- Gomer is purchased back sold as a slave (we are slaves of Christ we were slaves of Satan - Romans 6 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification, Ephesians 6:6-7 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,
- Hosea 4 - God charges Israel there is no truth or mercy of knowledge of God in the land, (God lists off several of the 10 commandments (using the law in evangelism is so important) -lying, killing, stealing, adultery, listed
- The prophets are going to stumble too... people are destroyed for lack of knowledge - (Knowledge of Holiness, righteousness, purpose, truth, spiritual deception always blinds) as we see today,
- Like people like priest.... like pastor like Christian perhaps? - we should love and serve and obey our Pastors, they have a difficult job, and they love us,
- 11 “Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart. 12 My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, And their staff informs them.
- Psalm 138-7-8 - You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. 8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; - God is merciful forever to you Christian and his love is worth rejoicing in.
- Proverbs 29:18 - 18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; I find these proverbs continually helpful as we consider the current state of the world, Macarthur's note29:18 no revelation. This proverb looks both to the lack of the Word (1 Sam. 3:1) and the lack of hearing the Word (Amos 8:11–12), which
- Test the spirits - false prophets have gone into the world, - The Holy Spirit's ministry exalts Christ and fully God and Fully man - as Messiah and Savior, (In the flesh) remember the gnostics John is addressing here
- Macarthur's Note: test. The word “test” is a metallurgist’s term used for assaying metals to determine their purity and value. Don't be hyper critical of your Pastor but know your Bible and doctrine...
- He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world... (I once quoted this to a hissing what I think was maybe demon doing public evangelism he was hissing and spitting and saying he was going to drag me to hell, it was unreal but caused a small crowd to form and the believers were encouraged)
- Notice John's use they are of the world - this is a system of those opposed to God (obviously John lives on the earth too, but is not of the world).
- Everyone who loves has been born of God. God is love. (Important this is not God's only attribute)
- Love is Biblically demonstrated through the propitiatory work of Jesus. Blood sacrifice that turns away wrath, remember the ark, Moses ark, Jesus on the cross,
- Verse 10: 10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. - Notice that God loves his covenant enemies first and this is not based on us. Hence Gomer and Hosea, hence Grace and this verse.
- 17Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love; what a great reminder as believers, parents, friends, etc.
- 19We love Him because He first loved us. - again.
- Macarthur Gives 5 reasons believers love:
- 1. God indwells us is love
- 2. Christ's sacrificial love
- 3. Love is the heart of Christian witness
- 4. Love is the Christian's assurance
- 5. Love is our confidence that there is no judgment - we can take the insults, risks dangers etc (my thoughts here with Macarthur)