2021.12.12 - The Life Manifested

Introduction: John was writing to churches in the region of Ephesus. There were three main false teachings or heresies that they were facing. Gnosticism, Docetism, and Cerinthianism. Gnosticism Gnosticism nullified that is cancelled the need for divine grace from God. Yet Paul reminded us that we are saved by grace, the unmerited favor coming down from the Father of lights. Docetism Docetism is derived from the Greek word δοκέω, meaning to seem or to appear. This heresy taught that Jesus did not actually live in a physical human body. It just seemed that way. Jesus appeared to have taken on a human body during His earthly life. Docetists believed that spiritual matter was far superior to physical matter. Cerinthianism Taught a rejection of the virgin birth, Jesus was the genetic offspring of Mary & Joseph and many other heretical things. Undeniable, Unequivocal Eternal Life – 1 John 1:1-2 Many will say now days that this Jesus was simply a good man. They will say that He was not really sinless and that He did not die on that Cross, nor was He the Son of God. But I am here to tell you that there is no hope for life, no hope for salvation or forgiveness if Jesus was just a man. If Jesus was just a man, you might as well become a member at the church of the flying spaghetti monster. But let me remind you of John’s words. “We heard Him, we saw Him, we touched Him and He, God lived in the flesh with us for 3 years while we beheld His glory. Perhaps this will be the first Christmas without a loved one, or perhaps your stuck in a hospital battling fierce diseases, maybe you are just broken, and your relationships are damaged seemingly beyond repair. Maybe you can’t get away from that one besetting sin. Maybe the hopeless you feel is mounting and the pressure is getting worse. I don’t know what your struggle is, but I know that there is Hope and that Hope has a name and His name is Jesus! Undeniable, Unequivocal Fellowship – 1 John 1:3 true Biblical Christian fellowship (κοινωνία in the Greek) i