AN UNLEVEL PLAYING FIELD

READING: 1 John 5:1-4

1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth
him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world,
even our faith.

I. THAT WHICH IS GOD’S OWN VS. THAT WHICH IS OF THE WORLD.

A. The two are mutually incompatible!
1. Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times
of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

2. James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with
God ? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

3. Gal 5:16-17 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

4. John 1:9-13 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was
in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and
his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

B. Those who are God’s own will find joy in the things of God, not the things of the world.
1. Matt 16:21-26 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto
Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised
again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord:
this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, satan: thou art an
offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my
sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or
what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

2. James 1:16-17 Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from
above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of
turning.

3. Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

II. GOD’S OWN WILL REFLECT THE CHARACTER OF GOD, NOT THE WORLD.
A. Those who are God’s own will strive to be like God, not like the world.
1. 1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy ; for I am holy.
 2. John 13:12-17 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down
again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say
well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one
another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that
sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

3. 1 Peter 2:19-24 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering
wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if,
when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto
were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example , that ye should follow
his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not
again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who
his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

B. God’s own will do the things of God, not the things of the world.
1. Matt 25:31-40 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then
shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall
separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the
sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye
took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto
me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto
them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye
have done it unto me.

2. 3 John 11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of
God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

C. Those who are God’s own will demonstrate the wisdom of God, not the wisdom of the world.
1. Eph 3:9-15 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning
of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto
the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold
wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In
whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint
not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

D. Those who are God’s own will sever themselves from the things of the world.
1. 2 Cor 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord
hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath
the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in
them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out
from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty.
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 2. Mark 9:43-50 (Even if it hurts.) And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter
into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is
better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall
be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee,
pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to
be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be
salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his
saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

III. GOD’S OWN HAVE THE UPPER HAND.

A. With God all things are possible.
1. Matt 19:23-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly
enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they
were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them,
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

B. Our enemy, satan, the deceiver, will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
1. Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the
beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

C. Death and the grave will also be cast into the lake of fire.
1. Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

D. We will have victory!

2. 1 Cor 15:49-57 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the
heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth
corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that
is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

E. Hence, for victory, let us call upon the name of the Lord.
1. Acts 22:10-16 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into
Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. And when I
could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into
Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews
which dwelt there, Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the
same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou
shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt
be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou ? arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.