somgs and praises from 1st John about gaining Christ

Songs about Themes of 1st John
To Gain Christ
(1Jn.2:12-14, 15-17, 4:12, 19)

melody

Lord, a Vessel Thou Hast Fashioned

Lord, a vessel Thou hast fashioned,
Not to serve the world we see,
Where the snares of futile passion
Seek to re-envelop me,
(1Pet.4:3)

But to move in righteous freedom,
In the world of my first birth,
By advancing in Thy kingdom
For Thy use upon the earth.

Wealth and pleasure guilds the marriage
Of hell's words to vanity--
Binding all the cursed that perish;
Lost in dust eternally.

Prune in me that which is empty
All that withers as a flower.
Grow in me of heaven's plenty
Giving increase by Thy power
(Jas. 1:10-11)

Thou hast freed us like a sparrow
Reaching toward an upward goal
Of Thy calling, near yet narrow,
From hell's chains to heaven's fold

Lift my heart to know the voices
Of Thy praise in heaven sung,
And below to count the choicest
Earthly treasures as but dung.
(Phil.3:13-14)

We have died in Thee now risen
To the Father's throne above
Where our life is firmly hidden
In Thy Fellowship of love.
(Col.3:1-4)

Help my hands be true and holy
And my feet steadfast and sure,
That my works at Thy appearing
Will as gold and jewels endure.

Words: 2014 by Stephen Popovich
Melody: 1813 by John Wyeth

midi

Ere One Creation Pillar Stood

Ere one creation pillar stood,
And what was seen declared as good,
God ordained to lay a claim to
All who receive His gospel's breath
Into their ruined heart of death;
Jesus raises souls and praises
Jesus raises souls and praises
Souls and praises

Long rose the angels' sudden gasp
When heaven's glory left the grasp
Of our Savior bound to pay for
God's awful price of broken law;
Taking the cup, He drank it all.
Sin defaces, blood erases.
Sin defaces, blood erases.
Blood erases.

No quest we need, ere truth be found,
To heaven's heights or underground;
Wisdom pleads us, "follow Jesus".
Feet of the bless-ed carry news.
Faith marks the heart that God will choose.
Truth is sounding, "grace abounding"!
Truth is sounding, "grace abounding"!
"Grace abounding"!

God, who man's eye cannot behold,
Sheds forth His love where hearts unfold
His creation's transformation.
Gleaming with light of heaven's rays,
Parting the darkness with His ways;
See His children, righteous pilgrims.
See His children, righteous pilgrims.
Righteous pilgrims.

Words: ©2014 Steve Popovich
Music:1623 Peter von Brachel

Pressing Ahead

1John 2:12-14
I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

Becoming Little Children
Who are the "little children"?
The Greek word for little children is teknion. In this verse it means new believers as well as any believer who has not matured beyond the new birth (Gal.4:16).

How far have little children advanced in the light?
They are aware only that their relationship with God is now as a Father and child (Gal.4:6)---having been cleansed from their guilty sin and freed from the fear judgment (Rom.8:15-16). Their obedience consisted primarily of having obeyed the gospel (1Pet.1:22) resulting in the initial fruit of a love for the Father and other believers (1Jn.3:14,5:1).

We have died in Thee now risen
To the Father's throne above
Where our life is firmly hidden
In Thy Fellowship of love.

Becoming Young Men
Who are the "young men"?
The Greek word, ne-ä-ne'-skos, means youth, often a young attendant or servant. Young men are strong---representing believers who can stand and keep from falling into evil ways. They have made strides against the negative but have not yet grown in the positive...love.

How far along have young men advanced in the light?
To where their spiritual eyes are adjusted to truth and able to discern darkness (Eph.4:14). That with these eyes they might stand in the light against the arrows of darkness designed to stumble our walk (Eph.6:14-16).

Who are examples of young men?
The spiritual young men of Ephesus who excelled in the war against darkness (Rev.2:2) but lacked love and so had not yet become spiritual fathers (Rev.2:4-5).

Help my hands be true and holy
And my feet steadfast and sure,
That my works at Thy appearing
Will as gold and jewels endure

Becoming Fathers
Who are the "fathers"?
The Greek word, pater, are those who have grown in Christ to where they are the primary spiritual 'care givers' of a local church; similar to a father of a family.

How do fathers "know Him who is from the beginning" more than the little children and young men?
"Him from the beginning" refers to Christ as the eternal word of the Father (Jn.1:1,14, 1Jn.1:1-2). We follow Christ by abiding in His word. As we grow in His word, our increased knowledge of Him is manifested in a greater love for others (Jn.17:25-26). click here <---- for a look at utmost knowledge

Who are examples of a spiritual father?
Those who, out of a sincere love for God faithfully serve and care for the body of Christ:
1. Jesus, who let go of the splendours of heaven, became a man and pressed on---reaching out through Calvary to save Paul (and you and me) in service and love for the Father (Phil.2:3-5).
2. Paul, as he mirrors the mind of Christ in the previous chapter by letting go of the world's enticements and pressing on toward Jesus by serving His Body on earth (Phil.2:12-14).
3. Timothy (Phil.2:19-21)

Thou hast freed us like a sparrow
Reaching toward an upward goal
Of Thy calling, near yet narrow,
From hell's chains to heaven's fold

Lift my heart to know the voices
Of Thy praise in heaven sung.
And below to count the choicest
Earthly treasures as but dung.

Forgetting That Which is Behind

1John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world---the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life---is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Lovers of the Broadway to Destruction (1Pet.4:3):

Lord, a vessel thou hast fashioned,
Not to serve the world we see,
Where the snares of empty passion
Seek to re-envelop me,

But to move in righteous freedom,
In the world of my first birth,
By advancing in Thy kingdom
For Thy use upon the earth.

Pursuers of the perishing (Ja.1:10-11):

Wealth and pleasure guilds the marriage
Of hell's words to vanity--
Binding all the cursed that perish;
Lost in dust eternally.

Prune in me that which is empty
All that withers as a flower.
Grow in me of heaven's plenty
Giving increase by Thy power.

Chosen Love Expressions

1John 4:12,19
(12) No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
(19)We love Him because He first loved us.

No one has seen God at any time, but that does not mean he is hard to find. Man is not called to an Indiana-Jones-like quest to find the door to salvation. Rather, God initiates the knock at the door of man's heart through the gospel call (Rom.10:8, Rev.3:20):

No quest we need, ere truth be found,
To heaven's heights or underground;
Wisdom pleads us follow Jesus.
Feet of the bless-ed carry news,
Faith marks the heart that God will choose.
Truth is sounding, "grace abounding"
Truth is sounding "grace abounding"
"Grace abounding"

If we love one another, God abides in us. The unseen God sends His unseen Spirit to transform saved sinners into visible expressions of His love and holiness (Rom.5:5, 1Pet.1:22-23):

God, who man's eye cannot behold,
Sheds forth His love where hearts unfold
His creation's transformation.
Gleaming with light of heaven's rays,
Parting the darkness with His ways;
See His children, righteous pilgrims
See His children, righteous pilgrims
Righteous pilgrims

and His love has been perfected in us. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins out of love for the Father and love for sinners (Jn.15:3, Rom.5:8):

Long rose the angels' sudden gasp
When heaven's glory left the grasp
Of our Savior bound to pay for
God's awful price of broken law.
Taking the cup, He drank it all;
Sin defaces, blood erases
Sin defaces, blood erases
Blood erases

We love Him because He first loved us. As Christ was chosen for a work upon Calvary's cross, so we were chosen to reflect God's love and holiness in Christ (Eph.1:4). (Jn.3:16).

Ere one creation pillar stood
And what was seen declared as "good"
God ordained to lay a claim to
All who receive His gospel's breath
Into their ruined heart of death;
Jesus raises souls and praises
Jesus raises souls and praises
souls and praises

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matt.13:23