Between You And God

Intro: This passage of scripture deals with Unity with God in Christ. The saints are encouraged to continue in the truth and not be swayed by the falsehoods of deceiving prophets. If we will do that we can abide in the Son and the Father. In him, we will have nothing of which to be ashamed when he returns (v. 28, 24-25)

The theme of this chapter is unity with God in Christ. John 17:22 Jesus prayed that we might be one even as he and the Father are one. We are given the picture of a believer with nothing between him and the Savior (I John 4:15-16). Notice this unity… nothing between. Is there anything between you and God? If you are not as near to God as you need to be or ever have been, something is between you and God. What is between you and God? For many it is:

1. The Sins of the Past: Isaiah was in this condition in Isaiah 6:5, but the Lord touched his lips making him fit. We never find him returning to those ways again. If you have a sinful or checkered past, beg God for forgiveness, and when he does, put it behind you… God already has! Don’t let the sins of the past get between you and God or serving God.
2. Slackness of the Present: I Cor 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” Ephesians 5:15-17, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Many have been slack concerning their Christian Life, their Community Life, their Church Life, their Children’s Life, and today they are separated from fellowship with God. Is your slackness between you and the Savior?
3. Struggle with Prosperity: Psalms 73, Envy at the prosperity and success of others (particularly the wicked) will separate you from God, if you do not deal with it. What’s between you and God?
When Something Is Between You And God You Will Have:
I. UNANSWERED PRAYER: Psalms 66:18, Isaiah 59:1-2 “…But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isaiah 1:15 “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” Micah 3:4 “Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.” When something gets between you and God, you can pray and it gets no higher than the ceiling. The only prayer God will be interested in is the one that deals with the thing separating you from God!
II. UNINHABITED PRAISE: Matt 15:8 “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me…” God will not honor and inhabit your worship while you are separated from his fellowship. The Temple was dead until the Spirit came over the mercy seat, but he would not come down to honor their worship until they had dealt with the things that were between them. If anything is between you and the Savior, you may sing, shout, or testify, but you cannot have Spirit-filled worship! When all is right in fellowship with God, however, God will breathe life into your dead worship. It’s a ritual without him, but when he inhabits it, he honors it, and it is alive with the Spirit of God!
III. UNFULFILLED PURPOSE: Jude 13 compared those with something between to wandering stars. Jer 2:5 said that you were walking in vanity and have become vain. With something between you and God, your religion is vain, your work for God is vain, and your cause for living is vain. You will become as Cain in the Land of Nod, dwelling in a place without purpose or direction.
IV. UNEASY PERSON: understanding your situation, you will not and cannot be comfortable or satisfied. Ps 119:176 “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.” Prov 27:8 “As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.” If you are not where you know you should be, which is in the perfect will of God, you will forever be looking for your place. There is something between you and God! God will not allow you to live there comfortably! Ps 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” v. 71, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” v. 75, “I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” v. 77, “Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.”
Conclusion: What is between you and your Savior? The greatest thing in the world is to be able to say, “There is nothing between.” In judgment, we will answer for everything that is between. My Granny used to sing an old song (pg 395), “There’s Nothing Between Me And My Savior.” Can you say that today?