1 JOHN

1 Jn 5 JESUS—THE GOD MAN
Friday, March 18, 2022.

1 Jn 5:6  

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth: the Gnostics were preaching that the Holy Spirit came on Jesus at baptism and left Him at the Cross, thus believing in two Jesus’—a divine One and a human one, who died on the Cross. Here, John refutes this teaching by saying that Jesus identified with man at His baptism by obeying the ritual and then identified with man at the Cross by His death for mankind’s sins. The Gnostics taught that the divine Jesus left His body at the Cross but John stated that Jesus came not only by water (identifying with sinful man) but by blood, taking our place as a guilty sinner to pay our penalty for sin. John concluded by reminding his readers that the Holy Spirit testifies through convicting men of the Good News and their need to repent of their sins.

Application: the New Covenant baptism also represented resurrected life Ro 6:4 while the blood represented the forgiveness of sins Eph 1:7. When the soldier pierced Jesus’ side, blood and water came out—Jn 19:34 a picture explaining Jesus’ final words, “It is finished”. The blood symbolizing forgiveness and the water resurrected life—the gospel presented in visual form. It would also remind the readers of two marriages: Adam receiving Eve from his side Gen 2:21,22 and Jesus being united to His bride from the wound in His side.

BLOOD AND WATER

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1 Jn 4 GOD IS LOVE
Thursday, March 17, 2022.

1 Jn 4:19 

We love because he first loved us: John stated that God is love 1 Jn 4:16, not that He has love but is love. That is His essence. Therefore, it makes sense that we love only because we have experienced that love from God. It was the love I first received from my mother, then from my wife that made me begin to love them, but it was the love I comprehended from Jesus’ sacrifice that made me truly begin to love others, the way that God loved me. We were created in God’s image Gen 1:27 and therefore should reflect His spiritual likeness.

Application: loving others the way God loves us demonstrates that we have been born of God. Gratitude demands it!

HE IS LOVE

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1 Jn 3 OBEDIENCE
Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

1 Jn 3:23 

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Faith without works is dead Jas 2:22. John stated that we must believe in Jesus, then by loving one another, we prove our faith to be genuine. Actions prove our words 1 Jn 3:18. John gave the example of Abel’s actions being righteous—doing what God required while Cain’s actions were evil—disregarding God’s command 1 Jn 3:12.

Application: it is the Holy Spirit who changes our attitudes and actions. We are told not to grieve Eph 4:30 or quench the Spirit 1 Th 5:19. To grieve the Holy Spirit is to sin wilfully against God’s will, while quenching is refusing to do what the Spirit is directing us to do. God gave us the Holy Spirit for a reason—to direct our lives, therefore, let us be obedient and keep in step with His guidance Gal 5:25.

BLESSED

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1 Jn 2 CHRISTIAN GROWTH
Tuesday, March 15, 2022.

1 Jn 2:14 

I write to you, dear children,  because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers,  because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you,  and you have overcome the evil one: John has classified three groups of Christians. The first are children, who have come to Christ through the Gospel and marvel at the gift God has given them—the forgiveness of sins 1 Jn 2:12. After studying the Word, these little children blossom into young men, who enter battle directly against Satan and overcome the Evil One through the Word, just as Jesus did Mt 4:4,7,10. Finally, these young men enter maturity as fathers, knowing God experientially, as expressed by Paul—to know Christ intimately above anything in this world Php 3:8,10.

Application: there is nothing beyond knowing God intimately. You live to meet with God, to worship and serve Him, and to enjoy His fellowship—that’s what a spiritual father is!

ALL MY STRENGTH

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1 Jn 1 FORGIVENESS
Monday, March 14, 2022.

1 Jn 1:9 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness: is the context of forgiveness in regards to salvation, or after salvation when a Christian sins? The Gnostic heresy had infiltrated the Church—that Jesus did not come in the flesh 1 Jn 4:1,2,3. This is why John begins the letter by stating that the apostles have seen with their eyes, heard with their ears, and their hands have touched Jesus—He has come in the flesh 1 Jn 1:1. Then he contrasts a “possessor” of Jesus Christ to a “professor” 1 Jn. 2:19. The “possessor” knows that God is light and has no evil in Him, so he too will walk in the light as God is in the light, and is truly saved 1 Jn. 1:5,7. But, a “professor” who claims to be saved, yet believes he is not a sinner and walks in darkness, confirms he is not saved 1 Jn 1:6,8,10. John then declares the Gospel: if one confesses his sins—agrees with God that he is a sinner, then God is faithful to forgive him of his sins and purify him from all, not some unrighteousness. If he has been forgiven of all unrighteousness, then he is holy and can enter into God’s presence, not by his confession of sins, but by the righteousness of Christ, which he has placed his faith in Heb 10:19.

Application: as Believers, we confess our sins for repentance, not for forgiveness, since Christ has already forgiven all of our sins: past, present and future Col 2:13.  Under the Law, Jesus taught that if we did not forgive others, God would not forgive us Mt 6:15. However, under the New Covenant, once we have accepted Jesus’ forgiveness, then we are totally forgiven and we are to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us—completely. Eph 4:32

OH, HOW WE SHOULD LOVE

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