Love and truth but watch Out

 Read 2 John.

In this second letter from the Apostle John, he underscores again two of his notable themes: love and truth.  Those are not choices of either/or but are both/and.  Trying to love without truth is permissiveness and will lead to the acceptance of sin.  Holding to truth without love will ruin relationships and stifle opportunities for ministry.  But, a life that practices those two things at the same time is beautiful and attractive, even to those who may disagree.

It is this mutual commitment to love and truth that draws followers of Jesus together in a local Bible believing church, as expressed in the opening two verses.  We share a common faith and a partnership in the Gospel that John refers to as fellowship.  Having established that fact, John issued two warnings for the church.

1. Watch yourselves. (vv.8-9)
We must be alert all the time that we do not make a sinful choice and lose out on all God has stored up for those who faithfully serve Him.  The evidence of a genuine faith is when a believer quickly confesses and repents when they do sin (1 John 1:9).  An unbeliever is not bothered by continuing in their sin.

2. Watch out for deceivers. (vv.7, 10-11)
The evaluators of genuine Christianity are found in the answers to two questions:
A. What is the Bible?
B. Who is Jesus?

The correct answer to the first question is, "The Bible is the written word of God".
God's truth is written down for us.  "All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16)

The correct answer to the second question is, "Jesus is the living word of God."
God's Son was sent down for us.  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)

If there is a true commitment to those two things, we may have Biblical fellowship with anyone.  If not, we are forbidden to join in ministry partnership with them and support them.  To fail to be discriminating of those with whom we partner in ministry will bring the guilt of false teaching on ourselves.

 

Well, what do you Know?

 Read 1 John 5.

The Apostle John wrote this book to followers of Jesus to reassure them.  He addressed several issues that are prone to cause one to question their faith.  These include personal sin, false teachers, and the lack of demonstrated love for other believers.

Multiple times in each chapter the word "know" is used to remind and reinforce what the original readers had already been taught and what they already possessed in Christ.  Here, in this last chapter, no less than seven times does John undergird our faith with what we may know for certain.  One does not have to guess about their relationship with God.  There is no valid reason for one to live in doubt.  We may live with absolute confidence.

The one overriding qualification is personal faith in Jesus.  If that is true, then...
1. We know we are born of God.
"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son does not have life." (v.12)  The mistake of Nicodemus in John 3 is the error of many today.  Physical birth does not equate to being a child of God.  One must experience a new birth by faith in Jesus in order to have eternal life.  "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." (v.13)

2. We know our prayers are heard.
God takes pleasure or delights in our sincere prayers.  "...the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him." (Proverbs 15:8)  Sin and selfishness will cause us to doubt not only the power of prayer but whether God is even listening.  But when "we love God and obey" Him (v.2), we have confidence in our relationship with Him.  "And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him." (v.15)

3. We know we do not have to keep on sinning.
"We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." (v.19)  Those apart from Jesus live only under the influence of the devil and their own personal desires.  Those who have given themselves to Christ have the power and protection of God available to live in ways that please Him. (vv.18-19)

4. We know the truth and understand spiritual things.
Without Jesus, one's hope is only in this life, this world, and natural thinking.  But the believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit who reassures us of our faith, comforts us in our difficulties, and illuminates our understanding.  He turns the light on in our minds so that when we read the Bible, or hear God's word taught, we not only get it but we begin to see applications of the truth in daily life.

"Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God." (1 Corinthians 2:12)

 

3 tests of the spirit of Antichrist

 Read 1 John 4.

Throughout the teachings of Jesus and the writings of the Apostles, there was great concern about false teachers, phony apostles, and heresies.  In every chapter of this book John drew lines between those who are true believers and mere pretenders.

-"If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and the truth is not in us." (1:10)
-"Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come." (2:18)
-"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning." (3:8)
-"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God., for many false prophets have gone out into the world." (4:1)
-"Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (5:5)

So, how can we "test the spirits" to know if someone is of God or not?  Three tests are mentioned in this chapter.
1. Do they confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh? (vv.2-3)
This is the true Christmas story.  "'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)."  Without the Son of God taking on human flesh in order to die on the cross for our sins, there is no Christ-mas!  "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." (vv.14-15)

2. How do they respond to God's word? (vv.5-6)
When they hear that Jesus is the only way to heaven, what is their response?  Do they believe and live by the philosophies and theories of this world?  Or, do they discipline their thinking and their lives by the Scriptures?  Learning from the Bible and submitting oneself to the Scriptures is a key indicator of abiding in Christ.

3. Do they demonstrate genuine affection for the followers of Jesus? (vv.7-12)
In 3:18, the admonition to believers is to love "in deed and in truth".  How a person connects with, involves themselves with, and seeks to meet the needs of other Christians is a test of a true faith.  Avoidance of meeting with other believers and isolating oneself from the needs of people are opposites of true Christianity.  "And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." (v.21)

 

In loving others, we are Blessed

Read 1 John 3.

The Holy Spirit guided John to write an overarching principle by which followers of Jesus are to live.  Mark it in your Bible.  Memorize it.  Practice it.

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." (v.18)

Demonstrating genuine love for other believers is a proof of a genuine faith.  We use our time and resources, being attentive to the needs of others and seeking to meet those needs.  We use our words to encourage and tell others of our appreciation of them.  In addition to helping someone else, there are tremendous personal benefits for putting that verse into practice.

1. We have assurance of the Truth. (v.19a)
The Scriptures teach us the absolute truth, right from wrong, and the difference between the philosophies of this world versus faith in Christ.  We can know for sure of God's forgiveness, life after death, escape from hell, and our home in heaven.

2. We have assurance of a clear Conscience. (vv.19b-21)
Freedom from guilt comes as a result of faith in the blood of Jesus Christ to forgive and cleanse us (1:9).

3. We have assurance of answered Prayer. (v.22)
This verse stipulates a qualification: "because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him."  Obedience produces confidence in our conversations with God.

4. We have assurance of fellowship with God. (vv.23-24)
When we seek to obey the Lord all the time, we find ourselves "abiding", or living, moment by moment with a sense of God's presence.  As we enjoy this personal relationship, the Holy Spirit keeps on encouraging us.

Loving other believers requires us to be in a committed group of other believers in Jesus.  As we gather each week to worship the Lord, our attention is likewise to be on each other.  "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25)

 

Three distractions of Sin

 Read 1 John 2.

John is often referred to as "the Apostle of love".  He frequently wrote about love of God and for each other in his Gospel, his three letters, and there are at least four references in Revelation.  In this chapter, John warned not to love "the world or the things in the world".

The reason for this admonition is that this world is temporal, while lovingly obeying God lasts forever.  The choice is simple.  Should a person spend their lives on things that they will surely lose or invest their lives in things that can never be taken away?

Satan has no new schemes.  "...so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs." (2 Corinthians 2:11)  His goal is to distract people to make wrong choices and, thereby, sin against God.

1. The desire to Have.  The lust of the flesh is the urging for wrong indulgences.  It is an "uncontrolled appetite".  That lack of discipline could be anything from gluttony of food to wanting more material gain.  It is the wrong desire for possessions.

2. The desire to See.  This is the lust of curiosity that leads one to undisciplined behaviors in what entertains and fascinates them.  This is at the root of pornography and immorality in media.  It is the wrong desire for pleasure.

3. The desire to Be.  This is the boastful pride of life; the exaltation of self.  It is self-promotion and self-advertisement.  It is the wrong desire for personal power.

None of these is new.  Satan used the same three temptations with Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6): the tree was "good for food"; "it was a delight to the eyes"; "to be desired to make one wise".  Eve sinned.

Then, Satan tried the same three temptations with Jesus (Matthew 4:3-8): "command these stones to become loaves of bread"; "throw yourself down"; "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory...these will I give you."  Jesus prevailed.  He met each temptation with a specific Scripture that rebutted Satan with the truth of God's word.

Memorizing verses that can help and encourage us to do what is right is a key spiritual growth.

 

4 questions for those with Doubts

 Read 1 John 1.

This book settles the question once and for all that we have a "know-so" salvation.  We are not guessing about eternal life.  We do not live with a "hope-so" faith, waiting to see how this will all turn out after we die.

Depending upon the translation, the word "know" appears between 26-31 times in these five chapters.  In addition, the words "knows" and "knowledge" are used.  For anyone who may have doubts about their faith in Jesus, a great exercise is to read this book and circle each time the word "know" appears".  Nothing will build one's spiritual confidence like a good dose of reassuring Scripture.

A series of questions about our faith and the Bible are answered in this first chapter.
1. How did the Apostles know for certain that Jesus was who He said He was?
Over a period of some three years, John and the others lived and traveled with Jesus.  During that extended time they "heard" all He said, they had "seen" all that He did, they "observed" carefully the evidences before them, and they "touched with our hands".  Beyond this list, John saw the eternal Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8), stood by the cross at the death of Jesus, and was the first man to enter the tomb after the resurrection (John 20:4).  Such an eyewitness account would hold up in any court of law.

2. How did John describe Jesus? 
-"That which was from the beginning..." (v.1a)  As the eternal God in the flesh, Jesus was there in Genesis 1:1.  He is the Creator of all things (Colossians 1:16).
-"The word of life..." (v.1b)  Belief in Jesus changes one from spiritual death to spiritual life. 
-"The life..." (v.2) and "the eternal life..."  Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." (John 14:6)  Definite articles all.  Without Jesus one misses all three.
-"...manifest.."  Jesus was publicly and externally apparent.  There was no mistaking His true identity.
-"...the Father and his Son Jesus Christ." (v.3) The conclusion from all the evidence could not be clearer than John 1:1-"And the Word was God."  

3. Why did Jesus come? (vv.3-4)
-that we might have "fellowship" (partnership) with God, Himself, as by faith we become part of the family of God.
-that we might have fellowship (partnership) with the earthly family of believers. 
-that we may experience the joy of sins forgiven and the full assurance of our salvation.

4. What robs us of our joy and assurance? (vv.5-10)
Sin in the believer's life will result in a loss of joy in Jesus.  Sin violates our conscience and brings guilt.  Unresolved sin causes doubts to creep in about what God has said in His word.  An unwillingness to admit sin may be evidence of unbelief in Jesus.  Agreeing with God about personal sin is the way to forgiveness and cleansing "of all unrighteousness".

What are you waiting For?

 Read 2 Peter 3.

If believers are to grow in their faith, they need more than dependence on God's grace.  They also need knowledge of the truth (3:18).  In chapter two, Peter helped his readers to identify false teachers, who were disguising themselves as followers of Christ.  Here, in chapter three, the attention turns outside the church to the scoffers of our faith.

A scoffer is one who mocks, jeers or derides the Scriptures.  They do this, not because they have done a reasonable investigation and come to a sound conclusion.  No, they talk like that in order to protect and defend "their own sinful desires" (v.3).  What believers should remember (v.1) is that there will always be scoffers.  One of their chief errors in thinking is that history has always been linear and uninterrupted by God (v.4).  Therefore, if there is a God, then He does not care and will not intervene.  But Peter reminds his readers that this is willful ignorance.  "They deliberately overlook" (v.5) the fact of the world-wide flood in the days of Noah.  According to Genesis 6-9, the earth and its atmosphere experienced catastrophic changes.  But more than that, the flood was a world-wide judgment on sin.  God did intervene and He will again!

The admonition for believers is that we "should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles" (v.2).  Ignoring the prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ will stunt spiritual growth in us personally and in our congregations.  Yet, the imminent anticipation of our Lord's return has unparalleled impact on our daily lives. 

1. It reminds us of the patience of God. (v.9)
The scoffer asks, "If God is going to judge the world, why has He not done so?"  The answer is that in His mercy the Lord is giving every opportunity for "all" to repent of their sin and turn to Him for salvation.  This is why in the eternal judgment no one will have an excuse for not giving their lives to Jesus.

2. It reminds us that this world is not our home. (v.10)
One day, every one of us will leave all our stuff behind.  And, in that day of God's judgment, everything on earth "will be burned up and dissolved".  Sin will be eternally gone as believers will live in a "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (v.13 and Revelation 22).

3. It reminds us of how we are to live now. (vv.11-12a)
God's expectation of us in the meantime is that we conduct ourselves in ways that are marked by "holiness and godliness".  "And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." (1John 3:3)  The one who says they believe in Jesus must examine themselves by that standard and then take the necessary corrective measures.  Because we do not know when our Lord will return, we are to live each moment "waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God".

So, today, what are you waiting for?