1 João 2
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 2:1-6
Cole - Every time I see the bumper sticker, “Christians are forgiven, not perfect;” I want to add another line, “But, they’re striving for holiness.” As it stands, the bumper sticker seems to say, “God accepts me, faults and all, so you need to accept me, too!” Okay, but please give me some assurance that you’re working on things! As the author of Hebrews states (Heb 12:14ESV+), we are to “strive for…the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Holiness is not an optional accessory that you may add to your Christian life at some point, if you so choose. Holiness is essential. If you are not striving to grow in holiness in the sight of God, you need to examine whether you know Christ as Savior at all. Every blood-bought child of God desires to please the Lord Jesus who gave Himself on the cross to save us from our sins. (1 John 2:1-2 The Key to Holiness) THOUGHT: As an aside, "strive for" is not a suggestion but is a command in the present imperative which calls for this "striving" to be one's general lifestyle (AND ANOTHER 'AS AN ASIDE" - see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey). What is the "general direction" of your life beloved? Is it moving toward holiness and heaven or toward the unholy and hell? This question calls for an honest, thoughtful assessment of our life! Mine included! John does not want Christ followers to become blasé about sin, as if it is no "big deal." After all, we can just confess to God (1Jn 1:9+) and we're "good to go." We have too low a view of sin, because we have too low a view of holiness of God and the effect of sin on the Father's heart (and the grieving of His Spirit - cf Ezek 6:9). The Puritans wrote a great deal about sin because they grasped the depths of their depravity and the destructiveness of sin to our souls (cp 1Pe 2:11+ regarding the ongoing war against our souls). THOUGHT - Pause a moment and ponder what these cross references teach about sin - Ps 4:4, Ezekiel 3:21, Jn 5:14+, Jn 8:11+ Ro 6:1,2+, Ro 6:15+ 1Co 15:34+, Eph 4:26+ Titus 2:11-12+, Titus 2:13+, 1Pe 1:15-17+, 1Pet 1:18-19+, 1Pe 4:1-2+, 1Pe 4:3+ . Hamartano means to err (err is from Latin errare = to wander or to stray. Interesting!) which in turn means to wander from the right way, to deviate from the true course or purpose and so to violate an accepted standard of conduct. To err is to miss the right way, to deviate from the path or line of duty, to stray by design or mistake, to stray from God and/or His commandments, to swerve from the truth, to turn aside from the straight course charted by the Word of Truth. In short hamartano means to miss the mark of God's perfect standard of righteousness (right attitude, right living, vertically and horizontally, before God and man!).
1 João 2:1-6
Cole - Whenever we need Him (which is always!), He is there, coming to our aid. When we sin, Satan, the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10+; Zech 3:1-5), charges us as guilty before God. Jesus Christ, our Defense Attorney, steps to the bench, but He does not enter a plea of “not guilty.” That would not be true. We have sinned. Rather, He enters a plea of guilty, but then He argues for pardon because He paid the penalty for that sin by His substitutionary death. Therefore, His client is not liable for punishment. And, although we should confess our sins (1Jn 1:9+), John does not say, “If we confess our sins, we have an Advocate.” Rather, he says, “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate.” Our forgiveness and our standing with God do not depend on anything we do, but rather on the finished work of Christ. If we are His children through the new birth (Jn 3:3, 7-8), He is there before the Father on our behalf, pleading His blood, even before we confess our sins!... Because Jesus Christ is perpetually in heaven presenting His shed blood, every person that draws near to God through Christ can know that the accuser has no grounds for conviction. We are guilty as charged, but the penalty has already been paid by our Substitute, who pleads our case for us! (Ed: Thank You Lord Jesus!) (1 John 2:1-2 The Key to Holiness)
1 João 2:1-6
Cole has a similar comment - John’s thought here (in line with Paul) is that you need to realize that God graciously has forgiven you completely in Jesus Christ. He is at the right hand of the Father, pleading your case, even when you sin. Your standing before God does not depend on your performance, but rather on Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Properly understanding that truth will not lead you to sin more, but rather, to sin less. The key to holiness is to understand God’s grace that was lavished upon you when Jesus Christ died for your sins. (1 John 2:1-2 The Key to Holiness) Jesus (Iesous) Christ (Christos) the righteous (dikaios) - Amplified = "Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action]." More literally this is "Jesus Christ a Righteous (One)". John had just used the same term righteous (dikaios) of the Father (1Jn 1:9+) which affirms the Deity of Jesus. Jesus Christ is qualified to be our Advocate because He is righteous and His righteousness allowed Him to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins and then to clothe us with His righteousness (1Co 1:30+). In other words, Jesus is our righteous (dikaios) Advocate (parakletos) is truth that forms the grounds for unrighteous men (all men and women ever born = Ro 3:10+) to be declared righteous (justified Ro 3:22+, 2Cor 5:21+) when they repent and believe (Mk 1:15+) in the Righteous One's substitutionary sacrifice for them. The NLT picks up on the importance of the righteousness of Christ describing Jesus as "the One Who pleases God completely." Said of God, it designates the perfect agreement between His nature and His acts (in which He is the standard for all men). Hiebert - “Righteous”, used without the article, is descriptive of His character. "The efficacy of His ministry is guaranteed by the righteousness of His Person." Being personally conformed to all the righteous demands of God’s law, He pleads the believers’ case in keeping with the requirements of a holy law. (1 John 1:5-2:6) A T
1 João 2:1-6
Cole says that hilasmos "was used in ancient pagan writings to refer to the appeasing of an angry god, usually by a sacrifice or offering. If you had done something to make one of the gods mad, you had to do something to placate him and get in his good graces. Because of the negative connotations of this idea, some scholars argue that the word does not focus on God’s wrath, but rather on man’s sins. Thus they translate the word “expiation,” which means to blot out the guilt of our sins by making atonement. While we should reject any idea of God being angry in a capricious human sense, we cannot do away with the biblical concept of His wrath, which is His settled hatred of and opposition to all sin. The difference between the pagan and the biblical concepts is that in the Bible, it is never man that takes the initiative to placate God. Rather, God took the initiative to satisfy His own wrath so that His love may now be shown to the guilty sinner. Rather than man piling up good works or sacrifices to placate God’s wrath, the Bible says that God did what all our good works or efforts could never do. He sent His own Son as the righteous substitute to bear His wrath on the cross. John Stott (The Epistles of John [Eerdmans], p. 88) aptly defines propitiation as “an appeasement of the wrath of God by the love of God through the gift of God.” All that we can do is trust Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. It is all of God’s grace. (1 John 2:1-2 The Key to Holiness)
1 João 2:1-6
Cole - "There is a vast difference between knowing about a person and knowing that person. I may know many things about President Bush, by reading the news or watching TV. But I do not know him personally. I’ve never met him or spent any time with him. In the same way, you may know a lot about God, but if you have not entered into a personal relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ, you do not know God personally." (1 John 2:1-2 The Key to Holiness) W Hall Harris adds that know in the perfect tense is "resultative perfect, which involves both past completed action and existing results, but emphasizes the existing results. It is clear in any case that the author is interested in reassuring those whom he considers to be believers already: they came to know God at some time in the past, and now the author is writing to reassure them of the reality of that (resulting) relationship." (1 John 2:3-11) William
1 João 2:1-6
Cole writes that "The phrase, “the love of God,” is ambiguous. It may mean “God’s love for us,” or, “our love for God.".... Scholars are divided between the first two options, and it’s hard to decide. But perhaps it does not really matter, in that if God’s love for us is perfected in us, we will also love God. And, no one can really love God without first experiencing His love. So the two concepts are intertwined. (How to Know that You Know Him 1 John 2:3-6) W E Vine feels that the love of God is the exercise of God’s love manifesting itself in the human heart and life in practical love toward God and our fellowmen. This is confirmed in 1Jn 4:10, 11. Love is the fulfilling of God’s commandments ("love therefore is the fulfillment of the law." Ro 13:10), which are summed up in the one commandment concerning love (Ro 13:8, Ro 12:30,31), and in the fulfillment of this the love of God is (or has been) perfected in us. Love has thus attained to its end. Selfishness and carnal desires are banished, and the will of God is carried out both in us and through us toward others. The perfect tense thus expresses the abiding effects produced by God’s love and the response to it in our heart." Here is Kenneth Wuest's excellent summary of the question regarding the love of God - To sum up the matter, we would say that the love of God here is the love that God is in His nature, produced in the believer yielded to the Holy Spirit by the same Holy Spirit, which love causes him to have a solicitous watchful care of His precepts. This love is brought to its completion or perfection in the sense that it accomplishes that for which it is intended, namely, to cause the saint to obey God’s Word, not because he should, not because it is right to do so, not in order to escape chastisement should he disobey it, all of which motives may enter into the subconscious reasons he may have for obeying it and which in themselves are proper motives, but he obeys the Word because he loves the Lord Jesus. Paul, in Galatians 5:1-26, teaches that the saint is not under law, and has been put under a superior restraint to evil and a compelling urge to do right, namely, divine love, produced in the heart by the Holy Spirit. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Brown - Since keeping the commandments (or God’s word) certainly involves living out the commandment to love one another, the love of God shown us in Jesus Christ reaches its perfection when the same love is shown to “one another” and to the God who abides in the Christian. (The Epistles of John -The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries) Robert Law writes that "Perfected love, in the phraseology of the Epistle, signifies, not love in a superlative degree, but love that is consummated in action. Bearing fruit in actual obedience, Love has been perfected: it has fulfilled its mission, has reached its goal. (The Tests of Life: A Study of the First Epistle of St. John) Barker explains love of God is perfected this way - "The true knowledge of God does not end with speculative ideas, as for the Gnostics, but with obedience to the moral law and with the presence of God’s love in the believer. The term “made complete” (teleioō) carries with it the idea of continuous growth and development. It describes both state and process. As obedience is practiced, so also God’s love matures in us. (The Expositor's Bible Commentary) Warren
1 João 2:1-6
Cole notes that while no one can walk perfectly as Jesus did in His humanity "everyone who claims to abide in Christ should have the same focus and direction, not to act in independence from God, but in total dependence on Him. We should not live to please ourselves apart from God, but to do the things that are pleasing to Him....(Spiritual) Walking is not as spectacular or swift as running, leaping, or flying, but it is a steady, sure movement in one direction. It implies progress toward a destination or goal. A walk is made up of many specific steps, but it points to the overall tenor or general quality of a life, not to any one step. To walk as Jesus walked means that our lives should be characterized by daily dependence on God, submission to Him, and obedience to His will. (ED: UNFORTUNATELY COLE LEAVES OUT THE KEY "INGREDIENT" - CONTINUAL RELIANCE ON THE HOLY SPIRIT) Our overall aim in life will be to seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Mt 6:33). We will seek to please Him by our thoughts, words, and deeds (Col 1:10, Eph 5:10). While we will never perfectly walk as Jesus walked, it should be our constant aim and effort to do so." (How to Know that You Know Him 1 John 2:3-6) in the same manner - Jesus is to be our example for our spiritual walk. We see this idea repeatedly in the New Testament.. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, (1Pe 2:21+) Be (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. (1 Cor 11:1+) You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. (Jn 13:13-15+) He walked (peripateo) - If we are truly in Him, He is in us via His indwelling Spirit (Spirit of Christ, Ro 8:9, 1Pe 1:11 Spirit of Jesus Acts 16:7, Spirit of Jesus Christ Php 1:19, Spirit of His Son Gal 4:6), Who was His source of power (Lk 4:14, Lk 5:17, Acts 10:37, 38) and the source of our power to walk as He walked! It is not Christ’s walking on the sea, but His ordinary walk, that we are called on to imitate. -- Martin Luther THOUGHT - The question is how can we possibly imitate Jesus? The answer has already been alluded to above, but for more in depth treatment of this vital truth, read the following article for a better understanding of how this is possible (and it is possible or God would not have commanded us through Paul to imitate Jesus! Paul wrote "Be (present imperative = make this your lifestyle! See role of Spirit Who enables us to obey this command) imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." (1 Cor 11:1-note). Several years ago there was a popular saying "What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD)" While that is fine, if you think about it for a moment, this question could have a tendency to place you under the heavy grace-less burden of legalism! Why? Because you may be tempted to try to do what Jesus did in reliance on your own natural strength. You might succeed for a while, but eventually you will become frustrated, tired and even burnt out! In fact, I think the better question that we should ask is "How Did Jesus Do It? (HDJDI)" In other words how did Jesus as a Man forgive those who wronged Him, not return evil for evil, etc? As we summarized above -- by being continually filled with and reliant upon the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, the same One to Whom we have continual access! Once this vital prerequisite for power is understood, then we can ask the question throughout the day "What would Jesus do?" And in reliance on His Spirit, we can follow through with Christ-like forgiveness, love, turning of the other cheek, etc. Naturally IM-possible! Supernaturally HIM-possible! The Holy Spirit-Walking Like Jesus Walked! Hiebert explains that walked "calls for careful conformity to the pattern left by Christ as He engaged in His daily activities here on earth. The completed example now stands before the believer, challenging him to be walking “in the same manner” (houtos), in exact conformity to the example before him. In thus insisting that there is an inseverable bond between the believer’s professed relationship to Christ and his morally consistent conduct, John delivered a crucial blow against the Gnostics who tried to divorce their claimed spiritual enlightenment from their daily moral conduct." (1 John 1:5-2:6)
1 João 2:7-11
Cole reminds us "the entire Bible may be summed up by the two great commandments, to love God and to love one another (Mk 12:29-30+). So learning how to establish and maintain loving relationships is not “graduate level” Christianity. It is basic, beginning Christianity." (See Cole's practical application of this truth in his sermon) The old (palaios) commandment (entole) is the word (logos) which you have heard (akouo) - The word (logos) which you have heard (akouo)is almost certainly a description of the Gospel they had head. As explained, one aspect of this being an old commandment was the fact that love was commanded in the Old Covenant You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18+ , cp loving one another 1Sa 20:17, 41-42). Another aspect of the commandment being old is that Jesus had repeatedly quoted from the Old Testament in regarding the importance of the need to love one another… One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34, cp Mt. 22:34-40; Mt. 5:43-48; Lk 6:27-36). A T
1 João 2:7-11
Cole explains it this way - In 1 John 2:3-6, the apostle gives a test by which you can know that you truly know Jesus Christ, namely, if you walk in obedience to His word. In 1Jn 2:6, he states, “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” Then, in 1Jn 2:7-11, John goes on to apply this test of obedience more specifically to the area of love. If Jesus’ life and especially His death epitomized love, then those who claim to follow Him are obligated to live in love. In the Upper Room, on the night He was betrayed, Jesus demonstrated His great love for the disciples by taking a towel and a basin of water and washing the disciples’ feet. After that unforgettable object lesson, He drove the point home (John 13:14-15), “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” He was not instituting a ceremonial foot-washing service, where everyone comes with clean feet to be washed! He was saying something much more difficult to practice, that we who follow Jesus must set aside our rights and serve one another out of love. In that same chapter (John 13:34-35), Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Obviously, those words of Jesus were behind John’s words about the old, new commandment. It may be that the heretics against whom John was writing claimed to have some “new” truths. Using an obvious play on words, John counters them by saying that we don’t need new truth, but rather the old truth that his readers learned early in their Christian experience. On the other hand, if you want “new” truth, John says that the old commandment is the new commandment, which Jesus gave to us. In short, Loving one another is an essential mark of a true Christian. (The Old New Commandment 1 John 2:7-11) John Stott discusses four ways in which the commandment to love was new - The idea of love in general was not new, but Jesus Christ invested it in several ways with a richer and deeper meaning. First, it was new in the emphasis he gave it, bringing the love commands of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 together and declaring that the whole teaching of the Law and the Prophets hung upon them. Secondly, it was new in the quality he gave it. A disciple was to love others not just as he loved himself but in the same measure as Christ had loved him (Jn 13:34), with selfless self-sacrifice even unto death. Thirdly, it was new in the extent He gave it, showing in the parable of the Good Samaritan that the ‘neighbour’ we must love is anyone who needs our compassion and help, irrespective of race and rank, and includes our ‘enemy’ (cf. Mt. 5:44). It was also, fourthly, to continue new by our fresh apprehension of it, ‘for though doctrinal Christianity is always old, experimental Christianity is always new’ (Candlish - see full quote below). In these ways it was ‘a new command’, and will always remain new. (Borrow The Letters of John or see The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary - Page 97) Robert S. Candlish - And now, connecting the two verses (1Jn 2:7-8) which we have been considering separately, we may see how John, being a "scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven,” is “like a head of a household, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.” (Mt 13:52) He probably had in his view a class of men, not uncommon in his day, who thirsted for novelties, if not in the doctrines of the Gospel themselves, at least in the way of setting them forth; upon whom the primitive simplicity that is in Christ was beginning to pall (lose effectiveness, lose attraction); by whom the commonplace preaching of the Cross was felt almost to have become effete (barren, not capable of reproduction), and to have lost its stimulating power. John will not pander (act as an agent of the lusts of others, be a go-between) to such a taste. He has been discoursing about high matters; but he is careful to assure his readers that they are not the sort of novelties for which some have a craving. There is nothing really new in his teaching. It is the old word which has been heard from the beginning; the same word that “Paul and Apollos and Cephas” proclaimed (1Cor 3:22); the same word that John has been always reiterating. But if any will have novelty, here is a safe receipt (recipe) for it. Let them make the old word new in their own experience by the ever-fresh practical application of it, in the ever-fresh practical apprehension of the “thing which is true in Christ and in them, that the darkness is passing, and the true light now shineth.” For though doctrinal Christianity is always old, experimental Christianity is always new. The Gospel preached to us is old; but the Gospel realised in us is always new. Christ set forth before our eyes is always old; but “Christ in us the hope of glory,” (Col 1:27)—“Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith,” (Eph 3:17)—Christ becoming more and more, through the Spirit’s teaching, part and parcel of our whole inner man—This Christ is always new. (1 John 2:7,8 The Commandment at Once Old and New to One Walking with Guileless Spirit in the Light) Which is (present tense - continually) true (alethes) in Him (Christ) and in you - What is that which is true (alethes)? The fact that the commandment is a new commandment to love (one another). It is true of Jesus and true of us because we are in Him and He is in us and His empowering Spirit is in us to enable us to fulfill the command to let our light shine before men in such a way that they might see our good works (in this case brotherly love) and glorify our Father Who is in heaven. (Mt 5:16+). We are our brother's keeper. No man is an island. We have a responsibility to love each other. In the context of John's letter new commandment we are to let shine is love of the brethren which Ray
1 João 2:7-11
Cole says the "old, new commandment “is true (alethes) in Him and in you”. It is true (alethes) in Him because the Lord Jesus is the greatest example of love in the history of the world. He left the splendor and perfect holiness of heaven, where He enjoyed unbroken fellowship with the Father. He came to this cruddy, sin-stained world, not as the conquering King, but as a lowly servant. He was obedient to death on the cross at the hands of sinful men that He could have obliterated, if He had given the command. He did it all to save sinners who deserved His wrath. This new commandment is supremely true in Him. But John also says that it is true in you. If you ask, “How so?” the answer is, “Because you are now in Him.” It is true in Him fundamentally and true in you derivatively because of your new relationship with Him. Paul often describes our new relationship as being “in Christ.” (ED: What does it mean to be in Christ? ) John uses the term, “abiding” in Him (1Jn 2:6, 1Jn 2:8, 1Jn 2:28, etc). The glorious truth of the New Testament is that we are joint-heirs with Christ of all His riches (Ro 8:17; Eph 1:19-20; 2:6)! So if you are lacking in love for a difficult person, pray, “Lord, You know that I am empty and unable to love this person. But, I am in You and You do not lack love, even for the unlovely. Please love this person through me!” Understanding your new relationship with Jesus Christ is central to practicing biblical love." (Ibid) (Bolding added) Candlish adds - A loving Father’s eye ever fixed upon you, and a filial eye in you ever fixed upon Him;—that, I repeat, is the true light now shining in you as in Christ. It is not outward revelation only; it is inward illumination as well. It is the Spirit that dwelt in Christ dwelling also in you; shedding abroad in your hearts the love of God (Ro 5:5), and calling forth the simple response of obedient love in return. Let no child of God say that this shining of the true light must be reserved for the future. The true light shines in him as in Christ now. The new commandment concerning it is in force now. It is a great fact, a thing which is true in Christ,—not in Christ considered as glorified, but in Christ humbling himself, in Christ walking, in Christ crucified,—that not only is the darkness passing, but the true light is now shining. It is, it should be, it must be, it shall be, a great fact, a thing that is true, in you also. Is it not so? Why should it not be so? Is not that great, open eye of your Father in heaven continually beholding you? Yes! Even when in a little wrath He hides His face from you, even when He smites you with the rod, are you not under that benignant eye? And on your part, through grace, may not this voice be ever going upwards to the throne of grace? “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us” (Ps 123:2). (Ibid) DARKNESS PASSING AWAY Because (term of explanation) - John is explaining something. What is it? He is explaining how this new commandment is effecting a spiritual transformation, in effect bringing about a new age, the Gospel age through Jesus and now through His disciples who are to be His ambassadors of love throughout the world. The darkness (skotia) is passing away (parago) and the true (alethinos) Light (phos) is already shining (phaino) - Darkness (skotia) is obviously not physical but spiritual darkness. In the present context passing away (parago in present tense) means the spiritual darkness (skotia) is in the process of passing away (parago) but it is not yet totally passed yet (just look around our world). This is almost a prophecy because while the spiritual darkness is still all to apparent, one day it will totally be vanquished. O glorious day! John later in this same chapter that "The world (IN DARKNESS) is passing away (parago), and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." (1Jn 2:17)
1 João 2:7-11
Cole - So becoming a Christian is a radical change from darkness to light, where God opens your blind eyes to see something of the glory of Jesus Christ. Marvin
1 João 2:7-11
Cole - The phrase, “The one who says,” tips us off that John again has the heretics in mind. They claimed to be enlightened, and yet, apparently, they were arrogant and self-centered. They did not love others in a sacrificial way. They were using people to build a following for themselves, rather than building people to follow Christ. So John gets out his black and white paint again, and without mixing them into shades of gray, he shows that these false teachers were not true believers. They do not love; they hate. They are not in the light; they are in the darkness until now (1Jn 2:9). But we should not only use John’s words to identify false teachers. We should also apply them honestly to our own lives. Sadly, there are many that profess to know Christ, but in their marriages and towards their children they do not practice biblical love. Many evangelical churches are torn apart by conflict because certain powerful members did not get their own way. Rather than acting in love, they viciously attack those who don’t agree with them. So John shows that love is inseparable from the light, just as hatred invariably is bound up with darkness. He does not allow for any middle ground, where you can be sort of loving, but sort of cantankerous, too! He makes three points: Your profession of being in the light is exposed as false if you hate your brother (1Jn 2:9). You may be thinking, “Hate is a pretty strong word! While I may not love that difficult person, I wouldn’t say that I hate him.” But John doesn’t let us go there! You either love the other person, which requires sacrificing yourself for that person’s highest good, as Jesus did for us on the cross (John 13:34)—or, you hate him. Writing to a Gentile church situation, Paul contrasts the new way in Christ with the old life before he met Christ (Titus 3:1-3): "Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another." He goes on to talk of how God’s kindness and love transformed us through salvation. The point is, no matter how pagan or unloving your background, if you continue in a lifestyle of hate rather than a lifestyle of love, your profession of faith is suspect. (The Old New Commandment 1 John 2:7-11) AND YET: A CRITICAL CONTRAST! And yet hates (miseo - present tense) his brother (adelphos) - More literally this is simply "and" (because the Greek is "kai" not "alla" or "de" which are the usual adversatives). However the context makes it clear that John is making a strong contrast between love and hate. Hates is in the present tense which describes one's continual attitude of hatred. Hatred is their habit! Dear believer, have you ever hated someone? Most of us have, but John is not speaking of that but of a hatred that is persistent or habitual. If someone reading this note exhibits unremitting, unrepentant hatred of a brother, then this verse might be a "wake up" call. Hate is the evidence of blindness to the light of God. Love is the evidence that sight has been given to the blind. This is the miracle of the new birth. -- John Piper Alfred Plummer - For the fifth time the Apostle indicates a possible inconsistency of a very gross kind between profession and conduct (1 John 1:6; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:10; 1 John 2:4). We shall have a sixth in 1 John 4:20. In most of these passages he is aiming at some of the Gnostic teaching already prevalent. And this introduces a fresh pair of contrasts. We have had light and darkness, truth and falsehood; we now have love and hate. (1 John 2 - Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary) The claim to be in the light is nullified by hating a brother. A T
1 João 2:12-14
Cole - The German poet, Goethe, said, “Correction does much, but encouragement does more.” The Bible has both, of course, in proportion to what we need. Here, John wants to encourage us, no matter where we’re at in our level of maturity. But to be effective, encouragement must be true, not mere flattery. The truest thing about you is what God says in His Word. If you have trusted in Jesus Christ, God says that your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake. He says that you have come to know Him as Father. He wants you to grow strong through His Word, so that you will overcome the evil one. As you do, you will grow into a mature believer, who knows Him who is from the beginning. That’s why John wrote these encouraging words. (Encouragement for the Family of God 1 John 2:12-14) PROBLEM AREAS 1Jn 2:12-14 has several "problem areas"… (1) How should one translate the Greek conjunction hoti (1Jn 2:12, three times in 1Jn 2:13, twice in 1Jn 2:14, each usage following the verb grapho) - Hoti can be translated as "because" (most translations) or "that" (NET Bible). The former is explanatory, and gives the reason why John is writing. The latter translation is a declaration of fact ("a content clause"). Most favor the former, and this is discussed in more detail below. (2) To what or whom do the terms little children, fathers, and young men refer? While some see this as a designation of physical or chronological age, most observers interpret John as referring to stages of spiritual development, realizing that there is some overlap. In other words, generally speaking the longer one has been a believer, the more mature he should be (in theory, but sadly not always true in practice). There are many "fathers" (physically older believers) who are still babes in the faith, because of failure to take in the Word and obey the Word taken in! There is also the sub-question (so to speak) of whether John intends 3 groups or 2. The first designation to "little children" (teknion) seems to refer to all believers because John uses the identical Greek noun teknion in 1Jn 2:1 (also in 1Jn 2:28; 3:7,18; 4:4, 5:21) to refer to all believers. The second mention of children (1Jn 2:13) is a different Greek word (paidion), which refers to little children under authority and in need of discipline to train them in righteousness. In summary, it seems that John is referring to three groups arranged somewhat on the basis of age, but more significantly arranged on the basis of spiritual maturity, the paidion in 1Jn 2:13 describing new believers, the young men more mature, vigorous believers and the fathers the more mature believers. Clearly this is somewhat arbitrary, because we all know chronologically young men (and women - Amy Carmichael was 34 when she founded the founded the Dohnavur Fellowship in India! As an aside, if you wanted to be convicted of lackluster, lackadaisical Christianity [as I was] read her convicting biography by Elisabeth Elliot - A Chance to Die- The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael) who are not only vigorously holding fast the Word of Truth (Titus 1:9) and fighting victoriously over the adversary (1Jn 2:13-14) (and we praise God for these spiritually energetic, single minded men and women.) The respected expositor John MacArthur sees 1 John 2:12-14 as The Stages of Spiritual Growth. One of the best-loved and best-selling Christian classics The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, traces the allegorical journey of Christian from his home in the City of Destruction to the Eternal City. Each point along this journey represents a trial, temptation, or triumph in the Christian life. John's passage also addresses the various stages of the Christian life. Illustration - “Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Children of All Ages,” shouts the ringmaster playfully as he welcomes visitors to the Greatest Show on Earth from underneath the stripes of his clownish top hat. This thunderous welcome address can be heard inside a three-ring circus as the ringmaster hopes to grab the attention of the entire audience. In 1Jn 2:12-14, the author employs a similar rhetorical device, but this is no playful, clownish exhortation. Illustration - When Thomas Jefferson arrived in France as U.S. ambassador in 1785, he called on the French minister for foreign affairs. 'You replace Monsieur Franklin?' asked the minister. 'I succeed him,' was the reply. 'No one can replace him.' We would consider it a compliment if someone called us irreplaceable. In the spiritual sense, we are! No one else can step in and fulfill God's plan for us the way we can and that should be an encouragement to us in each of the seasons of faith. The value and importance of each person in God's family is obvious from today's reading. Notice that John uses titles for family members, reminding us that the body of Christ is a family of brothers and sisters, spiritual fathers and mothers, with Jesus our elder brother and God our father (cf. Heb. 2:11). Candlish feels all believers belong in the category of children and thus concludes "All alike are “little children;” but some are “fathers,” ripe for glory; others are “young men,” strong for work." (John 2 Commentary) (3) What does John use repetition? The answer is uncertain. It may be as simple that as a good teacher John knows the value of repetition. TWO PARALLEL LINES 1John 2:12-14 CHILDREN I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. (1Jn 2:12) I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. (1Jn 2:13) FATHERS I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. (1Jn 2:13) I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. (1Jn 2:14) YOUNG MEN I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. (1Jn 2:13) I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (1Jn 2:14) (4) Why is grapho (to write) translated with present tense ("I am writing") the first three times and with the aorist tense ("I have written" the last three times? Sam Storms gives a good summary of the options: (a) The present tense refers to this epistle (1 John) and the aorist refers to a previous letter (perhaps the gospel of John). (b) The present tense refers to the whole of 1 John and the aorist refers to the first part of the letter (i.e., that part preceding 1John 2:12 = 1Jn 1:1-2:11). (c) Some say John was interrupted at the end of 1John 2:13 and that when he resumed he repeated what he had just written, changing from the present tense to the aorist. (d) "Most writers," says Marshall, "explain the use of the verb in these two tenses as a matter of stylistic variation, perhaps to relieve the monotony of 'I write" occurring six times over. In Greek it was possible to use the past (aorist) tense in a letter with the effect of a present tense (Ed: epistolary aorist - see more discussion below under verb grapho): the writer projected himself forward in time to the situation of his recipient for whom the writing of the letter would be a past event. Hence, looking at things from the recipient's point in time, the correct tense would be 'wrote' rather than 'am writing.' In this way, John made use of a stylistic device to enable him to repeat certain things for emphasis" (135-36). (First John 2:3-17) (5) Why does he use the sequence: children, fathers, young men, rather than children, young men, fathers which would be chronological? The answer is uncertain. Hiebert - Three tests (1Jn 2:3-11) have been presented whereby the readers may be assured of having true fellowship with God. 1Jn 2:12-14 now seem to be a disruption of that theme as John directly addresses his readers in two triads. In two sets of carefully structured statements he expresses his confidence in his readers that they are genuine believers who possess a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. But in thus emphatically assuring his readers, he shows “that what is true of the orthodox Christian was not true of the false claimants around John’s church.” John’s expression of personal assurance concerning his readers in 1Jn 2:12–14 provides the basis for his appeal for separation from the world as a further ground for assurance (1Jn 2:15-17). John expressed his assurance concerning his readers in two sets of triads, each marked by three designations of those addressed. Each expression of affirmation consists of three elements: (1) the assertion “I write” (or “wrote”) “to you,” (2) a noun of direct address, and (3) an affirmation introduced by “because” (hoti). Careful structure is obvious. The first triad (vv. 1Jn 2:12–13b ). The three designations for those being addressed have evoked much discussion. That mere physical age distinctions are not intended seems clear, as is evident from the fact that John used “little children” (teknion) elsewhere to include all his readers (1Jn 2:1, 28; 3:18; 5:21). The words little children convey the author’s expression of endearment but also suggest “their need of instruction and their state of dependence upon God and upon teachers such as himself.” (1 John 2:7-17 Exposition) Steven Cole has an excellent introduction to 1Jn 2:12-14 - Years ago, a “Dear Abby” (Arizona Daily Sun [1/10/99]) column ran a story by a retired schoolteacher. One day she had her students take out two sheets of paper and list the names of the other students in the room. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down by their names. She took the papers home that weekend and compiled a list for each student of what the others had said about him or her. On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, everyone was smiling. “Really?” one whispered. “I never knew that meant anything to anyone.” “I didn’t know anyone liked me that much!” Years later, the teacher went to the funeral of one of her former students, who had been killed in Vietnam. Many who had been in that class years before were there. After the service, the young man’s parents approached the teacher and said, “We want to show you something. Mark was carrying this when he was killed.” The father pulled out of a wallet the list of all the good things Mark’s classmates had said about him. “Thank you so much for doing that,” Mark’s mother said. “As you can see, Mark treasured it.” A group of Mark’s classmates overheard the exchange. One smiled sheepishly and said, “I still have my list. It’s in my top desk drawer at home.” Another said, “I have mine, too. It’s in my diary.” “I put mine in our wedding album,” said a third. “I bet we all saved them,” said a fourth. “I carry mine with me at all times.” At that point, the teacher sat down and cried. And, she used that assignment in every class for the rest of her teaching career. That story shows how much we all need encouragement. The apostle John has been dishing out some strong words as he warns the flock about the false teachers who were trying to deceive them. He has just said (1Jn 2:11) that if you don’t love your brother, you’re in the darkness—not saved! He is about to say that if you love the world, you don’t have the Father’s love in you (1Jn 2:15). But before he says that, he inserts this short section to encourage those who may have been troubled by what he had written. John wants his readers, at whatever stage in the Christian life they are at, to consider what God has done in their lives. He wants them to know that they have authentic faith. (John inserts other similar assuring clarifications in 1Jn 3:19-22 and 1Jn 4:17-18.) John
1 João 2:12-14
Cole says "what John writes to the little children also applies to every stage of the Christian life. Even mature believers need to remember that our sins have been forgiven and that we know God as our Father. Also, the little children in the faith and the young men need to see clearly the goal of becoming spiritual fathers, who “know Him who has been from the beginning.” And the children need to be prepared for the battles against the enemy that they must win in order to grow to maturity. But the point is clear, both here and in other Scriptures, that we should never be complacent with where we’re at in our Christian walk, but should daily strive to know Christ better in order to grow to maturity. " (Encouragement for the Family of God 1 John 2:12-14) Guy King - John begins with a general and inclusive remark, embracing all believers, and calling them all little children - a different word in the Greek from that used in 1Jn 2:13 (paidion). The reason seems to lie between one or other of two explanations. (a) He is by now an old man, and is in the habit of addressing younger people by this title, as ancients often do. (b) He is writing particularly for those who, as a matter of fact, are his children in the faith - so he uses this affectionate, fatherly, family name. (The Progress of the Fellowship) Little children (5043) (teknion is the diminutive of teknon from tikto = bring forth, bear children, be born) is literally My "born ones", the diminutive expresses affection accounting for some of the translations as "my dear children." Teknion designates a little child and is used by John to address those who are true followers of Jesus. From John's repetitive use of teknion in this epistle, one might say it is an epistle for little children! But the subjects with which John deals are not "child's play," but have serious implications regarding one's spiritual life, now and in eternity future! The Apostle John used teknion in warning his readers of spiritual dangers. Clearly the 8 NT uses of teknion strongly infer that the recipients of this title are genuine born again ones. TDNT (borrow) says teknion "is a nursery term for a “small child.” It is a term of affection used by a teacher to His disciples under circumstances requiring a tender appeal, as when Jesus addressed His Twelve disciples just before His death. Marvin Vincent compares John's two words translated "little children" (teknion in 1Jn 2:12, and paidion in 1Jn 2:13) in this section observing that little children (teknion) "emphasizes the idea of kinship, while paidion emphasizes the idea of subordination and consequent discipline. Hence paidion the more appropriate word when spoken from the stand-point of authority rather than of affection." (1 John 2 - Vincent's Word Studies)
1 João 2:12-14
Cole - Forgiveness of sins is for His name’s sake, not for anything you have done or can do. All you can do is receive it by faith. The enemy will repeatedly come to accuse and condemn you for your sins. Answer him every time, not with your performance, but with the name and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hiebert - For His Name’s sake emphasizes the true basis for the assurance of sins forgiven. “His name,” as White observes, “is but shorthand for the whole character and work of Christ, the incarnate Son.” “God forgives sin not because of any merit in the sinner, but because of the infinite merit of the Saviour.” His dear children are to beware of being led astray from God’s provision by the new theories of the false teachers. (1 John 2:7-17 Exposition)
1 João 2:12-14
Cole - It is only when you allow the Word of God to abide in you that you will overcome the enemy’s schemes. The Lord Jesus overcame the tempter every time by citing Scripture (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10). The only way that you will grow strong spiritually and overcome the evil one is to let the Word of God dwell in your heart by meditating on it day and night (Ps. 1:2) and treasuring it in your heart (Ps. 119:9, 11). (Encouragement for the Family of God 1 John 2:12-14) All big Christians have been Bible Christians; all who have been greatly blessed to others have been themselves steeped in it. Guy King - The description proceeds "The Word of God abideth in you" (1Jn 2:14) - here is one of the big secrets for the development of moral muscle and spiritual sinew. All big Christians have been Bible Christians; all who have been greatly blessed to others have been themselves steeped in it. I read in Acts 18:24 of Apollos, that he was "mighty in the Scriptures" - that was, of course, only the Old Testament, and he had much to learn of New Testament truth; but what he possessed him, so that, out of his knowledge of the Sacred Writing, he was able, with eloquence, and with fervent enthusiasm, to teach and help many. Such a grasp of the Bible is not to be acquired easily, or quickly; to begin the day with the, sometimes hurried, reading of the day's portion is not enough (ED: Nor just reading a devotional, tantamount to someone else's "digested" truth. No, let it daily be the "pure milk of the Word"- 1Pe 2:1-2+) - it is good so far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough. Time must be found, and stuck to, for a regular weekly period of real study in some selected Book or Subject - so that gradually we begin to grasp the Bible, and the Bible begins to grip us. (ED: Might I suggest the wonderful discipline of inductive Bible study) I note again that the Word "abideth" in these virile Christians - it lives there! With some it pays but a brief fleeting visit - that five or ten minutes in the morning, and then off again till next day; but with these it has come to take up its residence in them. They have given it such a welcome that it has come to stay. It has become part of themselves (Ed: This sounds very similar to the blessed discipline of Biblical Meditation). It is always there to consult, to advise, to cheer (Ed: How so? Most efficiently by Memorizing His Word). Something of this sense lies behind Paul's exhortation in Colossians 3:16+, "Let the word of Christ dwell (present imperative) - command for this to be the habitual practice of our life! Something we can obey/accomplish only as we daily yield to the filling of the Holy Spirit [Eph 5:18+, cp Gal 5:16+], Who alone gives us the desire and the power [cp Php 2:12+, Php 2:13NLT+] to continually let the Word dwell in our heart) in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing … with grace in your hearts … " How that verse reminds me of the late Mr. George Goodman - of ever blessed memory. Often have I heard him at a Question Hour; and always he would begin his answer with a Scripture quotation - the Word dwelling in him richly. And what grace was in his heart! (1 John 2:12-14 The Progress of the Fellowship) (May his tribe increase. Amen!) Ray Stedman favors 1Jn 2:12-14 as reflecting maturation in the Christian walk - What makes one who is a spiritual child become a spiritual young man? The Word of God abiding in him? What makes a young man become a father? The Word of God abiding in him! That is the secret of growth. That is what will move him from one stage to another until at last he becomes a father, able to reproduce himself in others… It is absolutely impossible to grow up as a Christian, or as a real man or woman, unless the Word of God abides in you. This is why the devil fights this whole matter of Bible study, the building of your life around the centrality of the Scriptures, and why there is loosed a constant barrage of attack at this level. It is the supremely important thing to move us into maturity. Though the devil cannot stop us from being Christians, he can certainly keep us from becoming strong Christians, and this is exactly the way he does it. He tries to divert our attention and get us off onto spiritual sidetracks. He brings in certain apparent shortcuts that offer to bring us to maturity in an instant. Instant spirituality, instant maturity! Across the experience of years I have watched many things prevent maturity by diverting attention from the divinely designed instrument that will bring it about, the knowledge of the Word of God. I am not talking merely about Bible study. There is a very mechanical, wooden approach to Bible study that can acquaint a person with the teachings of the Bible, but that is not enough. This passage, remember, says the Word of God “lives.” That means a knowledge of the Bible plus obedience to the Spirit. When the Scriptures speak of knowing the Word of God, they are never merely talking about the instrument of the Bible; it is always the Bible plus the Spirit. It is the Word understood in the light of the illuminating, searching power of the Holy Spirit. It takes these two together to produce maturity. It is not a matter merely of taking the teaching of the Word into the mind, but it is something deeper. The Word lays hold of us. We first lay hold of it, and then it lays hold of us, and thus the Word lives, it penetrates to the conscience, it lays hold of the will, it exposes “the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12b), and that is what produces maturity. This means that our studying must be deliberate. The knowledge of the Word must be more than a hobby or a diversion with us, an option in life, a kind of low-calorie dessert that we can take or leave as we please. No, this demands time and strength. The exhortations of Scripture are to be diligent in this. Be diligent about searching the Scriptures and studying the Word. (1 John 2:12-14: The Maturing Process) D Edmond Hiebert - And (kai) again connects the following with what has preceded: “and you have overcome the evil one”. The Word indwelling them was the true source of their abiding victory over the devil. Satan cannot resist the power of God’s Word, as illustrated in the temptation of Jesus (Mt 4:1–11; Lk 4:1–13). (1 John 2:7-17 Exposition) You have overcome (nikao) - The verb means to conquer, to be victorious, in this case over Satan. Wuest translates nikao giving a great picture of the significance of the perfect tense (past completed action with ongoing effects/results) writing that these young men "have gained the victory over the Pernicious One, and as a present result are standing on his neck!" (This is what a conquering power would do to it's enemy as a sign of utter defeat. This remind us of Paul's closing words to the saints at Rome that "The God of peace will soon crush (suntribo) Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus (cp 2Ti 2:1-note) and note that be strong is a command for continual dependence - present imperative) be with you (depending on His grace would assure their victory over the evil one)." (Ro 16:20-note) John Stott - The forgiveness of past sins must be followed by deliverance from sin’s present power, justification by sanctification. So in both messages to the young men it is asserted that they have overcome (NEB = ‘mastered’) the evil one. Their conflict has become a conquest. (BORROW The Letters of John) Wayne
1 João 2:15
Cole has an excellent message on 1John 2:15-17 entitled Choose Your Love: the World or the Father?… Few problems have been more troublesome for believers down through the centuries than worldliness. In an effort to be “relevant” and reach our culture, there is the very real danger that we will become just like the culture and lose our distinctiveness. The apostle Paul warned of the danger in Romans 12:2, when he wrote, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind….” J. B. Phillips (The New Testament in Modern English [Geoffrey Bles], p. 332) paraphrases it, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your lives from within.” Toward the end of his life, Paul sadly wrote to Timothy (2Ti 4:10), “For Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.” Even though he had once been a fellow-worker with the great apostle Paul (Philemon 24), Demas succumbed to the lure of the world. I would argue that with the pervasive influence of modern media, the tug of the world is greater now than it ever has been. Daily we are bombarded with attractive people telling us that we can’t be happy unless we own the product that they are selling or adopt the lifestyle that they are pursuing. We thumb through magazines that lure us with beautiful homes, new cars, luxury items, or expensive vacations that all can be ours, if we just get enough money or go into enough debt. There are plenty of credit card offers that will help us get hopelessly in debt, if we’re not careful. It is lust for the things of the world that prompts Americans to spend billions on casino gambling and lottery tickets. Just one lucky hit and you will have it all! Christian attempts to counter worldliness often have swung to the opposite direction: withdrawal from the world, along with extra rules to reign in the flesh. This is the method of the monastic movement and of isolationist groups, such as the Amish. An extreme example of the ascetic approach was Simeon the Stylite (c. 390-459), who lived in extreme austerity for 36 years on top of a platform on a 60-foot pillar. Thousands of people flocked to see this “unworldly” man and listen to his preaching. I doubt that Simon is a model of what John had in mind when he warned us not to love the world! I grew up in Fundamentalist circles that had lists of what constituted “worldly” behavior. It usually included the “filthy five”: drinking, smoking, attending movies, playing cards, and dancing. Many Christian colleges required their students to sign pledges not to participate in these “worldly” activities. But they often went farther than that. When my dad was a student at one such Bible institute, he could not hold hands with my mother on campus, even though they were married! A student who was near graduation was publicly dismissed from the school because he put his arm around his fiancée in the back of the Institute bus, and a supporter of the school saw this “worldly” behavior and reported him! Concerning such manmade rules, Paul wrote (Col 2:23-note), “These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” The rules approach to the problem of worldliness doesn’t work! Worldliness is, at its core, a matter of the heart. If your heart is captured by the world, you will love the things of the world. If your heart is captured by the love of God, you will be drawn to Him and to the things of God. The only way that our hearts can be transformed so that we love God is by the supernatural new birth. John wrote this letter to churches that were being infected and confused by certain heretics. They claimed to have enlightenment, but John says that they were still in the darkness. They tried to draw people into their inner circle of knowledge, but their doctrine and their practice revealed that they did not truly know God. John gives three tests by which his readers could evaluate these teachers and by which they could tell whether their own faith was sound: the moral test (obedience); the relational test (love for others); and, the doctrinal test (believing the truth about Jesus Christ). In 1John 2:3, 4, 5, 6, John applies the first test: authentic faith obeys God’s commandments. In 1Jn 2:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, he applies the second test: authentic faith loves God’s people. Then he pauses (1Jn 2:12, 13, 14) to give an assuring clarification, showing his confidence that his readers do have authentic faith. Now, he resumes his application of the tests by showing that authentic faith is not of the world (1Jn 2:15-17), but rather it knows and believes the truth about Jesus Christ (1Jn 2:18-27). John characteristically draws a sharp line, with no middle ground: If you love the world, you do not love the Father. He shows that…You must choose your love and then maintain your choice: you love either the world or the Father, but not both. He’s saying the same thing that Jesus said (Luke 16:13), “You cannot serve God and Mammon.” He did not say, “You should not serve God and Mammon,” but, “you cannot” serve them both. You must make a basic decision in life: Will you live to know God and His eternal love, or will you live for this world and its fleeting pleasures? You can’t take a little of both. Once you’ve made that decision, you must fight to maintain your choice against the strong current of the world. “Do not love” is a present imperative, indicating that it is an ongoing battle. “Love” is the Greek agape, indicating that it is a commitment, not a feeling, that John is commanding. The only way that you can fight the love of the world is to maintain and grow in your love for the Father. The old Scottish preacher, Thomas Chalmers, has a sermon, “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection,” where he argues that the only thing powerful enough to drive out our love for the world is our new love for the Father. We need to define the key term: WHAT IS “THE WORLD” OR “WORLDLINESS”? The Greek word for “world,” kosmos, occurs 185 times in the New Testament. John uses it 105 of those times (78 in his Gospel, 24 in his epistles, and 3 in Revelation). It originally meant “order,” and it came to refer to the universe as the well-ordered ornament of God. (Our word “cosmetics” comes from the word. Applying cosmetics is an attempt to bring order!” It may refer to the physical world (Jn 1:10) or to the people of the world collectively (Jn 3:16; 1Jn 2:2). In those senses, there is nothing wrong with loving the world. We should enjoy God’s creation and we should love sinful people who need to know the Savior. But John also uses the word to refer to the evil, organized system under Satan, which operates through unbelieving people who are God’s enemies. He writes (1Jn 5:19), “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” Jesus spoke of the world hating both Him and those who follow Him (John 15:18, 19). It operates on the basis of ungodly thoughts, attitudes, motives, values, and goals (Isa. 55:8, 9). It does not seek to promote God’s glory or to submit to His sovereign authority. It is in this sense that we must not love the world. When John adds that we are not to love “the things of the world,” he does not mean that you must hate your house and your car, although I sometimes do hate my car! Rather, he elaborates on those “things” in 1Jn 2:16 as, “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.” In other words, worldliness is primarily an attitude that is motivated by wrong desires and the wrongful promotion of self. A poor man who does not have many possessions may be very worldly because he desires those things as the key to happiness. But, a wealthy man may not be worldly in that he uses his possessions as a steward of God and as a means of promoting God’s purpose and glory. So, to be worldly is to operate on the same principles as unregenerate people. It is to think and act out of selfishness, greed, pride, and personal ambition. It is to have a selfish desire for the things that you do not have and a sinful pride in the things that you do have. Rather than living to please God, who examines the heart, the worldly person tries to impress people, who look on things outwardly. For example, if you refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages because you want to impress others with how spiritual you are, and you take pride in your not drinking and look with contempt on those who do, you are actually being worldly by not drinking! I don’t say that to encourage anyone to drink! I’m only pointing out that worldliness is not a matter of keeping some list of dos and don’ts. It is a matter of your heart motives before God. John makes two main points: 1. Choose your love: either the world or the Father, but not both (1Jn 2:15). John states the main command: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world.” Then, he gives the implication: “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” It is either/or, not both/and. “The love of the Father,” could mean His love for us. But to be parallel to the first half of the verse, it probably refers primarily to our love for God. John means that the one who loves the world does not love God. Or, conversely, our love for God should be the ruling principle of our lives. The only way that we can overcome the strong desires of the flesh and the world is to be consumed with loving God. John uses “Father” to describe God in 1Jn 2:15 and 1Jn 2:16, as he did in 1Jn 2:13, where he said that the children had come to know the Father. It focuses us on God’s tender love for us as His children (1Jn 3:1). It is the Father’s first love for us that motivates us to love Him in response (1Jn 4:19). In light of the Father’s great love in sending His own Son to be the propitiation for our sins and adopting us as His children, loving Him should be our great delight and joy. It is significant that the Bible directs its commandments to our hearts or affections. The greatest commandment is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Mt 22:37). Solomon wrote (Pr. 4:23-note), “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” As Jonathan Edwards argued in his The Treatise on Religious Affections (The Works of Jonathan Edwards [Banner of Truth], 1:236), True religion, in great part, consists in holy affections.” If your heart is cold toward the Father and captivated by the glitz of the world, you need to ask yourself, “Do I belong to the Father or to the world? So John’s commandment (1Jn 2:15) challenges us: Choose your love. Either you love the world or you love the Father. You cannot straddle the line. The Father is a jealous lover who deserves and demands total allegiance. Loving the Father begins at the cross when you receive His supreme gift of love, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the substitute for your sins. (Read the full sermon 1 John 2:15-17 Choose Your Love: the World or the Father?) Thomas Watson - The creature has a little honey in its mouth — but it has wings! ("A Divine Cordial" 1663) "Do not love the world — or anything in the world." 1 John 2:15 It is better to love God, than the world. If you set your love on worldly things — they will not satisfy. You may as well satisfy your body with air — as your soul with earth! If the globe of the world were yours — it would not fill your soul. Will you set your love on that which will never give you contentment? Is it not better to love God? He will give you that which shall satisfy your soul to all eternity! If you love worldly things — they cannot remove trouble of mind. If there is a thorn in the conscience — all the world cannot pluck it out. King Saul, being perplexed in mind, all his crown jewels could not comfort him (1 Samuel 28:15). But if you love God, He can give you peace when nothing else can. He can apply Christ's blood to refresh your soul. He can whisper His love by the Spirit, and with one smile scatter all your fears and disquiets. If you love the world — you love that which may keep you out of heaven. "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:23). Prosperity, to many, is like a large sail to a small boat, which quickly overturns it. By loving the world — you love that which will endanger you. But if you love God, there is no fear of losing heaven. He will be a Rock to hide you — but not to hurt you. By loving Him, we come to enjoy Him forever. You may love worldly things — but they cannot love you in return. You love gold and silver — but your gold cannot love you in return. You give away your love to the creature — and receive no love back. But if you love God, He will love you in return. "If any man loves me, my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). God will not be behindhand in love to us. For our drop of love to Him — we shall receive an ocean of His love! While you love the world — you love that which is infinitely below the worth of your souls. When you lay out your love upon the world, you hang a pearl upon a swine — you love that which is inferior to yourself. As Christ speaks in another sense of the birds of the air: "Are you nor much better than they?" (Matthew 6:26), so I say of worldly things: "Are you not much better than they? You love a fair house, or a beautiful garment — are you not much better than they?" But if you love God, you place your love on the most noble and sublime object — you love that which is better than yourselves. God is better than the soul, better than angels, better than heaven! You may love the world — and receive hatred for your love. Would it not vex one, to lay out money upon a piece of ground which, instead of bringing forth grain or fruit — should yield nothing but nettles? Thus it is with all earthly things — we love them, and they prove nettles to sting us! We meet with nothing but disappointment. But if we love God, He will not return hatred for love. "I love those who love me" (Proverbs 8:17). God may chastise His children — but He cannot hate them. Every believer is part of Christ, and God can as well hate Christ, as hate a believer. You may over-love the creature. You may love wine too much, and silver too much; but you cannot love God too much. It is our sin that we cannot love God enough. How weak is our love to God! If we could love God far more than we do — yet it can never be proportionate to His worth; so that there is no danger of excess in our love to God. You may love worldly things — and they die and leave you. Riches take wings! Relations drop away! There is nothing here abiding. The creature has a little honey in its mouth — but it has wings! It will soon fly away. But if you love God, He is "a portion forever" (Psalm 73:26). As He is called a Sun for comfort, so a Rock for eternity. Thus we see, that it is better to love God than the world. "Do not love the world — or anything in the world." 1 John 2:15 Here is a quote from a sermon by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones in which he is describing how believers are to put on the new and put off the old. He writes "Indeed, as I have already said, you cannot truly deal with the negative unless you are at the same time doing the positive. (AMEN TO THAT - NOTICE THE ORDER - Col 3:1-4+ MUST BE "PUT ON" BEFORE YOU CAN EFFECTIVELY KILL SIN in Col 3:5+. IN Gal 5:16+ YOU ARE TO FIRST WALK BY THE SPIRIT AND THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL YOU BE ENABLED TO NOT CARRY OUT THE DEEDS OF THE FLESH! OUR FALLEN FLESH TRIES TO INVERT THE ORDER AND THE RESULT IS INVARIABLY FAILURE TO KILL SIN! IN Ro 8:13+ IT IS BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE DEEDS OF THE BODY!) The way to get rid of the defects is to cultivate the virtues. To use a well-known phrase of Thomas Chalmers, what we need is to apply the “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection”. I use a simple illustration. The way the dead leaves of winter are removed from some trees is not that people go around plucking them off; no, it is the new life, the shoot that comes and pushes off the dead in order to make room for itself. In the same way the Christian gets rid of all such things as bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking and all malice. The new qualities develop and the others simply have no room; they are pushed out and they are pushed off. “Loving the created world is not wrong as long as our loving God is not diminished. To love the world and fail to love God would be like a bride, who, being given a ring by her bridegroom, loves the ring more than the bridegroom who gave it. Of course, she should love what the bridegroom gave her, but to love the ring and despise him who gave it is to reject the very meaning of the ring as a token of his love. Likewise, men who love creation and not the creator are rejecting the whole meaning of creation. We ought to appreciate the creation and love the creator because of it.” (From Augustine, “Homilies on the first Epistle of John.”) In Disguise I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve . . . , so your minds may be corrupted. — 2 Corinthians 11:3 Today's Scripture : 1 John 2:15-29 It’s often difficult to understand why people give in to certain temptations. From our vantage point, their problem should be easy to handle. We may even wonder how Adam and Eve could have been so foolish as to have thrown aside all that God had given them in the dawn of their existence. We wouldn’t have fallen so easily—or would we? Part of the problem is that Satan wears a disguise when he slithers into our lives. As Mephistopheles says in the drama Faust, “People do not know the devil is there even when he has them by the throat.” The Bible tells us that the serpent was “more cunning than any beast of the field” (Genesis 3:1). No ominous hissing or rattling warned of danger. He didn’t ask, “Pardon me, may I have 20 minutes to destroy your life?” Public Enemy No. 1 uses the same tactics today as he did back then. He appeals to our sinful desires (1 John 2:15-16). Satan even disguises himself as an angel of light, and his cohorts appear as ministers of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:14-15; 1 John 2:18-19). When sin entices and allures, Its lies must be ignored; The strength to gain the victory Comes when we trust the Lord. —Sper You need to know God's truth to see through Satan's lies. Snails 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. — 1 John 2:15 Today's Scripture : Mark 10:17-22 A crane was wading in a stream and looking for snails to eat when a beautiful swan landed nearby. The crane had never seen a swan before, so he asked, “What are you?” “I’m a swan,” came the reply. “And where did you come from?” the crane inquired. “Heaven,” the swan answered, and he eagerly spoke of a city of pure gold with jasper walls and pearly gates. At that point the crane interrupted, “Tell me, are there snails in heaven?” “No, I’m afraid not,” the swan said. “Then I don’t care to go there,” the crane stated decisively. “I like snails!” Some people think like the crane in this old fable. They are so enamored by earthly possessions that they fail to appreciate the eternal riches of Christ and all He offers. Like the rich young ruler in Mark 10, they foolishly choose the things of earth instead of the wonderful realities of heaven. I would live for Thee, Lord Jesus— Keep my eyes so turned toward Thee That the world and all its systems May attract no part of me. —Graves He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. —Jim Elliot The Devil's Bait 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. — 1 John 2:15 Today's Scripture : 1 John 2:15-17 I once read about an interesting method used by people in North Africa to catch monkeys. A hunter hollows out a gourd and makes a hole in its side just large enough for a monkey to insert his open hand. The gourd is then filled with nuts and tied to a tree. The curious monkey is attracted by the smell of the nuts and reaches inside and grasps them. The hole in the gourd is too small, however, for the animal to withdraw his fist as long as it is tightly closed around the nuts. Because he refuses to release his prize, the unsuspecting monkey falls easy prey to his captor. Unwilling to relax his grasp, he actually traps himself! Satan uses a similar method to ensnare us. He tempts us to grasp after more and more material possessions, which we think will bring us security. As long as we tenaciously hold on to them, we are enslaved. How relevant is the biblical warning, “Do not love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15). The apostle John also said that “the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (v.17). Take the world, but give me Jesus— All its joys are but a name; But His love abideth ever, Through eternal years the same. —Crosby You can't store up treasures in heaven if you're holding on to the treasures of earth. A Matter Of Pride 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. — 1 John 2:15 Today's Scripture : 1 John 2:15-17 I was at a conference to conduct a seminar. Other speakers were there as well, including a well-known Christian leader whose seminar was at the same time as mine. When the director of the conference announced the meetings, he urged as many people as possible to attend the well-known speaker’s seminar, and he said, “It’s such an honor to have him here.” I thought, I probably spent as much time as he did getting my presentation ready. I took time away from my family to be here. And now the conference director tells everyone to go to the other seminar? What’s that all about? I felt humiliated, hurt, and angry. But as I walked toward the room to start my seminar, the Holy Spirit convicted me that I was reacting in pride and envy. He also reminded me that He would direct the people He wanted to be there. I asked the Lord to forgive me for the “envy and self-seeking” in my heart (James 3:14). Blessed Savior, make us humble, Take away our sinful pride; In ourselves we're sure to stumble, Help us stay close by Your side. —D. De Haan Unless we're humble, we're sure to stumble. John
1 João 2:16
Cole adds that… Many have pointed out how the three aspects of temptation listed here parallel the way that Satan tempted Eve. She saw that the forbidden fruit was good for food (Ge. 3:6), which was an appeal to the lust of the flesh. She saw “that it was a delight to the eyes.” This appealed to the lust of the eyes. She also saw “that the tree was desirable to make one wise.” This appealed to the boastful pride of life. The same pattern occurs in Satan’s temptation of Jesus (Luke 4:1-12). Satan urged Jesus to turn the stones into bread (the lust of the flesh). He showed Him all the kingdoms of the earth, offering to give them to Him (the lust of the eyes). He encouraged Him to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, which could have been a source of pride in this miraculous accomplishment. (Choose Your Love: the World or the Father? 1 John 2:15-17)
1 João 2:16
Cole notes that… While the lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes refer to the desire to have what you do not have, the boastful pride of life refers to sinful pride over what you do have. It is the desire to be better than others so that you can glory in yourself and your accomplishments. There is a proper sense, of course, of doing your best in school, athletics, or at work in order to be a good steward of God’s gifts and to bring glory to Him. But it’s easy to forget that He gave you everything that you have (1Cor. 4:7) and to start boasting in your achievements and possessions as if you attained these things by your own intelligence or hard work. It’s easy to think like Nebuchadnezzar, who said (Da 4:30), “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” God immediately drove him out into the fields to live as a wild beast until his heart was humbled! We all battle these temptations daily, and we often fail. But John’s point is, if you go on yielding to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life as your way of life, you are not maintaining love for the Father. Rather, you are maintaining love for the world. Worldly people wallow in these things; God’s children fight them continually. How do we maintain our love for the Father? (click here for Pastor Cole's answer to "how we maintain our love for the Father") (Choose Your Love: the World or the Father?) The NET Bible note comments that in this context, alazoneia refers to "The arrogance produced by material possessions. The person who thinks he has enough wealth and property to protect himself and insure his security has no need for God (or anything outside himself). (See related comment below on "bios") Boastful (212) (alazoneia - related word alazon) according to Thayer refers (a) in secular writings (from Aristophanes down) generally to empty, braggart talk sometimes also empty display in act, swagger, (b) an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights and (c) an impious and empty presumption which trusts in the stability of earthly things (Jas 4:16). It speaks more of one's pretension and arrogance in word and deed than referring simply to “pride” alone (see Barclay's note below for more detail). This term was common in the Greco-Roman world as a vice of the wealthy and powerful who abused their social inferiors and whose boastfulness and actions indicated that they thought of themselves as gods in a pejorative sense. The only other NT use of alazoneia is by James… James 4:16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
1 João 2:17
Cole - In 1989, Tom Sine wrote some insightful words that apply just as much now, as then (Christianity Today [3/17/89], p. 52): Whatever commands our time, energy, and resources commands us. And if we are honest, we will admit that our lives really aren’t that different from those of our secular counterparts. I suspect that one of the reasons we are so ineffective in evangelism is that we are so much like the people around us that we have very little to which we can call them. We hang around church buildings a little more. We abstain from a few things. But we simply aren’t that different. We don’t even do hedonism as well as the folks around us … but we keep on trying. As a result of this unfortunate accommodation, Christianity is reduced to little more than a spiritual crutch to help us through the minefields of the upwardly mobile life. God is there to help us get our promotions, our house in the suburbs, and our bills paid. Somehow God has become a co-conspirator in our agendas instead of our becoming a co-conspirator in His. Something is seriously amiss. (Choose Your Love: the World or the Father? 1 John 2:15-17)
1 João 2:17
Cole asks… How do we maintain our love for the Father? To obey the Father with our eyes on eternity is to maintain our love for Him (1Jn 2:17). To obey the Father is to maintain your love for Him. The opposite of loving the world is not only loving the Father, but also obeying Him—“doing the will of God.” “The will of God” here does not refer to following His direction in your life. It refers to obeying His commandments as revealed in His Word. As Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:10). A key reason to obey God’s commandments is the transitory nature of this world and its lusts, as contrasted with the eternal promise of heaven: “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides [lit.] forever” (1Jn 2:17; the original NASB correctly translates “abides,” not “lives”). If you love the world or the things in the world, you will lose them all at death. All that the worldly person lives for is gone in an instant and means nothing in light of eternity. Even if you have attained your worldly desires, what good are they at death? But, if you do God’s will, you will abide with Him in heaven throughout all eternity! Conclusion In 1989, Tom Sine wrote some insightful words that apply just as much now, as then (Christianity Today [3/17/89], p. 52): Whatever commands our time, energy, and resources commands us. And if we are honest, we will admit that our lives really aren’t that different from those of our secular counterparts. I suspect that one of the reasons we are so ineffective in evangelism is that we are so much like the people around us that we have very little to which we can call them. We hang around church buildings a little more. We abstain from a few things. But we simply aren’t that different. We don’t even do hedonism as well as the folks around us … but we keep on trying. As a result of this unfortunate accommodation, Christianity is reduced to little more than a spiritual crutch to help us through the minefields of the upwardly mobile life. God is there to help us get our promotions, our house in the suburbs, and our bills paid. Somehow God has become a co-conspirator in our agendas instead of our becoming a co-conspirator in His. Something is seriously amiss. Here are a few questions to ask yourself, to evaluate whether you love the world or the Father (adapted from A. W. Pink, Exposition of 1 John [Associated Authors and Publishers], p. 126): · Which do you seek with more fervor: the wealth and honors of the world, or the riches of grace and the approval of God? · Which have the greater attraction: the pleasures of the world, which are only for a season, or those pleasures at God’s right hand, which are for eternity? · Wherein lies your confidence: in the money you have in your bank account or investments, or in the living and faithful God, who has promised to supply all your needs? · Which causes the deeper sorrow: a temporal loss, or a break in your fellowship with God? · Upon which do you get more joy: spending money for personal comforts and luxuries, or spending money to further the gospel? · What most dominates your mind: thoughts and schemes after worldly advancements, or resolutions and efforts to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord? Some of you need to make the basic choice: Will you love the Father, or will you love the world? Most of us have made that choice, but we need to maintain it. Do not yield to the temptations of the world, but do the will of God. You will abide forever! Application Questions 1. Why does John not give us the option, which seems possible, to be partially committed both to God and to the world? 2. Does “not loving the world” mean that it is wrong for a Christian to seek to succeed in business or a career? Why/why not? 3. How can we who live in affluence know when enough is enough? How do we choose a permissible level of luxury? 4. Why are asceticism and isolationism not the ways to godliness? What are the dangers of these approaches? (Choose Your Love: the World or the Father?) As God knows everything and plans everything His will is absolutely and impregnably safe. It is so safe that the Infallible Book declares, "He that doeth the will of God abideth forever" (I John 2:17). 1 John 2:17 The year was 1872. The setting was a barn where a small congregation had gathered for a gospel service. A soft-spoken preacher by the name of Henry Varley was concluding a message on 1 John 2:17. Lifting his eyes to the nearby haymow where an interested young man was seated, he said with emphasis, "The world has yet to see what God can do with, for, in, and through one man who is fully consecrated to Him!" The intent listener was strangely stirred and convicted by those challenging words. "Varley means any man," he said to himself. "He is not saying he has to be educated or brilliant or anything else—just a person who is willing to be used! Well, by the Holy Spirit in me, I will be that man!" Within a few years the whole world was feeling the impact of the life of that earnest young fellow who had surrendered himself to the will of God that day while seated in a haymow. He was Dwight L. Moody. Robert Neighbour - The Glory of This Cosmos Passeth Away "The fashion of this cosmos passeth away" (I Cor. 7:31). 1. The glory of the cosmos preceding the flood was overwhelmed by the wrath of God. Where is the glory of the tower which men built, and said as they built, "Let us make us a name"? Their tower was cast down by the hand of God, it passed away. Where is the glory of the Babylon over which Nebuchadnezzar exulted? Its king was dethroned, and its glory was undone — it passed away. Where is the glory of the Roman Empire and of the kingdoms which the devil showed to Christ — it passed away. But what of the glory of this present cosmos, a glory that outreaches anything the world has ever known? God says, it passeth away (see I John 2:17). 2. The collapse of. this cosmos. It is most illuminating to open the Book of Revelation and to study the catastrophic collapse of this present civilization, and to consider the judgments of God upon this cosmos. It is not surprising that the cosmos hates the Book that foretells its coming woes. In the first four seals and four trumpets, we have the beginning of sorrows; as we pass into the later seals and trumpets, we have the judgments of God intensified; finally, when we come to the vials, we have the wrath completed. All of these present the judgments of God upon this cosmos. In chapter 18 we see Babylon in its unspeakable glory, as it represents an unparalleled commercialism and an unrivaled wealth. The chapter describes how all is utterly consumed — in one brief hour it passes away. By land and by sea those who dealt with Babylon and were made rich thereby are crying out in despair, 3. Let those who are building treasures upon earth and who are living for the things that perish take warning. The god of this cosmos is still showing forth the glories of his regime. At the same time, he is blinding the eyes of the unbelieving to that greater and more abiding glory of Christ, which is yet to come. When a sinner understands the collapse of the present cosmos, and catches the vision of the enduring glory of the coming cosmos, he is ready to repudiate the things which perish and will be shaken, for the things which remain and which can never be shaken. The Things that are Important are Eternal "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."—1 John 2:17 In the city of Milan, Italy, there stands a beautiful Gothic cathedral made of white Candoglia marble. It is the symbol of Milan. The construction of this cathedral began in 1386 and was not completed until 1887, over five hundred years later. It is extraordinarily beautiful with over thirty-four hundred statues and many stained-glass windows representing biblical passages. There are three huge gates that lead into the cathedral from the city. Over one gate is a beautiful flower bouquet. Under it is the inscription, "The things that please are temporary." Over the second gate is a cross with the words, "The things that disturb are temporary." Over the central gate are the words, "The things that are important are eternal." God, God's Word, and God's people—These are important, These are eternal. Today take a look at your calendar and your checkbook. Where are you investing your life? In prayer ask Jesus Christ to show you how to invest in what is eternal. "There is one fact that we may oppose to all the wit and argument of infidelity, namely, that no man ever repented of being a Christian on his deathbed."—H. More From Generation to Generation: Devotional Thoughts Drawn Warren
1 João 2:18-23
Cole - In 1 John 2:18-23, John applies his third test by which you may evaluate the soundness of a teacher, as well as your own life. He has already given us the moral test of obedience to God’s commandments (1 John 2:3-6). He has given the relational test of love (1John 2:7-11). Now he gives the doctrinal test of truth about the person and work of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:18-27). He says, To avoid spiritual deception, be discerning of people and doctrine. The section (1 John 2:18-27) falls into three parts. In 1 John 2:18-20, John shows that to avoid spiritual deception, you must develop discernment with regard to people. In 1 John 2:21-23, he shows that you must develop discernment with regard to doctrine, especially, the truth about Jesus Christ. In 1 John 2:24-27, he shows that the means of developing such discernment is to abide in the Word and in the Spirit. (Avoiding Spiritual Deception, Part 1 - 1 John 2-18-23) (Bolding added) Paul had warned the elders of the church at Ephesus of the "inside job" of the coming antichrist deceivers, declaring "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you (FROM WITHIN THE FLOCK! LOOK OUT CHURCH!), not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves (PAUL REITERATES IT BE DECEPTION FROM WITHIN!) men will arise, speaking perverse (diastrepho) things, (THE GOAL OF THESE ANTICHRISTS IS) to draw away (apospao) the disciples (Notice how Paul referred to the believers - disciples are NOT a category of "super" believers as is often spuriously taught by some evangelical writers, but is the Biblical moniker [name] for ALL BELIEVERS irrespective of status of maturation and is most common name Luke uses for believers in Acts! How could it stated more clearly? See mathetes) after them. Therefore be on the alert, (present imperative= command for this to be their and our continual attitude) remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears." (Acts 20:29-31+) It is the last (eschatos) hour (hora) - The Living Bible renders it “this world’s last hour has come.” The first question to ask is whether John's use of "hour" is literal or figurative? The answer from the context is that John is using "hour" (time) metaphorically. As mentioned above, most conservative commentators identify this time phrase as a synonym of the more common phrase the Last Days. It has been the last hour since the Son of God invaded the evil one’s domain and dealt him a death blow in the cross and resurrection -- Daniel Akin THOUGHT - As you develop your skills of inductive Bible study, remember to always be on the alert for clues such as those provided by expressions of time. Ask questions such as "What time is it?," "When is this time?," "What happens during this time (e.g., John gives several characteristics - what are they?) As you develop your skill at asking questions, you will find that you are usually forced to observe the context." And in essence what you are doing is learning not just to study the Scriptures, but even better, to Meditate (see also Primer on Biblical Meditation) on the Scriptures. And you can rest assured that your diligent efforts to rightly divide God's Word of Truth will be richly rewarded by God Himself not only in the future (Read 2Ti 2:15+), but also in the present = Read Ps 1:2+, Ps 1:3+, Joshua 1:8+. John MacArthur on the last hour - The last hour refers to the present evil age (Gal 1:4), one of only two ages—along with the age to come—that the New Testament outlines (cf. Matt. 12:32; Mark 10:30; Eph. 1:21; Heb. 6:5). The last hour began at the first coming of Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 1:1–2; 9:26; 1 Peter 1:20), and will end when He returns. (The age to come encompasses all of the future, including the millennial kingdom, the thousand-year earthly reign of Christ when righteousness will prevail in the world [Isa. 9:6–7; 11:2, 6–9; 30:23–26; 35:2–6; 45:22–24; 65:18–23; 66:13; Ezek. 34:25; 47:12; Joel 2:28–32; Amos 9:13; Zech. 14:16–21; 1 Cor. 15:24–28; Rev. 20:4; cf. 2 Sam. 7:16; Matt. 19:28; Rev. 3:21; 5:10].) (See 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 95) David Legge on the last hour - the time between the first coming and the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ - more specifically, the time between Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came, and the second coming of our Lord Jesus. It is the church age, it is the age in which we can say, 'It is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation (2Cor 6:2). Today, if you hear His voice, harden not your heart'. (Preach The Word - 1, 2 and 3 John Part 7 - The Christian And False Doctrine) David
1 João 2:18-23
Cole - The false teachers rise up within the church and present a system that subtly presents something instead of Jesus Christ. The false teacher may use the same label, “Jesus Christ,” but he will not be the same Jesus that is presented in the Bible. If a gullible person takes the bait, he is led farther away until finally he is in total opposition to Christ. These false teachers, whom John labels antichrists, did not carry pitchforks and wear red suits with horns and a tail, or T-shirts saying, “Warning: I am an antichrist!” Rather, they arose in the churches. Some of them may have been elders or pastors, who for a while had taught the truth. Paul warned the Ephesian elders, “from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). Now these men were leaving the churches to form new groups, saying, “We have come into a deeper knowledge of the truth. Follow us and we’ll let you in on this secret knowledge.” False teachers invariably adopt Christian terminology and posture themselves as being Christians, but they are not. They usually begin within the church (1Jn 2:19) and at first, their teaching is orthodox. They often have attractive personalities and they build a following of people who seem to be helped by their teaching. But, eventually, they begin subtly to veer from the truth. (Avoiding Spiritual Deception, Part 1 - 1 John 2:18-23)
1 João 2:18-23
Cole - Beware of anyone who breaks from the true church to form a new group with new theology. John’s words here do not apply to people who get disgruntled in one evangelical church and leave to join or form another evangelical church. While that practice is usually regrettable and sad, it is wrong to label those who left as heretics, unless they also have abandoned core Christian truth. Heretics not only eventually separate themselves from true Christians to form their own groups, but also, they deviate from orthodox Christian doctrine on major issues. They claim that they have the truth and that others do not, or that they now see things that others do not see. And, invariably they try to recruit others from within the church to join them. While such situations are painful and unpleasant, John’s words here should prepare us not to be surprised or disheartened when it happens… Sometimes sincere Christians have to agree to disagree or even to work in separate parts of the Lord’s vineyard. But if the doctrinal issue is a core matter of the faith, purity is much more important than unity or church growth. We should not measure a church’s success by the numbers who attend, but rather by its faithfulness to the truth of the gospel. (Avoiding Spiritual Deception, Part 1 - 1 John 2:18-23) Guy King - Many a defaulter has been spoken of as a backslider (see Backsliding) when, in reality, they never had been Christians at all. Like those that Peter speaks of, "It is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire", 2Peter 2:22-note. They never were sheep, though they were thought to be. Now the veneer was off; and in their reversion to type, they were seen to have been dogs and pigs all the time. A following of righteousness proves their new birth (1Jn 2:29), a wallowing in unrighteousness shows they never were truly "new [creatures - see kainos]", 2Corinthians 5:17-note. (1 John 2:15-29 The Perils of the Fellowship) Paul presents a similar picture of those who are Jews and yet not truly sons of Abraham (believers) - But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: " THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED." (Ro 9:6-7+)
1 João 2:18-23
Cole - John is telling his readers that spiritual knowledge is not restricted to some elite inner circle. Rather, they all know the truth of the gospel because they all have the anointing from the Holy One, which refers to the indwelling Holy Spirit that Jesus, the Holy One, promised to send. The false teachers may have been using the word “anointing” as a technical term for being initiated into their special gnosis, or knowledge. But John takes their term and uses it of the Holy Spirit. At the moment of the new birth, God’s Spirit opens our blind eyes to see the truth about our sinfulness and the all-sufficiency of what Christ did on the cross to pay for our sins. This simple gospel message is what these believers had heard from the beginning (1Jn 2:24). (Avoiding Spiritual Deception, Part 1 - 1 John 2:18-23) William
1 João 2:18-23
Cole - We should be diligent to preserve the unity of the body of Christ, but not at any cost. There is no room for compromise on the core beliefs of Christian orthodoxy, especially the truths about the person of Christ and the gospel. During World War Two, Neville Chamberlain of Britain tried to keep the peace by appeasing Adolf Hitler. After giving Poland to Hitler, Chamberlain went back to England proclaiming “peace in our times.” But Winston Churchill wisely observed, “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.” Sure enough, Hitler later tried to eat Britain, too. If we compromise truth to appease a heretic or to keep him in the church, it will lead to our ultimate spiritual demise. To avoid spiritual deception, be discerning of people, especially of religious people who claim to have some new truth. Be discerning of sound doctrine. Know your Bible well. Study systematic theology. Study church history. Most errors today have been around for centuries. (Avoiding Spiritual Deception, Part 1 - 1 John 2:18-23) Shalom, at Last - Robert
1 João 2:18-23
Cole - The March, 2006, issue of Reader’s Digest features a cover story on ten money scams to beware of. It seems that the Internet and other modern technologies have opened many doors of opportunity for con artists who are after your money. To avoid being ripped off you must stay alert. It’s traumatic when thieves steal your identity and your money, but there is something far more traumatic and tragic, namely, when spiritual con artists, who claim to be Christian, deceive the unsuspecting. The stakes are much higher than someone’s life savings. The eternal destiny of souls is at risk! Since the days of the New Testament, Satan has planted these deceivers in Christian churches, where they prey on the untaught or on those who are disgruntled. To avoid spiritual deception, you must develop biblical discernment and be vigilant at all times. But we live in a day when the whole idea of spiritual discernment is minimized because spiritual truth is minimized. The slogan is, “Doctrine divides. Let’s set aside our doctrinal differences and come together on the areas where we agree.” Another popular mantra is, “Jesus said that they will know that we are His disciples by our love, not by our doctrine.” The implication is, “Set aside your doctrinal views and accept anyone who says that he believes in Jesus.” Tolerance, unity, and love are viewed as much more important than doctrinal truth, which often smacks of pride. (Avoiding Spiritual Deception, Part 1 - 1John 2-18-23) Marvin Vincent on "the liar" - By the definite article ("the"), the liar, the lie is set forth in its concrete personality: the one who impersonates all that is false, as antichrist represents every form of hostility and opposition to Christ. The denial that Jesus is the Christ is the representative falsehood. He that denies is the representative liar. D Edmond Hiebert - Anyone characterized by this crucial denial cannot escape justly being branded as “the liar.” If he is not “the liar,” then no one is. He is the liar par excellence. He is identified by his characteristic denial, “the one who denies (present tense = continually) that Jesus is the Christ… It is not a matter of doubt but of an open refusal to accept this basic Christian doctrine. He openly rejects the apostolic teaching of the Incarnation (cf. John 1:14, 18+ 1 John 1:1-3+). It is not merely a Jewish rejection of Jesus of Nazareth as the personal Messiah, since John identified Him as “the Son.” It is the denial that in Jesus of Nazareth God and man are indissolubly united… Docetic Gnosticism held that the divine Christ-spirit was too holy to have been united with human nature. Cerinthian Gnosticism held that the aeon-Christ came on the man Jesus at His baptism and empowered His ministry but left Him before His crucifixion, and only a man died on the cross. (1 John 2:19-24 Exposition) Subsequent centuries saw frequent attacks on the nature of Jesus Christ - e.g., Arianism (circa 320 AD) Liar (5583)(pseustes from pseudomai = to lie) is one who speaks falsehood, untruth, and so attempts to deceive. Thayer adds that pseustes describes "one who breaks faith, a false or faithless man." Webster's 1828 Dictionary - A person who knowingly utters falsehood; one who declares to another as a fact what he knows to be not true, and with an intention to deceive him. The uttering of falsehood by mistake, and without an intention to deceive, does not constitute one a liar. Pseustes - 10x in 10v in NAS - John 8:44, 55; Rom 3:4; 1 Tim 1:10; Titus 1:12; 1 John 1:10; 2:4, 22; 4:20; 5:10 Kistemaker - He is not addressing a person who occasionally misrepresents the truth, but one who strikes at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. John confronts the person who is bent on turning the truth of Jesus' humanity into a lie. The heart of the Christian faith is that Jesus is perfect God and perfect man. In the Athanasian Creed of the fourth century this doctrine is carefully formulated in articles 30-32: "For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of the substance of his mother, born in the world. Perfect God and perfect man." (New Testament Commentary - James, Epistles of John, Peter, and Jude) Webster says that to deny implies a firm refusal to accept as true or to acknowledge the existence of something. In short, deny is a strong verb! In other words, this one is refusing to accept or acknowledge or concede the truth about Jesus Christ as fully God and fully Man. John goes on to describe more details related to Jesus… 1 John 4:2-3 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 1 John 4:15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. Cerinthus lived in the last days of John the and in addition to denying the deity of Christ, taught other heresies such as the belief that God did not create the world. The heresies of Cerinthus can be detected in the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, and Mormonism. Cerinthus also propounded a fleshly doctrine of the Millennium, teaching that at His coming Jesus would introduce 1,000 years of sensuous pleasure, an absurd statement which is nowhere taught in Scripture!
1 João 2:18-23
Cole - His point is that if you deny cardinal truth about Jesus Christ and yet claim to know God, you are deceiving yourself. This is not to say that a new believer must be able to give precisely correct theological statements about the trinity or the two natures of Christ in order to be truly saved. But it is to say that if someone knowingly makes heretical statements about Christ and is not open to correction, his salvation is suspect. Sound doctrine (hugiaino = "healthy, wholesome" + didaskalia = what is taught) necessarily goes along with a genuine personal relationship with God. Most heresies go astray with regard to the person or work of Jesus Christ. John Calvin pointed out that since Christ is the sum of the gospel, heretics especially aim their arrows at Him. The only way that we can know the Father is through the Son (John 14:6). These false teachers were denying that Jesus is the Christ (1Jn 2:22). This probably was more than a denial that Jesus was the Old Testament Messiah. The context here, which refers to Jesus as the Son of God and which closely links the Father and the Son, indicates that these false teachers denied the full deity of Jesus Christ. They denied the incarnation, that God took on human flesh in the virgin birth of Jesus. They taught that “the Christ” came upon the human Jesus at His baptism and departed at His crucifixion. John says that they denied both the Father and the Son.The modern cults all go astray on the person and work of Jesus Christ. They deny His deity and His substitutionary death on the cross. They deny the trinity. Some of them speak in Gnostic fashion of “the Christ within us all.” By denying the Son of God, they do not have the Father. In the words of this apostle of love, they are liars, deceivers, and antichrists. (Avoiding Spiritual Deception, Part 1 - 1 John 2:18-23) This is the antichrist (antichristos) the one who denies (arneomai) the Father and the Son - Although the Greek has "the antichrist" in context this is no referring to the final world ruler, although clearly he too will deny the Father and the Son! John again uses denies (arneomai) in the present tense denoting that they habitually deny both Persons of the Godhead. To deny Jesus is to deny His Father. Clearly these individuals are not genuine believers. Hiebert - Whatever may have been their teaching about God, John declared that these anti-Christian heretics had no personal relationship with God as “Father” because their denial of “the Son” inevitably involved a denial of the Father, who revealed Himself in the incarnate Son. This absolute designation “the Son” occurs here for the first time in the epistle. In the first part of this verse Jesus is accepted as “the Christ”; now He is called “the Son.” The two designations relate to one Person. (1 John 2:19-24 Exposition) Kistemaker - "If there is no Son, there is no Father. In his epistle, John teaches that the Father and Son are intimately related (1Jn 1:2, 3; 2:1, 23, 24; 4:3, 14, 15; 5:9, 10, 11, 12, 20). John reveals the heart of the gospel: God the Father has sent his Son Jesus Christ to redeem sinners. If a person rejects Jesus Christ, he also rejects God the Father and nullifies the message of the gospel of Christ. Such a person, writes John, is the antichrist." (New Testament Commentary - James, Epistles of John, Peter, and Jude) Steven Cole - A popular sentimental, syrupy view goes, “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere.” When you share Christ with someone who buys into this thinking, he will respond, “It’s nice that you believe that, but I have my own beliefs.” According to this view, sincerity is the main thing; truth doesn’t matter. That is utter nonsense! You can sincerely drink poison, believing that it is medicine, but it will kill you just the same. Sound doctrine (hugiaino = "healthy, wholesome" + didaskalia = what is taught) really matters! (Avoiding Spiritual Deception, Part 1 - 1 John 2:18-23) What would you say about Muslims who say they believe in Jesus? While Muslims acknowledge Jesus, they deny the truth about Him for according to the Koran (Quran) Jesus did not die on the Cross, but was taken to heaven, leaving someone to be crucified in His place! See the table below for more differences. Clearly the "Jesus" of Islam is another Jesus. WHAT DOES THE QURAN SAY ABOUT JESUS (ISA)? Source - Matt Slick - Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. Teaching Verse Jesus was born of a virgin He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son. 20 She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?" 21 He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us': It is a matter (so) decreed." (19:19-21, Yusif Ali) And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples. (21:91, Yusif Ali) Jesus strengthened with the Holy Spirit We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of messengers; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you a messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay! (2:87, Yusif Ali) Jesus was given revelation by Allah He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet. (19:30, Yusif Ali) Jesus taken bodily into Heaven Behold! Allah said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute. (3:55, Yusif Ali) Jesus was created The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be". And he was. (3:59, Yusif Ali) Deny Jesus' Crucifixion That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not. (4:157,Yusif Ali) Jesus is no more than a messenger of Allah O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not "Trinity" : desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. (4:171, Yusif Ali) Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth! (5:575, Yusif Ali) Jesus was a miracle worker We have made some of these messengers to excel the others among them are they to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees of) rank; and We gave clear miracles to Isa1 son of Marium2, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. And if Allah had pleased, those after them would not have fought one with another after clear arguments had come to them, but they disagreed; so there were some of them who believed and others who denied; and if Allah had pleased they would not have fought one with another, but Allah brings about what He intends. (2:253, Shakir) Jesus, Son of Mary, did not say to worship himself or Mary And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden. (5:116, Yusif Ali) Allah sent the Gospel to Jesus And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah. (5:46, Yusif Ali) Then, in their wake, We followed them up with (others of) Our messengers: We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel; and We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him Compassion and Mercy. But the Monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them: (We commanded) only the seeking for the Good Pleasure of Allah; but that they did not foster as they should have done. Yet We bestowed, on those among them who believed, their (due) reward, but many of them are rebellious transgressors. (57:27, Yusif Ali) You are cursed if you say Jesus is God's son The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! (9:30, Yusif Ali) Jesus spoke as a child But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle? 30 He said: "I am indeed a servant of God: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet" (19:29-30, Yusif Ali) Deny Jesus is Son of God Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. 35 It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only says to it, "Be", and it is. (19:34-35, Yusif Ali) Jesus is the Son of Mary And remember We took from the prophets their covenant: As (We did) from thee: from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a solemn covenant: (33:7,Yusif Ali) Jesus was no more than a Servant When (Jesus) the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, thy people raise a clamour thereat (in ridicule)! 58 And they say, "Are our gods best, or he?" This they set forth to thee, only by way of disputation: yea, they are a contentious people. 59 He was no more than a servant: We granted Our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel. (43:57-59, Yusif Ali) Jesus said to obey him When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: "Now have I come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which ye dispute: therefore fear Allah and obey me. (43:63, Yusif Ali) THE PERSON OF CHRIST Wayne Grudem See Dr Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology- An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine) Chapter 26 The Person of Christ How is Jesus fully God and fully man, yet one person? Dr Grudem's 3 lectures on the Person of Christ The Person of Christ: Part 1 - The Humanity of Jesus Christ The Person of Christ: Part 2 - The Deity of Jesus Christ The Person of Christ: Part 3 - How Can Jesus Be God and Man in One Person? The Incarnation: deity and humanity in the one person of Christ. "We may summarize the biblical teaching about the person of Christ as follows: Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in one person, and will be so forever." (Systematic Theology - PDF see page 456) (online pdf or here) 1. Three inadequate views of the Person of Christ a. Apollinarianism (Apollinaris of Laodicea became bishop in Laodicea about A.D. 361) (1) Christ had a human body only (2) mind and spirit of Christ were from divine nature (3) example: meeting “Mickey Mouse” at Disney World (4) Problem: our minds and spirits need salvation too! (such a Christ: not really true man to represent us) (5) Christ had human mind, spirit: Lk 2:52; Jn 12:27; 13:31; Heb 4:15; Heb 5:7, etc. (6) Rejected by several church councils (362-381) b. Nestorianism (Nestorius was a popular preacher at Antioch; after 428: bishop of Constantinople) (1) Christ was 2 distinct persons in one body: (a) the human person; (b) the divine person (2) Example: circus “horse” (3) Problem: Gospels show Jesus as “I” not “we” -- never seen as two persons in Gospels (4) Nestorius probably never taught the heretical view that goes by his name c. Monophysitism (Eutychianism) (Greek monos, “one”, and physis, “nature”) (Eutyches [378-454] was the leader of a monastery at Constantinople) (1) Human nature absorbed into divine nature (2) Something entirely new resulted (greater than human, less than divine) (3) Example: drop of ink in water (4) Problem: both humanity and deity are lost! 2. Solution to the controversy: Chalcedonian Creed (451) (Chalcedon: a city near Constantinople) Affirmed by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches ever since 3. Combining specific texts on Christ’s deity and humanity a. One nature does some things that the other nature does not do (“the property of each nature is preserved” … Chalcedonian Creed) (1) Jesus’ human nature ascended to heaven and is no longer in the world, but His divine nature is everywhere present. (John 16:28; 17:11; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 28:20; John 14:23) (2) Jesus was 30 years old (Luke 3:23), but also eternally existed (John 1:1-2; 8:58) (3) Jesus was weak and tired in his human nature (Matt. 4:2; 8:24; Mark 15:21; John 4:6), but his divine nature was omnipotent (Matt. 8:26-27, Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3) (4) While Jesus was a sleep in the boat (Matt. 8:24) he was also “continually carrying along all things by his word of power” (Heb. 1:3). (5) Jesus’ human nature died (Luke 23:46; 1 Cor. 15:3), but his divine nature did not die, but was able to raise himself from the dead (John 2:19; 10:17-18; Heb. 7:16) b. To preserve the reality of Jesus’ human nature, we must say that Jesus had two wills (a human will and a divine will) and two centers of consciousness (human and divine) (1) Jesus’ human consciousness did not know the time of his return (Mark 13:32), but his divine consciousness knew all things (John 16:30) (2) Jesus’ human will was tempted (Heb. 4:15) but his divine will could not be tempted (James 1:13) 4. Anything either nature does, the person of Christ does Jn 8:58 “Before Abraham was, I am” Jn 16:28 “I am leaving the world” Matt 28:20 “I am with you always” 1 Cor. 15:3 “Christ died for our sins” THE CHALCEDONIAN CREED (451 A.D.) We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial [homoousios-- “same nature”] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the prophets from the beginning have declared concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us. Systematic Theology Related Resources: 10 Reasons to Believe God Became A Man - Discovery Series (RBC) Who is This Man Who Says He is God? - Discovery Series (RBC) Denies (720)(arneomai from "a" = negation + rheo = say) literally means "to say no", to say one does not know about or is in any way related to some person. ARNEOMAI - 30V - Matt. 10:33; Matt. 26:70; Matt. 26:72; Mk. 14:68; Mk. 14:70; Lk. 8:45; Lk. 9:23; Lk. 12:9; Lk. 22:57; Jn. 1:20; Jn. 13:38; Jn. 18:25; Jn. 18:27; Acts 3:13; Acts 3:14; Acts 4:16; Acts 7:35; 1 Tim. 5:8; 2 Tim. 2:12; 2 Tim. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:5; Tit. 1:16; Tit. 2:12; Heb. 11:24; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 Jn. 2:22; 1 Jn. 2:23; Jude 1:4; Rev. 2:13; Rev. 3:8 Head Or Heart? Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? — 1 John 2:22 Today's Scripture : 1 John 2:21-26 In the span of 7 days he won the hearts of a busload of people. We were visiting the Holy Land, and the personable man was our tour guide. Each day he greeted us with his winning smile, clever sense of humor, and incredible knowledge of Israel. From the story of Abraham and Isaac to the account of Jesus’ resurrection, our guide had it all down. Yet as the week went by, people began to ask, “Is he a believer?” “Does he know Jesus?” Sadly, the answer was no. He knew the Bible better than most of us. He daily walked where Jesus had. He had been giving tours to Christians for years. But he didn’t know his Messiah. Could that be your situation? Could you have a knowledge of God and His Son Jesus in your head but not in your heart? It’s not all that unusual. The words in 1 John 2:22 seem harsh: “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?” But the truth is that knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. We must acknowledge Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt. 16:16). We must accept His forgiveness for our sins and enter into a personal relationship with Him. What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be; Someday your heart will be asking, "What will He do with me?" —Simpson Knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. Revelation Or Imagination? Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. — 1 John 2:22 Today's Scripture : 1 John 2:18-27 Today I received a long letter from a man who says he believes in both God and the “Christ spirit,” but not in “the historical Jesus as portrayed in the New Testament.” He doesn’t mind that I believe as I do, but he wants me to show respect for him by acknowledging that our beliefs are of equal merit. That I cannot do! A belief is either true or false. Either Jesus is Lord and Savior, God in the flesh, or He is not. When considering who Christ is, we choose to believe either in the Jesus of our own imagination or in the Jesus of biblical revelation. We are not being arrogant or unloving when we say that those who reject the Jesus revealed in the Bible are wrong. We follow the example of the apostle John. He referred to such teachers as “antichrists” who had no right to be counted as members of the fellowship of believers (1 John 2:18-19). He exhorted his readers, “Let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning” (v.24). What had they “heard from the beginning”? None other than the teachings of Jesus Himself, as well as the dynamic eyewitness testimony of those who intimately knew the life, person, and work of our Lord. The one who lies about the Son, Denies the Christ, the only One. Jesus is Lord—yes, it is true! God was made flesh—He died for you. —Fitzhugh To detect what is false, study the truth. 1 John 2:23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: πας ο αρνουμενος τον υιον ουδε τον πατερα εχει ο ομολογων τον υιον και τον πατερα εχει Amplified: No one who [habitually] denies (disowns) the Son even has the Father. Whoever confesses (acknowledges and has) the Son has the Father also. (Lockman) Berkley (Modern Language): No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father as well. ESV: No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. HCSB: No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well. KJV = Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. NET: Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also. NIV: No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. NLT: Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
1 João 2:24
Cole writes "Dr. James Rosscup devotes an entire book to the theme of abiding in Christ as found in John 15. He sums up the concept of abiding in three ways (Abiding in Christ [Zondervan], p. 116, italics his): “Abiding involves a person’s relating himself to Christ the Vine, to His Person and His purpose; rejecting attitudes, words, actions, or interests which Christ’s Word reveals He cannot share; and receiving the quality-essence of Christ’s imparted life for authentic fulfillment.” (BORROW Abiding in Christ PAGE 116) Mounce - In the NT, meno can function as a transitive verb (i.e., requires a direct object) or as an intransitive verb (i.e., does not require a direct object) in Greek. (1) Without a direct object, menō signifies a person or a thing “remaining” in the same place or state. With respect to PLACE, a demon-possessed individual was unable “to LIVE” in a house (Lk 8:27). When Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow at his impending death, he told his disciples to “STAY here and keep watch with me” (Mt 26:38). With respect to STATE, menō describes the continuing condition of a person or thing. In this sense, the writer of Hebrews says that Christ “REMAINS a priest forever” (Heb 7:3). Paul encouraged converts to “REMAIN in the situation which he was in when God called him” (1Cor. 7:20 , 24). John uses menō frequently to describe the PERSEVERANCE OF BELIEVERS (See Perseverance of the Saints - is it biblical?) in their relation to Christ, that is, to “remain” or “abide” in Him (Jn 8:31; 15:4-10, 16; 1Jn. 2:6 , 10). (2) With a direct object, menō means “to await, wait for.” In this sense, men “awaited” or “waited for” Paul and Luke at Troas (Acts 20:5). In the same chapter, Paul tells the Ephesian elders that bonds and afflictions “await” him in Jerusalem (20:23 ). Menō 118x = to stay, Mt 26:38; Acts 27:31; to continue; 1Cor. 7:11; 2Tim. 2:13; to dwell, lodge, sojourn, Jn 1:39; Acts 9:43; to remain, Jn 9:41; to rest, settle, Jn 1:32, 33; 3:36; to last, endure, Mt 11:23; Jn 6:27; 1Cor. 3:14; to survive, 1Cor. 15:6; to be existent, 1Cor. 13:13; to continue unchanged, Ro 9:11; to be permanent, Jn 15:16; 2Cor. 3:11; Heb 10:34; 13:14; 1Pet. 1:23; to persevere, be constant, be steadfast, 1Ti 2:15; 2Ti 3:14; to abide, to be in close and settled union, Jn 6:56; 14:10; 15:4; to indwell, Jn 5:38; 1Jn. 2:14; trans. to wait for, Acts 20:5, 23 (Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words- William D. Mounce) Meno is used to describe the Holy Spirit coming on Jesus and remaining on Him (Jn 1:32-33). Meno is used figuratively to describe the wrath of God abiding (continually = present tense) on all who do not believe in Jesus as their Savior (Jn 3:36). Palmer writes that meno "is practical and warmly personal; it is definite and understandable; it is too common a word for the religious or ideological elite. It is the word for amateurs who may not know the ways of ritual or of avant-garde privilege but who know how to settle into a genuine relationship and enjoy the fellowship and the view." (The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 35 : 1, 2 & 3 John / Revelation)
1 João 2:25-27
Cole adds this caveat - The Spirit always works in conjunction with the Word. He does not give direct revelation today on a par with Scripture. The false teachers were claiming to have direct revelations from the Spirit, but their teaching contradicted the Word. If you get some “insight” that you think came from God, but it does not line up with God’s Word (interpreted properly in context), your “insight” is not from the Holy Spirit! Or, if someone says to you, “The Lord told me…” be careful! Sometimes they will even use a verse of Scripture, but invariably it is taken out of context. The Holy Spirit always leads us to the Word and to a deeper understanding of the supremacy and all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ. (1 John 2:24-27 Avoiding Spiritual Deception) the truth which the Holy Spirit enables us to know is a truth that is delivered in the preaching of the apostles John
1 João 2:25-27
Cole explains no need of anyone to teach this way - John means that they do not need the elite gnosis of the false teachers to let them in on God’s “secret truth.” Rather, every Christian has the indwelling Holy Spirit to enable him or her to understand and interpret Scripture. When the Spirit applies the word of the gospel to the soul, we receive it, not as the word of man, but of God (1Th 2:13). Through the Word, the Holy Spirit reveals to us the riches that God has prepared for us (1 Cor. 2:9-12). This is the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. You do not need an elite order of clergymen to give you the official interpretation of biblical truth, especially of the gospel. Read the Word for yourself, in dependence on the indwelling Holy Spirit. (1 John 2:24-27 Avoiding Spiritual Deception)
1 João 2:25-27
Cole - Jesus also called the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of truth” (John 14:17+), which is behind John’s words here, that He “is true and is not a lie.” This means that the truth of the gospel is not a subjective matter of personal interpretation. It is not something that I see one way and you see it another way, but both ways are right. Rather, it is objectively, absolutely true in every culture and every age. You must believe it to be saved and any contradiction of the gospel is a lie. (1 John 2:24-27 Avoiding Spiritual Deception Part 2) Lies and falsehood are the chief trademarks of God’s enemies. The anointing, the Spirit of truth, is the "antidote" for such lies for in Him and His teaching there is no lie or falsehood. And just as it (the anointing ~ the Spirit) has taught (didasko) you, you abide (meno - present imperative but some favor present tense) in Him - The Amplified version has "so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do]." Without meaning to sound too mystical, John's readers and we also need to learn to listen to the voice of the Spirit from within, instead of listening to the voices from without! John calls for his readers to continually live at home in Christ, which in context means that they make themselves at home, so to speak, in the true teaching. Simon Kistemaker - The heart of the sentence, however, lies in the last three words (abide in Him) which form a command to have fellowship with Christ. The exhortation is direct: “Remain in him.” In view of John’s reference to Jesus’ return (1Jn 2:28), the words in Him relate to Jesus Christ… God provides His Spirit to teach the believer all things necessary for salvation, but God also expects the Christian to remain in Christ so that he may have constant fellowship with the Father and the Son (cp 1Jn 2:24). (James and the Epistles of John) John
1 João 2:25-27
Cole says "The Spirit abides in you, but you also must abide in the Spirit. John says that the anointing abides in you, but the last part of the verse should be a command, “abide in Him.” John uses “abide” five times in 1Jn 2:24, 27. As we’ve seen, it is his term for fellowship, or for maintaining a warm, close relationship with the Lord. Let the Holy Spirit be at home in every area of your life, and you be at home in every area of His Word. Don’t keep any secret closets locked away from Him. Give Him entrance to every nook and cranny of your thoughts and emotions. To live closely and openly before the Holy Spirit in His Word is the best safeguard against spiritual deception." (1 John 2:24-27 Avoiding Spiritual Deception Part 2)) H A
1 João 2:28-29
Cole - John indicates that there are two possibilities when Jesus Christ comes: either you will have confidence or you will “shrink away from Him in shame.” But, is John referring to believers who will be ashamed at the Lord’s coming, or to the heretics and those who have followed them in their denial of the deity of Jesus Christ? It seems to me that the primary reference in the context is to the heretics and their followers. For a while, they professed to know Jesus Christ, but they turned away, showing that their faith was not genuine, saving faith (2:19). They have denied Him His rightful place as the Sovereign Lord and have turned, instead, to foolish speculations that puff them up with pride in their supposed knowledge. Because by their denial of Christ, they were ashamed of Him, when He comes He will be ashamed of them (Mark 8:38). They will shrink back in fear and shame when they see Him in His glory (Mt 22:11-13; Rev 6:15-17).But, there may be a secondary sense, momentary in duration, in which even true believers could be ashamed when He comes. Some have worked for Christ out of selfish, prideful motives. They will be saved, but as through fire when their works are burned up (1Cor. 3:12-15). Surely, they must feel a sense of shame over their sin, even though they quickly will be transformed into Christ’s image and enter heaven in their perfect resurrection bodies (1John 3:2; 1Cor 15:50-53). Even we who have conscientiously served Christ are painfully aware of our many shortcomings and failures. We may have a brief moment of shame or regret when we see Him and think, “If only I had done more for Him!” But, for those who abide in Christ, the dominant mood will be confidence when He comes. (Are You Ready for His Coming- 1 John 2:28-29) John
1 João 2:28-29
Cole notes that "1Jn 2:29 (in context; Ed note: Keep Context King) explains how not to be ashamed at Christ’s coming (1Jn 2:28) , namely, to live righteously (it also anticipates the theme of 1Jn 3:4-10)." (1 John 2:28-29 Are You Ready for His Coming?) A E Brooke introduces this verse - In thought this verse is closely connected with the preceding (1Jn 2:28). The ground of the appeal to “Abide in Him” was their expectation of the speedy return of their Lord in glory, and their desire to be able to meet Him with confidence and joy, and not to have to shrink away abashed from His presence. This naturally raises the thought of the conditions which would make such a meeting possible. Those only who are His own can look forward with unclouded confidence, and His own are those who share His qualities, especially those which characterize the Judge, righteousness and justice. The doing of justice is the sure sign, and the only sign, that they are “born of Him.” And so the meditation passes over to the next subject on which the writer wishes to dwell, the being born of God. (International Critical Commentary) If you know (eido) that He is righteous (dikaios) - "If" (3rd class condition) means potential or probable action and in context refers to an assumed knowledge that believers share, but false teachers do not possess. The verb know (eido) means they know intuitively, beyond a shadow of a doubt, because it is a knowledge that the Spirit has given them as genuine believers. They absolutely know that God is righteous. I like Wuest's paraphrase as it distinguishes between the two verbs for know - "If you know in an absolute manner that He is righteous, you know experientially that everyone who habitually does this aforementioned righteousness [which God is], out from Him has been born, with the present result that that one is a born-one." Colin Kruse observes that "This verse begins a long treatment of the fundamental connection between knowing God and doing righteousness (1Jn 2:29–3:10), which provides a basis for distinguishing those who are the children of God from those who are the children of devil. This treatment is interrupted in 1Jn 3:1–3 by an exposition of the greatness of God’s love, the immense privilege of being his children, and the hope of being made like Christ at his appearing, but is taken up again in 1Jn 3:4–10. (See The Letters of John) He is righteous (dikaios) - To Whom does this refer? This could refer to either the Father or the Son or possibly Both (Smalley-WBC). Some see it as reference to the Father (Bruce; Lenski; Lieu; Plummer; Stott-TNTC) The following see He as a reference to Jesus(Brooke-ICC; Bultmann-Hermeneia; Grayston; W Hall Harris-Exegetical Commentary; T F Johnson-Understanding the Bible; Klauck; Marshall-NICNT; Smith-Interpreter's Commentary). Hiebert favors that both pronouns (He is righteous...born of Him) refer to the Father. (1 John 2:18-28 Exposition) Some feel that the first pronoun refers to Jesus and the second to the Father. John uses a similar change from Christ to God in 1Jn 5:1. Steven Cole - “He” could refer to Jesus Christ the righteous (1Jn 2:2), Who is the subject of 1Jn 2:28. But since the Bible normally talks about the Father as the one Who begets us as His children, the “He” and “Him” of 1Jn 2:28 probably look ahead to the Father (1Jn 3:1). Note also that His righteousness (1Jn 2:29) is perfectly compatible with His great love (1Jn 3:1). We fall into error if we do not hold to both. (1 John 2:28-29 Are You Ready for His Coming?) Brown on the other hand sees "He" as a reference to Christ adding that "In 1John 2:1 “just” (dikaios) was applied to Jesus Christ serving as Paraclete in the Father’s presence, atoning for our sins and thus winning the case for us. Here it is applied to Christ who will return in judgment, not as an enemy but as a friend who gives confidence because he is forgiving." (Ibid) B F Westcott - "The true solution of the difficulty seems to be that when St John thinks of God in relation to men he never thinks of Him apart from Christ (comp. c. 1Jn 2:20). And again he never thinks of Christ in His human nature without adding the thought of His divine nature." (1 John 2 Commentary)
1 João 2:28-29
Cole - Don’t mistake the point of 1Jn 2:29. It is not saying that righteous behavior is the cause or condition of the new birth, but just the opposite. (Ibid) This righteousness is evidence of the new birth, not a means of the new birth. It is the fruit of the new birth, not the root. No one can merit the new birth by righteous behavior, but their righteous behavior is evidence or fruit testifying to the validity of their new birth. Those truly born of God will resemble God in their behavior (imperfectly now but one day in glory perfectly. Hallelujah!) New birth precedes new behavior. Our practice is proof of our parentage. The righteous Savior produces righteous saints. -- Danny Akin Practices (poieo - present tense - continually, as their lifestyle) righteousness (dikaiosune) describes this righteousness as their lifestyle. It is not describing perfection, but direction of one's life. If one's life is "Godward," it is clear he or she is truly regenerate, a new creature in Christ. If one's life is "earthward" ("hellward") so to speak, it is not clear what their birth status is, but the suggestion is that they are not born again. Hiebert adds that "The present active participle “denotes habit of life, the prevailing principle of one’s life, not a single action, but a succession of acts which make up the life.” (The Epistles of John: An Expositional Commentary - Page 132) Danny Akin - In the gospel John teaches us how to experience the new birth (John 1:12-13+). In the epistle John teaches us about the evidences of the new birth (1 John 2:29). One evidence is righteous living.....Faith always precedes behavior, but right behavior will always follow faith. Our lives, as children of God, will resemble the character of our Father. Our practice is proof of our parentage. The righteous Father produces righteous children. The righteous Savior produces righteous saints. Alexander Ross - The proof that we are begotten from on high and remain God’s children (perfect tense) is to be found in the habitual doing of righteousness. Other signs of the new birth are love of the brethren (1Jn 4:7) and faith in Jesus as the Christ (1Jn 5:1). John proceeds in his next words to describe some of the wonderful results of the new birth. (The Epistles of James and John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament)