Introduction to First John

John’s first letter is like a family photograph album. It describes those who are member of the family of God. Just as children resemble their parents. God’s children have His likeness too.

When a person becomes a child of God, he receives the life of God – eternal life. All who have this life show it in definite ways, John points out.

1. They acknowledge Christ as their Lord and Savior.

2. They love God.

3. They love the children of God.

4. They obey His commandments.

5. They do not go on sinning.

There are some of the tests of eternal life. John wrote this letter so that all who manifest these traits may know that they have eternal life. Chapter 5-13. At this time of writing the false sect of the Gnostics had arisen. This belief was Jesus was a man, and Christ was not a person but an influence that came out from God. Jesus was not Christ, rather the Christ came upon Jesus at this baptism and left Him before He died on the cross. With teachers around who believed this it is no wonder that John urged his readers to try the spirits. These false teachers did not have the marks of the true children of God. John comes on strong that a person is either a child of God or he is not. There is no in-between. That is why the epistle is filed with such extreme opposites as “light and darkness”, “love and hatred”, “truth and lie”, “death and life”, “God and the devil”.

Theme of the letter is “Fellowship” mentioned 4 times in Chapter 1. Love is mentioned 32 times. It was near the end of the apostolic age and love for Christ was waning. The world was stealing the affections of the believers. Hence the emphasis on “Love”. Love of God – Christ – the brethren.

verse 1 “That which was from the beginning”. “He who was from the beginning”. The eternity of the Lord Jesus. The re-existence of Christ. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the word” and “Before Abraham was I am”. Consider some of the Theophanous. Next we are introduced to the incarnate Christ. John describes His humanity. (read the rest of the verse) This is the greatest mystery or miracle of all time. “God manifest in flesh”. I Timothy 3:16. The Christ of God became a real man. John 1:16. Give Me a drink – asleep on the boat – wearied – poor – wept. The disciples saw this. John was chosen to record it. Perfect man – the storm – Perfect God – the grave or Lazarus. “I came forth from the Father (Deity) and can come into the world (Humanity) I leave the world and go to the Father (Glory). Finally in the verse John refers to the one he has described as the “Word of Life.” This is a word John alone uses to describe the Lord.

verse 2: Most commentators believe that the “L” in life should be capitalized. Making Life to mean the Lord. He was manifested or revealed. “Eternal Life” is also a title given to Christ. John says, “He was with the Father, but was “manifested to us”.

verse 3: The thought fellowship and the family is introduced here. Verses 1 and 2 is the expression of the doctrinal foundation of all true fellowship. True fellowship is in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. John says here we have described to you what we as eye-witnesses, have seen and heard that you also may have fellowship with us. (The human side of fellowship). True fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ. (The divine side of fellowship). Fellowship is partnership and communion with fellowship – believers and with the triune God.

verse 4: When we are in fellowship with God and our brethren then our joy is full, complete. When our fellowship is unbroken, Peter says, “we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”. “Heavenly joy”. God’s Joy – like His peace passes all understanding. When we are fellowshipping with God. Worry – anxiety and care disappears. The peace that cannot be described keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

verse 5: After having stated the foundation of all true fellowship John goes on to tell us that there are certain conditions to be met before we can enjoy this fellowship. First of all John reveals the characters of God. “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” This means that God is absolutely Holy – righteous – pure. Being the essence and embodiment of light there is no darkness in Him. This means three things:

1. God Himself is absolutely pure – no sin in Him

2. God being pure cannot look with favor on any form of sin.

3. Being light, nothing is hidden from Him.

“All thins are naked and bare in the sight of Him with whom we have to do.” Exodus 15:11

verse 6: This verse can apply in two ways.

1. To the believers. On tiny iota of darkness or sin in our life breaks our fellowship with God. His eyes are as a flame of fire Revelations 1.

2. It probably was aimed at the professors. They said, “we have fellowship with Him” – but they continued to walk in darkness. John says that they were liars and did not practice the truth.

In Verses 5 and 6 we have a contrast between light and darkness. Metaphorically, the word darkness is used of moral and spiritual darkness – the darkness of sin. It is impossible to fellowship with God and walk in darkness – sin. Conversely, it is impossible to walk in sin and fellowship with God. Anyone who pretends to be doing so is a liar, and is not practicing the truth. A professor or a believer out of fellowship. Judas would be an example of this.

Our Lord said to His disciples: Matthew 5:14-16; Ephesians 5:8; John 8:12; Philippians 2:5. Light is an emblem of holiness. It is what God is. Satan’s kingdom is a kingdom of darkness, of moral and spiritual evil. Ephesians 6:2. At our conversion we were transferred from Satan’s dark kingdom into marvelous light. Light and darkness cannot mix. One of God’s first creative acts was to divide light from darkness – it must ever be so. The two cannot exist at one and the same place. 2 Corinthians 6:14. John makes a distinction between our “words” and our “Walk”. Our walk is more important than our words. “If we say that we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness we are liars”. Notice also verse 8 and 10. “If we say”.

Note what the scripture says about our walk: Romans 6:4; Romans 13:12-13; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:2 and 5:15. The Christian’s walk determines if he is in fellowship with God or not. The walk also differentiates between the children of God and the children of the devil.

verse 7: Fellowship with God and our brethren is guaranteed when we walk with the Lord. “And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin”. The word “cleanseth” is in the present continuous tense. This means that the blood shed at Calvary, by which we are justified (Romans 3:26) maintains our standing before God. It does not mean that we are constantly being cleansed by the blood. It rather means that the one cleansing received at conversion has continuing value. Christian’s are cleansed once by the blood of Christ. They are washed constantly by the word of God from defilement along the way.

verse 8: There are those who believe that at conversion the old nature is eradicated. Sinless perfectionists – eradicationists. To hold such doctrine, John says, is to deceive oneself, and it is untruthful.

verse 9: In order to maintain Christian fellowship – with God and believers – there must be “confession of Sin”. The promise of God’s word is that if a believer confesses his sins, God is faithful and just to forgive. He is faithful to forgive confessed sins, because He has promised. He is just to forgive them because this forgiveness was purchased by Christ on the cross. Then finally God promises to cleanse the repentant saint. The point here to remember is that sin breaks fellowship with God. Repentance and confession restores fellowship.

Note the difference between judicial cleansing verse 7 and parental forgiveness verse 9. The happy family spirit is restored.

verse 10: Finally, in order to be in fellowship with God we must not deny that we have committed acts of sin. God has stated in His Word that “all have sinned”. To deny this is to make God a liar. From these verses we see that fellowship with God does not require lives of sinlessness, but rather requires that our sins should be brought out into His presence, confessed and forsaken.

1^st John 1

The author John is the disciple whom Jesus loved. Date: A.D. 95. The theme is fellowship.

Near the end of the apostolic age, errors were creeping into the church, there were attacks on His Deity, and professors were infiltrating into the church. Antichrists were arising and becoming more vociferous.

Compare Colossians 1: Love for Christ was beginning to wane (Letter to Ephesus). The world was stealing the hearts and affections of believers.

John points out that a person is either a child of God of he is not. There is no in between. Some of the features of the child of God:

1. He has eternal life.

2. He loves God.

3. He loves the children of God.

4. He obeys God’s commandments.

5. He ceases to practice sin.

verse 1: That which was from the beginning. Revelation 13:8; 1 Peter 1:19.

The eternity of the Lord Jesus. Compare John 1:1. “Glorify them with the glory that I had.” The pre-existing of our Lord Jesus. His appearances in the O.T.

The Humanity of the Lord Jesus. John 1:14. The greatest mystery of all time. God Manifest in the flesh. I Timothy 3:16. He became a real man. The disciples saw this and John saw it and recorded it. John 16:28.

Concerning the word of life. The subject of the Epistle, compare voice with word. Hebrews 1:1.

verse 2: Capitalize “L” in Life.

He was manifested, revealed and unveiled. He was also revealed as the “Eternal Life”. He was with the father. He was made visible unto us.

verse 3: We are introduced to the incarnate Word before the thought of fellowship is expressed. What is fellowship? Partnership. The formation of the family is children. The new birth is fellowship of saints. The fullness of fellowship is with God and with Christ.

verse 4: When we are in fellowship our joy is full. There are two ways of having fullness of Joy.

1. We keep His commandments and we bear fruit.

2. We are in fellowship with God, Son and brethren.

Peter speaks of “joy unspeakable” and cannot describe His joy. His peace passes all understanding. Psalm 16:11. This is experienced her and now. “Thou will show me the path of life”.

verse 5: God is the light and in Him there is no darkness at all. There are conditions for fellowship and some of them are revealed in the rest of the epistle. But John first of all reveals the character of God. God is light, absolutely Holy, Righteous and Pure. Being this “there is no darkness in Him”. Exodus 15:11. God is light. Paul on the Damascus Road and The Mount of Transfiguration.

One tiny spark of darkness in our life breaks that fellowship. We cannot hide our sin from Him because all things are open and bare in the sight of Him with whom we have to do. Revelations 1.

verse 6: John is now about to distinguish between mere professors and actual professors. He selects seven keys to show the difference and introduces them by the word “if”. This verse would give us the picture of a professor despite their words. They are out of fellowship with God and walk in darkness (the opposite of light).

verse 7: Believers. A picture of a believer in fellowship with God and His fellow Christians. The Word and the Holy Spirit play an active part in this. Walking in the light. Genesis 17:1. Enoch walked with God. Those that walk in the light (believers) are cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. All our sin has been atoned for. This would describe our state before God. We are cleaned once by the blood of Christ, but we are washed continually by the Word of God. John 13:4-10, Ephesians 5:26.

verse 8: If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, not God nor our neighbors.

verse 9: Sin breaks our fellowship, confession restores it. Psalms 22. Unconfessed sin is the greatest hindrance to spiritual power and growth.

What are some of the sins that can break this fellowship and hinder this power, growth and joy?

1. He is the Spirit of Truth. John 14:2

2. He is the Spirit of Faith. II Corinthians 4:13

3. He is the Spirit of Holiness. Romans 1:4

4. He is the Spirit of Glory. I Peter 4:14

Please note: We do not ask for forgiveness. We confess, repent, and acknowledge sin. As Sinners we came in repentance and our sins ere forgiven. He is faithful and righteous to put away our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This teaches us that to have a life of fellowship with God does not require a sinless life, but it does require sin to be confessed and forsaken.

1^st John 2

verses 1&2: In these two verses John gives God’s perfect standard for his people. He also gives his gracious provision in he event of failure.

God’s perfect standard is set our in the words “These things I wrote unto you that ye sin not”. God’s standard for his dear children is absolute perfection. God cannot condone sin—he utterly condemns it. To the woman taken in adultery, He said “Go and sin no more”.

God’s provision for our weakness

In the event of failure, God has graciously made provisions for us. And if any man sins, we have an advocate with the father. An advocate is one who comes to the aid of another in time of need. This is exactly what the Lord does for us when we sin.

Notice also, we have an advocate with the Father. His is still our father even when we sin. This reminds us that even though sin breaks a believer’s fellowship, it does not break his relationship. As in the natural family, so it is God’s family, nothing can ever affect this relationship. A son may disgrace his father, but he is still a son by birth.

verse 2: Not only is Christ our advocate with the Father, He is still our Father even when we sin. This reminds us that even though sin breaks a believer’s fellowship, it does not break his relationship. A son my disgrace his father, but he is still a son by birth.

Note the blessed truth, “Not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world”. Thank God for the greatness of the sacrifice and the sufficiency of the blood of Christ to save the world. But it only works for those who trust and believe.

The superscription on the Cross was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. These were the principal languages of the then known world. It thus proclaimed to all the world that Jesus Christ is the Savor for men every where.

verse 3-6: The true masks of the believers

1. Obedience to the commandments of God

2. Keeping the Word of God

3. Walking as Christ walked

verses 7-11: We have an exhortation to love one another. This is not a new Commandment, it is old Commandment.

verse 12-14: John indicates those to whom he wrote.

The fathers – mature in Christ

Young men – those who are in conflict for Christ

Little children – the babies in Christ

verse 15-17: We are exhorted not to love the world.

1^st John 3

Verse 1: The thought of being born of God grips John with wonder, so he calls upon his readers to consider the wonderful love that brought them into the family of God. God could have saved us without making us his children, but the quality of God’s love is seen in that he brought us into His family as children. Abba – Father. The difference between being a child or a son. The emphasis is on being born into the family, child. A son can be adopted, a child is born.

Behold – look earnestly upon – consider with the kind of love, the unique quality of the Father’s love in that he has made us His children. The world does not recognize us as such.

They do not understand us sometimes. John says this is what we must expect because they did not understand the Lord Jesus when He was on the earth. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received Him not. Since the true child of God has the same characteristics, we cannot expect the world to understand us.

verse 2: However despite what the world says, God says that we are His children now, and this is our quality of future glory. “It doth not yet appears what we shall be”. We cannot appreciate what this relationship means while on earth. I Corinthians 2-9. But we do know that when Christ raptures us, we shall be changed, we shall be like him. This does not mean that we will be physically like the Lord Jesus. The Lord will have his own unique appearance, and will bear the scars of Calvary throughout eternity. Each of us will have our own distinct features and we will be recognizable as such. The Bible does not read that everyone will look alike in heaven. The thought is that we will be morally like the Lord. He will be free from sin, defilement, sickness, sorrow and death. Each day that we live the process of becoming like Christ should be going on. But the process will absolutely complete when “we see Him as He is.”

verse 3: Every man says John who has the hope of seeing Christ and being like him, purifies himself even as Christ is pure. The hope of seeing Him brings into focus the rapture. If we live our lives as if Christ was crucified yesterday and coming tomorrow we would be continually purifying ourselves. The imminence of the rapture should have a sanctifying effect on every believer.

verse 4: Give a better translation.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin in lawlessness. This is a picture of an unbeliever. This is the opposite from what is taught in v. 4.

verse 5: This verse tells us why Christ came into this world, “to take away our sin”. For a Christian to keep practicing sin would be a denial of the purpose for which Christ came. Furthermore a Christian cannot live in sin because it would be a denial of the one whose name he bears. “In him was no sin” – Peter, “He did no sin”- Paul, “He know no sin”. Our Lord was sinless – “The manna rested on the dew” For one to call oneself a believer and continue in the same old ways of life, is an impossibility.

verse 6: Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not, whosoever practices sin has never seen Him, and certainly does not know Him. This verse contrasts the true believer with one who has never been born again. The subject here is not isolated acts of sin but rather its practice. Christians do sin – this breaks our fellowship, but not our relationship.

verse 7: Little children let no man desire you. The Gnostics made great claim as to their knowledge, but were very careless about their personal lives. There should be no confusion on this point. A man cannot have spiritual life and go on living in sin. On the other hand, a believer can only live a spiritual life because he has the righteous nature of Christ in him.

verse 8: Most children are like their parents. This is true of God’s children and of the devils children. The thought in this verse is “He that practiceth sin is of the devil”. The devil has kept on sinning from the time he fell. His children follow his example. Continuous sense. In contrast, the coming of our Lord Jesus was to destroy the works of the devil. It cost the Lord Jesus so much to put away sin. The attitude of His children should be to abhor that which is evil and to abstain from the appearance of evil.

verse 9: Whosoever is born of God doth not practice sin. This verse represents the impossibility of one who has been born of God going on in sin. The reason for this is that His seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

The Question of “the seed”. Common beliefs – new nature – the Holy Spirit – Word of God. As I see it, it is a combination of the three, which produces new life. Because these things are in the believers he cannot sin habitually. This then is the fourth distinction of the children of God and the children of the devil.

1. Obedience

2. Love

3. Doctrine

4. Righteousness and Godly living

Those who do not practice righteousness are not of God. There is no in-between, no gray area. There are none who are half in and half out. In contract God’s children are know by these righteous lives. John then reverts back to the subject of love which he had discussed in chapter 2.

verse 11: From the beginning of the Christian dispensation the believers had been taught to love one another. This is not mere affection, but we should love each other as Christ loved us.

verse 12: Instructs us that we are not to be like Cain we did not love his brother Abel – he murdered him. The reason Cain hated and murdered Abel was because his works were evil, while Abel’s were good.

verse 14: Note the change that comes to one at conversion. The believers whom they once hated they now love. John says that this is an evidence of salvation. Those who do not love God’s children never have been home again.

verse 15: In the eyes of the world hatred is not counted as a very wicked thing. In the eyes of God it is murder. Hate is murder in embryo form. The thought and motive is there – the act might not be committed.

(Quote the second part of the verse.) John does not mean that a murderer cannot be saved. He rather is saying that a man who hates his fellow men is a potential murderer and is not saved.

Verse 16: The Lord showed what true love was like – he laid down his life for us. This is in contrast to Cain. Our love for the brethren should be so great that, if necessary, we should lay our lives down for them.

Verse 17: Love is practical. Our lives should be a continual giving out for our brethren. If we have an abundance and fail to share it with brethren in need, John says the love of God is not in him.

Verse 18: Our love should be practical. Not in word or tongue – but in deed and in truths.

Verse 19: Such manifestations will assure us that we are in God’s family and give us confidence to approach him.

Verse 20: This is rather a difficult verse to understand. The words heart and conscience seem to be interchangeable. It is serious when our conscience convicts us of our actions, at its best conscience fail sometimes, but God knows everything about us fully and absolutely.

Verse 21: This is describing a believer who has a good conscience before God. This is not a person who has been living sinlessly, but one who has confessed and forsaken his sins. By doing this he has confidence and boldness in prayers.

Verse 22: Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him. Such a statement could only apply to one who was living in close vital intimacy with the Lord. Living like this we get to know the Lord’s will, and knowing His will we would not ask for anything outside of it. So that, when we ask something, we know that it is His will, we receive it.

Look for a moment a the conditions for answering prayers

1. We must have a clear conscience – no outstanding sins. v. 20-21

2. We must keep his commandments. v. 22

3. Our lives must be pleasing to Him. v. 22

4. We must believe in the Lord Jesus. v.23

5. We must love one another. v. 23

verse 24: John says that any person who keeps these commandments dwells or abides in Christ and he abides in Him. We know that he is in us by the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3, part 2

verse 1: “Behold what manner (kind) of love,” etc. God could have saved us without making us children. (Compare II Samuel 14.) Abba – Father. Explain the difference between “Sons” and “children”. Born of God and born into the family of God.

verse 1b: The world does not recognize us as such. They did not recognize the Lord either. We are God’s masterpieces. Ephesians 2:10.

verse 2: We are God’s children now. Ephesians 5:27. We cannot fully appreciate what this means. But we know that when Christ comes we shall be changed and we shall be like Him. Have a body like unto his body of glory, etc. We shall see Him as He really is.

verse 3: Every man that has this hope, etc. “Blessed hope”. The expectation of the coming of the Lord has a sanctifying effect on the believer. The coming is certain, but the time uncertain. Consider Mark 13:33-37.

verse 5: Quote…. “In Him was no sin.” The intimate disciple. This is one of the three key passages which deal with the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus. I Pet 2:22: “He knew no sin.” The intellectual disciple. The temptation. Manna resting on the dew.

verse 6: Says he does not.

verse 9: Says He cannot. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” The believer does not practice, or live in sin. Commit sin. New Nature (see verses 5-6). Old nature – flesh. Romans 7:20 “now if I do that which I would not, it is no more I that does it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” Paul is simply saying that it is the old nature that sins, not the new. The reason “His seed remaineth in Him and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” What is the seed? Some think the seed is the new nature – Holy Spirit – Word of God. It could involve all three, because the seed is there and because of what it has produced it is impossible for a born again believer to practice sin. John tells us in his Gospel what is really expected from a believer.

1. John 3:6 Born of the Spirit – Indwelling

2. John 4:14 Springing up – Infilling

3. John 7:37-39 Flow rivers – Outflowing

verse 9: The characteristics of the children of God.

verse 10: The characteristics of the children of the devil.

verse 11: John seems to revive the subject of love which he dropped in Ch. 2. This is the message of the Lord Jesus “that we should love one another.”

verse 12: This is the first record instance of a man who hated his brother. The reason is given for his hatred. His works were evil – his brother’s were righteous. His father was “the wicked one”. Abel’s father was God.

verse 13: The antagonism of the world against believers. They hated the Savior – so they will hate you. John 15:18-20.

verse 14: We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. The assurance of salvation. II Corinthians 5:17.

verse 15: “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer”. Hatred is murder in embryo form. Hatred is the motive – murder is the act. The man who hates like this, John says, has not eternal life… He is unsaved. “No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

verse 16: in contrast to the murderer of v. 15 and Cain v. 12, John gives us the highest expression of love. “He laid down his life for us.” This example should be followed by us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

verse 17: Love is practical, sacrificial love. If we have an abundance ourselves and we do not share it with our brothers in need, John says “the love of God does not dwell in us”. He who was rich became poor.

verse 18: Our love has not to be in theory. Our love should be expressed in deed and sincerity. The reward – a cup of cold water, etc. See James 2:14-16.

verse 22: And whatsoever we ask we receive of Him. This is not a carte blanche statement. God does not grant all the answers to our prayers that we desire. Such would be disastrous. There are certain stringent conditions to be kept ere such a sublime promise could be claimed.

1. We must keep His commandments. Verse 22

2. Believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. Verse 23

3. We must love one another. Verse 23

This means living close to the Savior, creating an intimacy with him, being in fellowship with Him. Dong this we make His will our will – then in our prayers the Holy Spirit fills us with the knowledge of His will. So that as we pray we ask according to His will, then we receive in their entirety the things which we ask.

verse 24: Dwelling in Him, God dwelling in us. I am my Beloveds, my beloved is mine. Christ is mine – Praise God. But I am Christ’s.

verse 27: He reminds them of their anointing…. He says that it “abideth in you”. Describe the difference of the old and N.T. saints relative to the Holy Spirit. David said “take not thy Holy Spirit from me.” John says “He abideth with you.” “And shall be in you”. So a spiritual believer is fully equipped to discern false teaching because he has the Spirit of God in his heart and he has the Word of God in his hand.

verse 28: John 15 …..abide in Him…. Live in fellowship with him….that we may have confidence and not be ashamed at His coming. The judgment seat of Christ. II Corinthians 5:10. We must all appear. “Must I go and empty handed.”

1^st John 4

“God is Love”

This is the third of John’s three great statements concerning the nature of God.

The others are found in: John 4:24, I John 1-5.

In the original language the word God is persuaded by an article and would read, “The God is love”. This means that the statement is not reversible; it cannot read “Love is God”.

How do we know that God is love?

verse 9: tells us that God’s love towards us was manifested or revealed in Jesus Christ. John 3:16. God sent His Only begotten Son into the world. Christ is the only begotten Son in sense that He has no brothers or sisters.

The purpose for sending Christ was “that we might live through Him”. There are two important truths revealed her

1. The pre-existence of Christ

2. The eternal Sonship of Christ

“God sent his Son into the world. Isaiah 6. Christ existed before He was sent into the world. If He had not Never could have been our Life (verse 9) our propitiation (verse10) or our Savior (verse 14)

verse 10: “Herein is love” literally “the love” – perfect love. This love is unrelated to anything which humans could do. “Not that we loved God” “But that He loved us”. This perfect love flowed “toward us” and is expressed in the gift of Jesus Christ. Ezekiel 47. God’s love cannot be compared with or related to human love. These are rare examples, says Paul of a person dying for an upright man. There are other examples of people who have given there life for a good person. There cares are very rare indeed. According to Romans 3, in God’s eyes no person on earth is righteous. In His eyes no one is good “There is none that doeth good” yet God loved us, but there is more.

Romans 5 assures us that it was when we were without strength, i.e. morally weak (verse 6), Sinners (verse 8) and Enemies (verse 10), that Christ died for us. “God is love”. This is not only amazing but incredible. This love cannot be measured – scale – plumb – length – breadth. It is a love which transcends all humans thoughts. Ephesians 3:18-19. Maybe able to comprehend … And to know love, etc. God’s love is “a depth without a bottom” “A see without a shore”. Like shoreless seas, thy love can know no bounds; deep, vast, immense, unfathomed, hard profound, hard I love thee!

What shall separate us from the love of Christ. See verse 17. “Boldness in the day of judgment.” He came to seek and to save that which was lost. The woman with the issue of blood and the woman taken in sin. He came to save you. Luke 15.

False Teachers And Prophets

2 Peter 2; They will bring into the church destructive heresies. They will deny the Lord that brought them (Cain). They are presumptuous – self willed – speak evil of authority. They speak great dwelling words of vanity. All this is done in the name of religion. 2 Timothy 3. They creep into houses and lead captive silly women.

The men profess Christianity but they preach another gospel. See Galatians 1, 6 & 9. Describe what the Gospel is: 1 Corinthians 15. He died for out sins etc. – was buried – and raised the third day, etc.

In verses 2-3 John gives the test that is to be given these false teachers. “What think ye of Christ?”

verse 2: Every spirit or teacher who confesses Jesus is Christ who has come in the flesh is of God.

verse 3: And every teacher who does not confess that Jesus is Christ, who is God manifest in flesh is not of God.

This attitude to the person and work of Christ determines whether they are of God or not. Quote the verse of poetry here. “What think ye of Christ is the test” etc.

What some men did with Jesus

1. The rich young rulers rejected Christ and His claims outright.

2. The rich farmers excluded Him from His life and thoughts.

3. The multitudes totally and absolutely rejected Him

4. Felix declined Him as Savior

5. Agrippa was almost persuaded to believe in Him.

Describe Paul’s commission

Philippians jailer’s commission

Thomas’ attitude

What do you think of Christ?

verse 8: God is love. See verses 9, 10, and 14

See verse 17 now. “Herein is love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.”

verse 1: All believers have the Holy Spirit. Chapter 3 verse24. But there are other spirits….. Teachers (false); Peter and Jude. We have to test – try – prove, these false teachers. These men profess to accept Christianity, but they preach another gospel. Galatians 1:6-9.

What is the Gospel? 1 Corinthians 15. We wrestle not against flesh and blood… but against principality and powers. Against rulers of the darkness of this world.

verses 2-3: John gives the test by which these teachers are to be proven. The incarnation. The virgin birth – the person of Christ. The confession – God in Christ reconciling the world. Every spirit or teacher who confesses that Jesus is the Christ incarnate comes from God. And every teacher that does not thus acknowledge Jesus Christ is not of God. “What think ye of Christ: is the test. To try both your state and your scheme: you cannot be right in the rest, unless you think rightly of Him”

verse 4: Greater is He that is in you, etc.

verse 8: God is love. The following verses give us a description of God’s love.

1. In the past God’s love was manifested to us as sinners in the gift of His Son. Verses 9-11.

2. In the present God’s love is manifested to us as saints in His dwelling in us. Verses 12-16.

3. In the future God’s love will be manifested to us in giving us boldness in the day of judgment. Verse 17-18.

Firstly we have God’s love for sinners. He sent His “only begotten” Son. Unique Son. Quote verse 10, God’s love is linked with redemption.

verse 11: Since God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

verse 12: If we love on another… God dwelleth in us and His love is perfected in us. i.e. God’s love has reached its goal. “No man hath seen God at any time,” see John 1:18. God made himself known to the world through the Lord Jesus. God is now making His love know to the world through believers.

verse 13: We dwell in Him and he dwells in us. We know this because he has given us his Spirit. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit, etc. The importance of the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

verse 14: Divine love in action.

1. The Father sent the Son. The heart rending price paid.

2. The Savior of the world. The boundless scope of Christ’s work.

verses 15-16: God swelling in the believer. The believer dwelling in God.

verse 17: Herein is love made perfect. It is not our love that is made perfect. It is God’s love that is made perfect with us. John is now taking us to the future when we will stand before the Lord. “We will stand before Him with confidence and boldness… because the sin question has been settled once and for all. Glorious truth: “As He is (now in heaven) so are we in the world.”

verse 18: There is no fear in love: perfect love casteth our fear. Perfect love:

1. He sent His Son to die for me.

2. He loves me enough to dwell in me.

3. I can now look to the future with confidence and without fear.

verse 19: We love. Because He first loved us. The only reason we can really love is because His love is perfected in us verse 12. Quote verses 20-21.