1 John 5 - Born of God

1 John 5:1-12 – Faith in Jesus

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.  We are born of God when we put our trust in Jesus and His work in saving our lives.  When we love God and keep His commandments, we know we are His child.  John says His commands are not burdensome, but a blessing.  Jesus said, “For my joke is easy, and my burden is light” – Matt. 11:30.  Jesus indicated it was man-made rules and the teachers of legalism and hypocrisy who made the burden hard.  Christ has already taken the burden, so it should be our joy to obey.  Obedience brings us closer to Him.

How can His commandments not be burdensome?  Love seems hard and denying the flesh is a constant battle.  Jesus condensed the commands to love God and others in Matt.  22:36-40. They are not burdensome because when we receive Christ, we are born of God and become a new creation.  God begins to live in you and make real inner transformation possible.  The burden then in not all on you.  Jesus is there to help.

John tells us the Jesus is the One who came by water and blood.  He defined three witnesses that tell us who Jesus is: water, blood, and the Spirit.  The Spirit is the Holy Spirit who bears witness about Jesus as God’s Son.  The water refers to Jesus’ baptism when He came out of the water there was a divine proclamation from heaven that He was God’s beloved Son.  Also through His baptism, He identified with us.  The blood is proof because of the blood He sacrificed on the cross.  Even the centurion was convinced who Jesus was just as many others were.  These three witness are in agreement and tell us who Jesus is.  There is a bonus witness: God.  We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it’s the testimony of God Himself.  Rejection of Jesus makes God a liar. 

Principle:  The three witnesses - the Spirit, the water, and the blood tell us who Jesus is.

1 John 5:13-21 – John’s Final remarks

John gave us the purpose for writing these things to us.  “So that you may know that you have eternal life.” – 1 John 5:13b.

If you know God, you are to have confidence that He will hear your prayers.  If you pray according to God’s will, you know your prayers will be answered.  John said to ask anything according to His will.  This indicates we should pray about anything and everything.  We pray according to His will because He wants to bring our will into alignment with His will.  God cares about our lives and nothing is too small or too big to pray about.  (1 John 5:13-15)

A while ago, I went shopping with a friend.  She prayed that she would find a yellow shirt.  I thought that was such a trivial thing to ask God for, but we all ask God for trivial things we want.  Nothing is too small to ask God for.   He cares for us and what we care about.  Sometimes He gives us what we ask for and sometimes He doesn’t.  It’s all about what His will is for our lives.  We don’t always understand why we don’t always get exactly what we ask for.  Remember His ways are not our ways and He always knows what is best.  So when we pray we should pray in His will.   

Whether you pray to find a yellow shirt or not, God cares and we should ask ourselves if we should really care about that shirt in the long run.  The real purpose of prayer is to put God at the center of our thoughts and establish a relationship with Him.  Scripture says, “Do not be anxious about anything , but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. “ – Phil. 4:6.

Principle:  God cares about our lives and nothing is too small or too big to pray about.

John’s tells us we should love at all times and avoid sin at all times.  This may cause some discomfort or fear if you are struggling to love or to abstain from temptation.  These words of John are meant to comfort, not condemn.  They are meant to provide assurance, not doubt.  If you have placed your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your life in hidden in Him (Col. 3:3) and no one can take it away. 

John ends by saying to keep yourselves from idols.  If you love God, you don’t need or want to love or worship any other gods. (1 John 5:21)

Principle:  We should love at all times and avoid sin at all times.

John gives believers assurance throughout this book:

1 John 2:3 - we know that we have come to know him if we obey

1 John 2:5 – this is how we know that we are in Him

1 John 2:13a – you have known him who has been from the beginning

1 John 2:13b – you have known the Father

1 John 2:14 – you have known him who is from the beginning

1 John 2:18 – this is how we know it is the last hour

1 John 2:20 – all of you know the truth

1 John 2:29 – you know that he is righteous

1 John 3:2 – we know that when he appears…

1 John 3:5 – you know that he appeared

1 John 3:10 – this is how we know the children of God

1 John 3:14 – we know that we have passed from death to life

1 John 3:15 – you know that no murderer has eternal life

1 John 3:16 – this is how we know what love is

1 John 3:19 – this then is how we know that we belong to the truth

1 John 3:24 – this is how we know that he lives in us

1 John 4:6 –  whoever knows God listens and can recognize spirit of truth and spirit of falsehood

1 John 4:7 – everyone who loves knows God

1 John 4:8 – whoever does not love does not know God

1 John 4:13 – we know that we live in him and he in us

1 John 4:16  we know and rely on the love God has for us

1 John 5:2 – this is how we know we love children of God

1 John 5:13 – so that you may know that you have eternal life

1 John 5:15 – if we know he hears us, we know that we have what we asked

1 John 5:18 – we know we don’t continue to sin

1 John 5:19 – we know we are children of God

1 John 5:20 – we know the Son of God has come and know he is true

Join me next week for the study of 2 John and 3 John.  Hope to see you here. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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1 John 3-4

 

1 John 3:1-10 – Loving as God’s Children

If you are a believer, you are a child of God.  So you are a stranger to the wor
ld.  He loves us, but went further than that to call us His children.  By receiving Him, He gave us the right to become His children.  We can know and have the assurance that we are included in His family.   We grow in the image of Jesus now, but when we see Jesus we will truly be like Him. (1 John 3:1-3) 

If we make a practice of sinning, we practice lawlessness.  Our sin is an offense against God, but the work of Jesus is to take away our sins.  We cannot do it ourselves.  Only Jesus can do that because He had no sin.  No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning.  True fellowship with God cannot result in ongoing sinful living without repentance.  We all sin because we are human, but believers do not live a life style of habitual sin. (1 John 3:4-6)

Just because you are a Christian and have been forgiven your sins doesn’t mean you will never sin again.  We sin daily, because we are human.  But as a follower of Jesus we don’t habitually sin.  Yes, we mess up but Jesus forgives us.  So don’t beat yourself up.  That’s what the devil wants you to do.  He wants you to be unhappy and doubt.  Don’t let him win, but be confident in your salvation.

John said to not let anyone lead you astray.  Those who habitual sin are not the children of God, but are of the devil.  Jesus’ purpose is to destroy the works of the devil.  If you are born of God, you change from being of the devil to being children of God.  Your old pattern of life dies and you are born anew.  This is how you know who the children of God are.  (1 John 3:7-10)

Christians were deceived in John’s day just as they are today.  Make sure you are righteous before God.  How can you be made righteous?  We are made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Principle:  God loves us so much that He made us part of His family.

1 John 3:11-24 – Love One Another

John focuses on love for one another.  We are not to be like Cain who murdered his brother.  Cain is a good example of failure to love.  He was disobedience from a lack of faith, full of pride, gave into the sin of hatred which led to murder, and then tried to hide it.  John said anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murder has eternal life in Him.  To hate someone is to murder in our hearts.  (1 John 3:11-15)

What is love?  Jesus laid down His life for us, so we know what love is.  We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  We are not to love with only words, but with our actions.  If our hearts condemn us, we can rest in the truth and in His presence, because God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything.  If we obey his command to love others, we know He lives in us.  (1 John 3:16-24)

To love means to want what is best for them.  We stop thinking highly of ourselves and put the interests of others ahead of our own.  Jesus didn’t say we have to like everyone, but He did say we are to love them even if we don’t like them.  

What does it mean to lay down your life for someone?  I don’t think John had in mind physical death.  Jesus didn’t have to lay down His life, but He chose to do it.  To lay down your life means we should see it not as ‘have to’ but as ‘want to’, because Christ did it for us.  It may mean we have to die to ourselves for them.  It means to sacrifice time, talent, possibly treasure, but the real sacrifice of love comes when it costs you something that has real value to you. 

Principle:  Love one another.

1 John 4:1-6 – Test the Spirits

Believers are not to believe every spirit, but tests the spirits to see whether they are from God.  If they acknowledge that Jesus Christ is from God, they are from God.  If they don’t acknowledge Jesus, they are the spirit of the Antichrist. (1 John 4:1-3)

There are a lot of false teachers and religions out there in the world and sometimes they seem to be the real thing.  Some deny that Jesus is really God – like Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Mormons.  They may teach a little truth which makes them seem like the real thing.  They might confess that He has come in the flesh, but deny that He is God as the Bible teaches.  You can tell they are false teachers if they distort God’s Word, seem to desire material gain, their teaching leads to inappropriate behavior, they don’t preach the gospel, they seek Glory for themselves instead of God, they don’t exhibit right character qualities, or they seek to divide the body of Christ.  So read and study the Bible and know what it says.

These false teachers speak from the viewpoint of the world and the world listens to them.  John said he and the disciples are from God and whoever knows God listens to them.  Believers need not fear the Antichrist, because the Spirit of Jesus in them is from God.  “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4.

Principle:  Test the spirits to see if they come from God.

1 John 4:7-21 – God’s Love For Us and Our Love for One Another

Let us love one another for love comes from God.  If you love others, God lives in you and you have been born of God and know God.  If you do not love, you do not know God, because God is love.  John says we ‘ought’ to love one another.  This implies an obligation.  Love demonstrates God’s presence in our lives and serves as evidence to the rest of the world.  (1 John 4:7-12)

We use the word ‘love’ in many different ways – we love pizza or we love the beach or we love our spouse.  But biblical love is different.  It is self-sacrificing.  It shows in seeking the highest good of someone.  It’s a caring commitment and action.  God is the source of genuine love.

Anyone who claims to love God must prove it by loving his brother.  We shouldn’t worry if God truly loves and forgives us.  Believers have no reason to fear that God will not accept us.  His perfect love removes the need of this fear.  God is love.  “There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:18

We love because He first loved us.  John says if you hate your brother and say you love God, you are a liar.  If you hate your brother, you don’t love God.  He has given us the command, “Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” – 1 John 4:21 

Principle:  We love because He first loved us.

Join me next week for the study of 1 John 5.  Hope to see you here. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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1 John 1-2 – Walking in the Light of God

For the next few weeks I thought it would be a good time to study First, Second and Third John, since we will be studying the gospel of John in the fall through BSF.  All were written by the same author, John who was Jesus’ beloved disciple.  In addition to the gospel of John, he also wrote Revelation. 

This first letter by John was written to warn Christians about the false teachers who were trying to mislead them.  They had moved away from the faith and some had left the church.  These Christians were being taught that Jesus was not really a man.  John taught clearly that the Son of God came as a real man and lived his life here on earth and that He actually died and rose again from the dead.  He wrote this letter to encourage Christians.  He reminded them what they already knew.  They knew what was true, they knew Jesus was the Son of God, and they knew that He came to take away their sin.  They also knew that they can be sure of eternal life with Jesus and they should show they were Christians by their good lives.

This is relevant today.  There are many believers who have fallen away and are believing false teachings.  This book is a great reminder of just who Jesus is and a reminder of what He has done for us.  It helps us to not doubt, but remember what we KNOW.

John used words for knowledge 41 times.  He used the phrase, ‘we know’ 13 times.  So if you are a Christian but you have doubts, this should give you confidence and take away any doubt.  You should KNOW that Jesus is Savior and He has saved you.  “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” – 1 John 5:13.

1 John 1:1-4 – The Word of Life

John proclaimed that Jesus was there before there was anything, when all that existed was God.  The Father and the Son were both there from the beginning and are inseparable.  Jesus is eternal.  He called Jesus the Word of Life.  John and the disciples were witnesses.  They heard, saw and touched Jesus and testified about Jesus and the eternal life He brings.  

Principle:  Jesus is eternal and the Word of Life.

1 John 1:5-10 – Walk in the Light

John focuses on the theme of walking in the light.  If you ‘walk in the light’ you know Christ.  Those who do not know Christ ‘walk in darkness’.  “God is light, in Him is no darkness at all.” – 1 John 1:5 

Those who claim to have fellowship with God must live as though the claim is true and those who do are continually cleansed from sin.  Those who claim to have no sin are deceived and do not have the truth in them.  The goal of the believer is ‘walk’ in the light, as God is in the light so we can have fellowship and unity with Him.

Light - As light shines, so God shines showing Himself through Jesus.  John uses light to mean all that is good, holy and right.  This shows God character.  God is  good.  He is always right.  He is holy.  He sees all things so we can hide nothing from Him.  To walk in the light is to share in the character of God.

Darkness – This word means all evil acts of this world, all sin, and anything that is opposite from goodness.  To walk in darkness means walking in sin.

God has a remedy for sin.  The remedy is the blood of his Son Jesus Christ.  He shed His blood for us. Admit you have sin in you and confess them to God.  God has promised to forgive us and He will keep His promise.  He put all our sins on Jesus at the cross.  Jesus took our punishment.  He died for this purpose.  Now God can forgive those who confess their sins.  God says all have sinned and Jesus came to die for the sins of all people.  If we had not sinned, then Jesus would not have had to die.

Principle:  Believers are to walk in the light of Jesus.

Do you believe in John’s words?

When have you felt the presence of God in your life?

How is your relationship with God? 

Do you share what you know about Jesus?

Is your goal to walk in the light of Jesus?

How is He changing your life?

1 John 2 – Staying in the Light

John’s purpose for writing this letter was so Christians will not sin.  However, they should be concerned about sin.  We all sin because we are human, but sin doesn’t rule the life of a Christian.  God doesn’t want us to sin, but as humans we do. 

When you become a Christian, there is a change in relationship with sin.  A Christian no longer loves sin, brags about his sin, plans to sin again, enjoys sin as he once did, or is comfortable in habitable sin anymore.

John focuses on fellowship with God.  He has given us an Advocate in Jesus, the Righteous One.  So if and when we sin, we have Jesus as our defender before God.  Jesus Christ covered the sins of all the world and those who keep His commandment demonstrate they truly know Him.  Those who don’t but say they have fellowship with Him, are liars.  Those who walk with Him give evidence they are in Him.  (1 John 1-6)

Principle:  We all sin, but have an Advocated in Jesus.

John warns and commands believers – children, fathers, young men – to love one another.  If you hate someone, then you are still in darkness.  If you love others, then you are living in the light.  Love is often defined as the single most important sign which the world uses to identify a Christian.  (1 John 2:7-14)

Principle:  Love one another.

Believers are not to love the world.  The world is a phrase used to refer to the sinful and material attitudes.  “Everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the father but from the world.” – 1 John2:16.  Love of the world proves that the love of the Father is not in them.  These attitudes are from the world not God.  (1 John 2:15-17)

It’s ok to love the beauty of the world that God created, but we are not to love things of this world more than God.  We are not to love things that the world can give us like homes, cars, gadgets, status or even the world’s way of doing things.  We express love in our time, attention, and money.  The world encourages us to give to the things of the world instead of to God.

Principle:  Love God, not the world.

Believers are warned against teaching of antichrists or false teachers.  We have heard the antichrist is coming.  Many antichrists have come so we know it is the last hour.  These liars deny Jesus is the Christ.  But we know the truth.  John is writing these things so you will not be led astray.  He encourages us to continue in Jesus and be confident and unashamed before Him when He returns.   If you know what is right, you have been born of Him.  (1 John 2:18-29)

Principle:  Be confident and unashamed before Him at His return.

Do you abide in Him or just visit every once in a while?

Do you practice righteousness?

Do you obey His commands?

Join me next time for 1 John 3-5.  Hope to see you here. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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Why does God allow bad things to happen?

 

We live in an evil world.  All bad things (death, illness, injury, suffering, evil, etc.) can be traced back to the Fall, when sin disrupted God’s perfect world.  God limits suffering and restrains much evil. But when God does permit suffering and evil, He will use it for good, even though we may not see the good during our lifetime.  Nothing happens by chance.  God has a plan.

There may be darkness and confusion in the middle of God’s plan for you, but remember, “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah  29:11.

For example, Joseph suffered terribly and he could not imagine all God was doing.  He eventually realized the wonderful things God accomplished through his suffering.  God planned good through Joseph’s suffering as He does for us.  It continues even today and will bring Him glory forever.

The suffering of Job reminds us that we may never know the reason why we suffer, but the truth still remains that “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” – Job 1:21  Isaiah 55:8-9 tell us that our thought are not God’s thoughts and our ways are not God’s ways, but what is promised is God will ultimately work all things for good for believers.

Sometimes God lets bad things happen to get our attention.  He wants us to love our neighbor and to love Him.  If we don’t love and honor Him, we won’t obey Him; we won’t give Him or our neighbor attention.  Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” – John 14:15

As good example of God trying to get our attention is the story of Jonah.  God wanted him to got to Nineveh and preach His message, but Jonah refused.  God got his attention by throwing him into the belly of a fish for three days.  Sometimes God is jut trying to get our attention. 

Scripture teaches us “all things God works together for good to those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28  Scripture also teaches us that we are to rejoice in our suffering.  “rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” – Romans 5:3-5  So choose to trust God to bring about His purposes when bad things happen to you.

Be confident that nothing will happen to you without His permission.  Nothing will happen that will not ultimately bring you more good than destruction.  Psalm 121 teaches us that God will always watch over your life now and forevermore.

Are people just puppets if God controls everything?  No, people are not puppets.  We have free will.  We make actual choices and are responsible for our actions. God does not override our will, but He does direct circumstances to accomplish His will.  God always acts for good. When people act in an evil way, they are guilty of doing wrong, even though God works through their actions to bring about good.  God never deserves blame for people’s evil actions. He always deserves our praise. 

We can trust God’s good purposes even when we do not understand what He is doing. Living by faith gives God’s children joy and brings Him glory.  We must trust Him to show us all we need to know.  Only God knows His infinite purposes for everything that happens.  God leads His children by His Word and His Spirit.  We do not need to look for signs to know what to do.  Knowing our heavenly Father is in control should be more than enough for us.

Bad things happen, but this world is not the end.  God uses those bad things for an ultimate lasting good.  Those bad things equip believers for deeper ministry.  Jesus suffered and we as Christians share in His sufferings.  Jesus was the only truly Righteous One, yet He suffered more than we can imagine.  “If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.  To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.  ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’  When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.  Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” – 1 Peter 2:20-23

God never promises Christians an easy and pain-free life.  Actually, we’re promised that we will have trouble and hardship in this world.  “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33.  The difference is the hope and help we have in Christ.

Join me here next time -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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Kingdom Divided Lesson 30 – Final Reflections

This concludes the study of Kingdom Divided.  We end the study with Israel and Judah exiled to foreign lands.  Even though they were scattered, they rested in God’s promises that they would one day be restored.  We may feel are lives are scattered and uncertain, but by faith we trust God’s promises while we wait for His full plan for our lives.  Believers live assured that Jesus will return in triumph and sin’s dominion will end.

How has God spoken to you through this study? 

Do you now have a deeper appreciation for God and His Word? 

Were you challenged or encouraged? 

How has your view of God and His works expanded?

Has your faith been stretched?

God brought you here for this study for a reason.  He knows your life challenges.  He knows your doubts and fears and your deepest needs.  He meets you in your sinfulness and pursues you despite your waywardness.  In Him alone can you find true peace and refuge.  If you are not a true follower of Jesus, what is keeping you from total surrender? He is lovely waiting for you.  He persistently invites you to trust and follow Him.

May you have a deeper trust and a greater confidence in His plan for your life and for this world.  I hope you have grown to recognize your personal sin and surrendered it to God.  This study was very convicting for me.  I hope it has for you, too.  For the most part this study has been a sad one just to see people so hardheaded and rebellious and all the judgment they went through.  But God is not finished.  There are still rebellious people and greater judgment to come for those who reject Him.  Justice will triumph. Sin’s dominion will end and everything God has promised will happen.

Principle:  Believers live assured that Jesus will return in triumph and sin’s dominion will end.

I hope you have enjoyed this study of Kingdom Divided.  I know there was a lot of reading and confusion as we read about all these different kings.  Join me here for my posts throughout the summer and again in the fall when BSF studies return with the study of John.  -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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