Ministry of Love

The intention of this blog is to share Biblical messages at least on a weekly basis. Any response is appreciated. I do not expect everyone to agree with my interpretation of Biblical passages. I will try to respond with love and thoughtfulness.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Study-First John, lesson 1, by John.

It has been quite a while since I published anything on this blog. My wife and I retired the first of May and suffered physically for a while. I am better now, and I will try to publish something every week. I hope you will find these studies helpful.

Study of the Book First John, Chapter 1 Page 1

I. Settling questions about which scholars disagree.

1. Date: Probably about A.D. 85 to 90.
2. Author:
(1) The author is stated to be John an eyewitness to Jesus, and a close associate of Jesus.
(2) Scholars have differed about the authorship saying that "another John" wrote the Book.
a. Their reasoning is that John does not say he was a disciple of Jesus. If he was, they think he would have stated he was.
b. Almost all of the vocabulary used by the writer is used in the Gospel of John, but there are some differences.
3. By far, the greatest number of scholars agree that John the disciple is the author.
4. Some have noted that it doesn't really make any difference. First John and the Gospel of John are the same in theology, the method of salvation and expectant hope. All show no real difference in authorship. If the Books have two authors, they say, they were very, very close in their understanding of salvation and that they would both have to be witnesses of all that happened with and to Jesus.

II. The Introduction. Read verses 1-4.

1. V 1, John states where he got his information, and that his purpose is to witness about the Word of Life.
2. V 2, Life appeared, we saw it, we testify that it is real, and we proclaim eternal life to you.
3. V 3, We do this so that all of us may have a continuing fellowship together, you, us, our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ His one and only Son!
4. V 4. My purpose in writing is that we, and I think he included all Christians, may have complete joy!
5. Let's look at the Gospel of John 1:5-7 for a moment. It is very much like what we just read.

III. God is light.

1. V 5, John says, We got this message from God,
(isn't that where we want it to come from?) And we declare it to you, God is light (no "the" in front of "light" indicates all real light emanates from God). There is no darkness at all in Him!
2. Three fallacies we face today existed then. We can't get away from the truth. Fellowship with God has requirements.
(1) The first false doctrine: V 6, If we claim to have fellowship with God and walk in darkness,
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we lie. ill. If you were surrounded in light, there would be no shadow right? When we become children of God, He surrounds us (John 10:27-30).
a. V 7, If we live in the light then we are where God is because He is light!
b. How do we live in the light? Eph. 2:8-10, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith--and this not from yourselves--it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
c. ill. Back in the early 30's, we raised pigs on our farm so that we could have bacon, ham, pork-chops, and lard to cook with. Not one single time did we ever bring one of those hogs in the house to reward it for being a good hog! Ah, but my old sow had eleven little pigs I believe it was, and somehow she laid down on one and broke it's hip. My dad said, "Son, we've got to kill that little fellow to get it out of its misery! I'm sorry, but it won't ever be worth a thing!" I cried for the life of that little pig, and I took it in the house and nursed it, and I fed it and washed it, and it followed me around like a little dog on three legs. When I was walking home after school and I reached the edge of our farm, I'd

whistle, and that pig would run almost a quarter mile squealing with delight. That pig never did
anything to earn that kind of life. It was just a pig! We don't earn our home in heaven either. We don't
deserve it. God bestows it on us when we accept His Son Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We do good works because we are saved. We can't do good works to get saved. Jesus said, (Luke 17:9,10) "Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'"
d. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
(2) God's requirements do have rewards:
a. Fellowship with each other, and complete purification through the cleansing blood of Jesus. (Notice the word "all" in v 7. That includes past, present and future sins!)
b. What I just said is true, but John is talking about our relationship with God our Father, and Jesus our Lord! We have fellowship with them!
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IV. VV 8-10, John explains the problem of sin.

1. The second false doctrine is that God doesn't really care if His people sin. The only thing I can say is that the Bible right here says that is not true!
(1) V 8 tells us the only one who is fooled by that doctrine is the one making the claim.
(2) It also tells us the result of such a claim is that there is no truth in us! (That means we are full of lies)!
(3) That leaves us in the awful position of trying to stand before God hiding what we really are!
2. The remedy for our sin is Jesus.
(1) He made the first move for our salvation on Calvary's cross, and the Father, through the Holy Spirit I think, makes the next move according to John 6:44: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."
(2) We make the next move.
a. First, we confess our sins. That means we admit our sins to God, and call them what He does.
b. Second, Jesus has already paid for them on the cross.
c. Third, God loves us. He wants to forgive us. He wants us to be successful! (That does not mean He wants us rich! It means we are successful in His sight when we are obedient to Him!)
(NOTE) God never changes! He is perfect! He abides by the laws He set up.
aa. He promised a Savior, and He is faithful to honor the work of Jesus.
bb. He is just because He does it just like He said He would.
cc. Those who are lost and refuse Jesus will not be able to say a word in their own defense when they stand before God. They know God is just in requiring they pay for their own sins!
3. We learn just how important it is to know what sin does in V 10.
(1) If we say we have not sinned...Let's look at Romans 3:23 right here: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
(2) The third false doctrine is in V 10. "If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."
4. The very least we can say about these three doctrines is that to claim God doesn't care whether we sin, or not, that we are not sinners, or to claim we have never sinned is telling the world that we are lost. It gives an entirely wrong picture of Christianity to the world.

Wrap up:
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1. John has given us a message directly from God. II Timothy 3:16,17 says: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that
the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2. All light comes from God because God is light. When we belong to God, we walk surrounded by the light of His righteousness and His love!
3. It is wonderful to be filled with joy because we are children of God! Fellowshipping with both our Father and His Son Jesus! Romans 8:16,17 says: The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
4. It is right to confess our sins to God. To say we have not sinned is a terrible, tragic error! To admit them to God carries with it the promise that He faithfully and justly will forgive us all of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness!
5. Failure to admit we have sinned calls God a liar because He has told us that we are all sinners.