1 John Bible Study Notes- Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

-John concludes this book with many important theological truths concerning the Son of God, Jesus Christ and our relationship to Him as believers. If we have believed, we have been born of God and love Him with all our heart (1 John 5:1). It will then naturally be our desire as new creatures born of the Spirit to obey His commandments, which all revolve around love and our not burdensome. This will be our key to overcoming the world…our faith in the only begotten Son of God from the Father (1 John 5:2-5).

-Jesus came with this three-fold witness that testifies of His Divinity. The water (His baptism where the Father acknowledged Him as the beloved Son in whom He was well pleased, Matthew 3:17), the blood (His shed blood for the remission of sins during His passion, Matthew 26:28, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22), and the Holy Spirit (the One who is the power of God and testifies of His grace with indwelling of the believer among many other things, John 1:33; 14:26; 20:22). These three all agree and increase our knowledge and faith in the Son through their testimony for the purpose of eternal life. “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:6-12).”

-These things have all been written for the purpose of believing people being able to have the assurance of eternal life (1 John 5:13). This is the confidence we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us and we can have the requests that we have asked of Him (1 John 5:14-15). A primary application of this is given regarding a brother committing a sin not leading to death. What this means exactly is a bit difficult to interpret. There is definitely sin that does lead to death; we are not supposed to pray for that. What it has to entail is unrepentance of some manner and resolute rejection of the Son of God and His mercy. In other words, it becomes impossible for us to pray intercessory prayers on behalf of people who do not want God’s grace and remain stubborn in their unbelief (Hebrews 3:19). The believer that is in tune with the Lord will not keep on willfully sinning in disobedience because the Holy Spirit protects him, and the evil one does not touch him (1 John 5:18). Therefore, the summation is this: Christians are from God and the rest of the world lies in the power of the evil one who has his authority over the unbeliever. “The Son of God has come” in the flesh and “given us understanding, so that we may KNOW Him who is true; and we are IN Him who is true, IN His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:20-21).” *Application* What a blessing it is to know that we can have complete confidence in Jesus Christ to save us from all sins and give us a new birth of the Spirit for eternal redemption. He holds us and will never let us go if we have truly received Him and His great salvation. To God be the glory through His magnificent promises fulfilled through His Son Jesus Christ!

 

Verse to Memorize: 1 John 5:4, 12, 14

1 John Bible Study Notes- Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

-John gives us the test to discern spirits. We have to understand that there are two kingdoms in complete contradiction and competition with one another on this earth and in the spiritual realm. One kingdom is of evil and wants to destroy everything good and wholesome. The other Kingdom is of righteousness and goodness and perfection in love with a hope and a future. The way John says we can test every spirit is to see whether or not they believe that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh from God. Every spirit that does not confess Jesus as Lord (coming from God) is the spirit of the antichrist, which is already in the world and will be coming with more force in the future. The good news is that we as believers in the One-true Son of God have overcome this spirit of the antichrist, because “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Listening to the apostolic teaching from His Word is also how we can understand the difference between good and bad. This is how you can KNOW the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error (1 John 4:1-6). John was combating the Gnostics by this time in biblical writing. Gnostics were knowledge seekers who were led by the spirit of error in denouncing that Jesus Christ had any real physical presence on this earth. They spiritualized everything according to Platonic thought patterns and had an adverse effect on the Christian community as we see in this text. *Application* Know the Bible well and continually ask the question, “Does this person believe that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh from God?” In our culture, just as it was in the first century, we are confronted with the temptation to have doubts about the veracity of Christ Jesus and His atoning work. This is the work of the enemy, and we need to realize his tactics. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. If you will acknowledge Him and His truth in all your ways, He will guide and direct you in the narrow path of life and fullness in Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). Trust the Word of God. It is finished, it is done. Christ has really paid the price for sin and gives us new life in Him! Don’t ever allow yourself to be deceived.

-John now goes into the effects of trusting truly in Christ for our salvation and Godly living. Love is the basis for this restored life by God’s grace, which comes from Him alone and in the first place. A new birth is required to KNOW God and love is the primary resulting fruit that comes from this spiritual relationship. His Spirit is what indwells us giving us the assurance of His presence and releasing us from all fear of disconnection with Him. In this we have get confidence and security knowing that if God be for us no one can be against us (Romans 8:31-39). We love because He first loved us, and we prove this relationship by loving one another with a pure heart and steadfast devotion refraining from all hate (1 John 7-21). *Application* Love is the essence of everything we hold dear in our faith. The great command of all Scripture revolves around loving God first and foremost with everything we’ve got, and then loving one another, which is like unto it. All the law and the prophetic words from the Lord come from this concept of love (Matthew 22:36-40). God is love. The saddest thing one could ever say of Christian believers is that they do not love. Live in such a way that people know without a shadow of a doubt that you love God and people with all your heart!

 

Verse to Memorize: 1 John 4: 2, 4, 7-9, 13, 18

1 John Bible Study Notes- Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

-John’s main purpose in this chapter is to give the little children of God assurance of their salvation, which comes from the Holy Spirit that He has given us (1 John 3:24). There is a relational aspect to this new birth in the obedience of His command to trust in Him and love one another (1 John 3:1, 9, 23). This love relationship abides in His love and does not want to transgress against His authority in our life. What John is talking about is forsaking habitual sin in our walk with God. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil; therefore, we have the power to walk in victory over temptation and falling into the bad habits and strongholds of sin. Sin is lawlessness and the true believer in God’s goodness will have an extreme hatred toward those things that take us away from the Lord’s perfections. This is not to say that the Christian may at times slip up and get back into the flesh. We still have the capacity to do that and the enemy is very good at luring us and tripping us up from time to time with evil desires. But, the child of God will love righteousness far more than corruption and should gravitate towards that in all cases. If our continual desire is to do wrong, we had better check our heart and see if we are really abiding in Christ by faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

-God is greater than our heart when our heart tries to condemn us with guilt even after trusting completely in Christ for our forgiveness and salvation. Our confidence comes from our obedience in faith; He alone gives us the strength to overcome any and all attacks from the enemy. We can ask and receive from Him because He loves us and wants us to have the absolute best as long as we conform to His image by His grace, which He gives through His Spirit (1 John 3:19-24). *Application* Our relationship with the Lord revolves around faith and love from a pure and sincere heart towards Him. This is our reasonable service when we realize everything He has done to purchase our redemption by His sacrifice on the cross (John 3:16, 1 John 3:16). It’s not that we have to be faultless; we know that there are no perfect people, but there should be a propensity towards righteousness in everything that we think, say, and do. This is evidence of the Holy Spirit indwelling of our being as believers.

 

Verses to Memorize: 1 John 3:18, 23-24

1 John Bible Study Notes- Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

-John makes a distinction to his audience by calling them “little children” repeatedly during the course of this section. This is a term of endearment and peace as he gently instructs them in several different theological truths.

-First, he gives facts about who Christ is and the work that He has done on everyone’s behalf. He is our advocate (1 John 2:1). He is our righteousness (1 John 2:1). He is the propitiation (atonement, sin offering, expiation, compensation) for our sins (1 John 2:2). He is the truth who perfects the believer (1 John 2:4). He abides in us and we in Him (1 John 2:4-5, 10). He is true Light (1 John 2:8-9). In Him there is no cause for stumbling (1 John 2:10). *Application* Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gives us everything we need for spiritual life and oneness with Him. His love is evident when we reflect on His actions. It is God’s plan that we all come to know Him in this Light and receive all He has for us. “By this (the saving from our sins) we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments (essentially love God & love others) (1 John 2:3).”

-John now addresses specifics with his “little children,” because their sins are forgiven for His Name’s sake (1 John 2:12). He addresses fathers, who know Him who is from the beginning (1 John 2:13, 14). This could indicate their realization that Christ is self-existent, co-equal with God from the origin. This could also refer to the beginning of the New Covenant and the church, which Christ began. He writes to the strong young men who have the power to overcome the evil one (1 John 2:13, 14). He commends the children for knowing the Father (1 John 2:13). *Application* We see the generations addressed in the church here. It is important for us to respect the older generation who have had the privilege of seeing God at work for a longer period of time and have cultivated His faithfulness from the beginning. The young men are also essential for their strength and power to do the work of the church in all its fullness of overcoming the enemy. It’s also important for the younger generation to be raised up knowing the Father so that there is a continuation of faith into the future.

-John, like the other apostles, warns about the destructive influences that are in the world dominated by the enemy of Christ, which he refers to as the Anti-Christ and also antichrists (1 John 2:18). We are not to love the world or the things of the world. If we love the world, the love of the Father is not really in us (1 John 2:16). These are the three things that are in the world and their methods of attack, which amounts to temptation. The desires of the flesh (things that gratify our pleasure, making us feel good), the desires of the eyes (things we observe and want for ourselves), and the pride of life (the lure to covet and selfishly want things and power). “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:17-18).”

-John’s admonition against the enemy of the Lord is to keep abiding in Christ. There is a deception that is in the world, but those in Christ have received an anointing so that Christ can abide in us and us in Him. Those who are in Christ will not go out from Him and have a persevering-continuing quality. The Holy Spirit continues to teach and to grow the real believer so that they have no need for anyone to teach them. This is the truth and is no lie.  (1 John 2:19-26). *Application* John is speaking of none other than the Spirit-filled life. The Lord is our power for righteous living and He alone gives us the strength to overcome the enemy and his temptations. Abide in the Vine (John 15)!

 

Verses to Memorize: 1 John 2:15-17

1 John Bible Study Notes- Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

-The introduction to this letter has no salutation, and may therefore be considered more of a treatise or pamphlet type of literature under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. John begins from the beginning in stating the eternality of the Lord. He is also referring to the coming of Christ Jesus in His incarnation to which he was an eyewitness, actually touching the Savior with his own hands. Christ came as the “Word of life” made manifest, and John makes claim to have seen Him in life (resurrected life), he has testified to this life, and he proclaims it for the purpose of eternal life unto the receivers of his message. He wants the audience to have this fellowship together in the Spirit of the Lord so that everyone’s joy may be made complete (1 John 1:1-4). *Application* The Lord lives and we are to be like John in relating what we know to be true to everyone around us. Just like John, and the others apostles, we must be ready to give an account for the joy and hope that is within us for Kingdom of God growth (1 Peter 3:15). We may not have been able to see the incarnate risen Savior, but we have experienced His life changing power and His abiding presence. We have love to give and share with others!

-God is Light. This is a common theme in John’s writing going back to his gospel account. There is no darkness in Him at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him yet continue to walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. Here is the canonical tie with the book of James and the apostles who promote Christian holy living in addition to inner faith and verbal confession. *Application* Christ is about life change. When we come to Him, He transforms us into new creations for good works in this world (2 Corinthians 5:17). Continuing in habitual sin is a double standard that refutes who we are supposed to be. The most miserable person in the world is one who has the Spirit of the Living God inside of them, yet lives like the world with sin and corruption. If you are in this state, turn back to God confess your errors. He is faithful and just to forgive you of every iniquity and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Holy living is expected for the true believer. Walking in the Light gives us fellowship with our Lord and each other as we are cleansed by His blood (1 John 1:5-9).

 

Verses to Memorize: 1 John 1:8-9