1 John 2:4 Whoever says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
The fact that God forgives us, through faith in Jesus Christ, will appeal to our sinful nature to keep on sinning. If Jesus paid for all our sins, and makes us right with God, why resist temptation? The logic is sound but John insists that a true profession of faith will have a corresponding lifestyle.
A professor was having lunch with an international student who was a professing Christian. His wife was studying medicine in another country and, when they finished their degrees, they planned to reunite. But the student let it slip that, in his wife’s absence, he was seeing a prostitute. The professor asked, What about God? The student replied, God will forgive because that’s what he does.
The Apostle John would’ve disagreed because that attitude reveals a lack of genuine faith. God will forgive all manner of sin for those who truly believe, but those who truly believe will try to follow Christ. Whoever says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
1 John 2:9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us a love for other believers that we didn’t have before. The Spirit creates a common bond that leads to love and unity. Whoever hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
But we’re not in heaven yet, and believers are still sinners, so conflict is still possible. Even Paul and Barnabas had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company (Acts 15:39), wrote Luke. If it happened to them, it could certainly happen to us. But true believers will not hate each other, and should reconcile whenever possible.
A company was hired to build a bridge across a narrow river. They began by shooting an arrow across that had a string attached. On the other side of the river, someone attached twine to the string, and it was pulled back. Then a cable was attached to the twine, and it was pulled to the other side again. With a little more back-and-forth the bridge was built. If you’re separated by a river of conflict, keep sending over a line. If it’s ever returned, you’re on your way to a bridge.
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
Nobody ever did more good for the world than Jesus Christ. John watched him heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and feed the hungry. No wonder John was appalled when the world rejected Jesus so violently. Instead of returning his kindness, they had him crucified. And when he rose from the dead, they made up a story that his body was stolen (Matthew 28:13). To be at home in this kind of world is not to love God, said John.
John wasn’t saying that we shouldn’t love the physical world (since it was made by God), or all the people in the world (since God loves everyone). But we shouldn’t fall in love with a world that rejects the Father’s Son. If anyone loves that kind of a world, love for the Father is not in them.
1 John 2:28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
The return of Jesus Christ will be the best and worst day for everyone on earth. Some will be received into everlasting happiness, and others will be cast into everlasting misery (Matthew 25:46). And many who thought they were in good standing with Christ will find out they were deceived (Matthew 7:21-23). This is why some believers have mixed feelings about the return of Jesus Christ. Instead of looking forward to the best day of their lives, they feel uncertain.
The solution that John provides is simple enough for everyone: continue in him. Continue in his way, continue in his word, continue in his church and continue in his service. Then, when Jesus appears, we’ll be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. And we’ll look forward to his return more and more.
1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
John never lost the wonder of being a child of God. He was also an apostle, but that’s not what mattered most to him. It’s good to be an apostle, or a doctor or a general, but all such titles are nothing compared to being a child of God. Our core identity isn’t what we’ve achieved, or what other people think of us, but that we’re God’s own children through faith in Jesus Christ.
When my daughter was small, I put her to bed one night, and said, Baby, you’re a little slice of heaven. The next day, when her brother called her a goof, she was unfazed. No I’m not. Dad says I’m a little slice of heaven, she replied.
What your father says about you is more important than what others say about you. And what your heavenly Father says about you is more important than what anyone says about you. The God of heaven and earth calls you his child, and that’s what you are. Like the Apostle John, we should never lose the wonder of that.
1 John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.
We know that we’re children of God, but we don’t know how we’ll appear in the age to come. The Bible gives us hints, but is surprisingly silent on this important topic. Perhaps we wouldn’t understand even if God explained it. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him (1 John 3:2b), wrote John.
Two things are clear from this. First, our sinful nature will be gone forever. The very thought of sin will be more repulsive to us than eating an old snake. All our words, thoughts and deeds will all agree with God, and the struggle with sin will be a thing of the past.
Second, we’ll be glorious. He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:21), wrote Paul. We’ll never have to diet, go to the gym, or have any parts replaced. This would’ve been a comfort to the aging apostle, and should be a comfort to every believer who struggles with a mortal body.
Reflection and Review
Why shouldn’t Christians love the world?
How do you feel about the return of Christ?
Why is being God’s child important to your identity?
The fact that God forgives us, through faith in Jesus Christ, will appeal to our sinful nature to keep on sinning. If Jesus paid for all our sins, and makes us right with God, why resist temptation? The logic is sound but John insists that a true profession of faith will have a corresponding lifestyle.
A professor was having lunch with an international student who was a professing Christian. His wife was studying medicine in another country and, when they finished their degrees, they planned to reunite. But the student let it slip that, in his wife’s absence, he was seeing a prostitute. The professor asked, What about God? The student replied, God will forgive because that’s what he does.
The Apostle John would’ve disagreed because that attitude reveals a lack of genuine faith. God will forgive all manner of sin for those who truly believe, but those who truly believe will try to follow Christ. Whoever says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
1 John 2:9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us a love for other believers that we didn’t have before. The Spirit creates a common bond that leads to love and unity. Whoever hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
But we’re not in heaven yet, and believers are still sinners, so conflict is still possible. Even Paul and Barnabas had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company (Acts 15:39), wrote Luke. If it happened to them, it could certainly happen to us. But true believers will not hate each other, and should reconcile whenever possible.
A company was hired to build a bridge across a narrow river. They began by shooting an arrow across that had a string attached. On the other side of the river, someone attached twine to the string, and it was pulled back. Then a cable was attached to the twine, and it was pulled to the other side again. With a little more back-and-forth the bridge was built. If you’re separated by a river of conflict, keep sending over a line. If it’s ever returned, you’re on your way to a bridge.
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
Nobody ever did more good for the world than Jesus Christ. John watched him heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and feed the hungry. No wonder John was appalled when the world rejected Jesus so violently. Instead of returning his kindness, they had him crucified. And when he rose from the dead, they made up a story that his body was stolen (Matthew 28:13). To be at home in this kind of world is not to love God, said John.
John wasn’t saying that we shouldn’t love the physical world (since it was made by God), or all the people in the world (since God loves everyone). But we shouldn’t fall in love with a world that rejects the Father’s Son. If anyone loves that kind of a world, love for the Father is not in them.
1 John 2:28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
The return of Jesus Christ will be the best and worst day for everyone on earth. Some will be received into everlasting happiness, and others will be cast into everlasting misery (Matthew 25:46). And many who thought they were in good standing with Christ will find out they were deceived (Matthew 7:21-23). This is why some believers have mixed feelings about the return of Jesus Christ. Instead of looking forward to the best day of their lives, they feel uncertain.
The solution that John provides is simple enough for everyone: continue in him. Continue in his way, continue in his word, continue in his church and continue in his service. Then, when Jesus appears, we’ll be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. And we’ll look forward to his return more and more.
1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
John never lost the wonder of being a child of God. He was also an apostle, but that’s not what mattered most to him. It’s good to be an apostle, or a doctor or a general, but all such titles are nothing compared to being a child of God. Our core identity isn’t what we’ve achieved, or what other people think of us, but that we’re God’s own children through faith in Jesus Christ.
When my daughter was small, I put her to bed one night, and said, Baby, you’re a little slice of heaven. The next day, when her brother called her a goof, she was unfazed. No I’m not. Dad says I’m a little slice of heaven, she replied.
What your father says about you is more important than what others say about you. And what your heavenly Father says about you is more important than what anyone says about you. The God of heaven and earth calls you his child, and that’s what you are. Like the Apostle John, we should never lose the wonder of that.
1 John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.
We know that we’re children of God, but we don’t know how we’ll appear in the age to come. The Bible gives us hints, but is surprisingly silent on this important topic. Perhaps we wouldn’t understand even if God explained it. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him (1 John 3:2b), wrote John.
Two things are clear from this. First, our sinful nature will be gone forever. The very thought of sin will be more repulsive to us than eating an old snake. All our words, thoughts and deeds will all agree with God, and the struggle with sin will be a thing of the past.
Second, we’ll be glorious. He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:21), wrote Paul. We’ll never have to diet, go to the gym, or have any parts replaced. This would’ve been a comfort to the aging apostle, and should be a comfort to every believer who struggles with a mortal body.
Reflection and Review
Why shouldn’t Christians love the world?
How do you feel about the return of Christ?
Why is being God’s child important to your identity?