1 John 4:17-5:5 Sunday School Lesson

Introduction

Confidence

1 John 4:17–19 ESV

17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.

Love being perfected. Growing in the love of God...

In our first two verses, John is discussing our transforming relationship as a result of experiencing God’s love.

He is introducing a new word to us that is not stated in the rest of the book… fear.

Fear is the beginning of torment. (Dentist Office)

What is the opposite of fear?

Confidence.

When God’s love is perfecting in us, we grow in confidence toward God.

Confident in what?

Confident in who God is and who we are before Him!

We are children who respect our Father, not prisoners who cringes before a judge.

*Let’s make sure we use this verse in context here....

John is writing about krisisphobia- the fear of judgement.

This encouragement before the throne of God has already been addressed by John!

1 John 2:28 ESV

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

If people are afraid, it is because of something that happened int he past, something currently that upsets them, or something that they feel threatens them.

What fears do you have?

The one thing we do not fear is *judgement.

Christ has suffered this on the cross for you.

How do we overcome this fear and obtain this boldness?

1 John 4:17 ESV

17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

1 John 3:1–2 ESV

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: Love, Honor, and Obey (1 John 4:17–5:5)

Positionally, we are right now “as He is.” We are so closely identified with Christ, as members of His body, that our position in this world is like His exalted position in heaven.

What does it mean that the Father deals with us as He deals with His own Son?

The Father provided His Son His will, strength the endure, resurrected Him, saved Him, and sat Him at His right hand.

Romans 8:35 ESV

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8:37–39 ESV

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This perfecting love happens in stages...

I can confidently say I have and am experiencing these stages!

Lostness: live in fear and knew nothing of God.

Regeneration/Salvation: perplexing mixture of both fear and love in our hearts.

Deepened Fellowship: fear vanishes and hearts become consumed with His love.

An immature Christian is tossed between fear and love; a mature Christian rests in God’s love.

How do we know that we are growing in God’s love?

Confidence in the presence of God.

Confidence always leads to other moral results.

Honesty

1 John 4:20–21 ESV

20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Our confidence in God dismisses the need for pretending either...

When we are not growing in confidence before the Lord, we are bent toward attempting to impress people with our spirituality.

This is a lie.

Acts 5:1–11 ESV

1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Their sin was hypocrisy.

When we are maturing, we are becoming more and more aware of ourselves in such a way that we are being ourselves...

Our confidence in God is seen in our lives filled with honesty.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: Love, Honor, and Obey (1 John 4:17–5:5)

Spiritual honesty brings peace and power to the person who practices it. He does not have to keep a record of the lies he has told, and he is not using his energy to cover up. Because he lives in open honesty with the Father, he can live in honesty with other people. Love and truth go together. Because he knows God loves him and accepts him (even with all his faults), he is not trying to impress others. He loves God, and therefore he loves his fellow Christians.

Joyful Obedience

1 John 5:1–3 ESV

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

God’s desire for us is to not disobey, but not obey out of fear or necessity either...

What is the secret of joyful obedience??

It is a family matter...

Ephesians 6:1–3 ESV

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

God’s order brings peace and stability.

This was disrupted by sin, but now reconciled through Christ!

Victory

1 John 5:4–5 ESV

4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This doesn’t mean that obeying God will be easy. But through obedience we experience VICTORY over sin and this broken world.

A victory that has already been claimed!

What does a life lived in Victory look like?

Ephesians 6:10–19 ESV

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

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