I John Introduction
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sizing It Up
Sizing It Up
Like your sports team might size up the competition, we need to size up I John. We need to see the big picture of what we’re getting into so we can rightly understand and apply the details.
Author
Author
John, the disciple who Jesus loved, the author of the Gospel of John and Revelation.
Audience
Audience
The church. A local church or churches that John had personal connection to. “My children”, “beloved”.
Purpose
Purpose
False teaching that was dividing the church.
-False teaching/teachers is a serious threat!
-False teaching/teachers is a serious threat!
There are those who whine and complain about Christians who call out false teachers, saying, “Don’t judge. Let God be the judge. You’re just being a bully.”
What does the Bible have to say about that?
-First, it’s a real threat to US now.
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
What is a placebo?
*The greatest risk is that a false Gospel gives people a placebo that makes them think they’re on good terms with God, while they’re actually his enemy, and face eternity under his just wrath.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.
If you’ve come to God on his terms, through Jesus, you are not immune—you’re still capable of falling into error.
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
What you believe affects everything in your life. What you believe determines what you do.
If you believe Covid will kill you if you catch it, you’re going to be extremely cautious. If not, you won’t be as cautious.
If you believe what God says about sin leading to death, you will trust his means of salvation, and as a Christian fight against sin in an effort to put it to death.
There’s only one book that is absolute truth and offers the answers on all of life’s most important issues:
-There’s one God
-One Savior
-One Gospel
-One Salvation
-One Purpose for Human existence
And millions of lies in answer to these most important issues in life that the majority will accept to their demise. Lies that shut people out of the kingdom of heaven. Lies that sidetrack Christians into disobedience, wasted time, shame and pain and suffering, and a life that grieves God
*John is concerned about the integrity of the Gospel. Why? Getting the information right is the difference between life and death.
-Are you a Christian if you don’t believe you’re a sinner or that your sin is significant enough to require the death of Jesus?
-Are you a Christian if you believe Jesus was sinless, but not God?
-Are you a Christian if you believe Jesus plus good works (or anything else) saves?
-Are you a Christian if you believe Jesus isn’t the only way to God?
What you believe matters. Having the right information matters. If you don’t believe what God has said in his Word about himself, sin, Christ—the Gospel—you can’t be saved. You’ve replaced the true God and true Gospel with a false God and a false Gospel.
Three Tests
Three Tests
Doctrinal Test: What do you believe?
-If you get the information wrong, you’ve already failed. There’s no reason to go on to the next two parts of the test.
Earlier I said “Getting the information right is the difference between life and death.” Do you agree? Why or Why not? Any problems with the statement?
ii. Moral Test: What do you do (obedience)?
-We’re saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone.
-*You can’t be saved without the right information. But you CAN have the right information, and still be lost. True faith ALWAYS results in a life of repentance and obedience. The true Gospel transforms you. This is what John is interested in—the true Gospel and true Christianity.
iii. The Love Test: Do you love God and his children? (seems like it could fit under the obedience test, but love is more than just action, it’s an affection produced in us by the Spirit that results in action.)
Text
Text
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
-Vv. 1-2 are a long, somewhat vague description of one thing. What is it? The good news of Jesus Christ.
-“we” Me (an apostle) and others who believe the same, as opposed to the false teachers
-“seen and touched” credibility as an eyewitness
-this truth “we proclaim to you” so that you can have:
Fellowship (what is fellowship?)
-With God and with other believers
Joy
-We look for lasting, satisfying joy in all kinds of things and experiences, but none of them can deliver, other than our believing in Christ, walking with Christ in obedience and loving those whom Christ loves.
Jesus prayed for us that we would have this joy and fellowship or unity in John’s Gospel (John 17). And btw, it’s based on truth.
Two Questions
Two Questions
Are you being shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven because you haven’t believed the true Gospel?
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
2. Are you a Christian who’s joy isn’t complete because you’ve believed the lie that Christian obedience to God’s instruction isn’t important. Do you need to hear the rebuke of Galatians 5:7-8?
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you.