Whereas it is common in our day to imagine that we can worship God however we please, God warns His People in Deuteronomy 4 to remain within the safe confines…
God’s Self-Revelation and Worship
Whereas it is common in our day to imagine that we can worship God however we please, God warns His People in Deuteronomy 4 to remain within the safe confines of what He has revealed. This is the ultimate problem with making an image of God to worship Him through it – He has not […]
1 John 5:13-21 “Confident in Jesus”
John’s First Epistle here comes to its conclusion, emphasizing yet again that recipients of the Apostolic faith have every reason for confidence. He even states that he wrote the letter that they might be confident in their possession of eternal life (5:13). This confidence affects our prayers. We know that Christ answers every prayer that […]
John's First Epistle here comes to its conclusion, emphasizing yet again that recipients of the Apostolic faith have every reason for confidence. He even states that he wrote the letter…
1 John 5:1-12 “We Overcome by Believing”
This letter of First John teaches us that, while we live in the world, Satan’s army continually assaults the Church with false teaching, exacerbating the struggle of life, making us feel overwhelmed by sin, brokenness, doubts, and fears of death. But this letter is also filled with hope and instruction – we have already overcome […]
This letter of First John teaches us that, while we live in the world, Satan's army continually assaults the Church with false teaching, exacerbating the struggle of life, making us…
1 John 4:7-21 “The Confidence to Love”
False prophets had shaken the faith of the Christians that had received this letter. But the Apostle John reminds them that they had every confidence. God had displayed the love He had for them by sending His Son (i.e., God’s love for us). He also continues to love us by sending us the Spirit, who […]
False prophets had shaken the faith of the Christians that had received this letter. But the Apostle John reminds them that they had every confidence. God had displayed the love…
1 John 4:1-6 “Testing the Spirits”
Though Christians commonly think we need to move beyond having doctrinal differences, John informs us that this is an impossible task. We are in the last hour (2:18), so we need to constantly test those that come to us, claiming to teach God’s word. Though Satan is mortally wounded, he is still a great danger; […]
Though Christians commonly think we need to move beyond having doctrinal differences, John informs us that this is an impossible task. We are in the last hour (2:18), so we…
1 John 3:11-24 “Comforted by Our Love for the Church”
John’s writings are characterized by an “eschatological perspective,” i.e., he speaks of people as they are related to their ultimate destinations – heaven & hell. This means that all people are recipients of either truth or lies, standing in light or in darkness, in a state of life or death, filled with love or hatred, […]
John's writings are characterized by an "eschatological perspective," i.e., he speaks of people as they are related to their ultimate destinations - heaven & hell. This means that all people…
1 John 2:28-3:10 “Abiding as God’s Children”
False teachers were trying to upset the faith and confidence of John’s audience, which was composed of one or more churches. In this letter, John provides the church(es) with great comfort and reassurance in a number of ways. In this text, he focuses on the fact that they were born again in the past, are […]
False teachers were trying to upset the faith and confidence of John's audience, which was composed of one or more churches. In this letter, John provides the church(es) with great…
1 John 2:18-27 “Hold Fast in this Last Hour”
It’s common to hear well-intentioned Christians look at current events in our world and say, “We’re definitely in the last days.” The Apostle John would agree with that sentiment, but he would add to it, saying “We’ve been in the last days (or ‘the last hour’) ever since Christ ascended to Heaven and poured out […]
It's common to hear well-intentioned Christians look at current events in our world and say, "We're definitely in the last days." The Apostle John would agree with that sentiment, but…
1 John 2:7-17 “The Light Changes Your Life”
The course of history changed when Christ, the Light of the World, first appeared. He brought truth and light to bear upon this sinful world. Then, having ascended into Heaven, He diffused this light by sending forth His Holy Spirit, Who creates a new kind of people, those that belong in the light and keep […]
The course of history changed when Christ, the Light of the World, first appeared. He brought truth and light to bear upon this sinful world. Then, having ascended into Heaven,…
1 John 2:1-6 “Obedience to Your Savior”
One of the great purposes of John’s letter is that this troubled church obey Christ’s commandments (cf. 1 John 1:4; 5:13), a great calling for Christians. John reassures them that their regard for Christ’s law was further proof that they know Him. They weren’t to expect perfect obedience (cf. 1 John 1:6,8,10) but a sincere […]
One of the great purposes of John's letter is that this troubled church obey Christ's commandments (cf. 1 John 1:4; 5:13), a great calling for Christians. John reassures them that…
12
