Tag: grace

The Shepherd's Voice

Words of the Heart

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?” “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man. (Psalm 12:1–8)

Recently I saw several memes on social media that disturbed me greatly. Several had to do with the controversy over the COVID-19 vaccine, one was about the tragic death of the 16-year-old girl in Columbus, OH, and one simply tried to correct “cultural” theology by using a cultural symbol and closed with a rather snarky comment.

These memes disturbed me because they were flippant, insensitive, and generally in poor taste. I experienced a grieving (and continue to as I write) that was quite unexpected. It hurts my heart that folks who Christ died to set free would think it appropriate to be so flippant in their language. So often we think as long as we don’t use swear words or curse words (or in the southern twang “cuss words”) we are controlling our tongue.

Unfortunately, the Bible disagrees.

There are far too many passages about our speech and controlling the tongue to list here. Here are just a few of them. 

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? (Psalm 4:2)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. (Psalm 36:1–3)

But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.” (Psalm 50:16–21)

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. (Psalm 52:1–4)

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. (Proverbs 16:24)

 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:6)

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:8)

These are just some of the passages that talk about our words or speech. We need to briefly answer two questions. The first is, “How should Christians talk and conduct themselves in conversation?” These passages give us a good start on the answer. Those of us who are saved are to have our speech filled with grace and salt. We are to avoid flattery, wrathful speech, speech that demeans or puts down, and speech that puffs ourselves up. Now, this is far deeper than the old standard of just “not cussin’.” Why does Paul use the term salt to describe our speech? For one simple reason. Salt makes people thirsty. Likewise, our speech should always be that which draws others to Christ.

The second question is, “Why does it really matter?” Why does the Bible give all these commands? Why does the Lord care about our speech so much? Simply put, because our speech reveals the nature of our heart. Jesus put it this way:

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. (Matthew 15:18–19)

We must speak the truth, yes. By all means. But we are to do so in love, with our speech seasoned with grace and salt. Both have the effect of drawing another to Christ. Our attitude should be one of humility and with a goal of encouragement and restoration. Beyond that, we are told that we are to be united 

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Elsewhere Paul tells us that we are to live “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2–3). Look at the last two phrases: the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of peace in the modern church today. And many of us are certainly not living in peace with ourselves or each other (see also Rom. 12:18). 

One of our goals as we remain on this earth is to “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes (Ephesians 4:13–14). Notice that maturity in the faith includes the idea of unity. 

Now, this is not some paper “unity,” or “going along to get along.” Regardless of some of our stances, we who are followers of Christ have more common ground than different ground. Unity of the faith means that we have the same purpose. And what is our purpose? To see God glorified among the nations by making disciples of Jesus. Our words will either hinder or help us in reaching that goal.

If your first reaction to this post is, “I’m going to speak the truth no matter what,” then I applaud you for your desire to speak the truth, while also admonishing you to do so in a manner worthy of your calling. Let your words be the Spirit-led words that convict and draw others to Christ, not judge, criticize, dismiss, or tear down. For with the measure you use, the same measure will be measured to you.

1
The Shepherd's Voice

Unworthy but Worth it

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? (Matthew 16:26)

As we reflect on Christmas, perhaps the question comes up, “What’s this all about anyway?”

Gifts? Family? Giving?

All of those are good, but Christmas is about more than that. We know that, of course, but still we ask the question. Oh, we know the right answer: Christmas is about Jesus coming to earth. God became baby to live with us and eventually to die for us.

Would I have done that? Would you have done that?

Christmas is the biggest shopping season of the year. Americans are expected to spend an average of $700 on Christmas gifts. Nationwide the total is expected to be about $756 bilion (yes, with a ‘b’). That’s a lot of money. That’s a lot of money for the average family/person to spend.

Now consider what the Father spent to get us.

The word ‘value’ signifies whatever someone is willing to give in exchange for something. We talk about “the best value” and “fair market value.” When we consider buying something or engaging in some activity, we often say, “It’s worth it to me,” or “It’s just not worth it to me.” The key question is, “Will what I get in exchange be worth what I gave for it?” That’s a question that only the buyer can answer.

So, think again about God spent to get us.

You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1: 18-19).

It’s true that we aren’t worthy of His mercy and grace. We couldn’t earn salvation on our best day, or in the best lifetime. But God thinks you and I are worth it. He gave His Son to get us. Imagine that. Sinful, disobedient, rebellious us.

The Christmas story is about God becoming a baby. The message of Christmas is, in addition to “I am with you,” one of “You’re worth it to me.”

Remember that the next time you are tempted to doubt His love, care or concern with you.

1
The Shepherd's Voice

Conversations With Jesus: A Difficult Final Conversation

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me” (John 21:1-19).

We are all prone to fall into sin, to live a life less than what we are called to. We often look to Peter and his denials of Christ and mentally shake our heads at his choices. Jesus, however, has other ideas when it comes to Peter–and us, as we’ll find out in this conversation.

Context

Jesus has now been crucified and resurrection. The work that He came to earth to do has been completed. He has secured life for all who trust in Him. This conversation takes place in the midst of final instructions and encouragements to His disciples (John tells us it is the third appearance of Jesus to His disciples after the resurrection). Peter and several disciples are now in Galilee waiting for Jesus, as He commanded them (Matt. 28:7).

The Fruitless Fishing Trip

While in Galilee Peter decides, “I’m going fishing,” and several other disciples join him. Many have commented that Peter’s assertion that he was going fishing marks a return to the life he knew before encountering Jesus, as though he were deserting or backsliding, being discouraged. However, John records that they knew Jesus was alive and that He had already commissioned them (20:20-21). It seems unlikely that they would be discouraged. The fact is they had been told to go to Galilee and wait for Jesus, and they went fishing to pass the time; there is certainly no moral injunction against making a living while waiting on the Lord’s command (unless He commands otherwise). Unfortunately for the disciples, their night of labor was fruitless.

As dawn breaks and rescues the disciples from the long night, Jesus is standing on the shore, but the disciples didn’t recognize Him. It being early morning the mist on the lake could have made recognition difficult, and they were likely focused on the frustrating night. Jesus calls out, “Children, haven’t you caught any fish?” Jesus uses a phrase that is a term of affection. The question is phrased in such a way to expect a negative answer, showing that Jesus knew they had failed to catch any fish before the question was asked–their “no” only confirmed it.

Jesus then calls out that they should cast their net on the right side of the boat and they would find fish there. Whether or not Jesus supernaturally knew there were fish there or could see them from shore, it is certain that the number of fish present was a miracle, since the tone is one of awe and surprise. The disciples probably decided that since they had spent all night, one more try wouldn’t hurt anything.

John records that immediately the net was swarming with fish, so many that they could not bring the net in. Something about this seems to open John’s eyes, either Jesus’ voice or the result–it is remarkably similar to Luke 5:1-11. He tells Peter that it is Jesus who is on the shore. Peter, acting in his characteristically impulsive way, puts on his cloak (he had taken it off, leaving only the tunic) and jumps into the water. He apparently swims to shore, since John reports that they are about one hundred yards from shore. (On a side note, the KJV rendering, “for he was naked,” is inaccurate. The Jews were strict in not exposing their nakedness in public, dating back to the Mosaic Law, hence the wearing of a tunic as an undergarment.)

Jesus invites them to bring some of the fish and have breakfast, and John notes here that none asked Him, “Who are you,” since they all knew it was the Lord by now (v. 12). The context of verse 13 seems to indicate that Jesus’ actions in breaking the bread and fish served as a link back to the last meal they had shared together. The scene is now set for Jesus’ conversation with Peter.

An Unexpected Outcome

Peter must have often wondered about his future. After all, he had publicly denied Jesus three time, after making bold assertions that he would never fall away. Surely he remembered Jesus’ words about what would happen to one who denied Christ–such a one would be denied before the Father. He is now in a very uncomfortable position. None of us enjoy having to face the consequences of our past, and we can picture Peter kind of squirming as the conversation starts.

It is interesting that Jesus never brings up the actual denials of Peter. Rather, He frames the discussion in positive questions (question that expect an affirmative response). Whether He intended this as a model for the church to follow is unknown and is a matter that church leadership should consider prayerfully.

The three questions by Jesus are to negate the three denials by Peter. Each time, Jesus simply asks, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” In the first two instances, Jesus uses the word agapaō, the divine love of God, manifested through Christ that sacrifices self for His purpose. However, Peter answers with phileō, which denotes “tender affection,” such as the love that the Father has for the Son (John 3:35; 5:20). The two words are never used interchangeably or indiscriminately, so one gets the sense that Peter is, at the moment, unable or unwilling to commit to “love” in the way that Jesus presents it.

Jesus’ addition of “more than these” in verse 15 is somewhat ambiguous. There are three possible meanings to this: 1) “Do you love Me more than these other men love me?” 2) “Do you love Me more than you love these other men?” 3) “Do you love Me more than these things [boats and fishing, things of the world]?” In light of Peter’s earlier promise to never fall away from Christ regardless of what the others might do and given the context of this discussion, it seems that the first option is probably in view.

For the third exchange, Jesus changes the word “love” to match Peter. He uses phileō, as a seeming concession to Peter. Jesus meets Peter where he is and starts from that point. We learn later that Peter did indeed manifest the agapaō of God, and was willing to die for his faith, crucified upside down, history tells us. This scene is meant to encourage the believer, reminding him that Christ came to restore the broken and fallen and He always starts at the point of need, where the believer is, in order to lead the believer to a higher calling.

While Peter may have been frustrated that Jesus asked him three times, “Do you love me,” the questions were meant to counter his three denials. With each affirmation by Peter, Jesus gave a command. “Feed my lambs. Take care of my sheep. Feed my lambs.” Each statement is not only a command, but it is a statement of restoration–Jesus is restoring Peter to his calling.

In restoring Peter, Jesus reminded him that he still had a purpose. Jesus now gives Peter a glimpse into his own future. He says that one day Peter will be led by another. Another would dress him and lead him where he did not want to go. This seems ambiguous, but John interprets it for the reader. Jesus is here showing how Peter would die and thus glorify God. Peter’s death would not be simply from old age, rather it would be a death “in the line of duty,” suggesting imprisonment before death. Though this seems a morose and forbidding thing to say, Jesus probably means it as encouragement, as a way to say, “Peter, I have restored you, and here is how you will know you have been restored: You will fulfill your purpose and will remain faithful to the end, dying for My name.” Then Jesus gives the solemn command, “Follow Me.”

Takeaways from this Passage

We are all prone, as we saw, to fall away from Christ, and even to deny Him–either by our words or (more likely) by our lives. Christ can and will restore anyone to Himself–no matter the place that you have fallen to. As Jesus told Peter, “I am not finished with you yet.” All you need to do is accept His restoration and follow Him.

[Some of the material in this post has been adapted from my commentary That You May Believe: A Commentary on John, available here.]

1
The Shepherd's Voice

Conversations With Jesus: Caught in the Act

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:2-11).

This is one of the best-known passages in John’s Gospel, with the last verse being one of the most-quoted (and often misused) verses of all Scripture. We continue our look at conversations with Jesus by looking at the woman caught in adultery. This passage has much to say to us today about how we are to handle sin, and, as usual, John gives us a front-row seat.

Context[1]

This conversation, as it were, takes place at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths), the time when obedient Jews lived in handmade shelters to commemorate the time that Israel wandered in the wilderness. John 7:53-8:1 completes the Feast of Tabernacles with the words, “They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.” Since the observant Jews would have been living in booths during the Feast, it is natural now that they return to their homes. Jesus, however, having “no place to lay His head” (Matt. 8:20), goes instead to the Mount of Olives, as He often did when visiting Jerusalem.

The scene begins, then, the following morning. We’re told that Jesus returned to the Temple courts in the early morning. Coming from the Mount of Olives, this would have placed Him in the Court of the Women. John notes that “all the people” came to Him, and He “sat down” and taught them. Though this phrase has fed the fire of criticism, it is simply John’s attention to detail. Jesus was teaching in the manner of the rabbis of the day–even if His teaching could not be compared with theirs. As the rabbis expounded the Law, Jesus was expounding on the Kingdom.

The Trap by the Pharisees

While teaching the people, Jesus is interrupted (rather rudely) by a boisterous crowd of “scribes and Pharisees,” dragging a woman along with them. Though that construction is used nowhere else in John, it is particularly appropriate the he use it here, since the controversy was supposedly over the Law’s application and the scribes were the “experts” in the Law. They push the woman, who is not named, into the center with Jesus, and gather round. The sense seems to be that the two are surrounded on all sides. Then the Pharisees lodge their complaint. They accuse the woman standing before Him: “She was caught in the very act of adultery! Now, the Law demands that she be stoned. But…. what do You say” (vv. 4-5)? John comments here that this was a “test,” or trap, in order to bring a charge against Him.

We should take note of a few things here. First, the Law demanded death for both the man and woman. The man was conspicuously absent. It is noteworthy that in all His encounters with women who are labeled “sinful,” no judgment is made of the men involved. This evidences a double standard of the time.

Second, the construction “in the act of adultery” has the sense of a door being kicked in and finding the woman in the midst of the act, rather than a husband discovering her unfaithfulness and lodging a charge (the Greek construction suggests rather strongly that she was married). It also suggests that perhaps the man is not present because he cooperated with the leaders, setting up the woman and attempting to trap Jesus.

In any event, Jesus now has a choice (according to the leaders). He can refuse to condemn the woman, in which case the leaders’ scorn of Him would seem to be justified since He is an enemy of the Law. On the other hand, He can insist that the penalty be carried out, and likely lose the support of the common people, since His reputation for compassion is well-known. The trap has been cleverly set.

Jesus’ Response to the Trap

One might wonder if Jesus pondered the situation for a moment. Whether He did or not, He said not a word to the woman’s accusers, only bent down and began to write with His finger! There have been many suggestions on the content and purpose of His writing. It may have been simply a delaying tactic, to draw the eyes of everyone off the woman. There is absolutely no way to know what He wrote on the ground–and any such suggestion would be pure speculation. Why? Because it was the act of writing itself that was important here, rather than what Jesus wrote. Consider this:

  • The discussion centered around the Law (specifically the seventh commandment forbidding adultery).
  • Those in the crowd familiar with their history would remember that the Ten Commandments were written “with the finger of God” (Ex. 31:18).
  • John specifically mentions Jesus writing “with His finger.”

This gives the strong suggestion that Jesus is identifying Himself as the Lawgiver, the One who wrote the Law and is in the best position to interpret it. (In this context, it may be possible that Jesus wrote the Ten Commandments, but as noted above that is unwarranted speculation.)

The crowd seems to have missed the point of the writing, growing impatient and continuing to question Jesus. “Tell us, Teacher! What should we do with her?” Finally, Jesus stood up and gave His reply, one of the best-known statements in all the Gospels: “She should be stoned according to the Law. But, the first ones to cast the stones should be the ones without sin” (v. 7). Often misinterpreted, this verse does not support the idea that sin can only be judged by one who is perfect. Rather, this verse calls for justice–true impartial justice.

The leaders had brought this woman to Jesus under false pretenses. They were not concerned with the administration of justice–that much is clear from the fact that the man is conspicuously absent. They were concerned only with a way to trap Jesus (v. 6). Further, if the supposition that they induced a man to set the woman up, then they were indeed partakers of the sin (the modern legal terms for this are “conspiracy” and “accessory before the fact”).

The Results of the Trap

The ones who sought to trap Jesus now had the trap turned around on them. The staunch observers of the law could not carry out an execution and claim to be righteous, knowing that they had brought the charge under false pretense, and were likely a party to it (at least some were, John does not distinguish individuals within the group). Though John records that “the older ones” left first (another one of those eyewitness details), it is not certain why. It is possible that they recognized the impossibility of making a claim of righteousness in order to carry out the sentence.

In any case, the woman now stands alone with Jesus (and presumably some witnesses, including the disciples). As one writer says, Jesus now “gives the woman a chance to interpret her own situation.” He asks her, “Woman [that same term of respect that He used with his mother in John 2], where are those who accused you? Is there no one left to condemn you?” Of course, she answers, “No one,” and simply awaited His judgment. Jesus simply replies, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on sin no more.”

These words are some of the best known in the entire Gospel–indeed in the entire New Testament. However, they have sparked considerable division within and without the church. Often one group will emphasize one part of the statement while minimizing the other:

  • “Neither do I condemn you.” While some commentators see this as simply Jesus passing no judgement whatsoever, since He had no civil authority, the idea is that Jesus, as the Lawgiver had more right to judge her (and thus condemn her) than anyone else. As He did with the woman who anointed His head with oil and the tax collector Zacchaeus, He chooses to forgive the sin. If this were not true, then the second half of His statement makes little sense and indeed invites the idea that Jesus is simply “overlooking” the sin.
  • “Go and sin no more.” This is a simple, direct statement, tied to what has gone before. Because He forgave her, she is to now use that grace as an empowerment to live a pure life. Incidentally, we are not told if this adultery was a one-time event or, as in the case of the woman in John 4, a habitual practice. In any case, the command is the same.

These two statements are inextricably linked. The second statement without the first leads to legalism. The first statement only leads to license. However, the two statements combined lead to liberty–the kind of liberty that is only found in Christ.

Takeaways from this Passage

There is much that we can take from this passage. The primary teaching of the passage is that Jesus, while upholding the Law, did not come to condemn the world. He is the Law-Giver and has more right than anyone to make judgments about the Law, yet the time for judgment will come later.

Beyond that, what are we to do with this passage? What is a man or woman to do who has fallen into the sin described in this passage? This passage has much to say to a world struggling with the aftermath of the sexual revolution. Sexual activity before, alongside and outside marriage is a fact of cultural life–both without and within the church. The church as a whole must come to terms with it. Two key applications emerge from this, then.

First, the passage is a plea for understanding. While it is true that the church must reaffirm and strengthen its teaching regarding the biblical norm of sexual activity within the bond of marriage, blanket condemnation is not appropriate, and indeed is opposed by the example of this passage. In today’s world, when dealing with individuals who have fallen, the church has a pastoral duty to move with sensitivity and a goal of true restoration.

Secondly, the church needs to declare that there is forgiveness and grace in Christ. It is something amazing when the Law-Giver, the I AM should say to a say self-confessed sinner (the woman never denied the charge) with the guilt of the broken commandment heavy on her conscience, “Neither do I condemn you.” This is what “the grace of God” means.

There is no sin outside of Christ’s ability to forgive, even sexual sin. In calling the broken to Christ’s mercy and forgiveness, the church must also be mindful of the other half of that command: “Go and sin no more.” The church is to call for commitment and purity, not to maintain some outward standard, but rather as a response to the undeserved grace of Christ.

[1] There is debate among scholars as to the authenticity of this passage and its place in the Gospel. However, a strong case can be made that it was part of the original Gospel but was removed, as noted in the essay in my commentary (see below).

[Some of the material in this post has been adapted from my commentary That You May Believe: A Commentary on John, available here.]

1
The Shepherd's Voice

Confidence After Passing the Tests (1 John 5:13-21)

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

[Note: This is the final post in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
   If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
    We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has 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 5:13-21, ESV).

The whole book of 1 John is about assurance of salvation and the evidence of a believer. We’ve seen John lay out the criteria, and we’ve seen the tests that a believer will pass. In this post, we’ll talk about what happens when one passes those tests (tests of love and sound doctrine).

Before talking about how we can have confidence before God, John returns to his original purpose. He writes, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (v. 13). This is really the key verse of the entire book. Aas we have said throughout our studies, context rules. And the purpose of an author behind the letter helps us better understand and interpret the letter.

Confiedence in Prayer (vv. 13-17)

The first confidence we can have after passing the test is in prayer. John writes in vv. 14-15, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

John’s logic is straightforward: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (the idea is that God active inclines His ear to listen to us). And since we know that He hears us, if we have asked according ot His will, we will have what we ask.

We need to be careful here. These verses (and others like them) have caused a lot of confusion in the church. John is not giving the believer a “blank check,” as it were, to presume upon God. Notice that He says, “if we ask anything according to His will.” That is an important qualifier. As in previous posts, this does not mean that we should pray wimpy prayers! God calls us to pray in faith and with confidence according to our standing as redeemed sons and daughters. At the same time, we are always to be in submission to His will (see Luke 22:42 for Jesus’ own example of this).

There is another qualification that John mentions about our confidence in prayer. In vv. 16-17, John speaks of a brother who commits a sin “leading to death.” The nature of this sin has sparked confusion in the church for centuries, and we won’t be resolving the debate here. Whatever this sin is, it seems to put the person “over the line,” so to speak, where there is no turning back. Thus, the person would not repent of the sin in question. Some believers who struggle with asurance are prone to wonder if they have committed this sin. If you have such a concern, know that the fact that you can ask the question shows that you have to crossed that line.

Confidence in Living For God (vv. 18-19)

The second thing that John tells us we can be confident about is that we will grow in our faith. John writes in v. 18 that, “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” There are two important things we need to mention here.

First is John’s use of “keep on sinning.” Rmember that John often speaks of habitual sin, not just single acts. Does he mean that we’ll become perfectly sinless in this life? Not at all. 1 John 1:5-10 tells us that if we deny that we have sin we deceive ourselves. However, what will happen is that we will sin less and less. Living righteously has become our way of life, and committing sin is now the exception to the rule. Paul echoes John’s teaching here when he writes, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6, emphasis added).

The second thing we should mention is the second half of verse 18. John writes that “he who was born of God protects him.” The preferred rendering here is “He,” indicating Christ. Otherwise, you have the believer protecting himself, which is contrary to what Jesus said in John 10:28-29. At the same time, John writes that “the evil one does not touch him.” Depending on which “him” John is referring to, two interpretations are possible:

  • John refers to Christ, which would mean that Satan indeed cannot “touch” Him (absolute protection).
  • John refers to the believer. In context, this is the preferred meaning. However, we know that believers do suffer trials, harm, and hardship. What does this verse mean, then? It has more the sense of “lay hold of.” The evil one may bring trouble into the life of the believer (as he did with Job), but nothing will come into the believer’s life apart from the will of God or that would hinder His purposes.

Confidence in Knowing the Truth (vv. 20-21)

Finally, John assures the believers that we can have confidence in knowing the truth (“understanding,” v. 20). The heretics of John’s day taught that only they held the truth, and in order to really understand the truth, one had to join their group.

We see that same idea very prevalent today, both inside and outside the church. Groups claim their ideas are “the truth.” But any claim to truth must, as John has shown, be subject to the evidences and tests he laid out earlier.

John’s closing comment, “Keep yourselves from idols,” may seem like a strange way to close a letter. When we remember, however, that an idol is anything (person, thing, even an idea) that sets itself up against the Truth or seek to draw us from Christ, then the statement is not quite so odd. John is issuing a final warning to hold fast to Christ–the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Takeaways From This Passage

  1. As we grow in understanding and walk in obedience to Christ, we move from simple assurance of our salvation to a place of confidence before God. (This confidence is not in ourselves, of course, but in Christ and the work He is doing within us.)
  2. We can be confident that He hears our prayers, and so we are encouraged to come boldly before the throne of grace in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
  3. We can be confident that He is committed to completing the good work He started in us. As we continue to walk with Christ, He will give us understanding of the truth and we will continue to grow and change.
1
The Shepherd's Voice

The Tests of the Believer (1 John 4:1-5:12)

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

[Note: This is part 5 in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

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. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

    Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

    By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 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. 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. We love because he first loved us. 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. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

    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. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

    This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 4:1-5:12).

Today, we continue our look at 1 John. John has now talked about the marks of the believer, and also given some counter-examples. Like a good teacher, he tells his readers what is needed to pass the test. Then, he proceeds to lay out the tests. That is the subject of this passage. One who understands and applies these tests can not only be assured of salvation for themselves but will also be equipped to spot true and false believers in the fellowship.

Test #1: Test the Spirits (4:1-6)

The first part of the test measures how well a believer can distinguish between the Spirit of God and other spirits. The context seems to suggest that he is referring specifically to so-called prophets (v.1). He tells the believers to “test” (“try,” KJV) the spirits to see whether they be from God. Paul apparently gave a similar instruction to the Christians of Berea concerning his own teaching, since Acts records that they searched the Scriptures to see whether what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11-12).

What is the test? John tells us that any spirit (speaking through a person) that confesses that Jesus has come in the flesh is of God, but any spirit that does not confess Jesus is not of God—indeed is the spirit of antichrist (vv. 2-3). John is not laying out some strict formula here. He is not necessarily advocating that a believer ask the person, “What do you think of Jesus?” The sense, rather, is that the spirit behind the prophet will be obvious in what he teaches about Christ. Nowhere in Scripture is it commanded that we interrogate a spirit or a prophet. The assumption is that a true believer, grounded in the truth, will be able to tell. Verses 5-6 support this, in that the implication is that if a prophet is teaching anything at odds with apostolic teaching, it will be obvious to the congregation (“by this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error,” v. 6).

Test #2: Test of Love (4:7-12)

The second part of the test is one of love. The test is meant to cause the believer to ask, “Do I (or another believer) love others as God loves them?” John reminds us that “God is love” (v. 8b). Because God is love, one who does not love does not know God. Then John reminds us of what looks like: God sent His Son into the world so that we might live through Him (v. 9), and He loved us (before we could even think of loving Him) and sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins (v. 10).

Test #3: Test of Doctrine (4:13-15)

The third part of the test seems at first glance to be a repeat of the first. It is a test of doctrine. Yet, it is a different question here. The first test sought to test the spirit behind a prophetic utterance. This test seeks to determine the actual belief and commitment of a person claiming to know God. The question is a simple one: “Who do you say that Jesus is?” (As opposed to the first test, in which we said that question may not be appropriate or useful.)

There are two confessions here. First, Jesus is the Son of God. In saying that, one confesses that Jesus is one with God (begotten, not created). Second, Jesus was sent to be the Savior of the world. Note here that He was not sent just to save the Jewish nation, but “the world.” Indeed, Christ testified of that when He gave one of His most well-known statements of all time: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17). 

Though not stated in the text, the two confessions are inextricably linked, and John says that anyone who confesses Jesus as the Son of God, and thus as his Savior, has God abiding in him. The reverse is also true. Anyone who does not confess Jesus as the Son of God, rejecting His work as Savior, does not have God.

Takeaways:  Results of the Test (4:16-5:12)

At first glance, this section seems to be a series of loose repetitions of what John has already taught. In truth, however, it is John showing the results of the tests put forth. We are told what happens when one passes the tests (i.e., is a true believer). Here is what we learn:  

First, “we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us” (4:16). In the modern church, there seems to be a serious lack of the understanding of the love of God for the believer. Many suffer from a lack of trust in the Father’s love and goodness. Once someone has come to truly know and believe the love of God and abides in that love, John says His love is perfected in us (made complete).  

Second, because the love of God is being perfected in us, we “have confidence for the day of judgment” (v. 17). We have confidence because we are no longer afraid (v. 18). Here John speaks of fear in the sense of terror, not in the sense of the positive “fear of the Lord” that is holy and reverent.  

Third, one who has passed the tests loves his brother.  John says that it’s impossible for one to claim to love God yet hate his brother (v. 20). His logic is unassailable here. It is much easier to love one we can see and touch. Therefore, if one cannot love the one they can see and touch, how can he claim to love the One who is unseen, the One that we interact with through faith? He further ties all of this together. Keeping the commandments necessarily includes loving God and loving the brethren (5:2).

Before moving on, John reminds us that Christ’s commandments are not “burdensome” (v. 3). That is not to say that the act of love is not difficult at times or that a believer will not struggle. “Burdensome” in this context can be compared to the law which was called a yoke and a burden by other writers such as Peter and Paul. It was a burden because the people did not, in themselves have the power to obey, whereas now the Spirit-indwelt believer, with the new heart, has the power to obey; the law is written on his heart.  

Fourth, the one who passes the tests overcomes the world (v. 4). When the New Testament writers speak of overcoming the world, they do so in the sense of the spiritual. That is to say that one who has overcome the world has held steadfast to his faith and has not given in to the lusts and temptations of the world. It is through our faith that we overcome the world. John pointedly remarks that the only one capable of overcoming the world is the one who “believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (v. 5).   Finally, John tells us that whoever passes the tests has the very testimony of God within him. This testimony is concerning the One who came by water (referring to Christ’s baptism) and the blood (his death on the cross).  Whoever receives the Son of God (i.e., trusts in Him for salvation) has this testimony in himself (v. 10a). But, whoever denies the Son of God does not have the testimony, and also is calling God a liar. The testimony is that God has given His Son to us that we might have eternal life through Him (vv. 11-12).

Continue to Part 6 of this series ===>>

1
The Shepherd's Voice

Marks of the Believer Part 2: 1 John 3:1-24

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

[Note: This is part 4 in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

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. 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. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us (1 John 3:1-24).

Today, we continue our study of 1 John. After pausing briefly to discuss the characteristics of an “anti-Christ” (“Antichrists Among Us: 1 John 2:18-29”), John now turns back to the marks or evidences of a follower of Christ. How can we know that we are saved and in Christ? In addition to being theological in nature, this section has strong practical implications and teachings. (Which is, after all, the goal of good theology—to change us and our behavior to align us with God’s Word.)  It also takes us on a journey, from grace and hope to confidence and assurance before God. Read in its entirety, it’s a great encouragement to continue in the faith.

Grace and hope lead to purity (vv. 1-3).

John’s opening words in chapter 3 are meant to evoke a response of “Wow!” And, in truth, once a believer truly understands what has been done for him, that reaction is quite natural. The guilty are forgiven, but that’s not all. They are called righteous in God’s sight, but that’s not all. The ones who were once guilty and alienated from God are called children of God! And if that weren’t enough, we are promised, as children of God, that one day we shall be like Him, once again morally perfect without any spot or blemish.

Some things that stand out here:

  • Not only are we “called” (declared) children of God, but “so we are” (v. 1). There’s a difference between simply being declared a child of God (in a judicial sense) and actually “being one” (in the sense of nature or identity). We are children of God. We are Beloved of the Father.
  • Because we are in fact children of God, we are no longer children of the world. Thus, John says, the world does not know us (v. 2). In the same way, the world did (and does) not know Christ.
  • The end goal is not to just be with Christ. It is to be like Him. And John encourages us to remember that it will happen. It is a certain hope, not simply wishful thinking. And “everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (v. 3). It is that very hope that enables and encourages us to live pure.

Purity means practicing righteousness (vv. 4-10).

To be pure, according to John, is to practice righteousness (v. 7). As we have said many times over, John refers to “the practice of” righteousness, rather than any single act (the same way he looks at sin). A broken clock shows the correct time sometimes. But a working clock does so consistently. In the same way, a believer will consistently, if not perfectly, practice righteousness. The unbeliever, however, is like the broken clock. He cannot help but live a life of sin. John reminds us that the one who practices sin also practices lawlessness. This is because the unbeliever is living as a law unto himself, rather than doing the will of God.

The implication of this, then, is that one who claims to know God yet has not changed from a life of habitual sin has never encountered or known Him, John says. And one who has truly encountered Christ and abides in him cannot help but change from a life of sin to one of righteousness (v. 6). The change may–indeed will–be progressive, but it will absolutely take place, because one who has God’s seed in him cannot help it (v. 9). The practice of righteousness, then, is one of the surest marks of a believer (v. 10).

Practicing righteousness includes loving the brethren (vv. 11-18).

The message that John is reminding his readers is the same one he taught them “from the beginning” (v. 11). The message is that we should love one another.  He then gives a pointed contrast. We should not be like Cain, who killed his brother Abel. Why did Cain kill Abel, John asks? He gives two answers. First, because Cain was “of the evil one” (v. 12). Cain had no fear of or faith in God. How do we know this? Because of John’s second reason: “Because [Cain’s] deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous” (v. 12b). The Lord confirmed this position when He told Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted” (Gen. 4:7). The implication is that Cain’s offering was unacceptable to the Lord, and the context suggests that it was because of Cain’s attitude. Therefore, John says, just as Cain hated his brother (hatred being the seed of murder), we should not be surprised that the world hates us.

When we can say we love the brothers (here John seems to focus on the household of faith), “we have passed out of death into life” (v. 14). For, whomever hates his brother walks in darkness. (This is the same conclusion that he gave in 2:9-11 when he mentions loving the brothers.) Further, the one who hates his brother “is a murderer,” John concludes (again, hatred being the seed of murder). This is clearly equivalent to Jesus’ teaching on murder (Matt. 5:21-22).

John concludes this statement with a blunt observation: “And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (v. 15). How are we to take this statement? Does it suggest that murder is an unforgivable sin? For various reasons, that cannot be the case. John’s point here, as in many other places, is simply that one who continues to allow hatred to dwell in his heart is not a true believer. We are not talking about a single act, but rather the attitude of the heart. The Gospel, according to John, sets one free from hatred.

One might then ask John, “What does loving my brother look like?” His answer is very practical: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him” (vv. 16-17). Love of the brothers consists of generous giving. We place others above ourselves. James would wholeheartedly agree with these statements (see James 1:27; 2:15-16). Love is practical and active. Otherwise it is useless. As John puts it, “Let us love in deed and truth, not just word or talk” (v.18).

Practicing righteousness leads to assurance before God (3:19-24).

A believer who truly practices righteousness and loves the brethren can find assurance before God, John writes. He first addresses an anxious question, that of the one whose heart condemns them (vv. 19-20). We can be assured in two ways: First, if we know that we are practicing righteousness and love toward the brethren as best we know, then we can be assured that we are in Christ. Second, even if our heart should condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows everything (including our heart).

Can a believer’s heart condemn him? Most certainly. Whether it be from an immature conscience, unrealized sin, or simply the ever-present attacks by the enemies of Christ, it is not uncommon for true believers to experience guilt, doubt and anxiety. This is why John gives this encouragement.

The apostle then turns to the rest–those that have clean hearts that do not condemn them. To these he says that they can have “confidence” before God. This distinction is not by accident. The one who is condemned by their heart, though they are truly saved, can hardly have true confidence in the midst of anxiety, guilt and doubt. But when one is in a place of having a clean heart, then such a person can truly step out with the boldness of Christ to do His will, asking what he will and receiving his requests (vv. 21-22). Such a person, John says can have that confidence because he keeps Christ’s commandments.

It’s important to point out that there is no well-defined progression from one who needs assurance to the one who has confidence before God. It is possible (and common) for a believer to be in one state at one time in his life, move to the other state, and then back to the first. This is often the result of spiritual growing pains.

Finally, John summarizes what he has told us so far: The commandment is that we believe in Jesus Christ and love one another (v. 23). And he promises that those who keep those commandments do truly abide in God and God in them (v. 24a). As a final reminder, John tells us that we can know for certain that we are God’s, by the fact that He has given His Spirit to abide in us (v. 24b).

Continue to Part 5 of this series ===>>

1
The Shepherd's Voice

Antichrists Among Us: 1 John 2:18-29

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

[Note: This is part 3 in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

    I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

    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 you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him (1 John 2:18-29).

Today, we continue our study of 1 John. In the last post (Marks of the Believer Part 1), we saw the beginnings of what John calls the evidences of salvation—how we can know that we have eternal life. In this post, we (with John) briefly turn from those evidences to the counter-example. In this passage, John gives us three marks of what he calls “antichrists,” people who reject Christ and teach against Him. These marks should be taken together; we should not try to apply one without the rest, otherwise, we suffer from distorted thinking.

Evidence #1: Rejection of the Fellowship

The first thing that marks the antichrist, John says, are those who leave and reject the fellowship of the church (vv. 18-19). Notice that this is not the same as the church removing someone from fellowship due to unrepentant sin (Matt. 18:15-20, a practice that is sorely lacking today, but that’s another matter entirely). It is also not the same thing as one who might leave one congregation and be called to another congregation. Such a person usually retains their belief in Christ.

Instead, the antichrist rejects the fellowship of the believer entirely (and at the same time rejects biblical teaching on Christ and other matters of the faith—see below). In John’s day, as there were no “denominations,” leaving the church meant living in the world without the protection of Christ, cut off from the means of grace. John then pointedly remarks that if they had been “of us” (meaning believers, part of the fellowship), they would have remained. Thus, while a true believer will seek to remain in fellowship, the false will often fall away and leave the church.

If we are not careful, this passage can pose problems when dealing with someone who has left the fellowship because of wounds sustained at the hands of believers. Sadly, this is becoming more and more common today. For the most part, these people have not truly rejected the church or Christ. They retain their core belief about Jesus and salvation. We must pray for the grace of Christ to lovingly draw them back into fellowship, so that they will not fall victim to the schemes of the devil.

Evidence #2: Denial of Christ

The second mark of the antichrists is their denial of Jesus as the Christ (vv. 20-23). In context, it seems these people (in John’s day) claimed to have some special anointing to receive “truth”—a truth that was at odds with the teachings of Christ and the apostles. They denied that Jesus was the Christ. This often came in two forms.

First, some taught that “the Christ” was a spiritual manifestation that came upon the man Jesus at His baptism but left before His death. Others taught that Jesus and “the Christ” were indeed the same, but they denied that Jesus was a true man, making Him to be a spirit (hence Jesus’s words to the disciples in Luke 24:38-40). Both views deny the truth of the Incarnation that God became a man.

We see much the same thing today, if in different wording. There are many ideas about Jesus and the Christ—good teacher, wise man, prophet, sorcerer (!), etc. Such teachings want to strip Jesus of the very thing that makes Him our Savior—the fact that God took on human flesh and became a man. It’s not possible, John says, to claim to be a Christian and deny any part of the Incarnation.

Evidence #3: Living in Lies

John concludes this section by reminding his readers to abide in that which was taught to them from the beginning–the truth of Christ. The implication is that those who have departed are now living a life of lies. But those who continue to abide in Christ will be granted eternal life and will have confidence when they stand before Him–not in themselves of course, but in His work in them.

Takeaways from This Passage

As we mentioned at the beginning, these three ideas should be taken together. In fact, everything that John says in his letter should be taken together. John here looks at the overall picture when dealing with people. With the exception of denying Christ, it is possible to be a believer and still stumble in other areas. We may be wounded and leave the church for a time. We may struggle with walking in the light (walking in truth). But we are still believers.

John constantly reminds us that he is giving us this information so that we are not deceived. Deception can come in very subtle ways, so we must be alert and hold fast to our faith, rightly judging all things by Scripture. In the end, we too can have confidence in His grace as we stand before Him.

Continue to Part 4 of this series ===>>

2
The Shepherd's Voice

Walking in the Light: 1 John 1:1-10

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

[Note: This is part 1 in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

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.

       This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:1-10).

“Can I know for certain that I’m saved? If so, how?” This is a common question for many believers, whether young or old in the faith. It often springs from a time when a believer falls into sin sometimes repeatedly. They begin to wonder, “Maybe I’m not saved after all. After all, aren’t I supposed to have victory? How can I know?” First John was written for such a person, and John’s answer is an unequivocal “Yes! You can know.” (By the way, the phrase know that appears some 18 times in this short letter.) Before diving into the letter and learning what we can know (and how we can know), a few preliminary matters:

Background

Though some critics dispute that the apostle John, the “Beloved Disciple,” wrote 1 John, there is no real debate about the letter’s authorship among serious biblical scholars, and no valid reason exists to reject the evidence of his authorship. John probably wrote this letter about 85-95 A.D. (or about 50 years after Christ’s death and resurrection).

By the time of John’s writing, many false teachings had emerged, and John sought to combat them, by laying down evidences that would distinguish true believers from the false teachers. Along those lines, we must be careful in reading this letter. John uses many familiar contrasting themes such as love/hate, light/darkness, truth/lies, belief/unbelief (themes which he introduces on the book of John). He often uses stark, direct sentences to contrast these ideas, and if one is not careful it would be easy to miss the fact that John speaks of consistent practice, not individual events.

Jesus: The Word of Life

John begins his letter in the same way he starts the Gospel of John—focusing on Christ. “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” (vv. 1-2). There are several things we should notice here, even in his introduction.

He portrays Jesus as the Word of Life. In John, he called Jesus ‘the Word’ (John 1:1-18), and Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Life. Here, John combines those two, giving us the idea that Jesus speaks life into a dead and fallen world—and a dead and fallen soul. He alone is the source of life—He is life itself. The life that John speaks of here is zōē. It refers not to the biological functions of life (bios), but to the spiritual. When God created man, He breathed “the breath of life” into Adam. It’s this very life that Christ has along with the Father, and that man has lost because of sin. It is “life to the full” (John 10:10), the way life was meant to be lived, in vital dependence on and communion with the Father.

He identifies Jesus as being uncreated. As he does in his gospel, John asserts that Jesus was “from the beginning.” Uncreated, He exists as the eternal Word of God. This is in contrast to false teachers of the day who claimed that “Jesus” was a created being, and the “Christ” was a spirit that came upon Him (but more on that later). As he does in all his writings, John says that to understand Jesus, we must take Him as He is—both God and man.

He claims that he and the other apostles were eyewitnesses of the things they speak. Why is this important? Contrary to those today who discount the value of eyewitness testimony, the testimony provided by John and the others is valuable. John is not writing about some fanciful legend. He is writing about that which he (and others) have seen, heard, lived with, walked with, and touched. He is subtly telling his readers, “I was there. I know what Jesus is like.”

He clearly states his purpose for writing. He tells his readers, “What we have seen and heard we are proclaiming to so that you may have fellowship with us—and thus with the Father and the Son” (v. 3, paraphrase). John wanted his readers to be in “fellowship” with the apostles and with God. The Greek work is koinōnia, which denotes a sharing with, communion with. Those in fellowship with the apostles, the church, and God are sharing and participating in the very life of Christ. When people join that fellowship, John says that it makes their (his and the other believers’) joy complete.

Maintaining Fellowship

Before launching into the marks of a true believer John touches on a very important issue. Once in fellowship with the Lord and His disciples, how does one maintain that fellowship? Or does one even need to maintain it? John assumes the answer to the second question is “yes,” since he immediately starts with a discussion of how to maintain fellowship.

His first statement, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (v. 5), is not just an axiom to be remembered. It has relevance. Since God is [the source of] all light, if we claim to have fellowship with Him, we must walk in the light. God does not have fellowship with darkness, John says. So, we come to the first of many “if/then” statements that John gives us.

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin (vv. 6-7).

His argument is clear and to the point. If we are to have fellowship with God, we are to walk in the light. If we instead walk in darkness, “we lie and do not practice the truth.” As long as we walk in the light, however, our fellowship remains, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

One might ask John, “What do you mean by walk in the light?” His next statements, in verses 8-10, explain what he means. There has been much controversy surrounding these statements, so we are going to look at them carefully.

The first thing we should notice about these statements (and in fact all of this chapter is John’s constant use of we. He does not say “you” or “I”. He includes himself in the group of people he is talking to. With that said, verse 8 tells us, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” That statement seems clear. If “we” (again John is including himself) have no sin, we are self-deceived. Period. No believer of Christ can rightly claim to have no sin.

Verse 9 continues with another statement in the same logic: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There could be a ‘But” starting the sentence, since it is contrasting the previous one. In any case, John’s message is clear. If we say we have no sin, we are self-deceived, and the truth is not in us—therefore we are not walking in the light. However, if we confess our sin (agree that it is sin and forsake it), our sin will be forgiven. Not only that, but we will continue to be cleansed of unrighteousness.

At first, verse 10 seems to be a repeat of verse 8. However, the thrust is on the last part of the sentence instead of the first. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him (Jesus) a liar. Why is that so? Because He has declared that all have sinned, and even believers still sin. John’s logic in verses 8-10, then shows that Christians are not perfect, and should not ever attempt to claim sinlessness. While some denominations teach that possibility for the believer, such a teaching is foreign and in direct contradiction to John’s message.

Takeaways from This Passage

What’s the primary takeaway from this passage? The most important one, in the life of the believer, is this: We will all stumble and fall in our journey with Christ. We are learning and growing. To maintain fellowship with Him is to walk in the light, admitting that we are not perfect, we don’t have it all together. To do anything else is to deny the need for His grace. And His grace is offered to us abundantly. Grace, of course, is not a license to continue to sin, but it is a warm hug of accepting who we are and encouraging us to continue the journey. In His grace, we will grow, we will mature, we will become like Him. But along the way, we will fall—ideally less and less as time goes on. The next time you are tempted to pretend that you have it all together in His presence, remember to first turn on the light.

Continue to Part 2 of this series==>>

1
The Shepherd's Voice

Introducing a Friend: Meet Billy

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

Allow me to introduce you to my friend Billy Charles (not his real name, but we’ll get to that later). Billy has been in my life as long as I can remember. I can’t think of a time when he wasn’t there.

Billy is the kind of friend that many people have. He’s very spiritual. He inspires me with words like, “God will heal that person that you pray for, if it’s His will.” He also reminds me that “God never changes, so you should be skeptical of new things.”

Billy has a lot to say about many topics. For example, “People are always out to get what they can. Don’t trust them.” He also reminds me that “Love has its limits. Sooner or later, you’ll get booted.” And finally, he encourages me, “No one is perfect. So don’t worry about it.”

Perhaps you have met this “friend”. Really, he’s not a friend. I had a moment where I saw what he was clearly; it was during a recent discussion with a friend. Father was gracious enough to pull the blinders off my eyes for me to see what was really going on. I introduced him to you as Billy Charles, but really, he has another name–I call him the Believing Cynic.

The Believing Cynic hides easily in Christian circles–and in many churches. He masquerades as a “reasonable” Christian who does believe the Bible and does believe God. Yet, there is something different about him. It’s not that he doubts at times, but rather that he lives a life of quiet doubt. Even his so-called statements of faith hide the cynical side of his nature.

For example, “That person will be healed if it’s God’s will.” Does the Word of God ever tell us that it’s not Father’s will to heal? We do ask that question, and many people have developed that argument, but it’s a clever trick to hide their unbelief. We are not called to answer why people are or are not healed. We are only called to assert that Father is the Healer and declare “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Another example, “No one is perfect. So just accept God’s grace and move on.” It’s true. No one is perfect. But does that make God’s Word any less truthful? Not at all! What someone is really saying when they say that is this: “Don’t expect me to be able to live according to how God wants me to live. I’m a failure and I will mess up.” It’s true, only one Person was ever perfect on this earth. He taught us what love looks like. We are often afraid to try and love like that. We are afraid first of failing, and second of being hurt. For if we love like Jesus truly loved, it invites someone to attack us.

Faith is often hard. It is often a mystery. There is much we don’t understand, but we do ourselves a disservice when we make assumptions. We are called to believe God’s Word and stand in faith. Pray for healing. Pray according to His will. Ask. Seek. Knock. And keep on knocking until He makes His answer clear to you.

The next time Billy comes to your door with his words of encouragement and inspiration, do what I plan to do: shut the door in his face, and keep it shut. Bolt the door and declare what the Word of God says.

0