The theme of this passage is stated in verse 29 of the previous chapter; doing righteousness is proof of our new birth. The first three verses of this chapter give positive aspects of is and develop that theme. This passage shows the impossibility of reconciling sin with this new birth and the fellowship we have with Christ. John has previously told us what the fatherhood of God includes. Here he tells us what it excludes. Keep in mind the fact that the word righteousness means right doing.
Verse 4 talks about those who sin or "miss the mark". It's a general term that includes all forms of wrong doing. "Commits" or "doeth" are present tense verbs. That's important. Remember that a present tense verb refers to continuous, ongoing action. That means John is writing about habitual sin; one living in sin. Remember also how this was needed at the time this letter was written. The Gnostics thought their supposed superior knowledge made them immune from God's law. They thought God didn't count sin against them. This is disregard for God's law. We look at sin as only falling short of the mark but it also encompasses going beyond the mark as well as was the case with these Gnostics. We need to remember to purify ourselves.
Verse 5 gives us two more reasons we aren't to continually sin. First, Christ was manifested or made known to take away sins. Secondly, in our example (Christ) there is no sin. (Matthew 1:21) The verb "take away" is an aorist verb (single action) also found in John 1:29. It carries with it the idea of a burden or load that's lifted so it won't crush the one carrying it. If we continue to walk in sin, we erase what Christ did. In Titus 2:14 Paul expresses the same thought.
The thought expressed in verse 6 is one of John's favorite ideas; us abiding in Him. It can be found in the Gospel of John in 5:38, 6:56, 14:10, 15:4-7 and in this book in 2:6, 10, 14, 17, 27, 3:6, 25, 4:12, 13, 15 and 16, 19 times. Abiding is a perfect tense verb which means we keep doing it and sin not. This is also reflected in 2:24, 3:9, 5:18 and Third John 11. The writer is NOT saying that one who abides in Him can't commit a single act of sin. This would conflict with First John 1:8. Also, if that were the case, he would have used an aorist tense verb representing a single act.
The meaning of this verse is that the one who settles into a permanent existence in Him has quit their former manner of living. It means we're no longer engaged in persistent and habitual sin. For the lapses that do occur we're given First John 2:1. This verse is also evidence that one who continues ongoing, sinful conduct is giving proof that they've not been saved. This goes back to the antichrists discussed in chapter two. I'm reminded of the bumper sticker I see from time to time that says, "Christians aren't perfect. We're just forgiven." These verses prove that.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Being Like Jesus (First John 3:1-3)
We've previously been told that those who are born of God practice righteousness or right doing. In this chapter John tells us about the blessings that come by having that relationship with God. (See also John 1:12-13) John begins this chapter with behold, pay attention. He wants the reader to pay attention to the love given to them. The manner of love refers to the quality of God's love which we all know about from John 3:16. "
After speaking about the world earlier, John again here in verse one says, "the world does not know us because it did not know him." Knowing Him or us is obviously more than having a superficial knowledge. It's the acceptance of Him. (John 5:18-19)
Verse two should be one of the most uplifting verses we read. We are children NOW in spite of the world. The fact that, "it has not yet been revealed what we shall be" doesn't change our present status. The revealing or manifestation referred to here is obviously referring to the second coming of Christ. The facts that we, "shall be like Him" and, "we shall see Him as He is" should encourage us all. Think about it; we're going to appear as Jesus appears!
Guy N. Woods in his commentary on this book published by the Gospel Advocate sums up the feelings this verse should inspire in us. "The glorious anticipation of being like Him should prompt us to utilize every faculty we possess in His service, and thrill us with the prospect of awakening in His likeness. To be like Him is to be as He is, in both spirit and body. It is to partake of His glorious characteristics of mind and heart of soul and spirit; to come into possession of the spiritual graces which are His. It is to be like Him in purity, in holiness, in kindness and in love; it is to share with Him the complete approval of our Father and God. It is, further, to be like Him in body; to possess the immortal nature which He possesses, and to be no longer, as He is no longer, subject to death." (page 258 Woods, Guy N. New Testament Commentaries. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1983)
Woods also goes on in that same passage to relate a story of a group of converts in a distant land. When they are translating the Bible into their own language, they stopped when they came to this verse. They didn't think a promise like this could be possible for sinful man. They decided it was too much and said, "No, let's write that we'll be allowed to kiss His feet!"
This passage concludes with the reminder that if we have this hope, we will purify ourselves. Just as we've seen previously in John's letter, this verb is a perfect tense verb; it's ongoing. We will continue to purify ourselves. With a promise like this, why would we not?!
After speaking about the world earlier, John again here in verse one says, "the world does not know us because it did not know him." Knowing Him or us is obviously more than having a superficial knowledge. It's the acceptance of Him. (John 5:18-19)
Verse two should be one of the most uplifting verses we read. We are children NOW in spite of the world. The fact that, "it has not yet been revealed what we shall be" doesn't change our present status. The revealing or manifestation referred to here is obviously referring to the second coming of Christ. The facts that we, "shall be like Him" and, "we shall see Him as He is" should encourage us all. Think about it; we're going to appear as Jesus appears!
Guy N. Woods in his commentary on this book published by the Gospel Advocate sums up the feelings this verse should inspire in us. "The glorious anticipation of being like Him should prompt us to utilize every faculty we possess in His service, and thrill us with the prospect of awakening in His likeness. To be like Him is to be as He is, in both spirit and body. It is to partake of His glorious characteristics of mind and heart of soul and spirit; to come into possession of the spiritual graces which are His. It is to be like Him in purity, in holiness, in kindness and in love; it is to share with Him the complete approval of our Father and God. It is, further, to be like Him in body; to possess the immortal nature which He possesses, and to be no longer, as He is no longer, subject to death." (page 258 Woods, Guy N. New Testament Commentaries. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1983)
Woods also goes on in that same passage to relate a story of a group of converts in a distant land. When they are translating the Bible into their own language, they stopped when they came to this verse. They didn't think a promise like this could be possible for sinful man. They decided it was too much and said, "No, let's write that we'll be allowed to kiss His feet!"
This passage concludes with the reminder that if we have this hope, we will purify ourselves. Just as we've seen previously in John's letter, this verb is a perfect tense verb; it's ongoing. We will continue to purify ourselves. With a promise like this, why would we not?!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Living A Pure Life (First John 2:28-29)
Once again John starts a point with "little children", his term of affection for his audience. He's making a point and by addressing them this way, seems to be wanting to really get their attention. He wants to talk about having confidence when Christ appears. Let's look at those two points; Christ coming and us having confidence at that time.
The New King James reads, "when He appears."The Critical Greek Text words it, "if He appears". If instead of when was in the Greek. This indicates John's uncertainty as to when. This confirms Mark's teaching in Mark 13:32. John knows this will happen. He just obviously doesn't know when.
When that appearance does take place we should, have confidence (New King James) or boldness (American Standard and others). We also should not be ashamed. Confidence or boldness comes from the Greek word parresia meaning freedom of speech, the right to speak out as one thinks. This was an important concept in ancient Greece. It was used to talk about their privilege as free citizens which was something they cherished. The point here is that when Christ returns we will be able to stand confidently before God and know we're free to express our position. That's a pretty unbelievable thought for us isn't it? We think of the return of Christ as being something that would leave us speechless. Yet we have the right to feel the way John expresses in this verse.
The word ashamed here comes from a word which means to grow pale or to change color out of shame. Those not prepared to meet God as described in Second Thessalonians 1:7-9 only have this to look forward to. Not much of a choice is it?
At first glance it seems that verse 29 is talking about Christ. Never in scripture however is one ever described of being born or begotten of Christ. It's always God. (First John 3:9, 18 and 4:7) This is telling us that the person who does right is doing it as a child of God; not to become one. If you've read the earlier posts about the Greek verb tenses I'll bet you can guess what tense is used here. It's a present active verb again meaning it's something ongoing; something we continue to do. We must keep on doing good. That should be pretty easy if we know it will result in us having confidence on that final day when so much of the world will be left without a defense.
The New King James reads, "when He appears."The Critical Greek Text words it, "if He appears". If instead of when was in the Greek. This indicates John's uncertainty as to when. This confirms Mark's teaching in Mark 13:32. John knows this will happen. He just obviously doesn't know when.
When that appearance does take place we should, have confidence (New King James) or boldness (American Standard and others). We also should not be ashamed. Confidence or boldness comes from the Greek word parresia meaning freedom of speech, the right to speak out as one thinks. This was an important concept in ancient Greece. It was used to talk about their privilege as free citizens which was something they cherished. The point here is that when Christ returns we will be able to stand confidently before God and know we're free to express our position. That's a pretty unbelievable thought for us isn't it? We think of the return of Christ as being something that would leave us speechless. Yet we have the right to feel the way John expresses in this verse.
The word ashamed here comes from a word which means to grow pale or to change color out of shame. Those not prepared to meet God as described in Second Thessalonians 1:7-9 only have this to look forward to. Not much of a choice is it?
At first glance it seems that verse 29 is talking about Christ. Never in scripture however is one ever described of being born or begotten of Christ. It's always God. (First John 3:9, 18 and 4:7) This is telling us that the person who does right is doing it as a child of God; not to become one. If you've read the earlier posts about the Greek verb tenses I'll bet you can guess what tense is used here. It's a present active verb again meaning it's something ongoing; something we continue to do. We must keep on doing good. That should be pretty easy if we know it will result in us having confidence on that final day when so much of the world will be left without a defense.
First John 2 20-27 (Without Antichrist)
I covered the topic of antichrist in my last post. This time we'll look at the other verses in this section of the chapter that deal with other points.
Verse 20 gives three promises; the original audience had an annointing, it was from Christ and it's result was that it allowed the annointed to, "know all things." The word annointing here comes from the Greek word chrisma, an oil or ointment rubbed on the skin.
This verse would have given the original audience of this book a great feeling of importance considering their state of mind in being worn down by the false teachings of the Gnostics. Annointing had traditionally been reserved for kings (I Samuel 10:10), priests (Exodus 29:7) and prophets (Isaiah 61:1). Jesus of course was their annointed one (Acts 4:27). To be told that they had an annointing from their Annointed One just reinforced what John had said previously. He wanted their, "joy to be full."
This was a miraculous annointing. It relates to taking on the Gnostics, the antichrists. This is proven in verses 26 and 27. If it were not miraculous and they truly knew all things then John wasn't anymore inspired than they would have been. What would have made John so important and special?
Verse 21 is a comment on the verses surrounding it about antichrist. The lie John talks about is the lie of the Gnostics, the antichrist since they are liars. It reaffirms to them that they know the truth.
In verses 22 and 23 John talks about Jesus and God. If you reject one you reject the other. He gives both the negative and positive implications here.
Read verse 24. What had they, "heard from the beginning"? Truth, the gospel (love) they had learned about earlier. The word abide was covered in a previous entry. It's from the word meno meaning to settle down and live as in one's permanent home. Let the truth abide or settle down permanently in us. We can then settle down permanently with Jesus and God. (2 John 5-6 and John 14:23)
The promise of eternal life is covered next in verse 25. John also wrote about this great promise in John 3:14-16 and 6:40. From this verse we learn eternal life is a promise. It's conditioned on us holding to what we have heard from the beginning. This is not presented by John as a present condition because one can't hope for what one already has. (See Titus 1:2 and Romans 8:24-25)
The next verse is obviously talking about the Gnostics. Verse 27 presents the same thought and message as verse 24 with one difference. In 24 it's given as a command. In this verse it's stated as fact. Remember this verse is still part of the defense against antichrist. That's important because it's apparently easy for some to missuse this verse in trying to prove the annointing is a miracle that takes place today.
Verse 20 gives three promises; the original audience had an annointing, it was from Christ and it's result was that it allowed the annointed to, "know all things." The word annointing here comes from the Greek word chrisma, an oil or ointment rubbed on the skin.
This verse would have given the original audience of this book a great feeling of importance considering their state of mind in being worn down by the false teachings of the Gnostics. Annointing had traditionally been reserved for kings (I Samuel 10:10), priests (Exodus 29:7) and prophets (Isaiah 61:1). Jesus of course was their annointed one (Acts 4:27). To be told that they had an annointing from their Annointed One just reinforced what John had said previously. He wanted their, "joy to be full."
This was a miraculous annointing. It relates to taking on the Gnostics, the antichrists. This is proven in verses 26 and 27. If it were not miraculous and they truly knew all things then John wasn't anymore inspired than they would have been. What would have made John so important and special?
Verse 21 is a comment on the verses surrounding it about antichrist. The lie John talks about is the lie of the Gnostics, the antichrist since they are liars. It reaffirms to them that they know the truth.
In verses 22 and 23 John talks about Jesus and God. If you reject one you reject the other. He gives both the negative and positive implications here.
Read verse 24. What had they, "heard from the beginning"? Truth, the gospel (love) they had learned about earlier. The word abide was covered in a previous entry. It's from the word meno meaning to settle down and live as in one's permanent home. Let the truth abide or settle down permanently in us. We can then settle down permanently with Jesus and God. (2 John 5-6 and John 14:23)
The promise of eternal life is covered next in verse 25. John also wrote about this great promise in John 3:14-16 and 6:40. From this verse we learn eternal life is a promise. It's conditioned on us holding to what we have heard from the beginning. This is not presented by John as a present condition because one can't hope for what one already has. (See Titus 1:2 and Romans 8:24-25)
The next verse is obviously talking about the Gnostics. Verse 27 presents the same thought and message as verse 24 with one difference. In 24 it's given as a command. In this verse it's stated as fact. Remember this verse is still part of the defense against antichrist. That's important because it's apparently easy for some to missuse this verse in trying to prove the annointing is a miracle that takes place today.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Dealing With Antichrist (First John 2:18-23)
John begins this passage with, "Little children" (paidia) meaning all of them. It's the same word he used in 2:1, 12 and 13. "It is the last hour" continues the thought of verse 17. John is describing the transient nature of this earthly world and is telling the audience that only those who do the will of God will live forever.
Other opinions offered about, "the last hour" are that it was the end of the Jewish state. That ended with the death and resurrection of Christ. Some say it's literally the last days of the world's existence. If that's the case, what about the last 2000 years?
There are three Greek words used to denote time. Chronos means a duration of time. Our word chronological comes from this. Kairos means the right time, the opportune time, a limited time. We see that used in Mark 1:15. Hora means a fixed date or time as in seasons and months. In this instance it's talking about the dispensations, specifically here that we're living in the final, Christian dispensation. This is the only time the word is used in this book. It's used 108 times in the New Testament including John 5:25, 28 and 35. The idea expressed here is in agreement with the words of First Peter 4:7.
That brings us to the Antichrist. I don't know that there's been a passage or a title more misused in the Bible than this and the other instances John talks about the antichrist. It's really not as complicated as it's been made out to be. The only times this term is ever used in the Bible is here in verse 18, in verse 22, in 4:3 and in Second John 7. That's it. The term is found nowhere in the book of Revelation even though John was the author of that book too.
He tells his readers here, "you have heard" about Antichrist then he goes on to say that already at that time, "many antichrists have come." That's the first point to remember, that there in the late first century, "many antichrists have come." That should certainly rule out any and all of the names that have been used to claim people throughout time were THE antichrist.
Verse 19 tells us who those referred to in verse 18 were. They were ones who had been baptized but they, "were not of us". If they had been, if they'd truly believed they would have stayed loyal to God. This verse also refutes the doctrine of once saved always saved. If that belief were true then it wouldn't have mattered what those people did after they were saved. Not only were they not saved but as is often the case in John's writings, he puts them at the opposite end of where God stands. Remember, there is no gray area.
Verses 19 and 22 give us the characteristics of those who are antichrist. There are many (not just one great, evil world leader), they are not of us, they are liars, they deny Jesus is Christ and they deny Jesus came in the flesh. Wow, that sure sounds a lot like those Gnostics John was doing battle with doesn't it?!
Christ Himself predicted this would happen in Matthew 24:5, 11 and 24. Peter wrote about this attitude in Second Peter 2:1 and Paul addressed these people and warned Timothy about them in First Timothy 4:1 and 2.
Do we have antichrists among us today? Certainly, any one who denies Christ, anyone who is anti-Christ. It's really that simple.
Other opinions offered about, "the last hour" are that it was the end of the Jewish state. That ended with the death and resurrection of Christ. Some say it's literally the last days of the world's existence. If that's the case, what about the last 2000 years?
There are three Greek words used to denote time. Chronos means a duration of time. Our word chronological comes from this. Kairos means the right time, the opportune time, a limited time. We see that used in Mark 1:15. Hora means a fixed date or time as in seasons and months. In this instance it's talking about the dispensations, specifically here that we're living in the final, Christian dispensation. This is the only time the word is used in this book. It's used 108 times in the New Testament including John 5:25, 28 and 35. The idea expressed here is in agreement with the words of First Peter 4:7.
That brings us to the Antichrist. I don't know that there's been a passage or a title more misused in the Bible than this and the other instances John talks about the antichrist. It's really not as complicated as it's been made out to be. The only times this term is ever used in the Bible is here in verse 18, in verse 22, in 4:3 and in Second John 7. That's it. The term is found nowhere in the book of Revelation even though John was the author of that book too.
He tells his readers here, "you have heard" about Antichrist then he goes on to say that already at that time, "many antichrists have come." That's the first point to remember, that there in the late first century, "many antichrists have come." That should certainly rule out any and all of the names that have been used to claim people throughout time were THE antichrist.
Verse 19 tells us who those referred to in verse 18 were. They were ones who had been baptized but they, "were not of us". If they had been, if they'd truly believed they would have stayed loyal to God. This verse also refutes the doctrine of once saved always saved. If that belief were true then it wouldn't have mattered what those people did after they were saved. Not only were they not saved but as is often the case in John's writings, he puts them at the opposite end of where God stands. Remember, there is no gray area.
Verses 19 and 22 give us the characteristics of those who are antichrist. There are many (not just one great, evil world leader), they are not of us, they are liars, they deny Jesus is Christ and they deny Jesus came in the flesh. Wow, that sure sounds a lot like those Gnostics John was doing battle with doesn't it?!
Christ Himself predicted this would happen in Matthew 24:5, 11 and 24. Peter wrote about this attitude in Second Peter 2:1 and Paul addressed these people and warned Timothy about them in First Timothy 4:1 and 2.
Do we have antichrists among us today? Certainly, any one who denies Christ, anyone who is anti-Christ. It's really that simple.
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