Dear Student of the Word,
I have been busy the last few weeks, but not too busy to prepare this week's Bible study. Even though this is coming to you later than I wanted, I am sure it is arriving right on time! This week we move into the second chapter of John's first epistle, which for some reason has always been a challenge for me to understand. Having just written my book on John's Revelation, however, I find the epistle easier to comprehend if I read between the lines and make the assumption that John was comforting a church who had just suffered a church split.
This week I wrote on day five of this seven-day study:
2:22 – Those who left denied that Jesus was or is the Christ, the Anointed One. You will find that most heresies since Jesus departed have been around who He is, His person and nature. That would make sense. Surely the spirit of the antichrist would promote doctrine that is against the mission, person and nature of Christ. What hope do we have of combating his plots? We have God’s word and we have the Holy Spirit. If you want to stay in the truth, then you simply submit to those two and you will have no problem. Those who do not follow another spirit and that can only be an anti-Christ spirit.
John indicated that when someone denies the Son, they also deny the Father. So it is not possible to come to God, according to John, unless one comes through Jesus to the Father. This is the standard message of the gospel from all the apostles. When people reject the highway to heaven, they cannot choose another road! This is the dilemma of our modern era, for many proclaim that there are multiple ways to God. John refuted that doctrine when he wrote and it is still valid today.
2:23 – Here John repeated this truth plainly: If anyone wants the Father, he or she must acknowledge the Son. This makes sense. If the Father sent Jesus, which of course He did, then anyone who rejects the Son is rejecting the Father’s will. I am listening to a series now by a secular author, and her theme is making a case for God. She traces the history of God, or attempts to trace it, from the earliest times and it is obvious she is not a believer. I think she believes in God, but she does not acknowledge the Son.
What stands out in her historical overview is how man’s sinful nature causes him repeatedly to look for a god who is more to his liking. Man is always at the center of the discussion and not God Himself. When the Son is not the anchor, then someone’s ship of faith wanders and floats all over the sea of error.
Man cannot decide what kind of god he wants or needs. That is idolatry, even if no graven image is fashioned. There is a mental image of what kind of god the person desires and that breaks the commandments that forbids strange gods. Where can you get an accurate picture of the true God? You get that by studying Scripture and accepting what it has to say about Jesus?
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). secular author, and her theme is making a case for God. She traces the history of God, or attempts to trace it, from the earliest times and it is obvious she is not a believer. I think she believes in God, but she does not acknowledge the Son.
What stands out in her historical overview is how man’s sinful nature causes him repeatedly to look for a god who is more to his liking. Man is always at the center of the discussion and not God Himself. When the Son is not the anchor, then someone’s ship of faith wanders and floats all over the sea of error.
Man cannot decide what kind of god he wants or needs. That is idolatry, even if no graven image is fashioned. There is a mental image of what kind of god the person desires and that breaks the commandments that forbids strange gods. Where can you get an accurate picture of the true God? You get that by studying Scripture and accepting what it has to say about Jesus?
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. For further Bible study, my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished volumes of The Faith Files.
Download 1 John Study 2
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LAST CALL: I depart this coming Friday for Kenya with 13 others. If you want to give to the Deborah Foundation or the Sophia Fund, this is the last week to do so before I depart. If you haven't already done so, please take the time to read this latest updates on the Sophia Fund and the Deborah Foundation here. As you read, you will understand what a difference you can make in a child's life with very little effort or investment.
If you feel compelled to help our upcoming trip, you can give through my website or send a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Just let me know if your contribution is to be used for food or shipping and I promise to use it for that purpose. Just $5 will help me feed an orphan for a week! Do what you can and please do it today.
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