The Marks
of a Christian: Book of 1 John
By
1.
Reason for this selection:
This message has come
about because I was asked to not go into the Olivette Discourse of Mark chapter
13 this Sunday morning because so many of our folks would be away on this
Memorial Day weekend. So, I began to
think about what topical message I could expound upon today. I decided that I wanted to teach a topical
message which is one of the main themes of the book of 1 John: The Marks of a Christian.
2.
Background of 1 John:
This book is recognized as
being very different in its structure and message. It is very much aligned grammatically and
stylistically with the gospel of John, the epistle of 2 John, and also the book
of Revelation (which is also attributed to Johns authorship). Likewise, it appears that the book was
written close the same time as those other books, and this date is either late
in the first century or very close to 70 A.D.
This dating places it at the very end of the New Testament writings.
As an epistle, the book is
very unique as it includes no salutation, greeting, introduction, spoken
blessing, statement of thanksgiving, or final greetings.
3.
Occasion for writing 1 John:
It is evident that the
author is combating a major doctrinal error by a group who had been at the
church(es) to whom he is writing but had since departed, as evidenced in 1 John 2:19: They went out from us, but they
were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have
remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they
all are not of us.
The doctrinal departure is the Gnostic heresy that
is addressed by several books in the New Testament, but most specifically by
John in his epistles, and even in his gospel (check out chapter 1 of that
gospel). Gnosticism was a religious
persuasion which came out of a combination of Judaism, Greek philosophy, and
Christianity. Gnostics following Greek
thought believed that matter was evil and spirit was good, and this thinking
led them to deny the incarnation and deity of Christ as they taught that deity
came upon Jesus at a point in time and left him before his crucifixion. Believing that matter was evil and spirit
good led them to two different positions, one was that of asceticism (staying
out of the world so that you would not be corrupted by its influence) or
believing that since there was no escape from corruption that it didnt matter
what you did in life so its best to eat, drink, and be merry (or sin to the
fullest desires of your flesh).
4.
Themes in the book (though they overlap
considerably):
4.1.
The tests of theology concerning the divinity
and pre-existence of Christ.
4.2.
The litmus test of what differentiated a
Christian, or the marks of a true Christian.
5.
The Marks:
5.1.
Walks in the light
- 1:6: 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet
walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
5.1.1.
Jesus, the light of the world was
rejected by those who loved the darkness and would not come to the light, and
to such as them one day is reserved outer darkness. Darkness in the scriptures refers to
ignorance of the truth and the doing of evil deeds.
5.1.2.
Walking in fellowship with Christ is
impossible for anyone who is walking in the darkness.
5.2.
Has fellowship with other Christians who walk in the
light - 1:7: 7
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from
all sin.
5.2.1.
Walking in the light is to be a believer in Christ,
and to know Christ who is the light, just as is revealed in Pauls
writings to the Corinthians: 2 Corinthians 6:14, 14 Do not be bound together
with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or
what fellowship has light with darkness?
5.2.2.
Those who walk in the light have fellowship
with each other, for it is an essential characteristic of walking in the light.
5.3.
Believes he has a sin nature - 1:8: 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving
ourselves and the truth is not in us.
5.3.1.
The one who denies that there is such a
thing as sin and sinning is deceived.
5.3.2.
The Christian still has a sin nature even
though he is born again and no longer has to sin but can have victory over sin
and the sin nature through Christ.
5.4.
Occasionally sins -
1:10: 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a
liar and His word is not in us.
5.4.1.
Even the best men who know Christ best
sometimes sin, as this verse reveals.
5.4.2.
The one who claims sinless perfection
makes Christ out to be a liar because Gods word tells us that we as
Christians are still sinners and will sometimes sin.
5.4.3.
The one who claims to never sin is deceiving
himself and calling the sinful deeds that he does something other than
what they are, or somehow trying to justify his sin by passing the blame
somewhere else.
5.4.4.
The one who claims he never sins any longer,
His word is not in him.
5.5.
Continually keeps His commandments - 2:3, 3:24: 3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if
we keep His commandments
24 The one who keeps His
commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in
us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
5.5.1.
The Greek present tense is used here on the
phrase keep His commandments which refers to continually keeping them. This doesnt refer to being perfect, because
no one can be perfect, but rather to perseverance in being committed to keeping
the commandments of God, even though at times we fail and must yet again repent
and ask forgiveness for our sins.
5.5.2.
The person who is committed to continually
keeping His commandments abides in Him and Christ abides in him.
5.6.
Continually keeps His word - 2:5: 5 but whoever keeps His word, in
him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in
Him.
5.6.1.
The Greek present tense is used here on the
phrase keeps His word which implies continually doing so. Again, this doesnt infer perfection, but
rather a perseverance in attempting to keep His word in spite of sometimes
failing and needing to repent and confess our sins.
5.6.2.
Note though that a commitment to continually
keep His word results in having the love of God being perfected in us, and when
we continually are committed to keeping His word we know that we are in Him.
5.7.
Walks in the same way Jesus walked - 2:6: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to
walk in the same manner as He walked.
5.7.1.
Abiding in Jesus results in walking the same
manner He walked, or living your life in the same holy and righteous way in
which Jesus lived.
5.7.2.
One who claims to know Christ and yet does
not live like Jesus lived ought to question whether or not he really is a
genuine Christian.
5.8.
Does not hate his brother - 2:9: 9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates
his brother is in the darkness until now.
5.8.1.
One of the characteristics of a genuine
believer in Christ is that he loves the brethren. Loving one another in the body of Christ
locally and universally is not an option.
5.8.2.
In our world today, there is not a lot of the
love of God amongst different persuasions of the Christian church. Churches split when they disagree, people
leave a church when they dont like someone, and gossip is constant threat to
the church.
5.9.
Loves his brother -
2:10, 3:10: 10 The one who loves his
brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him
10 By this the children of God and the children of
the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of
God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
5.9.1. This is just the opposite of
what was said in the previous item.
5.9.2. Loving the brethren keeps us
from stumbling and also makes the children of God obvious.
5.10. Does not love
the world ( cosmos - the world in rebellion against
God ) - 2:15: 15 Do not love the world nor
the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is
not in him.
5.10.1.Some of the Gnostics thought
trying to deny the flesh was hopeless, therefore they sinned freely. However, John tells us here that a genuine
Christian must not be one who loves this world who is in rebellion against God.
5.10.2.A person cannot love God and
also love the world.
5.11. Does not love
the things in the world - 2:15: 15 Do not love the world nor
the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is
not in him.
5.11.1.One who is a believer must
not love the things of the world either. Not only the philosophy of this world must be
rejected by Christians, but also the stuff of this world.
5.11.2.You cant love the Father
and also love the stuff of this world.
5.12. Does the will
of God - 2:17: 17 The world is passing
away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives
forever.
5.12.1.The one who has the gift of
eternal life and will live forever is the one who does the will of God,
not just the one who knows what that will is.
5.12.2.John refers here to the lusts
of the world, or the things that the world desires, and he says that the world
and its lusts is passing away, for it is going to be
destroyed by God one day.
5.13. Stays in the
Body of Christ - 2:19: 19 They went out from us,
but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would
have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that
they all are not of us.
5.13.1.John gives an explanation
for why those who went out from their church went out. It was because they were not really of us.
5.14. Has an
anointing and as a result understands the truth of the gospel - 2:20-21: 20
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know
the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
5.14.1.True believers have the
indwelling Holy Spirit as their anointing to lead them into all of the
truth.
5.15. Believes that
Jesus is the Christ (Jewish Messiah of
scripture) - 2:22, 5:1: 22 Who is the liar but the
one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who
denies the Father and the Son
1
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves
the Father loves the child born of Him.
5.15.1.The Gnostics denied that
Jesus Christ was the Messiah, the hope of
5.15.2.The one who denies this
essential truth is of the antichrist spirit, this is the spirit that
takes the place of Christ, a usurper of Christ.
5.15.3.The person who believes that
Jesus is the Messiah is born of God, and John includes that anyone who
loves the Father also loves the son begotten of Him.
5.16. Abides in
Christ (as a branch in the vine: see John 15) - 2:27-28: 27 As for you, the anointing
which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to
teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and
is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when
He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His
coming.
5.16.1.The word abide
means to remain.
5.17. Continually
practices righteousness - 2:29,
3:10: 29 If you know that He is
righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him
10 By this the children of God and the children of
the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of
God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
5.17.1.Present tense is used again,
but doesnt mean perfection.
5.18. Purifies himself
just as He is pure - 3:3: 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed
on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
5.18.1.The genuine believer in
Christ is one who also seeks to be holy as God is holy and thus purifies
himself as Christ is pure.
5.18.2.The one who does not believe
that purity is important is not a true believer in Christ.
5.19. Does not
continually practice sin - 3:6,
5:18: 6 No one who abides in Him
sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him
18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but
He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.
5.19.1.The genuine believer in
Christ cannot be one who is continually committing sin, and who has unrepentant
sin in his life all of the time.
5.20. Practices
righteousness and is righteous, just as He is righteous - 3:7: 7
Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices
righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
5.20.1.The present tense is used
here for practices righteousness as well as for is righteous. This indicates continually action but does
not mean that we are perfect, but rather that we are committed to being perfect
even though we sometimes fail the Lord.
5.21. His seed abides
in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God - 3:9: 9
No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him;
and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
5.21.1.The genuine believer in
Christ is one who cannot continually commit sin because Gods seed abides in
him. The seed may refer to the
regenerated nature that is within the Christian, or some other remnant of the
grace of God experienced by the believer.
5.22. Loves the
brethren - 3:14: 14 We know that we have
passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not
love abides in death.
5.22.1.John tells us here that the
one who loves the brethren has passed out of death into life but that
the one who does not love the brethren abides in death. It is a test of life whether or not one loves
the brethren.
5.23. Loves not only
with word and tongue, but in deed and in truth - 3:18-19: 18 Little children, let us
not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and
will assure our heart before Him
5.23.1.Loving the brethren must not
be in word only but must also be in deed and in truth. Love that is just in word is hypocritical
love, and love must never merely be considered a feeling that someone has.
5.24. The abiding
presence of the Holy Spirit gives assurance of salvation - 3:24, 4:13:
24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He
in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given
us
13 By this we know that we
abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
5.25. Confesses that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh (the eternal
Son of God/Messiah) - 4:2: 2 By this you know the
Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the
flesh is from God.
5.25.1.The Gnostics believed that
deity was something that came upon Jesus at a point in His life (His
baptism?). However, the genuine
Christian is one who confesses that Jesus Christ was pre-existent and has come
in the flesh.
5.26. Has overcome
the false prophets and teachers (and the
spirit that animates them) - 4:4: 4
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater
is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
5.27. Listens to,
receives, and believes in the sound teaching from the apostles (the Bible) - 4:6:
6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who
is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and
the spirit of error.
5.28. Loves (with
agape love) - 4:7,8: 7 Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God
8 The one who does not love does not know God, for
God is love.
5.29. Confesses that
Jesus is the Son of God - 4:15: 15 Whoever confesses that
Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
5.29.1.This speaks of what we refer
to as the Trinity. Jesus Christ
is God the Son from all eternity who came in flesh to dwell among us. This is essential truth that every genuine
believer in Christ must understand and acknowledge.
5.30. Abides in
(agape) love - 4:16: 16 We have come to know and
have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who
abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
5.31. Loves (agape)
because He first loved him - 4:19: 19 We love, because He first
loved us.
5.31.1.The motive for loving that
the genuine believer in Christ has must be a love because he has first been
loved and accepted by God, having been justified through the blood of Christ.
5.32. Loves the child
born of the Father (either Jesus, other
Christians, or all men) - 5:1: 1
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves
the Father loves the child born of Him.
5.33. Overcomes the
world - 5:4: 4 For whatever is born of God
overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the worldour
faith.
5.34. Believes that
Jesus is the Son of God - 5:5: 5 Who is the one who overcomes the
world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6.
CONCLUSIONS:
6.1.
.