1 John: 2
Many of John’s community departed from the faith (2:19) having been led astray by the false, Gnostic teachers (1 John 2:26). Gnostics taught that in order to be truly saved you needed—their secret teachings, for no one else knew the secrets of salvation. John flatly denies this in 1 John 2:27. He does not mean here that teachers aren’t needed in the church—that is, after all, what the Apostles were and how God designed the church (Eph 4:11-12). Rather, what he means is that believers don’t need the “secret teachings” the Gnostic leaders are selling!
The largest section of letter is 3:1-5:13, where he instructs his followers in how to live as children of God. It is by God’s love that believers are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus (3:1-3). Notice: this transformation is a process: it begins at conversion and continues throughout the life of the believer, finally culminating at Jesus’ 2nd Coming (1 John 3:2). Rather than leave this thought in the abstract, John describes Christ-likeness is practical terms. Being like Jesus means that believers don’t practice sin or unrighteousness (3:4-9). This does not mean that Christians never sin—it means that sinful behaviour or lifestyles does not characterize them. To be brutally honest and crystal clear: take Charlie “Tiger Blood” Sheen, for example. He could claim to be a follower of Jesus, but his lifestyle would clearly betray the truth in his heart—that God is simply not there (1 John 3:9). Being like Jesus means that believers love rather than hate their fellow brothers/sisters—for hatred is actually indicative of unbelief (3:10-15). For John, biblical love is not a feeling but an action: self-sacrifice in order to meet the needs of others (1 John 3:16-18). To love others is to fulfil Jesus’ commandments (3:23-24).
True believers become like Jesus because they are “born of God”, that is to say: the Almighty, Triune God lives inside of them through the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, many confess “Lord, Lord,” but not every confessor is a true believer (Matt 7:21-23); all such confessors are false believers. 1 of the traits of false believers is their errant view of Jesus; e.g., they don’t believe that Jesus actually came in the flesh (1 John 4:2-3). There was a range of Gnostic beliefs in this regard: some believed that Jesus’ human form was not real flesh and blood—it only looked real (kind of like an ancient hologram); other believed that the “Christ” was not a person but only a spirit who came upon a person (Jesus). For John, both these and similar sort of views are categorically wrong! Hence, it’s imperative that believers test and discern which teachers and leaders teach the truth and which ones teach lies (1 John 4:1).
Now back to love (4:7-21): John states that believers love because God himself is love (4:8). Thus, to be “born of God” is to be born of his love. The supreme illustration of the kind and the magnitude of God’s love is the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (1 John 4:9-10). This supreme act forms the basis of our love for others (4:11). Our love for people is not supposed to be based on our own, personal love for them, or based on their worthiness to be loved by us. No. Our love for other people is squarely based on God’s love for us (1 John 4:19)—something Jesus taught time and again (e.g., Matt 18:21-35). Not to love in this way and yet still claim to be a Christian, only makes you a liar (1 John 4:20).
B/c true believers are born of God they can overcome the world and all of its entrapments (1 John 5:4; 4:4). Being born of God—i.e., being a true believer—depends on faith in Jesus (5:4). Good works never justify someone before God; only faith in Christ (good works come as a result of faith in Christ). Faith in Jesus depends on a right confession or understanding of Jesus: believing that he is nothing less than the Son of God, that he came by water and blood (i.e., he came in the flesh), that the Spirit of God testifies of him, and that he alone possesses eternal life (5:5-12).
In concluding his letter, John assures his community of a number of things. 1st, he assures them of their salvation (1 John 5:13); those who left the church were not saved, but those who remain are. 2nd, he assures them of answered prayer (1 John 5:14-15). Question: According to John, what ultimately determines answered prayer? Are there other factors? Finally, he assures them once again of the correct understanding of Jesus: he is the Son of God, he is the (one) true God, and he is eternal life (1 John 5:20); anything less than that is sheer idolatry (5:21).
Next up: John’s littler letters.