1 John 4:1-6 - The Test

4:1-3

We now come to what is probably the most theological part of the letter, focusing on the incarnation. It is interesting that John is clearly concerned with lifestyle and behaviour, “Loving one another”, but this does not diminish his concern with right theology. Indeed most false teachings fail to get the person of Jesus Christ right, denying either His humanity or His divinity. It is worth noting that most early heresies tended to deny His humanity. John begins this section with a test to see whether or not a spirit is from God. He also recognises that many false prophets have gone into the world. The key test here is whether a spirit “acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh”, i.e. the humanity of Jesus. Any spirit that does not acknowledge this is not from God, indeed it is the spirit of the antichrist, and the spirit of antichrist is already in the world.

4:4-6

The Holy Spirit bears witness to the humanity of Christ, and He is in us. If we believe the gospel then we have overcome the spirit of anti-Christ, for the Holy Spirit is greater than the spirit who is in the world. We should not be surprised if the world listens to the anti-Christ, for the anti-Christ is the spirit of the world, and speaks from the viewpoint of the world. If we believe the gospel we are from God, for we are born again of God.

1 John 3:19-24 - Believing in the Son, and loving one another

3:19-24

The change in our lives shows that we belong to the truth, despite what  anyone else may try to tell us. Note that our experience is seen as important. Even so, it may be that we still feel condemned. In that case “we know that God is greater than our hearts. He knows everything, and He sent Jesus to die on the cross for us knowing just what we were like. Note that there is an interplay between theological truth and our experience. It is better when we do not feel condemned, and this gives us greater confidence in prayer. Our actions and obedience do matter. The primary command of God the Father is to “believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another”.and the Holy Spirit attests to the truth of this.

1 John 3:11-18 - Love one another

3:11-15

John places a great deal of emphasis on loving one another. He goes right back to Cain as to why this matters so much. Cain “belonged to the evil one”, he murdered his brother because Abel’s action showed up his own failures. Likewise the world hates us, and this should come as no surprise.In repenting and believing in Christ we have done “the right thing”, so the world that is in rebellion does not take kindly to us. 

Loving each other (or not) is a key indicator of whether or not we have passed from death to life.

3:16-18

Jesus laying down his life for us is the prime example of love, we should act towards our brothers and sisters in Christ in the same way. This includes sharing our material possessions, it will not always be as grand a matter as actually dying for someone. Love is not just a matter of words and feelings, but of deeds and action.

1 John 3:1-10 - Not continuing to sin

3:1,2

Tactics used by false teachers fall into two broad categories. On the one hand they may try to make us feel guilty or inferior, John has been dealing with this line of attack so far. The second broad line is to claim to be offering us something better. But the Father has lavished on us great love, we are loved by the Father, and the sign of that ove is that we are now children of God, there is nothing better that anything else can give us. So if the gospel is so great, why does not everyone go for it? The reason is that the world does not know Jesus. Instead it hates Him. 

Our final destiny has not been made known to us yet, at least not in detail. But we do know that we shall be like HIm, and we shall “see Him as He is£. Indeed that is why we shall be like HIm. Because of all this, we purify ourselves. To continue to live in sin is not consistent with the gospel.

3:3-6

In Christ we are forgiven for all our sins, but sin is still lawlessness. Sin is not an acceptable part of the new life in Christ.Jesus appeared in order to take away our sins. He takes away the guilt, but also changes our nature, so if we live in Him we will not continue to sin. The notion that Jesus is all about forgiveness and acceptance, so we overlook sin and carry on is completely at odds with the gospel.

3:7-10

Those who perpetuate the myth of continuing to sin are seeking to lead us astray, we must not listen to them. We are made righteous in Christ, and this will start to affect our lives.Sin is the devil’s work, and Christ appeared to destroy the devil’s work. Note from what John said in chapter one, this is not about perfectionism, it is more about the direction we are going in. Hating sin and loving our brothers and sisters in Christ are signs of truly belonging to God.

1 John 2:26-3:2 - Christ is the best reward

2:26,27

John now makes it clear that he is writing these things about "those who are trying to lead them astray”. His readers were anointed, and this anointing was received from Jesus. It is quite possible that the false teachers claimed to have a special anointing, and were in some way belittling the people John was writing to. John assures his readers that they did not need anyone to teach them. This does not mean that we don’t need teachers, but only teachers who believe the gospel. John assures them yet again, saying that the anointing they have received was real, not counterfeit (as it was in the case of the false teachers. They must remain in Christ.

2:28,29

Turning away from Jesus may look like a tempting option, may look as if it will make life a little easier, but we need to remember that Jesus is coming back, on that day it will be a lot better for us if we “continue in Him”, if we have stuck with Christ. Then we will be confident and unashamed. Jesus is righteous, so that those have been “born of Him” will do what is right.

3:1,2

Tactics used by false teachers fall into two broad categories. On the one hand they may try to make us feel guilty or inferior, John has been dealing with this line of attack so far. The second broad line is to claim to be offering us something better. But the Father has lavished on us great love, we are loved by the Father, and the sign of that ove is that we are now children of God, there is nothing better that anything else can give us. So if the gospel is so great, why does not everyone go for it? The reason is that the world does not know Jesus. Instead it hates Him. 

Our final destiny has not been made known to us yet, at least not in detail. But we do know that we shall be like HIm, and we shall “see Him as He is£. Indeed that is why we shall be like HIm. Because of all this, we purify ourselves. To continue to live in sin is not consistent with the gospel.

John 2:24-27 Remaining in the Son

2:24,25

Again, John urges them to stick with what they first heard. The gospel needs to be presented clearly, and then expounded and explained. Only by sticking with the gospel will we remain in the Father and in the son, and Jesus had told them the importance of abiding in Him (John 15:4). Then we will receive the promised eternal life.

2:26,27

John now makes it clear that he is writing these things about "those who are trying to lead them astray”. His readers were anointed, and this anointing was received from Jesus. It is quite possible that the false teachers claimed to have a special anointing, and were in some way belittling the people John was writing to. John assures his readers that they did not need anyone to teach them. This does not mean that we don’t need teachers, but only teachers who believe the gospel. John assures them yet again, saying that the anointing they have received was real, not counterfeit (as it was in the case of the false teachers. They must remain in Christ.

1 John 2:20-23 The Father and the Son

2:20

In one sense we are just ordinary people, but in another we are special, for we have been adopted as sons of God. In some ways it is like Jesus, He was the Son of Man, fully human, but He was also the Son of God, and could do amazing things. John expresses it by saying we “have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. This is a defence against any group that tries to make us feel inferior.

2:21

John assures them that they already know the truth. Again it is a counter against false teachings that seek to make us doubt. Remember that in Eden the serpent said “did God really say....” we should have confidence in the gospel.

2:22

We have had lifestyle tests, now we come to the key doctrinal test, and doctrine matters. Some try to tell us that to be concerned about right doctrine is a mistake, such people are the ones who are truly mistaken. The first test is denying that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is indeed the Christ, He is the centre and the focus of everything. If we deny Jesus then we are also denying the Father, for the Fathers sent Christ in order to fulfil His plans.

2:23

The matter is very simple, we cannot have the Father without the Son. They come as a package., you cannot have one without the other.