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1 John 1:1-4:6<\/strong><\/span> We start First John today!\u00a0 First John was written by one of Jesus\u2019 12 disciples, John son of Zebedee \u2013 who also wrote the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation.\u00a0 First John was written between 85 and 95 A.D. when John was in Ephesus (in modern day Turkey) late in his life.\u00a0 The purpose of this letter was in large part to dispel Gnosticism, which was a twisting of Christianity \u2013 it basically meant salvation through knowledge (gnosis is Greek for knowledge).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ~ First John ~<\/strong> First John starts out strong right out of the gates in verse 1 and is very similar to the beginning of the Gospel of John:\u00a0 \u201cThe one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0Do you believe that Jesus Christ has existed from the very beginning of time with God the Father?\u00a0 Do you believe that Jesus is the Word of life?<\/span><\/p>\n And verse 5 is a message to us from Jesus via John: \u201cThis is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I love this.\u00a0 A month or so ago in this blog I reflected on God being a God of no shadows.\u00a0 All light.\u00a0 I love that thought.\u00a0 Do you believe God is light?\u00a0 And that there is no darkness, no shadows, in Him at all?<\/span><\/p>\n And in verses 8 & 9 we read:\u00a0 \u201cIf we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Do you claim to be without sin?\u00a0 Do you confess your sins regularly and ask for forgiveness from God?\u00a0 Do you believe that God is faithful and just and will forgive you?\u00a0 And not just forgive you but purify you from your confessed sins?\u00a0 And heal you from your confessed sins?\u00a0 Let us not deceive ourselves any longer.\u00a0 Let us allow the Truth to fully live in our hearts.\u00a0 Let us confess our sins, be forgiven, and be purified from all unrighteousness.\u00a0 Are you with me on this?<\/span><\/p>\n First John chapter 2 is full of tons of wisdom today!\u00a0 Verses 5 & 6 are so strong: \u201cBut those who obey God\u2019s word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0Do we realize that obeying God\u2019s Word, the Bible, demonstrates our love for God?\u00a0 Do we live our lives as Jesus did?\u00a0 Do we really love God?\u00a0 Do we obey God\u2019s Word?<\/span><\/p>\n Verse 9 certainly gives us much to consider in our lives: \u201cIf anyone says, \u201cI am living in the light,\u201d but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>Are you living in the light?<\/span><\/p>\n Verses 15, 16 & 17 are worth looking at.\u00a0 Bible commentaries suggest that the \u201cworld\u201d in these verses is not the created world or people \u2013 but the world of sin, which is the dominion of Satan. \u201cStop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Are we doing the will of God in our lives?\u00a0 Do you want to live with God forever?\u00a0 Do you continually pray to God to deliver you from lust & pride?<\/span><\/p>\n First John 2 verse 27 stood out to me today: \u201cBut you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don\u2019t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true\u2013it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ.\u201d<\/em> After we come to believe in Christ as Savior of the World \u2013 through his life, death on the cross for our sins, and resurrection \u2013 we are then blessed with the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 And indeed the Holy Spirit will come to live within us.\u00a0 Do you believe that the Holy Spirit within you can teach you all things?\u00a0 Teach you what is true?\u00a0 Will you continue in what the Holy Spirit has taught you?\u00a0 Will you live in Christ?<\/span><\/p>\n First John 3 verse 1 is encouraging: \u201cSee how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Do you know that our heavenly Father loves you?\u00a0 Do you know that you are a child of God?<\/span><\/p>\n First John chapter 3 verse 9 is powerful in today\u2019s readings! \u201cThose who have been born into God\u2019s family do not sin, because God\u2019s life is in them. So they can\u2019t keep on sinning, because they have been born of God.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Keep in mind that this does not mean that as a Christian you won\u2019t stop sinning completely and be perfect.\u00a0 However, you will be in the process of being sanctified and your life will be shown as someone who is compelled to do what is right, because God is in you, versus having a life that shows you are compelled to sin, if you were without God.\u00a0 But, this verse is still great for believers to reflect upon \u2013 we do not want to sin anymore and we\u2019re in the process of sinning less and less through sanctification \u2013 until the day we are in heaven with Christ when indeed we will never sin again.\u00a0 Do you realize this is your eternal purpose?<\/span><\/p>\n Today in First John chapter 3 verse 16 we read: \u201cWe know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 This is a powerful verse for us to reflect on. Jesus died on the cross for our sins.\u00a0 He gave up his life so that we may have eternal life with the Father through faith in him.\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 giving up his life for you and me is real love.\u00a0 How might we be able to show real love toward others?\u00a0 How might we be able to give up our lives for others?\u00a0 Not necessarily are we being called to death on a cross \u2013 but how about a figurative death in our lives on how we invest our time, energy, & passions?\u00a0 Is it possible that our indulgence in luxury goods and how we waste precious time could cost the very lives of someone else in need somewhere in the world?\u00a0 Can we give up our \u201clife\u201d, our luxury goods, and our wasting of time so that we can show real love for others?\u00a0 Will we? Will we follow Jesus in the giving up of our own life for the sake of others?<\/span><\/p>\n First John chapter 4 verse 1 starts the chapter off with quite a warning today: \u201cDear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The interesting thing about this verse for me today is the implication to \u201csee if the spirit they have comes from God.\u201d\u00a0 Meaning, that the spirit some have come from the opposite of God \u2013 the devil.\u00a0 A bit scary to think about this and realize this.\u00a0 But, it\u2019s true.\u00a0 There is good and evil in the world, and good and evil spirits influencing people.\u00a0 It\u2019s better if we realize this.\u00a0 It is a fallen world.\u00a0 Do you believe this verse to be true?\u00a0 Do you believe there is both good \u2013 and evil \u2013 in the world?\u00a0 Do you believe there are many false prophets in the world?<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video: <\/strong>As it is Christmas Eve, here is \u201cOh Holy Night\u201d with Josh Groban singing:<\/span><\/p>\n
~ Click here to read today\u2019s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~<\/span><\/em>
~ Listen to today\u2019s Scripture with <\/em>The ESV Bible<\/em><\/span> ~<\/p>\n
Author: John the apostle
Place: Uncertain, probably Ephesus
Date:\u00a0 A.D. 85-95
Content:\u00a0 This very personal letter was written by the apostle John in his old age to believers who were very dear to him.\u00a0 He addresses them as his little children and gives them practical instructions for Christian living.\u00a0 He begins by stressing Jesus\u2019 incarnation and builds his commands upon the truth that those who know Jesus know the Father as well.\u00a0 Those who do not know Jesus do not know the Father, nor do they know the love of the Father.\u00a0 Christians, however, have experienced the love of God in their lives, for God is love, and have no need to fear either in this life or in the life to come.
Theme:\u00a0 John stresses the basic truths of the Christian faith in this letter in order to comfort and encourage his children in the faith.\u00a0 The themes of love, forgiveness, fellowship, victory over sin, assurance, purity, and eternal life are woven together in a marvelous document that shines with the light of God in the darkness of the world.\u00a0 (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers <\/em>\u201cThe One Year Bible Companion\u201d<\/em> p. 33)<\/em> A great overview of First John by Daniel Wallace is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n