A Study of
1 John
To know him is to love him
God and only God
Chapter five
Review: From last lesson.
who are we trusting the Creator or someone else? What is our relationship with God?
It's so important to Know God's Word.
TO KNOW:
§ The
differences from have no knowledge of God to having a sincere knowledge of God
§ To
understanding more wisely the ill effects of practicing sin
§ To allow
the love of God to really show in our lives which happens when we have joy in
spite of our situations
I.
Our Life belongs to God and Only God
1 John 5:1-5
John says so much in these first five verses. First he summarizes by showing us what is
really important just as he has said to the reader in the last four chapters.
There are a couple more things he wants the reader to see.
- That the love of man
and God are inseparable experiences, which is evident when Jesus is in
control of our lives. This is brought out by the two great commandments.
·
To love God with all our heart, soul, mind and
strength
·
To love our neighbor as ourselves.
- That Every person who becomes a believer -- who asks Jesus into her life has become a member of His family (that family of God as we spoke to in the last chapter). We also know how important it is to remind ourselves often of this truth. It helps us examine regularly how we are living, and whether our lives are continuing to be pleasing to Him.
In verses three and four, we see that that necessary obedience John speaks
of is the ONLY real proof of love. What is that and how do we prove our love to
anyone other than by seeking to bring joy to someone else's life or please that
person in some way? It doesn’t mean we condone the doing of wrong, but it comes
from what God calls obedience. Remember how He tells us in so many ways
throughout scripture if we love him we will strive to keep his commandments?
- If I love you I will
want to bring you pleasure in some way too.
- If I love God I will
want to do as He asks of me.
- Everything we do or say reflects not only on us but with others around us, it reflects on our Father God who we claim to belong to.
More in these first five verses show us it is God who determines who
each family member should or will be. We are simply called to accept and love
those who belong to him.
He doesn’t want us to have a single doubt
·
We know in whom we believe
·
We love each other with His love (especially when
it's hard to do so with our own.)
·
We obey God pleasurably
·
We become overcomers in this world
·
It is God Who Makes the Determination
How
often has He led you and guided you to someone other than maybe a person of
your choice to develop a friendship? Give an example.
What do
you see as the true definition of family?
FACT: is the Blood relation (the natural)
FAITH: is the Family of God (In the spiritual)
FEELINGS: is the Ability to Fellowship together
(In the emotional)
John, throughout his epistle keeps talking about the same issues. His
writing isn’t difficult to understand just by reading it. We know already what he is saying, and yet,
by him writing it again and again it just shows us how important this is and
that we are being reminded so we will not forget.
in verse 3 he shows us again that because of the love of God in our
lives, following his commandments are not burdensome to us. We do not have to be burdened down by
following his commandments. If we are begotten of Him, we will want to keep his
commandments won't we. And those commandments won't be difficult. Why? He (God)
gives us the strength through faith to
overcome the world.
How are
YOU an overcomer in various areas of your weakness?
God has promised us that His yoke is easy and His burden is
light. We can be prevail if we hang on
to that assurance from Him.
Matthew
11:28-30 HE says, “Come to Me, all you
who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you
and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
·
Are we laboring in some kind of a trial?
·
Are we laden with some kind of sin that keep us
from growing?
·
Do we ever feel persecuted or oppressed from the
world?
·
Are we just tired of everything?
·
Have we found ourselves involved in a personal
pity-party because of something that has happened in our life, and no one, just
no one would understand?
A yoke: The
heavy harness, much more than a bridle that those oxen wear to help them pull
the heavy weights behind them.
If we are carrying baggage that makes us feel like that ox, we are not
releasing ourselves to God completely.
Remember his promise to us. Let’s
be overcomers in our everyday life Let’s
be willing to surrender all! What does
it say in Romans 12:1, 2?
II. God's Witness Greater
1 John 5:6-10
Water and blood, as we read in verse 6 refers to the baptism of the
Lord Jesus and the crucifixion of the Lord.
Throughout 1 John he has been sending out warnings against false
teachers, and one of the false teachings in that day (too) had to do with a
teaching that Jesus was only “Christ” in between that day of his baptism up
until his death and that he died just like any mere human. John wants to reiterate the fact once again
of how the Spirit of God bore witness to who Jesus Christ was BECAUSE of the
baptism (This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased [See Matthew
11:28-30]) and the crucifixion.
We know that if Jesus would have died only as a man, he could not have
taken upon himself your sins and my sins! God's declaration that Jesus was his Son is also recorded back in Matthew 3:16, 17 at his baptism and Matthew 17:5 at his transfiguration
- The Father (God)
- The Word (Jesus)
- The Holy Spirit (HS)
The three are one, all bearing witness and agreeing. That ever
important verse that describes the trinity. Though you won't find these exact
wordings in the original manuscripts, God saw fit to make sure they were there
in the Bible translations that made it through history to us. And I'm glad.
III. We know that we know that we know
1 John
5:11-15
- Do you really believe
that Jesus Christ is ALL you really need?
We cannot work for our salvation, nor can we try to strive for
self-improvement….
1. How to
be a better Christian,
2. How to
look more like a Christian,
3. How to
ACT more like a Christian.
We are just to BE Christians in our hearts which
automatically shows by our actions. God has to change us from inside out. We
cannot change ourselves or it becomes simply works. We cannot change others because it becomes a
work of OUR own flesh. Jesus Christ is All we really need. The last thing that
Jesus said on the cross before He gave up His spirit was “IT IS FINISHED” He meant that for us because He knew on our own we will fail. But if we allow Him to do the changing and improving,
the molding and the shaping, there will always be spiritual success.
Look again at verse thirteen.
- we need never doubt
our salvation regardless of how we might feel one day)
- we have a place in
heaven and that he is, as he tells us in John 14, preparing a place
specifically for us, that where He is there we may be also)
- the last part of that
encourages us strongly about the next thing that is so important to
remember: THAT we MAY CONTINUE TO
BELIEVE.
Have you ever doubted God? If
you have honestly committed your life to him and are living for him, you need
never doubt that you are his child.
What is the difference between the witness of man and the witness of
God?
(The witness of man says we first need to be good or sincere. The
witness of God…We either have Jesus or we don't.)
God will answer our prayers. Do we believe this? Are you confident in
your prayers everyday? Do you truly believe God will answer? It’s always in accordance with HIS will not
ours. But he shows us here how we can be
confident that HE indeed does hear our prayers, all of them. He is not telling us here to demand anything
when we communicate with him. He wants
to talk about it, and then he will let us know what is best suited as the
answer for us. It should be if we ask ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, he hears.
Why should the emphasis be on God's will and not our will?
IV.
What is REAL
1 John
5:16-21
In verse 16 He is talking about Spiritual death. I believe so. He could also be talking about
the sin unto death that we call the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. TOTAL REJECTION OF CHRIST.
It's a dangerous thing to misrepresent God. Look at Hebrews 6:4-6. Here we see people who
turned away from Jesus Christ.
John also refers to people who leave Christian fellowship to join antichrists.
Who are they?
·
Thos who reject the only way to salvation and put
themselves out of reach to prayer.
·
Those who listen to the enemy instead of
listening to God
·
Those who open themselves up to sin and death.
·
Those who choose continual disobedience and
pretty soon believing their own lies.
Throughout this letter, John gives us such a wonderful picture of the
Lord, and a kind warning of what we should watch out for. He ends with the simplest of statements, “Little children, keep yourselves from
idols.” What does he mean?
- Don’t let any PERSON
- don’t allow any THING
- don’t let any ISSUE
to get in the way of your love in and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ
who is the only true GOD and who wants to be first in our lives every single
day. Make sure He is your priority today? Make sure that's your desire. If He
has been moved aside somewhat and something else or someone else is filling in
for Him, you can be sure, He’ll do everything to get back where He belongs in
your life.
We need to always remember there is no one, no one, no one like unto
our LORD. Do we truly believe this?
There is no one so glorious in holiness as Him
There is no one more worthy of our praises
There is no one who can do the wonders we experience
Exodus 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is
like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Psalm 35:10
Psalm 89:8
Deuteronomy 33:29
Psalm 119:97
None of us have to live defeated lives. The key to living with victory
is FAITH
- acting on it,
- maturing in it,
- having joy because of it.
Remember, His yoke is easy and his burden is
light.
