BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 1

The Danger of a Closed Door

There are many avenues to receive the truth of God’s word. I try to keep my mind and heart open to learn what God is trying to say through His instruments. It is obvious from Ephesians 4:11 that God has gifted all of us in different ways. He is very clear in spelling out that there are going to be Evangelists, Overseers and Teachers. There is nothing like hearing an evangelist who may come to the church with a challenging set of messages to stir our hearts. That excitement may last for a while but eventually we may drift away from the teaching of those days. The Overseer/Teaching Elder, as well as the Teachers of small groups, has the ongoing responsibility nourishing the church out of God’s word. It is important to me to know that what is being taught is the truth concerning God’s Son.

 

Thankfully, God has brought into my life over the years men who love God’s word and His people. From them I have come to have a real passion for the Scripture which would not be in my life if it had not been for their faithfulness in sharing it with all those who have come after them.

 

The church, especially the leaders, has been called to maintain the traditions and truth that will draw others to our Savior. Our attitudes toward those who have been called to preach and teach will be one of the determining factors of whether that congregation will truly be a witness for Christ in this world. It only takes one individual who decides that the church is their own personal property to destroy its credibility and mission. Whole churches have been torn apart because one person or a small group of people who have tried to control what is to be done. This is a sure way to bring about dissatisfaction in the lives of those who become frustrated with all of the infighting that takes place and will either take sides or leave. The Church is supposed to be unified under the headship of Jesus Christ. The sooner we realize it is not our church but His, the better off we will be. Today we will see the contrast of two different people in the same congregation. We have to determine for ourselves who is the role model who we would want to emulate.

 

3 John 1

Just as he had done in 2 John, John introduces himself as the elder. Having discussed this last week there is no further need to cover it again. The letter is addressed to one of those mysterious individuals about whom little is known. Gaius was a very popular name of the day and besides here in 3 John is found in at least three other places in the Bible. See Acts 19:29, 20:4 and 1 Corinthians 1:14. Because John specifically wrote him he must have held some type of leadership role in the church. It is obvious that John had great affection for the man identifying him as the beloved. That love came from the fact that both men were brothers who live in the truth found in the gospels. John could have been thinking of the command about which he had written in the first two letters.

 

1. Why did John again refer to himself as elder?
2. Why was John feelings toward Gaius?
3. How would you want someone to identify you in a letter like the one written by John?
4. What would it mean to you to have someone call you beloved?
5. What brought about this bond between these two men? (Their mutual love for

Christ.)

 

3 John 2

 

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For the second time John used the word beloved. Gaius had been the object of his prayers. There were two specific things about which he prayed. One was for Gaius to be prosperous. The other was for him to remain healthy. There are not many cases in the New Testament when someone prayed for material prosperity. Gaius was probably a man who had the gift of giving. John knew that he would be one who handled wealth in a way that glorified God. There are those in the church who have been given much and have used the material blessings they have received to bless others. The second prayer was for physical health. John knew that Gaius’ vibrant leadership was needed in the church at that time. The first two requests flowed from the conviction that Gaius had a soul that was dynamic and growing in faith.

 

1. How do you pray for others?
2. How often do you pray for the spiritual well-being of others?
3. Why did John pray for the material prosperity of Gaius? (He knew that Gaius was a man who could be trusted with wealth and would use what he had received for the glory of God.)
4. Why was it important for Gaius to be physically fit? (The church needed strong healthy leaders at that crucial time because all that it was about to face.)
5. In what ways would you consider that a person is prospering in his or her spiritual life? (There is real evidence that the person is growing to be more Christ like in his or her walk.)

 

3 John 3-4

The way that John knew what was occurring in the life of Gaius was others had seen the evidence that he was walking according to the truths found in the gospel and brought that information to John. To hear that those he had mentored were doing so well brought a joy to the life of John. He was thrilled to be able to confirm what he had heard in a letter back to his son in Christ. What encouragement that would have been to Gaius.

 

1. What would a person who might have opportunity to tell others say about you?
2. What would you want them to be able to tell about you?
3. How can you make sure that your reputation is a good one?
4. What would a good testimony do for you if someone told you what they had heard?
5. When given the opportunity how often to you speak in a positive way about a fellow follower of Christ? (See Colossians 1: 7 for an example of the way Paul spoke of a fellow believer.)
6. What is the last thing that we should do? (Tear someone down. If you have a problem with their walk, sit down and discuss it with them.)

 

3 John 5-6

John addresses one particular area in which Gaius has faithfully served the church. He was a man who welcomed everyone into the fellowship, especially strangers with open arms. The individuals to whom John was referring were the traveling evangelist, who went from church to church to share the gospel. They depended on the church to supply their support. Often times like the disciples who Jesus sent out they were to carry nothing that would hinder them from doing the work to which they had been called. See Luke 9 and 10. The greatest thing that any person in the church can do is to show agape love to those who come into its midst even if it is for a short period of time. Those who had come to church where Gaius served testified how genuine his love was towards them. It was his practice to make sure that they received material provisions to carry on their work.

 

 

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1. What was the greatest gift Gaius possessed?
2. Why is that gift needed in the church today?
3. Who were strangers to whom John referred? (They were itinerant evangelists who traveled from place to place with having a permanent church home.)
4. How were the men to be treated?
5. How did Gaius show genuine love towards those men?

 

3 John 7-8

The men who were strangers accepted and cared for by Gaius would be those who traveled about because of their commitment to the cause of Christianity. They were not beggars who would take support from just anyone. Because they had remained faithful and refused to take money from the pagans identified here as Gentiles, the church was to provide support for them as fellow workers in the harvest. There are those who are called to leave home and the local church to preach and teach to a wider audience. (See Acts 1:8) Many will never either have the opportunity or avail themselves of going on faith to evangelize the world. Those who remain in the local church were to provide for those who had stepped out in faith to minister to others.

 

1. Who were the strangers John wrote about here?
2. What was and is the importance to such men and women to church? (They are willing and able to do what a local church member may never do.)
3. How many of you have ever felt the call to evangelize beyond the doors of the church?
4. In what ways does John’s directive resemble what takes place through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program and direct mission giving during the winter Lottie Moon and spring Annie Armstrong offerings?
5. How do you feel when you have provided for the work that takes place beyond the door of the local church?

 

3 John 9

In contrast to Gaius John introduced previously he began to describe another individual present in the church. He also gave the reason that 3^rd John was addressed to Gaius. Evidently, he had written to the church directly but the man Diotrephes had intercepted it and had not shared what John had to say to the people. Diotrephes wanted to be the most important person in the church and was not about to let John unseat him from his self proclaimed position.

 

1. How was Diotrephes different than Gaius? (Humility versus arrogance and pride.)
2. What have been the characteristics of those in the church who are like Diotrephes?
3. What are the consequences to the church when such a man is allowed to assume power?
4. How can we as a church keep this from happening? (The Elder structure is one way to make sure that no one person can take over control of the Body.)
5. Why was he afraid of what John may have said in the letter mentioned in writing to Gaius?
6. Why is open communication always the best policy for the Church?

 

3 John 10

There were several things that Diotrephes was doing that John was going to address when he came to visit the church. They included:

• Making false accusations against John and his companions using strong language.

 

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• Not receiving the traveling evangelists himself or allowing others to do so.
• Putting the men out of the church.
• None of these things should have been characteristic of the Church of Christ who accepted others with open arms.

 

1. Which of those things committed by Diotrephes upset you the most?
2. How does a person come to have this kind of power? (Because the church allows it to take place and does not deal with it through church discipline.)
3. How is the church to deal with and individual with that kind of attitude and behavior?
4. Why does it sometimes take an outsider to come in and deal with the issue? (A man like him can build strong allies in the church who are difficult to uproot.)
5. How are the things done by Diotrephes opposed to everything the church is supposed to be about?
6. What would such actions do to the reputation of Christ and His church?

 

3 John 11

John gives one more command and warning. He called the church to stay away from the kind of evil he has just addressed. Instead they are to do good. Only the good and righteous belong to God. The one who is evil like Diotrephes will never understand who God is because he belongs to the evil one. The lens through which he views the world is distorted by sin.

 

1. What is the command John now gives?
2. Why will a person like Diotrephes never see God?
3. What are those things that keep us from really understanding God?
4. What does it take to belong to God? (Be saved which will result in doing good?

 

3 John 12

One of the people who had come into the church was Demetrius. In contrast to Diotrephes he was highly regarded. Those who knew him saw him as one who was strong in his faith and remained true to the teachings of Jesus. John having known him agreed with their judgment of him. He ended by saying that the people who knew John could rely on him telling the truth. He used a term that he had used before when he affirmed, “Our testimony is true.

 

1. In what ways was Demetrius different than Diotrephes?
2. To which of these men would people compare you?
3. How did personality of a traveling evangelist like Demetrius refute the intentions of evil men? (Evil men do not want the truth to become known because it will undermine their control over the people.)
4. What was the icing on the cake in the testimony of Demetrius? (John’s trusted testimony.)
5. Why would the people accept the testimony of John?
6. Why would people accept what you might have to say about someone else?

 

3 John 13-14

As he had said in his previous letter he really wanted to share his heart with them in person. It is difficult to put on paper the passion that one might feel for the people. In this case there were issues that needed to be handled that would need face to face meetings.

 

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3 John 15

He finishes by wishing for them the true peace only found in a relationship with Jesus. Those who were with him joined in greeting them.

 

• Determine to walk in the way of truth so that your testimony before the world will not bring shame to you or your Lord.
• Always be hospitable to those who honor us with their presence.
• Always be open to hear the truth from many different sources.
• Never be one who hinders the work of the church by your words or actions.
• Stand strong against evil especially in the Body of Christ.
• Live in the peace that comes from a relationship found only in Jesus Christ.

 

What a picture of the diversity in the church. There were those who exemplified all that Christ had done in His life on earth. They were loving and giving. In them we see the kind of agape love that grows God’s kingdom. John could pray that a man like Gaius would possess the financial resources and physical well-being which would allow him to be a strong leader in the church. The picture John paints of him shows us a man with only one purpose in life. That purpose was to serve Christ and his fellow man to the best of his ability.

 

In contrast there was Diotrephes and his allies who claimed the church as their own. They were self-centered individuals who decided who would be allowed to teach and preach in the church even to the point of turning away godly men who had much to offer. He even so far has to try and discredit the apostle John who was respected by others as the elder.

 

Finally John identifies one of those strangers to the local church whose only desire was to share the good news of Jesus Christ at every opportunity. I am sure they did not understand the attitude of men who tried to control God’s people. They had seen so many places open to them and willing to listen to what they had to share.

 

This is only a narrow picture of all the different personalities attending any one local church. We must work very hard to make sure that no one is allowed to dominate and control the church. Each us must remember that we are the body and Christ is the head. We are here to serve Him and Him only. Anyone who goes beyond that one fact should be disciplined by the church. Time is too precious for us to be battling among ourselves when there is a greater enemy facing us today.

 

Each of us must follow the description of the Macedonians that Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:5. He said We are destroying speculation and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” If each of us would have this mindset there would be no room for those would promote themselves to the detriment of the church. We would be a loving and inviting place to which all would want to come. In a church like that we can surely ones who make disciples who make disciples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Lesson 1

Walk of a True Believer

2 John 1-13

One of my favorite stories of Billy Graham occurred when he was preparing to go off to college. Spending time alone on his parent’s property he came to a decision that has affected his whole life and mine as well. Although I do not remember his exact words the essence of that critical moment in his life was to accept the Bible totally as the infallible word of God. That statement was so powerful that I have chosen to do the very same thing. When I began to teach young adults that was one of the things that I told them. I said even though I do not understand all of the Bible I will by choice believe that every single word is true and that will be my approach to teaching. Far as I can remember I have never varied from what I said then. Having at this point in my life read the Bible multiple times, studied it memorized it and taught it for over forty years there has never been any reason to change my mind.

 

There is at least one verse in the Bible that has meant a great deal to me in this regard. I have probably shared it in other papers but for me it always bears repeating because the implications are so profound for any believer but especially for a teacher. It is to be the focus of our lives. It is found in the book of Ezra. The author wrote, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)

 

A question that came up last week in a discussion was concerning the fate of those who have not heard the gospel. Even though most of us will never carry the truth of God’s word around the world we have to ask ourselves why are there people right here around us that have never heard the good news of Jesus Christ. How do I know that is true. If indeed many were exposed to the message found in Scripture the attitudes and behavior people with whom we come in contact would certainly be different. Rather than depending on others we have to ask ourselves have we studied, practiced and taught the Word in our churches so everyone of us is ready to share the good news. See Romans 10:14-15 we have the great message for the world that is dying to hear. Why are we in essence keeping it to ourselves.

 

John was also dealing with an issue that still affects churches today. It is imperative that we listen to those who truly are teaching the truth. Instead of the evangelists and prophets about whom Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:11 we now have people blaring from TV and radio every single day their particular brand of the gospel. John was warning those for whom he had responsibility to be on guard. Both 2nd and 3^rd John speak to this issue.

 

2 John 1:1

Unlike 1 John he begins with a salutation which was common in that day and age. He first of all identifies himself as the elder. This word could have a double meaning. It could imply that someone had gained the right to speak because they were older. The second meaning would be a person who was the overseer of the church to give provide counsel and guidance. Notice that John did not use his name when writing the gospel or the three letters attributed to him. One of the reason was to protect certain individuals from persecution.

 

The letter is addressed to the chosen lady and her children. This opening has caused confusion among

commentators. The problem comes with the use of the two Greek words eklekte and kuria. There are three possible meanings. The first instance would be that eklekte is a proper name and kuria would be a term of endearment in the way we would say dear and then name the person. This has been discounted by most commentators. Another possibility is that the word Kurias is a proper name and

 

she is thought as the elected lady to whom John is writing. This too is not likely. One commentator even mentioned the possibility that he was writing to Mary, the mother of Jesus, for whom he had assumed responsibility and the command of Jesus. Finally the most probable interpretation would be that John was addressing the church and its membership. As in 1 John he was writing to the churches under his protection. Another clue was his use of the word agape when addressing the recipients. His love for the congregations was tied in the reality of the gospel which they had heard and believed. He of course was not alone in his love for them. All believers had a common bond.

 

1. Why would John not have used proper names? (For fear that some of the church would experience persecution.)
2. What were the three possibilities of the meaning of the words eklekte and kurias?
3. Which of the three makes more sense to you?
4. What was the common bond that held all of the churches together?

 

2 John 2-3

Here John gave the reason for writing to the church. It was out of a concern that they not forget that it was about their commitment to Christ that they had received through the gospel taught to them by John and others. He wanted to assure them that the life that they had come to possess was forever and could not be taken from them because Jesus had come to take up residence in their lives. What they had received and would continue to experience was grace, mercy and peace. Grace was the gift of forgiveness. Mercy was not receiving what they deserved but the forgiveness of God and peace was the absence of conflict in their lives even in the difficult circumstances in which they found themselves.

 

1. What was John’s reason for writing to the churches?
2. According to John what assurance did the believers have?
3. How is it possible for us to have that same kind of guarantee?
4. What does it mean to have Jesus abiding in us?
5. What other references can you recall that speaks of God being with us forever? (Ephesians 1:13)
6. What do the three words grace, mercy and peace mean to you?
7. How have you experienced them in your life?

 

2 John 4-6

What brought a blessing to John’s heart was the knowledge that some of believers were continuing to live their lives according to the truth they had received from him and others. Notice that John used the word some in what he had to say to the church. The use of that word would indicate that there was division in the body. Not everyone was following the commandment that John had spoken about in 1 John. Actually there were two commandments to which he may have been referring. One of course called the brethren to love one another. (John 13:34-35) The other also spoken by Jesus was, “If you love Me you will keep My commandment.” (John 14:15) The two could not be separated. He, therefore, was reminding the church of their responsibility to continue in the commandment which they had received at the very beginning.

 

1. What brings joy to your life?
2. What brought a blessing to John?
3. In what ways did the people show that they were staying true?
4. What concern caused him to use the word some?
5. What commandment had they received? (For example see Matthew 22:37; John 6:40, 13:34-35

   and 14:15)

 

6. How did they reach the point of such faithfulness? (They had teachers like John with a life changing message.)
7. What would be an indication that there is division in the body of our church?
8. How do we make sure that it does not take hold?

 

2 John 7

As evidence that all was not right in the fellowship, John spoke of those who had walked away from the truth that the church had received. The characteristic of those individuals was their refusal to believe that Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of God, had come to earth in the flesh. These were the same people that John wrote about in 1 John. There he referred to them as having the spirit of the antichrist. (1 John 4:3)

 

1. Who were those causing problems in the body?
2. What was the characteristic of those individuals?
3. Why did John write about them again as he had in 1 John? (They were still causing troubles.)
4. Why did he refer to these men as antichrist? (They were denying Jesus as the Son of God and speaking lies just as the devil has done from the beginning.)
5. How do we recognize those who are working in the spirit of the antichrist in the church?

 

2 John 8-9

All those who remained were called to be on guard against the false teachings that some were putting forth. To walk away as others had done would put them in peril of becoming like those who had denied Jesus as having come in the flesh. They would no longer be the witness to the world for the faith. The writer of Hebrews said that those who have tasted Jesus and turned away would find it difficult to come back to faith in Him. (Hebrews 6:4-6) It is evident that the one who drifts away and does not follow God’s word has no relationship with God. Conversely, to abide in the teachings of Christ shows to the world that we belong to God and His Son.

 

1. How is the warning that John gives applicable to us?
2. What is the danger of listening to false teachers?
3. What does it do to our witness if we follow the false teachings of men who are not followers of Jesus?
4. If we turn away what does it indicate about our faith?
5. How do we keep from trying to live in both the secular world and the one that is eternal?
6. What does it take to belong and have the Father and Son living in us?

 

2 John 10-11

John used very strong words in dealing with those who had come in the spirit of the antichrist with their false teachings. The follower of Christ was to not even to give them an opportunity to begin sharing their false teachings. They were to be met with a closed door. To hear them was to participate in their way of life. If there was already division in the church why open to further problems. Obviously the people to whom John was writing had a long way to go to be mature in Christ.

 

1. Who are those in today’s world that are out in the neighborhoods sharing false teachings?
2. Why are these individuals a danger to the church? (They know what they have been taught.)
3. Why did John warn the church about those in his day who were infiltrating the church?
4. Why should we follow John’s admonition to the church? (They are not interested in hearing the truth.)
5. How well equipped are you to discuss the Scriptures with those indoctrinated in their doctrine?

 

6. How do they differ from those to whom we are to witness? (Many are open to hearing the good news.)

 

2 John 12

John said I have lot to say to you. He then went on to say that it would be better for everyone concerned if they could meet face to face. Writing is so one sided. In his day it was also a very labor intensive process especially having to use papyrus. It is hard to truly put one’s feelings on paper. Teaching on the other hand is a way to express those things in one’s heart and to hear what others are thinking. To have the venerable apostle, elder with them would be a joyful occasion for all.

 

1. Why would John prefer to be with the people than write to them?
2. What can be the problem with writing?
3. What can happen in person that is difficult to project on paper?
4. What was the real reason that John preferred to see the people?
5. Which type of learning do you enjoy the most?
6. Why is all types important?

 

2 John 13

The letter ends as it began. The greetings from the church, the bride of Christ, from which John wrote in Ephesus, went out to the churches with whom John had father-like relationship.

 

1. How is the final word like the beginning of this letter?
2. Who are the children to which he referred?
3. What does the term “your chosen sister mean”?
4. What is missing in our society? (The writing of such powerful or in many cases today no letters are written at all.)

 

• Understand your position in Christ depends on the gifts of grace, mercy and peace that can only come from the Father.

• Make sure that you do not stop having agape, Godlike love, for those who are part of God’s family.

• Know the commandments especially the one in John 13:34-35 are for the well-being of the church.

• Be on guard always against the teachings of those who desire to mislead or destroy the church.

• Know to drift away from the relationship you have with Christ might indicate that you need to reevaluate your commitment.

• Understand how important is the fellowship you have with others in the body. Face to face

  contact is needed to grow and to remain faithful.

• It is important to embrace God’s teachings for it is through them we learn how to live a life with God.

In today’s world it is more important than ever for followers of Christ to hold fast to the truth found in God’s word. With all the pressures and the things available to us we must be on guard to make sure that we are not drawn away from the faith. There are so many who declare that they have the truth when their message is actually contradictory to the word of God. These individuals are actually teaching in the spirit of the antichrist if they water down what is written in the full counsel of God.

There are ways to be on guard against such teachings. Only read those things that line up with the teachings of the Bible. Be very discriminating in your selection of authors, reading only those who have past the test of be quoted by men and women you trust. Look to others who have read material for guidance. To do these things will keep you from be mislead. We are to be thankful that God has poured out on us His grace, mercy and peace. We are to do everything in our strength to show Him how much

we love Him and want to serve Him.

Lesson 12

It is Written

1 John 5:13-21

One of the qualities I do not possess without really working at it is the ability to remember. Often I have been in meetings and have made a statement but could not repeat it if my life depended on it. If I want to remember something I must write it down. I think that is true of most of what we do. Promises made are forgotten. Once upon a time there was a saying which said, “A man is as good as his word.” Another way of conducting business was with a handshake. Sadly, the saying that we use today is, “I cannot trust what people say.” This is a picture of today when politicians lie and deny having said something even when we have the words shown multiple times on television.

All that I have just said comes with a caveat. Every thing that is put on paper or as an electronic document is not necessarily true. There are many who write material that is misleading or is untrue. I am not talking about novels which are meant to entertain but those which are sold as truth. Some examples would be the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and even books that are meant to destroy the word of God. I have recently read a book called “Truth Matters” which was written to refute the false teachings of a man named Bart Erhman. Even in the world of supposedly Christian books great care must be taken in selecting material that can be trusted. As always everything that is written must agree with the teachings of the Bible. We can depend on the Bible as the standard because it has stood the test of time and has proven itself over and over again.

There is a danger today of the church losing its viability because it is drifting into apostasy. We are no longer holding the Scripture as our source of solid teaching. More and more the popular personalities are preaching a message that is not true to God’s word. They are building empires based on false doctrines like the health and wealth gospel. Even in those churches that are considered conservative we do little to ground our children, youth and adults in a good solid systematic study of God’s word. We are more prone to gravitate toward bits and pieces of the Bible that might address a particular topic.

As a result young people are leaving the church because we do not teach the entire Bible that is relevant to them. In the day of Jesus just the opposite was true. The people based their lives the truths of the Old Testament. Many times Jesus used the term “it is written” when He was opening the eyes of the people the message that He was trying to get across.

In order for us to ward off the enemy we must develop the same strategy. Our lives depend on what is written to be true. Satan is busy twisting God’s word. Only by careful attention to the truth can we defeat him. Remember he used what God had said to his own benefit and Eve took the bait.

1 John 5:13

John was ending up his letter and wanted to make sure that the message had been driven home. He wanted the people to know that what he had written in the letter and elsewhere in the Book of John was an accurate account. The message he shared could only be understood by those who believed. They could trust that the words were those that led to eternal life. Eternal life came from believing that the person about whom he had been writing was truly the Son of God.

1. Why did John mention the word written? (It was not hearsay but the truth based on his experiences)

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1. What was John trying to emphasize as he concluded his letter?

2. To whom was he writing?

3. Who did John exclude?

4. What was the compelling message to the church?

5. What did he mean by the idea of believing leading to knowing?

1 John 5:14-15

The previous verses set the stage for what John said next. It is important to understand that the relationship with Christ must come first. Once a person is assured of his position in Christ then he can know that God is approachable and aware of the needs of man. The key for receiving an answer is the phrase “according to His will.” This means that man becomes so in tune with the Father that his thoughts align themselves with what God knows is best for us. This stops a follower of Christ from praying for those things for his own personal comfort but what will serve the purpose of God. This is hard to understand because man often prays for what he wants and loses faith because God does not seem to fulfill those requests. Man can be sure of one thing that God hears him. As was just mentioned He will then grant the requests if it is in the best interest of the man.

1. What does it take to know that God hears our prayers? (Because we have a personal relationship with Him.)

2. What is the key phrase we need to remember as we pray?

3. Why does it seem sometimes that God is not answering our prayers?

4. How do we know that our prayers have been answered?

5. What actions should we take if God does not seem to answering our prayers?

6. What do we sometimes fail to do when He does fulfill our requests?

7. Why do we fail to praise Him when prayers are answered?

1 John 5:16a

John builds on the faith of the person and knew that it would take one mature in the faith to recognize that his brother was sinning. That individual was in a position to pray for a fellow believer because the one committing the act might not realize that he was in the grips of sin. He specifically uses the phrase of a sin not leading to death. The sin in question was the Greek word harmartano which meant to miss the mark. It also included the word poneria which means man’s natural depravity or inclination to sin. In both of these situations man is not lost but can regain his relationship with the Father through the intercessory prayer of others and his own repentance. Because the one praying understood the mind of God, God would answer his prayer. In the second part of this verse and the following one John deals with the issue of the sin leading to death.

1. Who are those who are able to recognize that a person is sinning?

2. Why does John call them to pray for another person first? (Prayers will prepare the heart to deal with the sin in a godly manner. To confront a person in one’s own power may cause more harm than good.)

3. To what types of sin was John referring in the first part of this verse?

4. How are you able to be in a position to pray for another person’s sin?

5. How does Isaiah 1:18 fit this situation? (We are to have the same mindset as God regarding sin.)

6. What is the final resolution for the man who sins in this way? (He will find restoration for his soul before God.)

1 John 5:16b-

John then turns to what he called the sin leading to death. There are a number of ideas what this means and just a couple will be given here. It is of course that sin which one continues down that path will ultimately lead to separation from God. In the Old Testament it is the idea of acting in defiance of God.

In one’s desire to assert his own will he deliberately turns his back on God’s commands. Of that man Moses said he was to be cut off from the people of Israel. See Number 15:30 which speaks of that act as blaspheming God. Man can be restored when he sins unintentionally but when it is in defiance of God there are dire consequences to be faced.

The second thought is what John expressed in this letter regarding those who denied that Jesus was the Son of God and therefore divine. Jesus spoke of those individuals in Matthew 10:33 when He talked of those who denied Him would be denied before the Father. Later Matthew wrote the words of Jesus who said that if there was someone who blasphemed the Holy Spirit that person would not receive forgiveness. (Matthew 12:32) To speak against the Son and the Holy Spirit who witnessed to His deity is the sin that eventually will lead to death.

1. In your mind what is the sin leading to death?

2. What does the Bible have to say about the subject?

3. Who do you know who has possibly committed a sin of blaspheming God?

4. Why does John say that we should not spend our time praying for them? (Their defiance is obvious. There are plenty of those who have unintentionally sinned who will receive our prayers gladly.)

5. What do you think of the statement, If you think you have committed the unpardonable sin you probably have not?

1 John 5:17-18

John does not excuse any type of sin. According to him everything that is not right in the eyes of God is sin. He does point out once again that there is hope for those who have not turned their back on God. Sin in the daily course of life is not punishable by death. The one is born of God does continue in the practice of sin which leads to death. Man’s forgiveness and restoration comes through the Son of God. John uses the word touch to describe the fact that the devil cannot lay hold of or have control over the life of one who has been forgiven and given eternal life.

1. How does John describe sin? (As those things unrighteous.)

2. What is the outcome of a man who sins? (There is a sin that does not lead to death.)

3. What does it take to be restored to a right relationship with God?

4. We covered this earlier but what does John mean by the statement that a born again person does not sin?

5. In what way do you live up to that standard?

6. What assurance does man have as a forgiven follower of Christ have?

7. How does that give you comfort?

1 John 5:19

There is a tremendous contrast taking place in the world. Because of all of the evidence John has shared man can know that he belongs to God. He also knows from what was taking place around him that the world system, the cosmos is under the control of the devil.

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1. What are the evidences in your own life that you know and belong to God?

2. How does the plan God has for man differ from what the world has to offer?

3. How can we say that the world is under the control of the evil one?

4. How has he gained that control?

5. In what ways do Christians assist in what the devil is doing?

6. How can we combat the humanistic society in which we live?

1 John 5:20

The testimony of God which is greater than that of man was stated clearly throughout the New Testament that His Son had come. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, who is the witness of the truth, man is able to know Jesus and the truth that He brings to mankind. Thankfully, man is given the privilege to have an intimate and close relationship. This is defined as being in Christ who is all truth. John wanted to reinforce the idea that it was Jesus who is the Son of God with whom man has the relationship. He is the only true God, the source of eternal life.

1. How do we know that the above statement is true? (The evidence throughout Scripture is very clear about the coming Messiah.)

2. What is the great privilege that man has?

3. What ability does the Holy Spirit give to mankind?

4. What is the result of this discernment?

5. How does the last part of the verse build a case for Jesus being the Son of God?

1 John 5:21

The churches to whom John was writing were given one last warning and command. They were to guard themselves against falling back into the worship of idols that were so prevalent in the culture of that day. In the almost two thousand years since John wrote his letter things have not changed. This warning is just as important today with all the different kinds of idols as it was in the day it was written. The Bible is the living word of God.

1. Why did John believe it was necessary to give one this last warning to the church?

2. In what ways was that culture just like the one in which we live today?

3. What are the idols that surround us?

4. How can we overcome the world with all of its distractions?

5. What evidence from this letter will help you the most to ward off the attacks of the devil?

• Take great care when reading any material discussing Christianity. Make sure that what has been written lines up with God’s word.

• Pray in such a way that you begin to think like God would think in a given situation.

• Do not expect for prayers to be answered if you do not pray according to God’s will.

• Do not continue to practice sin knowing when you do that it will lead to spiritual death.

• Work at being a child of God who is aware the work of the devil who is out to destroy the knowledge of God in this world.

• Acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God who has been our Advocate before the Father refuting the accusations of the devil against sinful man.

• As mature followers of Christ pray for those who commit a sin to help them be restored to a relationship with the Father.

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• Constantly be on guard against the working of the devil who is in control of the man made system of world government and economy.

• Remain strong in the faith and ward off all those things that will separate you from the Father.

The church is all about understanding that God sent His Son into the world to provide freedom from sin and eternal life. We must be diligent in holding fast to the faith. This faith can only come as we believer that the word we have is truly the word of God. We can depend on what it has to say about Jesus because it has been validated over and over again throughout history. Jesus is God and the only begotten Son of His Father. We do not have to know how all that works but because we trust the God who inspired Scripture we know that all that has been said about Jesus is true. Since we believe that fact we know that we have forgiveness and eternal salvation. This places real responsibilities on each of us. We are to teach others what we have learned. As we have shared before, as mature Christians we are to mentor those who are following us in the faith and pray for them when they stumble. Finally we must remain strong so that the devil cannot get a foothold in the Church.

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Lesson 11

The Importance of Witnesses

1 John 5:6-11

Although I have been called for jury duty numerous times, fortunately I have only had to serve during one trial. At this point I do not even remember all of the details. It may be that I have just chosen to forget or that there was so much said that it is no way that I can remember it all. The worse part of the trial turned out to be that it was a case of he said she said because there were no other witnesses. The defense lawyer tried to question the integrity of the plaintiff bringing the charges who happened to be a police officer. Based on the evidence the jury had, we convicted the defendant. It was decided that she would be allowed to serve her sentence on weekends. Since that day I can empathize with jurors of major trials that involve many witnesses lasting days or even weeks.

As I think about how this example relates to the lesson today, I have come to realize that the power to convict or free a person is based on the words of people just like the defendant, except they are not the ones on trial. Into the hands of fallible people the task to make decisions based the law as they understand it that may completely alter a person’s life from that day forward.

In a way that is the story of my conversion. I came to a point that I believed what others who I thought wiser had to say about sin and salvation. My whole future, not to over dramatize the situation, lay in the hands of men and women who told me about this Jesus who could save me from the bad things that I had done. I believed them and made that commitment. At that point I did not know about all the prophecies in the Old Testament and very little of the New Testament. I do not even remember if I knew John 3:16. I became a Christian based on what others told me. I took that childlike faith that “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so,” well into my adulthood. I did not grow as a result of the fact that no one, for a long time, opened the window to all the evidence that was available to me to strengthen my faith. Fortunately, although this made me vulnerable to other ways of thinking the Holy Spirit was still at work in my life based on that early decision. Since that point in life I have had a deep passion to understand all I can about God’s word. I am eternally grateful for all the men and women who have faithfully transmitted the Bible to us in its present form. Others have spent a lifetime studying the Scriptures and writing about them to help us grow and to refute those who are in the business of trying to destroy Christianity.

There is evidence that many in churches today have had the same kind of experience that was part of my life. They either made a decision because their parents told them it was time to join the church or what someone who they respected said. There is nothing wrong with either of these if the person has come to the decision based on the reality of sin and the consequences of remaining lost without Christ.

In my view because the decision was based on what others impressed on children there is always the possibility of the person drifting away unless they become truly grounded in what the Bible has to say about sin and understanding that Jesus is the Son of God as the writers portrayed Him. Each Church must make a choice. It will accept as truth given to us by the four gospels writers or turn its back on the very word of God. No Church can remain viable unless there are people who have looked at the evidence and decided that they can truly commit their lives to serving Him based on the absolute truth as found in God’s word and not emotion. In today’s society this has become more difficult than ever because the world has been taught there is no absolute truth. It takes more than emotional pleas to lead

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a person to Christ. We must be armed in every way with the solid evidence that the Bible is true. From what I see we are following short because of our lack of knowledge.

In chapters two and three of Revelation is a picture of churches that made different choices. They

were the seven churches of Asia minor in present day Turkey. They were called to stand before Christ as Lord for an accounting of their devotion to Him. All but two of those churches came up short under the scrutiny of Jesus. Other than the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia the churches lacked the

Christ like qualities that would receive the praise of our Lord. Those particular churches were picture of the church in every age since the time of Christ. Sadly, many see the Church at Laodicea, as representative of the Church of our day. Since it is made up of people, we should hear loud and clear the shortcomings of the people who are supposed to be witnesses for Jesus. This is the very dilemma that John faced as he attempted to guide the church through the hidden reefs of false teachings in his day. The question we should be asking ourselves is, do even come close to looking like Bride of Christ?

Jesus pointed out over and over the evidence that He was the Son of God. We need to look at His life to see the way we are to live if the world is to look at us being salt and light to a dying and hurting world. If Christ is so important we must be able to give an answer to the question why we believe in Him. He has told us do we believe it enough to share with others? Do we live like we are convinced? John calls us once again to examine the evidence.

1 John 5:6-8

Last week John wanted to know who had gained victory over the evil one. He answered, one must commit himself to knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Son of God. He distinguished Jesus from others by two events well known by those in the Church. He used the symbols of water and then water and the blood. The first signified His baptism by John the Baptist. The second represented His death.

There were a number of instances in the book of John in which the words of Jesus spoke very clearly that the Holy Spirit and the Father gave witness to who He was. In John 5 Jesus refers to four different witnesses to the fact that He was the Son of God. In verses 31 He spoke of the Holy Spirit. That is followed up by the Witness of John verses 33-35, the works He had done verses 36, the Father verses 37-38 and finally the Word of God in the Old Testament verses 39. John finishes up that chapter with

the condemnation of the religious leaders because they supposedly were the keepers of the law given to Moses. Jesus indicated to them that if they believed Moses then they should be believe in Him because Moses wrote of Him in the Torah. (See Genesis 3:15 and the symbolism of the tabernacle. The Holy Spirit according to John was the final arbitrator of truth. It was the Holy Spirit’s witness at the baptism that gave the clear evidence of Jesus’ relationship with the Father. Further it was the crucifixion itself that fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament was part of the testimony to Jesus as the Son of God. Everyone of these witnesses are in prefect agreement with each other as John so powerfully stated.

John wrote the passage to refute the teachings of the Gnostics. One of the main proponents of the false doctrine was a man named Cerinthus who taught that Jesus did not receive His divine character until the moment of His baptism. The other heresy that came from his lips was the idea that the divine nature left Jesus and returned to heaven prior to His crucifixion. In his mind it was only the man Jesus who was crucified and not the Messiah.

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1. According to John who is the one who overcomes the world?

2. Why is it so important for that person to believe that Jesus is the Son of God? (Otherwise our faith is misplaced and of no value.)

3. What are the different witnesses mentioned in the Bible that are evidences of Jesus’ true identity?

4. How do these refute the claims of non-believers that Jesus never pointed to Himself as God?

5. What is the fallacies built into the teachings of men like Cerinthus of the first century?

6. Who may be modern day equivalents to the Gnostics. (Richard Dawkins, Bart Erhman and others who deny God and His Son.)

7. What does it mean to you to have such a strong argument presented by John in these verses?

1 John 5:9-10

Jesus said, “ I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word.” (John 17:20) Later Peter would write. “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now but believe Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9)

As stated above most people come to Christ based on the witness of others to the truth of Jesus. There is a greater witness to Jesus. It is the working of God through His word in the hearts of the individual. Throughout the Scriptures God is testifying of His Son. To accept the Bible as the reliable testimony from God bringing a person into the belief that Jesus is the Son of God is a walking witness to that very truth. To not believe in Jesus is calling God a liar because of the evidence to the contrary. Anyone who rejects Jesus is indeed the one who is living a lie.

1. On what basis did you come to believe in Jesus?

2. Why is the evidence of man so important?

3. How do the words of John and Peter relate to you and decisions that you have made?

4. In what ways do you see the testimony of God to His Son still operating in the world today?

5. In what ways are the testimony of God real to you?

6. With so much evidence why is it that man still reject God and His Son?

7. What are you doing that will make you one of those who give testimony to Jesus?

1 John 5:11-12

There is one thing tof which John was absolutely sure. He was totally committed to the One with whom he had spent three and one half years. In essence here is a repeat of what John had shared in the first four verses of this book. As sure as he was of the identity of Jesus he understood from all that had been written the he believed the testimony from God was far greater than anything man could share. Being limited as human beings man will always come up short in his understanding of God and His Son. The testimony of God had one purpose. It was to reveal His Son to the world. John however wrote the message so that man would understand the evidence given throughout the Bible. The testimony of Jesus is eternal life. He then wrote as he did in John 14:6 that the only way to gain the eternal life that has been promised by God according to His word is through Jesus Christ. To have the Son living within a person is to have life. Without Him there is no life.

1. Why was John so convinced of the identity of Jesus?

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2. How has the evidence, the testimony of God helped you in coming to Christ?

3. What is the evidence that John shared with the people?

4. What limitations does man have in understanding the purpose of God?

5. What part did Jesus play in the purpose of God?

6. How does these verses line up with John 14:6?

7. What does this say about Jesus being the only road to salvation? (Only through God’s Son does a person have life eternal.)

8. Who are those that do not have life?

9. What is your response to this statement for your own life?

• Realize that there are all kinds of people with many different ideas of what the Bible means so care must be taken by you to find the truth to live by.

• Put your trust in the fact that the evidence we have of what God has done and who Jesus is can be found only in the infallible word of God.

• Make sure that what ever you hear lines up with what the Bible teaches.

• Go beyond just reading the Bible to understand how it came to us in its present form.

• There are many skeptics today who do not believe that absolute truth exists. You must be ready to give answers that can change their lives from the knowledge that comes from research into things like apologetics.

• Make sure your decision to follow Christ is based on fact and not emotion.

The only way the Church today can impact the world is to have the same kind of commitment of which John spoke about in chapter one and here in chapter 5:6-11. From his words we can see that he had no doubt that Jesus was the Son of God and that through Him we can have eternal life. We must be as convinced in order to touch those who do not believe and have been indoctrinated by the world to be opposed to God. Unlike any other time in history we must be well prepared to answer questions with solid evidence backing up the Scriptures. This will only come as we become strong through study of God’s word and many truly conservative writers who have spent a lifetime in research into the manuscripts that we have available to us. They like us face the challenge of enemies of the church and all us must not go into battle with them unarmed. No longer can we expect to have people come to us with a readiness to join the church based on emotion. They want to know the facts about Jesus and how reliable the Bible is in all that is found within its pages. The critic will say it is not true and full of errors. We must be in a position to point them to the truth. Look at yourself and ask the question are you up to the task. Let’s get prepared, lives depend on it.

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Lesson 10

The Overcomers

1 John 5:1-5

One of the real joys of life is the opportunity my wife and I have spending time with our two youngest grandchildren. They are twenty and 6 months old. Already we are beginning to see that each of them want her and his own way. The little girl wants the full attention of her mother and becomes a little jealous when things have to be done for her little brother. Even at six months old the little boy will fight against having to take a nap or go to sleep at night. He will definitely let you know when he gets hungry and wants his bottle immediately. Olivia has added a very important word to her vocabulary. She not only says no when things are going her way but emphasizes it by shaking her head.

These kinds of behavior make seem cute when we are little, but quite often we never outgrow wanting to have things go the way we want. From my own experience it is something we have to guard against all of our lives. I have from a very early age had a problem with people ordering me around. When someone tells me I have to do this or that something inside of me rebels. I want to know the reason they have to be so forceful. I have never liked the answer, which I have used with my own children, “Because I say so.” To hear those word, in my mind, implies that the speaker does not have a good answer or does not believe the person to whom they are issuing the command has the ability to act. I discovered a long time ago that the best way to get me to do something is to ask me to do it in a non confrontational way.

In life there are those in your face type of people. They try to use intimidation to carry out orders. I have seen the drill instructors standing in front of a recruit who could as well have been me. He stands there nose to nose with the poor guy yelling at him. I am not sure that I could have handle a situation like that very well. Although I have failed miserably at it many times there is a proverb that should be our guide. It says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)

Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be with grace.”

When I think about the commands which are given by God, there is no wiggle room to say I will keep this one but not another one because it does not meet my agenda. Like being with my grandchildren the writing of these lessons has helped me refocus once again on the fact that God has my best interest at heart. If a person thinks about it the things God tells us to do are pretty demanding. So what is the difference between man made demands and God’s commands? Two different thoughts have crossed have my mind in regard to God’s Laws. Either I have just known they they are there and have accepted them without thinking of their great meaning or in a way ignored them as not of that great importance to me. Both of these reasons are dangerous. They were given because God loves us and knows following Him will keep us from stumbling. Maybe that is why I have reacted differently to the commands of man who wants me to serve the organization because of the benefit that comes to him if I do what he orders me to do. We can so easily become part of the machine that must be held in line. God never views us as unimportant. The purpose to which He has called us is for our benefit because there is joy in serving a loving God like Him.

The church by its very actions seems to quite often view God as oppressive. As the Bible is taught and preached the message that may come through as demanding. God may be pictured as that drill sergeant standing before ready to condemn us for any violation of His agenda for mankind. This has been the

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cause of many a person walking away from the church. Rather than facing up to the reality of their shortcomings they find it easier to leave. Those in the church may add to this picture by being judgmental and holding up the Bible as a club to keep people in their place. When the love of God is missing in a body a person will see no reason to follow the commandments of God. He or she will fail to see that the commandments were given because of God’s love. They are not to be restrictions but are protection against taking the wrong path in life. It is impossible to look at the Old Testament Law and not see that God was looking out for mankind. To drift away from any of them brought about dire consequences for God’s children. Jesus came and wrapped up the meaning of the commandments into two very concise statements. The second of those John opened for us and explored here in 1 John.

1 John 5:1

When this verse is laid beside what follows this seems to be almost an isolated statement by John. He had just talked of the commandment to love one’s brother. Now he comes at the same idea from a different angle. Man’s relationship completely depended on how he viewed Jesus. In order to be born again into God’s kingdom he must put his trust in and accept with his whole heart that Jesus is indeed the Messiah of the world. The person who has committed his life to love God will have have the same relationship with the Jesus believing that He is the only begotten Son of God.

1. What was the point that John was trying to make with the insertion of the idea in this verse? (The importance of our relationship with Jesus which evidenced by our belief and rebirth in Him.)

2. In what ways does our relationship with the Father depend on what we believe about Jesus?

3. In what way does this verse continue to emphasize the idea of the importance of love?

4. What is the decision you have made in your own life which makes this verse meaningful to you?

1 John 5:2

Then John carried the progression one step further, but at the same time brought the reader back to the main teaching of his letter. In reverse order the keeping of the commandments was evidence that a person loved God. If the person then kept the commandments of God which was evidence of his love then that man or woman would as a result love the ones God loves.

1. How do we know that a person loves God?

2. Which commandment has John most emphasized in his letter?

3. What was the source of John restating it and under what circumstances was it first spoken? (See John 13:34-35)

4. What is the result of keeping the word of God and loving Him and His Son? (We will love those who are the children of God.)

5. How have you done with this commandment in your own life?

1 John 5:3

God knew that it would be finite human beings who would be required to carry out His commandments in their lives. He therefore did not make them impossible to obey. They would not be a burden because each of them whether the Law in the Old Testament or the ones laid down by Jesus were for man’s benefit. Jesus said in Matthew to come to Him and the yoke he laid on mankind would be one that fit comfortably. Having said that God still expects man to show that He is thankful for the salvation and

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love he has received by keeping the commandments. It is to be emphasized that salvation is not dependent on keeping them, but man carries them out because he loves God. Love comes first then obedience which results in an ever increasing love for the Father.

1. In what ways do we show that we love our parents? (By obeying them out of love and not fear.)

2. What picture does this paint of what our relationship should be like with the Father.)

3. Why is this not about works? (Because we obey the Father out of our thankfulness for all that He has done for us.)

4. Why would we obey someone we do not love?

5. How different is this from the reasons that we love the Father?

6. On what does our salvation depend?

7. In what ways have you moved away from trying to earn the love of God by keeping the commandments found throughout Scripture?

1 John 5:4-5

The one who has been freed and is no longer in the grip of the world controlled by the devil has gained victory through the rebirth into God’s kingdom. It is the faith that man has in Jesus and the Father that has provided the strength to overcome the world. John emphasizes the point by asking the people a question. He asked them who has overcome the world? It was a rhetorical question because he immediately answered by stating what they should have known by then but bore repeating in light of what they were facing. The only way to overcome the world, the cosmos, was by becoming a true follower of Jesus Christ.

1. What is the only way to be freed from the grip of the world system of which John was writing? (By faith.)

2. What does it mean to have faith?

3. How does this idea line up with what John said in John 14:6?

4. How does man reach that pivotal point in his life?

5. Why can we depend on Christ to provide the freedom? (Because He, the only begotten Son of God has defeated the devil.)

6. In what ways have you sensed this freedom in your life? If not why?

• Search your life to see if there are areas where you have not been willing to follow the commandments of God.

• Confess those and ask for forgiveness.

• For those who have not sensed a freedom from the works of the devil turn from them toward the One who can provide a new victorious life.

• Look back at Matthew 22:37 to see if you are truly following them. Without the capacity to obey those two then you need to determine what your relationship with God is.

• Understand that your ability to love your brother depends entirely on your love for the Father.

In these five verses John wraps up the essence of what the church should be. Although it will never be completely true that everyone will accept Jesus as the only begotten Son of God, it should be our goal to make disciples who will multiply themselves by bringing others under the teaching of God. Only then will those who have come find salvation and the ability to overcome the ways of the world in which they have been caught up. We have been given a great privilege to serve alongside our Savior in

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proclaiming the good news of victory over the devil. Our faith must always be displayed so that the world can see the love that God has for mankind through us. We must never act in a way that we reject the spirit of His commandments. To keep the letter of the law and not the spirit will give the impression that it is a heavy burden to serve Christ. Just the opposite should take place. Our service and obedience should be done out of joy realizing all that we have received from Him. His commandments fit and are for our benefit. They are not to be restraints but the very means to serve Him more affectively. Let us be part of the God’s plan to sow freedom in this world.

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