BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 4

Where’s the Church Today?

1 John 2:12-28

Fourteen years ago I went with a group of youth on a mission trip to Venezuela. There was a couple incidences that have stuck in my mind all the years. Both involved the actions I observed during the week we were there. First was how seriously the young people took their quiet time with the Lord. It was nothing unusual to find them by themselves with their Bibles open. Obviously the practice had not started on the way to Venezuela. Almost all of them came from strong Christian homes that had provided them the solid biblical foundation they displayed in a strange place.

The second showed their understanding of putting others first. They had observed that each meal many rushed to be first in line to get their food. Since there was only so much food prepared those who came last found that most of the food was gone and they had to be satisfied with what was left. A unanimous decision was made by the the team to purposely allow everyone else go ahead of them even it meant they might not get much to eat.

Both of these things showed the spiritual maturity. They did not do them to draw attention to themselves. It pointed out to me was again that chronological age is no determiner of spiritual maturity. That maturity can only come as one seeks to know God through His word and the teaching of those who have spent years growing in their own relationship.

As I have mentioned several times in other lessons the Church is under attack by the forces of society. In the body are found all different levels of maturity. To help each with the struggles that all face it is important to learn where every person stands. Only by doing so can we all become strong when facing the enemy. Sadly the church has become somewhat apathetic. Just listen to the conversations that place in the building or homes. Look at those who have never have anyone to encourage them by meeting with them and sharing what God has written to give us strength for this life. Unless we build each other up the enemy will win.

1 John 2:12-14

John dealt with three different groups of people. Logically the characteristics might appear to relate to specific ages Most commentators believe that the author was referring to spiritual maturity. Young children in both cases would be those who are new to Christianity. They have been saved thus sealed by the Holy Spiritual. There sins were forgiven which is the first step to salvation. Following that initial step they have begun to know the Father. They had just begun to grow and hopefully would become like the fathers and the young men.

The fathers had come to know God and understood His eternal nation. They were mature and were in the position to lead their families and teach those who were coming behind them because of their knowledge. John repeated that same description because there was nothing more to say about them.

He then turned to the young men in the faith. They had first been saved. The second thing John would say about them was they were strong enough physically and spiritually to act out their faith. Like the young people described in the opening remarks, they had a firm grasp of the Scriptures and made them an important part of their lives. With that understanding they were able to stand up and defeat the devil.

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1. How would the three descriptions fit different age groups?

2. In what ways would they not be totally accurate? (Age has nothing to do with spiritual maturity or maturity in general. See examples in the opening paragraphs.)

3. What is a better way to address the three classes of people? (New believers, mature and those who put their faith into action.)

4. What is the foundation for each one? (Forgiveness and knowledge, Living out one’s faith over a number years and growing from those experiences, Having God’s word abide in one’s life.)

5. Why are these crucial in the warfare with satan?

1 John 2:15

John turns from the characteristics of followers of Christ to the challenges to their faith that are present in the world. He admonishes them to not get caught up in the cosmos. The world itself is God’s creation and is amoral. John was speaking of the world system under the controlled by the evil. In the twenty first century it is best described as a humanistic society which is in man is in rebellion with God. The person who has fallen into this trap is alienated from the Father and His love has no place in that person’s life.

1. What did John mean by saying to not love the world or the physical things found in it? (He was referring to all that places man at the center of everything that is taking place. It is a humanistic and atheistic philosophy that excludes God from man’s activities.)

2. What is the word that John uses to describe such a condition of man?

3. How is this different from how one would describe the world in which we live? (The world is God’s creation and is intended for man’s use?

4. Why is it not possible for God’s love to abide in a person with a humanistic perspective on life?

   (The cosmos becomes his God thus leaving God out.)

1 John 2:16

There are three aspects of what the world has to offer. John called them lusts. Lusts are the excesses to which natural desires can become unless man is in union with God. None of the following three can ever be satisfied. Appetites whatever they may be are insatiable like a forest burning everything in its path. They are:

• Lust of the flesh which focuses totally on satisfying a person’s physical desires without regard to others. It may include sexual immorality, gluttony, greed etc. It would be anything which would give a false impression of happiness.

• Lust of the eye sees the world and all it has to offer as more important than God. It boils down humanistic living believing that only the material world exists to make one happy. John Phillips in his commentary on 1 John calls it “showy appearance.” The devil has packaged the fame, fortune and material possessions as appealing to man.

• The boastful pride of life which causes man to look at who he is as greater than any other person or thing. It is the total opposite of humility which understands that man is the created being and God is the Creator and Lord of all. When man puts himself in the place of God as he views the world he is guilty of pride. It is the sin of exalting oneself above others. Proverbs tells that the prideful will fall.

John concludes by stating that all about which he has spoken is a product of man who has turned away from God. He explained that all of the above would not come from a God whose whole nature is pure.

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1. Why did John believe it necessary to explain man’s approach to the world? (The influence of this world can a trap from which it is difficult for man to escape.)

1. Why are lusts insatiable? (Man focused on man can never be satisfied.)

2. What is the lust of the flesh?

3. What is the lust of the eye?

4. What is the boastful pride of life?

5. Why are all of these destructive to man?

6. How do we know that the evil desires are from man and not God?

1 John 2:17

The world under control of satan is passing away. A new day of grace has dawned. Man no longer has to be a captive of the devil. Christ has won the victory. It may seem a long time coming but the kingdom of God is already present. It will have its culmination sometime in the future. All those who through Christ have turned their backs on this sinful world has the guarantee that he or she will live forever.

1. What can be say about the present day order? (It is not permanent.)

2. What promises have we been given?

3. What is to be our attitude toward this present world?

4. How do we know that we will live forever with the Father?

1 John 2:18-19

It would appear that John was mistaken when he spoke of the time in which they lived being the end of time. The followers of Christ of that day believed His return was imminent. For John the revelation given to him would have indicated that all things were being worked out according to God’s timing. For everyone living today that plan is unfolding in a way that would have been impossible during the lifetime of John. It has been over nineteen hundred years since John wrote those words and the world is still here. This phrase certainly could be interpreted in other ways.

• For every person does not know when the hour of his or her departure might be. It is important to make the decision to follow Christ while there is still time on man’s life clock. For many it is indeed the last hour but they keep waiting for the most opportune moment to make that life changing decision.

• The world as the early Christians knew it would soon be radically changed. Persecution like they had never experienced was about to occur under the Roman authority. For the next two hundred years Christianity would be considered an outlaw religion. During that time it would be the last days as many were killed for their faith. Here again the decision to follow Christ was not to taken lightly. It came at a high cost.

John predicated his belief on the fact that those who were turning from the church were antichrists. They had decided that the church, especially as it faced persecution was not the place for them. Their departure indicated that they were not part of the true Church otherwise they would have not departed.

1. Why would John believe that history was in its last days? (The Jewish Christians believed that Christ was going to return in their lifetime.)

2. In what ways is each hour and day possibly the last days?

3. How did he view those who left the church as examples of the antichrist?

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4. How was the coming persecution a picture of the last days? (The world as the Christian knew it was about to disappear. The way they had lived and worshipped was to be a thing of the past. They would have to worship in secret under the penalty of death as an illegal religion.)

1 John 2:20

There was clear evidence that a person was a true believer. He or she had been anointed by the Holy Spirit. Secondly, he or she knew God. They had committed themselves to Him in an intimate relationship which was the basis for the way they lived.

1. What is the result of a person coming to Christ? (He has been anointed by the Holy Spirit which is the sealing about which Paul spoke in Ephesians 1.)

2. What is the evidence in your life that this has happened to you?

3. What does it mean to know God?

4. In what ways and anointed life from the ones John called antichrist?

1 John 2:21-23

Here is another “I have written to you.” Each time he uses that phrase he was doing so to let them know that something important was about to follow. He had said much to them already. He wanted them to think about their spiritual condition. He told them that he has written them because they know the truth. He then used the negative to reinforce the positive. They know the truth and a lie cannot be the true. The one who does not know the truth but is a liar is the one who denies that Jesus was the Anointed One, the Messiah. He who rejects the Son is an antichrist and because he denies the truth about Jesus does not have a relationship with the Father. He went on further to explain that those who confessed Jesus had the Father indwelling them also.

1. Why did John use the phrase concerning his writing again?

2. What was he trying to emphasize in these verses? (Their spiritual condition)

3. What was the important characteristic that they possessed? (They believed the truth.)

4. What was the truth to which John was referring? (Jesus was the Anointed One, the Messiah.)

5. What are the characteristics of an antichrist? (They deny the truth and reject Christ and by doing so the Father.)

6. What are the things that you believe about Jesus?

7. What are the consequences of denying the truth?

1 John 2:24

The reason for the letter was to warn the churches against false teachers who were teaching a different gospel. John was again beginning in verse 24 is pleading them not to heed what they have been hearing. He wants to return to the instruction which they received from those like Paul and others who were true apostles. They needed for those truths to take up residence is their hearts and minds sinking deep down into their souls. Only by doing so will they find God and His Son indwelling in them.

1. Why had John written to the churches?

2. Why was it important for the people to return to the teaching of the early leaders of the church?

3. Why is God’s word so important in our lives? (They are our only source for truth?

4. How should we view every other writing outside of God’s word?

5. What relationship does one who heeds God’s word have with the Father?

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1 John 2:25

The promise from God from the beginning is eternal life. This is the truth to which John returned to over and over again. In the gospel of John he spoke of it seventeen times. Excluding John the eternal life or some derivation is used an additional twenty nine time. This is the gospel the good news that came through the work of Jesus Christ.

1. Why is this one verse so important? (It is the fulfillment of the promise from the Garden of Eden that God would provide a Savior for fallen man.

2. What shows that this one promise was important to John?

3. How did the other writers in the New Testament see it?

4. What does this promise mean to you?

1 John 2:26-27

The letter was to warn against false teachers. They were the ones who consider themselves the source of knowledge. John told them they had already received what they needed to know from the anointing and the indwelling of Christ. They need not listen to the false teachers that had made their way into the churches. As Jesus had told His disciples the Holy Spirit would be their teacher and from Him they would learn all they needed. The teaching from God was the truth and not a lie. What they had learned would bring them to the point of putting their full trust in Christ. If man puts his total confidence in Christ there will be no shame in him at His appearing. Salvation gives that assurance.

1. Why did John continually warn the churches against the false teachers?

2. What do we need to learn to have Christ abide in us and us in Him?

3. Who is the one teacher we should heed?

4. Why should He be our only teacher?

5. How does the Holy Spirit impart to us what we need to hear?

6. Why do we so times get off track?

7. What promise did John make that would bring joy to the readers of his letter and to us? (By abiding in Him we do not need to be ashamed to meet Him when He comes to take His children home.)

• You need to understand that the only way to grow in Christ is to heed what the gospel says about Him.

• You who are more mature in the faith should be an example for those who look to you for guidance.

• Put away those things that will disqualify you from walking in the Light.

• John spoke of three things you are to avoid that will destroy your relationship with the Father. They are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the boastful pride of life.

• Be on guard against those who out right reject Christ and deny that He is the Son of God.

• If you do not understand a great deal just know that God has promised eternal life through His Son.

If we take up residence in the kingdom of God which John calls abiding we can be assured of eternal life. The church needs to understand that the focus of each of us is to help others to have a true relationship with the Father. We are not to be mislead by false teaching but be people who adhere to the truth found only in God’s Word. It is so easy to go astray with all the pressures of a world that does

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not know Christ. There are so many today who would find no greater pleasure than to completely shut down the Church. The people of God therefore need to be a light shining in a dark world. The darkness must not be allowed to snuff out the light because of our actions. Let us continue to walk in God’s light in the same way that Jesus did while on earth. We can show the world what it means to be a follower of Christ by be an example of His love.