A Review of our last study: We ended with 1John 2:2, And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
This propitiation is for who? (Answer: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.)
Is this propitiation applied to the whole world? [Answer: No, it is offered to the whole world, John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.]
Will there be men who are not saved? [Answer: Yes, there will be people who will not believe, Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Why do people reject Jesus Christ? [ Answer: People love darkness rather than light, Joh 3:19 -21 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
What is John saying? [Answer: John is saying this propitiation is offered to all the world to believe. Jesus is the only propitiation from God for man, there will be no other. [Acts 4:12]. Jesus is the Propitiation for all the World to believe on as the Satisfying Sacrifice for them. Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
As we enter our study of 1 John 2:3-5, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
We must keep in mind truth; God does not contradict Himself! I do not believe this is a test to see if you are saved. [Why? Answer: Salvation is the Gift of God through Jesus Christ, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-10, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.} So, may I ask you a question for consideration? The only part of the passage that has a question to answer is “where are you walking”? Where are you as a believer walking after your salvation?
1] It has been established salvation is by believing in Jesus Christ for eternal life, John 3:15-16, That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 1:11-13. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [There are not contractions by God in His Word]
2] What is believing in Jesus Christ? [Answer: It is knowing He is telling you the truth when He promised you eternal life? Do you really think He lied to you? He did not, He would not, He cannot lie to you, Hebrews 6:17-20, Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Do you actually think He would lie to you? Jesus said, “….If it were not so I would have told you….”
3] When Jesus ask Martha if she believed, Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. She did not stop to say, “Do I really believe this.” She answered what she believed and Jesus accepted her answer. He will accept your faith in Him too! Since belief is a conviction that something is true when we believe, we know we have believed. Martha was saved before the Cross and thus her confession was, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
We are living after the Cross and we believe Jesus did come and He did die and He was resurrected, 1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Jesus stands before all of us as the resurrected Saviour and makes this promise: I endured the Cross for you and died alone bearing your sins in my body. Now will you believe my promise of life to you, Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
4} Then the argument put forth by some, about this text is to prove who are real believers, genuine believers’ verses those who are false believers. But that is not truth here. [1] Love for Christ and obedience to His Word are in no way a test of saving faith but it is a test of genuine discipleship in grateful love to Christ Who loved us, Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
1 John 2:3 is not talking about saving knowledge of Christ but a fellowship knowledge. Just as a claim of fellowship with Him is false if we walk in darkness, 1:8, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. The same is true here a disobedient life says we cannot claim an intimate knowledge of Him.
1 John 2:4, He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. What are the commandments here and in John? And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. [Answer: I don’t think it was the entire Mosaic law. [Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. And who is your neighbor? [Answer: The one showing mercy to him, Luke 10:37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise]
Has anyone ever lived other than Christ that love God with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their mind at every moment of their life? Not even the disciples! So are we to say that Peter was not a genuine believer until John 21 when Jesus found him fishing after his denial, Joh 21:15, So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
Joh 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Joh 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
May we examine these three [3] question together: 1] Jesus said, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? Jesus ask Peter if he loved Him more than these: could mean fishing or it may refer back to Peter’s statement in Mark 14:29-32 and the other gospels. Somehow, we are always evaluating ourself in the light of others. With ideas like this, I love the Lord more because I go to church more than them. Judging someone else according to your life is a great injustice to the other person, and to you and to our Saviour. Peter responded, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. 2] Jesus changes the question to, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He drops the “more than these” [Back in ch. 1:7 fellowship one with another is you and the LORD in fellowship]. Jesus is focusing Peter’s attention on HIM. It is your love for Jesus that counts. 3] Jesus makes another change in the question. He now uses the same word for love that Peter had been using, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me . Jesus changes from agapao¯ love to phileo¯ love. Jesus came down to Peter’s love and accepted Peter’s love. And Jesus told how he would die and said “follow me”. Jesus in no way was questioning Peter’s faith. He was demonstrating to Peter the He was a sufficient Saviour.
Do you love Him today? You like Peter have what you need to follow Christ.
John 13:8 is a very powerful verse about the believers eternal belonging to Christ, Joh 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
We need to remember John wrote: John, and 1 John, 2 John and third John, and the Book of Revelation. And John always had a closeness to Jesus that none other had. [Joh_13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.Joh_20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.Joh_21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.Joh_21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? ]
The one writing 1 John is the same who wrote John 14: 21 -24, He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
To obey Him is to Love Him: he it is that loveth me. And to that believer is this promise, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? [How does He do this? [Answer: The disciples did not understand as of yet the delay in establishing the kingdom. They did not see the ascension , church age, tribulation, but were thinking of the immediate setting up of the Kingdom]
V23, Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He is restating verse 21 but giving the reason for this fellowship in a very unique way. It is tied to John 14:2, [2]“We will come to him and make Our home with him.” The word translated home is the same word (monē) used in v 2 when Jesus spoke of the many “mansions” or dwellings in His Father’s house. In fact, this word is used only these two times in the entire NT. The implication of this link between V2 and 23 is that the present dwelling of God within believers is a foretaste of the eternal kingdom when God will dwell with them on the new earth.”
He is talking about present day, real-time closeness with our LORD [In Revelation 3:14-22 {Revelation was written by John} the letter to the Laodicea Church you find these words, V17-20 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. So whatever you think of this church – they will be in the rapture’ Revelation 3:20 in not an invitation to be saved but it is an invitation for the believer to walk in love and fellowship with Christ. “Sup” is a word of grace and fellowship; a gracious promise made to the believer. Fits very well with John 14:23, Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
! John 2:5, But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. Obedience to His Word is the perfecting of His Love in us.
When you came to know Him as your Saviour, you met a Person, Jesus Christ. 1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. We are to grow in the knowledge of that person. I am going to heaven because of Christ and that is Who I am believing on.
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