1 John 3:21-24 If we stand back to get the bigger picture, we see a design theme to what John is building in this epistle: 1 John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. The […]
The unbeliever, the one who is not regenerate, who is not in Christ through faith in Him, abides in an unbroken slavery to their sin nature. He/she lives in spiritual death, and naturally does the things and has the attitudes of that nature. This even includes hatred. Jesus the Son came in the flesh to […]
1 John 3:7-12 (Focus on v9) Compasses are curiously simply yet genius devices. When held upright and steady, they point to the magnetic north pole, and with that and a little knowledge, one can reliably find their way. But compasses are also easily upset. When un-level, or when vibrated or when around other magnetic sources […]
n 2:28-3:3 John sets the believer’s sight on the imminent and greatly anticipated Blessed Hope, the coming and appearance of our Christ in the rapture of His dear saints to be face to face with Him our Savior! John does this to help the believer rest and regulate their thoughts and behavior in the assurance […]
1 John 3:1-3 Have you ever pondered how different, how unusual, how strange, how…exotic it is that we would be loved by God? It is natural for human parents to love their own human children. And animals take care of their own offspring. But God is spirit, invisible, immaterial, eternal, and we are made of […]
John now presses his readers to identify what the false teachers really are, and from whom their errant doctrine of Christ comes: the lying Serpent of old, the enemy of God and so of them! John drives a wedge between his dear readers and the false teachers and doctrines, to split them so there is […]
1 John 2:15-17 John pivots now from encouragement of their assurance and spiritual standing, to stern warnings about an array of different enemies of their souls. Think of this as a guided tour through a museum of devices used to attack and disable Christians and whole churches. A Little Shop of Horrors. This is a […]
1 John 2:12-14 John launches into this vital section of the letter by surrounding and buoying his readers in the facts of their essential spiritual competence. He recalls their spiritual standing and further blessings in order to motivate them to cultivate ever more intimacy in fellowship with God. John has several purposes in writing but […]
Welcome and Introduction 1 John 1:1-10 A Christian’s assurance is, in essence their faith, their convinced confidence, that they are in right standing with God now, are beloved in The Beloved, and will continue secure until they reach glorification forever. It is a confidence in Jesus, that he is God’s Son, the long-promised Savior and […]