good link for introduction study of the book http://www.ibsstl.org/niv/studybible/1john.php
1 John 1:1-10
Introduction: Date AD 90 written to the Christians in Roman province of Asia (western Turkey) John was dealing with
-Gnostics – This was not a full blown belief system at the time John wrote this but John saw the danger in what the Gnostic thinkers were teaching. In a nut shell they taught that matter (the physical world) was evil and the spiritual world was good, so if God was good He did not create the physical world. Therefore a lesser god or angels must have created.
-Docetism (Doh-see-tiz-um)- Jesus physical body was not real, and only appeared to be real.
He was refuting Heresy of a teacher named Cerinthus who taught that Jesus received divine (God) nature upon His baptism and it left Him before His crucifixion
So really the purpose of this book is to teach Christians good theology about Jesus and if they understand Jesus they will respond well to one another. And have “Fellowship with God and one another”
If you understand the concept of a game you can play well
Vrs 1-3 John was one of Jesus’ disciples so he was writing to them from first hand experience.
Two things are happening here.. one theological and one application
1. Theology- The incarnation is being explained God came in the flesh
2. Application- As a believer in Jesus you should always be prepared to tell others what He did for you and preach the Gospel. When we trust Jesus we enter into fellowship unity with Him and then in unity with all Christians
Vrs 4 any time truth is taught it brings joy, as your pastor I am up here every week to bring you joy from the Word.
“These things” =the truth about Jesus. Jesus brings joy to our lives and a correct understanding of what Jesus did on the cross brings joy to every situation.
The Gospel brings joy-when we have no money-when we are being made fun of-when someone hurts us-when we lose someone we love
You may say this is foolish and I am not surprised. 1 Corinthians 1:18 The bible says this is foolishness to those who are perishing
Vrs 5 God is good, He is in control, He takes care, He provides, He wants to comfort you, He gives us truth to live by, He disciplines us.
Vrs 6 If we say we are tight with Him and we continue to do what is wrong we are lying to… 1. Jesus, to 2. ourselves and to 3. other people.
It would be like me saying I am close with my wife and kids but not providing for them, spending time with them, listening to them.
I am tight with Jesus but… I don’t go to church..liar, don’t read the Bible, don’t pray, not being sexually pure, I am gossiping about other people, I am stealing money or time from work, I am not giving my best to God, I am not encouraging my fellow Christians, I am complaining, I am worrying
Because we are lying to Jesus, ourselves and others it has a negative affect on who we are and how effective we are with the Gospel message and obedience to Jesus. So we start to feel guilt and shame about what we are doing, have done or are not doing right. Guilt and shame start to paralyze us
The guilt and shame we carry and stain of sin cause us to live in Darkness, depression, self worth issues and more imperative separates us from being close with God and close with other Christians
There is a cure…
Vrs 7 Give us two cures 1. obey Jesus. 2. Trust in Jesus no matter what you are dealing with, guilt, shame or struggling with a habitual sin, it is crucial that you understand what theologians call Expiation-simply means to cleanse
Vrs 8 Sometimes we act like we are not doing the wrong thing. In that case we are rejecting what Jesus did for us. We try to take care of our sin ourselves
Go back to Adam and Eve (fig leaves to hide the stain of sin)
Mark Driscoll in His book “Death by Love” gives us ways people try to hide, guilt, shame and sin, I added one to his list.
1. Good/religious person- Do good to cover up 2. The fun person-life of the party. (I was a class clown) 3. Become tough- nothing effects me.
4. Anti social person –social outcast, I have hurt people they have hurt me.
If you get to know them you will see the stain of sin and the fact that there are problems they are trying to hide.
Vrs 9 There is a remedy…
Two issues here… either
1. Have not trusted in Jesus as their Savior or
2. Have not embraced the fact that He has made us clean. If that is the case it affects our identity.
3 options for identity
1. Define yourself by what you have done 1 Cor 6:9-12 this is what you were lifestyle of sin does not define us I am a drunk, I am an addict, I am a thief, I am a liar,
2. Define yourself by your situation, I was abused, I was abandoned, my parents were divorced, I had a bad home life,
3. Define yourself by what Jesus did for you and what He is for you
If you get your self worth, purpose, and dignity from what Jesus did for you, you will have a close connection with Him and then you are able to relate well with other people.
Gal 2:20
If we don’t accept that Jesus cleansed us from “all unrighteousness” we try to hide that which we cannot clean ourselves… our sin
Vrs 10 When we admit it He will cleanse us of it, but if we don’t we are doubting God and showing that we don’t understand His Word and will not live up to our fullest potential in Jesus.
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