John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." These words were spoken by Jesus at the last supper, where He instituted the New Covenant or New Testament using the symbols of the Passover meal. Read Matthew 26:26-29. In the same way the Old Testament was known for the ten commandments, the New Testament should be known for this new commandment. We are to love others in the way that Jesus loved us. When we do, all people will know that we are His disciples or followers. This is the main or primary characteristic by which Christians should be known.
1 John 3:23 "And this is the commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment." John interprets this new commandment in a two-fold manner: we believe on the grace that Jesus has offered to us, and we love others with the same grace that He has shown us. Let us see how He loved us and showed us grace.
John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. He did not condemn us. This is how we love others. We tell them that Jesus has paid the penalty for the sins of their entire lifetime, and is not counting their sins against them. When people believe this, they are born of God, or born again.
2 Corinthians 5:19 "that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing (counting) their trespasses (sins) to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation."
John 8:1-12 Read this passage. Jesus forgives the woman caught in the midst of adultery. This was a present sin that Jesus did not count against the woman. He did not condemn her for the sin she had just committed.
John 8:12 "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world (love demonstrated through grace). He who follows me (in not condemning people but offering them grace through what Jesus did on the cross) shall not walk in darkness (judging and condemning others), but have the light of life." This is what makes us a disciple.
John 8:31-32 "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in my Word (teaching of grace which He just demonstrated), you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth (which is grace) and the truth (grace) will set you free." A disciple is one who learns from another and follows his example.
If loving someone is not holding their sins against them, what is hate?
1 John 2:8-11 "Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness (judgment and condemnation) is passing away, and the true light (grace) is already shining. He who says he is in the light (grace) and hates his brother (counts his sins against him and condemns him) is in darkness (condemnation) until now. He who loves his brother (gives him grace because of what Jesus did) abides in the light (grace), and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother (condemns him for his sins) is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."
1 John 1:5-6 "This then is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light (love demonstrated through grace) and in Him is no darkness (condemnation) at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him (share in who God is, or say that we represent Him; He is love), and walk in darkness (holding sins against people and condemning them) we lie and do not practice the truth (which is grace)."
John 13:36 - John 14:4 Starting with verse 37 "Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake. Jesus answered him, Will you lay down your life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto you, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." Jesus tells Peter about future sins that he is going to commit in the next twelve hours, when Peter denies Jesus three times, but Jesus does not condemn him or hold it against him. He tells him to not let his heart be troubled. Jesus reassures Peter of his eternal security, and that He is going to prepare a mansion for Peter in heaven. These words were Jesus' direct response to Peter's forthcoming sin or failure. This is a demonstration that God is not counting our present or future sins against us. Praise the Lord!
Luke 22:54-62 Jesus was able to watch as Peter denied Him three times. Jesus looked at Peter with compassion, even in the midst of His trial before the ones who would crucify Him. Peter did let his heart be troubled; he wept bitterly. Sin hurt Peter emotionally. Our sin has consequences in this earthly realm. But these last two passage present a beautiful picture. Even though our sin hurts us and others, and is to be avoided, God is not counting our sins against us.
Keith Oliver
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
1 John 5:14-21
God is love. Be born of God. See God for Who He is. Then we shall be like Him. We will love others.
Vs. 14-15 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." These verses are very similar to John 9:31 "Now we know that God does not hear sinners (those who are not saved); but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him." John has clearly communicated the will of God throughout this book of 1 John: be born of God, see that He is love, and share that love and grace that we have received with others. We have confidence before God when we are allowing His love to flow through us to others. The next verse shows one of the things we ask for when we are walking in love.
Vs. 16-17 "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death." These verses have been used to make Christians afraid that they might commit a sin, or an accumulation of sins, that would lead them to spiritual death and eternal separation from God. Another interpretation is that a Christian could commit a sin that would cause them to die physically, which can happen. If this is a sin unto phyiscal death, why could you not pray for this believer to turn from this sin? That answer is that you could. In the context of these verses, I do not believe that either interpretation is correct. The only sin that leads to spiritual death and eternal separation from God is the rejection of God's love and grace through Jesus and His substitutionary death on the cross. This sin is committed by an unbeliever, not a Christian. You can't pray this sin out of someone's life. They must receive the seed of the Word of God and be born of God. Remember 1 John 5:12 "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (he has death, or he is not born of God)." So let us read these verses in context. "If anyone sees his brother (a Christian) sinning a sin (not walking in love) which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life (teach them to walk in love) for those (believers) who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death (an unbeliever rejecting the grace of God). I do not say the he should pray about that (we must instead give them the seed of the Word of God for them to be born again). All unrighteousness (actions not emanating from love) is sin (not walking in love), and there is sin not leading to death." Every Christian sins periodically in thought, word, or action. But Jesus has paid the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime. So these sins do not separate us from God's life.
Vs. 18 "We know that whoever is born of God (our spirit) does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him." Notice after verses 16-17, where John is talking about Christians who commit sin, or do not walk in love, John goes back to saying that our spirit, which is born of God, does not sin. The book of Hebrews says that our spirit has been perfected forever; our spirit does not sin. We must renew our minds and learn to walk in love in our thoughts and actions.
Vs. 19 "We know that we are of God (born of God and walking in love) and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one." The world does not understand God and His love, and therefore they are not walking in love. All that is in the world is motivated by lust or selfishness. Many Christians have not understood God's love either, and we have not walked in love.
Vs. 20-21 "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding (of His love and grace for us), that we may know Him Who is true (walk in love); and we are in Him Who is true (we are born of God), in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourself from idols. Amen." These verses are similar to John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God (know that God is love, and walk in love toward others) and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
Let us finish this study with the two verses that open up the book of 1 John. 1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now we are the children of God (we are born of God); and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be (until later in 1 John chapter 4), but we know that when He is revealed (as love), we shall be like Him (we will walk in love), for we shall see Him as He is (He is love). 1 John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is (1) born of God and (2) knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." Again, it does not say that we are not born of God if we don't walk in love. It says that we do not know or understand God, that He is love.
Keith Oliver
Vs. 14-15 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." These verses are very similar to John 9:31 "Now we know that God does not hear sinners (those who are not saved); but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him." John has clearly communicated the will of God throughout this book of 1 John: be born of God, see that He is love, and share that love and grace that we have received with others. We have confidence before God when we are allowing His love to flow through us to others. The next verse shows one of the things we ask for when we are walking in love.
Vs. 16-17 "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death." These verses have been used to make Christians afraid that they might commit a sin, or an accumulation of sins, that would lead them to spiritual death and eternal separation from God. Another interpretation is that a Christian could commit a sin that would cause them to die physically, which can happen. If this is a sin unto phyiscal death, why could you not pray for this believer to turn from this sin? That answer is that you could. In the context of these verses, I do not believe that either interpretation is correct. The only sin that leads to spiritual death and eternal separation from God is the rejection of God's love and grace through Jesus and His substitutionary death on the cross. This sin is committed by an unbeliever, not a Christian. You can't pray this sin out of someone's life. They must receive the seed of the Word of God and be born of God. Remember 1 John 5:12 "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (he has death, or he is not born of God)." So let us read these verses in context. "If anyone sees his brother (a Christian) sinning a sin (not walking in love) which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life (teach them to walk in love) for those (believers) who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death (an unbeliever rejecting the grace of God). I do not say the he should pray about that (we must instead give them the seed of the Word of God for them to be born again). All unrighteousness (actions not emanating from love) is sin (not walking in love), and there is sin not leading to death." Every Christian sins periodically in thought, word, or action. But Jesus has paid the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime. So these sins do not separate us from God's life.
Vs. 18 "We know that whoever is born of God (our spirit) does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him." Notice after verses 16-17, where John is talking about Christians who commit sin, or do not walk in love, John goes back to saying that our spirit, which is born of God, does not sin. The book of Hebrews says that our spirit has been perfected forever; our spirit does not sin. We must renew our minds and learn to walk in love in our thoughts and actions.
Vs. 19 "We know that we are of God (born of God and walking in love) and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one." The world does not understand God and His love, and therefore they are not walking in love. All that is in the world is motivated by lust or selfishness. Many Christians have not understood God's love either, and we have not walked in love.
Vs. 20-21 "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding (of His love and grace for us), that we may know Him Who is true (walk in love); and we are in Him Who is true (we are born of God), in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourself from idols. Amen." These verses are similar to John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God (know that God is love, and walk in love toward others) and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
Let us finish this study with the two verses that open up the book of 1 John. 1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now we are the children of God (we are born of God); and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be (until later in 1 John chapter 4), but we know that when He is revealed (as love), we shall be like Him (we will walk in love), for we shall see Him as He is (He is love). 1 John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is (1) born of God and (2) knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." Again, it does not say that we are not born of God if we don't walk in love. It says that we do not know or understand God, that He is love.
Keith Oliver
Sunday, March 4, 2012
1 John 5:1-15
God is love. Be born of God. See God for Who He is. Then we shall be like Him. We will love others.
Vs. 1 "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him Who begot (which is God) also loves him who is begotten of Him (we love others).'
Vs. 2 "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments." Again, what are His commandments? 1 John 3:23, that we believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Our love for others is a response to His love and grace for us. When we see that God is not counting our sins against us, we can do that for others.
Vs. 3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments (believe on the name of His Son, or be born of God, and love one another). And His commandments are not burdensome." No, they are not burdensome. They are a natural response to His grace for us.
Vs. 4 "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith." What is in the world that we have overcome? 1 John 2:16...the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. When we are born of God, the Word say that we have already overcome these things. We must learn to walk in love and make this a reality in our lives. The Word says that it is already done when we are born of Him.
Vs. 5 "Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" God has come to live within us when we believe in His Son. We walk in His love, and we will not walk in lust or selfishness.
Vs. 6-8 Read these verses. These verses are referring to the idea discussed in earlier lessons that Jesus had a physical body. John is refuting the Gnostic idea that Jesus appeared only in spirit form, and did not have a physical body. Look at John 3:4-6 Being born of water is referring to the water of the womb. Look at John 19:34 The water and the blood that poured out of His body when the soldier pierced Him with a spear showed that He had a physical body. John 1:32 John the Baptist saw the Spirit of God descend upon Jesus like a dove. I believe this also refers to the miracles that were performed by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, proving that He was here in the flesh.
Vs. 9-11 "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in the Son." As we have seen, eternal life begins with believing that Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and even future sins. This is what brings us peace with God. When we receive this life and love from God and share it with others, we are walking in eternal life here on the earth.
Vs. 12 "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." When we are born of God through what the Son did for us, we have the life of God within us.
Vs. 13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God (those who are born of God), that you may know that you have eternal life (we are born of God and walking in love), and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."
Vs. 14-15 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." His will is that all people be born of Him through trusting that Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime. This brings peace. Then we learn to walk in love and offer this grace to others. When we ask for things in line with this, we know that He hears us and gives us the petitions we ask of Him. We may have to stand in faith against our enemy, Satan. But God is not holding anything back from us that is in line with His will.
Keith Oliver
Vs. 1 "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him Who begot (which is God) also loves him who is begotten of Him (we love others).'
Vs. 2 "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments." Again, what are His commandments? 1 John 3:23, that we believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Our love for others is a response to His love and grace for us. When we see that God is not counting our sins against us, we can do that for others.
Vs. 3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments (believe on the name of His Son, or be born of God, and love one another). And His commandments are not burdensome." No, they are not burdensome. They are a natural response to His grace for us.
Vs. 4 "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith." What is in the world that we have overcome? 1 John 2:16...the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. When we are born of God, the Word say that we have already overcome these things. We must learn to walk in love and make this a reality in our lives. The Word says that it is already done when we are born of Him.
Vs. 5 "Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" God has come to live within us when we believe in His Son. We walk in His love, and we will not walk in lust or selfishness.
Vs. 6-8 Read these verses. These verses are referring to the idea discussed in earlier lessons that Jesus had a physical body. John is refuting the Gnostic idea that Jesus appeared only in spirit form, and did not have a physical body. Look at John 3:4-6 Being born of water is referring to the water of the womb. Look at John 19:34 The water and the blood that poured out of His body when the soldier pierced Him with a spear showed that He had a physical body. John 1:32 John the Baptist saw the Spirit of God descend upon Jesus like a dove. I believe this also refers to the miracles that were performed by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, proving that He was here in the flesh.
Vs. 9-11 "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in the Son." As we have seen, eternal life begins with believing that Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and even future sins. This is what brings us peace with God. When we receive this life and love from God and share it with others, we are walking in eternal life here on the earth.
Vs. 12 "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." When we are born of God through what the Son did for us, we have the life of God within us.
Vs. 13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God (those who are born of God), that you may know that you have eternal life (we are born of God and walking in love), and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."
Vs. 14-15 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." His will is that all people be born of Him through trusting that Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime. This brings peace. Then we learn to walk in love and offer this grace to others. When we ask for things in line with this, we know that He hears us and gives us the petitions we ask of Him. We may have to stand in faith against our enemy, Satan. But God is not holding anything back from us that is in line with His will.
Keith Oliver
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