John instructs believers that true rest comes from submitting to and obeying God, who has saved us from the burdens of sin and death through faith in Jesus Christ.
These are only preliminary, unedited outlines and may differ from Andy’s final message.
I. Main Questions:
1. How does this chapter feed a healthy assurance of salvation through faith in Christ?
2. What does it mean to overcome the world?
3. Why is confidence in prayer so vital?
4. What forms of idolatry are threats to our spiritual lives in this modern age?
II. Verse by Verse Questions:
verses 1-13: Assurance of Salvation Through Faith in the Son of God
1. What does it mean to be “born of God”? How does this happen to a person?
2. How does verse 1 relate to John 1:12-13?
John 1:12-13 to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
3. What themes do verses 2-3 repeat that we have already seen many times in 1 John? Why do you think John repeats them so many times?
4. Why do you think John says that God’s commands are not burdensome? Do they seem burdensome from time to time? How does this verse help us?
5. Look at Malachi 1:10-13, when the Jews felt offering God sacrifices was a burden:
Malachi 1:10-13 Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD Almighty. 12 “But you profane it by saying of the Lord’s table, ‘It is defiled,’ and of its food, ‘It is contemptible.’ 13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the LORD Almighty. “When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the LORD.
How does such an attitude dishonor God? How do we see such an attitude in our Christian lives from time to time?
6. How does Jesus describe his yoke in these famous verses? How does that relate to John’s statement, “His commands are not burdensome”?
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
How is slavery to Satan and sin the real burden?
7. What does it mean to overcome the world in this context? How is the world set against our faith in Christ? How does genuine faith in Christ overcome the world’s evil system? (4-5)
8. What does it mean that Jesus came “by water and blood”? (6)
9. How does the Spirit testify to Jesus? What is the significance of John saying, “The Spirit is the truth?”
10. How do the Spirit, water, and blood together testify to Jesus? Note: Some commentators relate this to the life of Jesus Christ, water being Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist, when the Father testified from heaven, and blood referring to his death on the cross. The Spirit’s testimony came by his inspiration of scripture and also the dove descending on Jesus at his baptism. Confirming this is the similar statement by Jesus:
John 5:33-37 You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.
John 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me
11. What is the testimony that every Christian has in his/her heart? (10) [See also Roman 8:16, “The Spirit testifies with our spirits that we are children of God.”]
12. How do verses 11-13 show us the final testimony to Jesus as the Son of God? How does that relate to John 20:30-31, scripture’s testimony to Jesus?
John 20:30-31 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
13. Some people believe that no one on earth should have any assurance of final salvation, because they think it will cause people to become lazy or sinful. How do verses 11-13 address that? In fact, how does the whole book of 1 John show the combination of assurance and holy living in obedience to God’s commands?
verses 14-21: Assurance in Prayer, Sinning Brothers, Fleeing Idolatry
14. What do verse 14-15 teach us about prayer? Why is it vital to have assurance in prayer? Why is it vital to pray according to God’s will?
15. What does it mean “He hears us” concerning our prayers to God? Why is that comforting?
16. What do verses 16-17 teach us about our responsibility to other Christians, especially when we see them sinning? How does that connect with James 5:19-20?
17. What distinction does John make concerning kinds of sins in verse 16?
18. Why do you think verse 18 repeats the earlier teaching from 3:4-6?
19. What does verse 19 teach us about the world and Satan’s control over it?
20. How does Jesus, the Son of God, rescue us from Satan’s mind control?
21. Throughout the Old Testament, Israel constantly battled idolatry in the form of pagan worship—to Baal, Molech, etc. What is idolatry? How is idolatry still a major threat to modern Christians?
III. Summary:
John concludes his epistle by focusing on how faith in Jesus as the Son of God guarantees salvation and should give us strong assurance that we have overcome the world and have continual access to God in prayer.
