
In this epistle, John is writing to those who he hopes have been born again so that they can have a genuine assurance that they’re members of the family of God.
Wes
Welcome to the Two Journeys Bible Study Podcast. Today we want to begin with an introduction to our 1, 2 & 3 John Bible Study podcast. Over the coming episodes, we’ll be journeying through these three epistles, but as we begin, we want to zero in on 1 John and ask the question, what is this letter about? What are we going to learn as we walk through it? And how will this help us as we seek to grow in maturity in Christ? I’m Wes Treadway and I’m here with Pastor Andy Davis. Andy, help us have a sense of where we’re headed. What are we going to see in this letter here in 1 John?
Andy
Well, it’s very exciting to begin this study. Wes, you and I were going to have a thrilling time walking through these three epistles, 123 John. John was the apostle whom Jesus loved. He never names himself in the Gospel of John, but he is one of the 12. And he is going to write from the beginning as an eyewitness of Christ, an eyewitness of Jesus’s incarnate life. And in 1 John in particular, he’s going to address the issue of being a member of the family of God. The central reality for us is whether we are born again or not. As he said in John 1, in the Gospel of John, “As many as received Christ, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children who were born, not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13), supernaturally born of God.
John in his epistle, is writing to those who he hopes have been born again so that they can have a genuine assurance that they’re members of the family of God
And then again, he says to Nicodemus very famously, you must be born again, born by the Spirit. Well, John in his epistle, is writing to those who he hopes have been born again so that they can have a genuine assurance that they’re members of the family of God. And so, he uses this language frequently. This is how we know that we are children of God. This is how we know that God is in us. This is how we know that our sins are forgiven, things like that. So, it’s an assurance epistle. And he gives us three tests. Some scholars call it, some don’t like that language, but I think it’s at least helpful in a beginning sort of way to see these tests by which we can know that we’re children of God.
The doctrinal test, which is, do you get Jesus right? Do you understand the incarnation? Do you understand that Jesus has come in the flesh and that you can only know by the Spirit of God? So, the Spirit has worked in assurance within you concerning Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. And that’s the purpose of John’s gospel as well. In John 20, he wrote his gospel that we would have everything we need to believe that Jesus is the Christ, Son of God and believing have life in his name. So first and foremost, the doctrinal test concerning Jesus.
Secondly, the lifestyle test concerning holiness or the commands of God. He’s going to talk about how are you living. Are you living a life in obedience to his commands by the power of the Spirit? Are you walking in the light as he’s in the light? Is it a lifestyle of holiness? Are you polluted by the world or do you shun and pull away from the world and fight the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, the worldliness issue. So, he’s going to talk about holiness and that lifestyle.
And then thirdly, the love test. He’s going to talk about again and again about the love we have for one another. If you love the brothers, you are a child of God. If you hate the brothers, you are a child of the devil.
And that brings me to the alternate theme, which is he’s also writing to people who think they’re Christians but really aren’t, who are false believers. So that he can by the sword of the Spirit, penetrate or cut through all that and jar them out of their complacency and out of their delusion so that they come to a genuine faith in Christ. So, he uses strong language. If you say this, but you do that, you’re a liar, and the truth is not in you. He’s going to use that strong language. So, he’s going to speak to both sides of the coin. He’s going to talk about this to genuine believers so that they can know that they’re children of God and have a strong assurance of that salvation. And then he’s going to talk to those who are deluded, who are part of the Christian community, but are really lying to themselves based on those same tests, the doctrinal test and the love test, and the holiness test. He’s going to talk to them so that they get jarred out of their complacency and come into a genuine faith in Christ. So, we’re going to see that in these five chapters of 1 John.
Wes
We really are excited about this journey through 1, 2 & 3 John, and we want to invite you to join us next time for Episode 1 in our 1, 2, & 3 John Bible Study Podcast entitled Christ Is the Light of God, So Walk in That Light, where we’ll discuss 1 John 1:1-10. Thank you for listening to the Two Journeys podcast and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Wes
Welcome to the Two Journeys Bible Study Podcast. Today we want to begin with an introduction to our 1, 2 & 3 John Bible Study podcast. Over the coming episodes, we’ll be journeying through these three epistles, but as we begin, we want to zero in on 1 John and ask the question, what is this letter about? What are we going to learn as we walk through it? And how will this help us as we seek to grow in maturity in Christ? I’m Wes Treadway and I’m here with Pastor Andy Davis. Andy, help us have a sense of where we’re headed. What are we going to see in this letter here in 1 John?
Andy
Well, it’s very exciting to begin this study. Wes, you and I were going to have a thrilling time walking through these three epistles, 123 John. John was the apostle whom Jesus loved. He never names himself in the Gospel of John, but he is one of the 12. And he is going to write from the beginning as an eyewitness of Christ, an eyewitness of Jesus’s incarnate life. And in 1 John in particular, he’s going to address the issue of being a member of the family of God. The central reality for us is whether we are born again or not. As he said in John 1, in the Gospel of John, “As many as received Christ, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children who were born, not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13), supernaturally born of God.
John in his epistle, is writing to those who he hopes have been born again so that they can have a genuine assurance that they’re members of the family of God
And then again, he says to Nicodemus very famously, you must be born again, born by the Spirit. Well, John in his epistle, is writing to those who he hopes have been born again so that they can have a genuine assurance that they’re members of the family of God. And so, he uses this language frequently. This is how we know that we are children of God. This is how we know that God is in us. This is how we know that our sins are forgiven, things like that. So, it’s an assurance epistle. And he gives us three tests. Some scholars call it, some don’t like that language, but I think it’s at least helpful in a beginning sort of way to see these tests by which we can know that we’re children of God.
The doctrinal test, which is, do you get Jesus right? Do you understand the incarnation? Do you understand that Jesus has come in the flesh and that you can only know by the Spirit of God? So, the Spirit has worked in assurance within you concerning Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. And that’s the purpose of John’s gospel as well. In John 20, he wrote his gospel that we would have everything we need to believe that Jesus is the Christ, Son of God and believing have life in his name. So first and foremost, the doctrinal test concerning Jesus.
Secondly, the lifestyle test concerning holiness or the commands of God. He’s going to talk about how are you living. Are you living a life in obedience to his commands by the power of the Spirit? Are you walking in the light as he’s in the light? Is it a lifestyle of holiness? Are you polluted by the world or do you shun and pull away from the world and fight the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, the worldliness issue. So, he’s going to talk about holiness and that lifestyle.
And then thirdly, the love test. He’s going to talk about again and again about the love we have for one another. If you love the brothers, you are a child of God. If you hate the brothers, you are a child of the devil.
And that brings me to the alternate theme, which is he’s also writing to people who think they’re Christians but really aren’t, who are false believers. So that he can by the sword of the Spirit, penetrate or cut through all that and jar them out of their complacency and out of their delusion so that they come to a genuine faith in Christ. So, he uses strong language. If you say this, but you do that, you’re a liar, and the truth is not in you. He’s going to use that strong language. So, he’s going to speak to both sides of the coin. He’s going to talk about this to genuine believers so that they can know that they’re children of God and have a strong assurance of that salvation. And then he’s going to talk to those who are deluded, who are part of the Christian community, but are really lying to themselves based on those same tests, the doctrinal test and the love test, and the holiness test. He’s going to talk to them so that they get jarred out of their complacency and come into a genuine faith in Christ. So, we’re going to see that in these five chapters of 1 John.
Wes
We really are excited about this journey through 1, 2 & 3 John, and we want to invite you to join us next time for Episode 1 in our 1, 2, & 3 John Bible Study Podcast entitled Christ Is the Light of God, So Walk in That Light, where we’ll discuss 1 John 1:1-10. Thank you for listening to the Two Journeys podcast and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.