Jude 1:24-25

Jude 1:24-25

We end the Lord's Prayer with the words, “…for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.” The same themes end this short letter. This benediction is an appropriate conclusion to the gathering of God's people, but it is also the timeless description of our Savior and God, who inhabits what was before time, the current time, and all the future even after time. He is the God who is there, literally everywhere all the time. This could be terrifying but for the description Jude gives us of God in this benediction.

Jude describes God as the one who is able. In two other places in the New Testament, God is described as “able.” In every description of God as able, there is a specific focus on His care for us. God is able to take care of us! His ability and character work together for our ultimate well-being. Once again we see Jude's triplet theme displayed.

God is able to keep you from stumbling. That word was used to describe a sure-footed horse or a man who did not fall into error. We must never say of our moral or doctrinal errors, “I couldn't help myself.” God is able to keep us from slipping back or falling over. But if we won't accept or allow His help, then the failure is on us.

God is able to make us stand in His presence blameless. The consistent pattern for those who come into God's presence is terror as they realize the extent of their sin. But we can come to His presence blamelessness; the word describes the flawless sacrifice given to God. Jude here indirectly refers to the atonement and the work of Jesus on the cross. God is able to bring us to Himself sinless and blameless by the merits and mercies of grace.

He is able to make us stand with great joy. Rather than fear or guilt or shame, we come to Him in joy. Life is hard; there are many occasions that are not joyous but rather are perplexing, painful, or perturbing. But regardless of the difficulties of this life and the apparent narrative to the contrary, God is able to bring us to a conclusion that is ecstatic with joy. Thank God he is able! 

“Lord Jesus, accept my offering of praise in this glorious word. AMEN”

Jude 1:22-23

Jude 1:22-23

Few matters are more difficult for a community of disciples than the matters of church discipline. It is never easy, it is rarely done well, and even in the best-case scenario, it will involve much personal suffering. The Christians to whom Jude is writing face a very dangerous threat, and non-confrontation is not an option. Jude wisely shows us that not all situations are alike and cannot be treated the same. He gives us three responses for the three stages for reaching the person who is slipping away.

First is “…mercy for those who are doubting.” These are people who are struggling or questioning what is right and what is true. They are beginning down the wrong path. To have mercy is also to take action, not merely to pity or offer a generalized forgiveness. Helping those who struggle is part of restoration. 

Second, is the person more advanced in immorality. If we are to use contemporary language, what Jude here offers is what we might call an “intervention.” “Snatching them out” carries the implication that we act in some ways against their will. To lovingly tell a person, “…we will be here for you every step of the way, but you must change or else,” is what Jude is presenting. There is no limit to God's love, but there is a limit to his patience and to the opportunity for repentance.

The third stage is perhaps the most dangerous; it involves the more advanced erring brother. To “…have mercy with fear…” is a warning to the disciples hoping to restore a fallen brother that the faithful disciple might be pulled into the fallen brother’s evil. Many disciples have ventured into morally dangerous places only to be pulled into the evil rather than rescue their fallen comrade. Our sinful natures will deceive us into thinking the danger is not very great and our spiritual strength is sufficient. A holy fear is a good antidote for both errors. It is worth noting that the verbs here are plural. Loan rescuers are likely going to end up going over into the sin they did not adequately fear.

Church discipline is always primarily restorative, but it also protects the rest of the flock. We must attempt to bring the wanderers back, but we must also protect the flock from the wolves that would like to enter.

“Lord, grant Your church holy well done church discipline. AMEN”

Jude 1:17-21

Jude 1:17-21

The reality is that the last days are here, beginning on Pentecost with the establishment of the church. The church age is “the last days,” the time of the last desperate expression of the enemy's rebellion. Into the fray the enemy sends his ministers. These ministers are marked by three characteristics. They are mockers; they teach with flippancy the holy things of God and the church. This flows out of and feeds their second characteristic: they follow their own lust. While sexual appetite is a big part of their evil, lust is more than just sex; it is the desire to fulfill their appetites, their inordinate desire for money, pleasure, or praise, for example. Any place where we are broken and messed up, if we don’t repent, is an opportunity for lust. Third, they are in fact devoid of the Spirit. Having set off on a journey to satisfy themselves, they have left the Spirit. One characteristic is they form a group or a following around themselves, resulting in divisions in the church.

What are we to do in the face of these misguided, indeed evil, people? Jude gives us a three-part effective strategy for our own spiritual life in these last days. In verse 20 he says, “Build yourself up…”; we are to take personal responsibility for our spiritual diet and growth. He also calls us to ‘prayer’. Praying is the hardest discipline in the Christian life. We act as if we can go from novice to ‘faith hero prayer warrior’ by just being here. Learning to pray is a process. We earn by doing. Like a child learning to walk, it will take practice. We will learn to understand and perceive the Spirit’s promptings and will grow in our ability to pray with intensity by praying intensely. Third, we are to anticipate the mercy of the Lord that will take us to eternal life. There needs to be in our lives a daily awareness of our ultimate rescue at the Lord’s return. This daily remembrance will help us to be ready by knowing we will give an account of each day, indeed each moment, to the one whom God has appointed as our Judge. That is a terrifying thought if we live for our own flesh. It will be a thrilling thought if we are living fully for Him. 

Whenever the church has found itself in a pathetic state, you can be assured that it has slipped away from personal and individual responsibility for spiritual growth, faithfulness in real prayer, and hopeful anticipation of the coming Lord. Into such a church the divisive evil people have come in and wrecked the church both individually, congregationally, and generally.

“Lord, let me live in the hope of the judgment of Jesus for my life and actions. AMEN”

May I paraphrase the German theologian Martin Niemöller?

 May I paraphrase the German theologian Martin Niemöller?

The Muslims came for the Afghani Christians. And I did not speak out because I was not an Afghani.

The Muslims came for the Somali Christians. And I did not speak out because I was not a Somali.

The Muslims came for the Syrian Christians. And I did not speak out because I was not a Syrian.

The Muslims came for the European Christians. And I did not speak out because I was not British.

The Muslims came for the Dearborn Christians. And I did not speak out because I was not from Michigan.

Then they came for me.  And no one was left to speak out for me.

We are currently hearing about the genocide of Nigerian Christians at the hands of Islam. While some voices in the media want to play down the atrocities of this persecution.  This is not an exception nor an anomaly for the behavior of Islamic peoples.  Rather, this is the highly consistent and predictable behavior when Muslim people move into a community or nation.  They are coming for this nation and our communities.  

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AzAXYiMhA9U

Some will say I am merely being Islamophobic or xenophobic.  I will respond by saying, "Please list for me the times and places in which Muslim people have moved into a community, assimilated, and lived peaceably over the long term."  Remember, Islam means “submit,” if not my conversion by force.  It means ‘peace’ only in the sense that if you do as told, you will not be bothered.  We see the peace of Islam being expressed in Britain. 

So what do we do?

Let’s begin with the negatives.

1. Do not expect an answer from our government.  The cowardice of many is amazing.  When governmental leaders lack the courage to confront pedophiles associated with Jeffrey Epstein, we can’t expect them to have the courage to challenge a strong and determined invader.

2. Do not expect that some sort of armed paramilitary resistance will turn back this invasion.  Islam has been turned back by force of arms, but that was from nations with a much stronger moral character than we have in our country.

3. Do not expect any help from ‘a liberal enlightened’ political left.  With the rejection of objective truth there will only be spineless acquiescence and surrender as Islam uses the ideals of a liberal democracy to promote its ascendancy.  

So what are the positive actions we must take?

1. Engage and evangelize: If you are living in an area with a large Muslim population, learn how to engage and share the Christian faith.  If you don’t have a Muslim community, support missions that focus on Muslims in America.  There are some organizations that actually focus on this growing American mission field.  

2. Support those who support Christians being persecuted: While the mainstream of our culture and media will not focus on this issue, there are great ministries that have great ministries supporting Christians in Muslim nations around the world.  My wife and I support Voice of the Martyrs, but there are a number of organizations that help the persecuted church in Muslim strongholds.

3. Pray: Not just while persecution is in the news cycle but every day and as part of the worship of your church.  Here is an outline you can use.

Pray for… 

1. …those experiencing isolation or rejection because of their faith, that they will understand their belonging to the Lord and our belonging to each other.

2. …those who are suffering economic hardship, that their needs will be met in such a way that God will be glorified.  This is a good time to ask God if He wants you to financially support the persecuted church.

3. …those who are taken by the powers of oppression, either in jail, kidnapped, or being refugees, that they can have ministry wherever they are.  More than a few Christian prisoners are leading their lost captives to Christ.  

4. …those who are being tormented or tortured for their faith, that their suffering will be relieved or that they can enter into a special relationship as they share in the suffering of Christ.  

5. …the widows, widowers, and orphans who have lost loved ones to death for the faith, asking God to heal their hurt and give them hope.  

6. …for those facing a death sentence for faith, that God would give them the strength to choose the real life of Christ and be faithful unto physical death.

7. …for those who persecute the saints, that they will come to repentance and faith, that God would raise up another generation of ‘Saul who became Paul.’

8. …God to thwart the efforts of persecutors, that their operational efforts will be beset with problems, that everything under their control will malfunction, and that there will be confusion among their coworkers.  

9. …God will pour out his wrath on the demonic forces that motivate Islam, and God will punish, silence, and torment these demons and stifle their activities.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against [f]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

Jude 1:8-16

Jude 1:8-16

In scripture we are less likely to find “hell, fire, and damnation” lessons than we are to find lessons and warnings about evil men. This passage is a description of the evil men who had made their way into the church. For us there is a great danger that we will look at this page and imagine that it is a warning for others. It is not. It is a two-phase warning for us. First, we must be on guard about allowing these kinds of people to influence the church. Second, we must not become these people.

These people are every bit as evil as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Jude lists three behaviors and then expands on these in reverse order: defile the flesh, reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. First, let us consider what it means to revile angelic majesty. This is a most idiomatic passage. But rather than focus on angelic roles and battles that they may have fought, let us look at the application. In verse 10 we see that these men act as authorities on matters they do not understand. It seems that we are expected to have an opinion on everything. With the rise of social media, everyone offers an opinion, oftentimes about things of which they know nothing. This has crept into the church. We become aggressive advocates of things, even those things of which we are ignorant. There is a great danger when we become the deadly combination of arrogance and ignorance.

This combination often expresses itself in rejecting authority. Jude gives us examples of Cain, Balaam, and Korah. The combination of arrogance and ignorance is the perfect seedbed for a selfish agenda to take root. These types of men are not altruistically driven.

In fact, they are moved by their desires that will defile flesh. Such men will destroy the love feast, i.e., the fellowship of the church centered around the Lord's table. They are, in fact, useless in terms of practical help, while they bring up the evil from their own depths. Any church that allows these kinds of people in will be ruined; at best the church will close, at worst it will become a source of poison that will spread.

Jude describes their ruin using the literature of the day, a popular reference to Enoch. We each must ask, “Is the description in verse 16 a description of me?” We must guard and protect the church, but we must also take care to watch our own soul. The behaviors of wicked men are well within each of us and each of our churches, small groups, and fellowships. May the Lord have mercy on us.

“Lord, help me live a life that is both orthodox in doctrine and holy in behavior. AMEN”

Jude 1:5-7

Jude 1:5-7

How dangerous is it that disciples should become lax concerning holiness, both personal and in community? According to Jude, it is a matter of eternal consequences. While the libertines came with great-sounding arguments and the very appealing offer of sensuality and grace, Jude returns to the history of how God deals with rebellion. Never forget and never doubt that sin, even good-feeling sexual sin, is in fact rebellion against God. Jude offers three examples of how God dealt with rebellion among privileged people.

Example #1: Israel during the Exodus. During the greatest intervention in the Old Testament, God brings His people out of bondage by a series of fantastic miracles, but even with this evidence, many did not believe. Belief is more than acknowledging the evidence; it is also the obedience that God requires. On a number of occasions there were groups of people destroyed, not for their doubts, but for their disobedience. 

Example #2: rebellious angels This is clearly a reference to Satan's rebellion against God himself. These angels apparently had specific positions of authority but wanted more; they wanted to go beyond their assigned boundaries that God had given them. This is not promoting or referring to the mythology of human-angel hybrids. Because of their rebellion, they were bound, waiting for their final judgment. Jude is not giving a cosmology or a detailed angelology but an example of what happened in rebellion. 

Example #3: Sodom, Gomorrah, and their environs. It is worth noting how often movements of rebellion against God are tied up with our sexuality. If the Evil One can twist what is most personal to us, that which we are at our core, then he can twist all of our being to turn against God. The destruction of the cities was both their punishment and an example for us.

Jude is not springing new information on these disciples. They knew “all things once for all”; this may be a reference to the specific teaching of the early church. These false teachers did not come into a vacuum and begin to fill that vacuum with a libertarian heresy. The disciples knew what was right but were tolerating these false teachers rather than shutting them down. When we, as disciples, decide to compromise holiness, we are joining the side of the destroyed. There is grace for repentance, but live in rebellion long enough and you will not want to repent.

“Lord, give me a holy fear of any rebellion against You. AMEN”

Jude 1:1-4

Jude 1:1-4

As disciples, we must live lives of astute alertness and vigilant attention. Our enemy has been using the same basic temptations since the garden of Eden. The powers of darkness will dress these differently for each age, but the lies and strategies are generally the same. 

Jude begins by being very clear about the relationship he has with the Lord: bond-servant. This carries both the description of absolute obedience and loving relationship. With the ownership and service of a slave, that is an extension of the master, and the love that binds him to his Lord, Jude will contend for the orthodox faith. Jude would like to write a description of our wonderful faith, perhaps what we might call a theology; but he feels compelled to write a polemic. Have no doubt about it, the evil faced by the early church, the evil faced by the church in every age, has the same source as the evil of the Old Testament times. Jude will show the evil for what it is, describe its results, and argue for the once and for all faith delivered for the saints. 

Jude warns the church that they have already been infiltrated. The presumption of most churches is that they are essentially good, filled with sincere believers who, although they sin occasionally, are basically godly people. Jude calls the church to question that assumption. 

In this book Jude frequently uses triplets, and he has a triplet for the false teachers who are in the church. 1, they are marked for condemnation, 2, they use grace as a license to sin, and 3, they deny Christ. When anyone joins that long line of false teachers that stretches back to the first sin, they join the company of the condemned. There is no other option for them. With great consistency these teachers find ways to use their “new understanding” of faith to indulge in their chosen sin. Ultimately they deny and reject the Savior Jesus Christ and the salvation He brings. The example of this practice is sadly long. From the strict ‘conservatism’ of Mormonism to the hard ‘liberalism’ of the Episcopal Church, there is always the permission for sin and the rejection of the faith. The arguments for evil all sound very appealing. But they always lead one away from the faith “once and for all delivered” from God by His Son to the saints. In reality all the arguments of the false teachers are anti-arguments, anti-scholarship, anti-compassion, and anti-love. 

“Help me, Lord, to remain faithful to the faith once and for all delivered for the saints. AMEN”

3 John 1:1-14

3 John 1:1-14

The sad side of the history of the church is portrayed here in this short letter. The core of this letter is found in Verses 9-10. John, responding to the situation in the church, begins by praising the noble Gaius for doing the right thing regarding the support of traveling evangelists. Gaius's faithfulness and commitment to the gospel are expressed in his willingness to aid those who serve as itinerant or traveling missionaries. Such courtesy is/was expected from the church, but Gaius went above and beyond. The verbs and verse 5 “acting faithfully” and “accomplished” literally mean “constructed” or “built” and “labor” or “hard work.” Gaius went far beyond even the generous norms of the early church to aid the missionaries. These were not friends, he knew, but strangers, people with whom his only connection was a gospel. Gaius was a hero in John's accounting.

But there was the problematic leader; Diotrephes. We could guess about his past, but it would only be a shot in the dark. What we do know is that Diotrephes refused to allow support for the mission teams and put out of the church those who did support them. His motivation is that he wants “to be first.” Pride always manifests itself in the desire for control. Most church splits are not in response to false doctrine, while that is often the excuse, but as a result of a power struggle. Diotrephes and his like will not fight fair, and there is no sordid tactic so vile they will not stoop to use it. They would rather destroy the church, if not literally, at least its ability to be a witness than to lose control.

John plans to come and have a confrontation with Diotrephes. Most churches die because there is no one who will confront the influence of evil leaders. And if there is someone, the majority of leaders are so afraid of the distress, and are so allergic to conflict, that they refuse to address the problem. They find it easier to go along to get along and then die. Those leaders who are unwilling to confront evil have much to dread and for which to answer in the judgment day to come. John reminds Gaius that he is not alone. A good leader in a bad situation may often feel that way. John concludes by referring to the promising character of Demetrius. When John arrives, there will be two locals and a third leader to confront the evil Diotrephes. Nothing less than the life of the church is at stake.

“Protect Your church by Your strength in godly leaders. AMEN”

2 John 1:1-13

2 John 1:1-13

John writes the short letter to a church in another city to inform them of his intent to visit, as noted in verse 12. Perhaps this was prompted by some of the young leaders coming to John for a visit or in their mission travels. Of course, the best we can do concerning the occasion, person, and places involved is conjecture.

What is certain is the priorities that John places before the church, then and now. The first priority is love; this commandment is nothing new to the believers. In fact, it is the bedrock, the foundation, and the beginning point of the work of God, the Incarnation of Christ, and the existence of the church. “Love one another” is the commandment that is at the core and the beginning of our faith. But how do we love one another? John explains how to love one another. We do this by obedience to the Lord’s commands. This may not occur to us, but the best expression of love is holy living; we might even say the only expression of love, Christian godly love, agape love, is holy living. This moves love away from being sentimental feelings or emotion (while these may be a byproduct of agape) and moves it into the utter lack of selfish concern and the driven desire for the benefit of others. We do not earn or keep our salvation by the merits of holy living. But holy living is the expression of being a disciple, which is our love for Christ and desire to be like him. There are many implications and applications, but if you wish to keep the commandment to love God and neighbor, holy living is how it is done.

In contrast to the appeal for holy living and love, John refers to those who deny Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. The denial of the orthodox faith regarding the Incarnation has three associations we do not want. By implication, those who deny the Incarnation do not love. Second, bad theology will sooner or later result in unholy living. Third, and this is by statement, not implication, this false Christianity is the work of the Antichrist. The young men who peddle around on bicycles looking for converts going door-to-door witnessing their false faith are driven by the Antichrist. Would we allow such in our homes and churches? If so, why not Satan himself?

“For the Love of You, Lord, help me be faithful in holy living. AMEN”

1 John 5:13-21

1 John 5:13-21

The conclusion of John's letter contains a complex and challenging passage to understand. He speaks of the power of prayer and its effectiveness. Then he talks about praying for brothers who “sin not unto death” and those who do actually “sin unto death” and not praying for them. Much has been written about what this means, and the theories are wide, varied, and, in some cases, confusing. As is always the case, context is most helpful. Throughout the letter, John has asserted that disciples both do not sin and have forgiveness for their sins. This is important to understand this phrase. For illustrations, consider a line across a blank page. From beginning to end, the line is straight with only two or three tiny wrinkles. Not perfectly straight, but we would still understand this as a straight line. Imagine another line. This one is made entirely of loops and jagged points. In no way would we call that a straight line. The first line is like the life of a disciple, it is a straight line or a life. It is not generally described as sinful but may  have occasional divergent points. The other life or line is marked only by its sin and clearly not the life of the disciple. A disciple living that life will eventually lose their love of God and enter into a state called apostasy (if they haven't gone there already). This condition is such that repentance is impossible because this individual doesn't want to repent.

Any sin can become the gateway to a pattern or life of sin in which the line or life becomes completely crooked and twisted. The sin unto death is not a specific vice or individual act but the life/line dominated by the repeated embracing of a sin. If a brother engages in the worship of a false god at the pagan temple and forms a pattern to the point they give their heart to that sin, it is pointless to pray for that individual. 

The best preventative is we need to engage in close relationships that are loving, prayerful, and faithful. In this discipleship and partnership we are close enough to other disciples that we will notice each other’s rare, wrong, and tragic diversions and then we pray for them. In this way we fulfill a specific aspect of our priesthood in Christ. Often we want to see how close we can come to sinful pleasures without actually sinning. That is foolhardy and dangerous. Rather, we need to be as far away from sin as possible, and that is helped with the partnership of fellow disciples. 

“Lord, by other disciples keep me on short accounts.  AMEN”

1 John 5:1-12

1 John 5:1-12

John, throughout his letter, emphasizes three tests, or one might say checkups. These helped the early believers see that they were in right standing before God no matter what the Gnostics might say. These same checkups help us properly evaluate where we are in our spiritual condition. These three checkups are faith, obedience, and love. These themes are found throughout First John, and they seem to congregate in this passage.

The one who believes the specific truth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Belief itself is of no value. The value of belief is only as valid as the object of that faith. To place your faith in an idiot is to give yourself an idiotic faith. Belief must be in Jesus as the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God, and God in flesh.

Next, John mentions love. This is the self-giving love of God, who needed nothing but out of love created man to love. Who, after the fall, because of love, becomes part of our human existence. As we accept and understand this love, we develop it and share it with others. This is a great deal more difficult than we might ever imagine. This is love contrary to everything in our fallen human nature. God gives it to us. Correct doctrine without love is mere intellectual assent at best and could become cold or shallow legalism at worst. But the one who loves as God loves is living this checkup.

The third checkup is obedience, or we might say holy living. This holy living is not a burden. The word burdensome at the end of verse 3 literally means heavy and metaphorically means violent or oppressive. The keeping of the Mosaic law was a heavy burden, but holiness in Christ is not. Why is this? The life that a Christian is called to live is a higher life than the law of Moses. Why is it not a burden, not to mention a heavier one? Because in the life of the disciple, our natural motivation and power base have changed. It is neither hard nor impossible to live holy because the old man of sin is now buried, and we are not fighting our inner self. That doesn't mean there is no effort; the habits have to change by practice, but it is now possible. Our motivation for this life is love for Jesus. What it once was is a decision between the pleasure of sin or not. Now it is a decision between the pleasure of sin or the pleasure of the one we love. Finally, it is not a burden because holy living is not dependent on our own strength but on partnership with the Lord Himself.

“Lord, keep me mindful of these check ups in my life. AMEN”

1 John 4:7–21

1 John 4:7–21

If 1 Corinthians 13 is Paul's love chapter, then 1 John 4:7-21 is John’s treatment of love. While Paul outlines and categorizes love, John's approach is different. John is like a jeweler who examines this wonderful and beautiful stone first from one angle and then another. He begins by pointing out that love is the action of our life, has its origin in God, and is the means by which we are born again. In verse 8 he says something rather surprising: “God is love.” In the Greek world, the pagans would not blink an eye if someone said, “Love is God” or “is a god.” But John says something very different. We must be exceedingly careful with the phrase “God is love.” No human word could describe the totality of God, but love comes as close as is possible. This single word actually is a suitable argument for the doctrine of the Trinity. Love is not love without an object of expression. Who was the object of Father’s love and all eternity before creation? It was the Son and the Holy Spirit. In all eternity their mutual love of the Three is implied in this phrase. You can see why we must define love very carefully, however. (For detailed study, see C. S. Lewis’ book The Four Loves.) In this careful definition we will see that love does not exclude certain other aspects or characteristics of God. In fact, love helps us understand them. Love completes and complements the understanding of God is just, God is holy, God is a consuming fire, etc. We have dumbed down love to be a little more than a sentimental feeling or the fulfillment of our own wishes. Rather, love is a call to self-giving and to rising to the highest standard of righteousness and holiness. A bad and lower definition of love is used as an argument against God or biblical truth. For example, “A loving God would not send people to Hell.” Without a proper definition of love, such nonsense sounds good. Another example might be, “A loving congregation would never remove someone from their fellowship or discipline them.” That is a foolish statement made possible by a dumb definition of love. Before we can understand how love works in our lives, faith, churches, and witness, we need to understand very carefully what love actually is. Love is not the emotional feeling but the gracious, unselfish, and unmerited will that pursues the well-being and benefit of the other without ulterior motives. Even the best definitions will fail to reach the expanse of the meaning of love. But in practice we can do much to learn what love is. 

“Thank You God that You Love me. AMEN”

1 John 4:1-6

1 John 4:1-6

We must never let our guard down regarding false teachers. How many times has great evil been perpetrated on and within the church by truly evil people who have gained the trust of Christians based on personality, looks, conversation, or apparent intelligence? The grammar of the first verse literally says, “Beloved, stop believing every spirit.” Apparently there were some who were already deceived. Satan will not send one who looks like a monster to infiltrate the church. His agents are the most desirable people we can acquire. In the crisis with the Gnostics, John gives this theological test: “Do the spirits working in their human agents confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh?” The rejection that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully human, the historic doctrine of the New Testament, is prompted by demons, by a spirit that is fundamentally anti or opposed to or against Christ. To this day atheism, false religions, and liberal branches of Christianity follow this same false teaching. John is not providing the answer to every possible false doctrine; he is specifically addressing one heresy. In addition to the incarnation being the fundamental theological truth of the Christian faith, it is also the foundation for our ethics and behavior. If you get this wrong, you can't get anything right. If you get this right and are consistent in what you develop, you will eventually get your faith right. 

John refers to this in verse 4. Because God lives in us in the person of the Holy Spirit, we have overcome the dark powers. This is both right thinking and also right doing or living. Note that verses 4, 5, and 6 emphatically begin with a personal pronoun. In verse 5, John is adamant that the false teachers are worldly, speak like the world, and are accepted by the world. That, in part, makes them appealing to immature believers. These teachers seemed so accepted and sophisticated. Finally, in verse 6, John uses the pronoun referring to himself and others in the plural, “we.” Who are the people referred to by “we”? There are two main possibilities. First, this may refer to the apostles. If this is the case, this phase ended with the closing of the New Testament Canon. Second, it may refer to all those who teach the doctrine of the Incarnation correctly. The difference in who “we” refers to is not as important as the test that orthodox doctrine gives us. Those who reject the truth are not simply wrong. More grievous than that, they are actively led by the spirit of error, falsehood, and deviance. 

“Lord, help me have the wisdom to discern the spirits of false doctrine. AMEN”

1 John 3:19-24

1 John 3:19-24

Those who are farthest from Christ are the least aware of their sin. Those who are drawing near the Lord have a more profound understanding of both their sinful nature and the individual sinful acts that they commit. A deep awareness of sin can lead a serious, faithful disciple to a worrisome situation or state of mind, asking, “Do I love God and my fellow man? Am I at all in a right relationship with the Lord?” John’s comments in verse 19 look back to verse 18. We can answer the question of the hypersensitive conscience this way: “Do I love my God, my fellow man, and the truth of the gospel message and express that love in action, specifically meeting the needs of fellow Christians?” How we live is a pretty good reflection of our inner heart’s condition. Do we genuinely want to serve Christ by meeting the needs of our fellow believers because of our faith? That is a very good indication of our heart's condition.

Versus 20-21 brings us a point of concern. “If I am trying to love God and man and to serve Him, but I'm still bothered by what I've done, what shall become of me?” These verses are both a warning and comfort. God is greater than our conscience, so if we are pleading for His grace and living faithfully, God is bigger than our falsely guilty conscience. He knows our true heart. If we are indifferent to the truth and the needs of other believers and are unconcerned that our conscience never bothers us, that very likely indicates a serious spiritual problem. Such a soothed conscience doesn't mean God is pleased with us. Our conscience is a useful, but not perfectly reliable guide. It may give us general directions, but it can never give us the complete address.

The first phrase of verse 22, taken out of context, sounds almost like a magic wand. The promise of answered prayer is only in the context of doing the things that please God. To ask for God's power, grace, and blessing to occur in loving Him, our fellow believers, and helping our brothers and sisters in their need is different than asking for a sports car because I like to drive fast. When the agenda of our life is to love God and our fellow believers and express that love in practical service and obedience, our hearts are set at ease. If for some reason they aren’t, we know God is greater than our hearts. And God is actively giving us our heart's desire to love, serve, and give.

“Lord, give me the grace to practically serve my brothers and sisters in Christ because I love You. AMEN”

1 John 3:11-18

1 John 3:11-18

The supreme way to resemble our heavenly Father is by the character or the virtue of love. We might expect John to give a teaching about the nature or expression of love, but instead he gives us a reference to Cain. Why the reference to Cain? Because repeated action or behavior becomes the pattern that dominates our lives, whether that action is virtuous or a vice. Habits of evil are called “a vice” because, like a bench vise, once we are in them, we cannot escape. Cain’s problem was not the murder of his brother; that was the symptom and was in itself no worse than murders done by Moses or David. The murder, prompted by the exposure of his bad worship, reflects something deeper. John writes, “Because his works were evil.” The verb “were” indicates a continuing, ongoing pattern. The character of Cain's life was not a basically good guy who lost his temper in a fit of rage. Cain’s life was marked by a pattern of evil works. His worship was not a sincere but misguided effort to please God. It was rather, in some way, evil, self-seeking, and rebellious. In Abel, Cain saw a living, walking, and fruit-bearing rebuke to everything wrong in his own life.

This helps us answer the question, “Why the vicious hate for Godly Christian?” We see an irrational, crazed hate for simple people of faith because the character of Christian infuriates those who are like Cain. One example will do. To peaceably stand at an abortion clinic and pray will prompt evil people to respond with unrepeatable words and, in some cases, assault. Because the mere presence of good is a cutting rebuke to evil, the harsher the reaction, the more entrenched the evil.

The opposite of Cain is a life of love, not as a sentimental feeling or emotional rush but rather as actions of practical self-giving. That was expressed in Christ in his death on the cross. Most of us will never face the challenge of being a martyr. However, we face the challenge of rejecting selfishness and instead giving to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is disingenuous for a person to imagine great acts of self-sacrifice if they have never developed the pattern of small acts of loving-kindness. Love must never be big talk; it is more becoming for it to begin with many small acts of love repeated over and over. 

“Lord, may the pattern of my life be acts of love. AMEN”

1 John 3:1-10

1 John 3:1-10

Sometimes we say of a child, “I can see the family resemblance.” As members of God's family, we need to bear the family resemblance of our Father. Being a of child of God is not a title or a label that is accidentally stuck to us. It is the reality of our lives. Because of our relationship with the Father, we are unknown to the world; we are unrecognizable.

But best of all, God is not done with us. As we mature, the family resemblance grows stronger and stronger. When the Lord returns, that family resemblance will come to its completion. While not obvious at first, this brings up an important challenge or question: why live and be holy? If when Jesus returns we will be like Him (let's assume both in body and character), what is the point of a righteous life now? It might be said that with this coming perfection and all our flaws replaced and purified, it would make things easier to not worry about being like Christ now. Why not get saved, do what we want, and then wait on Jesus to come back and make us right? This may have been what the false teachers advocated at the practical level. We can imagine some saying, “I'm okay at a spiritual level, so my behavior doesn't matter.”

John points out that the person who is living a holy life is reflecting that inner character. So too the one who is unholy is showing what is inside. We are not saved by good deeds, not by our acts of charity in a new kind of law that we have to keep. Rather, righteousness is the practice of being like our Father in Heaven. So are our good deeds the result of the Spirit living in us or the works we are doing to be righteous? In a word ‘Yes’. In the life of a disciple, we do not wait idly by while the Lord makes us righteous by himself. Nor do we perform vigorous self-improvement. Rather, it is a cooperative effort. A boy may look like his dad because of genetics, but as he watches and imitates his dad, he picks up on his mannerisms, his habits, or his gestures. A newborn may show only some signs of the dad's appearance, when he grows to be a young man, the genes are on full display, and so also the mannerisms. A toddler may offer a poor imitation of his dad, but later he will copy the dad's actions more completely. So as we mature in our spiritual life, we will look like our spiritual father, whoever that may be.

“Help me, Lord, to display the family resemblance.  AMEN”

1 John 2:24-29

1 John 2:24-29

One of the questions we need to answer is, “Where do you live?” Or, put another way, “Where is your home?” That place gives us a sense of security, a feeling of belonging, and a place from which we go out and face life and the challenges of each day. John uses a word more than any other Bible author that carries that meaning. The word he uses here and in his gospel account is “abide.” Literally it means remain. More than a “waiting room” kind of remaining, it is a “living in” sort of remaining. We may have lived in a place where we didn't feel welcome or at home. This is the opposite; this abiding is our place of belonging, our place of, if you will, “having arrived”. This is not abiding here on Earth nor a geography; it is being in relationship with God and having the truth.

It is interesting to note how John so easily shifts between referring to our abiding in the Father, Son, and Spirit and Their, abiding in us, in the person of the Holy Spirit. It is true that we are to stand before God in holy fear and reverence, but there is also a family sort of relationship going on here. The loving family and friendly relationship of people living together is the reality of our life with God, provided we live in, or abide in, what we are taught. No home will be harmonious if a member is stealing from the family to support a mistress or a drug habit. Our lives of holiness are neither to earn salvation nor to complete a list of rules we must live up to. Rather, holy living is loving living. It increases or grows as we mature in the family. We have been made holy and innocent by the death of Christ, and by the same grace we grow in personal holiness. When we live in what we have been taught, we can approach our meeting with God with confidence, humble confidence, but confidence all the same. Be that meeting in our death or in Christ's return.

One point regarding John's odd saying in verse 27, “You have no need to have anyone to teach you.” Does a disciple ever get to the point where they don't need to learn? No! What John is warning against are those who would add to the simple, beautiful message of the Gospel. These false teachers would say that the gospel needs something more to be useful and effective. Christ is all we need!

“Lord, Thank You that You are all I need. AMEN”.

1 John 2:18-23

1 John 2:18-23

It is not uncommon for believers to become fixated on the “when” of Christ's Second Coming. Many scour the scriptures trying to find clues as to when he will return. This passage is often misused that way, when it is not the point. The point is how we ought to live in anticipation of His return.

John uses a phrase found nowhere else in the New Testament: “last hour.” In the original language there was no definitive article; it was not ‘the last hour’ but simply “last hour.” This is the marking of a critical season. The idea is that of a period of suffering and hardship and struggle that precedes Divine Glory. John was not anticipating Christ's return immediately but rather hardship before that return. If written before the destruction of Jerusalem, he may have been referring to that event. But the event is less important than the conduct of the believers.

In popular culture and media, the term Antichrist is applied to a character that is expected at the end of time. Not so with John. Antichrist is anyone who teaches doctrines or behaviors that oppose Christ. These false teachers lead the faithful Christian astray. They arise from within the community of the church. They form splinter groups and then leave the faith, and in rejecting the truth, they show that they were not the people of God. Satan's twofold attack works and close cooperation. First, there is pressure making it difficult to be a disciple, and second, he offers an alternative faith system that isn't persecuted but will give a religious element to life. Satan is equally pleased with the believer who converts to false faith as with the one who leaves and has no faith at all.

Thankfully we are not going it alone. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide, comfort, and direct us. By scripture, what is written, He will reinforce our standing in the truth. The fundamental doctrines of the faith are that Jesus is Lord and Son of God, eternally begotten by the Father before all creation, very God of very God, begotten not made. For us and our salvation, He became human by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. He was crucified, died, was buried, rose again, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again and judge the living and the dead. Because there is salvation in no other name except Christ, all who reject Him are liars and Antichrists. They deny both the Father and the Son.

“Lord, help me stay faithful to the truth no matter the cost. AMEN”