Study Session Five, continued

       Who would tend to profit if there is contention and division in the household of
  faith?

       In verses 12-14 what two commendations does John give to those who are
  referred to as “children”?  Refer back to 2:1.  List the two statements made about
  "fathers".  What are the statements made about “young men”?

       In verse 15, John commends his readers not to love the world not the things that
  pertain to the world system.  It can also be understood in the imperative mood.
  “Stop loving the world” if you have begun to and don't start if you haven't.   Why do
  you think John is dealing with worldly matters and attitudes in the church?  Aren't
  Christians above that sort of thing?

       Verse 16 shows the world system is a failed system, related to the flesh not the
  Spirit.  Christianity feeds the spirit of man and demands control of the flesh.

       In verse 17, the world is passing away continually, progressively.  It isn't that it
  will pass but that it is passing, declining.  The world system, the cosmos will once
  and for all end, as we know it to allow for the kingdom of Christ.  Then, there will be
  an unfailing system in place.   Not so at this present hour.  But, in spite of all this the
  Word of God is constant, as He is.   The contrast is this, that the will of God is con-
  tinually, steadfastly abiding or standing strong. 

       When does verse 18 say is the last time?
       Where does verse 19 say these antichrists came from?
       What other information do we have here about them?
       Note the contrast between John's intended readers and the antichrists.
       How are his readers, the Christians contrasted to the antichrists?
       What does he mean by an “unction”?  From what source does it come?
       What does he mean about believers knowing “all things”?
       Is this “all things”  limited to anything specific or is it everything about every- 
       thing? 

       In verses 21-23 Why has he written to these young Christians?  What is it they
  know?  Who is referred to here as a liar?  What else is this person besides a liar?
  Can one truly have a relationship with God the Father and deny that Jesus Christ is
  Who He claimed Himself to be?  What does he say about one who claims or pro-
  fesses faith in God and also accepts that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah, One sent from
  and by God)? 

       What does verse 24 suggest is our continuing course as believers?
       What is the reward for our faith according to verse 25?
       Why does he state that he has issued such an intense warning to believers in
      verse 26?

       In verse 27 the “anointing” is the same word as the “unction” above.  It has to do
  with the ministry of the Holy Spirit to us as believers.  What does it supply to us?
  What specific knowledge does it bring about?  Consider also John 14:22-31; John
  15:25-27 and Acts 1:8.

       Considering verses 28-29, why should we remain constant and unchanging in our
  faith (i. e., in both our profession, attitudes, and actions or works)?  What is it that
  we know about Christ in verse 29?  What does this say about one who trusts Him
  (Jesus Christ) without compromise?

Study Session Six 

       1 John, chapter three.  What is the indication that God loves us (verse 1)?  Why
  does not the world see and recognize us for who and what we are as Christians?

       Note: a righteous man or woman is always seen as a curiosity.  We are generally
  viewed as abnormal because we stand out from the rest of the world at large.  The
  truth is that the Christian mind-set is the one that God wants to be extant in the
  world.

       What do verses 2-3 mean that we shall be like Him?  Are we the sons of God in
  the same sense as Jesus is the Son of God?   What do you see as the primary differ-
  ence?

       If we shall see Him as He is, how shall we see Him?  What does John hold forth as
  hope in verse 3?  What does this hope produce?

       Considering verses 4-9, what is sin in verse 4?

       What two truths does John rehearse in verse five?
       What does verse six teach about those who are continually abiding in Christ?
       What does it mean to abide in Christ?
       What is said about those who are continually abiding in sin?  What is meant by
       “abiding in sin”?

       Who is righteous (verse 7)?  What is the standard?
       In verse 8 whose children are they who continually practice sin?

       Notice 9-10. Observe them. Now, remember that we are dealing with present,
  active, indicative verbs in the Greek text.  They show continual and progressive
  action.  These verses do not teach that Christians do not ever sin or that they no
  longer can.

       The emphasis is upon continuous practice rather than the possibility of practice.
  The Christian seeks continually to please God in his life.  He does not continually
  seek to practice sin, but the continual theme of his life is to practice righteousness.
  May he sometimes lapse into sin?  Of course he may.  It is entirely within the realm
  of possibility.  It may even be probable, depending on his level of spiritual maturity.

       He cannot continually seek to practice sin and still demonstrate a clear Christian
  testimony before the church and the world. It is impossible.  One who can contin-
  ually seek, practice and follow after sinful behavior and not be under constant con- 
  viction is not born of God.

       He is not a child of God but a child of the devil.  A woman once told me that she
  didn't believe in hell.  She said she didn't believe God would ever send one of His
  children to hell. 

       NUMBER 1, God doesn't send anyone to hell, their sin does.
       NUMBER 2, God does not send any of His children to hell but hell is full of
                                people who have rejected Him and His plan of salvation.
       NUMBER 3, Everyone is not a child of God.  That is what that woman did not
                                take into account.  Those who reject Him and His Word (John 12:
                                48) is a child of the devil and remains so.

       See also John's Gospel chapter 8, verses 37-47.  These are the words of Jesus
  Himself about this very same subject.

       Also, one who can continually hate can't be a Christian in abiding fellowship with
  God.  We have been brought into the house of God through a selfless demonstration
  of love.  We have in love been established to allow the love of God to be made evi- 
  dent through us.  God would not allow us to remain on earth and represent Him or
  His Word in any other way.

       What do verses 11-12 say the message was from the beginning of the Christian
  faith?

       What is the example given as a contrast between true Christianity and the false
  love of the world?  What are we not to be surprised about in verse 14?

       We have passed entirely out of the realm of death into the realm of life in Christ
  (Romans 8).  Where is the one who continually hates his brother?  With what does
  the apostle equate hatred in verse 15?  How do we know that God loves us (verse
  16)?   How is that to be an example to us?

       What do we show when we fail to help a brother in deed (verse 17)?
       How does verse 18 tell us to put feet to our faith?  How may we have a confident heart
  before God (verse 19)?

       Suppose we do what is required of us and we still don't feel that it
  measures up to God's requirement (verses 20-21)?

       In verse 22, what does consistently keeping His commandments do for our
  prayer life?

       What two elements make up God's command to believers in verse 23?
       Where do we who are obedient to Christ abide;  and how does He abide in or with
  us according to verse 24? 

Study Session Seven 

       1 John chapter four.  According to verse 1, is it a safe thing to accept every
  spiritual message that purports to be from God?  How can we know if the message
  is real or not?

       How do we try the spirits and with what do we compare their messages?  Why
  must we try the spirits?

       In verse 2 what is the test for determining who is of God?
       Then, in verse 3, what is the test for determining who is an antichrist?
       When did John say these antichrists will come along?
       Look at verse 4. Who has overcome these antichrists and by what power?
       Why is their ungodly message so readily received by the world at large?

       Who receives the apostolic message of John (verse 6)?
       Remember, whoever hears willingly and gladly the message of the Word of God,
  penned by holy men of God shows the division or delineation between the spirit of
  truth and the spirit of error (verse 6).

       The absolutely clear and definitive test of whether or not we love God is what
  according to verse 7?

       How does John say the love of God was manifested toward us in verse 9?
       Why did the Son of God come into the world?
       What does it mean that Jesus Christ came to be the propitiation for our sins?
       What is a propitiation?  How did He become the propitiation for our sins (verse 10)?

       We many times get the cart ahead of the horse in our thinking, but from what
  source did godly love actually originate (verses 10-11)?  With this correction in our
  perspective, what does this example of divine love teach us in regard to our hori- 
  zontal relationships, those with other imperfect people of faith?  The operative
  word in the statement above is not “imperfect” but the word “other”,  for an hon-
  est look into the spiritual mirror will readily reveal our many flaws and insufficien-
  cies.  Even if that may be a bit more honest than most of us want to be.  It pays to
  deal with realities realistically.

       I have heard a little ditty, a poem quoted by many men of God and have used it
  myself.  I don't know where it came from or who wrote it, or even if it may be from
  a song.  But I used to hear Dr. J. Vernon McGee quote it on the radio and it goes like
  this:

       This brings us to verse 12.  How do we know that God lives in us?
       Can He be seen today?
       How is He seen today?

       Verses 13-17. How do we know He abides in us (verse 13)?
       How do we know to testify that God has sent His Son into the world (verse 14)?

       Read through verses 15-17.  What does the confession of Jesus tell about us?

       In the remaining verses, 18-21, What is noticeably absent if we are constantly
  abiding in godly love (verse 18)?   What final exhortation or commandment do we
  have from God (19-21)?

Study Session Eight

       First John chapter 5.
       What does verse 1 teach about the one who believes that Jesus is the Christ?
       What is said of the one who loves God the Father (the One Who begat)?
       What is the proof that we love the children of God?

       In verse 4, who has overcome the world?  By what?
       Verse 5 states that Jesus is the Son of God.
       What does verse 6 say about how Jesus came to us?
       What is here represented by water?
       What is indicated by blood?
       What character trait is attributed to God the Holy Spirit in this verse?

       In spite of the argument some make about a problem here in older manuscripts,
  we are going to abrogate any such idea at this time.  What three witnesses are
  mentioned as corroboration in heaven for the message John preached here (verse
  7)?   What three witnesses does he cite in verse 8, as being on the earth?  Can you
  find support for these ideas elsewhere in Scripture? 

       John is comparing and contrasting the word of men and the Word of God in his
  statement made in verse 9.  Of what does he hope to persuade his readers? 

       How does one obtain the internal witness addressed in verse 10? By disbelieving
  God's testimony God is equated with what?

       By rejecting God's Word, on anything, man is setting himself up as one who is
  greater than God, his knowledge greater than God's, his wisdom greater than God's,
  his will more perfect and important than God's.  What is God's testimony in verse
  11?  How did Jesus address this attitude in John 12:48?  Look at Revelation 21: 8.
  At what cost does one disbelieve the Word of God -- the Word of Christ?

       In verse 12 we see that one who is trusting Jesus Christ for salvation has life
  within himself.  He is not expecting to come to life at the end of this earthly exis-
  tence, but already has, is experiencing eternal life now.  Heaven, then is a continua-
  tion of his spiritual relationship, which he has in Christ right now, carried beyond
  this worldly dimension into eternity with Christ. 

       Likewise, one who is in the state of rejection toward God and His Word is abiding
  in death.  He will not just enter into eternal death at the end of his earthly life, but is
  already experiencing eternal death within himself.  Then, of course, will continue to
  experience it as the second death for eternity, because of unbelief.

       That's why “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
  Jesus,” because they “walk” and live “after the Spirit” of God and not the desires of
  human flesh.  If you are a Christian then you are “born of God”, born again from
  above (John 3:3, 5, 16-19) and indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God Who is to lead you
  into all truth.

       To be fleshly (“carnally”) minded we separate ourselves from the very nature,
  purpose and plan of God in our lives through Christ Jesus.  We thwart the plan of
  God for us as living witnesses of His grace to the world.  See if you can support this
  principle from other portions of Scripture.  A Bible Concordance would be of great
  help with this.

       “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh:  but they that
  are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death;  but
  to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity
  [hatred] against God:  for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  But ye are not in the flesh but
  in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.  Now if any man have not
  the Spirit of Christ, he is none of is. 

       And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life
  because of  righteousness.  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the
  dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
  mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  Therefore, brethren, we are
  debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall
  [continually be dying]:  but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the
  body, ye shall [continually be living]” (Romans 8:5-14).

       I boxed in the the few words above not because they differ from the KJV text in
  this instance, but because the changes show the progressive nature of the future,
  active participles used in the Greek New Testament.

       In 1 John 5:13-15, for what two purposes does John write concerning those who
  “believe on the name of the Son of God”?  What is the stated confidence we have in
  Christ?  Of what are we to be assured if we are continually confident that God is
  continually hearing us?

       What should be our posture if we witness our brother sinning a sin that does not
  require death as a judgment (verse 16)?  This may be seen as a trick question, but
  what if we see our brother (or, sister) sinning a sin that does require death as a
  judgment, are required to pray for him (or her)?  Are we abrogated from that res-
  ponsibility or are we just not to pray for the inevitable end of such an action?  Let
  me make it plainer.   Are we not to pray for him (her) at all?  Or, are we not to pray
  for the death that sin brings as a punishment for that sin?  Just what is it that we
  are relieved of in this verse?

       According to verse 17, is all unrighteous wrong?  Is there any such thing as sin
  that does not require death?

       Does verse 18 say that a Christian does not or cannot sin (now, consider all the
  territory we have already covered up to this point in formulating your answer)?
  The one who is born of God is unaffected by the wiles of the devil in the latter part
  of verse, but because of what action on his (the believer's) part?  The word
  “keepeth” means “guardeth” (that's a hint).

       What is our two-part knowledge in verse 19?  The word translated “wickedness”
  would be better translated as “wicked one” [tJ ponhrJ].  In the original Greek text
  it is simply “the wicked” and implies a personal application rather than essence.

       Verse 20 lists several things that we now know with assurance.  What are they?
  The number could vary depending upon where you see the divisions.

       Consider verse 21 and write out what may have been the reason for the apostle
  to have ended his letter in this way.  Then, go back and look for whatever helps you
  may have available and compare your answers with the commentator's.