First John week 1

GRIT: First John

Introduction to First John and Chapter one

The context in which John wrote:

The churches to whom John wrote had those within their midst who began to spread false teaching.

This was an early form of Gnosticism. This was not full blown as we know it today. It was in the birthing stage if you will.

First John Introduction

False Teaching:

Believed only the initiated could have salvation. You had to have a “special knowledge” in order to be a part.

Believed Jesus was not a real person but only appeared to be a real person.

They believed this because matter was evil (the flesh) and the spirit was good. Therefore they divine could not be in a human body. Jesus could not be the God-man, God incarnate.

Knowledge was king. If you did not have their super secret knowledge you did not have salvation.



Assurance, the theme of First John, is always based in the present not in the past. In order to have assurance we need to examine our everyday lives.

First John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.”

John is writing to a community of believers

whose faith had been shaken by some within their midst who adhered to a false view of Jesus and they began to teach this with in their midst.

John then writes to assure this community that what they were taught from the beginning was true and these teachers were false.

We can KNOW that we have salvation. This is not an issue we have to flip flop on. We can have certainty.


Assurance starts with who Jesus is and what

He has done for us Jesus was a real historical person (1:1-3) Jesus is God (1:3, 2:1,5:20) He proclaims truth (1:5) He is the believers propitiation (2:2, 4:10) An expression of God the Father’s Love (4:9) Because of Jesus we have no fear of

punishment (4:17-18)


First John Introduction: Style of Writing

Chapter Five

Chapter Four

Chapter Three

Chapter Two

Chapter One

John writes and gives us three tests to give us

assurance: Truth (What one believes about Jesus) Obedience (How does one respond to Jesus) Love (Love for God WILL lead to love of others)

It is important to remember that if one fails one of these tests they fail ALL three of them. Remember John writes so they may KNOW they have eternal life.

The BIG Three

In order to have assurance of salvation we

must start with the purchaser of salvation: Jesus. If you have an incorrect view of who Jesus is and what He has done you can have no assurance. (Slide 3 Reviewed) False Teachers: Did not believe Jesus really

came in the flesh. Flesh, the material world, could not mix with divinity in their view.

Salvation came not from the accomplished work of Jesus and His person but through special knowledge.

Three Tests: Truth

The indicative (truth) before the imperative

(command) Example in 1:5-7

How does one respond to who Jesus is? Walk in the light as He in the light (1:5-7) Obey Him 2:4-6 Practice righteousness (3:7-10). Verse ten tells

us it is evident who are the children of God by the way they practice righteousness.

Three Tests: Obedience

A Christian will have love for God which will be

manifest in their love for others. Love is active (3:16-18) Whoever does not love God has not been born

of God (4:7) If we do not love our brother who we can see

we cannot claim to love God who we cannot see (4:12)

Whoever abides in love abides on God and God abides in them (4:16)

Three Tests: Love

How should we respond to what we have

learned? Love Jesus for what He has done on our behalf. Obey Jesus as a natural response to Him being

our Lord. Love others.

Tying it all Together

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That which was from the beginning, which we have

heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- the life was made

manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the

Father and was made manifest to us-- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so

that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so

that our joy may be complete.

Chapter One

This is the message we have heard from him and

proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him

while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our

sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is

not in us. (1Jn 1:1-10)

Chapter One

That which was from the beginning:

It is important to remember this is a letter, an Epistle, to churches throughout Asia Minor. The salutation, greeting, is not usual such as Paul (See Galatians 1:1-5)

What does this phrase mean? Out of the many options from the context it

seems that John is talking about Jesus and His incarnate life.

What is the incarnation? Simply put it is God the Son taking on human flesh thereby becoming the God-man

Chapter 1:1-4

In these verses John stresses the point that he

saw Jesus, heard Jesus and touched Jesus. Why would he do this? Going back to the introduction remember John

was writing against false teachers who did not have a true belief in Jesus.

In their thinking Jesus could not be both God and man at the same time. Man was flesh and the flesh was evil therefore the divine could not be intertwined with the flesh.

Chapter 1:1-4

John gives two reasons for proclaiming what

he does: First he wants his readers to have fellowship

with him and the other Apostles. The second reason is that his readers would

have fellowship with God the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Chapter 1:1-4

“Our” or “Your” that is the question.

Translation of verse 4. Some translations have our and some have your. Does it really matter which one we use and does it do harm to the meaning?

A pastoral perspective and joy in the flock having assurance.

Chapter 1:1-4

Assurance comes from the character of God:

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. (5)

What does it mean that God is light? The context of this verse falls in a passage where John is

addressing the reality of sin and the believers need to confess it.

Light refers to God’s holiness or His moral perfection. God is light therefore there is no darkness in Him.

Literally translated this reads “darkness in him no is none. If light refers to holiness darkness refers to sin.

Chapter 1:5-10

Assurance comes from a Biblical and Correct view of

Sin. In this passage specifically verses 6,8, and 10 John

gives three counterclaims to show how the false teachers view of sin was unbiblical. Verse 6: The false teachers believed they had fellowship

with God, but their lives did not evidence that. They were lying and not practicing the truth.

Verse 8: Those who claim to be without sin deceive themselves and the truth is not in them.

Verse 10: If anyone claims to have not sinned we say God is a liar and His truth is not in us.

Chapter 1:5-10

In this passage about the reality of sin hope

springs forth in verse 9: Confession is agreeing with God that sin is sin

and an affront to His holy character. If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to

forgive us our sins. (See Jeremiah 31:34) How is God faithful and just in forgiving those

who sinned against Him? JESUS See Romans 3:20-28

Chapter 1:5-10

The Christian Walk:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Our vertical relationship with God will bend outwards horizontally with others.

Two effects of walking in the light: Fellowship with one another The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all

unrighteousness.

Chapter 1:5-10

If John writes so his readers have assurance;

how do these 10 verses relate to that theme? In 1-4 we see our assurance comes from having

a Biblical , true, belief of Jesus Christ. This is the bedrock and starting point for assurance.

In verse 5 assurance comes from the character of God. John assures them the message he proclaims is the on he received from Jesus and proclaims. John from the beginning points these wave battered believers to the character of God.

Assurance: Tying it Together

Assurance comes from a biblically correct view

of sin. All have sinned, all fall short, and sin is an affront, an offense, to the holy character of the Father.

We are to walk in the light as God is in the light.

Confess our sins. A believer will desire to confess sin when they do. God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Assurance: Tying it Together

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First John week 1

Spiritual

Transcript of First John week 1