1. Christians Live the Faith
1 John 2:3-28
Christians Live the Faith

2. Review
1:1-4 – John reminds his dear children of the joy we share in Christ
1:5-2:2 – Begins section that concludes at 2:28 in which John explains what it means to live a Christian life
2:1-2 – objective justification
1:8-10 – subjective justification (faith)
1:5-7 – Christian sanctification (holiness –always incomplete - and obedience of Christian words and actions)

3. 1 John 2:3-6
Here begins the first application of tests by which one may gauge his or her relationship with God. The three tests that repeat throughout 1 John are moral (obedience to God‘s will), social (loving your neighbor as yourself), and doctrinal (right believing). With these verses we have a moral test.

4. 1 John 2:3-6
John’s emphasis on “we know” is in contrast to Cerenthis and those who followed him. Do you know why?
What is the test by which you can identify a false prophet?
What is the relationship between truth and love (vs 5)? (This will be explained more fully in 2 & 3 John)
How does one “walk as Jesus did?”

5. 1 John 2:3-6
Application:
What damage is done to the Christian church when the lives of Christians contradict Bible truths? (Christian crusades, Spanish Inquisition, Slave trade tolerated and justified by some Christian churches, the Holocaust)
Today: Pastors (or other church leaders) found guilty of being pedophiles, embezzlers
Divorce rate among Christians identical to that of heathen, unmarried couples claim to be Christians yet live together in defiance of the institution of marriage, and on … and on!!!!

6. 1 John 2:7-14
Verses 3-6 presented the moral test of Christianity. These verses (7-14) present the social test of loving your neighbor as yourself.
Verse 7 begins with the first of seven occurrences of “beloved” (NIV “dear friends”). John wants those called upon to love to remember that they themselves are loved!

7. 1 John 2:7-14 (spec 7-8)
According to John 13:34 what was the “new command” that Jesus gave his disciples on the night he was betrayed?
What is “old” about it? What is “new?”
Both John (Re 22:16) and Peter ( 2 Pe 1:19) call Jesus the Morning Star. How do John’s comments at the end of verse 8 fit with that picture?

8. Ignatius
On the lovelessness of Gnostics in his day, Ignatius (c. 100) wrote: ―They have no care for love, none for the widow, none for the orphan, none for the afflicted, none for the prisoner, none for the hungry or thirsty.‖

9. 1 John 2:7-14 (spec 7-8)
According to John 13:34 what was the “new command” that Jesus gave his disciples on the night he was betrayed?
What is “old” about it? What is “new?”
Both John (Re 22:16) and Peter ( 2 Pe 1:19) call Jesus the Morning Star. How do John’s comments at the end of verse 8 fit with that picture?

10. 1 John 2:7-14 (spec 9-11)
Verse 9 is an example of what theologians call the “unit concept” in theology. What do you suppose that refers to?
Where does hatred originate? What happens when it is unchecked?
Who alone enables us to walk “without stumbling?” How is a Christian enabled to stop hating?

11. 1 John 2:7-14 (spec 12-14)
These verses comprise a brief digression on the Church. John does not want his readers to come away with the impression that he believes they are walking in the darkness. So, in poetic form, he describes them as they really are: the family of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Why is each group addressed twice?
Any significance to the groups identity?
What great comfort do these words give you?

12. I John 2:15-17 How does this jive with John 3:16?
What are different ways the Bible uses the word ‘world’?
God’s created environment
The people on the planted
The opposite of the values of heaven (identified here as “cravings, lust, and boasting”)
After his digression on the Church (2:12-14), John now includes a digression on that ordered system of evil that opposes the Church in every way, the world.
How does the world work negatively on the Church?

13. I John 2:18-21
After digressions on the church (vs 12-14) and the world (vs 15-17), John now returns to his application of tests to distinguish true faith from false faith. The first was the moral test of obedience (2:3-6). The second was the social test of love (2:7-11). Now we have the doctrinal test of right belief (2:18-27).

14. I John 2:18-21
John introduces us to the term “antichrist” in singular and plural forms.
About this passage our WELS doctrinal statement says: ―Scripture speaks of many forces and powers which are actively hostile to Christ and His Church, and uses the term ’antichrist‘ with reference to some of them.‖
“anti” can mean “in place of” or “against”

15. I John 2:18-21
Can you think of “antichrists” who in the history of the church “have gone out from us, but they did not really belong to us?” (cf People’s Bible pp 226 ff)
What is “the anointing from the Holy One”? What does this do for us?
What is our hope in confronting antichrist(s)?

16. I John 2:22-28 According to vs 22, who is the antichrist?
What is the main teaching in each of the Eccumenical creeds? (cf vs 22-23)
How does one guard “what you have heard from the beginning?”
The word ‘remain’ is key here.
Remaining in Christ doesn’t happen by itself – it is a conscious choice!
Remember the Christian cooperates with the Holy Spirit after conversion
Where is this relationship strengthened?