1. The First Epistle of John
Section Four
“Victory Through the Practice of Righteousness”
1 John 2:28 – 4:6
Page 17

2. Victory Through the Practice of Righteousness
There was nothing is more important to the Christian than purity of life
Purity of life is “righteousness” [“quality of being right”]
Purity of life was not important to the gnostic
Gnostics believed that “informed” knowledge put them “above sin”
John emphasizes three themes throughout this section of the letter
We will use selective verses from 1 John 2:28 – 3:22 to illustrate these themes

3. Victory Through the Practice of Righteousness
God’s approval is given to those who practice righteousness
Righteousness is attainable by all who would be righteous
Righteousness and unrighteousness cannot dwell together

4. I. God Approval Is Given To Those Who Practice Righteousness
God accepts practitioners of righteousness as His children (2:29, 3:1)
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1John 2:29)
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1John 3:1)

5. I. God Approval Is Given To Those Who Practice Righteousness
Christians who live righteously can anticipate a great reward at the final judgment (v.2:29)
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1John 2:29)

6. I. God Approval Is Given To Those Who Practice Righteousness
Righteous disciples will escape the awful penalties of sin (vs. 3:5,6)
“And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” (1John 3:5,6)

7. I. God Approval Is Given To Those Who Practice Righteousness
The prayers of the righteous will be heard and answered by their God (v.3:22)
“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1John 3:22)

8. I. God Approval Is Given To Those Who Practice Righteousness
A righteous life promotes a clear conscience (vs.3:19-21)
“And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” (1John 3:19-21

9. II. Righteousness Is Attainable By All Who Would Be Righteous
Righteousness by which God’s children are identified is not restricted by the possession of “special knowledge” or “being elite”
It is available to all and attainable by any who choose to pursue righteousness in this unrighteous world
Let’s look at some things that show righteousness is attainable

10. II. Righteousness Is Attainable By All Who Would Be Righteous
We are righteous when we have been born again into God’s family (v.2:29)
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1John 2:29)

11. II. Righteousness Is Attainable By All Who Would Be Righteous
Those who “keep His commandments” attain righteousness through their obedience to those commands (v.3:24)
“Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1John 3:24)

12. II. Righteousness Is Attainable By All Who Would Be Righteous
“Practicing righteousness” will make us righteous (verses 2:29; 3:7,10)
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1John 2:29)
“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1John 3:7)
“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.” (1John 3:10)

13. II. Righteousness Is Attainable By All Who Would Be Righteous
Avoiding sinful conduct of every kind is also important to our being righteous before God (vs.3:6,8)
“Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.” (1John 3:6)
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1John 3:8)

14. II. Righteousness Is Attainable By All Who Would Be Righteous
Love for the brethren must not be forgotten when one sets out to display righteousness in his life as a Christian (v.3:10)
“In this [a test of their true character] the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.” (1John 3:10)

15. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
This particular section of scripture (2:28-4:6) is ripe with John’s rebukes of false teachings that could lead the faithful astray
John was not tolerant of false teachers
False teachers [gnostics] posed a serious threat to the doctrinal and moral purity of the church
The following statements [on page 20] condemn the falsehoods of the gnostic movement

16. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
“Abiding” in Christ is a definite condition of being children of God (v.2:28,29).
“And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” (1Jn.2:28)

17. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
“Practicing righteousness” is essential to being righteous (v.2:29).
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1Jn.2:29)

18. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Popularity is not the measure of religious correctness (verse 3:1).
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1Jn.3:1)

19. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Purity of life is essential to our having communion with the true God (verse 3:3).
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1Jn.3:2,3)

20. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Lawlessness, acting outside God’s law, is sin; gnostics were thereby sinners (verse 3:4).
“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” (1Jn.3:4)

21. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Sin will prevent or destroy one’s real “knowledge” of the nature of God (v.3:6).
“And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1Jn.3:5-7)

22. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
The disobedient are Satan’s children, not God’s (verse 3:8,9).
“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1Jn.3:8,9)

23. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Concern for others is a necessary facet of the life that pleases God (verse 3:10-18).
10 ”In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. (1Jn.3:10-12) (Cont’d)

24. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Concern for others is a necessary facet of the life that pleases God (verse 3:10-18).
13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (1Jn. 3:13-15) (Cont’d)

25. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Concern for others is a necessary facet of the life that pleases God (verse 3:10-18).
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1Jn.3:16-18)

26. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
A bad conscience shows that one knows better than he does, and a bad conscience condemns such a person (verse 3:19-21).
“And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” (1Jn.3:19-21)

27. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
The real God can and does intervene to relieve the distress of His people (verse 3:21,22).
“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1Jn.3:21,22)

28. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Accepting the “name of” [nature] of Jesus is essential to salvation (verse 3:23).
“And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” (1Jn. 3:23)

29. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
“False” teachers exist and their errors must be resisted (v.4:1)
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1Jn.4:1)

30. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
God requires that people believe that His Son assumed a human body (verse 4:2).
“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,…” (1Jn.4:2)

31. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Any effort to discount Jesus’ dual nature is the work of “Antichrist” (verse 4:3).
“…and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
(1Jn.4:3)

32. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
The power of the True God is greater than that of the gnostic “Supreme God” (verse 4:4).
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1Jn.4:4)

33. III. Righteousness and Unrighteousness Cannot Dwell Together
Gnostic doctrines appeal to worldly people, not to the truly spiritual (verses 4:5,6).
“They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1Jn.4:5,6)

34. Lesson Four:
To be right with God, one must not only keep those commandments that will make him God’s child but also those that will keep him a child of God. The practice of “righteousness” is the lifelong obligation of righteous people.

35. 1 John 2:28-29
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when[f] He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

36. 1 John 3:1-3
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

37. 1 John 3:4-9
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

38. 1 John 3:10-15
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

39. 1 John 3:16-17
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

40. 1 John 3:18-23
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know[d] that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

41. 1 John 3:24
24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

42. 1 John 4:1-3
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

43. 1 John 4:4-6
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

44. QUESTIONS -- SECTION FOUR
We know that Jesus was “righteous” because He always did the Father’s will, (See John 5:30; Psalm 119:172; Matthew 3:15.) How can we as Christians strive to be “righteous” in our daily lives? (vs. 2:29)
There are two reasons why Christians can actually be called “children of God.” What are they? (See John 3:3,5; Galatians 4:5.) What makes both reasons possible? (vs. 3:1,2)

45. QUESTIONS -- SECTION FOUR
When will we be able to comprehend fully the blessings attached to faithfulness to God? (vs.2)
What action will a person take if he truly desires to receive God’s eternal blessings? (vs. 3)
Gnostics denied: (1) the existence of any system of law regulating our relationship with God and (2) the need for man to practice a lifestyle acceptable to God because it was based on such a definite system of spiritual law. How does John connect those two things into an essential truth that governs all who will be saved? (vs. 4)

46. QUESTIONS -- SECTION FOUR
“Righteousness” is not achieved by special knowledge, as gnostics believed, but how? (vs. 7)
Sin is fellowship with whom? For what purpose did Jesus come to earth? (vs. 8)
What prevents Christians from sinning? What does this mean? (vs. 9)

47. QUESTIONS -- SECTION FOUR
John specifies two requirements for validation of a man’s sonship. What are they? (vs. 10)
The world hates God’s children when they practice _________________. For this same reason, ____________ hated his _____________ and _________________. (vs.12)

48. QUESTIONS -- SECTION FOUR
Contrary to gnostic belief, those who are practicing spiritual __________________ are as sure to be lost as __________ for practicing physical _______________. (vs.12-15)
____________ gave the ultimate example of really loving one another by __________ _____________________________ for us. What should we do in return? (vs. 16)

49. QUESTIONS -- SECTION FOUR
How is love for the brethren to be shown? (vs )
In response to gospel teaching, how should a Christian’s heart (conscience) react when he does and does not respond to his opportunities to help the brethren? (vs )
Gnostics taught that only the spirit is capable of anything good (including truth). Why was it appropriate for John to speak of false teachers as “spirits”? (vs. 4: 1,3)

50. QUESTIONS -- SECTION FOUR
All “spirits,” including God’s Spirit, should be judged by what they teach about the nature of Jesus. What was the ultimate test, in John’s time, of all “spirits” as to whether they were or were not “of God”? (vs. 2,3)
Why had some fallen victim to false teachers and others had not? (vs. 4-6)