Tests and a call to Love God

Outline: 1. 2. 3. 4. The test of knowing Him (2:3-6) An old commandment and a new commandment (2:7-11) Their spiritual state (2:12-14) Do Not Love the World (2:15-17)
Greek "say" Claim Denial Type of Test we say that we have we lie and do not fellowship with Him, and practice the truth walk in darkness we say that we have no sin 1:8 we say that we have not sinned 1:10 He who says, I know Him, and does not keep His commandments He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother is a liar, and the truth is not in him Obedience Test Implied: Does not "walk as He walked" therefore does not abide in Him is in darkness until now we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us Blasphemy Test we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us Humility Test

Verse

1:6

Purity Test

2:4

2:6

Discipleship Test

2:9

Social Test

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Tests and a call to Love God

Detailed: 1) The test of knowing Him (2:3-6) a) Text: Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. b) The test: by this we know that we know Him c) The condition: if we keep His commandments i) Echoes our Lords own words! John 14:15, If you love Me, keep My commandments. Also 14:21 and 15:10 ii) John repeats this theme in this epistle: (1) 1 John 3:22-24, 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[a] commandment. 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. (2) 1 John 5:2-3, By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome d) Another false claim: I know Him but ignore His commandments e) Another denial: Youre a liar and live in error f) Two types of men: i) Profession without obedience ii) Obedience flowing from love g) The blessings of obeying Him: i) Called keeping His word ii) the love of God is perfected in him. What does this mean?
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Tests and a call to Love God

(1) Our love for God? (2) Gods love for us? (3) A qualitative sense? Gods love? (4) I see it as the first in the sense that Paul speaks of the illustration of the wife pleasing the husband and the husband pleases the wife. 1 Corinthians 7:32-34, But he who is married cares about the things of the worldhow he may please his wife. 34 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the worldhow she may please her husband. (5) And so the believer, the disciple asks how may I please my Savior and Lord! iii) Assurance: (one of the purposes of Johns epistle): By this we know that we are in Him h) To obey Him is to imitate Him: ought himself also to walk just as He walked i) Paul: Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1) ii) We cannot walk the highways and streets of the Holy Land iii) But we can have a compassion for the lost as He had! iv) And we can desire to please our Heavenly Father as He did!

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Tests and a call to Love God

2) An old commandment and a new commandment (2:7-11) (The social test) a) Text: Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. b) Old commandment: i) Old Testament old: Leviticus 19:18, You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD ii) Gospel old: (1) John 13:34, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another (2) John 15:12, This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you (3) John 15:17, These things I command you, that you love one another c) A new commandment? i) In what sense is this new? ii) Is the newness the teaching of Christ as recorded in John with (1) A call for a greater degree of love to love as I have loved you? iii) Is the newness a renewed emphasis by John in this epistle? iv) Unclear to me but John repeats this theme of loving the family of God in his epistle v) A brief thought on brother (Greek ) (1) Means literally from the same womb (delphus (the womb))
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Tests and a call to Love God

d) And here John presents the social test: But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness 3) Their Spiritual State (2:12-14) a) Text: 12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His names sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. b) John addresses his readers directly as little children i) Elsewhere in 1 John the term little children refers to the entire readership rather than a select group within it (2:1, 2:28, 3:7, 3;18, 4;4, 5:21) (1) neuter known (Greek nouns have gender even things!) (2) A favorite Johannine word. Only in Johns writings (once in Gospel of John (13:34) and one other NT occurrence (Galatians 4:19) (3) Interestingly in 2:13 a different word for little children =

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Tests and a call to Love God

ii) Questions: (1) Three groups?: children, young men, fathers OR (2) Whole group (little children) followed by two subgroups (fathers and young men). (3) Unclear whether subgroups are distinguished by age or spiritual maturity. (4) What about the gender language? Fathers, Young men? (a) Fathers, , (i) Possible meaning = seniors (ii) Eg John 6:31, where it could be gender neutral or Ephesians 6:4 where it could mean parents (b) Young men, (i) Possible meaning = young adults? (TNIV) (5) The three group view:
Children Young men Fathers Recent converts, new to the faith In the heat of spiritual warfare Maturity and deeper knowledge of God

(6) Contrast between those who *are+ in darkness and walk[] in darkness (2:11) and those who abide*+ in the light (2:10) (a) Here the author addresses them directly as those who belong to the light and reside (or remain) in the light (Source: Exegetical Commentary on 1 John 2:12-17, W. Hall Harris III) (Full URL: http://bible.org/seriespage/exegetical-commentary-1-john-21217) (b) Expresses his confidence in their Christian character and attainments to secure a vantage ground from which to press yet more stringent demands that are to follow (Boyce, p 58)

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Tests and a call to Love God

(7) Language of confidence:
Verse 12 13 13 13 14 Category little children fathers young men little children fathers Confidence Because your sins are forgiven you for His names sake Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. Because you have overcome the wicked one Because you have known the Father Because you have known Him who is from the beginning Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one

14 young men

Sorted provides a view based on maturity category:

Verse 12 13 13 Category little children little children young men Confidence Because your sins are forgiven you for His names sake Because you have known the Father Because you have overcome the wicked one Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. Because you have known Him who is from the beginning

14 young men 13 fathers 14 fathers

(8) Another exegetical question note change of tense: (a) From I am writing to I have written (b) Several options (for I have written): (i) Refers to an earlier epistle or Gospel OR (ii) Present tense as he is writing then a pause and the aorist tense to reflect back OR (iii) Stylist purposes (epistolary aorist same effective meaning as the present tense)

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Tests and a call to Love God

(9) Further comments: (a) Little children: (i) Obviously saved (ii) He wants them to progress in their spirituality (b) Young men: (i) Not speaking of strong physically although they no doubt are! (ii) Source of spiritual strength = the word of God abides in you (iii) They are veterans of spiritual warfare (c) Fathers: (i) Significance in from the beginning 1. Christ? (John 1:1 & 1 John 1:1) 2. The Father? 3. Perhaps it doesnt matter! (ii) Picture is of longstanding perseverance in the faith 4) An Appeal (really a command) - Do Not Love the World a) Text: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the worldthe lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of lifeis not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever b) Greek imperative: i) : present active imperative

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Tests and a call to Love God

c) The world? Greek . - Three senses in the NT: i) The universe: (Eg John 1:10, the world was made through Him) ii) The world of men: (Eg John 3:16, For God so loved the world) iii) Major use = The world of men in rebellion against God all that is in opposition to God. the world system. Examples: (1) John 1:10 , He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him (2) 1 John 5:19, the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one (3) 1 John 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 (4) This is the sense John employs in this text! iv) In the first sense of the word it is appropriate to value the universe which God made! v) In the second sense we ought to love the world of men and have a passion for the lost vi) In the third sense we are to abhor the worlds system of thought, values and morals which stand against God d) Love not the world: i) Boyce cites Robert Law, The Tests of Life: Law rephrases the apostles appeal ii) Do not court the intimacy and favor of the unchristian world around you; do not take its customs for your laws, nor adopt its ideals, nor covet its prizes, nor seek fellowship with its life (Boyce p 63) e) Two reasons cited: i) If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. AND ii) the world is passing away f) Detailed: i) The love of the Father is not in him: (1) Love of the world and love of God are incompatible (2) Cannot love and serve God and at the same time love what God hates and which opposes Him ii) The worlds system analyzed: (1) For all that is in the worldthe lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of lifeis not of the Father but is of the world

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Tests and a call to Love God

(a) Lust of the flesh = godless desires (including the sensual but more!) (b) Lust of the eyes = covetousness (c) Pride of life = Thinking oneself superior Conclusions: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Called to love and serve God fervently Must eschew all that would hinder such love and service Called to embrace truth reject error Called to righteousness turn from unrighteouness Called to love God! Our highest loyalty and affection

Boyce: Adultery does not change the legal status of the marriage, but destroys the fellowship and is dishonorable. As Christians we are married to Christ. Therefore, we must not dishonor that relationship by adultery, or even flirting with the world (p. 65)

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