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1JOHN 2:1-6
LESSON #3
CHRIST OUR ADVOCATE IN FELLOWSHIP
MEMORY VERSE: 1JO 2:3
READ 1JO 2:1-6
JESUS CHRIST, OUR ADVOCATE (1JO 2:1,2)
AT THE END OF CHAPTER 1, JOHN WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BELIEVER AND SIN. WE CAME TOTHE CONCLUSION THAT BELIEVERS STILL SIN EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BORN AGAIN AND FORGIVEN. READ1JO 1:8
THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL CONVICT US OF SIN AND CAUSE US TO CRY TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS. (JOH16:8)
JOHN TELLS BELIEVERS HERE IN CHAPTER 2 THAT HE WANTS THEM TO WALK IN OBEDIENCE TOGODS WORD AND NOT SIN.
JOHN CALLS BELIEVERS “MY LITTLE CHILDREN”. THIS IS A GREEK WORD tekniaWHICH LITERALLY MEANS = “MY LITTLE BORN ONES” OR MY LITTLE BORN AGAIN ONES.
DISCUSSION: READ 1JO 5:18
CAN A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN EVER GET TO THE PLACE WHERE HE DOES NOT SIN ANYMORE? WHY ORWHY NOT?
WHAT IS AN ADVOCATE?
THIS IS THE SAME HEAVENLY COURTROOM SCENE WE SAW IN CHAPTER 1.
THE ADVOCATE IN THE COURTROOM IS YOUR PERSONAL ATTORNEY WHO STANDS UP FOR YOU ANDPLEADS YOUR CASE BEFORE THE JUDGE AND JURY.
THE GREEK WORD FOR “ADVOCATE” IS paraclete. IT IS THE SAME WORD JOHNUSED IN HIS GOSPEL. HOWEVER, IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IT IS TRANSLATED “COMFORTER”.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR COMFORTER AND HELPER HERE ON EARTH, BUT CHRIST IS OUR COMFORTERAND HELPER IN HEAVEN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER.
THE GREEK WORD paraclete IS A LEGAL TERM THAT LITERALLY MEANS = “ONE WHOWILL COME TO YOUR SIDE TO HELP IN EVERY TIME OF NEED”.
“ADVOCATE” IS A TITLE FOR JESUS CHRIST.
NOTICE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR COMFORTER HERE ON EARTH AND OUR COMFORTER INHEAVEN. THE HOLY SPIRIT HERE ON EARTH CONVICTS US OF SIN AND JESUS CHRIST APPLIES HISBLOOD TO OUR CONFESSED SIN IN HEAVEN.
JESUS IS OUR “PROPITIATION”.
THIS WORD IS NOT A COMMON EVERY DAY WORD. IT OCCURS 2 TIMES IN THE ENGLISH BIBLE. WEFIND IT IN ROMANS 3:25 AND HERE IN 1JO 2:2. HOWEVER, THESE ARE 2 DIFFERENT WORDS IN THEGREEK LANGUAGE. THEREFORE, THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT MEANINGS.
ROM 3:25 “PROPITIATION” = MERCY SEAT, THE PLACE IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES WHERETHE BLOOD OF ANIMALS WAS APPLIED TO PAY FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.
1JO 2:2 “PROPITIATION” = ATONEMENT WHERE THE SINS OF ONE PERSON HAS BEEN PAIDFOR BY THE SUFFERING OF ANOTHER PERSON.
IT IS NOT AN OFFERING TO APPEASE AN ANGRY GOD. INSTEAD IT IS A PAYMENT TO SATISFYGODS HOLY LAW.
“PROPITIATION” IS A TITLE FOR JESUS CHRIST.
HE IS OUR MERCY SEAT, AND HE IS OUR ATONEMENT. THEREFORE, OUR ADVOCATE, JESUS CHRIST,NOT ONLY STANDS UP FOR US AND REPRESENTS US BEFORE GOD, BUT HE PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SINSTHAT WE MIGHT GO FREE.
IT DOES NOT SAY THAT IF WE REPENT, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE. IT DOES NOT SAY THAT IF WECONFESS OUR SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE. THESE VERSES TELL US THAT EVERY BORN AGAIN BELIEVERHAS JESUS CHRIST AS HIS ADVOCATE. THIS IS WHERE THE ACTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, OURCOMFORTER ON EARTH, IS COORDINATED WITH THE ACTION OF CHRIST, OUR COMFORTER, IN HEAVEN.
WHY DO WE NEED AN ADVOCATE? DOESNT GOD REMEMBER THAT THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRISTWAS SHED TO TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD? (JOH 1:29)
WE NEED AN ADVOCATE BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ACCUSER, SATAN, WHO ACCUSES US OF SIN. (REV12:10) SATAN STANDS BEFORE GOD AND ACCUSES US DAY AND NIGHT JUST AS HE STOOD BEFORE GODAND ACCUSED JOB.
LOVE, THE HEART OF FELLOWSHIP (1JO 2:3-6)
THE WORD LOVE IS MENTIONED 33 TIMES IN THIS LITTLE BOOK. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TOPAY ATTENTION TO IT.
IN CHAPTER 1 JOHN TALKED ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP THAT THE BELIEVER HAS WITH GOD (AVERTICAL FELLOWSHIP). THAT FELLOWSHIP IS BASED ON GODS LOVE DEMONSTRATED THROUGHJESUS CHRIST WHO DIED FOR US. ALSO THAT FELLOWSHIP IS BASED ON OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST. IF WELOVE HIM WE WILL KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND LIVE FREE FROM SIN MAINTAINING THAT VERTICALFELLOWSHIP.
NOW JOHN TALKS ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP THAT BELIEVERS HAVE WITH EACH OTHER (A HORIZONTALFELLOWSHIP).
DISCUSSION:
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN “FELLOWSHIP”?
ACTUALLY IN TODAYS CHRISTIAN WORLD WE HAVE LOST THE REAL MEANING OF THE BIBLICALWORD “FELLOWSHIP”.USUALLY WE THINK OF POT LUCK DINNERS, GETTING TO KNOW EACHOTHER, AND HAVING FUN TOGETHER SOCIALLY. THIS IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLDS IDEAOF FELLOWSHIP. FELLOWSHIP IN THE BIBLE HAS A DIFFERENT MEANING.
WHAT IS THE TRUE BASIS OF CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP?
1. WE MUST BE PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD. IF WE ARE BORN AGAIN, WE ARE PART OF THEFAMILY OF GOD IN GOOD STANDING. IN OTHER WORDS, OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND WE ARE INFELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. WHEN WE ARE IN GOOD FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, WE CAN BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITHTHE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY.
WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE YOUNG, WE USED TO HAVE A GOOD TIME OF “FELLOWSHIP”AROUND THE DINNER TABLE SHARING THE EVENTS OF THE DAY AND LAUGHING OVER AMUSING EVENTS.HOWEVER, WHEN ONE OF MY CHILDREN CAME TO THE TABLE ANGRY BECAUSE OF SOME DISOBEDIENCE ANDPUNISHMENT DURING THE DAY, HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO STAY AT THE TABLE. HE HAD TO GO TO HISROOM UNTIL HE COULD COME BACK TO THE TABLE WITH A PROPER ATTITUDE. THE SAME IS TRUE OFBELIEVERS. IF WE ARE NOT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST, AND HAVE A BROKEN VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP, WECANNOT HAVE A PROPER HORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS IN THE FAMILY.
THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO THIS PASSAGE, HOW CAN THE CHRISTIAN KNOW FOR SURE THAT HE IS INGOOD RELATIONSHIP IN GODS FAMILY?
2. WE MUST BE OBEDIENT…”IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS”
THIS DOES NOT REFER TO THE 10 COMMANDMENTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT WERE GIVEN TOMOSES AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. IT REFERS TO COMMANDS SCATTERED THROUGH THE NEWTESTAMENT THAT REFER TO THINGS JESUS SAID AND TAUGHT PLUS COMMANDS GIVEN BY THEINSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PAUL, JOHN, PETER, ETC.
FOR EXAMPLE: GAL 6:2 1TH 4:2 ; 5:6-22 ETC.
NOTICE JOHNS ANSWER TO THE GNOSTICS WHO THOUGHT YOU COULD KNOW GOD JUST BY HAVINGKNOWLEDGE.
“THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW THAT YOU KNOW HIM”.
ITS NOT BY INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU WILL KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A RIGHTRELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IT IS BY OBEDIENCE THAT YOU WILL KNOW AND EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVEA RIGHT RELATIONSHIP.
WHAT SHOULD BE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAYING AND DOING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?
SAYING AND DOING IS LIKE JOHNS CONTRAST BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT. IF WEDONT DO WHAT WE SAY WE WALK IN DARKNESS (EVIL).
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT A LIFE OF VERBAL EXPRESSION ONLY, BUT A LIFE OF ACTION. WEMUST DO WHAT WE SAY TO WALK IN THE LIGHT OF GODS LOVE. GOOD INTENTIONS ARE NOT GOODENOUGH. ITS ACTIONS THAT COUNT. IF ACTIONS DONT FIT WHAT YOU SAY, YOU ARE ALIAR ACCORDING TO 1JO 2:4.
3. WE MUST HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD IN US. FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD (VERTICAL FELLOWSHIP) ANDFELLOWSHIP WITH MAN (HORIZONTAL FELLOWSHIP) DEPENDS UPON THE EXPRESSED LOVE OF GOD WORKINGIN YOU AND THROUGH YOU TO OTHERS.
“PERFECTED” = REALIZED IN PRACTICE (ACTION)
YOU CANT HAVE THAT LOVE IN OPERATION IF YOU ARE DISOBEDIENT TO GOD.
THE TRUE BASIS OF CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP IS LIVING THE LIFE OF CHRIST WHO IS OUR EXAMPLE.JESUS HAD THE PERFECT VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THE FATHER, AND THE PERFECTHORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP WITH MEN. WE CAN SEE HOW THESE TWO ASPECTS WORK TOGETHER IN THEGOSPEL OF JOHN.
READ JOH 14:9-12
TRUE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP IS SHARING THE PERSON AND THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS HEMOVES AND CHANGES OUR LIVES. IT IS NOT JUST POT LUCK DINNERS. IT IS REJOICING TOGETHERABOUT WHAT GOD IS DOING IN OUR LIVES PERSONALLY.
APPLICATION:
WHAT IS THE FIRST TEST AS TO WHETHER A PERSON KNOWS GOD AND IS WALKING IN THAT LOVE ANDFELLOWSHIP?
OBEDIENCE
THIS IS A MORAL TEST.
THERE ARE 3 MOTIVES FOR OBEDIENCE:
1. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO…THE MOTIVE OF A SLAVE AND A SMALL CHILD..
2. BECAUSE YOU NEED TO…THE MOTIVE OF AN EMPLOYEE AND A TEENAGER.
3. BECAUSE YOU WANT TO…THE MOTIVE OF THE CHRISTIAN AND THE MATURE ADULT.
ONLY THE THIRD ONE IS A SATISFACTORY REASON FOR OBEDIENCE.
GOD ISNT CHANGING YOU IF YOU ARE NOT OBEDIENT. IF YOU ARE NOT CHANGING TO BECOMEMORE LIKE CHRIST, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SHARE WITH YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.
HOMEWORK
1JOHN 2 … continued
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF 1JO 2:1-6
EXAMINE YOUR MOTIVES FOR OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST. CHECK THE ONE THAT COMES MOST NEAR TOYOUR TRUE MOTIVE.
1. YOU OBEY CHRIST BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO.
2. YOU OBEY CHRIST BECAUSE YOU NEED TO.
3. YOU OBEY CHRIST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO.17
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO IMPROVE YOUR MOTIVE FOR OBEDIENCE?
PREPARATION FOR 1JO 2:7-17
READ 1JO 2:7-17
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE “OLD COMMANDMENT”? (7)
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE “NEW COMMANDMENT”? (8)
JOHN TALKS ABOUT 3 CLASSES OF BELIEVERS IN VERSES 13-14.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE EACH OF THESE CLASSES OF BELIEVERS?
READ GEN 3:4-6 AND MAT 4:1-10.
HOW DO YOU RELATE THESE TEMPTATIONS TO 1JO 2:16 AND HEB 4:15?
WHAT IS THE SECOND TEST OF FELLOWSHIP?
MEMORY VERSE: JOHN 13:34
