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1JOHN 1
LESSON #2
GOD IS LIGHT
MEMORY VERSE: 1JOHN 1:9-10
READ 1JO 1:1-10 GOD IS LIGHT
WE ALL WANT A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS REAL: A RELATIONSHIP BASED ON HONESTY ANDLOVE. THIS IS WHAT JESUS OFFERS US IN 1JOHN. HOWEVER, EVERY RELATIONSHIP IS TWO-SIDED. YOUCANT HAVE A REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE WHERE ONE PERSON PUTS IN ALL THE EFFORTAND THE OTHER PERSON PUTS IN NOTHING. THE SAME IS TRUE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. WECANT EXPECT HIM TO PUT IN ALL THE EFFORT AND WE DO NOTHING. THIS TRUTH WILL BECOMECLEAR AS WE STUDY FIRST JOHN.
READ JOH 1:1-14
JOHN BEGAN HIS GOSPEL WITH THE SAME IDEA PRESENTED HERE IN 1 JOHN. JOHN SAYS JESUS ISTHE LIGHT. IN FACT IT IS A NAME GIVEN TO JESUS. (JOH 9:5)
DISCUSSION:
WHAT ARE SOME USES OF LIGHT?
1. IT CHASES AWAY DARKNESS.
2. IT REVEALS PRECISE TRUTH AND REALITY, FLAWS AND IMPURITIES.
3. LIGHT IS USED AS A GUIDE TO LIGHT THE WAY.
4. YOU CAN USE IT (LASER) TO CUT SOMETHING.
IT HAS POWER.
5. A PERSON CAN BE BLINDED BY TOO MUCH LIGHT.
HOW DO THESE USES OF LIGHT TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT JESUS?
1. JESUS CONQUERS SIN AND EVIL (DARKNESS).
2. JESUS SAID “I AM THE TRUTH…” (JOH 1:14,17 JOH 14:6) JESUS AND HIS WORDREVEAL MANS SINFULNESS.
3. JESUS SAID “I AM THE WAY” (JOH 14:6)
4. JESUS HAS ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY (LUK 9:1)
5. WHEN JESUS SPOKE PARABLES SOME WERE BLINDED TO THE TRUTH.
(MAT 13:10-11)
THE BIBLE IS ALSO CALLED THE LIGHT OF LIFE (2TI 1:10) BECAUSE IT LEADS US TO JESUSCHRIST, THE LIGHT OF LIFE (JOH 8:12)
NOTICE THE WORD BEGINNING IN 1JO 1:1
WHICH BEGINNING IS JOHN TALKING ABOUT? THERE ARE 3 REFERENCES TO “BEGINNING”MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE:
1. GEN 1:1 THIS “BEGINNING” RELATES TO CREATION OF THE WORLD IN WHICH JESUSWAS PRESENT AS THE CREATOR (COL 1:16)
2. JOH 1:1-3 THIS “BEGINNING” REALLY HAS NO BEGINNING. IT IS ETERNITY PAST INWHICH JESUS ALWAYS EXISTED.
3. 1JO 1:1 THIS “BEGINNING” REFERS TO THE TIME JESUS CAME TO THIS EARTH AS ABABY IN BETHLEHEM.
HEARD, SEEN, LOOKED UPON, TOUCHED 1JO 1:1
THESE WORDS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT THAT JOHN MENTIONS THEM 3 TIMESIN THE FIRST 3 VERSES. THEY TELL US JOHNS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS CHRIST. HEHEARD HIM TEACH, HE SAW HIM AS HE RELATED TO PEOPLE. HE LOOKED UPON HIM AS HE BORE THE SINOF THE WORLD ON THE CROSS, AND HE TOUCHED HIM (LUK 24:39-40).
THE WORD “LOOKED UPON” IS FROM A GREEK WORD “theaomai” FROMWHICH WE GET OUR WORD “THEATER”. IT MEANS = “TO GAZE INTENTLY UPON”.
JOHN WROTE “AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS EVEN SO MUST THE SONOF MAN BE LIFTED UP” (JOH 3:14). JUST AS THE ISRAELITES LOOKED INTENTLY UPON THEBRONZE SERPENT FOR HEALING, JOHN AND THE DISCIPLES LOOKED AT JESUS CRUCIFIXION ONTHE CROSS FOR SPIRITUAL HEALING.
THIS INTENT GAZE IS MORE THAN A PASSING GLANCE. WE, TOO, MUST LOOK AT JESUS INTENTLY TORECEIVE SALVATION AND LEARN TRUTH.
THE WORD “TOUCHED” IN GREEK MEANS = TO GROPE AFTER, TO HANDLE, OR FEEL FORSOMETHING LIKE A BLIND MAN IN THE DARK.
WHY ARE THESE WORDS SO IMPORTANT?
REMEMBER THE GNOSTIC BELIEF THAT JESUS WAS NOT A REAL HUMAN BEING BUT ONLY”APPEARED” LIKE A MAN? JOHN USES THESE WORDS OF HEARING, SEEING, AND TOUCHING TOPROVE THAT THE GNOSTIC BELIEF ABOUT JESUS WAS FALSE.
“THE LIFE WAS MANIFESTED” (1JO 1:2)
CONTINUING HIS ATTACK AGAINST THE GNOSTIC BELIEF, JOHN SAYS THAT THE EARTHLY LIFE OFJESUS WAS REAL. HE WAS NOT SOME SPIRIT FIGURE WALKING AROUND GHOST-LIKE, BUT HIS LIFE WASOPENLY REVEALED (MANIFESTED). GOD OPENLY REVEALED HIMSELF IN JESUS CHRIST. (JOH 14:9)
GOD REVEALED HIMSELF IN CREATION. (ROM 1:20) AND HE REVEALS HIMSELF IN THE WORD OF GODBUT HIS MORE COMPLETE REVELATION IS IN JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, IF A PERSON IS WRONG ABOUTWHO JESUS CHRIST IS, HE IS WRONG ABOUT WHO GOD IS.
JESUS WAS “THAT ETERNAL LIFE”.
JESUS IS NOT ONLY CALLED “THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD”, HE IS ALSO CALLED”THE WORD OF LIFE” HERE IN 1JO 1:2.
IN YOUR HOMEWORK YOU WERE TO GIVE TWO ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION, “WHAT IS THE WORDOF LIFE”?
1. JESUS IS THE WORD OF LIFE (JOH 1:1,14 JOH 14:6)
“THE WORD” IS ANOTHER NAME FOR JESUS. IN FACT IT IS HIS ETERNAL NAME.
(REV 19:13) IT IS THE NAME HE HAD IN ETERNITY PAST AND ALL THROUGH HUMAN HISTORY. IT ISTHE NAME HE WILL WEAR AT HIS SECOND COMING.
JESUS SAID HE WAS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE (JOH 11:25). THEREFORE, “ETERNALLIFE” IS NOT AN UNKNOWN CONCEPT OF TIME, IT IS A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. THEDEFINITION OF ETERNAL LIFE IS = JESUS CHRIST.
2. THE BIBLE IS ALSO THE “WORD OF LIFE”
(PHI 2:16) CALLED BY THIS NAME ONLY BECAUSE IT TELLS US ABOUT AND LEADS US TO JESUSCHRIST, WHO IS THE WORD OF LIFE.
ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, HOW DOES LIGHT RELATE TO LIFE?
BOTH LIGHT AND LIFE ARE NAMES FOR JESUS. BOTH ARE NAMES FOR THE WORD OF GOD WHO REVEALSJESUS CHRIST AND LEADS US TO HIM. IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT OF A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITHJESUS CHRIST, GUIDED BY HIS WORD, WE WILL ALSO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
WHAT IS JOHNS MOTIVE FOR TELLING HIS READERS THESE TRUTHS? (1JO 1:3)
1. JOHN WANTS US TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP (FELLOWSHIP) WITH GOD, THE FATHER, THROUGHJESUS, THE SON.
THE WORD “FELLOWSHIP” IS THE GREEK WORD koinonia. IT MEANS = HAVING INCOMMON OR SHARING WITH.
THE BASIS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THE FATHER, IS THAT WE HAVE JESUS CHRIST INCOMMON. WE IDENTIFY WITH HIM AND HIS SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS AND HE SHARES WITH US THATFORGIVENESS THAT OUR SINS HAVE BEEN PAID.
2. “THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL” (1JO 1:4)
THIS IS ANOTHER REASON JOHN WRITES THIS LETTER.
ONLY THROUGH A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD CAN WE HAVE TRUE JOY ABUNDANTLY. HOWEVER,THERE IS A PROBLEM.
GOD IS SO HOLY AND UNAPPROACHABLE AND WE ARE SO SINFUL AND CANNOT APPROACH GOD. HOW CANWE HAVE THIS KIND OF JOY IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD?
(1JO 1:5) HOW CAN SINFUL MAN WHO DOES THE WORKS OF DARKNESS (EVIL) WALK IN FELLOWSHIPWITH GOD WHO IS LIGHT?
HOW IS GOD IDENTIFIED? (VS. 5-7)
GOD IS LIGHT REFERS TO HIS BEAUTY, HIS GLORY, HIS HOLINESS, HIS RADIANCE, AND HISWONDER. IT LEAVES US WITH THE PICTURE OF AN UNAPPROACHABLE GOD.
JOHN SAYS THERE ARE 3 WAYS MAN ATTEMPTS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN SINFUL MAN AND AHOLY, RADIANT GOD. TWO OF THESE WAYS DO NOT WORK. BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE SUCCESSFUL WAY.
A. BRINGING GOD DOWN TO MANS LEVEL. (1JO 1:6)
JOHN SAYS THAT IF YOU CONTINUOUSLY LIVE IN UNFORGIVEN SIN, AND SAY YOU HAVE FELLOWSHIPWITH GOD, YOU ARE A LIAR. THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO BRING GOD DOWN TO OUR SINFUL LEVEL. GODDOES NOT COMPROMISE WITH SIN BECAUSE HE IS HOLY (LIGHT).
B. BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN MAN AND GOD IN GODS WAY. (1JO 1:7)
ONLY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST CAN OUR SINS BE FORGIVEN SO THAT WE CAN STAND BEFORE GOD HOLYAND WITHOUT SIN.
C. BRINGING MAN UP TO GODS LEVEL. (1JO 1:8)
THE WORSE SITUATION OF THE THREE IS THIS ONE. IF YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE NOT A SINNER, YOUDECEIVE YOURSELF, AND YOU DO NOT HAVE THE TRUTH IN YOU. THIS IS MORE THAN A LIAR (#1)BECAUSE THE PERSON IS SELF DECEIVED AND WILL NOT RECOGNIZE TRUTH BECAUSE HE HAS CLOSED HISMIND.
THERE ARE 3 MORE REASONS JOHN WRITES THIS BOOK WHICH WE WILL CONSIDER MORE FULLY AS WECOME TO THEM IN THE BOOK.
3. THAT WE MIGHT NOT SIN (1JO 2:1
4. THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE DECEIVED (1JO 2:26)
5. THAT WE MIGHT KNOW WE ARE SAVED (1JO 5:13)
WHEN THE GAP HAD BEEN BRIDGED BETWEEN MAN AND GOD THROUGH THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUSCHRIST, GOD WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM. TO INSURETHAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WALK IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, THE DOOR OF FORGIVENESS ISCONTINUOUSLY OPEN TO US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, THE BRIDGE BETWEEN GOD AND MANWAS NOT JUST A ONE TIME EVENT WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS, BUT HIS SHED BLOOD ISCONTINUOUSLY AVAILABLE TO US WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN SIN. WE NEED TO CONFESS OUR SIN TOREGAIN OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
(1JO 1:9)
WHAT DOES THE WORD “CONFESS” MEAN?
THE WORD CONFESS IS “HOMOLOGEO” IN GREEK, WHICH MEANS = TO SAY THESAME THING.
WE MUST SAY THE SAME THING THAT GOD SAYS.
“GOD SAYS MY ACTION IS SIN, SO I AGREE WITH GOD THAT MY ACTION IS SIN”.
WE ARE ALL SINNERS EVEN IF WE ARE CHRISTIANS. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE AREA OFFELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. IF WE HAVE SIN IN OUR LIVES, WE ARE OUT OF FELLOWSHIP. IF WE CONFESSOUR SINS WE ARE BACK IN FELLOWSHIP. PRAISE GOD, HE DOES NOT LEAVE US OUTSIDE OF THE THRONEROOM WHEN WE SIN. WE CAN GET BACK IN.
NOTICE THE CONTRAST BETWEEN SAYING AND DOING IN VERSES 1:6, 1:8, 1:10.
CHRISTIANITY IS MORE THAN JUST SAYING YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN. IT IS DOING IT. IN OTHERWORDS WE MUST “WALK THE TALK”.
APPLICATION:
FROM THIS SECTION OF 1JOHN WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE ONLY 2 KINDS OF PEOPLE WHOCANNOT HAVE THE JOY OF THE LORD.
1. THE PERSON WHO IS NOT BORN AGAIN AND THEREFORE HAS NO RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUSCHRIST.
2. THE CHRISTIAN WHO IS OUT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD BECAUSE OF UNPARDONED SIN. IF ABELIEVER IS OUT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, IT IS BECAUSE OF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
A. HE IS DISOBEDIENT AND SINNED AGAINST GOD. (OBEDIENCE)
B. HE IS NOT IN GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS. (LOVE)
C. HE IS DECEIVED AND IS BELIEVING SOME LIE ABOUT FALSE DOCTRINES. (TRUTH)
WE WILL SEE THESE THREE WORDS, OBEDIENCE, LOVE, AND TRUTH AGAIN IN OUR STUDY.
DISCUSSION: IF YOU BELIEVED IN GNOSTICISM, WHAT WOULD BOTHER YOU THE MOST IN THISPASSAGE?
| GNOSTIC BELIEF: | JOHNS ARGUMENT: |
| ONLY A FEW SPECIAL PEOPLE HAVE THE LIGHT OF TRUTH, AND THEY ARE CONSIDERED ENLIGHTENED. | |
| BECAUSE THE SPIRIT AND BODY ARE SEPARATE, IT IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE IN SIN AND STILL HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. | |
| THOSE WHO WERE “ENLIGHTENED” WERE CURED OF THEIR SINFUL NATURES. | |
| SOME BELIEVED THAT THE “ENLIGHTENED” HAD NEVER SINNED. |
HOMEWORK
1JOHN 2
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION:
IS THERE ANY SIN IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU NEED TO AGREE WITH GOD ABOUT, THAT IT IS SIN ANDNEEDS FORGIVENESS?
IF THERE IS ANY UNPARDONED SIN, ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU, THEN PRAISE HIM FOR YOURFORGIVENESS.
PREPARATION:
READ 1JO 2:1-6
ACCORDING TO THIS PASSAGE, HOW CAN THE CHRISTIAN KNOW FOR SURE THAT HE IS IN GODSFAMILY?
WHAT SHOULD BE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAYING AND DOING
IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?
WHAT IS THE FIRST TEST AS TO WHETHER A PERSON KNOWS GOD AND IS WALKING IN THAT LOVE ANDFELLOWSHIP ?
MEMORY VERSE: 1JO 2:3
