Studies
in the Epistles of John the Apostle
Chapter Five
The Advocacy of Jesus and Being Obedient Children
The
one, two, three, say it after me
corruption of evangelism has filled local churches with people who have been
told they have been “born again” because they prayed a prayer, walked an aisle,
and got dunked in a tank of water. I am
not saying that talking to God about your decision to be saved is
unimportant. We do need to call on the
Name of Jesus to be saved. We need to
communicate to God our declaration of faith in the Lord Jesus. The fact is that many people are suffering
under an illusion of salvation that is propped by someone inappropriately teaching
them the doctrine of eternal security. Yes,
those who are truly “born again” of the Spirit of God are eternally secure in
that salvation, but the question of the Epistle of I John is – ARE YOU SURE YOU
ARE SAVED? The evangelist would be wise
to insure that reality before he/she proceeds with teaching eternal
security. When someone has doubts of his
salvation, always begin by questioning that person’s understanding of the
Gospel. Then proceed to question their
biblical response to their understanding of the Gospel. The Epistle of I John defines a number of
other empirical evidences of having been “born again” for which the evangelist
should help the doubter look.
Self-delusion
regarding salvation is a serious spiritual problem. People who have had someone tell them they
have been “born again” seldom examine their lives for the reality of that new
life “in Christ.” They often become
confused because, after all, everyone sins after they have been saved. This is not the real issue regarding
sin. The real issue is what we define as
sin and what our attitude is about sin in our lives. Most people readily acknowledge sins of commission such as adultery,
fornication, stealing, or lying. Yet,
they refuse to acknowledge the sins of
omission such as being unforgiving, harboring bitterness, of being
unloving, failing to be actively involved in bringing souls to Christ, and
making disciples of those saved. The sins of omission are easily omitted in
our times of self-examination. Obedience
is a two-lane pathway. There is the sin-lane upon which we are not to walk. Then there is the obedience-lane defined by the things which we are commanded to do.
“1 My little children, these things write I unto
you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our
sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the
truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is
the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He
that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked”
(I John 2:1-6).
There are usually two groups of fools
in most local churches - Pharisees
and Prodigals. The Pharisees
believe they have achieved some degree of sinlessness and look in contempt on
everyone else. Everyone is constantly
being scrutinized and ridiculed by the Pharisee. The Prodigals
have given themselves permission to live any way they want. They dismiss their sin without consideration
of their offense against a holy God. The
Prodigals ridicule those desiring
holiness in their lives labeling them as legalists. You escape either of these groups of fools
when you come to see yourself the way God sees you and you become a beggar at
His throne of grace.
In the parable of the two sons (Luke 15:11-32), Jesus is addressing two
groups of lost people (Luke 15:1-2):
1. Publicans and sinners, the latter referring to those
uneducated in Law keeping (the holiness of God) and therefore not involved in
trying to obey
2. Pharisees, whose claim to eternal life was on the merit
of their own self-righteousness
I believe the intent of the parable is to reveal which of the two types of individuals will be the most
difficult to convict of sin and to bring to see his need of Christ. What Jesus begins to teach regarding these
issues in Luke 15:1 continues through Luke 17:10. The purposes of these five lessons are as
follows:
Luke 15:3-10 – the
lost sheep, lost sinner, and lost coin.
The three examples are merely to establish that everyone seeks to find
what they have lost if it is valuable to them.
Their rejoicing will be commensurate to the value of that which was lost
and is now found. This reveals God’s
attitude about the value of the human soul.
Luke 15:11-32 – the
parable of the two sons. The
Pharisee wants condemnation and rejection, while not seeing that of which he
needs to repent – self-righteousness.
The prodigal son manifests genuine repentance acknowledging he deserves
nothing while coming to the father as a beggar willing to receive whatever the
father is willing to gift him. Which of
these two will be the most difficult to be saved?
Luke 16:1-13 – the parable of the covetous steward. “Mammon” represents the idol of
Materialism. Few fail to see that
Materialism has control of them rather than they control of it. The Jews view wealth as a blessing of God and
therefore God’s approval upon the lifestyle of the person with such
blessings. Many still take that view today. Such belief is known as Pragmatism. Men consider material wealth the ultimate
measure of God’s blessings. Christ
responded to this false belief by saying, “Ye are they which justify yourselves
before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that {material wealth} which is highly esteemed among men is abomination
in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).
Luke 16:19-30 – the historical account (not a parable) of
the “rich man” and Lazarus. This
account gives an historical example of two men.
Lazarus was a beggar and would have been considered a great sinner by
the Pharisees because of the lack of God’s physical and material blessings upon
his life. The “rich man” is the example
of the Pharisees. The intent of the
parable is to establish a different paradigm to measure the blessings of God
apart from the foolishness of Pragmatism.
The rich man’s wealth kept him from repentance of sin because he viewed
himself blessed of God and therefore righteous in God’s eyes. In fact, he was only righteous in his own
eyes and in the eyes of other Pragmatists.
He was actually a lost man.
Lazarus is the example of a man who realized his spiritual bankruptcy
and represents those who come to God with nothing in their hands. Only those who recognize their spiritual
bankruptcy before God come to him with the proper attitude. We are all beggars when it comes to
salvation!
Luke 17:1-10 – is about object lessons defining real
faith. The intent of the lessons regarding faith is
to establish the difference between quality and quantity. Most people think of faith in terms of
quantity, just like people measure Materialism.
They think God blesses or moves based upon the quantity of our
faith. The fact of the matter is that
God is moved by the quality of our faith.
A simple measurement is taking into account how our actions are viewed
and interpreted by a child. Children
learn primarily by what we do, not by
what we tell them to do. Christ reflects on two duplicities that will
“offend” (trap or trip up) children in the practice (quality) of their
faith. The first is unforgiveness. The second is expecting blessings from God
because we do what we are obligated to do as Christians. It is a blessing to be the Master’s
servant. That by itself should suffice
us. He will provide our every need and
we should want no more. The servant of
the King eats what the King eats, sleeps in the King’s housing, and lives under
the king’s protection. Children need to
be taught this principle through understanding their father’s provisions for
them. The point of these examples is that
failure in either of these object lessons is sin. The quality of that person’s faith is greatly
corrupted.
The Christian,
who understands who and what he is, understands he has nothing produced from
himself that he can offer to God. What
can the creature bring to the Creator that He cannot create for Himself? The only thing of value that the Christian
can give to God is his life as a living sacrifice lived to the glory of
God. There is no one on planet earth who
is anything but a beggar when it comes to righteousness. Any possession you have is one given you by
God. Why hoard that which is so freely
given us? Why compare your shopping cart full of accumulated treasures to another beggar’s shopping cart full of treasures? One of our greatest treasures is God’s
forgiveness and love. Why would we hoard
such treasures and not freely give them to others? Such hoarding is wicked in the eyes of
God.
The
greatest of preachers are those who share what they have heard from God
regarding their own search for a righteous walk with Him. It is out of our weaknesses we reach for
God’s strength and out of our conviction of sin we reach for God’s
cleansing. A walk with God will be as
joyful as it is convicting. No man who
walks with God will come away from it without a deep conviction of his own
uncleanness!
The
intent of John’s statement in I John 2:1 is to address believers as infant
spiritual children. Therefore, there is
tenderness in John’s appeal rather than an approach intended to generate
obedience out of fear. It is always best
to try to cultivate love obedience
rather than fear obedience. Fear obedience
is the way of the Law. love obedience is the way of grace. That does not mean fear obedience should be completely abandoned. It simply means that fear obedience should be part of our last resorts. I rejoice in the fact that God allows me a
new beginning at any moment in my life.
I do not have to wait for a new year for a new beginning. A new beginning is ALWAYS just a prayer away!
The
previous chapter of John’s first epistle was intended to cultivate a desire in
the heart of the believer that so wants fellowship with God that such a
believer wants to live in God’s way ‘“in order that ye may not sin at all’ (the Greek
aorist, implying the absence not only of the habit, but of single acts
of sin [ALFORD]).”[1] The fact that no one will ever achieve this
goal does not mean that he should not make the attempt out of his love for
God. Such a “sin not at all” attitude is
what every true Christian should possess.
When such a Christian fails, he simply confesses his failure and begins
again within his new cleansing.
God has given
every one of His “born again” children two Advocates or Paracletes.
1. We have been given an earthly Paraclete in the Person of the Holy
Spirit living within us to plead with us
about sin, righteousness, and judgment.
2. We are given a heavenly Paraclete in the Person of the glorified
Lord Jesus Christ, who pleads with the Father
on our behalf based upon His vicarious righteous life, His vicarious death and
shed blood for the remission of our penalty of sin, and His resurrection as
proof of His victory over death’s hold upon our souls.
These two Paracletes work in
unity, or fellowship, in our practical sanctification before God. Every believer unites himself with this
“fellowship” between these two Paracletes when he yields himself to God’s will
and to the indwelling Spirit of God (Romans 6:11-13). This brings the believer into fellowship with
the triune Godhead. The preclusive
attitude for the spiritual dynamic of this fellowship with the Godhead is the
desire to “sin not at all” (I John 2:1).
The ground of Jesus’ advocacy for the believer with the Father is the
ground of His righteousness. However,
the spiritual significance of “Jesus Christ, the righteous” is the second
aspect of the earthly Paraclete in the indwelling Holy Spirit. In giving the Holy Spirit to indwell all
“born again” believers, Jesus has imparted
His righteousness to them. This is
different than the pre-Pentecost believers, who only had God’s righteousness imputed to them. The Person of the Holy Spirit is the Personification of the
righteousness of Christ now in us.
“1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus
Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the
righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and
peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our
Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all
things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge
of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given
unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers
of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust” (II Peter 1:1-4).
Secondly, the ground of Jesus’ advocacy for the believer with the Father
is the ground of the propitiation of the wrath of the Father by the vicarious
life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the incarnate Son of God (I John
2:2). You have no sins (past, present,
or future) that have not ALREADY been paid for and for which God is not
propitiated. I John 1:9 is not possible
apart from the universal propitiation of God for the “sins of the whole world.”
The word “propitiation in I John 2:2 is from the Greek word hilasmos (hil-as-mos’),
meaning that which propitiates.
The lid of the Ark of the Covenant was known as the Mercy Seat. In Hebrews 9:5, the word “mercyseat” is
translated from hilasterion (hil-as-tay’-ree-on), or the place of
propitiation (also Romans 3:25 for this word). Jesus is BOTH that which propitiates
and the place of propitiation.
“18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with
corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received
by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily
was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these
last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him
up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God”
(I Peter 1:18-21).
“21 For even hereunto were ye called:
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should
follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his
mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he
suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on
the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but
are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (I Peter 2:21-25).
“For
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit”
(I Peter 3:18).
This fact, that Jesus is BOTH that
which propitiates and the place of propitiation, is the basis of His
advocacy with the Father on the believer’s behalf.
“1 Then
verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a
worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first,
wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is
called the sanctuary. 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle
which is called the Holiest of all; 4 Which had the golden censer,
and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was
the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of
the covenant; 5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the
mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 6 Now when
these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first
tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 7 But into the
second went the high priest alone once every year, not without
blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: 8
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not
yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both
gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as
pertaining to the conscience; 10 Which stood only in meats
and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them
until the time of reformation {straightening
things out or setting things right}. 11 But Christ being come an
high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle,
not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither
by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once
into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us”
(Hebrews 9:1-12).
The advocacy of Jesus
exists on the basis of Him being BOTH that which propitiates and the
place of propitiation. This is the basis for why the believer prays in the Name of Jesus and serves in the Name of Jesus. The basis of the acceptability/receiving of a
believer’s service, or answers to prayer, is ONLY in the fellowship a believer
has with the Father/Son/Holy Spirit through our relationship with the Son.
We cannot pray in the
Name of Jesus or serve in the Name of Jesus apart from fellowship with God. All blessings of God flow through the
believer’s right relationship with Jesus Christ. When a
believer prays in Jesus’ Name, he comes before the Father claiming a right
relationship with Jesus Christ, and therefore also claiming a right
relationship with the Father.
When Jesus instructs the believer to pray in His Name or serve in His
Name, He is not merely saying we are tack “in Jesus’ Name” onto the end of a
prayer. The believer priest ministers in
the place and on behalf of his High Priest Jesus Christ. Therefore,
fellowship with Jesus Christ is the essential reality to any hope of God’s
blessing upon answered prayer or blessed ministry. This understanding gives theological
foundations for the meaning and importance of doing everything in the Name of Jesus.
“15 Moreover if thy brother shall
trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if
he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will
not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of
two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he
shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect
to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye
shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if
two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it
shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where
two or three are gathered together in my name {meaning in fellowship with Jesus, our glorified High Priest}, there
am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:15-20).
Jesus teaches a similar truth in John 15:1-17. In the first eight verses of I John chapter
fifteen, Jesus establishes that fellowship with Him (abiding in the Vine) is essential to God’s blessings and fruit
bearing. In John 15:9-17, Jesus speaks
of abiding in His love. This refers to loving what Jesus loves. We should not deceive ourselves into thinking
we are in fellowship with Jesus if we are not involved in ministry that
manifests we love what Jesus loves.
“9 As the Father hath loved me, so
have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my
commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's
commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I
spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy
might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one
another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my
friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you
not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have
called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made
known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you {vocationally}, and ordained you, that ye
should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit
should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name
{meaning in fellowship with Jesus, our glorified
High Priest}, he may give it you. 17 These things I
command you, that ye love one another” (John 15:9-17).
“3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep
his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso
keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we
that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself
also so to walk, even as he walked” (I John 2:3-6).
From the foundation of the reality of
having been genuinely “born again” of the Holy Spirit, AND having the
indwelling Christ in the Person of the Holy Spirit, there SHOULD be empirical
evidences of that reality. These verses
will join with a number of other verses that test the reality of a testimony of
having been “born again” of the Spirit of God.
This is the primary purpose of this first epistle of John - “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall
assure our hearts before him” (I John 3:19).
The Greek words (en touto) translated “hereby” are used eight different times in I
John to offer empirical evidences of the reality of having been “born again” of
the Spirit of God (I John 2:3, 5, 3:16, 19, 24, 4:2, 13, and 5:2 – translated
“by this”). The intent of each of these
texts is that a profession of an inward change of heart should result in an
outward change in the way we live. This
outward change in the way we live is what Paul refers to as walking “in the
newness of life.” In other words, if a
person has genuinely become a “new creation,” that person ought to walk and
live respective to that “new creation.”
“1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin,
that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to
sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as
were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his
resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve
sin” (Romans 6:1-6).
The intent of Paul’s statement here,
and John’s statements in I John, is intended to reflect a reality of a new life
in Christ. The reality of this new life
in Christ is manifested in real changes in what we do, what we love, and what
our time is preoccupied with. Most
professing Christians do not like to look at these realities because they
reveal one of two things about their professed Christianity:
1. These realities reveal they have deceived themselves
about having been “born again”
2. These realities reveal the extreme shallowness of their
Christianity and there ongoing refusal to be separate from worldliness
Most Christians have a pie in the sky view of eternal life and
salvation. Most of those people have
been either completely misinformed about the spiritual dynamic into which they
have been “born again,” or they are in denial and self-deception about the
reality of their faith in Christ. There
should be manifestations of real change in the way a real Christian lives if
their salvation is genuine.
“17 But God
be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from
the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being
then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as
ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto
iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto
holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free
from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things
whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your
fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life {right now} through Jesus Christ our
Lord” (Romans 6:17-23).
In I John 2:3, John challenges
Christians with the difference between a mere intellectual knowledge of Christ and an experiential knowledge of Christ.
True fellowship with Christ in
the work of the ministry will be evident.
There will be evidence of a walk
that flows naturally from a new “born again” life. The word “keep” in I John 2:3 is a present,
active, subjunctive. Therefore the
intent of the phrase “hereby we do know
that we know him” is about looking for the manifestation of both the desire and practice whereby that believer is going to “keep on keeping His
commandments.” This not referring to the
mere outward conformity to Christ’s teaching. The intent is that Christ’s teachings
supernaturally flow from a the inward man who is truly “born again” of the
Spirit of God and indwelled by the Spirit of Christ.
“37 In the last day, that great day
of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come
unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture
hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was
not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39).
Each of
the eight uses of the word “hereby” (I John 2:3, 5, 3:16, 19, 24, 4:2, 13, and 5:2) is intended to reflect the realities of “fellowship”
with Christ. As already established,
“fellowship” with Christ is a working partnership
between the true yielded believer and the indwelling Christ. If that “fellowship” really exists, it should
manifest itself in real outcomes. The spiritual dynamic in producing these
outcomes are detailed beginning with I John 2:3 extending through I John
5:21. The eight uses of the word
“hereby” (I John 2:3, 5, 3:16,
19, 24, 4:2, 13, and 5:2) are critical to the purpose of determining if the
believer is living in “fellowship” with God and manifesting the spiritual
outcomes of that “fellowship.”
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep
his commandments” (I John 2:3).
“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is
the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (I John 2:5).
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he
laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren” (I John 3:16).
“And hereby {loving
the brethren} we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts
before him” (I John 3:19).
“And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in
him {Jesus}, and he {Jesus} in him {the believer}. And hereby we know that
he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. (I John 3:24).
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:” (I John 4:2).
“{because}
his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him,
and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (I John 4:13).
“By this {hereby}
we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his
commandments” (I John 5:2).
Clearly,
the intent of the epistle of I John is for the believer to assure his heart
that he has ample evidence that Christ is living in him. He does so by looking
for the evidence of Christ living through
him. Therefore, the intent of seeing the
evidence of progressive sanctification (spiritual growth) in a believer’s life
is not so that he can complete his
salvation. What John is referring to is
the out-working of the in-living Christ. This is what Paul refers to as working out your salvation.
“12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have
always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is
God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).
I John 2:4 is intended to confront the
person professing to “know” Christ while regularly living in disobedience to
His “commandments” - His teachings. The
emphasis of the verse would read something like this – “He who keeps on saying: ‘I know Christ’ {either in a salvation way or a fellowship
way} and continues in not keeping his commandments {do what He taught} is a liar.”
In other words, such a person is lying about either his salvation or
about his living in fellowship with Christ.
Most probably, since I John 3:19 is the intent of the epistle (to “assure our hearts before him”), the emphasis is lying to one’s self. Therefore, the emphasis is on self-deception.
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).
However, pointing out such a contradiction
in order to help a person living the contradiction so that he might question
the reality of his relationship with Christ is certainly applicable. This is the purpose of the text. The intent of the text is the confrontation
of individuals professing to know Christ while living in infidelity to Christ
by living in continuing disobedience to His teachings. The obvious summation of such practices must
be that, in fact, such a person does not know Christ. Such a person’s profession is in fact a false
profession. “The truth is not in them”
(I John 2:4b).
The
word “know” in I John 2:4 is in the perfect tense. Such a person is claiming to have full knowledge of Christ in either the
salvational sense of the fellowship sense.
The intent of the verse in confronting the contradiction is that neither
can be true. In fact, the accusation is
that such a profession is a lie.
Therefore, it is a silly notion that proposes that no one should ever
question another professing believer’s salvation or fellowship with
Christ. We have numerous Scriptural
examples doing just that in the epistle of I John.
I John
chapter one clearly establishes that fellowship with God is readily
available. The first chapter then
details the exclusive condition necessary to that fellowship, which is walking “in
the light as He is in the light.” I John
chapters two through five provide numerous challenges to a false profession
resulting in false claims of salvation and fellowship with God. Obviously, fellowship with Christ is only
available to those who have been “born again.”
Salvation is the ultimate criterion for fellowship. One cannot be filled with the Spirit if one is not indwelled by the Spirit.
The issue
before us in I John 2:4 is that of fidelity (faithfulness) to professed
beliefs. The challenge is that a genuine
profession of belief should result in a genuine walk of faithfulness to that
belief. In other words, orthodoxy must result in orthopraxy before any
professed orthodoxy can be considered genuine.
Allowing a person to continue living in such a contradiction as that
defined by I John 2:4 is extremely dangerous, unloving, and careless. There is moral culpability in failing to
question those living in such a contradiction.
The word “but” beginning I John 2:5
offers another juxtaposition
regarding the statement in I John 2:4.
This juxtaposition continues
through verse six – “5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love
of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith
he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” These two verses are critically important
because they detail a divine expectation
of those professing to know Christ. We
might go so far as to say that these two verses detail a consummate expectation of those professing to know Christ. This consummate
expectation defines the continuing idea of repentance of sin and “dead works”
that began in our profession of knowing Christ.
In other words, these verses detail that the idea of repentance extends
beyond a mere change in thinking or a
mind change about sin and “dead
works.” That which has a beginning in
faith must have a continuation in faithfulness (fidelity).
It is
critically important to make a distinction in this discussion. No one with a sin nature can produce the kind
of lifestyle to which I John 1:5-10 refers apart from the supernatural
operations of the indwelling Spirit of God.
Therefore, there are no requirements of righteous living necessary to salvation. God does
not expect of man what He knows to be impossible. Salvation is a free gift offered ‘by grace” and received “through faith”
(Ephesians 2:8). However, once a person
is “born again,” God does expect
supernaturally produced righteous living in that person’s life. Secondly, there is a difference between man-kind righteousness produced through externalism and God-kind righteousness supernaturally produced through fellowship with God (the filling of the Spirit). This latter is to what Paul refers in
Ephesians 2:10.
“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of
works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
The word “keepeth” in I John 2:5 is a
present, active, subjunctive. The
subjunctive mood speaks of potential or possibility. The present tense of the verb would render
this as “keeps on keeping.”
The word “verily” in I John 2:5 is from the Greek word alethos (al-ay-thoce’). The word means truly, surely, and
indeed. In other words, the person who “keeps on keeping”
God’s Word (the commandments/teachings of Jesus) with assuredly also see the God’s
love perfected” in his life (living).
The word “perfected” is perfect tense, passive voice, and indicative
mood (a statement of fact). The perfect tense and passive voice of this
verb is important because this reveals the supernatural operations of God in
the believer’s partnership (fellowship) with God when, in that partnership, the
believer seeks to keep on keeping the
Word of God. The word “keepeth” is from
the Greek word tereo (tay-reh’-o), which means to watch in
the sense of guarding.
There is a great promise to the genuine believer in I John 2:5-6. God promises the believer, who is willing to
carefully observe, obey, and live His Word in fellowship with Him, that He will
perfect His love in that believer’s life.
God’s love will be fully matured
in that believer’s life to conform to the image of the life of Christ during
His incarnation. Therefore, this
statement is also empirical regarding the reality of a person’s profession to
having been “born again.” Simply stated
the person who professes to be saved and living for Jesus ought to see consistent
growth towards perfection in God’s love being released through his life.
Then John reminds us once again in I John 2:6 about walking “in the
light as He is in the light” (I John 1:7) as an obligation of fellowship with Jesus – “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so
to walk, even as he walked” (I John 2:6). This simple verse of Scripture defines what it
means to be a Christian.
A Christian is a person who consistently abides in Christ. Abiding in Christ is living in habitual fellowship
with Christ. This is the outcome of full
surrender (Romans 6:11-13) and the filling of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). We have many people who call themselves Christians, but who do not fit the
description of I John 2:6. Proclaiming
one’s self to be a Christian cannot
be taken seriously if that person regularly lives in disobedience to Christ’s
teachings. Obedience is inclusive. Being saved and being a disciple are not the
same. In other words, a person must be
obedient to all of Christ’s teachings to be considered a Christian. A Christian is a disciple of Jesus. The term disciple means follower. The word Christian is just another word for a
true disciple of Jesus. This does not
mean he might not be saved, but rather that such a profession of faith “ought”
to be consistently manifested in his daily living. The contradiction is that his “walk,” or
living, does not correspond with his talk.
Sometimes, even his talk does not correspond with a testimony of being a
Christian.
The word “walk” is a present,
active, infinitive. The infinitive mood
adds the word “to” as a prefix. The
present tense implies continuation – keep on walking.” The word “walk” is from the Greek word peripateo (per-ee-pat-eh’-o). It refers to living or to something with
which a person’s life is preoccupied. The
point is that the person professing to live in consistent fellowship with
Christ ought to live like Jesus lived. This
is described in Acts 11:19-25. As you
read the text, notice that it was at Antioch that the outside world began to
call the followers of Jesus “Christians.”
“19 Now they which were scattered abroad
upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and
Cyprus, and Antioch {about 340 miles
North of Jerusalem}, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 20
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to
Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And
the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned
unto the Lord. 22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of
the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should
go as far as Antioch. 23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace
of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would
cleave unto the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy
Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. 25 Then
departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 26 And when he had
found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year
they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the
disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:19-26).
Up until the dispersal of the
Jews that were saved at Jerusalem, the vast majority of believers were
Jews. After Stephen was martyred by the
Christ rejecting Jews, a large number of these saved Jews headed North into
Phoenicia, Syria, and to the island of Cyprus.
It was at Antioch that these saved Jews began to preach about Jesus and
salvation to the “Grecians.” Most
commentators believe “Grecians” simply refers to Hellenized Jews (Greek
speaking Jews) as opposed to Jews that spoke Aramaic or Hebrew. The point is that these saved people lived
such Spirit-filled lives as true followers of Jesus Christ that the unbelieving
world coined a word to describe them – Christians.
This term is bantered around today with
little concern for its original meaning.
The word Christian is defined by the example of Stephen (Acts
11:19).
“8 And Stephen, full of faith and power,
did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9 Then there arose
certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the
Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of
Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist
the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. 11 Then they suborned
men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against
God. 12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the
scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to
the council, 13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man
ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14
For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this
place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 15 And
all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had
been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:8-15).
The events of Acts chapters six and seven, including the stoning of
Stephen for preaching Christ, took place in A.D. 33. The events in Acts chapter eleven took place
eight years later in A.D. 41. According
to Acts chapter eight, during the next year, Saul and his death squads would persecute believers around Jerusalem to the extent
they were willing to leave their homes and property and flee to other areas of
the world where they might live in peace.
“1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that
time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and
they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria,
except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his
burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he
made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women
committed them to prison. 4 Therefore they that were
scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:1-4).
It is important to note the statement of Acts 8:4. Although these Christians fled from the
overwhelming persecution of the Jewish death
squads, they did not flee in silence.
Everywhere they went they preached the Gospel and made disciples of
those that were saved. Their voices were
not silenced by persecution. Persecution
was simply the means God used to send these believers into the uttermost parts
of the world. What will God need to
bring into your life to get you to go into the entire world if He cannot even
get you to go to your neighbor?
Christians must always be ready to exclude the person who professes to
be a Christian while habitually living in some form moral turpitude. According to I John 2:3-6, making such a discernment
would be appropriate. Such a person must
be considered an imposter and must be removed from the formal membership of a
local church. The first qualification
for local church membership is a testimony of having been “born again.” The second qualification for local church
membership is a commitment to abandon a life of carnality to “walk in the
newness of life” (Romans 6:5). However,
such a commitment in water baptism must be followed by the evident expression
of that commitment by actually walking “in the newness of life.” Local churches, through congregational polity, must take these matters very seriously. They must do so, because to remove an
unrepentant professing believer is to literally put a death sentence upon him.
The issue in removing an unrepentant sinner from local church membership
is to maintain the purity of the local church and the communion they enjoy as followers of Christ. The point in separating such a person from
local church membership is because his professing to be a Christian does not line up with his testimony of living.
“1 It is reported commonly that there is
fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among
the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are
puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might
be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but
present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning
him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord
Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the
destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord
Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (I Corinthians 5:1-6)?
“A little leaven leaveneth the whole” teaches us that one person’s
unrepentant lifestyle corrupts the whole body of believers to which he is
joined. Such a local church would be
considered unclean in the eyes of God.
Such a local church would be considered defiled before God and the
church itself would bring reproach on the Name of Jesus. The Name of Jesus embodies all that Jesus is
and what He represents. This truth is
absolutely critical in that the promise of Christ’s presence and blessing upon
any local church is upon the reality of their gathering in His Name. This is the context of the statement of Jesus
in Matthew 18:15-20. The practical
application of what we see in I John 2:3-6 is that not only should the
individual be looking for what these few verses describe, but congregations
should be looking for these things in the lives of each of its formal
members.
“15 Moreover if thy brother shall
trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if
he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will
not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of
two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he
shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect
to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any
thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:15-20).
[1] Jamieson,
Robert. Fausset, A.R. and Brown, David. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary. SwordSearcher Software 6.1, 1871.
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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
