John’s First Letter.
1 John One ….(verses 1-10)
1. Verses 1-4
a. What was in the beginning before anything else? (John 1:1-2)
The WORD….the Word of God was with God and IS God!
b. What does John give as evidence of the Word of Life? (verse 1)
An eyewitness account, a personal knowledge of this One who was the Word of God…he (and others) had seen Him, heard Him and touched him.
c. How does he describe eternal life in verse 2?
As being shown in and the very essence of Jesus Christ.
d. How does Jesus Christ describe what eternal life is ? (John 17:3)
It is KNOWING personally the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He sent.
e. How does Jesus Christ describe Himself? (Revelation 1:17-18)
As the first and the last….He has always been and He will always be, and He has the keys of hell and death.
f. What was John’s purpose in writing this letter? (verses 3-4)
That his readers might be able to experience fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and have joy in this experience.
g. What sort of emotion should believers experience at all times? (John 15:11; Philippians 4:4, 6-7)
The joy of knowing Jesus Christ and being able to rejoice in Him in spite of all outside circumstances.
h. What is the difference between joy and happiness?
Happiness is dependant on outside circumstances….joy comes from a state of heart and mind within…having peace WITH God can give the peace OF God, and will give a joy that will not leave with circumstances. We can have sorrow and yet still know the joy of Christ.
2. Verses 5-10
a. What tack does John go on to now? What are the contrasts? (verse 5)
John uses the contrasts of light and darkness….God is full of, and only is, LIGHT…there is no darkness or shadow at all. God radiates light from within His being with no shadow anywhere…. everything else has a dark side
b. What does James say about this? (James 1:17)
God is the Father (originator) of lights with no varying or shadow when He turns.
c. What is the believer’s responsibility? (verses 6-7a)
That if we say we have fellowship with God, we must walk always in His light, not in the darkness of the world. If we say one thing and do the other, then we are lying and are truly in darkness, only fooling ourselves.
d. What happens when we walk in the light of God’s way? (verse 7b)
We are cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ and have fellowship with other believers.
e. Why is there a fellowship and bond with other believers? (1 John 3:1-2)
Because we are all sons of God…we are in the same family and are all born again.
f. Why is verse 8 tucked in where it is? (Romans 7:14-20)
Because even though we are born again, our old nature is still prone to sin and we have to recognise this fact openly.
g. What does verse 7 say about our sins?
That the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL our sins.
h. What does God expect us to do about the sins we slip into as believers? (verse 9)
He expects us to face them and confess them to Him…..this is the main thing to do. We cannot continue in true fellowship with Him if we hide our sin and don’t deal with it in confession (God) and restoration (fellow man).
i. What does He do for us when we confess them? (verse 9)
He does four things….He is faithful to His Word, He is JUST and will never slip up on this, He forgives us for our lapse, and He cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness. We have a new start!
j. What does John remind us of again in verse 10?
We have to face the fact that we are not sinless, we have not attained perfection because we have been forgiven. As long as we live, we will be prone to the annoyances of life and the old nature on this sinful planet and to the weakness of the flesh.
1 John Two ….(verses 1-29)
1. Verses 1-11
a. What is John careful to point out in verse 1a?
Just because God freely forgives upon genuine confession, it is not a licence to deliberately sin.
b. What does he go on to say in verse 1b?
That if we DO sin, we have an Advocate with God in the person of Jesus Christ the righteous One.
c. What does verse 2 tell us? How is Jesus our Advocate? (Hebrews 9:22, 26, 28)
He is the payment for our sins because He died for the sins of the whole world….the debt has been paid once and for all time with His blood.
d. How do we KNOW that we know Jesus Christ? Or that others know Him? (verses 3, 5; John 13:35)
If we know the Lord, we will keep His commands and walk in His ways….we will love being with other Christians….this is how we know if others belong to the Lord too.
e. What about those who say they are Christians but don’t walk in the ways of God? (verse 4)
They are lying and God’s truth is not in them….they are only deceiving themselves.
f. What does verse 6 reiterate?
If we say we belong to the Lord, then we must walk in His ways.
g. What did our Lord Jesus say about this sort of idea? (John 15:4-5)
He said we were to abide in Him and He will abide in us and cause us to bear fruit for Him.
h. What is this old/new commandment that John is referring to? (verse 7; John 13:34)
That believers love one another.
i. What enables believers to do this? (verses 8-10)
It is God’s love towards us and the love of Jesus Christ in giving Himself for us that enables us to love other believers even when we disagree with each other.
j. What is the picture of someone that hates others? (verse 11)
They are not walking in the light of God’s love to them, but are walking in the darkness of the world.
k. What is essential to walking in God’s light? (verse 10)
That we love other Christians and love to meet with them and talk with them (having fellowship).
l. Which is the first group that John addresses? What is the level of their understanding? (verse 12)
The little children….those who are young in the faith….they don’t know a lot yet, but they DO know their sins are forgiven.
f. Which is the next group? What is their level? (verses 13a, 14a)
The fathers…. those who have known the Father for many years and have had much experience in the things of God
g. The third group? (verses 13b, 14b)
The third group is the young men….those in the forefront of the battle in preaching and leading God’s people. They are to overcome the wicked one in their lives, and are to be strong in God’s Word and a good example to others.
h. What is the warning for all groups of different ages? Why? (verses 15-17)
The warning is against being sucked into the world system…a believer cannot mix loving God with loving the things of the world at the same time….one will cancel out the other! The things of this world are transient and temporary while the things of God are eternal and lasting.
i. How does Paul tell us we can guard against the things of the world creeping into our lives? (Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:1-2)
Paul tells us to present our whole life….thoughts, words and actions…. to God. Not just once, but doing it constantly and not allowing ourselves to be moulded by popular opinion. We are to set our minds on the things of God and hold earthly things lightly.
j. What is the practical aspect of this? How do we DO this? (Psalm 101:2-3; Philippians 4:6-8)
By talking EVERYTHING over with God and giving thanks continually …by being grateful for what we have and not to hanker after what we haven’t! Then we are to be very careful how we ACT at home (what we are at home is what we really ARE!), what we WATCH at home (magazines, TV etc) and the things we think and talk about. We must ask ourselves…Is it true? Is it right? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it worthwhile? If the answer is NO, then put it aside and leave it alone. If anything is doubtful, it is dirty!
2. Verses 18-29
a. What does John warn his readers against next? (verse 18)
He warns them against the spirit of antichrist.
b. What IS this antichrist? (verse 22; Matthew 24:23-24; 1John 4:2-3; 2John 1:7)
Anyone else who claims to be Christ come again or who gives false teaching backing it up by strange happenings. Also all those who refuse to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and more than mere man….these are antichrist as well.
c. What is a more simple and common explanation even than that, of those who are antichrist? (verse 19)
Those who meet with Christians for a while and then drop off and leave them.
d. What does verse 20 mean? ( Acts 10:44-45; Romans 8:9, 14-16)
It means that a believer has been sealed by the Holy Spirit into God’s family….God gives His Holy Spirit to every true believer when they recognise and accept the things of God being born again.
e. What does John say the reason he has written to them? (verses 20-21)
Because they already know the truths of God.
f. What does he go on to say in verses 22-23?
That anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ is antichrist and is also denying God Himself…a true believer CANNOT deny the Son of God is in the Father.
g. What did Jesus Himself say about this in John 10:30?
He said that He and His Father ARE one!
h. What is it that each person KNOWS from the beginning of their Christian life? (John 3:16)
That they are sinners and need God’s salvation to cleanse them.
i. What is the most important thing a believer can do? (verse 24)
To hang onto this knowledge and keep on keeping on in the things of God.
j. What has God promised each believer? (verse 25)
Eternal and everlasting life!
k. What constitutes eternal life? When does it start? (John 17:3; 1John 1:9)
Eternal life is KNOWING personally God and His Son Jesus Christ….it starts the moment we turn and confess our sin to Him
l. What is this “anointing” which abides in each believer? What does this do for believers? What else is it called? (verse 27; John 14:16-17)
This “anointing” is the promise and sealing of God’s Holy Spirit who teaches us of the truths of God, opening our eyes to them and He lives with us forever. He is also called the “Comforter” and “Spirit of Truth”.
m. Why is it important to “abide” in Him? What did our Lord Jesus tell us about abiding in Him? (verse 28; John 15: 4-8)
It is important so we won’t feel ashamed when we face Him and realise how we’ve let him down…if we continue to abide in Him we will be like a ship going into port in full sail in contrast to one limping in with torn sails and shabby appearance. Our Lord tells us that the only way to bear fruit for God is to abide in Him….we can do nothing without Him
n. When we walk closely with the Lord, what do we recognise? (verse 29; Matthew 3:8; 7:16-20)
We know when others belong to Him, if they are in the same family. We can tell if they don’t ring true.
1 John Three ….(verses 1-24)
1. Verses 1-3
a. What four facts are contained in verse 1?
i. God’s wonderful love which He has showered on believers
ii. Believers are the sons of God and in His family.
iii. The world doesn’t recognise or accept this.
iv. The world doesn’t know God personally.
b. What wonderful truth is in verse 2?
We don’t know exactly what we will be like in heaven, but we DO know that when we see Jesus our Saviour, we will be like Him in every way.
c. What did David say along these lines? (Psalm 17:15)
He knew that when he saw the face of the Lord, he would be in his likeness.
d. What else did David say about being in the presence of God? (Psalm 16:11)
That there is fullness of joy there and pleasure for evermore.
e. What effect should this have on everyone who has this hope? (verse 3)
It should make us do our utmost to walk worthy of that future right now!
2. Verses 4-12
a. What is sin? (verse 4; 5:17a)
Sin is breaking God’s law… in one word, disobedience.
b. What does verse 5 tell us? (Hebrews 4:15)
That Jesus Christ came to take away our sins…He is the only sinless person to ever walk on this planet.
c. What is a characteristic of those who abide in Him? (verse 6)
They do not habitually sin.
d. Does verse 6 contradict 1:8-9? What is the answer?
No, because all humans still sin but they do not live in sin….as soon as one realises it, one confesses it and is cleansed.
e. What is the contrast between those in verse 7 and those in verse 8?
Those who do righteousness and those who sin habitually.
f. What is the characteristic of the devil? How long has this been? (verse 8a)
The devil is a sinner right from the before the beginning of time, and the father of lies.
g. What did our Lord Jesus say about him? (John 8:44)
That he was a murderer from the beginning.
h. What was our Lord’s purpose in coming to this world? (verse 8b)
He said that He came to destroy the works of the devil. The devil’s aim is to bring death and separation from God to every man through sin ; through this he thought he could destroy God’s crowning creation and purpose.
i. What does Paul say about this subject? (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)
He quoted from the Old Testament saying that death is swallowed up by the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ….there is no sting left in physical death and no strength in it because our sin has been taken away.
j. Isaiah wrote about this…what did he say and did he say how this would happen? (Isaiah 25:8-9)
Isaiah wrote that death would be swallowed up in victory and all sorrow and tears would be done away with….but he didn’t say how this would be possible except that God would do it.
k. What do we see about the Old Testament and New Testament in this example? (Colossians 1:26)
The New Testament explains and fills in what the prophets in the Old Testament couldn’t see. They don’t contradict, but complement each other.
l. What does verse 11 reiterate? What example is used in verse 12?
That believers are to love one another. He used the example of Cain (the first human being born on earth) who hated his brother and because of his inborn sin, he murdered him.
3. Verses 13-18
a. What can believers expect from the world? (verse 13; John 15:18-19)
No love, only hatred and mocking.
b. What is one of the signs of a true believer? (verse 14)
They have a desire for the company of other believers….a love for one another.
c. What sort of person is the equivalent of a murderer? (verse 15)
Anyone who hates another person, especially in his own family.
d. How do we know that God loves ALL people? (verse 16a; John 3:16)
Because he loved them enough to give His only Son to pay the price of sin…. Jesus Christ gave His life for the human race.
e. Because of this, what should believers be prepared to do? (verse 16b)
To lay down their lives for others.
f. What exactly does this mean? In what ways can we lay our lives down for each other? (verses 16-17; Romans 16:1-4; Acts 9:36, 39)
It is not necessarily to physically die for other people….not many would be able to do this. But we are all able to give our lives and time in serving others…whether it be in earning money to give away, or sharing what we have, but most importantly in giving our time in listening to, and helping others and in our family life.
g. What two examples do we have of this? How does God look at it? (Acts 9:36; Romans 16:1-2; Matthew 25:35-40)
God says we can only serve Him by serving others….Tabitha served others by making clothes and distributing them to the poor people and Phoebe did it by helping and showing hospitality to others.
h. What does John go on to say in verses 17-18?
If we don’t help others, how can we show the love of God to them? Don’t just love in word, but also in deeds!
i. What popular saying says what verse 18 is saying?
Let’s put our money where our mouth is!
j. How is this thought implemented in James 2:17-18?
James says our faith is shown by our works….faith without works is dead!
4. Verses 19-24
a. How can we keep a sensitive heart (conscience) before God? (Psalm 139:23-24; 1 John 1:9)
By keeping a clean life before Him, continually confessing our shortcomings and more importantly asking Him to search our hearts and minds and showing us what we need to know and do.
b. Have you ever noticed that other people think things about them selves that no-one else thinks? What is the popular saying to illustrate this?
Yes, often! Oh, to see ourselves as others see us!!!
c. What does Paul say in connection with this? (Romans 12:3)
Not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. It is just as sinful to downgrade yourself as it is to puff yourself up….Paul says we are to assess our abilities before God, and use what we have for Him….(to think soberly, sensibly)
d. What does a clear conscience before God give us? (2:28)
Confidence in approaching Him; the ability to praise Him sincerely.
e. When God says He will forgive us upon our confession of sin, what must we do then? (Colossians 3:1-2, 16-17; Hebrews 6:1, 10-11; 1 John 1:9)
Believe He has forgiven us freely; then get up and forget our failings…after all God has forgotten with His forgiveness, so why should we remember and regret? We are to go forwards, aiming for our high calling in Jesus Christ …we won’t get there, but it is to be our aim.
f. Verse 22 seems like a blank cheque at first glance, but it is conditional….how can we expect to receive what we ask for? (John 15:7)
When we keep His commands (abide in Him) and have no unconfessed sin, we will ask according to His will.
g. What did David say in connection to this? (Psalm 37:4)
That if we delight ourselves in the Lord, we will only desire what He wants to give us.
h. What do His commands include? (verse 23; Acts 16:31; John 13:34)
Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and loving each other.
i. What is the main criteria for abiding in our Lord? (verse 24; John 15:7, 14)
By keeping His commands…being obedient to what we know from the Holy Spirit.
j. CHALLENGE….how much do we WANT to know Him?
God leaves that up to the individual….He meets us more than halfway but we have to initiate the moves towards Him. God never imposes Himself on an unwilling heart. The more we obey Him, the more we will know Him. Until we put it into practice we will never know. Then to KNOW Him is to obey Him!
1 John Four….(verses 1-21)
1. Verses 1-6
a. What is the warning that John gives in verse 1? Why?
To not believe everyone we hear talking about God because there are many people teaching wrong things and ideas.
b. What is the first criteria for right teaching? (verses 2-3)
They must teach that Jesus Christ is the ONLY Son of God (He is not merely a son of God) ….if they don’t, then they are anti Christ…against Him.
c. What did Peter say about Jesus Christ in his second great sermon? (Acts 4:12)
That there is no other name under heaven that a man can be saved through but the name of Jesus Christ.
d. What did the Lord Jesus Christ say about Himself along these lines? (John 14:6)
He said that He is the only WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE….no-one can come to God any other way.
e. What confidence does that give the believer? Why? (verse 4)
Every confidence in the world because we KNOW we belong to the Lord and can overcome wrong teaching because He is greater inside of us (in our soul) than the forces that are outside.
f. What sort of things do those in the “world” (system) talk about? (verse 5)
They only know the natural things around them, , and haven’t a clue about spiritual things…..that is why they come up with evolution and global warming etc., and they can’t even give those things a logical explanation!!!
g. Why is this? (verse 6; 1 Corinthians 2:12)
Because they don’t have the Spirit of God to open their eyes and teach them.
h. What does Paul say to expand this thought? (1 Corinthians 2:9-14)
God shows the believer wonderful things by His Spirit….it is only God’s Spirit who can reveal the things of God to a person. Non Christians CANNOT understand these things and think it is all rubbish.
i. What does verse 6 tell us is the reason why a believer can discern what is right and what is wrong? How do we know? What do we have to do?
Because we belong to God and we just know within ourselves whether a thing is right or wrong. If we aren’t sure, then we go to God’s Word to check it out. If we still aren’t sure, then it pays to err on the side of caution and leave it alone….if it’s doubtful, it’s dirty!
2. Verses 7-21
a. What theme does John now return to? (verse 7)
The theme of loving God and loving each other.
b. Where does all love originate? (verse 8)
All true love (not lust!) originates from God, because God IS LOVE!
c. What proves God’s great love to all humanity? (verses 9-10a; John 3:16)
The fact that He gave His only Son to come into the world to die for their sin, so that all can live (really live!) through Him.
d. What did God’s Son HAVE to do for humans? (verse 10b)
He had to propitiate (beg, plead for, produce the payment for) God the Holy Judge to rescind man’s penalty for sin that they could never pay.
e. Seeing that God loves us in this way, what are believers obliged to do? (verses 11, 20-21)
To love each other is the least we can do! If we can’t love our brother who we can see, how can we love God who we can’t see!!
f. If we show love to each other, what does this prove? (verse 12)
It proves that God is within the believer reaching out to others.
g. In what form does God live inside believers? (verses 13-16; Romans 8:8-9)
The Spirit of God “dwells” in believers; the Son is “in” believers and those who follow Christ “have” the Father…..so God lives in believers in each person of the Trinity…it is all mind boggling but it is what the Bible says!!!! We don’t have to FEEL anything, just BELIEVE it. God says it, I believe it and that settles it!!!
h. How did our Lord Jesus put the thoughts that are in verses 16-17? (John 17:23)
He prayed that believers would be one in Him and that because the Father is in Him that they would become a mature entity that the world would recognise as something different.
i. What does genuine love of God do for believers? (verse 18)
It gives confidence in God and takes away all fear of Him and the coming day of judgment.
j. What inspires believers to love God? (verse 19; Romans 5:6-8)
The fact that He loved us first!
k. What two emotions cannot remain in a person’s life at the same time? (verse 20)
Love and hate…. love for God and hatred for fellow man don’t add up.
l. How is this section summed up? (verse 21)
Those who love God are to love fellow believers.
1 John Five….(verses 1-21)
1. Verses 1-8
a. What does John continue to reiterate here? Why do you think he keeps repeating himself? (verse 1)
He says again that those who believe Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) is born again and those who love the Father will also love the Son. It shows that these things are imperative for every human being and for the Jews it was (and still is!) extremely difficult to admit that the Messiah has come in the person of Jesus of Nazareth…one cannot truly love God without also loving Jesus Christ and other believers.
b. How can we KNOW for sure that we belong to the Lord? (verse 2)
By obeying His Word, doing as He says….this is how we love the Lord and learn to know Him better. We may not know much when we start, but it is like feeding a baby, little by little he grows! It takes a life time of knowing and growing!
c. How do we show that we love God? (verse 3)
By keeping His commands…doing what He says to do, loving the Lord Jesus and His words.
d. We might think this is impossible…verse 3b says that God’s commands are not hard or difficult….what does our Lord Jesus have to say about this? (Matthew 11:28-30)
He says to be yoked to Him and learn from Him ….if we become meek and humble like Him then our souls will be at rest and He will give us rest and peace because He is taking the heavy side. His yoke is easy (comfortable) and so light we hardly notice it.
e. What sort of faith overcomes the world system we live in? (verses 4-5)
It is the faith that believes that Jesus is the Son of God….without this faith, people are sucked into the world system and stay part of it.
f. What tense is the word “believe” in? (verse 5b)
It is in the present tense….it is a continuous belief, not a one time thing in the past.
g. What does verse 6 say that Jesus Christ came by? What happened at the beginning and the end of His ministry? Who shows us these things? (Matthew 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:18-20)
It says He came by water and blood….He was baptised with water before He began His ministry (His obedience to His Father) and His blood was shed when His ministry was finished….this is shown by the Holy Spirit who speaks of and glorifies Him.
h. What does a believer’s baptism show to all? What did the Ethiopian man do? (Acts 8:35-38)
It shows obedience to God’s Word which plainly says to be baptised. The Ethiopian understood this and asked to be baptised when he came to some water.
i. What are the three witnesses in Heaven that agree? (verse 7)
The Father, the Word (Son) and the Holy Spirit.
j. What does John 1:1-2, 14 tells us about the “Word”?
That Jesus Christ is the living Word of God….He was in the beginning with the Father and He is part of the Godhead, even while living on earth in the flesh.
k. What are the three on earth that agree in a believer’s life? (verse 8)
The work of the Holy Spirit, the obedience of the believer to the Word (indicated as washing) and the cleansing of sin by the blood of Jesus Christ….there is no contradiction between these three.
l. How do we know that this “washing” is more than just being baptised physically? (Ephesians 5:26; 1John 1:9)
Baptism is the outward sign of what has happened inwardly. It is by reading or hearing the Word of God that we believe in Jesus Christ and ask Him to cleanse us from all sin. He is faithful and just to do this and we KNOW our sins have gone. After that, we have to live out what has happened in our heart and mind.
2. Verses 9-21
a. What has God witnessed to? (verse 9; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 9:34-35)
The fact that Jesus of Nazareth was His Beloved son who He was very pleased with.
b. How do we KNOW this witness? (verse 10a)
Because it is written in God’s Word and we believe this and also have the inner conviction by the Holy Spirit that it is indeed true.
c. What does verse 10b tell us that unbelievers make God out to be?
Their attitude and beliefs make out that God is a liar.
d. What do verses 11-12 tell us? What else does John add to this? (John 3:36)
God gives eternal life to those who believe in His Son and those who refuse to believe don’t have this life….there is no sitting on the fence, one either believes or doesn’t. Those who don’t believe are under God’s eternal judgement.
e. What is the criteria for having our petitions granted? (verses 13c-15)
A person must believe in the Son of God and ask according to God’s will.
f. What else do we see about receiving what we ask for? (John 14:13-14; 15:7)
We must ask in the name of the Lord Jesus and we must be abiding in Him, that is, having. no known sin that we haven’t dealt with
g. What is asking in the “Name of the Lord Jesus” mean? (John 14:13-14)
It is more than just tacking “in the name of the Lord Jesus” on the end of a prayer….we have to ask ourselves if our prayer is something for His glory, and if our life is backing up what we are asking for.
h. Why should God grant our requests? (Matthew 7:7-8, 13; 1 Corinthians 10:31)
Because He has told us to ask that He may be glorified in all of it.
i. What is our attitude to be when we ask in prayer? (Philippians 4:6)
One of thanksgiving for the answer BEFORE we get it.
j. What is the unforgivable sin? (verses 16-17; Matthew 12:31-32)
Those who continually resist the Holy Spirit’s voice in their conscience and also those who have come to the door of invitation considered the whole matter of what the Holy Spirit has shown them and then refuse to go any further with it. This person is a waste of time to pray for.
k. Unto what stage does a person continue to pray for an unbeliever? (Jeremiah 11:13-14; Hebrews 6:4-6)
When that person has clearly decided against coming to the Lord, it is useless to pray for them past that point.
l. How do we KNOW those who are born again? (verse 18)
They do not live a sinful life….they immediately clean up their life and make a definite turn around.
m. What things do we KNOW in these last few verses? (verses 18-20)
i. We KNOW that those who love God do not live in continuous sin
ii. We KNOW that we belong to God and that the rest of the world is in sin.
iii. We KNOW that we have this understanding only because the Son of God has come into
the world.
iv. We KNOW the One who is true, and that we are in Him.
v. We KNOW that God is the true God who gives eternal life, and that we can know that now!
n. What is John’s last warning to his readers? (verse 21)
To keep away from idols.
o. What is the definition of an “idol” for us today”? ( Mark 12:30)
An idol is anything that takes God’s place in our lives….He wants first place in our lives and we are not to allow anything to displace Him. God’s Holy Spirit can only move in our lives as much as we let Him….if we are too busy (or neglect) to spend time in His Word, then He cannot teach us or speak to us. Sometimes He has to deal very strongly with us in other ways to get our attention. Often other things that we do are not wrong, but God wants our first time with Him each day.
p. How does Jude put this thought in a positive way? (Jude 1:20-21)
He tells us to build ourselves up, praying in the Holy Spirit and keeping ourselves in God’s love.
John’s Second Letter.
2 John One ….(verses 1-13)
1. Verses 1-3
a. How did John describe himself here? (verse 1a)
As “the Elder”.
b. How did John greet these people? (verse 1b)
As the “Elect Lady and her children”…this could have been either a specific woman and those in her household or else a figurative way of greeting a church.
c. What is the basis of his greeting? (verse 1c-2)
It is the “truth” which is the common ground.
d. What IS truth? What does verse 2 say about the truth? Who called Himself the Truth? (John 14:6)
Our Lord Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. This “truth” lives in believers and will be with them for ever and we know this is the case.
e. “Grace be with you” was a common greeting in those times amongst all people (“may the graces of the gods be with you” in those lands of idols) What does John add to it for believers? (verse 3)
Mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in truth and love.
f. What sort of dimension does this add for believers (in contrast to the common greeting)?
It adds the spiritual godly part of their new life in Christ….when we accept God’s GRACE and MERCY, we experience His PEACE. This is based on the TRUTH so we have utmost confidence in Christ’s LOVE which surrounds us at all times. What a contrast! Everything versus nothing!!
g. What caused John great joy? (verse 4)
He found that these, her children, were still walking in the TRUTH and with the Lord.
h. What is John careful to remind his readers that believers should do? (verses 5-6)
To remember to walk in love….love towards God (obeying His commands) and love towards each other.
i. What is a person who denies the Deity of Christ (says that He is only one of the prophets) called here? (verse 7)
They are called deceivers and antichrist…their attitude of unbelief is against Christ and they deceive themselves and then try to deceive others.
j. What warning does John give in verse 8? How did Paul enlarge on this? (1 Corinthians 10:12)
John says to take care that we don’t let go and lose what we have been taught, while Paul says that if we think we can stand on our own, then watch out in case we fall even harder!!!
k. What does the writer to the Hebrews say about this? (Hebrews 2:1)
He says to take earnest heed to all we know, to hang on and not let them slip!
l. What are we to do with those who come to our door with false teaching? (verses 9-11)
We are not to ask them in, or even wish them well as they go.
m. What was John hoping to be able to do? How would he feel then? (verse 12)
He was hoping to be able to visit these people and see them personally….they would have a joyful time together then.
John’s Third Letter.
3 John One ….(verses 1-14)
1. Verses 1-14
a. Who is John writing to in this letter? What does he say in verse 1 that is similar to 2 John verse 1?
He is writing to Gaius who he loves “in the TRUTH”
b. What state was Gaius in? (verse 2)
He was a godly man and John hoped his physical health was as good as his spiritual health was!
c. What makes an older believer more glad than anything else? (verses 3-4)
To hear that others are still walking with the Lord, especially those who they have counselled years earlier.
d. What sort of person was Gaius? (verses 5-6)
He was faithful to the believers, both those he knew and those he didn’t know, being a helpful and hospitable soul.
e. What does this do for us when we help missionaries and preachers? (verses 7-8)
We are taking part in what they do in helping them in their work.
f. What sort of person was Diotrephes? (verses 9-10)
He had an inflated sense of importance and had taken over the church refusing to allow visitors to be received and throwing out those who did take them in. He had no use for John either.
g. Who did John commend? (verses 11-12)
Demetrius had a good testimony among everyone and stood for the TRUTH in honesty.
h. What was John hoping to do shortly? (verses 13-14)
He had a lot more to say, but would wait until he visited them which he hoped to do shortly.
i. What have you learned from this short letter?
i. That it is important to keep walking in God’s TRUTH.
ii. To be faithful and honest in our dealings with others.
iii. It is important to be helpful to those spreading the Word,
iv. To follow the Lord and do good; to turn one’s back on that which is evil.
v. It is better to visit a person to encourage or help if you can, than to merely write a letter.