God is Light
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declared unto you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not walk in the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7
Light is eternal life; it is truth and righteousness. Darkness is the realm of Satan, and it is death, lies, and immorality. Natural, unregenerated man seeks the darkness, pursuing the enticements and lies of the world. No one can be in partnership with God and live in the darkness, though many think they can. If we live in the light, pursuing righteousness and the will of God, then the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross cleanses us from our sin.
Substitutional atonement and unfailing mercy.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
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. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2
We are saved from the wrath of God by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus is our advocate with the Father; he is our propitiation at judgment. We can rest assured that God will be faithful to forgive our sins.
Do not serve the world.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the things in the world. The world is the systems of evil, human ideology, human philosophy, human religion, worldly enticements and seduction, corruption, perversion, and the lies of darkness, ungodly stuff. In the world, there live satanic lies and deception that are hostile to the truth of God.
We do not live in the world because of what it is (evil), because of who we are (children of God, not Satan), because of what it does (incites us to sin), or because of where it is going (to destruction, hell). In the world is sin; unholy desire (lust of the flesh), seduction (lust of the eyes), and pride (I am the most important, I get what I want, when I want, and how I want).
Discern truth from lies; beware false teachers.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John 4:1-3
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 2 John 10-11
Be discerning and determine whether teaching is of God or from demons. False teachers are abundant, and the world is drowning in a sea of demonic lies.
The first test to determine if the truth is being taught is the assertion of the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and the efficacy of his atonement for our sins. If there is a denial that Jesus is the incarnate Son of God, then the teaching is from Satan. If there is not complete submission from the heart that Jesus is their Lord, then the teaching is from Satan. If there is a denial that Jesus is the complete propitiation for our sins, then the teaching is from Satan.
Second, look for a holy nature in the teacher’s life. Do they demonstrate a regeneration of their soul from the pursuit of the world to the things of God?
Thirdly, look to their adherence to divine law. Are they grounded in, and in agreement with, and submissive to the word of God? In summary, test teachers by the evidence of their view of Christ, proof of their fruit of regeneration (salvation), and their submission to biblical truth (scripture). When you encounter those who teach another gospel, run away!
Love one another
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John 3:23-24
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11
We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:19-21
And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 2 John 5-6
Love your fellow man, as Jesus loves us. Love demonstrated through service and compassion is evidence that the Holy Spirit is active within you. Let your conscience, not your heart, guide you in loving your neighbor. To love others, especially those who do not love you, is to be like Christ. Love is perfected when we are humble, confident, settled, and living in faith. To love your fellow man is an excellent testimony to the love of God and is the 2nd most important commandment, not a suggestion.
To love God is to be obedient.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; hereby know we that are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 1 John 2:3-6
This is a fundamental truth from the word of God. Love is not a feeling; it is an action. We love God when we keep his commandments.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 1 John 3:19
And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John 3:23-24
In verses 19 through 24, we are told how to be assured of our salvation, that “we are of the truth.” We who have become the children of God have faith in Jesus Christ and love one another – these are the two most important characteristics of the saved soul. We possess a conscience that is clear and sensitive to missteps and sin. We pray boldly in confidence because we know the Father hears our prayers. We are obedient to God’s commands and strive to live a holy life. We can do these things because we are directed by the Holy Spirit.
Those who are in Christ have eternal life.
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:11-13
By faith and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we have eternal life. Those who do not believe will be crushed by the wrath of God.
God hears our prayers.
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will be heareth us. 1 John 5:14
Our prayers and our petitions will be granted in accordance with God’s will. We desire that God’s will, not ours, be done above all else, not that our will be done.
Victory over sin.
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not. 1 John 5:18
We are not slaves to sin and the elements of the world or Satan, but slaves to Jesus Christ.
We belong to God.
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 1 John 5:19
We are partakers of his righteous nature and not evil and immorality of the world.
Jesus is the true God and the source of eternal life.
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 1 John 5:20
Jesus has given us the understanding that he is God, and in him is found salvation from God’s wrath and eternal life.
My greatest joy!
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth. 3 John 4
My greatest joy here on earth would be to see my children come to Christ, to be saved from the wrath to come, and be fellow partakers of our inheritance to come. I am still waiting for this blessing; I am confident it will come to pass.
John 3:36 