First JohnA Test of True Faith

Howard Buck

2:28-3:3

February 20, 2011

If you think that the tests are over, think again!!

We are about to start over

Only this time the tests are “Applicational”

That means we can evaluate them right now and put them into immediate action!!

They are the:•Moral test of obedience and righteousness 2:28-3:10

•Social test of love 3:11-18

•Doctrinal test of truth concerning Christ 4:1-6

The missing verses 3:19-24 represent a digression from these tests

(They deal with our assurance and discuss our condemning hearts)

Same test titles as before but as mentioned, from a different perspective..

Continued

This new perspective is foreshadowed in 2:28 where we are called “little children” which is

then clarified and more formally presented in 3:1 where we are called “children of God.”

So as we re-walk these tests we will do so as “children of God” which means that certain

responsibilities come with the freedoms and the assurances and the security of this position as

His children..

2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.  29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure..

2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence

and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 

What is our understanding of the word ABIDE?…

It is an active word describing an on-going, continuing presence.

Meno: to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy, abide, continue, dwell, endure, be

present, remain, stand, tarry.

So, what is Johns idea?…

That we remain in Him

Is this salvational?...

NO, it has to do with our walk..

This then is the question:

Where do you want to be when Jesus returns?

Walking in His light or walking in the darkness

Have you ever thought about that before you went somewhere or began doing something?

Do you ever say; “would I like to be here or like to be doing this when Christ returns?”

Bottom line; you will either look with excited expectation in confidence, (saved) or

shrink away in shame, (not saved)!!!

Now the test becomes clearer as we review this verse:

29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices

righteousness is born of Him.

We all know that God is righteous

Therefore, we should not have any trouble with the first part of the verse

The trouble arises when we consider the second part of the verse:

you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him

Why is this statement trouble, after all helping an accident victim could be considered as

performing a righteous act, for that matter Mormons’ with their community and

governmental involvement can certainly be considered as righteous…

So how can this be – since we know that Mormons’ are not born of Him?…..

The answer lies in the definition of the word righteousness:

First lets’ consider:

Are we born righteous?…

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

No, we are not born that way

Actually we are…

Does doing righteous acts make us righteous?…

Isa 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind,

take us away.

Our deeds don’t make us righteous, so what does??

2 Cor 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become

the righteousness of God in Him.

Based on this verse we become righteous through Christ’s payment for our sins.

Now the question becomes:

So what is this God imputed righteousness?…

In the NT it is presented in three ways:

First of all it is SALVATION:

2 Pet 2:21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than

having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

(“the way of righteousness = the Christian experience or salvation)..

Second, it produces ethical FRUIT that is:

James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,

reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace..

Third, it is part of the REVEALED KINGDOM of God:

Mat 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be

added to you..

So the righteousness of the NT, the term John refers to is:

•bought for us by Jesus, at the cross,

•freely given to us at salvation

•produces fruit consistent with the nature of God

•causes us to seek after His revealed kingdom

Consider this:

Depositing money in the bank doesn’t make you a banker so doing righteous acts won’t make

you righteous!!!

Rather, it is based on a relationship with God which makes you His adopted child

Our righteous living is a reflection of our Father

Like Father, like son!!

Who’s your daddy!!!!!!!!!!!

We have established the fact that the righteousness that God has freely given to us qualifies us as adopted

children of God. This verse confirms that fact:

1 John 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of

God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

John expands the blessing of the act of God adopting us by calling it “how great love”..

In the Greek this expression “how great” translates as:

of what country

John is saying that this love is so

un-comprehendible that it must be other worldly!!

Because of the “otherworldly” nature of this love, the world (the world system of Satan), cannot

understand it therefore they cannot truly know us

Without Christ, God’s “otherworldly” love cannot be understood..

you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him (2:29)

Do you think the Him refers to Jesus?

Sure it does, this is where the heart of this inability to understand comes from

After all who could possibly love us so much that He would be willing to die the horrible death Jesus died on

the cross??

Based on this verse, is the world’s knowing us something to be sought after?…

No, the world, without Christ CANNOT know us

That is why we must be very careful in our relationship with the world

The better it knows us then the more like IT we have become!!

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We

know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

John calls us children of God to emphasize his statement coming in verse 3

Remember he said we should be called children and here he makes it clear that we are His children!

What is taking place in the balance of this verse?..

..and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him,

because we will see Him just as He is

Can it be that John, the beloved disciple, who spent 3 years with Jesus and at this point more years in ministry then any other disciple, this John, the disciple that was

given the Revelation of the end times, is actually admitting that there is something he doesn’t know?

Can it be that under the plenary inspiration of the Holy Spirit that God has chosen to keep something from

John, and therefore also from us?…

YES, For whatever reason, God has chosen NOT to try to explain to us how we will be or feel upon glorification

Although..

Here is what we do know:

Rom 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the

image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

We are being made like Christ

2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being

transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Being conformed to the image of God..

Phil 3:20 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by

the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Will receive a body of glory, like His

Col 3:10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image

of the One who created him—

We are learning about God

1 Th 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to

meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

We will be with Him..

In summary:

• We are being made like Christ

• Being conformed to the image of God..

• Will receive a body of glory, like His

• We are learning about God

• We will be with Him..

1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

What does this mean?..

We, who know Him seek to be like Him which means that our everyday life will reflect our desire to live like

Christ.

Once again Jesus is given as our example (2:6)

By the way, what does being pure mean?..

We keep from sin!!

Just like a water purifier or a filter they are designed to separate certain elements from the water or air

For us to purify we must separate from?…

Sin!

How do we purify our self?…,

Psalm 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.

This separation makes us pure just like the water and air (note that the water and air are not perfect, but as

purified as they can be!!)

John gave us another reason for being pure in this section, what was it?…2:28

We will have confidence when He appears!!!!!

What do we take home???

1. We are to ABIDE in God

2. Practice righteousness

3. Like Father, like son

4. Someday we will be like Him

5. Until then we purify ourselves through His word!!!!!