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Sunday School Lesson
Humans have developed all kinds of mental pictures of God. These concepts vary from very stern to anything goes. These extremes can allow one to build all kinds of theology to fit their picture of the heavenly father - the creator of the universe. In the gospel that bears his name, the Apostle John wrote, "No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the father, he hath declared him." John1:18. He had already made this declaration in the "cover letter." 1 John 4:12a. Moses was allowed to only see the back parts. Exodus 33:23. Humans seem to have some kind of built-in instinct causing them to understand the divine nature of God. Yes, this inborn attitude can be stifled - and finally killed. One must strive to keep this realization alive. God had told Moses, "for there shall no man see me, and live." Exodus 33:20b. These facts do not form a basis for some kind of "mystical being, with no interest in the fallen race." The record is clear. John 3:16. The first readers of this letter written by John had been exposed to the doctrine that the way to heaven is some kind of secret. Only the enlightened could ever hope to reach this eternal reward. John declared, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ born of God..." 1 John 5:1. Thus, this disciple began to counteract this false concept. He further, declared, "and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him." 1 John 5:1b. This doctrine that was beginning to develop taught that the enlightened were special with some kind of divine connection. John wrote, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments." 1 John 5:2. What kind of performance do we show on this two-fold test? John helps us to determine our score. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." 1 John 5:3. This declaration is in contrast to the complicated system that was developing - and continues to hamper the spiritual life of those who embrace it. Some people consider obedience to the plan of God as some kind of burden. The apostle did not embrace this philosophy. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world..." 1 John 5:4a. John declared, "and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4b. The enemy of our souls has one purpose in mind. John 10:10a; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10c. Yet, promises are made to those who faithfully serve God. Many distorted, false mental pictures of the eternal work of Jesus Christ had begun to appear. These thoughts can easily filter into the thinking of believers - just from sheer exposure. John wrote with divine confidence, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 5:5. Do you know in your heart that Jesus is the son of God, or has the thought been, simply, placed in your head? The re-writing of history is not some new exercise. At the time of the writing of this letter, John knew that some people had begun this process. In a direct way, he said, "This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the spirit that beareth witness, because the spirit is truth." 1 John 5:6. John, then, wrote of the trinity of agreement. "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the father, the word, and the holy ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." 1 John 5:7, 8. These "self-enlightened" teachers had presented their case in convincing words. Their testimony had been seen as some kind of new revelation. The apostle recognized their source as being, simply, the philosophy of the fallen, sinful human mind. Thus, he declared, "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his son." 1 John 5:9. The apostle gave words of assurance. "He that believeth on the son of God hath the witness in himself..." 1 John 5:10a. He, also, stated a warning - "he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record, that God gave of his son." 1 John 5:10b. This new doctrine that was being introduced among those who had accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and savior, placed little value on faith, love and obedience. Their philosophy was built on their secret knowledge of how to get to heaven and how to obtain eternal life. The apostle declared the opposite position. 1 John 5:11. John addressed this error in a direct way. "He that hath the son hath life..." 1 John 5:12a. The opposite position carried its consequence - "and he that hath not the son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:12b. The use of two different negatives in scripture is important. The holy spirit - 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21 - chose the words that the writers used. The "relative negative" shows that the individual has a "choice." The "absolute negative" is used to indicate the finality of the choice that is made- human or divine. The use of the "relative negative" in John 3:16 indicates that the whosoever has a choice of accepting or rejecting the love that God had shown to the fallen race, when he gave his only begotten son. The individual must receive the love of God before that love can be shown to others.
Do you, personally, know this love?
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