Superior Word Daily Devotional on the Book of 1 John

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John Introduction, 4 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020
Wednesday, 4 March 2020


The book of 1 John; an Introduction.


The book of 1 John is the 62nd book of the Bible, and it is comprised of 5 chapters of 105 verses, the same number of verses as that of 1 Peter. A verse-per-day evaluation of 1 John will take just about three- and one-half months to complete.


John is the Apostle John who was personally called by Jesus. Matthew 4:21, 22 reveals his formal calling by the Lord –

“Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”


John is held to be the author of the Gospel of John; 1, 2, and 3 John; and the book of Revelation. He is highlighted in the gospels as being one of an inner circle who most closely associated with Jesus. This also included Peter and John’s brother, James. In the gospel which bears his name, he refers to himself as the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (for example, see John 13:23).


Based on the terminology of some verses in the gospels, it is speculated by some that John may actually be a first cousin of Jesus. However, this cannot be determined without a measure of speculation.


Like the book of Hebrews, no writer is specifically identified as being the author of 1 John. Extra-biblical writings, however, identify him as the author. These include Irenaeus, who lived approximately AD 140–203; Clement of Alexandria, who lived around AD 150–215; Tertullian who lived around AD 155–222; and Origen, who lived around 185–253. No other name is known to be assigned as the author, and so it is rather certain that he is the one.


In addition to these known early testimonies, comparing the style and content between the gospel of John and the epistle of 1 John provide us with sufficient evidence to be reasonably confident that the traditional idea of John being the author is correct. For example, the opening line of the gospel (John 1:1), and a second verse (John 1:14), match in terminology to the opening line of the epistle (1 John 1:1). From there, numerous other verses are also interestingly similar. One of the many examples would be –

“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36

“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:12


Detailed studies have been made, highlighting these similarities, and they provide great assurance that the same person, the Apostle John, authored both books. In addition, in the opening verses of the epistle, the author of 1 John personally speaks of having witnessed the things he writes of. From there, his writings testify to the truth of that claim.


The dating of the letter is reasonably assumed to be from the mid-80s to the mid-90s. Irenaeus makes this claim, but also some of the internal content of the letter – such as refuting the idea of Gnosticism, give hints to this dating. The content of the letter also suggests that it was written about the same time, or after, the gospel of John.

No specific recipients are named – either a specific church or location, or a specific individual. Therefore, it may have been intended as an encyclical letter passed out to various churches to either accompany the Gospel of John, or to confirm the authenticity of the Gospel which had been received earlier. The careful use of the similar content would help confirm that the Gospel was, in fact, authentic.


Another possibility for the writing of the letter would be as a refutation of the Gnostic idea of who Christ was, and how that affected the doctrine and conduct of believers. The letter would be a carefully penned addition to the presentation of Christ in the Gospel to ensure that no theological manipulation of the Gospel would arise. Such aberrant doctrines would lead to moral decay. 1 John will address this, it will address core tenets of understanding Christ, and it will address the concept of the security of believers in salvation.


The placement of the Gospel of John after the three synoptic gospels (which are addressed specifically to Israel, under the Law of Moses), and the placement of John’s three epistles (which come after four letters directed specifically to the Hebrew people), both demonstrate a uniting of Jew and Gentile into one body. In both, the content is obviously directed to a body of believers without regard to such ethnicity but has content applicable to all people within the body. The very structure of the Bible provides insights into the nature of redemptive history.


The main theme of 1 John is “Fellowship.” Thus, the main purpose of the epistle is “To combat moral laxity and error about the Person and work of Jesus Christ.”

The main presentation of Christ in the epistle is “Jesus Christ, the Life.”


A short review of the book includes the following –

Author – The Apostle John

Date – Mid-80s to mid-90s

Theme – Fellowship

Purpose – To combat moral laxity and error about the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

Presentation of Christ – The Life

A limited outline of the book would be –

The Book of 1 John – Light, Truth, and Love

Book Superstructure

Sure knowledge of the truth.

Book Structure

Prologue.

Purpose of letter.

Final greeting.

Book Outline

1. Jesus Christ, the Light of life.

2. Love for the brethren, not the world.

3. Abiding in Christ.

4. Proof of the Spirit’s indwelling.

5. Overcomers in Christ – the knowledge of the truth.


Life application: We hope that you will spend the next 105 days of your life learning the book of 1 John, one verse at a time. From there, we hope you will apply its truths to your life, molding yourself more each day into being a faithful and wholehearted follower of Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father.

Lord God, may we, as believers in Christ Jesus, be faithful in studying Your word, accepting its truths as revealed in proper context, and then applying those truths to our walk with You. Help us to pursue Jesus Christ, our Life, Light, and Truth. Help us to pursue the Word made flesh as revealed in Your precious written word. To Your glory we pray. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:1, 5 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020
Thursday, 5 March 2020


That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 1 John 1:1


To help grasp the structure of the first three verses of the epistle, the following comments from Vincent’s Word Studies are provided –

“The construction of the first three verses is somewhat involved. It will be simplified by throwing it into three parts, represented respectively by 1 John 1:1, 1 John 1:2, 1 John 1:3. The first part, That which was from the beginning - Word of Life, forms a suspended clause, the verb being omitted for the time, and the course of the sentence being broken by 1 John 1:2, which forms a parenthesis: and the Life - manifested unto us. 1 John 1:3, in order to resume the broken sentence of 1 John 1:1, repeats in a condensed form two of the clauses in that verse, that which we have seen and heard, and furnishes the governing verb, we declare. Thus the simple sentence, divested of parenthesis and resumptive words would be, We declare unto you that which was from the beginning, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled concerning the Word of Life.”


As in the Gospel of John, John immediately begins the epistle with a thought that extends to before the creation. The words, “That which was from the beginning,” demonstrate that there was a beginning. As there was a beginning, then that which was there from the beginning existed before “the beginning.” Existence cannot create itself, and therefore it is either created, or it is uncreated. If there was a beginning to something, then there is a time when it did not exist. Therefore, it was created. If it was created, then it was by the hands of the Creator. As the Creator has no beginning, He is uncreated.


John’s words demonstrate, without any doubt, that the subject of his epistle – meaning “the Word of life,” who is Jesus Christ – is the eternal God. He is uncreated, and thus He is the Creator. However, rather than saying, “He whom,” John says, “That which.” John goes beyond the physical being of the Person of Jesus Christ into a realm which the mind cannot fully grasp. All that relates to God – His knowledge; His omnipotence; His wisdom; His mercy, goodness, and glory – these, and so much more, are what the neuter words “that which” are expressing. It is reminiscent of the words of the Lord to Moses on Mount Sinai –

“And God saith unto Moses, ‘I AM THAT WHICH I AM;’ He saith also, ‘Thus dost thou say to the sons of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.’” Exodus 3:14 (YLT)


The word “was,” as in “was from the beginning,” is the Greek eimi. It signifies being, or existence. It is saying, “That which” existed, not that it egeneto, or came into being. John’s words are penned so that no error in thinking will come about from an improper analysis of what is being conveyed.


Next, like John 1:1, there is no article before “beginning.” The Greek reads ap’ arches, and so rather than speaking of a concrete statement of being, it speaks of a state of being. Taken together with John 1:1, we have the following –

In the beginning was the Word

That which was from the beginning

It seems certain that John is assuming his audience is aware of his gospel. In the gospel he speaks of the Word “before” the creation, and here he speaks of “that which” was “from” that beginning, but which has already been defined as being before it. His existence was, and His existence continues. It was revealed within His creation. As John next says, “which we have heard.”


The words “have heard” are in the perfect tense. The words were heard, and they stand. What was communicated is, and it is fixed. The effects of the hearing continue on. However, there is more than just hearing, as of a prophet of old. The words were conveyed by a physical being. The only explanation for this is the incarnation. There is the preexistence of the word, uncreated and thus infinite. But there is also the Word “which we have seen.”


Again, the words “have seen” are in the perfect tense. The word was made manifest, and the effects of that coming continue on. Later in this epistle, John will write, “No one has seen God at any time.” Man cannot see the infinite God, and yet John speaks of having seen the Word. But did John and those with him merely see the word in a vision of the mind? No. He explicitly denies this thought with the continued words, “with our eyes.”


What was beheld was not a spiritual experience only, but it was one that was physically viewable with physical eyes. It is a confirmation that the Word “became flesh” (John 1:14). The story of the incarnation is confirmed by the words of John. He is showing, without a doubt, that God’s manifestation in the Person of Jesus Christ was not merely a spiritual appearance, but one which was physical. They heard the Word, they saw the Word, and John next says, “which we have looked upon.”


The Greek signifies to behold. It is used of a spectator gazing intently upon something, as if in a theater. Here it is in the aorist tense. Rather than focusing on the abiding effects of what they beheld, he is noting the fact that it occurred and that they were given the special opportunity to witness these things. He and the others were able to gaze upon the things Christ Jesus did – healing, teaching, fulfilling prophecy, and even dying on the cross. They beheld this manifestation of the Word as He accomplished the work set before Him.


And then, yet again, John wants his reader to know that even this wasn’t some type of mere vision. In order to do this, he confirms the physical nature of the Word by saying, “and our hands have handled.”


Again, it is in the aorist tense. The apostles were given the opportunity to interact with the Word, and to even touch Him. The word “handled” is the same as that used by Luke –

“Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” Luke 24:39


Hands cannot handle a vision or a dream. Hands cannot touch a spirit being. Rather, there was a physical nature to the Word. His hunger was real, His mourning was real, and His crucifixion was real. Further, after His crucifixion, His resurrection was in a real body. The fact that John doesn’t mention this occurrence in His gospel, and yet he refers to it now, is a confirmation of the words of Luke.


The Word participated in all of these physical events, which extend even to a physical event – the resurrection – which now continues on forever in a physical body. Those things that occurred, as the Word interacted with the created order, truly happened.


All of this, and so much more, is revealed in the opening words of the epistle “concerning the Word of life.” In the Greek, there is an article before “life.” Thus, it reads “concerning the Word of the Life” (YLT). The words speak of the personal being who is Jesus Christ. This is perfectly evident when taken in conjunction with the Gospel of John which says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). It is also evident from the continued words of the epistle now before us.


It is He who is the Source and Author of life, and it is He who imparts new life to those who come to Him. Apart from Him, life cannot exist.


Life application: Among other reasons for what has been seen, this first verse was meant to dispel heresy which had already crept into the church, and which continues to this day. To diminish either aspect of Christ Jesus – that being fully God and that of being fully Man – is to fundamentally error in His nature, purpose, and ability to redeem.

John will continue to explain this, and He will build upon several key words such as the word, light, life, darkness, joy, etc., as he reveals to us the glory which is revealed in Jesus Christ. He will show us how we can and should properly interact with Jesus Christ as we continue our walk in this life.


Lord God Almighty – that You would step out of eternity and unite with human flesh is beyond comprehension. To imagine what occurred and what will be for eternity concerning the Person of Jesus Christ is astonishing. Though we cannot fully grasp these things, we accept them and will continue to contemplate them forever. Help us to always desire to look more and more into the mystery of Christ and Your glory which is revealed through Him. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:2, 6 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2020
Friday, 6 March 2020


...the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 1 John 1:2

John, after introducing us to “the Word of life,” now begins a parenthetical thought beginning with, “the life was manifested.” Here, he is using the term “the life” in a manner almost synonymous with “the Word.”


Like at other times, it is expressing the nature of Christ. He is the Truth, He is the Light, He is the Way, etc. The words “the life” are no different here. The One who bears the meaning of “life” – in its fullest sense – was manifested, meaning made clear, or made known. He was plainly revealed in the coming of Christ.


This is analogous to what is said of Christ in John 1:14 which says, “And the Word became flesh.” The only difference is that a different characteristic of Christ is revealed in these words. In the gospel of John, He is the Word – the One who explains the Father to us, He is the Life – the One who reveals life itself to us, and so forth. The various terms are given to help explain these natures so that we can come to a fuller understanding of who Christ is.


John then repeats the same idea that he said in verse 1, “and we have seen.” “That which was from the beginning” was seen. “That which” was the Word from John 1:1, but it is also the Life. The apostles had seen the very source of life itself – with their own eyes. He was manifest unto them not as a secret enlightenment for a select few, but as a means of conveying the truth of God to the world. For this reason, John says they “bear witness.”


In John 1:7, John the Baptist came “to bear witness of the Light.” The One who would draw all peoples to Himself as a beacon through His death, as noted in John 12:32, is also the One who would come to give life. Certain people were selected to bear witness to these things. There would be an experiential knowledge which would lead to a personal testimony, and that would lead to the proclamation of the gospel.


Understanding this, John then says that he and the others who had seen these things now “declare to you that eternal life.” The Greek is much more precise, stating, “the life, the eternal.” The apostles declared the Life. It is He who is the Life, and it is He who provides eternal life. There is a development of thought being presented.

Adam was created to live and not die. But through sin, death entered the world. In the doing of the law, man was promised to live (Leviticus 18:5). But fallen man is incapable of fulfilling the law. However, Christ, the Life, was capable of doing so. In His fulfillment of the law, He could provide that eternal life for man by removing the law, taking it out of the way, and thus bringing eternal life.


The process requires more than the words of John to understand. Indeed, it takes all of Scripture to grasp what God has done in Christ, but John’s words make the simple proclamation that it is so. This is the declaration of the life, the eternal life “which was with the Father.”


In saying that the Life was with the Father, it is saying that He is prior to the creation. The same Life that was with the Father, apart from any created thing, is the Life that was manifested to the world in Christ. They are not two, but one. This is confirmed by Jesus’ own words, “I and MyFather are one” (John 10:30).


The Father expresses Himself in and through the Son. The life that is in the Father is the Life who came to dwell among the people He created. It is this Life that John says, “was manifested to us.” This Life – which has always been, but which has not been seen in man since the fall of Adam – is what was presented to the world. Christ came to perform a mission which was to restore life to man and to thus reclaim man for the Father in the state which He was originally intended to exist.


Of this, Vincent’s word studies states –

“In living, active relation and communion with the Father. ‘The preposition of motion with the verb of repose involves eternity of relation with activity and life’ (Coleridge). The life eternally tended to the Father, even as it emanated from Him. It came forth from Him and was manifested to men, but to the end that it might take men into itself and unite them with the Father. The manifestation of life to men was a revelation of life, as, first of all and beyond all, centering in God. Hence, though life, abstractly, returns to God, as it proceeds from God, it returns bearing the redeemed world in its bosom. The complete divine ideal of life includes impartation, but impartation with a view to the practical development of all that receives it with reference to God as its vivifying, impelling, regulating, and inspiring center.”


Life application: When reading John’s gospel and epistles, it’s hard not to get the sense that he simply couldn’t believe the blessing of encountering Jesus Christ, the Son of God. His words overflow with amazement at the immensity of what he had personally experienced.


From eternity past, the Word existed. But John exclaims that he and others saw the Word, looked upon the Word, handled the Word – all evidences of the incarnation. This is the life that was manifested to him and those he walked with. He again says, “we have seen” the Word. It is as if he is saying, “It’s really true and my words are insufficient to explain; let me repeat myself in an attempt to do so.”


Because of the absolute surety the apostles held concerning their eyewitness, John says that they bear witness, and declare what they had seen. One can imagine him going to bed, night after night, and saying, “These eyes beheld the Lord; my own two eyes.” When waking up in the morning, he probably repeated himself, “My own two eyes….” And so, he proclaims what he saw – that the eternal life which was with the Father became flesh and dwelt among the sons of men. It is this Life – this bridge between the finite and the infinite – which was manifested to a select group of people who would tell the story of eternal life to a world stained by sin and by darkness.

John will continue to weave together his words in a way which will detail the work of the Word, the significance of the Word, and the love of God as displayed in the Word. All of this was done to give eternal life to anyone who would but believe. Take time to think about the eternal Word of life, coming in human flesh to reveal the heart of the Father.


Surely no greater story has ever been told than that which details the life and work of Jesus Christ. O God, thank You for allowing our eyes to see Jesus in the pages of the Holy Bible. In seeing Him, we see You. May we faithfully study the words You have provided, and may our doctrine be pure as we pursue an understanding of His work and His glory. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:3, 7 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020
Saturday, 7 March 2020


...that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3


With the parenthetical thought of verse 2 complete, John returns to the thought which began in verse 1 by saying, “that which we have seen and heard.” In this, he reverses the thought of verse 1 –

Verse 1 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes

Verse 3 – that which we have seen and heard


The restatement of the thought is to solidify the fact in our minds that this really happened, and that their testimony is reliable. What the eyes have seen, the ears also heard. There is no disconnect between the two, as if there was a delusional vision. Rather the senses were united in what occurred.


John leaves out the words “and our hands have handled” from verse 1. In this, the mind must insert that thought, which is actually an effective way of having someone mentally remember that point as well. If someone said, “John is tall, handsome, and rich,” and then a minute later said, “John is handsome and tall,” the mind would reach back to retrieve the third thought by itself.


In leaving out “and our hands have handled,” and in that now being called to memory in this way, John continues with, “we declare to you.” This, once again, takes us back to the post-resurrection occurrence which was cited in the commentary of verse 1 from Luke 24. After revealing Himself to the apostles, John’s gospel takes up the narrative –

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”


So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:24-29

The apostles had handled Christ, but Thomas was not with Him. Later, Thomas was there, and he too saw Him, speak to Him, and touch Him. It is this final proof, added to all of the times they had previously been with Him, that assured them concerning the Word of life. The apostles, through John’s words now, declare that life, as he says, so “that you also may have fellowship with us.”


The testimony of the apostles was given, but it is only a testimony. There must be an acceptance that what is presented is true. In accepting that, the blessed state of fellowship is realized – not just in understanding, but in full possession. This is the reason for John’s repetition of thought from verse 1. He understands that faith must be involved. Jesus said as much, and so he is giving the surest testimony he can so that it can come about.


In receiving their words, there is, as he says, “fellowship with us.” But in their fellowship already exists a higher fellowship which will likewise be granted to those who, by faith, accept their words. Of this, John says, “and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”


The Greek has an article before fellowship which, if included in the English, would make the translation cumbersome, but it is important to see – “indeed, the fellowship now, the of us, is with the Father and with the Son of Him – Jesus Christ.” John is providing emphasis in showing that the fellowship which exists – which they have and possess – is not just among one another, but it is inclusive of both the Father and the Son. It is the distinctive characteristic which belongs to true believers.


There is a harmony which is – right now and always – realized in this communion. Further, John carefully repeats the preposition meta, or “with,” before both “Father” and “Son” – with the Father and with the Son. In this, he is clearly and unambiguously showing that the two are separate entities within the Godhead who are both involved in the fellowship which exists among believers.


Life application: Despite the unclear, or purposefully twisted, thinking of cults such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Bible clearly proclaims the Godhood and Manhood of Jesus Christ. Here John is addressing the Gnostic belief that Jesus wasn’t truly a man, but was rather a spirit being. His proclamation could not be any clearer. This is similar to the gospels which relate that they physically handled and also ate with Jesus. The writing is purposeful, and it is meant to make explicit the physical nature of the risen Christ – something various cults, incredibly, still deny.


It is this incarnation which allows the fellowship described in today’s verse. Without a complete understanding of Jesus, we can never truly understand God the Father. But, because of Christ’s coming, we have the surety that our fellowship with them is real, and in turn our fellowship among other believers is both sound and worth pursuing. Unlike other relationships, that of Christian fellowship should be on an entirely different level because of the work of Jesus.


Lord Jesus, You are the tie that binds – You tie us to a sound understanding of God the Father; You tie us to eternal fellowship with the Holy Spirit; and You tie us together as friends in the fellowship of believers. Because of You, our fellowship is complete. Thank You for what You have done to unite us! Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:4, 8 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2020·
Sunday, 8 March 2020


And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:4


The words here are closely aligned with Jesus’ words of John 15:11 –

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”


John, having recently written his gospel, is aligning the thoughts of it and of this epistle together to form a better understanding of what is being conveyed, and it is certainly a way of helping his audience remember what was presented there as well. The submission of the letter, taken together with the gospel narrative, would then form a united whole. If this is what occurred, the two form a unique transmission of detail concerning the Person and work of Christ.


Whether this is the case, or whether they were sent separately, John’s words here are perfectly consistent with the gospel, and they demonstrate that what Jesus said to the disciples is now intended by John to be realized in those who later read his letter as well as his gospel. Understanding this, he begins with, “And these things we write to you.”


This immediately speaks of what he has said in the first three verses. What has been presented so far is reliable, it is confirmed by certain testimony, and it deals with the very Creator of all things in relation to His manifestation in the Person of Jesus Christ.


The words also are certainly inclusive of the entire epistle. As this is so, and as the words of the epistle often carefully and intricately align with the gospel narrative, that too must be considered as a part of what will bring full joy. And again, as that is so, and as the gospel narrative aligns harmoniously with the rest of Scripture, showing that Christ Jesus is the fulfillment of everything prophesied and anticipated in advance, the entire body of Scripture is implicitly included in that which will bring forth what John speaks of here. And that is, “that your joy may be full.”


Some texts say “our” instead of “your.” The difference then would be that the joy Jesus promised to the disciples in John 15 would only be fully complete when the message of Him was properly, accurately, and fully transmitted by them. This was their task, and in expressing the gospel, they would receive the fulness of the joy that Jesus spoke of. Another option is that it could be John including himself and the other apostles in with his audience in one message of joy being realized for all as their message is received and accepted.


Either way, the extension of the joy to the reader is obvious. There is to be a fulness of joy in understanding that God Himself has taken such minute interest in His creatures and has come to reveal Himself to us as He did. In reading, meditating on, assimilating, and living by what is presented in Scripture, the joy of God which is found in Jesus Christ can be ours – in its fulness. What a testimony to our need to be in the word always.


Life application: In the book of 1 John, we are given seven reasons for the things he writes –

1) that our joy may be full; 2) that we might not sin; 3) to share the commandments of the faith; 4) because our sins are forgiven in Jesus’ name; 5) because we know Jesus – who was from the beginning; 6) because we have overcome the wicked one; and 7) because we know the Father.

All of these carefully weave together into one major reason – the first given – that our joy may be full. Think it through…

1) If we don’t sin, we are living rightly in God’s presence and are freed from condemnation and/or judgment – a true joy.

2) If we receive the commandments and accept them, we will be following the instruction our Creator has given. This instruction is for our benefit, not ill. Therefore, when we receive them and follow them, it is a true joy.

3) The fact that our sins are forgiven in Jesus’ name means that we are granted eternal life. The wages of sin is death; therefore, if we are now sinless in God’s sight, we receive eternal life – a true joy.

4) Knowing Jesus means knowing the Creator. He “was from the beginning.” As there can only be one Creator and everything else is contingent and temporary, then Jesus Christ must be the eternal Word of God – the means of creation. Therefore, to know Him is to know true joy.

5) Overcoming the wicked one is something mankind has waited for since expulsion from Eden. Restoration between us and our Creator was impossible until Jesus came. But through Him we have that restoration. This, in turn, opens the doors to a restored paradise – this is true joy.

6) Knowing the Father is to know the Source. He is the One we look forward to with anticipation – ever straining our human hearts in hopes of knowing Him. Jesus reveals to us the Father because He and the Father are One. Through Jesus, we have the full revelation of who God is and are restored to eternal felicity and intimacy with Him – our joy is full.


Praise be to God for what He has done in the Person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Truly in knowing the Bible which tells us of Jesus, we can then know Jesus. And in knowing Jesus, we can know the very heart of our Creator, and we have attained joy to its fullness!


Simply unimaginable! What a glorious honor to be called a child of the Living God because of what Jesus did on our behalf. There is no greater joy to be obtained in all of creation than the restored relationship we now possess! We look forward to the Day when our faith will become sight and our eyes will behold the beauty of the Lord forever! Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:5, 9 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020
Monday, 9 March 2020


This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

John now introduces the subject of light, and he contrasts it to darkness. It is a theme he also brought quickly into his gospel –

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:4, 5

With this in mind, John now builds upon his words of verse 3 which said, “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you.” After saying that, he then noted that in his declaration there might be fellowship, and in that fellowship, there might be full joy. Now, he reveals what is to be declared by saying, “This is the message which we have heard.”


The declaration does not belong to John or any other apostles as the originating source. Rather, the message is one which was communicated to them. Next, he says, “from Him.” The entire thought is that it points to the Source of the message. It is not something that they heard by an intermediate. And any other apostle who declared the message likewise received what is to be said directly from the Source as well. It is this that John now says, “and declare to you.”


What he began in verse 3 is now to be relayed. John has taken his time to get to this point in order to establish that it is of the highest importance to him, and that is especially so because it comes from, and deals with, the Creator Himself. And that thought is “that God is light.”


Light is a real thing. It is something that comes from somewhere and transmits out from that source. However, in the case of God, the two are united as one. Unlike a light bulb (which merely sends forth light), and unlike the sun (which only sends forth light), John says, “God is light.” It is His absolute nature.


But there is more to the thought than just the fact of physical light being relayed. In Genesis 1:4, light is associated with goodness. Therefore, this is telling us that God is perfectly good in His being. There is no evil at all – no malice, no hatred, etc. He is perfectly, wholly, and absolutely defined by light. This is fully substantiated by the next words from John, “and in Him is no darkness at all.”


The psalmist declared this under inspiration (he declared what he received) –

“Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, You are very great:

You are clothed with honor and majesty,

2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,

Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.” Psalm 104:1, 2


This notion of the dazzling brightness of God is found elsewhere in the Old Testament as well. Thus, the absolute moral purity of God is spoken of. Unlike the deities of other nations and peoples who were angry, vindictive, dark, and unholy, the Lord God is light, and He is morally perfect. Along with this comes the ideas of intellectual perfection, absolute truth, and so on. Everything that is good in the absolute sense is found in God. This is the declaration that John proclaims, and it is that which is then a source of fellowship, and in that fellowship is found joy in its fullness.


The reason for this will be explained in the verses to come, but the idea of why it is so was already seen in John 1:4, 5 (cited above), and it continues throughout his gospel. Again and again, the light is proclaimed about the nature of the Person of Jesus Christ. In John 8:12 (and again in John 9:5) He says explicitly, “I am the light of the world.” In John 12:46, He says, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”


This is the message, and this is the declaration. Only in Christ can fellowship with the Father be obtained, because only in Him is the perfect moral purity to allow such to take place. But in coming to Christ, the moral purity of Christ is imparted to the believer. And in that impartation comes full, final, and forever fellowship with God.

Life application: To understand more fully what is brought forth by John, we can take a short trip back to 1 Timothy 6:13-16 –

“ I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”


As Jesus Christ came from God, He is God. In His deity, He is the same essence being referred to by John. But when we see Jesus in His humanity, He is concealing the glory of God; veiling it in human flesh for our benefit. There is no darkness at all in God, but only light.


In Jesus is the light of God. He reveals to us the fullness of the Godhead, and only through Him can we understand who God is in an intimate way. Apart from the created order, which reveals God in a general sense, we are left with no intimacy unless we know Jesus. And it is through the Bible that we learn about Him. Please! Take time each day to read your Bible.


Heavenly Father, we ask that You open our eyes to the truth of Your written word – the word that directs us to Jesus who, in turn, reveals You to us in an intimate way. We long to know You more fully, so be with us and guide us as we study Your precious word! Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:6, 10 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

Tuesday, 10 March 2020


If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 1 John 1:6


John now combines the thoughts of verses 3 and 4 with that of verse 5. He spoke of fellowship in verse 4 and then of light as opposed to darkness in verse 5. Now, he begins with, “If we say.” This is his way of introducing a thought concerning any person or group of people. The thought would even include himself if the statement he is about to make was true concerning himself.


The words are in the subjunctive mood and thus it is a supposed thing, not something that actually is the case. If this is so, then this is the result: Therefore, if he or anyone else were to say, “we have fellowship with Him.”


This is the reintroduction of verses 3 and 4. The fellowship is “with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” It is then stated in verse 5 that the subject is “God.” Thus, the implication is that both the Father and the Son are God. The hypothetical person or group that John is referring to says that there is fellowship between them and God. However, they “walk in darkness.”


Here, the word “walk” means “to walk around” as in a full circle. It signifies the standard and continued walk of a person. Thus, it is the moral conduct of the person at any given time.


John has just said in verse 5 “that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” There is now an obvious disconnect between that statement, and the claim which is made. How can light and darkness be in fellowship? The two are in complete opposition to one another, and yet the person who is walking in darkness says that he has fellowship with God. Such cannot be the case. In this, John says that “we lie and do not practice the truth.”


The statement that “God is light,” as noted in the previous verse, is to be taken as a statement of fact, but it also signifies moral purity, truth, righteousness, and etc. It is anything which reflects the absolutely holy nature of God. The “darkness” is that which is impure, unholy, defiled, and etc. It is a corrupt moral state. John shows that the two are opposed, It is a lie which is spoken forth, and the person who speaks it knows that it is so.


This does not, and it cannot, mean that a person who does something wrong or who sins is specifically referred to here. This is because verse 8 will show that everyone has sinned. However, the truth that Paul states is that those who are in Christ Jesus are not imputed sin. With this understanding, John will continue his thought in the coming verses.


Life application: The first time darkness is mentioned in the Bible is right at the beginning, in Genesis 1:2, where darkness was over the face of the deep. At that point, there was only formless void and chaos. But God brought order out of it and established His creation – including the creation of man. However, man rebelled against God and died spiritually at that moment. Since then, man has been born physically alive but also spiritually dead; we pursue the things of the world, but not the things of God.

Our great need is to be born again, this time from above. As Jesus said in Matthew 6 –

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matthew 6:22, 23

Just prior to saying this, and then just afterward, He spoke of worldly treasure and money. These and other things keep our eyes fixed on the things of the world and its system instead of on the things of God. Because of this, we remain spiritually dead and at enmity with God.


This is the case with many professing Christians as well, but John says that if we walk in darkness we are lying, regardless of whether we say we have the light or not. All people need to evaluate their conduct and determine if they are truly in Christ or if they are only paying lip service to Him in hopes of worldly gain.


Once we have called on Jesus in spirit and in truth, then we need to continue to fix our eyes on Him, lest we get sidetracked and pulled back into the world. We won’t lose our salvation if this happens, but we will surely lose our joy.


Heavenly Father, give us wisdom to pursue the light of life and not the darkness of this world. Help us to keep our eyes directed on that which is eternal. Keep us from being distracted by the prospects of temporary wealth, fame, power, or any other thing which can never truly satisfy. Help us always to keep our eyes and our hearts directed toward the Lord Jesus. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:7, 11 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020
Wednesday, 11 March 2020


But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7


John now enters into a set of verses which are a continuous thought. They should not be taken individually without maintaining the context when cited. When that is done, doctrine which is completely unintended may arise. By first putting verses 1:6 and 1:7 side by side, what is said now will be more easily understood –

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.


But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.


Back in verses 1:3 and 1:5, John spoke of declaring the message of Christ. It is through accepting this message that fellowship is obtained. He said that “in Him there is no darkness at all.” One must consider any light source. There are always imperfections in it. The sun, for example, produces light, but the sun also has dark spots. This will be true of anything which is of the created order. But in God, there is only light – pure and completely undefiled. The light is being equated to absolute moral purity.


John now says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light.” Absolute moral perfection is the standard. But humans are incapable of such a state. And so how can a person “have fellowship with Him,” meaning God? And how can we walk in the light of God? Amos asked the question centuries before the coming of Christ –

“Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Amos 3:3


The question demands a negative reply – “No, they cannot.” There must be an agreement for such a walk. Without such an agreement, there is only walking in darkness. This is reflected in the words found in Proverbs 4 –

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun,

That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

19 The way of the wicked is like darkness;

They do not know what makes them stumble.” Proverbs 4:17, 18


John next says that if such a walk is realized, then “we have fellowship with one another.” Scholars are generally in agreement that this is speaking of fellowship between believers, not the fellowship which is between the believer and God. That fellowship is here defined by walking together. In walking together, fellowship is also realized between other believers who are on this same walk.


Therefore, this excludes the theology where one cult, sect, or denomination of Christianity is in fellowship and others are excluded. It is not based on what is of human institution or origin, but of walking with God, that the fellowship is realized. It is through a walk with God, who is Light, that this is made possible. But if man is imperfect and God is perfect, then how can such a walk of agreement come about? The answer is found in the final words of the verse. John says, “and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”


This phrase is not unlike that which is stated in Hebrews 9 –

“For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:13, 14


It is through Christ that such a walk is made possible. His sacrificial death continually cleanses the one who has put faith in him. It should be noted that the word “walk” in this verse is present subjunctive active. It is happening, it is in a type of conditional statement (if by chance), and it is ongoing – “But if we walk in the light.” Christ makes this possible. He has cleansed us, and He continues to do so.


There is a difference between being forgiven (coming in verse 9) and being cleansed. In one there is the judicial act of forgiveness. It is that which brings us to union with God in Christ. In the other, there is the ongoing cleansing from sins as we continue in Christ. This is found in Paul’s words of 2 Corinthians 5:19. The believer is no longer imputed sin. Thus, the sin is cleansed, and the guilt of the act is taken away.


The term “the blood” here speaks of everything associated with the Person and work of Christ. He came in a human body, and thus it speaks of his humanity. In his humanity, he suffered. Thus, “the blood” speaks of that. And Christ was crucified and died. Thus, “the blood” speaks of that. The death of Christ is what is transferred to the believer who then dies to the law, by which is the knowledge of sin. The person moves to Christ, and he is now “in Christ.” In this state, he can – and forever after does – walk with God; in His light.


Life application – In this verse, John says “But.” But if we walk in the light, meaning to have fellowship with God just as Jesus does, then we also walk in fellowship with one another. We simply cannot claim to be walking with God but not walking with Jesus Christ, who is God.


People who reject Jesus’ deity cannot be walking in the light of God. If we acknowledge Jesus and walk in His light, then we also have fellowship with other Christians who are like-minded in accepting the incarnation. How important it is to understand who Jesus is! If someone denies what is clearly presented in Scripture concerning Him, he remains in darkness and his sin remains. But when one calls on Jesus as Lord, declaring Him truly God, then fellowship with other believers is established and Jesus’ blood cleanses them.


Again, as is proclaimed throughout the New Testament, eternal salvation is clearly presented. Jesus saves us and continues to save us – despite ourselves. He is a mighty Savior and fully able to keep us from even our own weaknesses and failings. As you can see, John ties fellowship with God in with fellowship with Jesus and, in turn, fellowship with other believers. We are united into one holy temple.


Because of this, we should endeavor to lay aside any bitterness or infighting which is unproductive. Matters of doctrine need to be addressed and resolved, but lesser issues need to be set aside to maintain the bond of fellowship which unites us in Jesus.


Lord Jesus, give us wisdom to walk in Your glorious light and to pursue the knowledge of who You are and what You have done for us. Give us the ability also to fellowship with other believers in a manner which will be pleasing to You. Help us also to put aside petty differences and unite in the common goal of sharing Your good news. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:8, 12 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020
Thursday, 12 March 2020


If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8


John just said that in walking in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. As noted then, there is a difference between being forgiven and being cleansed. Through belief in Christ, man is forgiven of his sin. Further, the person forgiven by Christ, and who is now “in Christ,” is no longer imputed sin. However, there is still the fact that we have committed sin, and we continue to commit sin. John is actually dealing with both of these issues here.


First, he says, “If we say that we have no sin.” A person may claim he is without sin, and he therefore does not need a Savior. Such a person denies that he has offended God through his actions, and he demonstrates that he believes he is morally pure enough to stand before God and be accepted for the life he has lived. John is speaking of such a person.



But his words go further. His words are inclusive of himself because he says, “we have.” It is true of all people. Further, it is a present verb, active voice, in the Greek. It speaks of those who are engaged in their walk at the present time. John’s words need to be taken as an all-inclusive statement. We have sinned and we continue to sin. If we say that this is not true, “we deceive ourselves.”


Here, the Greek literally reads, “we lead ourselves astray.” Whether ignorantly, or willfully, the person who says that “I do not have sin” is deluded. He has gone astray, walking onto the wrong path of deception. Further, the word “ourselves” is in the emphatic position, and it shows that people like this are not innocent victims, but have taken a lead role in deceiving themselves. Such a person calls into question the truth of God which says that “all have sinned.” It denies the need for a Savior, and it also means that even if a person acknowledges he has sinned, he can still – at some point – attain perfection and righteousness apart from the work of Christ.


But Christ is our Mediator. If we have attained sinlessness, we no longer need a Mediator. With such an attitude, John says that “the truth is not in us.” Paul says that in Christ, God is no longer imputing sins to us. The implication is that we have sin, but that God has been gracious to no longer count those sins against us.


To deny that we have sin, is to deny the goodness of God toward us in not imputing us our sins. It diminishes the work of Christ, and it brings the problem of sin in man to possibly meaning he only needs atonement for inherited sin, but not committed sin. But inherited, sin naturally and surely, leads to committed sin. Any person who is old enough and competent enough to say, “I have no sin,” is also old enough and competent enough to know that this is not true.

God is due the glory that He demonstrates towards us in His grace and mercy. To deny our sin is to deny God this rightful due.


Life application: A false teaching among some denominations is the attainment of a sinless state in this life – Wesleyan Holiness and 7th Day Adventists, among others, believe this. When confronted with this verse, they will say this is referring to our sinful state before salvation, but that once saved, we can grow in the Holy Spirit (Holiness doctrine) to a point where we can be sinless.


This is incorrect and causes detriment to congregants, because tied in with this theology is the belief that one can lose his salvation by committing sins. This type of thinking leads to bondage never intended by the New Testament writers who spoke on behalf of the risen Lord.


Think of the consequences as you contemplate this. A pastor (or the denominational teaching) explains to followers that they can become sinless. This implies that they themselves may have attained this state and are thus beyond the grasp of sin. When a congregant falls into error, the pastor (who believes himself sinless) can point to the congregant as an example of one who has lost his salvation. Suddenly human neurosis takes over this individual, and he becomes willing to do anything to “regain his salvation.” He is now in bondage to the whims of the leader or sect, living in fear of any misstep and never having the very assurance of salvation which is so clearly demonstrated in the Bible.


Because of his failure to understand the grace of God imparted at the cross of Jesus, he also fails to notice the hypocritical position of the very person who has incorrectly counseled him – a person who is no more sinless than any other person, and who is actually self-deceived.


The Bible is very clear on this point, we cannot attain a sinless state in this life, nor can we lose our salvation. Both of these doctrines lead to error and bondage. Hold fast to the grace imparted to you at the cross.


Thank You, O God, for Your wonderful grace! May we trust in Your grace to carry us through to eternal life despite ourselves, and despite our many failings. May we never be so arrogant as to assume that we have become sinless in this life. Rather, we remain dependent on Your mercy, Your abundant love, and Your promised guarantee to hold us securely in Your salvation once we have called out to Jesus. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:9, 13 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020
Friday, 13 March 2020


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

In the previous verse, John said, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” There the word is in the singular. It is speaking of the state of man in a general sense. Now John says, “If we confess our sins.”


This verse, 1 John 1:9, is strategically placed between two antithetical proclamations –

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10


The premise of coming to Christ is that a person is acknowledging he is a sinner. There is no other need to call on Christ. Thus, a person who does so is admitting he has sin – exactly as 1 Corinthians 15 states. Paul says in his description of the gospel “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” In believing the gospel, we are confessing our sins, and in doing so, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”


The state of man is one where he is born into original sin, and as soon as he is old enough to think, he begins to sin in his mind (lust, coveting, etc) and then in his actions (lying, stealing, etc). This state of sin forms a wall of separation between us and God. However, in believing the gospel, meaning that Christ died for our sins, we are acknowledging this state and believing that God sent the remedy for it. In our belief and acceptance of this message, God faithfully and righteously grants us forgiveness for our sins – all of them.


From there, John says that He does this, but in His righteousness, He also will also “cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is the state into which the believer is brought. God judicially declares man to be free of the guilt of sin, but he also cleanses us from the stain of that sin. This continues forever due to the non-imputation of further sin as Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 5:19.


In Christ, the believer is forgiven and cleansed. However, though not imputed sin, we still err while in these bodies, and we need ongoing cleansing from our sin for right fellowship with God. We have sinned, we continue to sin, but Christ has forgiven us, and Christ continues to cleanse us. This is the marvel of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.


Life application: We can compare 1 John 1:9 with other verses in the Bible. Here are two of numerous verses that state we have been forgiven in Christ –

“For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” 2 Peter 1:9


“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” Colossians 2:13

Therefore, what John is speaking about in this verse is the complete forgiveness which comes at the moment of confession of Jesus as Lord, and an acknowledgment of our inability to save ourselves. The moment we do this, we are forgiven for all sins – past, present, and future.


We cannot look at this verse as an indication that a saved believer will remain unforgiven if he doesn’t acknowledge a sin after coming to Christ. Having said this, it is wholly appropriate to continue to confess our sins after salvation and to ask continued forgiveness, even though it is already granted. Our health, relationships, and general life can suffer from a lack of confession and a generally unrepentant attitude, even if our salvation remains unaffected.


Remember to have balance in your walk with the Lord, understanding that we are saved despite ourselves, but we should never flaunt our salvation and treat it as license to live in sin, thus bringing discredit upon His name. Continued confession and repentance are signs of a healthy spiritual life in Christ.


Heavenly Father! We thank You for the eternal forgiveness we were granted when Jesus first came into our lives. Because of His magnificent work, give us wisdom to remember to call on Him in repentance as we fail Him in our daily walk. We know that through this, we will be sound, responsible, and effective witnesses for Him each day. Amen

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 1:10, 14 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2020
Saturday, 14 March 2020


If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:10


Here we have the second verse which is set out as a contrast to verse 1:9 (the other is 1:8). All three together read –

- If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1:8)

- If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1:9)

- If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1:10)


Now, by taking 1:8 and 1:10 and putting them side by side, the two can be more fully understood –

- If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1:8)

- If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1:10)


The words, “we have no sin,” speak of the state of the individual. It denies original sin, and it denies committed sin. The words, “we have not sinned,” deny any wrong moral actions of the individual.


The words, “we deceive ourselves,” speak of the supposed morally exalted state of the individual (reaching upward). The words, “we make Him a liar,” speak of diminishing the truth of God (pulling downward).


The words, “the truth is not in us,” are connected to the self-deception and speak of our own moral failing. The words, “His word is not in us,” are connected to the utterance of God which we have called into question and show that there is no connection to God because His word is truth.


This then ties into the purpose of Christ’s coming, which is to free man from the bondage of sin which he is bound with. That is why verse 1:9 is given between these two verses. The problem rests in us while the cure rests with God. As he said, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”


Therefore, the Bible presents it as fact that we have sin, that we have sinned, that when we deny this – or unless we confess our sinful state to correct it – we both deceive ourselves and we also call God a liar. In such a state, we continue in our state of moral failing, and we deny the only path to restoration with God, which is revealed in His word. Again, to understand John’s words, one must understand the gospel as stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 –

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4


The word says that “Christ died for our sins.” If we say we have no sin, and that we have not sinned, then we both deceive ourselves and we call God a liar. But God cannot lie. Therefore, the truth is not in us and His word is not in us – because God’s word, which comes from God who cannot lie, says that we have sinned, and that Christ died for our sins.


The gospel cannot be realized in a person who has not confessed his sin. But by saying, “I believe Christ died for my sin,” it is acknowledging that the person does have sin and has sinned. In this confession, God “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”


Life application: John is not just rambling and arbitrarily making arbitrary statements which have no logical cohesion. Rather, he is methodically making statements which must be taken in the full context of his letter. In understanding John’s words, there is the inescapable truth that we either will come to Jesus and be saved, or we will continue to deceive ourselves, continue to call into question God’s word, and remain in a state of condemnation. The choice is left up to us, but the remedy has already been provided by God if we so choose to accept it.


Lord God, may the people of this world receive the truth of Your simple gospel message. You have said that Christ died for our sins. This, then, implies that we have sinned. If we confess this fact, believing that He gave His life for our moral failings, then Your word says that You are faithful and just to forgive us of those sins, and to then cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Help us to be wise and to accept this simple message of hope and reconciliation – to Your glory we pray. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:1, 15 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020
Sunday, 15 March 2020


My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.1 John 2:1

John begins Chapter 2 with, “My little children.” This loving way of speaking will be used quite a few times in this one epistle when he says either “My little children,” or simply “little children.”


By this time in his life, he was an aged man. It would thus be natural, as a father to his children, to address them in this personal way. Further, the word “little” is certainly included to show an even stronger bond than simply saying, “My children.” He is talking to them as if they were too young to protect themselves, and so he is giving advice concerning how to do so. That is seen in his continued words of the verse, beginning with, “these things I write to you.”


This is referring to everything he has written so far, but it then includes everything from this point on. He has given words concerning Christ, and he has spoken of sin. Now he will combine the two thoughts in this one verse and then continue to expand on what he says. He writes, “so that you may not sin.”


He has already shown that we have sin, and that we have sinned. Sin is the problem; Christ is the cure. The goal of the Christian is to not sin. However, his next words imply that the goal is not fully attainable. That begins to be revealed with, “And if anyone sins.”


It is a general thought which could apply to any person who has come to Christ. There is no distinction such as age, years in Christ, job title, or any other such thing. John simply leaves the possibility open that it could be anyone. But he then includes himself and the other apostles in the equation by saying, “we have an Advocate.”


John has gone from an indefinite pronoun, “anyone,” to the first-person plural, “we.” The “anyone” of the previous words has become personal – “you, me... anyone.” In essence, “Whoever sins, even if it is one of us, there is an Advocate there for us.” The word “Advocate,” is paraklétos. It is used only five times. The other four uses are in John 14, 15, and 16. Each of those four uses is referring to the Holy Spirit, but here it is referring to Jesus. Depending on the translation, He is called the Comforter, Helper, etc.


At the time of John writing this epistle, it was used to define someone who would give evidence which could stand up in court. The person providing it would be a legal advocate who would present this evidence because he was close enough to the matter to know the situation. John says that this Advocate is “with the Father.”


Jesus isn’t just an Advocate who represents man and stands with him, but He is intimately associated with the Father. There is a union between the two which allows Him complete access to the very presence of God. He can provide His evidence for us directly to God.


A fuller scope of what this means will come in the next verse, but for now it is to be understood that the closeness of Christ to us, and the closeness of Christ to the Father, reveals that there is a union between the three. As John says, this Advocate is “Jesus Christ the righteous.”


In the Greek, there is no article before “righteous.” Therefore, it would be clearer to say, “Jesus Christ the Righteous One.” Righteousness defines who He is. It is an assertion that in His humanity He alone is righteous before God. However, in His humanity, He is willing to stand with us before His Father.


Life application: In the first chapter, John was stating hypothetical cases which involved non-believers, but also which pointed to the life of believers. Here at the beginning of the second chapter, he switches to the term “My little children.” There is no doubt that he is addressing saved believers in his coming thoughts. He uses the term to show affection to those who are growing in the family of God.


The statement “so that you may not sin” is given in anticipation of keeping his readers from sin, but fully expecting that they will sin… “and if anyone sins...” This isn’t a contradiction in thought, but rather an understanding of our fallen nature.


This is no different than going to a sound biblical sermon today. The pastor who properly handles God’s word will give instruction in right living, proper behavior, and God’s expectations. However, he will also empathize with the struggles of the congregation and explain the importance of confession. If he is truly honest, he will even include his own regular failings and how he handles them.


The very fact that John brings in Jesus’ role as our “Advocate” proves that he knows sin will come. No one needs an advocate when they haven’t been charged with an offense. In the book of 1 Timothy, Paul calls Jesus our “Mediator.” Here John calls Jesus our “Advocate.” Although similar, it would be good to define both roles –

Mediator – a person who intervenes to bring about an agreement.


Advocate – a person who pleads for or in behalf of another: an intercessor or a lawyer.


As you can see, a mediator brings about an agreement between two parties, but an advocate pleads in defense of his accused. When we sin, we stand accused of violating one of God’s precepts. But Jesus, who has already taken our punishment, stands in defense of our failing – His scars are proof that the punishment has been meted out. When we are in Christ, the sins we have committed are covered by His righteousness.


Thank You, O God, for Jesus who stands as our Advocate when we fail to meet Your infinitely perfect standards. Forgive us of our transgressions, not because we deserve it, but because of what Jesus did for us on the cross when He satisfied Your righteous demands for us. Thank You for Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:2, 16 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020
Monday, 16 March 2020


And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:2


John now explains the words of the previous verse which say, “and if anyone sins.” When they do, John says that the person has an Advocate with the Father who is “Jesus Christ the righteous.” In explanation of that, he says, “And He Himself is the propitiation.” Here, the words “And He” are in the emphatic position – “He Himself.” The same Jesus of verse 1 is now identified as “the propitiation.” Here, John uses a word, hilasmos, found only here and in 1 John 4:10.


The word signifies a propitiation. It is an offering intended to appease an angry and offended party. Christ died on the cross, shedding His blood. Through His sacrifice, He provided the necessary propitiation which was only pictured in the Day of Atonement offering found in Leviticus 16 and 23.


Jesus Christ is the actual point of propitiation, but more, it is because of His death that this is so. Another noun, hilastérion, which is also found only twice in Scripture explains this. The word means “a sin offering.” It is that by which the wrath of the angry God is appeased.


In type, it was the covering of the ark which was sprinkled with the atoning blood on the Day of Atonement. Its two uses are found in Romans and Hebrews –

“...whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:25, 26

“For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.” Hebrews 9:2-5


These two Greek words, hilasmós and hilastérion, which equate directly to the Hebrew words kaphar and kapporeth (covering and mercy seat), speak of Christ Jesus being both that which atones, and He is the place of the atonement “for our sins.” These words then explain the words, “if anyone sins,” of the previous verse. The implication is that without Christ Jesus, there would be no atonement for sin. But in Him, there is full atonement for all sin. That is then seen with the words, “and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”


The words, “the whole world,” show the potential scope of the propitiation. Bengel says, “The propitiation is as wide as the sin.” Vincent’s says, “If men do not experience its benefit, the fault is not in its efficacy.” For those who come to God through His offering of Jesus Christ, no sin is too great to be covered. For those who do not come to Him through Christ, even the smallest sin cannot be overlooked or forgiven. Jesus Christ alone is the means of restoration with the Father.


Life application: How often do we hear someone say, “We are all God’s children”? This sounds wonderful and is especially appealing to those who focus entirely on the love of God. A problem rests in this type of thinking though – a problem which is evident from both the Bible and from mere reason.


Biblically, the Bible says that we are “children of wrath” by nature, but even without the Bible, we can reason out that God must be infinitely holy, righteous, just, etc. The problem arises when we try to grab hold of the love without meeting the other standards – a tension between them exists which cannot be satisfied by anything we do.

For example, we simply cannot fulfill what is necessary to attain His righteousness or meet His just standards. The only option, when left to fend for ourselves, is to receive His wrath. It is, by necessity, the default position.


The word translated as “propitiation” was used in secular Greek writings to note a sacrifice used to appease a wrathful or angry god. This doesn’t merely imply a payment for sin. Instead, it indicates that God is – by nature – truly and justifiably angry at sin. It violates His very nature.


Jesus’ cross – his suffering and death – therefore, provides the propitiation or “appeasement” of this wrath. He is the One who stands between us and the righteous anger that God pours out on our wrongdoing. As a Man, He suffered and died – He was crucified for our sin. As God, He was able to deflect away from us the suffering we deserve and yet prevail over death. Thus, in one amazing action –

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21


This appeasement is available to all people, meaning the whole world, but is applied only to those who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God’s infinite mercy, stemming from His perfect goodness, is expressed to the sons of Adam in a most amazing and wonderful way – the cross of Jesus Christ.


Lord God, what Jesus did is beyond our comprehension. Everything which came about because of His cross is simply beyond imagination. All we can do is look with awe and wonder at what You have done for people like us – lost in sin and in need of a Savior. May we never fail to acknowledge Your greatness, Your splendor, and Your majesty! We shall forever exalt You for what You did in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:3, 17 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020
Tuesday, 17 March 2020


Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 1 John 2:3


1 John 2:3 is a boilerplate verse for those who hold to the Hebrew Roots movement to say that Christians are obligated to obey the Law of Moses. This is not only incorrect, but it is a heretical doctrine. To first understand this, the issue of the law being ended must first be addressed. Speaking of the Law of Moses, the author of Hebrews says –

“For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:18, 19

“In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete.” Hebrews 8:13



“He takes away the first that He may establish the second.” Hebrews 10:9


Likewise, Paul says of the Law –

“having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:14


These are a mere smattering of the teachings which clearly show that the Law of Moses is done and over. Thus, John cannot be speaking of it in this verse. Further, Paul’s words of 1 Corinthians 7:19 clearly show this –

“Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.”


Paul says that circumcision is nothing. Rather, he says that believers in Christ are to keep “the commandments of God.” However, circumcision is a commandment of the Law of Moses (see Leviticus 12:3). Therefore, Paul and John cannot be speaking of the Law of Moses. In theology, 1+1 will always equal 2.


Understanding this, John begins this verse with, “Now by this we know that we know Him.” It is an anticipatory statement. John is saying, “We can know that we know God in this way.” The word “Him” is speaking of God (and Jesus is God, so the thought is inclusive of Him), as is evidenced in speaking of the Father in verse 2:2 and then later of “God” in verse 2:5. And the way that we can know we know God is “if we keep His commandments.”


If not the Law of Moses (which is clearly shown to be done away with), then what are the commandments of God? First and foremost, the answer is found in John 6:29 –

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’”


Everything involved in the “commandments” of God falls under that overarching statement. Thus, the commandments given to us by Christ Jesus (who is God) are inclusive of everything that is given in this current dispensation to lead us to holiness and righteousness in Christ – faith, love, obedience towards the apostolic writings which reveal God’s intentions for us in Christ, and so forth. Like Paul, John never uses the Law of Moses to convey rules of Christian conduct or obedience.

This is the same thought as is spoken of by Paul in 1 Timothy 6:14 –

“that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing.”


Paul had just told Timothy to flee evil and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Summing that up, he then said for Timothy to “fight the good fight of faith.” This is the commandment of God that was expected of him, and it is the commandment that is expected of us.


Likewise, we read this from John’s gospel, and it was surely on his mind as he penned this epistle –

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34, 35


Life application: Not only is it taught in Hebrews and in Paul’s writings that the law is over, but the main discussion of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 specifically dealt with Gentiles observing or not observing the Law of Moses – the decision was that they do not have to observe it. And again, the entire book of Galatians deals with this subject.

Of the Ten Commandments, those which we are obligated to observe are those repeated in the apostolic writings. Nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated, but observing the Sabbath Day isn’t. There is no requirement to observe the Feasts of the Lord, dietary restrictions, or any other tenet in the Law of Moses. The only requirements for believers are those found in the epistles which explain the New Covenant.


If you are confronted by someone who says you are obligated to observe the Law of Moses, tell them, “Hit the highway, heretic.”


Lord, give us wisdom and insight into the treasure of the New Testament which reveals the New Covenant that came at such a high cost. May we never fall from the grace found in Your work by going back to works of the law in an attempt to satisfy You. Rather, may we live in Your rest and trust in Your accomplishments alone for our justification. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:4, 18 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2020
Wednesday, 18 March 2020


He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4


John just spoke of knowing Christ. We can make this claim if we keep His commandments. Now, he makes an antithetical statement which begins with, “He who says, ‘I know Him.’” Here is a person who says He knows Christ. But if what he just said is true, such a claim would be contingent on this person obeying God’s commandments. However, this person is now said by John to be one who “does not keep his commandments.”


The two thoughts are mutually incompatible. But that brings us back to what “His commandments” means from the previous verse. The main idea of what is contained here is found in the gospel of John. As noted in the previous verse, it is found in John 6:29 –

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’”


One must, before all else, believe in Jesus Christ. It is He who was sent by God. Without this work, it is impossible to please God. Only in accepting the gospel can one be put into the right relationship with God which will then allow Him to look with favor on the obeying of any other commandments of God.


One can love, but without being in Christ, the love is not God-centered. One can obey the words of the apostles, but without receiving Christ first, that is a meaningless waste of time. The parameters have been set. Faith in Christ must precede anything else for God to be pleased with obedience to any of His commandments. This thought is similar to what was stated in 1 John 1:6 –

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”


After saying this, John noted that by walking in the light, one can have fellowship with other believers, and “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Without that, the sin remains, and only enmity between God and man is found. Therefore, for a person to say that he knows God, but who does not first come to Christ, John says he “is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”


The Greek is emphatic, “in him the truth is not.” There can be no truth in a person who claims to know God but who does not believe in Jesus Christ. His statement cannot be reconciled with the reality of the matter. He remains in Adam, he belongs to the devil, and he does not know God.


Life application: As stated in the previous verse, John’s words are not speaking of the Law of Moses. They refer to faith in Christ which is then followed through with learning about Christ and what faith in Him expects, and then in applying that knowledge by applying it to one’s life.


It must be understood that one cannot do what God expects as a believer unless that person is instructed in what to do. Thus, salvation through faith in Christ logically precedes obedience to the commandments for a right walk with God in Christ. If a person believes, and is saved and sealed, but then is never given instruction in the word, it is impossible for that person to be fully obedient to the other commandments.


Everything must find its proper place in our walk with God, but the first thing that must occur is belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Be sure to speak out that life-saving message as you go forth into the world full of lost souls.


Lord God, please help us to understand Your word and to think its precepts through clearly so that our lives and our doctrine will be sound. May we never fail to obey that which is ordained by You and may our lives as Christians be evident to those around us so that You will be glorified through our actions and their conversion. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:5, 19 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020
Thursday, 19 March 2020


But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 1 John 2:5


John made a statement in verse 2:3, the antithesis of which was stated in 2:4, he now returns to the idea of 2:3 and builds upon it. This is the same thing which he had done in 1:8 through 1:10. Laid out, this can be more clearly seen –

2:3. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

2:4. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

2:5. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.


As can be seen, John reverses the order of verse 2:3 as well – “we know him/keep His commandments” becomes “keep His word/we know that we are in Him.”


The word “But” is given to contrast the previous verse. In this contrast, he says, “But whoever keeps His word.” The “word” is given to parallel “commandments,” and yet its meaning is fuller. The “word” speaks of the entire body of God’s revelation, whereas “commandments” speaks of those things which immediately apply in any given context.

In other words, there are commandments in the Law of Moses which no longer apply. And so, to keep His word is to do so in the way intended for the dispensation in which we currently live – that of the grace of God in Christ. In keeping His word, John says, “truly the love of God is perfected in him.”


Notice the difference between 2:4 and 2:5 in these words. In 2:4, it says if someone doesn’t keep His commandments, he is a liar. However, here it now says that for the one who keeps His word, the love of God is perfected in Him. In not keeping his commandments, there is a product which rises out of self – “he is a liar.” But in keeping His word, there is a product which is derived from God – “the love of God is perfected in Him.”


One can see that the evil which springs up in man is of personal origin, but the good which is found in man stems from God. It goes along well with Paul’s words of Romans 3, and which is cited from the psalms –

“They have all turned aside;

They have together become unprofitable;

There is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:12


Apart from God, and His word, we cannot rightly seek after God. But with God’s intervention, we can seek after God in a right manner, and God can produce in us that which is pleasing to Him. This then forms “the love of God” which is perfected in us.


It is debated what “the love of God” means. Is it God’s love towards us, is it our love towards God, or is it the state of love which is found in God and of which we participate in once we are found in Christ? The answer is probably “all of these.” We learn to love God rightly when we know Christ and call on Him. God can fully demonstrate His love towards us only in Christ. And the state of love, which God is, is extended to us because we are found in Christ.


Understanding this, John then says, “By this we know that we are in Him.” The words “in Him” must be speaking of Christ Jesus. He is the one who allows us to be partakers in the goodness of God, and apart from Him, this is impossible. In keeping the word of God, as revealed through Jesus Christ, God’s love is perfected in us, and we can know that we are in Him.


The union of God and Christ Jesus in John’s words demonstrates that not only is Jesus God, but without the revelation of this aspect of God – meaning Christ Jesus – that nothing of what John is conveying to us could even be possible. This will continue to be revealed in the next verse.


Life application: This is the first of many times that the word “love” is used in this epistle. John will deal with the subject of love on many levels as he progresses. Here it is tied in with the perfection of God’s love in us through keeping His commandments.


As noted above, although the “love of God” may mean from God to us, it is also probably as much indicating the love we show for Him. Our love is imperfect at best, but the Greek word used here for “is perfected” is teleioó. This word conveys the meaning of completeness in love rather than absolute perfection.


So, by keeping the word of the Lord – by obeying His commandments as set forth for us – we are demonstrating an action that loves God for who He is and what He expects of us. When we do these things and act in this manner, we know that we are in Him.


If someone calls on Jesus, he becomes a saved believer. However, when he doesn’t follow what God has given us as proper direction in life, there is always that nagging sense that maybe he isn’t in the Lord – both in his own mind and in the minds of others as they see his conduct. Such thoughts shouldn’t exist, but they do because we are prone to not keeping His commandments.


This is the case with even the strongest Christians with the deepest of faith. How much more so is this the case when people carelessly fail to follow the Bible. The case for “ignorance is bliss” can be made at this point.


If we don’t know everything the Lord expects, then we won’t feel bad when we transgress His wishes for us. But this approach lacks commitment, fails to regard the Person and work of Jesus, and puts us in the sad position of facing the Lord’s judgment seat with nothing to offer Him in exchange for the salvation He has provided us. This will lead to loss. It is a sad exchange for a life led in the bliss of ignorance.


Lord Jesus, forgive us for not pursuing You and the knowledge of Your word more. Give us a strong desire and a great hunger to know You more with each passing day. Grant us the wisdom to set aside time each day to read Your word, study what You desire for us, and then apply those things to our lives. Forgive us for past failings and set us on a new and straight course as we continue our walk in You. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:6, 20 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020
Friday, 20 March 2020


He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6


So far, John has conveyed the thought of “to know Him.” He then has spoken concerning being “in Him.” Now he takes that thought and intensifies it by speaking of one who “abides in Him.” Bengel notes of this “knowledge, fellowship, constancy.” Understanding this, John says, “He who says he abides in Him.”


The word “abides” speaks of exactly this, constancy. If a person has a house, that is where he abides. If he is traveling, he will simply rent a room and then move on. Therefore, when a person “abides” in Christ, John says he “ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”


A person can know of Jesus and not accept Jesus. Or, a person can claim to know Jesus and yet not keep His commandments. But if a person knows Jesus, has called on Jesus, and is in Christ, then John’s logic is that he should desire to then emulate Christ Jesus. It is contradictory to being in Christ and not striving to be like Christ.

Therefore, the manner in which Christ walked is to be the manner in which the person who abides in Christ should walk. As seen throughout the epistles, the term “walk” signifies a person’s continuous conduct in life. As Christ’s walk was one of righteousness, holiness, pleasing the Father in all He did, and so on, then this is how the believer is also to conduct his affairs in life.


There is the obvious truth that we are still in fallen, frail bodies, and our walk is bound to get tripped up, but it should be our life’s desire and practice to walk according to that which was set before us in Christ.


Life application: Jesus “walked” in a state of perfection, fully keeping the laws of the Old Covenant that we could never keep. After doing this, He gave His life up on the cross for us. It is therefore by faith in what Jesus did that we stand justified before God. Paul explains this clearly in Romans 3 and throughout the book of Galatians. In Galatians 2:16, he says –

“… knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”


Our faith in Jesus’ accomplishment (to God be the glory) is what puts us in a right standing with God. Once we stand justified, we should walk in a manner befitting His work. We are to keep His commandments and live for Him, not for the world and all it holds. Those who say they abide in Christ should live as if they really believe it and thus bring credit, not disgrace, to His name. May we pay heed to the words of the apostle today and walk just as Jesus walked – to the glory of God the Father.


O Heavenly Father – You sent Jesus to fulfill the impossible standards of the law so that we could be justified by faith in Him, and to stand in a right relationship with You. What a marvelous story Your word tells; what a wonderful Gift has been offered to us, if we will but receive it. Thank You, O God, for Jesus. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:7, 21 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2020
Saturday, 21 March 2020


Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 1 John 2:7


Without understanding what John is getting at in verses 2:7 and 2:8, one might think he is confused. He will speak of writing no new commandment and then of writing a new commandment. There is no confusion though. His words of writing “no new commandment” are a way of referring to a doctrine which has been set since the inception of the New Covenant. The new commandment he will write about will be referring to the fact that this is a part of the New Covenant, which has superseded the Old. With this understanding, He begins with, “Brethren.”


There is a variance in manuscripts here. Some say, “Brethren,” while others say, “Beloved.” “Beloved” would fit better with the previous context concerning “the love of God,” but either way, He next says, “I write no new commandment to you.”


The word “new” is one which defines freshness, not age. For example, it would speak of the “New Covenant” as opposed to the “Old Covenant.” The age of a covenant isn’t what matters, but whether it is applicable still or not. John is saying that he is not writing something new to the ears, but something that has already been established. That is seen in the words, “but an old commandment.”


In this, Vincent’s Word Studies notes that in the New Testament there are four words used to describe “old” or “elder.” He further provides details on each. For brevity, the word used by John here is palaios. He defines it as –

“Παλαιός carries the sense of worn out by time, injury, sorrow, or other causes. Thus the old garment (Matthew 9:16) is παλαιόν. So the old wine-skins (Matthew 9:17). The old men of a living generation compared with the young of the same generation are παλαιοί. In παλαιός the simple conception of time dominates. In ἀρχαῖος there is often a suggestion of a character answering to the remote age. The commandment is here called old because it belonged to the first stage of the Christian church. Believers had had it from the beginning of their Christian faith.”


This is what John was referring to in the verse 2:5, where he said, “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.” This is the same thing that they had always heard and been instructed in. It is, therefore, certainly pointing to the commandment of love. That was given by Christ in John 13 –

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34, 35


By the time of John’s writing, this commandment was certainly known to all. Thus, John now calls it an “old commandment.” This is the same thought that Paul speaks of in several ways, including in Ephesians 5:1, 2 –

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”


It is this commandment that John now says, “which you have had from the beginning.” From the beginning of the New Covenant, Christ had set forth this commandment, and it then extended forth to all who heard the word. John is repeating that word to ensure it continued to be remembered by those who do believe, and to be passed on to those who will believe. As John notes, “The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.”


The repetition of the thought in these final words is a way of emphasizing what has been conveyed. In essence, “Everything that I am relaying to you is something which has already been put forth. You have heard it from the beginning, and nothing has changed since you heard it.”


Life application: John is saying that he is adding nothing to what was handed down to him from the Lord. Thus, he was not adding in some arbitrary standards of his own.

Jesus told his disciples that the mark of a Christian, and the way which they will be known as true disciples, is by their genuine love for one another. This is a commandment, and it signifies a love which is demonstrable and visible. Whether we like the fellow Christian we are dealing with or not, we are to love him in a way which identifies him as brother in the Lord.


John could pen these words with conviction as he was present with the Lord when he heard Him speak this new commandment. It was his duty as an apostle to pass these words on to his hearers and it is our continued duty – even to this day – to receive them and apply them to our own lives, lest we be found false disciples.


Lord Jesus, you have commanded us to have love for our fellow believers. But you know that can be very hard. They are so… they do such… they act like… But maybe we are that way to them! And so, Lord, change us if needed. Mold us into the loving vessels You have commanded us to be. Change us as individuals so that we will be pleasing disciples in Your eyes. To Your glory we pray. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:8, 22 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2020
Sunday, 22 March 2020


Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 1 John 2:8

John just wrote about “an old commandment which you have had from the beginning.” In those words, he was referring to the commandment of love which had been given by Christ at the introduction of the New Covenant. Now he says, “Again, a new commandment I write to you.”


His words are still speaking of the same command to love. However, he now terms it “new” to show that it is something which specifically applies to the New Covenant. As Jesus said –

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34, 35


Jesus called it “new,” and thus, it is new in the sense that it specifically belongs to the New Covenant. If someone has a ten-year-old car that needs repair on its motor, he may take it to the mechanic who might say, “No problem, this is an old fix.” He has been working on cars like this for almost ten years now. At the same time, he may say, “This is a new technology,” because the type of motor was just introduced when that car came out. Thus, the fix is “old” because it has been since the beginning, and yet it is “new” because it belongs to the newest line of motors.


Of this, “new commandment,” John then says, “which thing is true in Him.” This refers to Christ Jesus. Jesus demonstrated the very love He commanded to his disciples. He was making a connection between the life He revealed, which reflects the very nature of God, and how Christians should also conduct their lives, thus being imitators of God as well. That is reflected in John’s next words, “and in you.”


The connection between Christ and His disciples is exhibited in the love between His followers. To lack such an exhibition of love is to fail to meet the very standard which Jesus lived out and which He then commanded. That will be addressed in the next verse. But to set up that thought, John next says, “because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.”


This ties in with what was said in Chapter 1 –

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7


The darkness is that which is contrary to God and His nature. The “true light” is that which is revealed through Christ, and in His gospel. That true light is then conveyed through, and in harmony with, the love of God. The gospel – which reveals the light of God in Christ – is causing the darkness to pass away as this is light shines in those who receive this message of reconciliation.


Someday, only that which is light will remain. The darkness of false religion, of hate, and of the works of the devil will be ended, and only those who have come to God through Christ will be left. The true light, which is already shining, will be evidenced everywhere and forever.


Life application: Jesus spoke His command to love before the crucifixion, when darkness still covered the world. But just as a sailboat disappears over the horizon, fading into the sea, the spiritual darkness would fade away as the Light of what Jesus did rose to an anxious world. The love He directs us to – the gospel message – was already beginning to shine, but His victory over death brought it to its full splendor when He rose from the grave.


The darkness is simply dissipating from its own inability to overcome the Light; the Light dispels the darkness. And so, the “new commandment” is that we emulate the fullness of the love received in the Person of Jesus. We now have not only the command, but we also have the ability to love our fellow Christians. This “new commandment” is given from the mouth of Jesus before His death and is repeated by His apostles after His resurrection. Truly, what Jesus says in Revelation is true – “Behold I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5


Marvelous and wise God! Thank You for the New Commandment – that we love our fellow believers even as You have loved us. Give us the desire and the wisdom to be loving and gracious friends to those who belong to You. May we not withhold our love from the fellowship just as You didn’t withhold Yours when You gave us Jesus – the greatest demonstration of love ever. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:9, 23 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2020
Monday, 23 March 2020


He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 1 John 2:9


Again, as he has done elsewhere, John now pens a thought antithetical to the previous thought. In the previous verse, there is a positive statement first which says, “the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.” In this verse, there is a negative which says, “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.”


The light of Christ is shining, and someone may say, “I am in the light,” claiming that he is a true follower of the Lord. However, John shows the illogical nature of such a statement if he also “hates his brother.” Here, a “brother” is certainly speaking of a saved believer in Christ. It can, at times, extend to all people. In this case, the true believer is in the light. Light and light complement one another, but light and darkness do not.


John equates darkness with hate. But if God is light, and the gospel is the means of transmitting His light to the world, then there can be no darkness in it. So, how can someone who hates one who is in the light be in the light? John is asking his reader to think this through logically, and to understand that in hating a brother, one is hating what is good. As that which is good is light, then such a person who hates one in the light “is in darkness until now.”


In the heart, there is only room for one or the other. We cannot love as instructed (see 1 Corinthians 13) and also have hate at the same time. But this is the contradictory thinking of humans. We do not think critically, and thus our minds are obscured with darkness.


John will take this thought and expand on it, and he will further clarify it in the next two verses.


Life application: We simply cannot hate our fellow Christians and claim we are walking in the light of God’s love. The two are incompatible and John is immensely blunt in what he writes.


We need to be careful though and not take this to an unintended extreme. If a brother has bad doctrine, if a pastor teaches what is inappropriate, if a preacher fails to preach the truth, we aren’t asked to simply roll over and cover their waywardness with a blanket of gushy love. Rather, such teachings need to be addressed, rebuked, and even excommunicated from the fellowship lest they poison the minds of those who are seeking out the truth.


Balance is needed in the Christian walk – love for the brotherhood while maintaining doctrinal purity. To have love without proper doctrine is a demonstration of untrue love; to have doctrine without love leads to only coldness and condemnation. When the two are properly balanced, Christ is in His rightful spot as the Giver of truth and the Sustainer of the fellowship. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and we will be well rounded in our walk, which is in His light.


Jesus, may we never forsake love when speaking Your word to others. But surely may we also keep from compromising Your truth for the sake of false love and tolerance of what is not right. Give us the proper balance when discussing Your word. May we properly and faithfully fellowship with our brothers in Christ, loving them as is proper and fitting. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:10, 24 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020·
Tuesday, 24 March 2020


He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 1 John 2:10


In an initial read of this sentence, one may immediately say, “I understand. John’s words are clear.” But through a quick evaluation of possibilities of what it could mean, the waters may easily get muddied. Cambridge provides four possibilities to what John means –

“There are several ways of taking this. 1. He has in him nothing likely to ensnare him or cause him to stumble. 2. He has in him nothing likely to cause others to stumble. 3. There is in his case nothing likely to cause stumbling. 4. In the light there is nothing likely to cause stumbling;—the Greek for ‘in him’ being either masculine or neuter, and therefore capable of meaning ‘in it’. All make good sense, and the last makes a good antithesis to ‘knoweth not whither he goeth’ in 1 John 2:11 : but the first is to be preferred on account of 1 John 2:11. Yet in favour of the second it is worth noting that σκάνδαλον is commonly, if not always, used of offence caused to others.”

What may be on John’s mind as he wrote these words was what Jesus said in John 11 –

“Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.’” John 11:9, 10


If this is so, then Cambridge’s Option 4 is what is being referred to. However, the word used in John 11 is not the same as that being used here. Despite this, the thought is rather similar. Verses 9-11 show a progression of thought –

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.


It is the light and the darkness which are the main subjects of each verse. They are given to contrast one another, just as Jesus spoke in John 11. Those states are brought about by either love or hate. When one hates, he is in darkness. When one loves, he abides in light. In hating, one has his eyes blinded. In a state of blindness, the person stumbles.


Therefore, John’s words show a uniting of the act of love of a brother and the state of abiding in the light. In such a state, there is no reason why he should stumble. In this, he is safe in his walk and can feel secure in his salvation. In verse 15 (and after), John will show that it is not love itself that makes one secure. There, he will speak of the love of the world – something contrary to “the love of the Father.” Therefore, the love of the brother (a love which is properly directed) is a sign of abiding in the light.

Life application: Notice that this verse says, “He who loves” rather than “He who says he loves.” John is making sure that this is a true heartfelt condition in the believer and not just a casual acknowledgment of an expected condition – “Yeah, I love Brother John, but….” There is no “but” and no other conditional argument to be posited here. In other words, we need to actively pursue the love we may not really be feeling until we come to the point that we really feel it.


It is far too easy to pay lip service to this concept and deprive ourselves of the true joy of brotherly love. And not only do we deprive ourselves of this joy, but we also keep a rift between us and the Lord. Darkness surrounds at least a part of what should be intimate fellowship with Him.


John says that such a person who truly loves his brother “abides” in the light. Rather than being a temporary pilgrim who steps in and out of the light, this person lives as a permanent resident in God’s presence which is absolute light; in Him there is no darkness at all.


There is also “no cause for stumbling” in a person who lives in constant love of his brothers. John Wesley says, “He that hates his brother is an occasion of stumbling to himself. He stumbles against himself, and against all things within and without; while he that loves his brother has a free disencumbered journey.”


Don’t feel bad if you know in your heart that you haven’t measured up to the command here. All Christians struggle with the challenge of loving an annoying brother, all struggle with the challenge of loving a bitter brother, and all struggle with the challenge of loving an antagonistic brother. The path of least resistance is to remove oneself from his presence, but the condition which brings about a real walk in the light of God’s garden is to demonstrate that high and noble love even to the one who is otherwise unlovable.


Heavenly Father, You have asked us to love those who are our brothers in Christ. But that seems like a giant hurdle at times. Help us to consider that Christ also died for them, they received that payment, and they are adopted as sons through faith. If You have accepted them, then how can we hate them? Give us the ability to do what often seems contrary to our will. Help us to love those who otherwise seem unlovable to us so that we will reflect the love You have already shown. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:11, 25 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020

Wednesday, 25 March 2020


But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.1 John 2:11


John now builds upon his thought from verse 9. He said there that if one says he is in the light and yet “hates his brother,” he remains in darkness. Now he says, “But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness.” The verb is present, indicative, active – he is currently walking in the darkness, it is a certainty that this is so, and his walk is ongoing.


In the previous verse, John had said, “He who loves his brother abides in the light.” In this verse, he states the opposite, but it is an all-inclusive thought. To love is a volitional act. However, to hate involves both active hating as well as simply not loving. To not love is to hate. For a person who is in such a condition, he says that he “does not know where he is going.”


A person who walks in the dark cannot sense which direction is right, if there is an open well in front of him, or if a tiger is ready to spring on him. He simply ambles about groping, but unable to find his way. This is a person who is unloving to his brother. And the reason is that “the darkness has blinded his eyes.”


The verb here is in the aorist tense. In hating, blindness occurs. It is a set thing which then continues on from that point. To hate those in the brotherhood is to demonstrate a state of blindness which encompasses the entire state of the individual. Christ is the light of men, and to hate those who are of Christ is to then hate the light of Christ in them. There must, therefore, be an active loving of believers to avoid such a catastrophic state in a person.


Life application: In these verses, the contrast is made to show the complete illumination of the light in the believer’s life and the absolute darkness of the person deceived through hate. Notice that the previous three verses are almost like a light switch for us to use as a demonstration –

1) The brother who hates is in the darkness (regardless of what he claims, the switch is “off”);

2) (Switch on the light and see the contrast…) The brother who loves abides in the light and has no occasion to stumble.


3) (Turn the light back off and see the result – “See, the difference!”) This brother is in darkness, his walk (meaning the direction he is heading) is in darkness and hence he is completely lost. The darkness has robbed him of any light at all. He is overshadowed and overcome by darkness.


Such is the tremendous power of hate. It not only robs us of light, but it robs us of any sense of proper direction, and it also robs us of any possibility of spiritual discernment (thus the “blinded eye” metaphor). The lesson being imparted is obvious – if you are consumed by hate, you have completely departed from spiritual light, regardless of what you claim; you are self-deceived. Hate is powerful and blinding, so be on guard against it.


O God – You who dwell in light, keep us from hating our brothers and thus blinding ourselves to the light of Your word. Take away any bitterness that resides in us and give us the power to hand our grief, frustration, and bitterness over to You. Fill us with love for those brothers who have been our enemies so that we may again walk in Your light, without fear of stumbling. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:12, 26 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020
Thursday, 26 March 2020


I write to you, little children,

Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. 1 John 2:12

This verse starts an entirely new section of the letter; one which is ordered by repetition, and one which has a decided symmetry. Modern translations tend to offset it in a manner one would recognize as poetic. It is formed as a pair of “triplets” and in the original Greek, the tense switches in the middle of the section, but without any indication as to why this occurs.


There is an enormous amount of commentary concerning 1 John 2:12-14, and it is quite often compiled into a single commentary rather than three individual commentaries. This is because of the unusual addressees (little children, young men, and fathers), and because of the change from “I write” of the first two verses to “I have written” of the last verse.


Because of the repetition of the addressees, and the unusual formatting of the words, it is hard to analyze each verse individually without missing the overall structure of this wonderful poetic offset.


As a simple breakdown of the three together, Charles Ellicott reveals the following –

1.All readers.

1.Children in age. [Suggested, according to the perfect simplicity of St. John’s style, by the term used in the first set for his readers generally.]

2.Fathers.

2.Fathers.

3.Youths.

3.Youths.

Reasons.

1.Forgiveness.

1.Knowledge of the Father.

2.Knowledge of Christ.

2.Knowledge of Christ.

3.Victory.

3.Strength, perseverance, victory.


With this general structure in mind, John begins this offset with the words, “I write to you, little children.” The verb is present tense, and should say, “I am writing.” The word for “little children” is teknion. It signifies a little child. It is only used by John, eight times, in this epistle.


Some scholars say it should be taken as a literal address to little children. Others say that John is speaking figuratively of Christians in general, or of immature Christians. Referring to the other uses of the word in Chapters 3, 4, and 5, it is evident that John is using it as a term of endearment, not as an address to literal infants.


The word for “little children” here is different than the word used for “little children” of the next verse. Thus, the “little children” of this verse is speaking in a general sense to all three of the categories in verses 2:13 and 2:14. That is consistent with his use of this term throughout the epistle. In other words, the same people he calls “little children” in this verse will be defined by their maturity in Christ in the next two verses as “fathers,” “young men,” and “little children” (using a different word).


The variation in terms from little children, to young men, to fathers is then a literary technique intended to highlight his words and show an advancement in thought.

With this in mind, John next says, “Because your sins are forgiven you.” Here, the verb is in the perfect tense. It more accurately reads “have been forgiven.” The act is done, once and forever.


The reason for calling his audience “little children” becomes obvious here. John is speaking of and to all people. As all people are born in Adam, all people – including little children – have inherited sin. From the moment of conception, through the gestation period, at the time of birth, and as a child grows to the age of weaning, all people bear the stain of Adam’s sin.


Because of this, there is a disconnect between God and man. It is one which extends to all. However, in Christ there is forgiveness. The one who comes to Christ in faith, as a little child, is granted forgiveness of sins “for His name’s sake.” God was pleased to forgive the erring child of his sins because of that simple act of faith in what He accomplished through the giving of His own Son.


Therefore, John tenderly notes the love of God in Christ for the sons of Adam who are willing to come to Him through Jesus and become adopted sons of God. They become His “little children,” and John addresses them as such, calling them his own “little children” who are now in the faith and under his care as an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

Life application: As the words “your sins are forgiven” are in the perfect tense, meaning the forgiveness has already been accomplished and is complete, we have, again and for the ten jillionth time in the New Testament, the absolute assurance of eternal salvation. That which has been forgiven is finished, complete, and perfect. Future transgressions are already under the blood and forgiven even though we haven’t yet committed them.


Let us endeavor to not commit them though, but to live for our Heavenly Father through the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus and for His name’s sake. Should we falter in our attempts, let us recognize our failure and press on in His great and eternal assurance. No greater gift has ever been given, so let us remember it in both our failings and in our determined effort to move forward. Let us put the past behind.


O Heavenly Father! As your little children, we thank You for the tender words of forgiveness You provide us in Your word. Thank You for being the gracious and loving Creator who cares enough, even about us, to send Your Son as an offering of peace and reconciliation. Give us the determined effort to live for You, through His name, all the days of our lives. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:13, 27 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020
Friday, 27 March 2020


I write to you, fathers,

Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

Because you have overcome the wicked one.

I write to you, little children,

Because you have known the Father. 1 John 2:13


John’s poetic offset which began in verse 2:12 now continues with the first of two triplets. He first wrote to the “little children,” concerning their sins having been forgiven “for His name’s sake.” That was a general address to all of the categories he will now define by their maturity in Christ.


Beginning the triplet, he now next says, “I write to you, fathers.” The verb is present tense. It should read, “I am writing to you.” This is the case with all three instances in this verse.


The addressees being “fathers” indicates maturity and/or authority. Thus, his words next say, “Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.” The very statement indicates maturity. It speaks of a developed theology concerning the Person and work of Jesus Christ. As John said in His gospel –

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-4


That depth of knowledge is what John then expanded on as he introduced this epistle with the words, “That which was from the beginning.” The addressees as “fathers” speaks of such mature knowledge which can then be passed on to those believers who were but “little children” in the faith. For example, the fathers understand that Jesus is the eternally existent Creator – fully God and yet fully man because of the incarnation.


John then says, “I write to you young men.” The Greek word here speaks of a young man or a youth. James Strong defines him as someone who is under forty. John says he is writing to them because they “have overcome the wicked one.” At such an age, these addressees are in the process of formulating their Christian character and in rightly understanding the doctrines which are presented through the word and by the apostles.


They not only have an understanding of the forgiveness of sin through Christ, but they can apply that understanding in how that brings them to victory in Christ. To overcome is to have faith in Christ’s work, but just because a child (the previous verse) understands his sins are forgiven, he may not understand the doctrine of eternal salvation. In other words, one can be an overcomer without realizing it. The young men are established enough to understand this fact.


It is “the wicked one” they have overcome through the blood of Christ. There is the understanding that in Jesus, there is complete victory and total assurance of salvation. John will speak of the wicked one throughout this epistle, directly using the term, or by referring to him in other ways. In Chapter 3, he will return to the “little children,” to help them clarify their thinking about this entity –

“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” 1 John 3:7-9


The “young men” possess enough understanding of the work of Christ to have the surety and maturity that the “little children” still lack.


John next says, “I write to you, little children.” Here, a different word is used than in verse 2:12. There, it was teknia. Here it is paidion. This speaks of a little child under training, maybe seven or younger. Some scholars apply it to one who is even up to twenty. Regardless of age, it speaks of a still immature believer. He is still referring to believers, but his words speak of real immaturity in Christ and a great need for doctrinal improvement. They know the Father because of the Son, but they are completely confused in their theology about the Son.


To them, John says, “Because you have known the Father.” The verb translated as “have known” is perfect tense. It thus gives the sense of “you do know, and you continue to know.” Simply stated, “you know.”


In such a person, he has the knowledge of forgiveness of sin. Through that knowledge, he has come to understand the very heart of the Father. Probably no better thought of the state of this addressee can be found than the opening words of the next chapter –

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3


In coming to Christ, even the youngest and most immature believers can understand the love of the Father for his children. Thus, John addresses them in this manner.

Life application: As you can see, John is writing to the body of believers, but he is making real distinctions in their doctrinal maturity without questioning their salvation. May we act in a like manner towards those of less understanding and maturity in Christ.


Lord Jesus, help us to understand that just because someone is less informed about the mystery of Jesus’ work and the significance of what He has done, that person is no less saved than others are. May we never arrogantly point our fingers at another blood-bought believer in Christ and tear them apart just because we have a deeper knowledge of who He is and what He did than they do. Instead, help us be instruments of correction and sound doctrine for them. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:14, 28 March 2020

WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020
Saturday, 28 March 2020


I have written to you, fathers,

Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men,

Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,

And you have overcome the wicked one. 1 John 2:14


John completes his poetic offset with this verse. It is the second triplet, and in it he changes the verb “I write,” which was present tense to aorist, “I have written.” Note: In the previous verse, some texts change the tense from “I write” to “I have written” which is written to the “little children,” as well.


Several suggestions have been given for this change, but what seems the most likely is that the change is based on the document being spoken of. The present tense speaks of the epistle that he is currently writing. However, he uses the aorist tense to refer to the gospel which is written. If this is so, then the supposition that the epistle was to accompany the gospel makes much sense.


If so, and therefore, the Gospel of John is his writing concerning the actual life and events of Jesus and is not mixed with anything that would convolute that narrative. The epistle of 1 John is then an accompanying explanation of doctrinal points to assist the reader of the gospel in understanding how to apply the truths contained within the gospel to the reader’s walk.


Whether this is correct or not, John’s change to the aorist tense begins with, “I have written to you fathers.” It is the same thought as that which began verse 13, only changing the tense of the verb. He then continues with, “Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.” It is the exact same thing he said to the fathers in the previous verse.


He then continues with, “I have written to you, young men.” Again, it is exactly how he addressed the young men of the previous verse with the exception of a change in the tense of the verb. From there, he changes what he says to the young men with, “Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you.” The word “strong” is the Greek word ischuros and is normally associated with physical strength and the abilities associated with that condition. The fact that he adds in “the word of God abides in you” is clearly tied into the reason that they have (as he next says, repeating the thought from the previous verse) “overcome the wicked one.”


Overcoming refers to those who not only understand their sins are forgiven (the “little children” of verse 2:12), but those who understand that this forgiveness means they have assurance of salvation. Where does this understanding come from? This knowledge of the doctrine of eternal salvation is tied into a greater understanding of the Person and work of Jesus Christ and being sealed with the Holy Spirit. Such knowledge comes from “the word of God” being heard, remembered, and reflected upon.


Two people may hear the doctrine of forgiveness of sins, but only one may understand the full implication of this because he accurately processes what has been relayed to him. This person has the word of God abiding in him, not just a casual understanding that Jesus died to forgive him of his sins. He understands that Satan is defeated and can never again take hold of him or his soul. Such a person has not only overcome the world through the blood of Christ, but he has also overcome the wiles of the devil in this life. He is not only safe in his salvation, but he is confident in it as well.


Life application: The person who comes to Christ in faith is saved and sealed for the day of redemption. But that person may not understand this. His walk is one of constant fear, trepidation, and uncertainly. He is tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine that comes his way, and the devil has a field day as he tears the poor soul apart.


However, a person who matures in his faith, and who properly understands the doctrines of the Bible – which include eternal salvation – has a sure and steady foot on the path of this life. The devil has no ability to continue tearing him apart.


Let us be mature in our doctrine, and let us keep away from those who teach that salvation can be lost, as if the sufficiency of Christ is no sufficiency at all. Such teachers trust in self to complete the task. Self is a poor spot to place one’s trust. Have faith in Christ, and be sure of your salvation. Christ has done it all. Rest in that!


Thank You Lord for lessons taught in Scripture which are so clear concerning the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins and of eternal salvation. Thank You for the great depths of the riches of wisdom and knowledge which are revealed in Your word. Help our doctrine to be pure, and may the word of God abide in us richly all the days of our lives. Amen.