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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Mar 30, 2020 1:13:15 GMT -5
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.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Mar 31, 2020 1:16:12 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:16, 30 March 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2020 Monday, 30 March 2020 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 1 John 2:16 As noted in the previous verse, there are several thoughts that can speak of “the world” when the Greek word kosmos is used. It speaks of an ordered system, but it can mean various things, including the physical world which involves everything in its operational order. That can even extend to the entire creation which goes beyond the world itself. Or, it can speak of the people of the world, as the ensemble of humanity. Further, it can also speak of the sphere of life in which humans exist – people working for success, wealth, fulfilling lusts, and etc. It was stated in the previous commentary that the last of these three is what John is referring to here. That will be confirmed by his words now. He begins with, “For all that is in the world.” What he will next refer to is, therefore, an all-inclusive thing. The ordered system which impels the sphere of life, in which humanity operates, is at enmity with the Father. It is obvious that this is not the case with the physical world. God created the heavens and the earth, and He called them good. This has not changed in the ultimate sense as is testified to by Scripture, and as is evidenced in the coming of Christ. For the Lord to unite with humanity demonstrates that the Father found it acceptable for Him to do so. It is obviously not the people of the world, in and of themselves. This is testified to in John 3:16, where the word kosmos, or “world,” speaks of the people of the world. God was willing to send Christ to redeem fallen man. Thus, the love of the Father is for this part of His creation, even if there is a moral disconnect which currently separates the two. That moral defect, however, is driven by the third meaning of kosmos – that which forms the sphere of life in which man exists. John next describes that thing which continuously impels man forward within this system, calling it “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” What is seen here hearkens all the way back to Genesis chapter 3 – And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. Genesis 3:2-6 As you can see, Eve was tempted with, and fell for... 1) the lust of the flesh – the “tree was good for food;” 2) the lust of the eyes – “it was pleasant to the eyes;” and 3) the pride of life – “in the day you eat of it…you will be like God.” This then is the part of what God created which is now opposed to Him. The first two – desires of the flesh and of the eyes – may have defects because of this, but they can be and will be corrected as is promised elsewhere in Scripture. However, this part of the system – the pride of life – is opposed to God because it puts the things of creation, and the will of man, ahead of God and of His perfect will for man. It is contrary to what is morally right, and it must be eliminated for man to again have restored fellowship with God. If you follow the account of Jesus’ three temptations by Satan, he offered Jesus the same three enticements – 1) the lust of the flesh – When Jesus was hungry, Satan said, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 2) the lust of the eyes – After showing him all the kingdoms of the world, Satan proclaimed “…if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” 3) the pride of life – After asking, “If you are the Son of God,” Satan challenged “throw Yourself down from here.” But where Adam failed, Jesus prevailed. He stood firm against the devil’s enticements, and He continued to love the Father more than the temptations of the world. But this is what the devil offers, something to replace God in our worldly ordered system. As John says of this, it “is not of the Father but is of the world.” Jesus was directed to the things of the Father, and He prevailed. But when we pursue the things of the world, we pursue that which is not of the Father. This is the point John is making, and it is a point revealed throughout Scripture. An interesting parallel of this is even found in the Levitical system of cleanliness. In Leviticus 13:2, it says – “When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling, a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes on the skin of his body like a leprous sore, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests.” What does that verse in Leviticus have to do with the subject John is speaking of? Watch the sermon and find out – Life application: Today, Satan challenges us in exactly the same way he always has. To succumb to these temptations is to succumb to the love of the world – Satan’s domain. This is the proper interpretation of “the world” in these verses, and it is meant to remind us that we simply cannot live for God without relying completely on – 1) the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, 2) our knowledge of the Bible, and 3) complete faith in, and reliance on, the Person and promises of Jesus Christ. If we don’t hold fast to these, we are opening ourselves up to complete disaster in every aspect of our lives. Let us hold fast to the truth God has given us in these three avenues of keeping ourselves from Satan’s enticements. Heavenly Father, the devil is there tempting us every step of the way – luring us to fall back into the life of sin Jesus saved us from. Please, we ask of You, keep us from his temptations and give us the will and the power to hold fast to our commitment to You. We know we are powerless without You, so be with us every moment and in every step. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 1, 2020 23:50:37 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:17, 31 March 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020 Tuesday, 31 March 2020 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:17 John spoke of the things of the world in the previous verse, meaning the ordered system of the world. He now says, And the world is passing away. The Greek is a present verb, passive. This means that it is ongoing, and it is simply happening through the natural course of time. There is nothing permanent in this passing system and, therefore, there is nothing that can be relied upon or trusted in. When one trusts in a government, the government is overthrown, goes bankrupt, or etc. When a person feels confident in his strength, he eventually ages and becomes weak, or he has an accident and is paralyzed, etc. The things we trust are temporary and will not last. This includes “the lust of it.” Man lusts after money and it is lost, stolen, or eaten away in its storage vault. Man lusts after beauty, and the beauty ages and fades away. Man lusts after power, and the position is eliminated, the business goes bankrupt, or the election is lost and the power is gone. Because the world system is temporary, and because lust for the things of the world is directed to that which is temporary, there is nothing that has any true permanency. However, John then contrasts that with, “but he who does the will of God abides forever.” The Greek reads, “abides to the age.” The person who does the will of God is doing that which is, by its very nature, eternal. As God is the Creator, what He does and who He is stands forever. Therefore, when one does the will of God, what he does is not a part of this age, but of the age to come. This isn’t speaking of the man not dying. Until the Lord comes, all will continue to die. But the things man does while here, and which are directed toward God’s will, are enduring. They belong to the age which is not passing away. Life application: Because John’s words concerning the passing away of the world are in the present tense, it tells us that “it is already passing away.” The decay has begun, and the final end of what we now see and live in will continue to ebb until it is completely used up. Think of what he is saying in comparison to a tank of gas. “The fuel is being used up.” Again, the present tense in our language tells us it is being used and it is diminishing. At some point, the tank will be empty. The verb “is passing away” is paragó, and suggests that this is occurring all by itself; it is like a canker on a tree which, in destroying the tree, destroys itself. John says in the same context, “and the lust of it.” The same thing which is happening to the world system is occurring to the lust of the world. The eyes which lust the temporary are also temporary and will have an end – being used up in futility. But in contrast to those, the one who does God’s will aligns himself with the eternal, not the temporary. The words “abide” and “forever” both speak of this, and provide the believer with the assurance that the will and promises of God go beyond the current age into the eternal sphere. The Greek word aiona, or “ages,” assures us of this. This all points back to the one who reflects on God’s word as is noted in the first Psalm – “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:3 Lord, when the trials and sadness of this life seem too much to bear, or when we look on the wickedness occurring around us, we can return to the beautiful words You have given us in Your word, and we can rejoice in the promises of the age to come, when all this trial and trouble will be no more. May You return soon and set up that eternal system! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 1, 2020 23:52:28 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:18, 1 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 Wednesday, 1 April 2020 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 1 John 2:18 John has been speaking of the things of the world, a system ruled by the devil. With that in mind, he now enters into a new aspect of this doctrine, beginning with, “Little children.” Here, as in verse 2:13, he uses the word paidia for “little children.” It is not the other word, teknia, which he uses as a term of endearment. Thus, this is indicating their immaturity in the doctrine he is going to talk about and explain – that of the antichrist and the last times. He says, “it is the last hour.” It is a term used only here in the New Testament, and it doesn’t contain a definite article in the Greek. Therefore, this may indicate that he didn’t believe Christ’s return would be soon, but it is rather a general statement about the entire church age – something that is of indeterminate length. This is supported by the statement of Jesus at the ascension when the apostles asked if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel at that time. His answer indicated that they needed to get about the work of the gospel and not worry about what was under the Father’s authority, but it also indicates that his recipients knew the Antichrist was coming. As John says, “and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming.” This term “anti” can mean someone standing openly against Jesus (the Christ) or someone who is attempting to be a substitute for Him – something more subtle and befitting the pattern of the workings of the devil. The latter is more likely, especially when we see Paul’s description of him in 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10 – “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Elsewhere, Jesus spoke of false Christs (Greek: pseudochristos). Like a false prophet, these are people attempt to fill an office without denying what the office stands for. Thus, a false Christ will attempt to fulfill the qualifications of the Christ. However, such a false prophet understands the meaning of “Messiah” or “Christ.” On the other hand, an antichrist (or the Antichrist) may be someone who not only claims to be the Christ, and who claims he is the embodiment of Christ – including the office and teachings – but he does so while denying the truth of what the office represents. He stands in complete opposition to it. With this marked distinction made, Vincent’s word studies describes the “last hour” by saying – “The dominant sense of the expression last days, in the New Testament, is that of a period of suffering and struggle preceding a divine victory. See Acts 2:17; James 5:3; 1 Peter 1:20. Hence the phrase here does not refer to the end of the world, but to the period preceding a crisis in the advance of Christ's kingdom, a changeful and troublous period, marked by the appearance of ‘many antichrists.’” The time for the final Antichrist is coming, but John says that the truth is that “even now many antichrists have come.” To understand what this means, one must go forward to verse 2:22 where John explicitly states, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” It is the denial of the relationship between the Father and the Son – meaning that Christ is of God and thus is God – that defines what is antichrist. Even at the time of John, antichrists had arisen. They denied the Father/Son relationship, and thus they stood in opposition to Christ, the only begotten Son of God. As this attitude had already infected the world at John’s time, he then explains the significance of that truth by saying, “by which we know that it is the last hour.” The “last hour” of the church is that hour which is marked by this challenge of holding to the truth of who Christ is. As John already acknowledged it as the last hour, the thought of every moment being challenged by this aberrant doctrine is a moment that must be engaged by the church and spoken against. When the church stops challenging the doctrine of the antichrist (through negligence or because of the rapture), the field will be ripe for the final Antichrist to step forward and begin his unholy ministry. Life application: John takes time to note that the world was already influenced by the power of “many antichrists.” These are people who deny the workings of Jesus Christ, God’s Messiah, the Son of God. Any tenet which diminishes His work, or His deity, falls under the category of “antichrist.” To deny the Son of God wasn’t possible until He was manifest in the flesh. Since that time, Satan has come to dismiss the work Christ Jesus wrought on behalf of the world. This will continue to increase until the rapture of the church. At that time, Satan’s work will climax in the person of the Antichrist himself. Heavenly Father, you sent Your Son, our Lord Jesus, to show us the way to You. Keep us from the deceitful lies of Satan, and protect us from the spirit of the Antichrist which is intended to diminish Jesus’ work and misdirect our faith in Him. Prompt us to fix our eyes on Jesus, because nothing else will do. Only in Christ Jesus can our souls be satisfied. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 2, 2020 23:54:46 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:19, 2 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020 Thursday, 2 April 2020 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 1 John 2:19 John just said, “even now many antichrists have come.” Now he says of them, “They went out from us.” The words can be viewed in one of two ways – 1) They were removed from us, or 2) They had their origin with us. The next clause will show that it is speaking of the latter. These people who came from within the church had failed to accept the truth of Christ. As noted in the evaluation of the previous verse, an antichrist is someone “who denies that Jesus is the Christ” (as will be seen in verse 2:22). Therefore, they deny the Father/Son relationship. To deny the Son is to deny the Father who sent the Son. These people, who deny this necessary truth, “were not of us.” This shows that the words, “They went out from us,” refer to their origin within the church. As is seen, just because someone teaches a heresy, it does not mean he is an “antichrist.” As John has defined who an antichrist is, we cannot change the meaning. In other words, the various denominations that once started as sound and proper may now have departed from the truth, but they still accept the deity of Christ and acknowledge the Father/Son relationship. Therefore, they cannot be considered as “antichrist.” They may not be of the church any longer, but their heresy is different than what John is referring to here. However, a cult like the Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons do deny this relationship, and thus they can be considered under the umbrella of “antichrist.” John is dealing with the specific denial of Jesus being the Christ. These cults don’t overtly deny this, and in fact, they claim they believe it, but their definition of who “Jesus” is cannot be reconciled with the truth proclaimed in Scripture. Their “Christ” is a false Christ, their gospel is a false gospel, and their doctrines – which are tantamount to a denial – denial shows that they are antichrist. John next says, “for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.” One can simply insert someone like Joseph Smith of the Mormons (and his subsequent followers) into this. He started in the “church,” following various ideas that grew out of the Christian faith. But he later went out from the church, following his own delusions. John’s words say that if this heretic was truly one of the church, he would have continued with the church – meaning that which is based upon the truth of God in Christ. John next says, “but they went out that they might be made manifest.” This is exactly what the Mormons did, it is what the Jehovah’s Witnesses did, and etc. They not only formed a new denomination, but they did so by cutting themselves off from all other denominations. They did this by proclaiming a “Christ” who is not of the Father, because He is not the begotten Son. In their false belief, they show “that none of them were of us.” Here, the verb is a present participle. It should read, “that none of them are of us.” These offshoots of the church have openly manifested that they are heretical sects whose teachings cannot be reconciled with the truth of God in Christ. They, and their followers, have nothing to do with the true faith. Unless they turn from their false teachings, they will be condemned with the rest of the world when the world is judged. These are but two of the numerous groups which deny this fundamental truth, meaning that Jesus is the Christ, and that “Christ” means begotten of the Father – He is fully God and fully Man. To deny this fundamental truth of God in Christ is a sign of antichrist. Life application: John made a play on words when he wrote this in Greek, that we don’t clearly see in the translation. When he says they went out “from us,” it’s the term ex hemon. He again uses ex hemon when he said they would have continued “with us.” Then a third time he uses ex hemon when he says that none of them were “of us.” He is letting us know that although there are those who are with us physically, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re of the body of believers spiritually. John notes that if they were true believers, they would “have continued” in the faithful walk of believers. However, as has happened throughout the ages, some people are simply twisted in their concept of God or are even complete disbelievers in any Creator. They may totally depart from any faith at all and simply lead their lives from a totally human perspective, or they may look around and see the power that spiritual leaders have over others and decide to “invent up” a new religious sect that will bring them the glory that only the Lord is due. Joseph Smith’s apostasy led to tearing away many souls from sound religious doctrine – a pattern which unfortunately continues today. The list of such antichrists is long and scary because quite often they fuse their false doctrine with smidgens of sound doctrine. But as Paul says in Galatians 5:9, “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” Once heretical doctrine is infused into instruction, it permeates and pollutes the entire doctrine. Be careful to evaluate the church you attend or are considering. What may appear as sound and honoring could very well be reason for dismissal from the presence of Christ. The best advice for us to follow is to never direct our attention to a charismatic leader, but rather “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…” Hebrews 12:2. Lord Jesus, we pray for those who would consider following the strange and unsound doctrine of false teachers. Give them clarity of thinking that they may reject these heretics. Likewise, keep us secure as well, and let us not be drawn away by strange and unprofitable teachings Rather, help us to keep our eyes and thoughts on Jesus. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 3, 2020 23:06:35 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:20, 3 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020 Friday, 3 April 2020 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 1 John 2:20 John has been speaking of “antichrists,” and their departure from the truth because they were not “of us.” He will again refer to them in verse 2:22. Between these verses, he now introduces this thought, saying, “But you have an anointing.” The implication is that those who departed have no such anointing. Their lives, doctrine, and conduct are not in accord with the truth of God in Christ. The word “anointing” is the Greek word chrisma. It signifies the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit which will guide the believer into understanding God’s will. There is an inward conviction and persuasion which will take place when the believer seeks after the truth as presented to him (first by the apostles, and now by the word of God which came through those men of God). Under the Old Covenant, oil was used to anoint priests, prophets, and kings to symbolize that they were ordained for the task they had been given. This oil is a symbol or picture of the anointing of the Holy Spirit on believers today. As Peter says in his first epistle – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit which places us in that position, and which allows us to properly understand His word, and which makes us suitable to perform our tasks in a manner pleasing to God. This is in contrast to those who are antichrists of the previous verses. John is forming a play on words, contrasting the antichrists antichristoi of the previous verses to those who have received the chrisma of this verse. The “anointing” that believers have is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – the third member of the Trinity. If someone denies the reality of, or the deity of, the Holy Spirit, he is doing the same thing as denying the deity of Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit of God which illuminates Scripture for the believer. It is He who comforts the believer and reminds him of the salvation he received when he accepted Jesus as Lord, meaning God. John next says that the anointing is “from the Holy One.” Scholars debate whether this is referring to Christ or to the Holy Spirit. The answer is Christ, the Anointed One (which is what “Christ,” or “Messiah,” signifies). The anointing is the Holy Spirit. This was stated by Jesus in several ways. It is the final promise of Christ before He was taken up – “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 The Holy Spirit is given to every believer who calls on Jesus through the gospel, as is stated by Paul in Ephesians 1 (and elsewhere) – “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14 John and Paul are referring to the same thing, the coming of the Holy Spirit into the believer, but they are using different terms to explain different aspects of what occurrs. Christ is the Holy One, and the Holy Spirit is the anointing by which we are anointed and sealed. Each member of the Godhead performs His own particular role in the unfolding plan of the redemption of mankind. Finally, in this anointing, John says, “and you know all things.” Some manuscripts say, “and you know all.” This set of words should not be taken to unhealthy extremes. His words lead directly into the next verse which speaks of knowing the truth. The Holy Spirit is the One who leads us in the proper knowledge about the truth of God – the source of all things. He opens our understanding as we search out God’s truth in the Bible. The word “know” speaks of discernment and perceiving. What John is saying cannot, obviously, mean that all believers know and have discerned everything about theology. The differences in opinion about one thousand points of doctrine are so varied that there is almost no harmony at all between scholars and denominations. Some people come to Christ and are never schooled in any doctrine at all. Some people inject their own presuppositions directly into the Bible as they read. And so on. Because of these things, John’s words must be taken in light of Scripture, and that is to be in proper context. Believers have this resource available to them, and through it they “know all” that is necessary to hold fast to the truth of God in Christ. There is no necessary extra revelation provided to believers outside of the Bible. It alone is our source for knowing all that we need to know. Life application: John’s words of this verse mark a sharp rebuke against false teachers. It is surely and particularly directed at those who believe they have the secret knowledge of God at their disposal, or locked up in their simple and irrational denomination, when in fact they have no true knowledge at all. Should you find yourself attending a church where they make exclusive claims on the truth and that everyone else is false, you are probably in a place which is the opposite of what is described by John here. Claiming exclusive or secret knowledge is a sure sign that there is a manipulation or rejection of the truth, because the truth of God is openly revealed to all in the pages of Scripture. Believers can know all if they are willing to pursue God through the word He has given us. Thank You, O God, for the gift of Your Holy Spirit, indwelling Your people and filling us with the ability to understand who You are and what Your intended purposes are for us. Thank You for this, and may we never take it for granted that Your good and Holy Spirit dwells in us when we, by faith, trusted in Christ the Lord. May You be praised by the lives we live for You. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 4, 2020 23:32:35 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:21, 4 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020·5 MINUTES Saturday, 4 April 2020 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 1 John 2:21 The tense of the verb used here indicates that John is referring to this epistle and not the gospel he previously wrote. Not only that, it is more specifically referring to this particular section of the epistle – that dealing with the antichrists and their teachings. With that in mind, he says, “I have not written to you.” The intent is, “I have not written to you as I have done.” It is an introductory thought for the words, “because you do not know the truth.” He is fully confident that his audience does know the truth, and his writing was for an entirely different purpose than simply giving them instruction so that they can know the truth. Rather, his instruction will be that they can discern what that truth encompasses, and to further develop their understanding of it. In other words, someone can know a truth – “This is a ball and it is blue.” However, knowing truth about a matter doesn’t mean a person knows all truth about that matter. “This is a faux pig-skin football that is dyed cerulean blue to match the school color of Kane High School in Farmer’s Branch, Texas.” Indeed, knowing this, there still may be any number of things that he doesn’t know about the ball. “It comes from Wang Chung, China. It was paid for by Seale Enterprises in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is guaranteed to not deflate for at least five minutes after first use. And so on.” John is writing to those who know the truth about a truth they are aware of and understand. They “know” this truth, meaning they have apprehended it and are (hopefully) living according to it. As he next says, “but because you know it.” As noted, John didn’t write the things he has written because they were unaware of what he was saying. Rather, they know – on some level – what he has said. Now, and with having inserted these words of introduction into his thought, he then completes the thought with, “and that no lie is of the truth.” This is an interesting thought. The word pseudos, or lie, is actually not that common in the New Testament. It is only found 10 times, and the only time John has used it before this verse is in John 8:44 – “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Even the verb form, pseudomai, is only found twelve times. The only time John has used it so far is 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.” As can be seen, John has been speaking of both antichrists – as well as light and darkness – in this chapter, corresponding to the lies of the devil and light and darkness in this verse. The themes – truth/lies, Christ/antichrist, light/darkness, etc., are all united in John’s mind. Therefore, what seems like a sudden, even abrupt, introduction of truth/lies isn’t that abrupt at all. Simply defined, truth is that which corresponds to reality. Anything which does not correspond to reality, therefore, is untrue. It doesn’t matter how reasonable or plausible something may appear, if it does not actually correspond to reality, it is not truth. One can see the etymological similarity to our modern word “pseudo.” We have pseudo leather, for example. It may appear real, it may smell real, it may feel real, and so on, but if it is not leather, it is pseudo leather. John is instructing his reader on truth, because there can only be one truth in theology. With this understanding, he will return to the subject of Christ/antichrist so that our level of truth (that which we already know) can be increased. We may already know the truth, but we may not know all of the truth. This is why John is writing. He is developing our thoughts through his understanding of the Incarnate Word of God – Jesus Christ – who is the embodiment of Truth. Life application: John indicates that what he has written is not because his readers don’t know the truth, but that they know it. He has obviously already told it to them, and he is reminding them of it. Not only this, but there is no “secret” truth which is discernible to only a select few. Rather, God’s truth is available to us through His word, and we have that truth for individual and corporate study. We are not to be misled that we don’t have the truth available to us. Further, the truth is that “no lie is of the truth.” As we saw, the devil is the father of lies and all lies stem from him. In contrast, God is absolute truth. Being fully God, Jesus claimed to be the embodiment of Truth. This being the case, His words, His gospel, and His Being are absolute truth. No lie comes from Him. Also, no lie is of Him, or about Him, as is recorded in the Bible. We have God’s complete and absolute word for the matters of faith and doctrine in the pages of the Holy Bible. If you are confused about biblical matters, it is wise to get varying opinions from teachers, pastors, commentaries, and devotionals. But it is also wise to ask God to lead you to the truth of what is being analyzed. This is because there are so many interpretations of what is being said, but only one truth. We are individually responsible for our doctrine and, in the end, we stand or fall on the truth being revealed in the pages of the Bible. If we get it wrong, we may end up in an unhappy spot on the day we face our Lord. Yes Lord, please give us proper understanding concerning the contents of each and every passage we study. Let us not be misled by poor analyses of Your word, but rather may Your Spirit lead us to teachers who will provide us with a right understanding of the truth as You have relayed it. We ask these things so that our doctrine will be pure in Your eyes. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 6, 2020 0:50:46 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:22, 5 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2020 Sunday, 5 April 2020 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22 In the previous verse, John stated, “no lie is of the truth.” Now, moving from that abstract thought, he makes a concrete example, forming his words into an interrogative – “Who is a liar...?” The Greek reads, “Who is the liar...?” Such a person is definitively identified by John in his question, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?” It is his way of emphasizing the matter. A denial of Jesus being the Messiah, meaning the Christ, is that which defines the antichrist. John emphatically states this using a definite article in the Greek, literally: “the denying.” It is a present participle. A person who habitually denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is stated by John to be the antichrist, because he is denying the fundamental nature of who Jesus is and what that title signifies. However, he then further defines this. The reason he does so is because of what being “Christ” involves. Anyone can, and indeed many do, call Jesus the Christ. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons both make the claim, but what they (and many others) mean when they say “Christ” is completely different than what Scripture testifies to. And so, to dispel any confusion concerning the nature of the Christ, John next says, “He is antichrist...” Again, there is an article in front of “antichrist.” It reads, “He is the antichrist.” That is followed with another article and a present participle, “the denying.” Therefore, the sentence from the Greek more literally reads, “He is the antichrist, the (one) denying the Father and the Son.” It is the Father/Son relationship which defines “Christ.” Someone can say that Jesus is the Christ and have a completely different view of what “Christ” means. As noted, some are the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They claim that Jesus is a created being. To them, the Father/Son relationship is not in actual begetting, but is rather a positional title, such as when Paul calls Timothy his “son” in the faith. But this is not what Scripture testifies to. Scripture testifies that Jesus is born of God, and thus He is the incarnate Word of God – fully God and yet fully Man. A denial of this is a sign of the antichrist. Of this matter, Albert Barnes rightly states, “No man can have just views of God the Father who has not right apprehensions of the Son. As a matter of fact in the world, people have right apprehensions of God only when they have correct views of the character of the Lord Jesus Christ.” To know the Father, one must know the Son. Without knowing the Son, who reveals the unseen Father, one cannot know the Father. To claim to know the Father without acknowledging the Son is a lie. John has concretely stated this, following on from the words of Christ Jesus Himself – “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?” John 14:7-9 Life application: John has talked of the different stages of believers – children, young men, and fathers. He then proceeded to state that it was the last hour because “many antichrists have come.” After this, he spoke of the anointing of the Holy One because “you know all things.” Everything he has been saying has been built upon the fact that Jesus is the Son of God and that any teaching contrary to this – even if the term “Son of God” is used – is the antichrist. Gnostic heretics at the time of John claimed that Jesus was only a man who was indwelt by the spirit of Christ until the time of the crucifixion. This or any other attempt to diminish Jesus as the God/Man is in effect attempting to nullify the entire purpose and meaning of the writings of the New Testament. In turn, this diminishes the entire point of the Old Testament writings which lead up to the coming Christ – God incarnate. One must ask the all-important question – “Is Jesus Christ fully God and at the same time fully Man?” If that question cannot be answered with an emphatic “Yes,” then that person has not called on Jesus as “Lord,” meaning God. He is still under the influence of Satan and remains in the body, not of Christ, but of the antichrist. According to John (and the rest of Scripture), it is that simple. This same truth follows through with any of the other major points of doctrine – the Virgin Birth and the bodily resurrection of Jesus, for example. This might seem harsh, but it is given us by the apostle’s own hand under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God’s word is what matters, and it will hold up under the scrutiny of time and under the attacks of the devil. Who is Jesus Christ? It is the most important question you can ever answer and one which holds eternal consequences for all peoples of the world. Lord God, Your word calls us to state where we stand on the Person of Jesus Christ when we receive the good news of the gospel. He is God incarnate – fully God and fully Man. He was born of a virgin, and His work fulfilled that of the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. We proclaim what the Bible proclaims, and because we have known Jesus, we also have known the Father. We proclaim Jesus as Lord! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 8, 2020 2:14:23 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:23, 6 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2020 Monday, 6 April 2020 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2:23 John just noted that whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ is a liar. He then stated that the one who denies the Father and the Son is antichrist. Now, he further clarifies this by saying, “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father.” What John is doing is slowly chipping away at all scenarios where people think they have the Father without the Son. In this category, all religions that supposedly call on God as Father without going through the Son – because they deny Him – actually do not have the Father at all. This would include all Jews who deny the Son. No Jew who says he believes in God, but does not believe in Jesus, has the Father. This also includes Muslims or any other religious expression that claims they have a connection with the monotheistic God, but who deny the Son. Deists would fall into this category, as would any other sect which denies the Son – meaning His relation to the Father, and which includes the thought of Jesus’ deity. As Jesus said – “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” John 5:23 The Father can only be worshiped, loved, and fellowshipped with through the Son. Without the Son, these cannot come to pass. With this understanding, and to reveal the all-inclusive nature of fellowship with the Father through the Son, John then says, “he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” All people who do not have the Son, also do not have the Father. But for any person who acknowledges the Son, they also have the Father. There is no division between the two, and in possessing one, the other is possessed, fully and completely within the possible parameters of such a relationship. In other words, this is speaking of the relationship. It does not mean that a person possesses all of the Father. If that were the case, the person would have to be God, because God is infinite. “Having,” as stated here, is to “have full access to.” It is the Son who reveals the Father to man. In having the Son, there is – and there will be – an eternal unfolding (revealing) of the Father through the Son. The glory of God is fully accessible to the one who has the Son, and it shall be realized ceaselessly and endlessly because of this Father/Son relationship. Thank God for Jesus Christ who reveals the unseen Father to His elect. Life application: John has made it absolutely clear – either one accepts Jesus Christ or he does not have any access to God the Father. In a denial of the Son, you forfeit your right to become a child of God and, as Paul says elsewhere, God’s wrath remains on you. These verses may seem redundant or cumbersome, but that is the farthest thing from the truth. John is spending this time and detail because people were already attempting to diminish the work of Jesus. Since then, these attempts have become more pronounced and exacting in nature. For every subtle heresy which is refuted, a new attempt arises to claim the Bible is true, and yet its truths are manipulated to refute the very truths it proclaims. One must proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, meaning both God and Man, or he has no part with the Father. There is no middle ground and no room for compromise. Where do you stand on this most important of all issues? Heavenly Father, we pray for all those whose eyes are blinded to the truth of who Jesus Christ is. May Your glorious Holy Spirit move in a great way upon the earth, calling many from darkness to the splendid Light of Your Son – our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for the full and perfect fellowship we can have with You because of what You have done through Him! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 8, 2020 2:15:52 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:24, 7 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020 Tuesday, 7 April 2020 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 1 John 2:24 The Greek of this verse begins with the word “you” in the emphatic position, thus saying, “As for you…” This is then a verse of contrast to the previous two verses which began with “Who is the liar?” and “Whoever denies the Son.” Instead of being counted among those who are of the spirit of antichrist, John is speaking to those who heard the truth of the gospel message and cling to it, live in it, and won’t be moved from it. With that understanding, it more rightly states, “As for you, what you heard from the beginning – in you let it abide.” John is telling them to remember that very message. But hearing and remembering isn’t enough. Even those antichrists had heard the truth of the gospel and they also remembered. The difference is that they didn’t let it abide in them. It is one thing to have head knowledge, and it is a completely different thing to move that knowledge to a belief deep in your soul. This is why John next says, “If what you heard from the beginning abides in you.” There are countless people who have heard the truth, and they have had it explained to them. And yet, they reject the Son in varying degrees, but the key point of their rejection is a denial of the Father/Son relationship. In denying this, they deny Christ’s deity. John says that if that principle point of doctrine abides in you, “you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” As is commonly seen in the New Testament, the tenets of dwelling with, believing in, and acknowledging the Son are directly linked to doing the same with the Father (and the Holy Spirit also). It is interesting to note the order of verses 2:22, 23, and 24 – He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either. ...you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. In denying the Father/Son relationship the person is an antichrist – meaning opposed to what God is doing in the redemptive plans of mankind. Therefore, if one denies the Son – meaning His deity – he does not have the Father. However, in accepting the truth of God in Christ Jesus, one abides in the Son. In abiding in the Son, one abides in the Father. It is Christ who makes this possible, and without Christ Jesus, it is impossible. The knowledge of the Father is linked directly to an acknowledgment of the Son. John Gill wisely points out that these words are not acceptable to justify a loss of salvation. Rather, he says that “what is here said is not either the cause or condition of men being in the Father, and in the Son, or of their continuance in them, but is descriptive of the persons that are in them, and is an open and manifest evidence of their being and continuance in them. Such are in union with Christ, and at times enjoy sensible communion with him, and shall never be finally and totally removed from it.” Life application: Concerning the members of the Godhead, to fellowship with one is to fellowship with all. To reject one is to reject all. It is no different than saying, “I believe that Clint Eastwood exists, but I don’t believe he existed yesterday and if he is alive tomorrow, I won’t believe he is the same person that is alive today.” The entire thought process is mentally unsound and can only be attributed to an unstable person. The Bible proclaims the Father is God. The Bible proclaims Jesus is God. The Bible proclaims the Holy Spirit is God. Therefore, to reject any member is to deny the reliability of the Bible and completely blow any chance of proper faith in what God has clearly presented. Lord God, we trust that Jesus is our Lord and that He is the Savior of mankind. He reveals the Father to us. We may not completely understand the doctrine of the Trinity, but we accept it by faith. We believe it because it is what the Bible presents. As the Bible is Your written word, we accept what is revealed there. Hallelujah! You have given us Your word, and it is our honor to accept it as such. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 9, 2020 23:42:06 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:25, 8 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020 Wednesday, 8 April 2020 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. 1 John 2:25 John has just spoken concerning the knowledge of the Father/Son relationship, showing that in acknowledging the Son, a person “has the Father also.” From there, he counseled his readers to let that thought abide in them. With that in mind, he then tells the benefit of what acknowledging the Son means by saying, “And this is the promise that He has promised us.” The Greek word translated as promise, is commonly used in the New Testament, and almost always it speaks of God’s promises, “and hence guaranteed by His own eternal Law (Being)” HELPS Word Studies. As this is based on His own eternal Law, it is sure to come to pass. When a promise of God is made, it is an eternal edict. Promises, however, can be conditional, as is this one, which is “eternal life.” The Greek reads, “the life, the eternal.” This is an emphatic way of describing the nature of the promise, and it stems from Jesus’ words of John 3 (and elsewhere in John) – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:14-16 As can be seen, the nature of the promise is conditional – “whoever believes.” The promise is given, and if the conditions are met, that which is promised is received. Paul then shows the result of receiving the promise in Ephesians 1 – “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14 Paul, using the same word translated as “promise,” says that believers are “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” In other words, the guaranteed promise is received through belief, and a sealing of that person is made. This sealing is then said by Paul to be “the guarantee of our inheritance.” As this is an eternal decree of God, and as it is then sealed as a guarantee by God with the third member of the Godhead, it then demonstrates, without any possibility of change, that “the promise, the eternal” (the original Greek) can never be revoked. The eternal life is an eternal guarantee. If it were not so, then – 1) The conditions for the promise (that of belief) were not true. 2) The grant of the promise is not a gift, because a gift is only a gift if given away forever. 3) The guarantee which comes with the promise is not a guarantee at all. 4) God made a mistake in sealing the person in the first place (a thing which is impossible). 5) Man has the ability to override God’s eternal decrees. Thus, this eternal decree of God is dependent on man’s effort, and it is therefore not eternal. These are but a few of the ramifications if the received promise can be revoked. In the end, it cannot be that salvation (receiving the promise and being granted eternal life) is anything but eternal. Life application: There are two great hopes for the faithful Christian. The first and preeminent hope is for us to see the beauty of the Lord and to dwell in His perfect goodness for all eternity. No higher aspiration should fill the soul of the believer, and no occurrence for the ages to come, will compare to the moment it comes. Second to that, but which is wrapped up in it, is the promise of eternal life. The promise, as stated here, is emphatic and it will come to pass because God “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2). When John says, “And this is the promise that He has promised us,” he may further have been thinking of Jesus’ words as recorded in John 17:3 – “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” This is not only an unending existence, but it is also a quality of life existence we can experience now. The reason for this is that, because of the sure promise of God, we have an internal hope which can (if only we will allow it to) pervade our very person. When we fix our eyes on Jesus and what He has done, we can have every confidence that what He promises will also come about. If we consider this unmovable and sure foundation, then our lives now will also be unmovable and sure – even through trials, difficulties, and sadness. Let us take a firm stand in our convictions and radiate to the world that we have a hope they should long for. We should be so content in our position in Christ that everyone who knows us will also want to know Him. May He be glorified through our hope of eternal life! “One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4 There is no greater hope than that of seeing Your beauty, O Lord. And we know that when we do, our failings will be removed and forever taken away, leaving a soul acceptable to dwell in Your Light for all eternity. We send You our love and our highest praise this day for being the faithful God who will never fail to keep every promise! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 9, 2020 23:44:08 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:26, 9 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 Thursday, 9 April 2020 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 1 John 2:26 John’s words now turn to an explanation of his words of the previous verses by saying, “These things I have written to you.” This is most especially concerning those who would teach the false doctrines of antichrist (especially verses 18-23) and how to avoid their false teaching. The preeminent thought of his words was that of the Father/Son relationship between God and Jesus Christ. John’s words clearly and unambiguously state that unless one has the Son, he does not have the Father. Denying the Son is the doctrine of antichrist, and it is what John is referring to. He has written these things as a warning “concerning those who try to deceive you.” The word “try” is inserted by the translators, and it would have been better to leave it out. Though John will show in the next verse that believers are secure in their relationship with Christ, it does not mean that they cannot be deceived. The term “deceive” here indicates someone who would actively “seduce” or “lead astray” others who are in the congregation. John uses a present participle which more accurately says, “those who are leading you astray.” This is the constant habit of such false teachers. They not only teach unsound doctrine, but they continue to do so. They are always leading people astray. This is because they do not have either the Father or the Son. As such, they belong to the devil, and it is his modus operandi to deceive. John’s words seem to indicate that there was, even in the church he was addressing, those who were attempting to, but had not yet, led members away from the sound gospel. His epistle then is not only an attempt to clarify and instill doctrine, but it is a plea to hold to it and to not be led astray by people – either in the church or in another congregation – who were actively seducing believers with false teachings. Life application: It is important to note, especially in today’s world, that these deceivers aren’t just waiting in the shadows of the church, but are out in the open teaching heresies, false doctrines, and watered-down truths right on the internet, and even on Christian television. It cannot be stressed enough that if you don’t read and study your Bible, you are setting yourself up for manipulation by such people. How can you determine the truth or a lie, if you don’t know how to properly analyze verses which are thrown out at you by deceivers? Understanding the context of a verse is absolutely essential to understanding the meaning of that verse. But a false teacher knows that most people don’t know the context of the verse, and therefore he can casually toss out any verse and claim his use of it is under the authority of “the Word of God.” But… this is exactly what Satan did when he tempted Jesus. He used the Scriptures in an attempt to mislead Jesus. Fortunately, Jesus knows the Scriptures far better than the devil, being the very Author of them. It cannot be stated enough – read your Bible, study your Bible, and remember your Bible so that you will be safe from the active and persistent attacks of false teachers who would lead you astray for their own evil intentions. Lord God, we have been far too negligent in our personal study time in Your word. Give us the wise discernment to understand that the rest of the movie on the DVD can wait, the baseball scores will be posted tomorrow, the playtime can be ended earlier, and so on. Whatever the distraction – it is not nearly as important as studying Your precious word. May we take this to heart today. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 10, 2020 23:58:26 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:27, 10 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2020 Friday, 10 April 2020 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27 Here John now makes a positive statement concerning believers, as he did in verse 2:2. It begins with an emphatic “you” in it. The verb is in the aorist tense as well. The Greek more precisely reads, “And you, the anointing you received.” It is a fact that occurred, and its effects continue on. With that emphatic and sure statement made, he then says, “from Him.” It is speaking of the anointing which comes from the Anointed One, Christ Jesus. By faith in Christ, one is anointed with the Spirit of Christ. John says this anointing from Him “abides in you.” The tense of the verb is present. It is an ongoing thing with continuing effects. As Albert Barnes rightly notes, “...it is an incorruptible seed, and a living principle, which can never be destroyed, notwithstanding all the corruptions in a man's heart, the pollutions of the world, and the temptations of Satan.” Man is fallen and lives in a fallen body, but when man comes to Christ, he is treated by God as if he is already glorified, even though the corruption of this world continues on in Him. Through God’s unconditional decree, the man is anointed, and he remains anointed until the day he is brought to the final state of glorification. This is a work of God and it is accomplished in God’s mind. John then says of this state, “and you do not need that anyone teach you.” These words are taken to unhealthy extremes by Christians who are unwilling to spend the time necessary to learn theology. Depending on a verse such as this to justify a specially revealed knowledge placed actively into their mind by the Holy Spirit is not what this is referring to. Rather, John himself is providing teaching and instruction (and he will continue to do so) in this epistle. Further, nobody has knowledge without studying and contemplating things. One will not, and cannot, know the book of Romans unless he reads it. John here is saying that it is the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, who provides proper doctrine. John’s letter is just such a means of obtaining that, as are all the words of Scripture. Believers do not need anyone to tell us the doctrines of God – salvation, justification, right and holy living, and so on. Rather, God tells us those things through His word. We have received the anointing of the Lord, and it is the Lord who has given us His word. That is where we go to find instruction. With this understood, John continues with, “but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things.” There is a slight variation in some texts here which reads, “His anointing.” That would mean “Christ’s anointing.” As it says in the first clause, “from Him,” and because it is speaking of Christ, this is to be understood with either text. It is the anointing of Christ which teaches us all things concerning salvation – both immediate and in its eternal effects. It is that word which was received by John and the other apostles, and which is carefully laid out in Scripture. In this anointing, which came through calling on Christ, John next says, “and is true, and is not a lie.” This is taking the reader back to verse 22, which said, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?” There is the true anointing, and there are false teachings. The true anointing comes from the acceptance that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and thus fully God. This is the truth of God in Christ, and it is not the lie of the antichrist. In the acceptance of who God is in Christ, the person is anointed with His anointing, and he now has no need for anyone to teach him. He has been taught, and he has moved to God in Christ, and he has been given eternal life. This is then confirmed by John as he closes the verse with, “and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” There is another variation in texts here. Instead of “you will abide,” it says, “you abide.” It is present indicative. You do abide, and you will continue to abide. This seems the preferable reading based on his other words of surety. The action is complete, its effects are ongoing, and the person has been granted eternal life. This is the truth of God in Christ. It is not a dubious hope which may be lost through man’s efforts or failings. Rather, it is a surety which is provided to the one who trusts in God’s offer of Jesus Christ. Life application: There is one baptism into the Holy Spirit, and only one. This comes the moment a person truly believes in his heart that Jesus is Lord. For someone to speak about a “Holy Spirit Baptism” apart from this occurrence is to completely misunderstand what happens in the believer. Paul sums up this doctrine in Ephesians 1:13 – “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise…” Because of the baptism (seal) of the Holy Spirit, believers have received the permanent and eternal anointing. The Spirit of God - the Spirit of Christ - becomes a part of their existence. The Holy Spirit convicts us of wrong doctrine, but He doesn’t force right doctrine on us. We must follow His leading to determine truth. If we reject the leading, our doctrine will falter. In order to ensure we stay in tune with His wishes, the second thing we must do after His baptism is to be filled – a repeatable occurrence – with Him. When we are disobedient and sin, the Holy Spirit’s filling decreases. When we live for Christ, we are filled anew. This is the working of the Spirit and it is through this process that we learn to determine truth from falsehood. The truth we learn will abide in us because of the power of God through the working of His Holy Spirit. Thank You, O God, for the baptism of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that You would condescend to dwell, even in us, and to lead us to all truth as is revealed in Your precious word! Fill us today and each day with Your Spirit as we open ourselves to You through study, prayer, fellowship, and praise so that we will be exemplary students in the knowledge provided in the pages of the Holy Bible! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 11, 2020 22:57:00 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:28, 11 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2020 Saturday, 11 April 2020 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 1 John 2:28 Here we begin a new section of thought with the words “and now.” Again, John calls his readers his “little children,” using the endearing word teknia. It is an address to all levels of ability and knowledge, but as if they were his own dear possession. He next asks them to “abide in Him,” meaning Christ, which is certainly referring to keeping His commandments as is indicated in verse 6 and elsewhere, and by living in the love previously mentioned, such as in verse 10. In doing so, John says that “when He appears.” Some manuscripts say, “if He appears,” meaning in the stream of time, not in whether it will happen or not. In other words, it would be like saying, “If He comes today.” The change in texts from “when” to “if” does not substantially change the intent. Either way, the Lord is coming, and when that occurs – if we are abiding in Him – “we may have confidence.” The Greek word is parrésia, or “boldness.” It is what one has when speaking in a public forum, openly and without shame or shying away. This particular word was used to note the free citizens who lived in Athens and who were permitted to speak in the assembly with confidence about whatever was on their mind. By abiding in Christ, there will be a boldness that the life lived in faith will have been well spent. Such will “not be ashamed before Him.” The regret of not abiding in Christ will be made manifest in each believer who failed to abide in Him, and it will be made manifest in each non-believer who claimed they belonged to Him, but who did not abide in Him. John is obviously writing to believers (little children), and he is including himself in these words (we). Therefore, his words are directed most specifically to those who are believers, but who have not faithfully remained in Him as they should have. For them (is this applicable to any of us?), we shall be in a state of shame “before Him at His coming.” John’s words, like those of the other apostles, and indeed Christ Himself, show that He really is coming again. It is not a dubious hope or promise, but it is the truth of God in Christ. He is coming, and we need to be ready at all times for His appearance. In this, we will be found acceptable for reward and not loss. Life application: If we live for Christ Jesus in this life, we will be able to speak with complete confidence when we stand in His presence for judgment. However, if we fail to do these things we will be just like a child caught with his hand in the candy jar. We will feel the guilt and the remorse at being caught completely unready for the glory which He intends to bestow upon us. As the wording of the rapture, which is explained by Paul, indicates no set time or day, it is no different than the moment of our death. It will happen when it happens, and it would be good for us to be about His business when the moment occurs in our lives. Should we die doing something naughty, we will awaken ashamed of our last moment on earth. Likewise, if we are acting in an inappropriate way when He comes for His church, we will have been found to be living foolishly. As you live out your days, remember the cross of Jesus and what He endured to purchase you from this world. Live in a manner which is wholly fitting and honoring to Him. Dear Lord, give us the sense and discernment to live properly until Your return. Let us be found living our lives in a pleasing manner which will bring a smile from You, and not a state of shame in us, when You call us home. This we ask that You will be glorified by the lives we lead. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 12, 2020 23:25:15 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 2:29, 12 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2020 Sunday, 12 April 2020 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. 1 John 2:29 John now pens the last verse of the chapter. It forms a connecter between two larger thoughts – the coming of Christ and the righteousness of Christ. John will deal with the latter issue in great detail as he continues this marvelous epistle. The words of the previous verse spoke of not being ashamed at Christ’s coming by abiding in Him. Now, to form that connective bridge to the new direction, he says, “If you know that He is righteous.” There is, as at other times, a question as to who the subject is here. Is it Jesus, or is it God? The reason is that it is Jesus who was just referred to in the previous verse. However, John will next refer to being “born of Him.” That is an act he always ties in with God – being “born” of God. The debate is unnecessary. Jesus is God. John is dealing with the God/Man. He is not dealing merely with a human that he met along the path of life. He is speaking of Jesus Christ, and in the thought of “Christ” is the concept of both His humanity and His deity. Therefore, the One who is coming in His humanity is also the One who begets children in His deity. This One is righteous. It is impossible to know God and not know that righteousness is a character which defines His very nature. The gospel itself implies this. Christ died for our sins. If we have sin, it is because we are unrighteous. If God sent Christ to die for our unrighteousness, then He must be righteous. John says that if you know this, “you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” There is a difference between the verbs translated as “know” in the first and second clauses. The first is eidó, and it signifies the ability to mentally grasp something. The second is ginóskó, and it speaks of an experiential knowledge. He is saying that if you can mentally grasp and understand that He is righteous, you will then be able to perceive through the application of that knowledge that those who practice righteousness do so because of their unique, God-birthed connection. It is also possible that the verb is to be taken as an imperative. “If you know that He is righteous, you are also to know (actively understand) that those who practice righteousness are born of Him. The verb can be taken either way, and either way the point is that in understanding the righteousness of God in Christ, each person in Christ is also to conduct himself in righteousness. In this practicing of righteousness, a person shows that he “is born of Him.” The verb here is in the perfect tense. It more appropriately reads, “has been begotten of Him.” A person who has been begotten of God is to conduct his life as if that is the case. It is contrary to being born of God to continue in the life that he lived before coming to God. As a simple example, albeit not intended as a perfect one, if someone has a computer which is not connected to the internet, it will perform its functions based on its limited reach, and it will only work within those parameters. But if that computer is hooked up to a modem and is made internet-capable, it would be pointless for it to continue to operate as it once did. There is a new standard expected of it, and a new hope for it to reach out and operate as a part of a greater whole. When one comes to God through Christ, he is to reflect the change that has taken place in him, and he is to conduct his affairs by this new standard. The reason for this verse is now understandable when connected to the previous verse. Obviously, John is teaching us that in practicing righteousness, we will not be ashamed at His coming – the very point that he stated in the previous verse. We are to “abide in Him,” and we are to practice righteousness, for this very reason. Life application: John’s words here present a complex thought which is actually rather hard to follow. When it says, “If you know that He is righteous,” it is speaking of Jesus based on the context of the preceding verse. It also makes sense because the righteousness of God should be taken as an axiom. As this is so, then it must be speaking of Jesus’ human nature and the righteousness He demonstrated, proving His character and validating His position as the Christ. Understanding this, we can then move to the next concept – “everyone who practices righteousness.” Being a present tense verb, it indicates practicing righteousness habitually or constantly. Immediately after this, John says that anyone who does practice (habitually) righteousness is born of Him. With this refresher added to the main analysis of the verse, let us simply apply it to our own lives. Let us constantly apply the righteousness of God in Christ to our walk before Him. Each step that we take, we are to consider it in the light of the holiness of God, and to then move onto the next step with that same thought in mind. Step by step, we are to walk in righteousness – to the glory of God, and as it is displayed in our lives. Lord God, surely Your word gives us wonders to consider and to learn. Thank You for challenging our understanding of the Person and work of Jesus as well as the role of the Father and the Holy Spirit. May we be given eyes and understanding to properly evaluate Your word so that we don’t fall into error as we study. To Your glory we pray. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 17, 2020 21:14:36 GMT -5
NOTE: I missed April 11; it's been corrected. Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:1, 13 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2020 Monday, 13 April 2020 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. 1 John 3:1 Chapter 3 begins with a resounding cry of wonder and delight, “Behold.” The emotion of the word comes from the surrounding context. At times, it can simply indicate seeing or perceiving something with the eyes. However, John is calling out more than that as he adds on to it – “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us.” In this, he is asking his reader to open their spiritual eyes and see something that is as real and sure as the ground under one’s feet, and yet it is something that can only be mentally perceived. God has sent His Son as a Gift, and in the sending of His Son, He has become “Father” to those who have received Jesus. The Father of the Godhead, through Christ Jesus, has become our Father in the faith. This giving of the Son is described by John as a “manner of love.” The word translated as “manner” signifies a kind or sort. It originally referred to the race or tribe one belonged to. Therefore, it is a distinct kind, set apart from other kinds of love. And that love is “that we should be called children of God.” The word translated as “called” does not mean a divine calling, but rather a naming. We are “named” children of God. As such, being named as children is speaking of adoption, as Paul also describes, such as in Galatians 4:5 and elsewhere. When a father adopts a child, he is bringing that child into his family, naming him in that capacity. It is a way of saying, “I am bestowing upon you all the rights and privileges of any other son in my family.” As Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son, the implication is astonishing. God the Father has bestowed a name upon us which signifies a relationship that places us along with His own Son. The love of the Father for the Son is now extended to the children of adoption. Note that John uses the term teknon, or “children,” and not the word huios, or son. The body of believers is gathered as the Father lavishes His love on them – regardless of any other distinction. It is a touching note of endearment for those who are now His. However, because of this, John then shows a distinction between those who belong to the Father and those who do not by saying, “Therefore the world does not know us.” The world, the ordered system which stands opposed to God, has no fraternal bond with the Father. Because of this, it has no such fraternal bond with the children. In this, there is no understanding of who the children of God actually are. Anyone can claim that he is a child of God, but without understanding how God makes this possible, it is an empty claim. When God sent Christ, He made the relationship possible. But it is only in Christ that it is so. Without knowing the Son, one cannot know the Father. And without knowing the Father, the world cannot ascertain, or mentally perceive, the true status of the children. As John further states, “because it did not know Him.” Jesus said, “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:23). He also said, “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” Jesus is the Light. In understanding who He is, and in stepping into His revealed light, one can then understand the Father, and become a son of light. Without this occurring, those of the world remain in darkness, and they cannot know the Father. Only through Christ Jesus is this made possible. Life application: For those who understand the nature of God, the state of fallen man, and the importance of the work of Jesus Christ, it is immensely sad to hear non-Christians say, “We’re all children of God.” This is because such a statement fundamentally misunderstands the unhappy state they remain in. It also fails to understand the wrath God feels toward sin. Were it not so, God would never have sent His Son, our Lord Jesus, to the cross. But sin necessitates such a sacrifice. There is one overlying truth about sin – Either the sin in man is judged, or the man is judged in sin. To judge the sin in man means that a Substitute took the place of the sin. The only acceptable substitute is another man (animals are in a different category). But another man is unacceptable if he too has sin. Thus, we see our need for Jesus – the sinless Son of God. Paul explains the transfer in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” When one understands these thoughts on sin, then he can taste a glimpse of John’s exuberant proclamation. Behold! What manner of love the Father has bestowed on us! It is at the very edge of our ability to grasp, and actually beyond our ability to fully appreciate, what happened on the cross of Jesus Christ. The significance of that act is more incredible than anything else in all of time and throughout all of creation. And it occurred for a good and beautiful purpose – that we should be called children of God. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God who takes away our sin. Man need not be judged in sin. Rather, the sin in man has been judged for those who come to Christ Jesus. We marvel at the perfection of Your glorious work, O Christ. May we never tire of telling the story of Your life, Your cross, and Your victory over death. May we never fail to proclaim Your majesty all the days of our unworthy lives. To You, O God, be the honor and glory – now and forever! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 17, 2020 21:17:33 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:2, 14 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020 Tuesday, 14 April 2020 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. 1 John 3:2 John began the chapter with joyous words concerning the love of the Father. Because of the love He has bestowed on us we are now “called children of God.” He repeats the thought again by saying, “Beloved, now we are the children of God.” It is a statement of surety, and it is a statement which reflects the completed nature of the matter. The adoption in Christ is complete. We possess a position that has the highest dignity, glory, and honor that can be granted, because we have been adopted into the family of God. John continues with, “and it has not been revealed what we shall be.” With a simple connecting of the two clauses by the word “and,” he reveals both the state of believers now while confirming that this state is not the fulfillment of what being children of God entails – “We are, and yet we wait for what we will be.” As an example of this dual state of believers, we can think of someone who has completed all that is necessary for a college diploma. The courses have been taken, the achievement has been realized, and yet there still awaits the formal ceremony to complete the degree. At this point, one could say, “I am a graduate of Nolan University.” And yet, until the ceremony is complete and the certificate is received, the happiness of the bestowal, and the blessing of what accompanies that bestowal, lies yet ahead. We can only speculate on the wondrous state that lies ahead, but it is already guaranteed to come about. However, our speculation is not without a set hope as seen in John’s next words, “but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him.” Whatever the eternal state of believers is, it will be like that of Jesus Himself. The Greek word, translated as “like,” has the same meaning as our English word. It is to be like, similar to, resembling, the same as, etc. The change from our mortal bodies will be into bodies that resemble that of Jesus. As this is so, we can be certain that it will be beyond anything we can imagine. If the Lord of all creation has a body suitable for all eternity, and as it lacks nothing to enjoy all that He has for Himself, and if we will be like Him, then we will be able to enjoy all of that which God reveals of Himself for all eternity. Bengel says it “suggests something unspeakable, contained in the likeness of God.” To ensure that we are able to comprehend this, even if on a limited scale, John completes the thought with, “for we shall see Him as He is.” The thought is similar to that of Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:18 – “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” There appears to be a connection between seeing the Lord and being transformed into the likeness of the Lord. At this time, we “see the Lord,” through His word, and we are being transformed into His likeness because of it. When He comes, we will “see the Lord” in a more complete way, and we will be transformed into His likeness in a comparable way at that time. Paul, speaking of the dual nature of our conversion (that which is and that which will be as existing at the same time), says this in Philippines 3 – “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20, 21 Our citizenship is in heaven (it is complete), and yet we wait for our transformation (it lies ahead). The doctrine of eternal salvation is written all over the thoughts of these apostolic writings. Further, like the words of John, Paul tantalizes his reader with a thought concerning this coming transformation. This state, yet to be revealed, and yet which is already guaranteed to those who believe, is also spoken of by him in 1 Corinthians 15 – “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 Life application: Our present state is adoption as sons through the work of Jesus and not any meritorious action on our part. We have not personally seen Christ and we have not yet (and cannot in this life) attain His sinless perfection or glorification. However, in a lesser sense, it has been revealed. The book of Revelation is an unveiling of Jesus Christ. In the first chapters, we behold his glory through the eyes and pen of John. At the end of the book, we see where we will dwell and what it will be like – all a foretaste for us of the glory to come. When we are made like Him, there won’t only be a physical change, but a spiritual change as well. This change involves purity, a sinless state, and the attainment of true righteousness – all spoken of in the verses ahead. These changes, both physical and spiritual, will be fully realized at the rapture of the church. Yes, the rapture is real. It is clearly laid out in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4. Even now, we are “partakers of the divine nature” as indicated in 2 Peter 1:4. However, when John says, “we shall be like Him,” this denotes similarity, not a completely identical state. To see the consistency of God’s word as brought to us by the various apostles, we can return to Paul’s words of 1 Corinthians 15 where he describes what “we shall be like Him” means – And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 Take time to read the entire context of Paul’s words today. They are found in 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 Jesus, we simply can’t wait for the day that we will be like You. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 17, 2020 21:19:24 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:3, 15 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2020 Wednesday, 15 April 2020 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:3 John just spoke of the hope of the believer. It is that “we shall be like Him.” He now says, “And everyone who has this hope in Him.” The word “everyone” is certainly used in order to refute some heresy which had already begun to invade the church, even at this early date. It is a way of saying, “Every single person, and this means every single one of you as well...” He is actually addressing each individual, but he is making the exhortation in a universal manner. In the Greek, the placing of one’s hope for this statement is “on Him,” rather than “in Him.” Saying “in him” is ambiguous. Is it speaking of the person hoping, or is it speaking of the object of the hope? For this reason, the “hope” is set “on” Christ Jesus. Vincent’s Word Studies notes that this is the only reference by John concerning Christian hope. That is unlike Paul who speaks of it again and again. Further, Vincent’s notes that this is the Bible’s only instance where hope is “on” rather than “in” Jesus. John’s specific wording calls for specificity of translation. John continues by saying that whoever has this hope on Christ “purifies himself.” The word translated as “purifies” is in the present tense and therefore indicates continual purification. It is used in John and Acts when referring to external purification under the Law of Moses. However, under the New Covenant, we see that those external purifications were intended to point to internal purification in the believer in Christ. It is used in James 4:8, 1 Peter 1:22, and here in 1 John 3:3 – all when speaking of internal purification. John said in the previous verse that “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” This is what he is now referring to. We are to purify ourselves “just as He is pure.” Here, John uses an adjective form of the same word. It is one used by Paul, James, Peter, and John, and it signifies being without any type of ceremonial defilement, and thus holy and sacred. Life application: Because John’s plea is to the individual, but universally applied, the message it carries is universally applicable. If you hope in the One who is pure, you must also purify yourself. And, this is not a one-time deal, after which one is pure always. We are to continually cleanse ourselves of our impurities, because of the hope we have in Jesus. As noted, the idea behind the purity is that of ritual cleansing, or ceremonial purification before coming into the presence of God. This is explained in Exodus (and elsewhere) in the Old Testament, and in Hebrews in the New. Believers need to have the whole person free from defilement in this purification process. How to accomplish this purification will be dealt with in the verses to come, but it particularly deals with righteousness and love. We need to ensure we have both qualities working in an appropriate manner or we simply can’t be pure in the way we need to be. Let us look to the words of the psalmist to see a portion of what’s needed to please God – “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.” Psalm 24:3, 4 Lord God, we look to You for the necessary cleansing required to make us pure. Though we try under our own power, we will only fail. But by appealing to You and applying the instruction found in Your word, we know that we can be purified and cleansed – thus being acceptable as personal offerings to You. May this come about for Your great glory as we stand before You in thanks and praise! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 17, 2020 21:21:18 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:4, 16 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020 Thursday, 16 April 2020 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4 John just mentioned that everyone who has the hope of Christ purifies himself. He now brings in a thought which supports that thinking by saying, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness.” The Greek word, translated as “commit,” signifies “to do.” It says that whoever does the sin also does the lawlessness. As Vincent’s Word Studies notes, “The phrase to do sin regards sin as something actually realized in its completeness. He that does sin realizes in action the sin (note the article τὴν) that which includes and represents the complete ideal of sin. Compare do righteousness, 1 John 2:29.” The law gives precepts, commands, exhortations, and etc. These are given for right living and for holiness. To fail to be obedient to these things is sin. Speaking of the law, meaning whatever law is applicable, Paul says – “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19, 20 It is by law that we have a knowledge of sin. When under law, it is by that law that we are to conduct ourselves as people. In not being obedient to the expectations of the law, we fall into error. In the case of the Law of Moses, John then explains that error by saying, “and sin is lawlessness.” Again, there are articles used by John, so it more accurately reads, “and the sin is the lawlessness.” He is making declarations about the nature of what occurred and the result of it. Understanding this, we can take 1 John 2:29 and place it side by side with this verse (in a literal translation) – ...everyone the doing the righteousness of Him has been begotten. Everyone the doing the sin also the lawlessness does, and the sin is the lawlessness. John is making a one-to-one comparison between being in Christ, and not being in Christ. This is certain because of what he will say in the coming verses. One is either in Christ and does what is righteous, or he is not in Christ and does what is lawless. Until the next two verses are evaluated, one cannot fully see what John is relaying. The context must be maintained. Life application: The tense of the first half of this verse indicates the idea of someone committing sin continually and as much as possible. Think of it in this way, “Everyone who sins also practices lawlessness.” It is the state of all human beings born of Adam. We are born in sin and our state is one of actively falling short of God’s standards and committing lawlessness in a continual fashion; it is our very nature. For someone to say, “I’ve never sinned,” is simply unimaginable when put in the context of our fallen nature. We sin, not just once or twice in a lifetime, but continually throughout our existence. In the second half of the verse, we have an additional confirmation of this. Because of the use of an article with both words, the terms are interchangeable – sin is lawlessness and lawlessness is sin. Either way, this is an apt description of the state of sin and lawlessness. The word for “sin” is what most Christians would describe as “missing the mark.” It is as if one is shooting arrows and not hitting the target. The word for “lawlessness,” however, normally points to much deeper offenses which are the purposeful and intentional violation or neglect of God’s laws. John may have added the second half of the verse to show the recipients (and we who still receive the letter today) that we simply cannot hide from the minor offenses as if they were unimportant. They carry the same mark of rebellion against God as do the weightier matters which we attempt to avoid committing. By doing so, we think we can stand and say, “See the good life I’ve been living. The bad things I’ve done aren’t really bad at all.” Rather, the little offenses are lawlessness and rebellion just as are the big ones. They all put a wall between us and God and necessitate a sacrifice. Thank God for Jesus… our only hope from the life we have lived. O God, it is hard to imagine the displeasing lives we have lived after seeing sin for what it truly is. When we recognize what it means in relation to You, we can look back on our lives and see that the little sinful things we have done are really much worse than we thought. And so, we look to the cross, we cling to the cross, and we thank YOU for the cross which takes away our sin… all of our sin. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 17, 2020 21:23:42 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:5, 17 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020· Friday, 17 April 2020 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 1 John 3:5 John just stated that when one sins, he commits lawlessness, and that “sin is lawlessness.” This is the default state of all mankind, because all are in Adam, our first ancestor. In order to correct this, and to move us from a state of lawlessness to a state of being right with God, John now says, “And you know that He was manifested.” The idea here is that Christ already existed in God, and that He came from God on a mission. Hence, the term “manifested.” It is the incarnation which was necessary for us to be made right with God. The way this was accomplished was that He was sent “to take away our sins.” John is presenting this thought to support the idea that all of what occurred in Christ’s coming was to resolve the sin problem in our lives. As this is so, sin is deplorable to God and, therefore, we are to keep ourselves from sin, not bask in it and revel in it. As Christ came to take away our sins, and as a part of Christ’s mission was to suffer and die on the cross for our sins, then we should not only desire to live in a holy manner, but we should tirelessly strive to do so. The consequences of our actions are what necessitated His cross. In saying that He came to “take away our sins,” John uses the plural, “sins.” This then speaks of everything included in the term. No sin is exempted from the sufficiency of what Christ has done. It tells us that Jesus didn’t just come in the flesh to atone for sin, but to remove the power of sin in our lives. Both are possible because of His sacrifice combined with His continued influence on our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. To understand what has occurred in the cross of Christ, God gave a foreshadowing of it in the Day of Atonement rituals which are found in Leviticus 16. A full analysis of this rite is found in three sermons, the first of which is at this link: In short, the main focus of the day is centered on two hairy goats, one is a sacrifice for sin, and the second is to expiate, or carry away the sin. Both of these animals (and everything else associated with the rites of that day) prefigure the Person and work of Christ. The truth of what is found in that ritual is first seen in John’s concluding word of this verse, “and in Him there is no sin.” The Greek reads, “and sin in Him not there is.” He is absolutely and forever without sin. That is seen in the innocent goat which came to die in the place of the people. But, in dying for sin, it means that the sin of the people was placed upon it. From there, the second goat pictured that sin being carried away, never to return again. This second goat became a sin-bearer. The thought of what these two goats did is explained by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus Christ was made sin (the transfer to the sacrificial goat). He died in that capacity. But because He had no sin of His own, in His death, He carried away our sin (the scapegoat). The sin can never return because it died with Him. Speaking for believers, Paul says that through Christ, the embodiment of the law, “I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.” The sin is removed in Christ’s death, it is carried away to the grave in death, and it is forever removed through the resurrection. In this, we can now live to God. It is made possible through Jesus because He was sinless, and He is forever sinless. Life application: In Christ, these two actions can be simply described. The first action, atonement, takes away the penalty of our sin and is known as “justification.” In this action we are declared not guilty because the punishment has been meted out on our Substitute, Jesus. The second action, taking away the power of sin in our lives, is known as “sanctification.” It is accomplished by Christ, and we are sanctified unto God. However, during this life, we can (and should) go through a process of personal sanctification where we conduct ourselves in a manner which is in accord with what Christ has done for us. This aspect of our walk is, unfortunately, not pursued by many saved believers. We stand justified, but we fail to allow that justification to sink in and become a working part of who we are. It is as if what Jesus did in our atonement was “good enough,” and now we can play out our lives ever walking on the marginal line of mediocrity. When John says, “In Him there is no sin,” it indicates that Jesus is sinless in the whole state of His eternal existence – past, present, and future. Because He is, we are expected to remove ourselves from the presence of sin to the maximum degree possible based on an ongoing process of sanctification. It is true that we can never become sinless in this life, but it is also true that sin no longer has mastery over us. We should live in the Spirit continuously and make every attempt to flee from sin as we live in the presence of God. Think it through clearly – Jesus was “manifested” to the world for the very purpose of destroying the devil’s work and allowing us to have victory over what Satan did. Why then would we serve a lesser god – sin – which is no god at all? Instead, let us determine to have victory in Jesus and in the work which is already finished. To the glory of God! Heavenly Father, forgive us for not pursuing holiness and righteousness to the fullest degree possible. Give us the wisdom and mental attitude that says, “Yes, I will live for Jesus; I will have victory over the sin in my life.” And by doing so, may You receive all the glory that You are due. Amen!
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 18, 2020 20:12:21 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:6, 18 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 Saturday, 18 April 2020 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.1 John 3:6 Three sets of verses, placed side by side, will reveal that John’s words need careful thought – “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 “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” 1 John 2:27 “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” 1 John 3:6 John tells us that believers do sin (first set of verses). He then tells us that believers have an anointing, and that they abide in Christ. He then says that those who abide in Christ do not sin. Obviously, in order to understand what John is saying, particular care, attention, and thoughtful contemplation are required. This thoughtful process is needed to keep from running into a theological quagmire. In verse 3:6, John begins with, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin.” Both terms, “abides,” and “does not sin,” are in the present tense. The issue is sin. Paul says that by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20). But for those in Christ, they have died to the law (Romans 7:6). If someone accepts the gospel – “Jesus Christ died for my sin” – he is acknowledging that he is a sinner and that his sin has offended God. One cannot make such a claim if he abides in sin. Therefore, when someone comes to Christ and abides in Him, he “does not sin,” meaning that sin is no longer imputed to him. The person may commit an offense against God, but the offense is not imputed to him (2 Corinthians 5:19). Because he abides in Christ, and despite his failure to meet God’s law, he does not sin. Paul speaks of this in Romans 7:13-25, culminating in the thought, “So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” John next says, “Whoever sins.” It is a present participle. It signifies whoever sins and keeps on sinning. A person who has come to Christ is not sinning in the sense that his sins are not being imputed to him. He cannot claim that he does not sin (see 1 John 1:8-10 above), but he is freed from the body of death which is governed by abiding in sin, and he is brought to the body of life which is freedom from the law (by which sin is imputed). John finishes with the thought that a person who “sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” Both verbs are in the perfect tense. Such a person has never seen (the word signifies not merely sight with the eyes, but discerning who Christ is), nor come to a knowledge of who Christ is. There was never a point in time where this occurred. Because it has not occurred, he sins and keeps on sinning. There has never been a move from the law to grace, from the body of death, to life in Christ, or from a state of the imputation of one’s sin to a state where sin is no longer imputed. Life application: As believers, we sin, but the sin is not imputed to us. Not understanding this, and taking this verse out of its greater context, there is then a misunderstanding of what we are being led to understand. Individuals, congregations, and entire denominations will thus claim that a sinless state is possible in this life. “Holiness” doctrine refers to this type of belief, and it clearly finds its basis in this verse, even though this verse is not indicating such a doctrine in the first place. Such thinking sets up a contradiction in doctrine when compared with the verses cited above, and with many other verses in the epistles. Abiding in Christ and habitual sin are mutually exclusive terms and therefore such a relationship cannot exist. Therefore, someone who lives in habitual sin “has neither seen Him nor known Him.” If a person has met the risen Christ and come to the point of salvation, they are free from condemnation. However, we should not ever feel free from the remorse that is caused by sin. If you are living in open, rebellious sin and don’t feel convicted by your actions, you may need to rethink your salvation altogether. Have you ever truly come to Christ? If so, rewards will be lost when you stand before Him. If not, you will hear appropriate words of condemnation on the Day of the Lord’s visitation. Lord God, we cannot deny that we sin, but when we do, we should know it is wrong and that we need to turn to You in remorse, convicted of our actions which are sinful, and which are an offense to You. Give us the desire and ability to overcome our weaknesses and to turn from any actions which are contrary to the salvation Jesus brought about in us when we first called on Him. This we pray to Your glory! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 19, 2020 23:49:55 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:7, 19 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020 Sunday, 19 April 2020 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 1 John 3:7 John now contrasts what he presented in the previous verses. In verse 4, he spoke of committing lawlessness, and that “sin is lawlessness.” He then noted that, “whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” At that time, he used a present participle – whoever is sinning (actively and habitually). With that in mind, he now says, “Little children.” Once again, he uses the endearing term teknia for “little children.” It is as if he is saying, “Take care little ones and listen to my instruction, for it will keep you from harm.” And the harm he wishes for them to avoid is explained by his next words, “let no one deceive you.” The word he uses for deceive is planaó. It signifies “to cause to wander.” Thus, one is led astray. It is the basis for our word “planet.” Just as the planets appear to wander in the night sky, so is a person who is led astray. They have no sure footing and are easily led down unhealthy paths of unrighteousness. With that in mind, John continues with, “He who practices righteousness is righteous.” In the Greek, there is an article before “righteousness.” It literally says, “He who practices the righteousness.” This isn’t simply someone who goes out and does a good thing, or good things. Rather, it is a person who is complete in his righteousness. His acts are combined with the heart and attitude behind his conduct. The verb “practices” is a present participle, and it indicates one who habitually practices. But Paul says, “there is none righteous.” As this is so, then it must be speaking of someone who has been converted from that fallen state. How can one do “the righteousness” and yet be unrighteous? It is not possible unless he is first made righteous. And that can only come from a Source which is righteous. Thus, John’s words speak of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ. This was explained in the previous verse to some extent, and it will continue to be explained in the verses ahead. However, it is confirmed (even if not fully explained) in his final words of this verse, which say, “just as He is righteous.” “He” refers to Christ Jesus. It is a person whose deeds are aligned with his conversion in Christ who is properly demonstrating righteousness. Christ is the standard, and we are to be the emulators. Christ is righteous in and of Himself, and we are endeavoring by continual practice to be molded into His image. In other words, John is not saying that in Christ we are righteous to the same measure, but that we bear the same state of righteousness. This is why the term “in Christ” is used in the epistles. Believers are clothed in Him and in His righteousness, and that which is done in Him bears His state of righteousness when we conduct our affairs in the manner that we are expected to do. Life application: John’s words to the “little children” are similar to the words used in the first chapters of Proverbs when the father admonishes his son. Notice the similar language used in Proverbs verses 1 and 9 of Chapter 2 – “My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,” (Proverbs 2:1) ... “Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.” (Proverbs 2:9) Also, as noted above, the word John uses for “deceive” means “to lead astray.” Again, in the proverb (just cited) Solomon said that by following sound advice the son would understand “every good path.” John may have been thinking of this particular proverb. Rather than being led astray, one will tread upon the path of righteousness when he is in Christ and follows Him according to His word. So, what will keep us from wandering? John says here that in practicing righteousness one is righteous. Don’t be deceived by those with an agenda contrary to the biblical model and the Role Model – who is Jesus. We are to live in God’s presence, always pursuing holiness and righteousness. When we fall short, let us make every effort to acknowledge our shortcomings and ask for forgiveness that we may again be pure. Though we are forgiven already in Christ, acknowledging our failures as we commit them keeps the lines of communication between us and our Creator uncluttered with our misdeeds. Lord God, how wonderfully glorious to know that because of Your Holy Spirit we have the ability to act righteously and to please You. Now Lord, fill us with the wisdom to follow that path and to bring honor to You through careful attention to our lives, our conduct, our deeds, and our words. To Your beautiful honor we pray. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 21, 2020 1:22:40 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:8, 20 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 Monday, 20 April 2020 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. 1 John 3:8 This is the clearest statement to be found concerning the purpose of the coming of Jesus Christ. Many times in Scripture a reason is cited. A few to consider are – “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” John 9:39 “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18:37 “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15 “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” 1 John 3:5 “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” 1 John 4:9 Each of these shows there is a problem or that there is something lacking which requires correction, but 1 John 3:8 shows the source and cause of these things. The verse also shows us a truth which cannot be denied. One is either in Christ, or he belongs to the devil. There are no other options available to fallen man. As John says, “He who sins is of the devil.” The Greek is far more emphatic – “The one practicing the sin is of the devil.” The verb is a present participle and it indicates the continuous nature of the state of the person.He has sinned (being born in sin), and he has never come to a point where he has stopped sinning. His life of sin continues on. Paul has already shown that “all have sinned” in Romans 3:23, and that “the wages of sin is death” in Romans 6:2. Paul further states, “just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” As all have sinned because they are in Adam, and as the devil is the source of this occurring, all belong to him. It is man’s default position. No person has met God’s standard of perfection, and all imperfection will be removed from His presence unless the defect is corrected. Jesus explains this, explicitly, in John 3:18 – “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John will explain his meaning, but first, after noting that the person “who sins is of the devil,” a thought which extends to all of humanity, he says, “for the devil has sinned from the beginning.” This doesn’t mean he was created as a being that sins, but that there is a point where fault was found in him. With that fault a part of his nature, Satan brought sin about in man, even since the beginning of man’s existence on earth, as is recorded in Genesis 3. In bringing about the fall of man, man has been stuck – caught under the power of the devil – ever since. And it is, as John states, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested.” John clearly, and without ambiguity, states this primary reason for the manifestation of the “Son of God.” This is the first time that the term “Son of God” is used in this epistle. Up to this point, Jesus has been spoken of as the Son in relation to the Father. Now John speaks of the Son in relation to God to show that, though all men are in Adam, and thus are born under the power of the devil and are “condemned already,” he shows that Jesus Christ is born of God. As sin travels from father to child, and as all humans have a father, all have sin. However, as Jesus’ Father is God, the sin did not transfer. Jesus is the fulfillment of the picture made in circumcision. God instructed Abraham, and his descendants, to be circumcised in their foreskin in order to make a picture of Christ who would “cut” the sin nature found in man. In Christ, the picture is fulfilled. This all came about so “that He might destroy the works of the devil.” The word “destroy” is the Greek word luó. It is the root of our word “loose.” Jesus’ ministry has loosed the bonds that man was held in by the power of the devil. Isaiah, speaking the word of the Lord to the people of Israel, indicates that this is what their actions and reliance on God were meant to do – “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6 Israel, as a type of Christ to come, was intended to be a light to the nations, but only Jesus – the true Israel and the true Light – was capable of making this desire a reality. Man disobeyed God and the authority over man transferred to the devil. Jesus Christ, not being under that authority, fully obeyed God and remains in a perfect relationship with God. As He fulfilled the Law of Moses, the standard which God set for the people of the world, He thus embodies that law. Contained within that law is the provision for substitutionary atonement. A man would transfer his sin to an innocent animal, and the animal would die in place of the man. At that time, God would forgive the offender and a propitious relationship would come about. As this is a part of the law, and as Christ embodies the law, Christ’s death can be a substitutionary atonement for any who come to Him. This is how the power of the devil is destroyed. Man moves from Adam to Christ, and the power of the devil is destroyed in that man. He is brought into the family of God. However, this doesn’t explain how man can stay in that relationship. If he sins again, would he not fall again under the power of the devil? The answer is, “No.” The New Covenant in Christ’s blood has no provision for the imputation of sin, only for rewards and loss of rewards. A person is “in Christ,” and he is covered by His righteousness. As Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19 – “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” God is no longer imputing sin to man. The rule of Christ never ceases in man because of this. This is why John states his first clause with a present participle – “The one practicing the sin is of the devil” (literal translation). Later, the man came to Christ, acknowledged he is a sinner (“Christ died for our sins” 1 Corinthians 15:3), and he is granted forgiveness. He is sealed with God’s guarantee of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, 14), and he is no longer imputed sin (2 Corinthians 5:19). The power of the devil is destroyed in the man, death no longer reigns, eternal life is granted, and reconciliation with God is realized forevermore. Life application: In Christ, the yokes are broken, and the heavy burdens are removed. The devil’s power is destroyed, and man has a new, glorious, and eternal hope. Thank God for Jesus Christ! Thank You, O God, for Jesus! Thank You that He loosed the works of the devil which had us bound with heavy chains. Now, in Christ we are free to live in Your presence, and we have the assurance of eternal life ahead of us. May we never forget the great and awesome work He accomplished so that we might be reconciled to you! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 22, 2020 0:15:25 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:9, 21 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 Tuesday, 21 April 2020 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 3:9 In the previous verse, John wrote concerning Christ’s manifestation and that it was “to destroy the works of the devil.” This is what Christ did. The devil uses the power of the law against man. It is not that there is anything wrong with the law, but it is man’s inability to keep it which keeps him in a state of bondage. By the law is the knowledge of sin, and when one is under law, sin is imputed. However, Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law for those who come to Him. In coming to Christ, John says, “Whoever is born of God.” It is a perfect participle, “having been born.” The act is complete, and the new nature is assumed. Just as when a person is born into humanity, he remains a human, when one is born of God, he remains a child of God. The nature is changed, the action is complete, and it is ongoing from that point on. For such a person, John says he “does not sin.” The word signifies to do, produce, make, or cause (etc.). It is used when a tree bears, or brings forth, fruit of one kind or another. The one who is born of God does not bring forth sin. John then says that the reason for this is because “His seed remains in him.” It is the seed of God which remains in the believer. Jesus alluded to such a change in Matthew 7 when He said – “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.” Matthew 7:17, 18 Vincent’s Word Studies calls the seed, “the divine principle of life.” It is a correct analysis. Man begets human children, cows beget cows, mango seeds produce mangoes. It is theology 101 from page 1 of the Bible. All things reproduce after their own kind. When a person comes to Christ, a child of God is produced in that act. And just as God does not sin, so the one born of God does not sin because the change has taken place. The seed which brought forth the new life remains in that person. With this change, John then says, “and he cannot sin.” This is reflected in 1 John 3:6, where John wrote, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin.” That is strengthened here with “he cannot sin.” Of this, Vincent’s Word Studies says this is, “Conceived as a perfect ideal.” That misrepresents the matter. It is not merely an ideal, but it is an absolute truth. But Vincent’s then rightly explains the thought by saying, “life in God excludes the possibility of sin.” It is more than an ideal, but an objective fact. This is then explained by the final words of the verse, which say, “because he has been born of God.” As already noted, all things reproduce after their own kind. Being born of God moves a person from Adam to Christ. The believer is in Christ, and the change is complete. But how can this be? The answer takes one back to Abraham. He was declared righteous in Genesis 15. Many years later, he was given the sign of that righteousness – circumcision. A sign anticipates and speaks of something else. It is not a thing in and of itself. In other words, one cannot point at a circumcised man and say, “He is righteous.” That is evident by Paul’s words of Romans 2:25. The sign anticipated and pictured the coming of Christ. The male sexual organ was cut in order to provide a picture of what Christ would do. The seed of man is transmitted through this organ. It is through the sexual act that sin is transferred from father to child when the child is conceived. As all humans have human fathers, then all are conceived in sin (see Psalm 51:5). However, Christ was born of a woman, but His Father is God. Thus, he is fully human, but He is also fully God. As God is the Father, and as God has no sin, there was no transfer of sin to Christ Jesus. The picture of circumcision – the cutting of man’s sin nature – is complete. He is the sinless, perfect, Son of God. He was born under the law, He did not sin under the law, and He died in fulfillment of the law. Therefore, when one comes to Christ, he dies to the law. As he is no longer bound by law, he cannot sin. Even if he does wrong, no sin is imputed to him (2 Corinthians 5:19). This is what John is saying. Sin is still possible (see John 1:8). However, without the imputation of that sin, then as Vincent’s rightly noted, “life in God excludes the possibility of sin.” It may be more precise to say, “life in Christ.” It is in Christ – the God/Man – that this is realized. His human nature bears as much weight in the redemptive process as does His divine nature. This is the marvel and wonder of what God has done in and through the giving of His Son for fallen man. It is a glorious state in which we exist, and it is a state which should be treated in practice in the same manner as the person stands in position – to the glory of God. Life application: Notice the pattern of John’s writing – he makes basically the same statement in both a favorable and an unfavorable light. “Whoever is…does not sin” and “he cannot…because he has been.” This particular statement is adamant about the expected life of holiness that the believer is to live in, and it therefore intimates the obvious state of those who don’t live as mentioned. What he says here may seem contradictory to what he said in other verses, such as 1 John 1:8 which says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” However, such a contradiction is only apparent in our English translation. First, the tense used in the verses is different. The example from 1:8 tells us that we can’t claim to be sinless because we all fall and sin from time to time (even if sin is not imputed). The verse here tells us that we “cannot sin and be born of God.” It speaks of our nature and position in Christ regardless of our human actions. As we were told in verse 2 of this chapter, because of Jesus Christ we are now children of God. When a child is born, he naturally takes on the characteristics of his father. This is the genetic pattern of life. As we are sons of Adam through the physical world, we bear the image of Adam in the physical world. Likewise, we bear his image in the transmission of sin. However, when we come to Jesus Christ, our spiritual nature takes on the nature of God. If the marks of the physical world are so obvious that we resemble Adam hundreds of generations and thousands of years after his life, how much more will our spiritual nature resemble that of God when we move from spiritual death to spiritual life through the regeneration by the Spirit? Should we fall away and walk in a pattern of habitual sin, the circumstances will be the same as if we fail to drink water when we thirst; we will die because of our actions. One cannot live in sin without reaping the consequences of that sin. Physical death is sure to ensue and our rewards from God will be excluded. Only our spirit will be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:5). But the imputation of sin no longer occurs because our nature is that of man in Christ and under grace, not law. Thank God for Jesus Christ who has brought us to this state. Let us live out our lives in a manner which reflects our true and holy nature before God, to the praise of His glorious grace. Lord God, as the psalmist said, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” And so, Lord, we ask that you look over us and keep us from the habitual sins which can only bring about sadness before You. Instead, strengthen us to live now in Your temple as living stones, holy and acceptable to You. May our walk in this life reflect the position we already hold because of the change brought about in us through Christ. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Apr 23, 2020 0:28:30 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 3:10, 22 April 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020 Wednesday, 22 April 2020 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10 The words, “In this,” are debated as to the reference. Is it what he just said concerning being born of God, or is it referring to what he will next say concerning practicing righteousness? The NKJV places a colon at the end of this first clause, indicating the latter view, but it isn’t really certain. In verse 3:8, the reason for the manifestation of Christ was stated afterwards. If John is consistent in that pattern, then the second clause explains the first. This seems logical and likely. John has said that one who has been born of God does not sin. Now, he will show a way of telling who such a person is. To do so, he says, “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest.” This is the only time that the term “children of the devil” is used in Scripture. There are verses which imply someone is a child of the devil, or that use a similar term, such as Acts 13:10, John 8:44, and Ephesians 2:3. Also, 1 John 3:8 likewise made the distinction clear. However, John’s use of the two opposing terms in this one verse shows that these are the only two positions for humanity. One is either a child of the devil, or he is a child of God. No other intermediate position exists. To help identify a person’s position in this regard, John continues with, “Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God.” It is a present participle. Thus, it literally reads, “Each one who is not practicing righteousness.” This is a further explanation of what was stated in verse 3:7 when John said, “He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” The two thoughts complement and support one another. The person who is truly a believer in Christ does righteousness, and the one who is not truly a believer does not do righteousness. The position defines the nature of the doing. John finishes the verse with, “nor is he who does not love his brother.” This statement begins a thought on love which will continue in the verses ahead. John brings in love as an evidence of a person who is a child of God, or of the person who remains a child of the devil. In this, love is again a present participle (is loving). It is a volitional act of the will. The actions are intended to demonstrate the position in relation to God. Life application: Paul speaks of the position of humanity belonging to either God or to the devil in his writings. One example is in Ephesians 2:3 – “…among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” We are children of wrath by nature. Only when we come to Jesus Christ is our nature changed. It is this moment that we are “born again” as Jesus states in John 3.3. This is also a logical conclusion based on God’s curse of Adam in Genesis 3. God told Adam in Genesis 2 that he would die on the day he ate of the forbidden fruit. In Genesis 3, Adam is cursed and removed from Eden and from fellowship with God. Adam died spiritually that day and that spiritual death remains in all humans, through him, until we move to Christ. To “practice righteousness” is to accept the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, and thus it enables victory over sin in our lives. Until we do this, we cannot attain the state necessary to be righteous because our very nature excludes what is necessary – spiritual life. The two go hand in hand and are inseparable. Either we are in Jesus and able to practice righteousness, or we are in Adam and unable to do so. “Practicing righteousness” then is more than doing good works. It is the complete state of the person based on his position in Jesus Christ. Attempts at good works apart from Christ actually further remove us from Him, because they become trust in self, not in God – an amazing paradox. Lord, we can only thank You for the gift of righteousness that came through Jesus our Lord. Without His work on our behalf, we would have remained dead in sin and lost…children of Your wrath. By Your infinite grace and mercy though, we are saved, saved, saved by the precious blood of Jesus. Hallelujah and amen!
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