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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 18, 2020 23:50:59 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:12, 18 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, MAY 18, 2020 Monday, 18 May 2020 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 1 John 4:12 John now introduces a key point of theology into his epistle. As much as anything else, it is certainly based on his words of verse 4:7, where he said, “...everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” How can one know God? The answer is certainly not in having seen Him. In fact, for a person to claim that he has seen God is actually a disqualifying factor. He is to be rejected outright as a liar or a lunatic. This is because, as John says, “No one has seen God at any time.” In fact, the Greek places God in the emphatic position, and without any preceding article. It says, “God, no one at any time has seen.” Verses from Scripture that appear to contradict this are to be evaluated on their own and in the context of what is occurring. But simply stated, the lack of an article before “God,” signifies that John is writing about the divine Being – the unseen Creator – rather than the Lord, who is the visible manifestation of God. The Lord manifested Himself to Israel at various times. These were visible appearances of the eternal Christ, who is God. But the divine Being – God – cannot be seen. John’s words are to be taken as explicit and as absolute truth. Simple logic – even apart from Scripture – can easily demonstrate that this must be true. If something (or someone) can be seen by human eyes, it means that there is matter to be seen. Matter did not exist until God created it. Further – time, space, and matter all came into existence at the same time. They are dependent upon one another, and none can exist without all three being present. Therefore, God – who created time – cannot have matter as a part of His Being. If so, He would not be eternal, nor would He be omnipresent, etc. Understanding the key First Principles will help a person think clearly on such points. John’s words simply confirm what we can know by thinking logically. However, that leaves open the question, “If no one has seen God at any time, then how can we know God. And, how can we know that someone is of God?” John answers the question clearly by saying, “If we love one another, God abides in us.” We don’t need to see God to know that He exists. Our minds can figure out that there is a Necessary Being – meaning a Being who cannot “not” exist; He must exist. As we can know this, with all certainty, then He has revealed a way that we can know He abides in us. That is in our love for one another. As seen in previous verses, this means more than love as humanity loves. It means loving in the way that God does – something impossible without first believing the gospel and being saved. In that conversion, we now have a confirmation that our love is of God and not of the world. This will be confirmed in the verses to come. But for now, John finishes with the words, “and His love has been perfected in us.” This clause begins the confirmation concerning the “love” John is referring to as being that which stems from God. Anything that man possesses, including love, is limited and imperfect. However, if God’s love is perfected in us, it signifies that this is – in fact – a godly love previously not possessed by us. That love of God is expressed through us because Christ now dwells in us. As Vincent’s Word Studies rightly states, it is, “Not our love to Him, nor His love to us, but the love which is peculiarly His; which answers to His nature.” This is why the words of John 3:23 cannot be taken as a work in order to be saved. There, John said, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” It is not a work “for” salvation, but a product of salvation. One cannot possess this love of God unless he is saved. But in the possession of it, it demonstrates that he is – in fact – saved. Life application: It could be that when you read this chapter and come to this verse, it may seem out of place. But instead, it is actually extremely well positioned. As noted, the structure of the first clause is specially framed in order to show the very nature of God’s Being – that He is Spirit. This is a concept demonstrated in both the Old and the New Testament, and it brings us to a very important point about people who claim to have “visions” where they have seen God. As stated earlier, they are either liars or delusional. No one has ever seen God – at any time. Apparently, during John’s time (and which continues until today) people were claiming to have seen God and had received special insights and knowledge from Him. John, however, is denying their claims – such people have left the boundaries of truth and have headed off into unsound areas of boasting. What John is saying is that because no one has seen God, we can only know that He abides in us by the love we demonstrate. This is the “vision of God” which demonstrates His presence. If we love one another with His perfected love, then He abides in us and His love (the love He demonstrated in His Son Jesus) is our evidence of His presence in our lives. This is the true and clear revelation of God. Don’t be fooled into believing people who have deluded themselves with anything else! O God, what more could we ask in this life than to see You as demonstrated in true love and faith? When believers are at harmony with one another, and are completely sold out to You, isn’t this a surer testimony of Your presence than any supposed vision? Yes! Because everyone can share in it – not just a select few, but all of Your chosen people! Perfect Your love in us so that we may reveal You to the world. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 20, 2020 23:37:17 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:13, 19 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2020 Tuesday, 19 May 2020 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 1 John 4:13 John begins this verse with words he has used several times, “By this.” He uses this term to open the door to his coming thought, which is to tell us how we know that the reciprocal relationship between us and God truly exists Here John restates what he has already said in part of verse 3:24 – And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. But it must also be noted that verse 3:24 gives the reason for this. It is a reason tied directly the reason John just gave for stating verse 4:13 (above) – “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him” (1 John 3:24). “If we love one another, God abides in us” (1 John 4:12). The connection between the two is that the commandment of Christ Jesus is that we love one another (as seen in 1 John 3:23). The seemingly drifting thoughts of John are not drifting at all. He is precise and careful to repeat and build upon his own words to show, time and again, what is proper concerning our relationship with God in Christ. Understanding this, his words of this verse can be more carefully analyzed. He begins with, “By this we know that we abide in Him.” In John 3:24, he said we could know that He (meaning Christ) abides in us. Here, he says that we can know that we abide in Him. Christ abides in us, but we also abide in Christ. It is a two-way reality which is also referred to by Paul. An example of each would be – Us abiding in Christ – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 Christ abiding in us – “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 John has said that we can know that Christ abides in us “by the Spirit whom He gave us” (3:24). That was based on keeping His commandments (as noted above). John now finishes this verse by saying that we can know that we abide in Christ, “and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” Both states – residing in Him, and Him residing in us – are confirmed by the giving of the Spirit. But the giving of the Spirit must come in some manner. As we have seen already, the keeping of His commandment to love is not a basis for salvation, but a state which comes after salvation. John has already explained how one is saved in Chapter 3, and he has built upon that in Chapter 4. He will continue to write about this in the next three verses, confirming that a person is saved by faith alone, and that confession of that faith is both necessary, and that it is not a work – as some ridiculously claim. Life application: John’s words of this verse aren’t just an introduction into something new. Rather, they are building upon what he stated in the previous verse, “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” John is a master of the pen, and he builds carefully and precisely each argument and each point. In fact, he is so careful and so intentional, that his thoughts weave into a colorful tapestry. Each point overlaps above and below each previous and each subsequent point. Had John said, “No one has seen God at any time…” and stopped, we would be left wondering how we could know God at all. But we aren’t left in that untenable situation. Instead, he tells us that love is one way of knowing Him. Another is because “He has given us of His Spirit.” This doesn’t mean we receive an actual slice of the Holy Spirit, but rather we receive His indwelling – which is a seal of ownership. As the Wycliffe Bible commentary states, “A believer can never obtain more of the Holy Spirit, for he indwells the Christian’s life in all his fullness. But the Holy Spirit can get more of the believer; that is, he can exercise complete control of the life that is yielded to him.” This thought is confirmed by Jesus’ own words – “…for God does not give the Spirit by measure” John 3:34. We are given the fullness of the Spirit, but we often fail to give the Spirit the fullness of ourselves. Yield your life, your actions, and your very soul to the Spirit of God and you will live in complete harmony with your God! Lord God, that You would send Your Spirit to dwell in us is simply amazing. We stand in awe of the work You did and continue to do on our behalf. Thank You for Jesus and His work which allowed this close and personal relationship. All glory to You, O God! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 20, 2020 23:43:05 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:14, 20 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020 Wednesday, 20 May 2020 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 1 John 4:14 John again highlights the Father/Son relationship concerning Christ Jesus. This is quite purposeful. He has just said that we know that we abide in God and that He abides in us. He then gave the reason for this by saying, “because He has given us of His Spirit.” He now ties that fact into the idea of the Father/Son relationship. This will become fully evident after the next verse now, but to set that thought up, he provides the words of this verse, beginning with, “And we have seen.” He is speaking of those who personally beheld Christ, and probably more specifically of the apostles of Christ. The idea of his words is that they not only “have seen,” but they intently observed what they saw, which is what the Greek word signifies. It was as if they were spectators in a theater, which is where the word theaomai (have seen) is derived from. It is the root of the word theatron which is the basis for our modern word “theater.” These men had seen and observed carefully and therefore the can “testify that the Father has sent the Son.” They are qualified to bear witness of Christ, and therefore their testimony is both acceptable and reliable. The Greek verb translated as “has sent” is in the perfect tense, indicative mood. The sending of Christ is accomplished, and it is a certain fact. It is this sending of the Son by the Father which makes the giving of the Spirit possible, and it is the giving of the Spirit which makes a knowledge of our abiding in God, and His abiding in us, possible. This is because God sent Jesus Christ “as the Savior of the World.” The same word, translated as “Savior,” is found elsewhere in John’s writings in John 4:42 when Jesus spoke with the people of Samaria – “Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.’” However, the same word is used by Luke, in Acts, and by Paul, Peter, and Jude when referring to Christ Jesus and/or to God. The Father sent the Son in order to save the world, and the condition which must be met for this to occur is to be relayed to us by John in the coming verse. What John will say (and which is in accord with what he has already said) is not at all contradictory to the words of Paul concerning the gospel. Rather, they bolster what Paul says, forming a full picture of what the gospel signifies. Life application: In reviewing John’s words, it is good to revisit 1 John 1:1, 2 – “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.” Just as he did at the beginning of the letter, and elsewhere in his writings, John testifies that he has seen the physical manifestation of Jesus Christ. During chapter 4, John has been speaking of error in those who claim falsities about God, the Spirit, and related doctrine. Then just a couple verses ago, he says that “no one has seen God.” He is quite clear that people who claim to have seen God in visions are false teachers and liars. But what God has done is to reveal Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, His Son. The word of Jesus is the work of God in the physical world we live in. And this work is as glorious as it possibly could be! It is the work of salvation through the “Savior of the world.” Jesus is the one who saves us from the work of the devil and from the fallen state we are in. Should you be suffering in pains, trials, financial troubles, family troubles, or in any other way, remember that these things are temporary. The world and its system are passing away. Jesus will herald in a new order of things which will completely remove all of these woes, replacing them with eternal and complete joy. John testifies to what the whole Bible proclaims – that God loves us and has a great plan and purpose for us if we will only allow Him to fulfill it in our lives. He won’t override our free-will choices, so it is up to us to bend the knee and submit to the work He has accomplished for us. What a great, tender, and loving God! The work is done, and the choice is ours! Call on Jesus and anticipate a glorious eternity in His marvelous light. Marvelous indeed is the Lord Jesus! O God, thank You for Your wonderful plan and purpose for our lives. And this is not because we somehow merit Your favor, but because of Your infinite love and mercy. And so, we accept both willingly. May our eyes never stray from the Prize, which is Jesus our Lord! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 21, 2020 23:22:07 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:15, 21 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 Thursday, 21 May 2020 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:15 John is methodically presenting what it means to be a saved believer in Christ Jesus. Following the train of thought from verse 12 shows us what is on John’s mind – If we love one another, God abides in us and His love has been perfected in us. It is by the Spirit that we can know that we abide in Him and He in us. It is testified to by the apostles that the Father sent Jesus as the Savior of the world. Love is what demonstrates our position. The Spirit is what identifies our position. Christ makes our position possible. Therefore, John next says – “Whoever confesses that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” The Greek more precisely reads, “Who if any shall confess.” It is an aorist subjunctive verb. It is conditional, but if it happens at a certain point, then the result (which he will state in the second clause) will occur. As the Pulpit Commentary paraphrases this thought, “Whosoever has once for all taken up the position of confessing.” It is a one-time and for-all-time result based on meeting the conditions John puts forth, meaning confessing “that Jesus is the Son of God.” In this, John again brings in the Father/Son relationship. This has been contrasted to the Devil and the Antichrist. One is either positionally under the Devil’s authority and resides in the spirit of the Antichrist, or he has moved to being in Christ and under the authority of the Father. The way one makes this move is by confessing “that Jesus is the Son of God.” This is exactly what Paul speaks of. Paul gives the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 – “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Paul then shows how this is appropriated in Romans 10:9, 10 – “...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Paul then shows what the effects of this process is in Ephesians 1:13, 14 – “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.” Belief + confession = salvation (note; confession is not a work. Refer to Romans commentary). Salvation is then confirmed through the sealing of the Spirit. It is the same message proclaimed by both apostles. When this process is followed by a person – believing, confessing, and being saved, John says, “God abides in him, and he in God.” The verb is present indicative. Abiding is the result and it is a certain thing. One no longer needs to wonder if God abides in Him or not. If he has believed and confessed concerning Jesus – meaning that He is God come in the flesh – the indwelling has taken place. As previously stated, the key of the entire process is “what Jesus.” There are those who claim Jesus as their Savior, but they do not believe He is God incarnate. That is a false Jesus and thus they have believed a false gospel. God entered the stream of humanity, uniting with flesh in the Person of Jesus. This is proven in the resurrection, and that is why Paul includes that point in the gospel (above) of 1 Corinthians 15. One must accept the work of God in Christ, as presented, in order to move from the Devil to God. It is that simple. Life application: In the previous verse it was seen that Jesus is “the Savior of the world.” Yes, this is true, and He is the One that can bring salvation; no other name will do. But this in no way implies universalism. Jesus is not the Savior to everyone in the world, despite being the Savior of the entire world. There is a requirement for this salvation to be realized. This requirement is consistently stated in the Bible – faith in Jesus. Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God is the vehicle of salvation, but faith is the gas which makes it run. In other words, anyone can say, “Jesus is the Son of God,” but not really mean it. Tied into this confession is the sincere belief that it is true. Also tied into it is what is implied in the confession. “Son of God” means exactly that, Son of God. If God is God and God has a Son, then the Son of God carries the very nature of His Father – He is fully God. Likewise, man is man. If Jesus was born into humanity, then the Son of Man carries the very nature of humanity – He is fully Man. The confession that Jesus is the Son of God is a confession about the very nature of the Person, and it is a confession based on faith. This isn’t complicated, but it is so enormously twisted by cults – Gnostics, Arians, Mormons, etc. that the concept no longer carries the same meaning intended by the Holy Spirit who authored Scripture. This shouldn’t be difficult for us to grasp, but it carries eternal consequences. If you are struggling with Jesus’ nature, pray to the Lord and ask Him to clear this up in your thinking. God has given you all the necessary information, and He wants you to process it properly. When you do, God abides in you and you in God. Lord Jesus, we confess that You are the Son of God – born of God and bearing the very nature of Your Father. You came in human flesh to give us restoration so that we can now call on Him as our Father! Thank You for this glorious work, and may Your name be praised for all eternity! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 22, 2020 23:05:33 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:16, 22 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2020 Friday, 22 May 2020 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16 John now continues to explain the state of love which he has referred to already. He has shown that believers can know that they abide in God and that God abides in them. This comes from testifying to the fact that Christ is the Son of God, and thus fully God. In that, John then says, “And we have known and believed.” Both verbs are in the perfect tense, indicative mood. It shows the complete and continuing effects of what has occurred, and that this is an absolute fact. Believers have known and believed, and they continue in this state. It is concerning “the love that God has for us.” The Greek reads “in us,” and it should be translated this way due to the words of the next sentence which speak of the love of God abiding in us. The manifestation of the Son is what makes this love of God known. If God never sent Christ, how could we be sure of anything? But in the coming of Christ, when we were already dead in trespasses and sins, it shows how very much God loves us. John then repeats his words from verse 4:8, “God is love.” As before, there is an article before God. It says, “The God is love.” Thus, the words cannot be transposed to say, “Love is God.” Love is merely an aspect of God, but He is more than love. Love, however, is not more than God. It is one of His characteristics that reveals His character to us. With this repeated for effect, John expands on it by saying, “and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” This is similar in thought to what was just expressed in the previous verse – 15. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God 16. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Confessing Jesus is what makes this union possible. When the union occurs, the state of love, which reveals God’s character, is now also realized in the believer. Thus, to “confess that Jesus is the Son of God” is to “abide in love.” The state results from the confession. Life application: Through the apostolic testimony, there is the ability to both know and have faith in the great display of love that God demonstrated for us. This is why John says for a second time that God is love. Because He is, and because it is His very nature, then anyone who lives in that love must also abide in Him; the two are inseparable. And if we abide in Him, then because of the nature of the relationship, He also abides in that person. There is a bond which is intimately woven together, and which is complete and unspoiled – the bond of the perfect love, which is God. Because we share in that perfect love, it should then be the very mark of our lives as Christians. Although we are bound by our physical bodies, we can still strive to demonstrate God’s love in our lives and in our actions. Let us determine to do so to testify to the world that God truly abides in us and that we abide in Him. Lord Jesus, help us to be the proper and loving example of the Christian faith that You would have us to be. It is not an easy walk at times, but we truly wish to reflect Your love – the infinite love revealed in who You are. Give us that ability so that others can see You in us and desire that same love for themselves. Thank You for hearing our prayer, O God. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 24, 2020 20:04:16 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:18, 24 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2020 Sunday, 24 May 2020 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18 John has just noted that “the love has been perfected among us.” He continues that thought now, again placing an article before “love.” In fact, there are articles throughout the verse in the Greek, demonstrating the definite nature in which John is speaking. Young’s Literal Translation states, “Fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love.” As “fear is not in the love,” it shows that it has no state of existence in the perfected love that he just referred to, and which he will again refer to with the (from Young’s) words, “but the perfect love dost cast out the fear.” The very state of fear is cast out when the perfect love exists. The two are mutually exclusive and cannot dwell together. Understanding that John is speaking of the perfect love of God which comes through faith in Christ, John’s words apply in that context. In other words, one cannot say that there is no fear in a general state of love. A person may love his wife. If she gets cancer, there exists a state of fear in both the wife and in the husband. Such things are not what John is speaking of. The perfected love is the love realized in a person when he comes to God through faith in Christ. Therefore, the fear which John refers to is a fear which is found in a separation from God. In that separation, there is fear “because fear involves torment.” The word translated as “torment,” kolasis, is found only here and in Matthew 25:46 where it refers to eternal punishment for the unrighteous. It is “torment from living in the dread of upcoming judgment from shirking one's duty” (HELPS Word Studies). When one is not in Christ, there is fear of punishment because a person can never know with certainty if he is right with God or not. However, in Christ, there is the absolute assurance that He died for our sins, and that we are no longer imputed sin. Because of this, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Him. As there is no condemnation, then “the fear” has been cast out. This is the state that John is referring to. For those who are perfected in “the love,” there is no fear. But, as John notes (from Young’s), “and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love.” If someone has not come to Christ, he cannot know if he will make the standard set by God. Therefore, there remains a state of fear in him because of his state of imperfection in “the love.” God’s love does not abide in him, and therefore God does not abide in him, and he does not abide in God. One could logically argue that a person who blows himself up as an offering to the false god of the Muslims is confident of his actions and he has no fear. But that is a separate issue of following a false god. To do this means that acceptance is predicated on one’s works in order to please his god. This is not the gospel. Rather, it is a false gospel based on the supposed demands of a false god. If he knew of the true gospel, there would be fear because he would no longer know if his self-detonation would actually get him to heaven or not. Thus, the state of fear actually exists, even if it is not realized because of a lack of knowledge. This is not God’s fault. He has made the offer, even if the person doesn’t know it. His state of condemnation remains (John 3:18). There is also the case that many saved Christians fear death, even though they have believed in Christ. This is a normal human emotion which is also not what John is referring to. Along with death often comes other things, such as pain, loss, and so on. But this is not the fear he is speaking of. He is referring to the fear of condemnation – something that happens after death, not during the process of death. Our fear of death is a natural part of us, given to us as a protection. Our fear of condemnation is as well. It is given to us to seek God. When one seeks God, finds Christ, and is perfected in the love, the fear of death (meaning that which results in eternal punishment) is removed. It is illogical to believe that Christ has granted believers eternal life just to remain in a state which still fears eternal punishment. The two are mutually exclusive. Thus, the doctrine of eternal salvation is a part of trusting in Christ. If a pastor, priest, teacher, or preacher teaches that salvation can be lost, he is teaching a falsity which does not cast out the fear. As this is so, one should not pay heed to any teacher of the Bible who teaches that one can, in fact, lose his salvation. It is poor theology, bondage, and it is a doctrine which has not been perfected in love, nor has it cast out “the fear.” Life application: What John is telling us, is that as believers, we have boldness when judgment day comes because of the love which is in us, meaning the perfected love of God. As this is so, there should be no fear (for our eternal destiny) as we wait on that coming day. As Christians, we are expected to know the perfect love of Jesus Christ. If God sent Jesus to the cross to pay the debt we owe and to suffer the torment we deserve, then the payment has been made and the punishment has been meted out – it is over. The cross is the ultimate expression of God’s love for us because it involved the torment of Jesus in our place. This perfect demonstration of love has removed, the anxiety of condemnation from us, and where anxiety is removed all fear (of eternal punishment) should also be done away with. For the believer who has accepted Jesus Christ, but who has not completely comprehended what this means, his full realization of God’s love is still incomplete. This is the reason why he has fear when he sins – “Oh, I hope I don’t lose my salvation;” “O, I just know God will send me to hell for what I did;” “O, how could God ever forgive me for that?” All these involve fear and demonstrate that the individual lacks the fullness of God’s love in his Christian walk. Jesus has (past tense) forgiven you for your sins when you have called on Him. Your judgment can never lead to condemnation, only a loss of rewards. This is the love of God which casts out fear. Do you believe it? Then act like it! Lord Jesus, we struggle with sin in our lives, and we struggle with the thought that our sin is greater than Your forgiveness. We want so desperately to understand the doctrine of eternal salvation – completely and absolutely. We know that as the light shines on us concerning this, that all of our fears will truly be cast from our minds. Thank You for being patient with us as we grow in You and in the knowledge of Your infinite grace. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 26, 2020 23:16:14 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:19, 25 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, MAY 25, 2020 Monday, 25 May 2020 We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 Note: In case your Bible translates this differently and leaves off “Him,” it is because some ancient manuscripts don’t include that word. In this case, it would read “We love, because He first loved us.” This is not a point which affects doctrine, but it is good to note the variation. Understanding this, John says in this translation, “We love Him.” The verb is present tense, indicative mood – we are loving him, and it is a certainty. However, in the coming verses, John will note those that do not love God, and he will state the reason for it. Therefore, for him to make the statement now must indicate an absolute change has been effected in us that allows him to say, “We love Him.” Otherwise, it would be a conditional statement, which it is not. Therefore, like in the earlier verses, we see that the love spoken of is a part of our nature after coming to Christ. It is a love that is acceptable to God, not simply because of a change in our love, but because of a change in us. This is then supported by the words, “because He first loved us.” God loves His people, meaning humanity – even before we love Him. Because He is love, His love doesn’t increase or decrease. It simply is. He first loved us, and because He did, He sent Christ Jesus to save us. In our salvation, we can now love. This is obviously not the act of loving, or of being loving, but it is rather the state of love which is defined by being a believer in Christ. The tense of the verb “loved” signifies an action that occurred. Of course, we know what that action was – the cross of Jesus Christ. We love God because He demonstrated His love for us in the Person of Jesus. This goes for those before the cross, and for those after the cross, because Revelation 13:8 says that Christ Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Those before the cross anticipated the Messiah. Those since Christ’s coming look back on that event. In both, faith in what God has promised is what sets the person apart. Thus, “He first loved us” shows that it was a love that always has been – God is love. Thus, our love is a love which evokes gratitude. It is reactive, owing its source to God, who first loved us. Life application: As amazingly incomprehensible as it is, God united with human flesh – His creation – and walked among us, demonstrated holiness and perfection among us, and then willingly endured the cross in front of us. All of this was done to signify the immense love of God. There is simply no other explanation, and anyone who would attempt to lessen the significance of the cross is worse than a demon. Those who attempt to connect the cross with material blessing, financial gain, prosperity, status, or any other thing have a perverse streak in them which is a complete departure from the Christian faith. The cross signifies our reconciliation with God and our sins removed. Therefore, our goal and desire should be to bring honor to Him and fellowship with other believers. We are free from enmity with God and we are able to love Him intimately, just as He first demonstrated His intimate love for us. What a story! What a Savior! What a God! He is Abba who adores us, the Father that never fails, the Papa who protects, the Daddy who delivers. Set aside time today to simply walk and talk with this wonderful Creator who loves You so very much. Heavenly Father, at one point in each of our lives, we were in a battle against You. We had a shield up and our sword out. But instead of destroying us where we stood, You sent Your Son between the battle lines. He demonstrated Your love in such an immense way that we could no longer rebel. Accept our fallible and failing offer of love in return for the marvelous love with which You first loved us. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 26, 2020 23:19:56 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:20, 26 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 Tuesday, 26 May 2020 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 1 John 4:20 John now builds upon his previous words, which said, “We love Him because He first loved us.” It is a statement of fact based on our position as believers. Therefore, what he now says must be taken from that perspective, and it must be thought through with care. The premise is that of unconditional love. God loved us at a point in time when we were His enemies. The fact that Christ came to redeem us means that we needed to be redeemed. No person is redeemed apart from Christ. Therefore, the love John writes of is an unconditional love. Now he begins with, “If someone says, ‘I love God.’” He has already said that we love God. This is because we understand that God has loved us, and He has done for us what was, therefore, a true act of love. As believers who have realized this, the proposition he now sets forth cannot be speaking of believers. The fact that we love God has been settled. Therefore, he is referring to someone who has not been perfected in love; he is not a believer. If this person says, “I love God,” and yet he “hates his brother, he is a liar.” The two are mutually exclusive, and John will explain why this is so in a moment. But are there believers who do not love their brothers or their fellow man? The answer is pretty much unanimously, “Yes.” We have warring feelings that come over us, we have disagreements, and because of these things, real animosity arises in us. Does this mean that we are liars about loving God? No, as noted, that proposition has already been settled. Therefore, this is not (it cannot be) speaking on the same level as the human-based emotional love that we feel. Rather, it is the understanding that those people around us are people that Christ died for too. Even in their possibly completely depraved state, we were in the same condition as they were – enemies of God and destined for condemnation. Our love for those people is to be displayed in an earnest desire for them to glorify God, be saved through Christ, and not be cast into hell. To desire for them to go to hell, while we – who were in the same position as they were – is contrary to understanding our position in Christ. How much more for those who are not saved. They claim they love God, but they hate others who are in the same fallen state that they are in. They cannot love God, because they do not understand what God has done for them in Christ. If they did, they would come to God through Christ and be saved. They would also desire for those who are in the same position as they are to also be saved. This is then supported by John’s next words. He says, “for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” The proposition is obvious on the surface. He cannot. A person who sees his brother in a fallen, unsaved state, and who hates that person, is only demonstrating that he hates himself as well. They are in the same state. John is writing about the perfected love of God. It is the love that has come to the understanding of what God has done, and thus who God is – God is love. If God is love, it means that God loves – unconditionally. Those who have not understood this love remain in darkness, and they cannot love God. Hating their brother, who they can see, reveals that they do not love whom they cannot see. The unseen God is the perfecter of love. In not having accepted His love in Christ, their love has not been perfected. Life application: What we see today is a more aggressive repetition of a lesson John has already stated in 1 John 3:17 – “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” As John has built his logical case for truth and sound doctrine, he has inserted obvious questions for us to consider. Today’s question is painfully blunt and demands an answer that is rather unpleasant when the mirror is on us. Too many people hold up their hands and say, “Yes, count me with the ‘God’ family…I really love Him!” However, after their proclamation, they show complete disregard and even contempt (hates his brother) for the brethren. John says that we don’t need to wonder about this person’s motivations or sincerity concerning God – he is a liar. There is no love of God in him. When we as humans have contempt for our brother who we can see, how can we have love for God whom we can’t see? Contempt for our brother and love of God are mutually exclusive. As you evaluate yourself and others, ensure you use the biblical model. If your evaluation is based on doctrine, truth, and love, you will be able to identify the truth of the person. As Jesus said to His disciples – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34, 35 This commandment will be the subject of John’s next words. O God, we have complete faith in You and in Your word. We know that Your promises are true even though we have never seen You. But we honestly struggle with loving our brethren. Give us the ability and wisdom to handle difficulties concerning them in a way which demonstrates our love for You. In Jesus’ name we pray! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 28, 2020 0:55:19 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 4:21, 27 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2020 Wednesday, 27 May 2020 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4:21 John has just expressed the idea that when someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother, there is no truth in that person; he is a liar. In coming to Christ, we are brought into the state where our love is perfected. We can see what true love is because we have seen what Christ was willing to do in order to save us. He loved us when we did not love Him. In expressing the love of God in this way, He then relayed that those who follow Him must act accordingly. And so, John says, “And this commandment we have from Him.” A commandment has been given. As this is so, it is our obligation to do what He has commanded. Christ is the Lord, He is the Head of the church, and He is the executor of the New Covenant in His blood. It is this act which reveals the length God was willing to go through to express His love to us. Therefore, John next restates the command he has heard. It is “that he who loves God must love his brother also.” As already seen, the command was given in John 13. But the surrounding verses will help clarify the full intent of what Jesus commands – “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:31-35 Jesus not only gave the commandment, but He did so in relation to His going away. In His absence, it is the responsibility of the believer to act as He did. The reason for this becomes obvious. In expressing His love, those who saw it could then understand His nature. Those who follow Him, in expressing that same state, will then continue to reveal His nature. In loving one’s brother, we are indirectly reflecting Him and loving Him at the same time. This is why at Paul’s vision of Christ, Jesus said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Paul was persecuting Christ’s followers. Thus, he was indirectly persecuting Christ. Logically, in demonstrating love to the brethren, we are then loving in Christ’s stead, and we are loving Christ as well. To not do so shows a defect in our love. But John has already been shown that “love has been perfected in us” (1 John 4:12). Therefore, the commandment is set forth to remind us of our state, and to continue to live in that state at all times. The definition of love, given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, shows us how to be loving, and how to know if we are complying with the commandment which has been given. Life application: The Old Covenant relayed a similar truth to what the commandment of the New Covenant relays – And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke 10:25-27 Jesus says in Matthew 22:40 that on these hang all the Law and the Prophets. If all of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two things, and if in Christ, then we have inherited eternal life, then our love has been perfected because of our being in Christ. Therefore, we can claim we love God, and we understand that love is more than emotion. It is a state which says, “Without Christ, this person stands condemned. It is my obligation to love him, even as Christ loves him, so that he can enter into God’s love as well.” For those in Christ, it says, “This person is in Christ. He is a member of Christ, and therefore it is my obligation to love him, just as I love Christ.” Therefore, we are to act upon the love that has been perfected in us, demonstrating that it is a part of who we are. Heavenly Father, You loved us before we loved You. There was a divide between us that could not be crossed by us, and so You sent Christ to make the bridge possible once again. Help us to act in a like manner toward those who have yet to find out the truth of what You have done, loving them in the same manner in which You first loved us. It is a hard path for us in these fallen lives of ours, but through Christ we can do it. May it be so, and may it be to Your glory. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 29, 2020 0:22:02 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:1, 28 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 Thursday, 28 May 2020 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 1 John 5:1 “Whoever believes.” John has used the word translated as “believe” rather sparingly in the first four chapters of this letter, but he uses it seven times in this chapter. He is coming to the end of the letter and is culminating his thoughts with an amazing amount of information for the believer to process. In this chapter are several very difficult verses to grasp and there is even a verse which is highly disputed as to whether it even belongs in the Bible. Let us not lose sight of the importance of what John is saying over such differences thought. In verse 4:7, John said, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” He now begins with, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” It is a confirmation of what has already been said, which is that the love John speaks of here is not a condition for salvation, but is a product of being saved. If one believes that Jesus is the Christ, then he has accepted the premise that Jesus came in the flesh and also came of God. He lived in that state, He was crucified and buried, and He rose again – proving that He is fully God. In believing that, the love which is of God becomes a part of his very nature. In having this new aspect, John says, “and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.” The words, “Him who begot,” refer to God. In coming to God through Christ, we now love God – understanding what He has done for us in Christ. This is the idea of what John was referring to in 1 John 4:20 when he wrote concerning claiming to love God but hating one’s brother. Such a person has not loved God, and he is a liar, because he has not come to God through Christ. The hatred is evidence of this. Hence, when one loves God (who begot), they also love “him who is begotten of Him.” Cambridge lays out the overall thought process here – Every child of God loves its Father. … Every believer in the Incarnation loves God. Every believer in the Incarnation loves God. Everyone who loves God loves the children of God. … Every believer in the Incarnation loves the children of God. Christ is the only begotten of God in the sense of transmission of divine life – From Father to Son. However, believers in Christ are begotten of God through the Spirit (see 1 Peter 1:3). As we are all “begotten” of God in this sense, then we will possess the love which is of God for those who are begotten of Him. Again, this is not the love that we think of in normal human relations, but of the love which is of God, and which marks us as believers. It is a unifying love which will be fully realized in us when we are also perfected. But it is what marks us out at this time, just as the sealing of the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, 14) does. Life application: John says that faith in the fact that Jesus is the Christ is an essential truth to being “born of God.” Being the “Christ” means that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies that state this One is both human and deity. One cannot claim a belief in Jesus Christ and disregard that He came in the flesh and dwelt among us. However, if one can mentally acknowledge this and then avow its truth, then he is born of God. Once this is realized in the believer’s life, a change takes place which is identifiable as the work of God. It is God who “begot” us because of our faith. In turn we love Him for this action. We become a member of the family of God and there is harmony and peace between us and Him. However, there is more to identify us as children of God. Just as we love Him who begot us, we also are to love other believers who are begotten of Him. In other words, and is stated several times already in his letter, John tells us that our love for other believers is an identifying mark of our conversion. Therefore, we need to strive as if it is as important to us as it is to God – to be faithful in loving our family of believers. How can we be a part of a family we don’t love? Just as we are excluded from fellowship with our earthly family when we don’t love them, we are likewise excluded from our heavenly family when we act in hatred toward them. Let us make every effort to display the love which is of God, even as we walk in these fallen bodies, awaiting the time when what we now possess can be fully expressed. Heavenly Father, Your word – time and again – reveals to us our failings as members of Your family. We have not been as loving towards our fellow believers as we should be. Certainly, this causes a wall between us, and we know this must be corrected. Help us to change so that we can be pleasing members of Your household at all times. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 30, 2020 0:32:08 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:2, 29 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2020 Friday, 29 May 2020 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 1 John 5:2 Again, as he has repeatedly done, John begins the thought with, “By this.” In this, he is not making an inference based on conduct, but he is saying that we perceive the fact he will state. In other words, one can keep a commandment for whatever reason and actually not know that he is doing right. If the speed limit is 40mph, and someone is driving 40mph, it doesn’t mean he knows that is the speed limit. He is simply doing what is right without knowing it. Or, a person can know that he is doing right by keeping a commandment. “The speed limit is 40mph, and I am keeping that law. Therefore, I am doing right.” This latter person is who John is referring to. “By this,” is equated to, “I mentally understand the situation.” Understanding this, John says, “By this we know that we love the children of God.” In knowing the commandment he will refer to, and in applying the precepts of that commandment, one can know that he loves the children of God. John noted loving the brethren (who are the children of God) in 1 John 3:14 – “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.” 1 John 3:14 In loving the brethren, we know that we have passed from death to life. But how do we know we love the brethren? He tells us with the words, “when we love God and keep His commandments.” John has spoken of loving God “because he first loved us” in the previous chapter. Right after that, he said that if someone says, “I love God,” but he hates his brother, he is a liar. So how can we know we love God? It is if we “keep His commandments.” This is exactly what Jesus (who is God) was referring to in John 14 – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15 The two are united in one thought – “If, then you will.” John referred to this in 1 John 2 – “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:3, 4 To understand what he was saying in those verses, refer to corresponding commentary, but in short, this is not referring to the Law of Moses. We are to believe in the Son, and we are to love our brethren. In this, we can know we love the children of God. This is because one who believes in Christ Jesus is believing in the Head of a body comprised of people. One cannot love the Head without loving the body. They are one. Therefore, John’s words perfectly explain the relationship between believers, who are the children of God. Life application: John’s words bring up a point that needs to be readdressed. If some are the children of God, and we can know how they are children of God, then this by default means that those who don’t comply with what he says are not children of God. When we consider what he says, we will see that the vast number of people in the world don’t qualify as “children of God.” So, what does he say? It is – 1) “when we love God,” and 2) “keep His commandments.” He says these in a united way. We cannot love God if we don’t keep His commandments. Likewise, the reciprocal is true. If we don’t keep His commandments, we prove that we don’t love Him. This brings up the need to review 1 John 4:20, 21 – “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” The commandment is love – specifically love for the brethren. If we don’t have this love, which John has been so clearly explaining, then we are not keeping God’s commandments and we therefore don’t love God. Let us believe in the Son, honor the Son, and love the Son. In this, we bring honor to the Father. But, in loving the Son – who is the Head of the body – we are to love the body which is comprised of His people. If you are having troubles loving your brethren in Christ, you are not alone. But you should make every attempt to be the pleasing soul God wants you to be by demonstrating true and sacrificial love for your fellow Christians. Lord Jesus, move our hearts so that we will be able to love our fellow Christians as You have directed. Because this is Your commandment for us, we truly desire for our lives to reflect what You have said. Take away the feelings of enmity we may have towards others, and mold us into the thoughtful, loving people that You intend us to be. To Your praise we pray. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 31, 2020 2:19:34 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:3, 30 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 Saturday, 30 May 2020 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3 John just tied loving the children of God in with loving God and keeping His commandments. He now takes that and further defines it, saying, “For this is the love of God.” In order to know we love the children of God, we will understand what it means to love God. John then explains that with the words, “that we keep His commandments.” As has been consistently noted, this is not speaking of the precepts of the Law of Moses. That has already been defined in Scripture as a “yoke,” and as “bondage.” Speaking of the law, Peter says – “Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Acts 15:10 Paul uses the same terminology in Galatians 5 – “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1 These, and other such examples, show that the Law of Moses was a burdensome yoke, and it was a point of being brought into bondage. But it also served a good purpose by revealing these things, and also showing the world its need for Christ. Without the law, that would not have been rightly understood. Keeping Gods commandments involves keeping the words which point us to life in Christ, beginning with what Jesus says in John 6 – “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:29 From there, and being obedient to what God has commanded in Christ (and in proper context), and we will be demonstrating a love of God. John then reveals the nature of this by saying, “And His commandments are not burdensome.” The Greek word, translated as “burdensome,” is barus. This is the last of its six uses. It can be used in a positive sense or a negative one, but it generally signifies grievous, heavy, burdensome, and so on. It is quite appropriate for how both Peter and Paul described the Law of Moses. The commandments of God in Christ, however, are not so. Life application: John uses a definite article in front of the word “love.” In other words, “the love.” He’s speaking about the same unconditional and eternal love that he has been referring to throughout this epistle. It is grounded in our love for the Father, based on the work of Jesus. The commandments of God in Christ are not burdensome. Rather, they stand in contrast to the commandments of man. His are a light and easy choice as we can see by His words in the gospel of Matthew – “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Matthew 23:1-4 & again… “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus’ yoke is light because He has already done the hard and heavy work for us. Now we can live in the joy of the Lord and demonstrate our love for God in the keeping of His commandments – as are revealed in the New Covenant. We know, Lord, that Your commandments are not burdensome, but we also know that we often fail You. Be with us and help us to learn, live, and love the commandments which You have given us through Your New Covenant. May our lives be demonstrations of Your great love for us as we pass it on to others, and also return it to You as well. This we pray, so that our fellowship may be complete. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on May 31, 2020 23:43:49 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:4, 31 May 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020· Sunday, 31 May 2020 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 In the previous verse, John wrote concerning the commandments of God. He now turns to the simple fact that those who have faith have kept the commandments of God. In this, he begins with, “For whatever is born of God.” It is a perfect participle – “having been born.” Whatever has been born is now in that state, and the state is that of completion. One is not born of God more than once, just as one is not born of a woman and then born a second or a third time. Further, John uses a neuter adjective, whatever (literally, “all”), to indicate a full view of the matter he is conveying. As Cambridge notes of this, “...whereas the masculine would make the victorious person prominent, the neuter emphasizes rather the victorious power.” That power is defined at the end of the verse as “faith.” Before getting there, he continues the thought. That which is born of God “overcomes the world.” It is all-encompassing. Every single instance where one is born of God, the world is overcome. The word translated as “overcomes” is an aorist participle. It should say, “having overcome,” or “overcame.” It is a once for all act at a specific point in time. One does not overcome the world in order to have to overcome it again and again. It is overcome and it is done. Any who are born of God have overcome the world. The reciprocal must also be true, if you have overcome world, it is because you are born of God. John next describes how that comes about saying, “And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” The word translated as “victory” is found only here in the Bible, it is niké. It is the means of success. It is “a particular expression of victory, resulting from receiving (obeying) the faith Christ imparts (i.e. His inworked persuasion)” (HELPS Word Studies). John says that “our faith” is what brings about the victory, and that victory is what has made us overcome the world. Thus, our faith is what allows us to be begotten of God. It is exactly the same process that Paul conveys in his epistles. In John 16, we read – “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Jesus obtained complete victory over the world. For those who have faith in Christ – meaning any and all – they join Him in His victory. The faith in Christ allows them to be born of God, and in their being born of God, they overcome. Seven times in Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus shows what overcoming the world because of faith in Him means – “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:11 “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17 “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— 27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.” Revelation 2:26-28 “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” Revelation 3:12 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21 Only in one instance does Christ add anything to overcoming, when he said, “and keeps my works to the end.” That implies that not everyone who is saved (which is eternal) will be given this particular power and position. Thus, there is a special blessing to those who not only are saved by Jesus, but who also keep his works. However, the overcoming itself is something which is eternal. A study on the word “overcome” as it is laid out in the New Testament, gives a rich and full view of the marvel of life in Christ. However, Jesus sums up the thought with these words from Revelation 21:7 – “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” It is faith in the finished work of Christ that allows this to occur. Life application: NEWS FLASH: Deeds are not and cannot be a part of our salvation – either the declaration of salvation (being declared righteous and thus justified) or a continued necessity for our salvation. For those who have been told they cannot ever truly know if they are saved, or for those who have been told they must “participate” in their salvation by doing things, or for those who have been told that their faith isn’t real unless they demonstrate the fruit of their salvation, then they have been misled. Jesus Christ asks us to believe, and the apostles ask us to believe. The written testimony, which is the Word of God, asks us to believe. If we have faith in Jesus’ work, then we “overcome the world.” The term “whatever” indicates the victory of being reborn, not the strength of the person. The engine of Jesus’ work is sufficient for anyone to overcome the world, but it won’t do so unless it has the fuel of our faith. No person is saved unless he has faith in what Jesus did, but glory to God in the highest, our faith in His work moves the mountains! Lord God, we are so very glad that our salvation isn’t up to a denomination, a church, or our own effort. Instead, our salvation is entirely up to the work of Jesus Christ and our individual willingness to believe it is so. And we have that faith! We believe Jesus died for each of us, that He rose for us, and that faith in His work is all that we will ever need. Glory to God, it is sufficient, and it is finished!!! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 2, 2020 0:25:07 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:5, 1 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2020 Monday, 1 June 2020 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:5 Look at how John weaves thoughts together to ensure all ends are secure – “...whatever is born of God overcomes the world.” (5:4) “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” (5:1) “He who believes the Jesus is the Son of God” overcomes the world. (5:5) “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.” (4:2) “...every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. (4:3). In this, John is obviously equating “Christ” with “Son of God.” The Christ is God incarnate (come in the flesh) – where the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). John is once again revealing that which is true and that which is false. This calls out for proper understanding because to believe otherwise is the spirit of the Antichrist. There are those who claim that Jesus is the Christ, but they do not believe He is God incarnate. Thus, verse 5:1 does not apply to them. There are those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but they do not accept that He is then fully God. Thus, verse 5:5 does not apply to them. In other words, there are sons of God recorded in both testaments – such as in Genesis 6 and Job 1. These are referring to human beings, not the divine Son of God. There are also sons of God in the New Testament, such as in Romans 8:14 and elsewhere. These are adopted sons of God, not the Son begotten of God – meaning Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God. One must take the words of John on a much more global scale to fully understand what he is referring to. Without doing so, a Mormon or a Jehovah’s Witness might appear to pass the test of one who overcomes the world. But such is not the case. Through evaluating the entire scope of what John is referring to, we find that such heretics do not pass muster, and have not overcome the world. As John asks, “Who is he who overcomes the world...?” It is the person who will meet the qualifications he will now state, but that person must meet the other qualifications which are directly tied to his next words as well. John then says that it is “he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” This is the person who overcomes. But he only does so if he believes that the Son of God (Jesus) is the Christ. And further, he only does so if he confesses that Jesus Christ has also come in the flesh. If he does so, he is of God and has both been born of God and has overcome the world. If he does not confess the deity of Christ (having come in the flesh), he “is not of God.” In proper theology, one plus one will always equal two. However, sometimes the equation is built upon other such simple equations. When each is properly realized, the truth of the situation is confirmed. This is why it is so important to have a larger understanding of what John is conveying when talking with people from aberrant cults. Also, in his words, John uses present participles, each prefixed with an article when speaking of the one who overcomes. More literally, he says, “Who now is the one overcoming.” The response is, “...the one believing.” As noted, one can believe in a “Christ” who is not the Christ (see 2 Corinthians 11:4, for example). It is the one believing in the proper Christ, who is the Son of God. In his belief, he is overcoming the world. For those who believe in the wrong “Christ,” they are not overcoming anything. They are still in their sins, and they belong to this world. Life application: John uses the term “overcome” six times in this letter alone, he uses it 11 times in the book of Revelation, and once in the Gospel of John, totaling 18 times – more than the rest of the Bible combined. This is the last time he uses the term in this letter, and he applies it directly to the belief that Jesus is the Son of God. As He does so consistently in all of his writings, he brings in the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ. To him, and therefore as a necessity to us, the idea of the God/Man is an area which is not debatable, and it is the defining line of the Christian faith. Either a person believes that Jesus is fully God, and also fully Man, or that person stands condemned and will be eternally separated from God. In other words, he has failed to “overcome the world.” Because Jesus has overcome the world, we too can overcome the world. This is not something we can actively do, except in regard to faith. Rather, only Jesus was able to fulfill the law and to take upon Himself the sins of the world. And not only was He able to do so, but He accomplished His mission – defeating death and the ruler of this world, who is the devil. Because He did, our faith in Him is what allows us to overcome also. But our faith must be properly directed. When we “call on Jesus as Lord” it must properly acknowledge who He is. Jesus is Lord because Jesus is fully God. Stand firm on this truth and you also will overcome the world. Yes Jesus! You are our God and we bow our knees in submission to You. It is You who prevailed on our behalf and we wholeheartedly confess You as Lord – the Incarnate Word of God – to the glory of God the Father. Instruct us in the truths of Your word and guide us all our days so that we will be acceptable and faithful followers of You! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 4, 2020 1:28:24 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:6, 2 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2020 Tuesday, 2 June 2020 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 1 John 5:6 John just spoke of the one who overcomes the world, noting that “he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” is such a person. He was referring to the fact that Jesus is fully God. But elsewhere, John has said, “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2). In that, John was not only referring to Christ’s deity (noting that He has “come in the flesh” and implying that He existed prior to that moment), but that He is also fully human because He took on flesh at the incarnation. The context of John’s words is important because they are needed to rightly discern what he will now refer to. This verse, 1 John 5:6, is an especially difficult one and has been interpreted in several ways. John begins with, “This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ.” John shows that it is a factual, historical occurrence – Christ “came by water and blood.” This is surely a reference to Christ’s incarnation. As He said in John 3:13 – “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” Jesus spoke there of the incarnation, acknowledging that He is from heaven, and yet, He was obviously a man, physically present at that moment with Nicodemus. And so, the question is, what does John mean by saying that “He came by water and blood?” Four prominent options are – 1) The baptism and death of Jesus Christ; 2) The water and blood which came from His side when He was pierced on the cross; 3) Purification (washing) and redemption (through His sacrifice); and 4) Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The last two are spiritual/symbolic rather than literal and are unlikely because John says that He “came by water and blood.” To spiritualize that wouldn’t make sense. The second one is also unlikely because it reverses John’s terminology of the “blood and water” at the cross – “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (John 19:34). But more than merely reversing the terminology, the water and blood which came out from His side came after His earthly work of fulfilling the law. It reverses the thought of coming by water and blood, putting it at the end rather the beginning of His incarnation. Because of this, the first is the most likely of the traditional views, but even that makes no sense because Christ was “about thirty years of age” (Luke 3:23) when He began His ministry. Further, the death of Christ is, again, an event at the end of His ministry. To say He “came” by water and blood would place these events in an awkward format, indicating that His ministry from thirty years of age, until His crucifixion, was all that the gospels were concerned with. Such is not the case, even if it is the highlight of them. Rather, a fifth – and much more likely – option would be that – 5) Jesus came by water (the water of the womb in which He came into humanity) and the blood (demonstrating His human life). This is, in fact, what John has been speaking about – Jesus Christ came in the flesh. But He was not created in the flesh as Adam was. Rather He is the incarnate Son of God, but He is also fully human – having come through the birthing process and bearing the actual blood of humanity which was passed on through the genealogy of His ancestors. The Old Testament states several times that “the life is in the blood,” and it therefore makes an apt description of proof of humanity, particularly when Jesus’ blood was what proved His death and our atonement.Hence, John says, “not only by water, but by water and blood.” There are articles before both “water” and “blood.” It more correctly reads, “not in the water only, but in the water and in the blood.” Christ wasn’t created in Mary’s womb. Rather, He was conceived of the Father and Mary. Thus, His blood would bear the Life of the Father, and the humanity of His mother. The spiritually dead state of all other humans was not seen in Him. Rather, the spiritual connection to the Father existed, and it remained unsevered due to His perfect obedience in His life. This is why John next says, “And it is the Spirit who bears witness.” It is generally assumed that this refers to the Holy Spirit. In the next verse, John will use the term “Holy Spirit,” thus defining it as such. The Spirit of God is the witness to the incarnation, and He is the witness to the perfection of life throughout Christ’s earthly walk. Unlike Adam who sinned, and whose spiritual connection to God was severed, Christ remained united to God due to His perfect obedience. As is stated at the announcement of His coming – “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Therefore, the evidence of his birth into the stream of humanity is treated in the conception and natal period signified by the water. His physical life, human characteristics, and His divine nature (sinlessness) are evidenced by His blood. And, His deity is also as evidenced by the work of the Holy Spirit as proclaimed in the gospel accounts. These things are true, and the Spirit testifies to them, assuring us that it is so “because the Spirit is truth.” Again, there is a missing article. It reads, “because the Spirit is the truth.” That the Spirit is the truth is testified to by Jesus in John 14:17, 15:26, and 16:13. Nothing false is conveyed by the Spirit, and therefore there is nothing false in Christ Jesus because – as it reads in Luke 1:35, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Though this view is not one of the traditional views of scholars of the past, it is the view which corresponds to what John is speaking of throughout this epistle concerning the human/divine nature of Christ, how to discern the spirit of the Antichrist, and what is required for salvation of one who accepts the premise of what God has done in and through Jesus Christ. It further maintains the context of John’s thought of the previous verses, and of the verses to come. Life application: The Bible is a book which presents many doctrines, but the main premise of the Bible is that God would send His Son into the world in order to redeem man. It would be a work of God alone, and it would be a work which testifies to the truth that God loves His creatures enough to unite with His own creation in order to accomplish that redemption. We are to accept – without equivocation – that Jesus Christ is fully man, and yet He is fully God. To deny either of these tenets is to deny God His rightful glory for what He has done. Further, it is an abuse of the very word which tells us of Jesus Christ. No person can be saved who denies the fundamental truth that Jesus Christ is the God/Man because they have denied the very word which speaks out this truth. To deny the word is to deny the truth of God who gave us His word. Have faith in what God has done through Christ Jesus and be saved once and forever through His precious shed blood. Heavenly Father, Your glorious word testifies to the Person of Jesus, coming in the flesh. He is both fully God and fully Man. He is the bridge between the infinite and the finite, between the Spirit and the flesh, between Your eternal being and our temporal being. Thank You for Jesus who has bridged the gap and restored us to You! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 4, 2020 1:31:01 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:7, 3 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 Wednesday, 3 June 2020 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 1 John 5:7 This verse is known as the Johanine Comma (the “exception” of John) and is one of the most disputed verses in the Bible. Many translations leave out the part which says, “the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” Even if this part isn’t completely left out, it is often only footnoted to indicate its disputed nature. For a breakdown of what manuscripts include it, and which do not, one can refer to Joseph Benson’s (or several other commentators) commentary on the verse at this link: biblehub.com/commentaries/1_john/5-7.htmBecause it is included in many manuscripts, and because no theology is damaged because of its inclusion, it will be evaluated as if it is true and original. John begins with, “For there are three that bear witness.” The words speak of a testimony or a record. They are a present participle – they are “bearing testimony,” and they do so “in heaven.” There is actually an article before “heaven.” Thus, it reads, “the heaven.” The importance of there being three is that of unity of testimony, and a confirmation of what is said. The Law of Moses required the testimony of “two or three witnesses” for establishing a matter. Solomon speaks of “a threefold cord” which is not easily broken, signifying that there is strength in numbers. In Matthew 18, Jesus speaks of “two or three witnesses” as a confirmation of a matter. Paul repeats this in 2 Corinthians 13:1. Jesus also appeals directly to this type of thought in John 5 – “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.” John 5:31-38 Multiple witnesses form a principle of establishing firmness in a matter. EW Bullinger notes that the number three in Scripture “stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire.” Therefore, it is right that such a witness be presented, even if it is found “in heaven.” These words are disputed as being in the original or not, but they form a contrast to the words “on earth” of the next verse in John’s letter. As John has presented numerous contrasts in this epistle, it is likely he would do so here as well. John next continues with the words which are the most disputed, saying, “the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit.” The three members of the Trinity are presented here, each being a separate witness to the Person and work of Jesus Christ, demonstrating a fulness within the Godhead. One argument against the reliability of this clause is presented by Albert Barnes, stating, “The ‘language’ is not such as John would use. He does, indeed, elsewhere use the term ‘Logos,’ or ‘Word’ - ὁ Λόγος ho Logos, John 1:1, John 1:14; 1 John 1:1, but it is never in this form, ‘The Father, and the Word;’ that is, the terms ‘Father’ and ‘Word’ are never used by him, or by any of the other sacred writers, as correlative.” That is a fallacy known as an “argument from silence,” meaning it “is to express a conclusion that is based on the absence of statements in historical documents, rather than their presence” (Wikipedia definition). If that argument is used, much of the Bible would have to be ignored as it is a book which constantly introduces new words and concepts which are never again used in its pages, even among individual writers. John is making a theological point about the number of witnesses in heaven, and he therefore includes both the Father and the Word together. Stating “the Word,” rather than “the Son,” demonstrates the preexistence of the second member of the Trinity as based on his words both in his gospel and in his epistle, such as – “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:1-3 John then finishes with, “and these three are one.” There is nothing surprising here. John was present when Jesus stated this in Matthew 28 – “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:18, 19 In Jesus’ statement, the word “name” is in the singular. In other words, though the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three Persons, they are one essence. Therefore, John is again stating this truth. By using “Word” instead of “Son” John is actually confirming that Jesus is both the Son and the Word. He has always existed within the Godhead, and His union with humanity has not changed that status. He is the eternal Son of God, and He is the eternal word of God – dwelling in the single essence of the Godhead. It should be noted that if the words, “the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one” are removed, there is then a gender mismatch in the text. It would read – “For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” (NASB) The problem with this is that the words, “For there are three that testify,” are masculine. However, the words, “the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement,” are neuter. Because of this, the words, “the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one,” actually appear necessary for a correct reading because they are masculine. Either way, the unity within the Godhead can be determined elsewhere, and the truth of the statement concerning each member being in heaven and capable of testifying which is found in this verse can be verified elsewhere as well. Therefore, claims of “heresy” towards those who hold to the shorter reading are not well-founded. Life application: Despite it not being in many ancient manuscripts, the contents of this verse date back to the time of Cyprian who lived in the 3rd century and it survives in his treatise against heretics who denied the Trinity. Of this verse, John Calvin said, “However, the passage flows better when this clause is added, and as I see that it is found in the best and most approved copies, I am inclined to receive it as the true reading.” The term “best and most approved” in regard to manuscripts are subjective, as may also be his point about the passage flowing better, but he chose to accept the words as a true part of John’s epistle. On the other side, those who dismiss the words here will use the same terminology – “best copies,” “best manuscripts,” and “best editions,” to deny the authenticity of the words. In the end, God knows the truth of whether this verse belongs in the Bible or not, but one thing we can know is that the verse is truthful, regardless of its authenticity. Apart from this verse, the Bible teaches that the Father, the Word (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit are One (as noted above), therefore, nothing is damaged in one’s theology by accepting the words here as true and reliable. In the end, we are asked to study in order to show ourselves approved when studying and examining Scripture. When something difficult, such as this verse, is presented, we are asked to carefully consider each side of the debate, pray about the matter, and be ready to defend why we accept one side or the other – while being charitable in our stand towards those who feel otherwise, if their argument is not based on faulty doctrine or heresy. Thank You, O God, for the mysteries in Your word… things that challenge us to even stronger faith and things which ask us to diligently study matters rather than accepting or dismissing their true intent without careful thought and contemplation. What a wonderful gift You have given us in the pages of Your reliable and trustworthy word, the Holy Bible! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 5, 2020 2:01:17 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:8, 4 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020 Thursday, 4 June 2020 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 1 John 5:8 As with the previous verse, there is argument over whether the first clause is genuine or not. Verses 7 and 8 taken together, and from the two varying views, will read – “For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” (NASB) For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” (NKJV) Going under the conservative assumption that the NKJV (et al) is correct, John begins this verse with, “And there are three that bear witness on earth.” There is actually an article before “earth.” Thus, it reads, “the earth.” Just as there are three that bear witness in “the heaven,” there are three that witness in “the earth.” John is again using the precept concerning “two or three witnesses” to establish the truth of His claim. Though this is a precept found in the Law of Moses, it extends beyond that. As noted in the previous verse, Paul uses the precept in the New Covenant as well. Just as the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit witness in the heaven, so on the earth, there are “the Spirit, the water, and the blood.” What John is referring to here is highly debated. First, unlike the previous verse which said “Holy Spirit,” this one only says, “Spirit.” Thus, if the previous words are not spurious, there could be a distinction between the two. Some say this is speaking of either the gospel, or of the gifts of the Spirit found among believers – the “manifestations of the Spirit.” However, because some texts do not include the “Holy Spirit” in the previous verse, it is claimed that this is referring to the Holy Spirit by some. From there, “the water” is likewise debated over. Is it Christ’s baptism as some state? Others claim it is Christ’s untainted God-like purity. And “the blood” is claimed by some scholars to be referring to His crucifixion. Others state that it is speaking of the testimony Christ bore to the truth of the gospel. The point of John’s words is to testify to the truth of God in Christ. John has stressed the nature of Christ again and again. He has shown what the spirit of the Antichrist is – denying that Christ Jesus came in the flesh, meaning that He is fully Man and also fully God. He will continue to speak of the Father/Son relationship in the next verses. Therefore, it is highly unlikely this is referring to Christ’s baptism and His crucifixion. These are things which occurred after His initial entrance into human existence. Likewise, symbolically representing these things as gifts of the Spirit, or the purity of His life, take something concrete and turn it into something less so. John is referring to Spirit, water, and blood; and they should be considered in that light. These things testify in the earth, and they do so, as John says, in a way that “these three agree as one.” The Greek literally reads, as Vincent’s Word Studies notes, “are for the one. They converge upon the one truth, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, come in the flesh.” The previous verse showed that the heavenly witnesses are one. This verse states that the earthly witnesses are for the one. Both the heavenly witnesses and the earthly witnesses point to one reality. Jesus Christ is the Subject of the witness. Understanding this, the Spirit, the water, and the blood are surely referring to what was presented and evaluated in the commentary of verse 5:6, which said, “This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood.” Jesus Christ came into humanity in the way that all humans come. He was conceived, and His conception and natal period is signified by the water. Therefore, He had real blood as any human does, and He came through the water of birth – just as any human being would. The “Spirit,” then, would refer to the spirit which animates the human. This is why John focused on this aspect of Christ at the moment of His death, using the same phrase, to pneuma, or “the spirit,” as he does here in this verse – “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” John 19:30 Just as the previous verse spoke of the deity of Christ, a verse which testifies of this “in the heaven,” this verse testifies of the humanity of Christ “in the earth.” John is not making up a new presentation to consider at all. He is building upon the same presentation that has been given since the first words of the epistle – Jesus Christ is the God/Man. In believing in Him – and in this fact alone concerning His nature – can a person be reconciled to God. There would be no point if Jesus were only divine, and not truly human. God wouldn’t need to present a “Jesus” at all. The infinite gap would remain. There would be no earthly witness of Him. If Jesus were only human, and not truly divine, then heaven could not bear witness to Him, and no atonement could be effected for man. Again, the infinite gap would remain. But Jesus Christ is both, and both the heaven and the earth testify to this fact. Life application: In Deuteronomy 19:15 (and as is repeated elsewhere in both the Old and New Testaments) we read, “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.” John is making a legal case for the Person and work of Jesus, and he is thus refuting any Gnostic heresies which had already developed in his lifetime and which continue today in various cults and sects. John states in the present tense that the three “bear witness.” This means that they testify continuously to the facts that have been and are presented, and as are recorded in the word. His words that “these three agree as one” are a united front against doctrinal heresy. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” What testifies to this fact? It is that which is recorded concerning Jesus Christ – the God/Man. Because we have the testimony of these three, and because all matters are to be established by two or three witnesses, then Jesus has provided the infallible proof that He is the God/Man and that His work is the work of the Messiah. If doubts are arising in your mind concerning Jesus and His work, then simply look to the evidence provided. It has legal standing – and not in a mere human court, but in the eternal court of the Living God. Lord, as doubts arise, we can see that all we need to do is return to Your word and search it for answers. You have not only left us with a testimony of Your work in the stream of humanity, but You have left us with an infallible one. What You have given us is more than reasonable – it is the very legal proof we need! Thank You for this gift, the Holy Bible. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 6, 2020 0:43:01 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:9, 5 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 Friday, 5 June 2020 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 1 John 5:9 John has noted that there are three that bear witness in heaven, and there are three that bear witness on the earth. These witnesses testify to the truth of Jesus Christ, and their Source is from God. Because of this, John puts forth a proposition to consider. He says, “If we receive the witness of men.” The verb is in the indicative mood. Thus, it assumes that the proposition is a fact. It is something we do constantly. We receive the witness of men in news, we do so in our courts of law, we do so in things we are not specialists in – trusting that someone else has the information that will keep us safe, financially secure, and so on. We also receive the witness of family members. Very little would get done in this world if we did not receive the witness of other men. If we go to a stockbroker with our life savings, we are entrusting that to the witness of a man. “This is my very life, please look after it.” As this is so, John puts forth the second half of his proposition, “the witness of God is greater.” Understanding the nature of God, we can know – even apart from the words of Scripture – that God cannot lie. God cannot err. God is perfect in all His ways. These things can be known through a process of simple logic being thought through to its inevitable conclusion. However, we cannot know this about men. Man may be lying – be it in a court of law, be it about the safety of the bridge we want to cross, or be it even about our life savings. And yet, we still receive the witness of men. As this is so, and it is undeniable that it is the case, then we should all the more willingly receive the testimony of God. God’s testimony is not only surer than that of men, it is infinitely more so. The author of Hebrews states this truth to us – “Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” Hebrews 6:17, 18 As God cannot lie, the only consideration that we must take into account is, “Are we dealing with the true God?” There are various religions in the world, all of which claim to be rooted in the truth of God. But they cannot all be so. Their paths to pursuing God, meaning whatever supposed source of inspiration is used, contradict one another. But there is no contradiction in God. Therefore, if God has actually revealed Himself in some way, we should be able to discern it. There is no doubt that God has revealed Himself in Scripture. It displays wisdom, it accurately reflects the state of man and the state of the world, it prophetically confirms itself again and again, it reveals God in the way that logic can deduce He must be revealed, and so on. With this sure witness, and because that witness is of God, it is “far greater” than that coming from men. Because of this, John then says, “for this is the witness of God.” This is referring to the three-fold witness in heaven and of the three-fold witness on earth. These combine to become the “witness of God.” Both of these combine into one thought – that God has united with human flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ. This is evidenced by the spirit, the water, and the blood. It is in this form whereby “He has testified of His Son.” The Man came, He lived among men, He gave His life up for them, and He rose again on the third day. And these facts are testified to by men – “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 The apostles (which include John) witnessed and testified to this truth. Five hundred also saw and testified to it. And the word, which comes from God (is inspired by the Spirit of God), has recorded this truth, also testifying to it. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. There is no reason at all to disbelieve. Heaven and earth bear witness, man has borne witness, and God – who cannot lie – has born witness. The God/Man – Jesus Christ – has come. Life application: In this verse, John presents an a fortiori argument – from the lesser to the greater. The law mandates that there be two or three witnesses in order to establish a true testimony. If we are willing to receive human witnesses in such circumstances, how much more God! Humans are fallible and often make faulty judgments. They also are prone to telling lies, even in testimony which is under oath. This is the reason for obtaining more than one witness. However, even this method of validation is subject to abuse. In 1 Kings 21, we read the account of a man named Naboth who owned a choice piece of land which the King of Israel – Ahab – wanted for himself. Naboth refused to sell it, so false witnesses were obtained in order to convict him of something he didn’t do. The result is recorded for our learning – “And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, ‘Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!’ Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died.” 1 Kings 21:13 Here we are, accepting fallible and even falsified human testimony to establish matters of importance. How much more should we then accept the witness of God! The Father verbally acknowledged His Son at His baptism and on the mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 3:17 & 17:5); the Word testifies in the Son through human activity (John 5:39); and the Holy Spirit continues to testify to the work of Jesus even now (John 15:26). Let us trust the word of God, stand firm on its precepts, and search for Jesus Christ in its pages – knowing that God has given it to us for our understanding, doctrine, and even for our very life. Surely we have the infallible proof and witness of the work of Jesus Christ – all accomplished on our behalf! And all You ask us to do, O God, is to receive it… receive it by faith. And so, we acknowledge in faith that Jesus is Lord. We will forever continue to acknowledge His strong and guiding hand in our lives. Hallelujah and Amen – we receive Jesus. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 6, 2020 23:15:00 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:10, 6 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020 Saturday, 6 June 2020 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 1 John 5:10 John now builds on his words of the previous verse. He begins with, “He who believes in the Son of God.” However, the translation is faulty. The Greek uses the preposition eis, rather than en – “on” rather than “in.” This is the first time he has used it this way in 1 John. However, he uses it almost forty times in the Gospel of John. It is a stronger and more sure belief that doesn’t merely believe in the existence of a thing or person, but instead has a confidence in every aspect of that thing or person. When hiking, one may believe in his friend to help if trouble arises, but that may not be the same as believing on the brother to help. “I know that he is willing to help, but I am not sure if he is capable of helping.” Trusting on the Son of God is placing a full trust on every aspect of the Son of God. Further, the verb “believes” is a present participle. It is an ongoing belief in the Son of God. With this belief in the Son of God, John says such a person “has the witness in himself. For clarity, some translations add in the words “of God” here – “has the witness of God in himself.” This is correct. John just said in the previous verse – “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.” It is this “witness of God” that John is referring to, and it is greater than the witness of men. The contrast is given so that a person can have the confidence that his witness (of God) is rightly placed. He has rightly believed in the truth of God because he has believed in the Son of God. Again, as John has consistently done throughout the epistle, He is focusing most specifically on the incarnation of Jesus Christ. If one believes in this precept, he has this sure witness of God. However, “he who does not believe God has made Him a liar.” John has taken “the witness of God,” and he has now turned it into a personal aspect of God. To believe in the testimony which God gives is to believe Him. The two are spoken of as one reality. The acceptance of the message of God is to accept God as He has revealed Himself. And in this, there is a new reality for the believer – “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” It is belief in the Son that, in turn, demonstrates a person possesses the witness of God. And to possess that witness is to become a child of God. However, John – though making this clause a personal note concerning God – wrote it in the negative. He said, “he who does not believe God.” Such a person “has made Him a liar.” This goes back to verse 2:4 – “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” As seen then, keeping the commandments of God is to believe on the One whom He has sent. That was evidenced in Jesus’ words from John 6 – “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” To believe in the Son is to believe God who sent the Son. To not believe in the Son is to not believe God, and it is the mark of a liar. This is “because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.” The verb form of the previous clause (in 1 John 5:10) which said, “has made,” and the verb form of the words, “has not believed,” here are both in the perfect tense. The past non-belief continues into the present in the one who does not believe. The person was a liar, and he continues to be a liar because of his failure to accept the witness of God found in the Son. Vincent’s Word Studies highlights the Greek here. Rather than “believed the testimony,” the Greek more specifically says, “believed on the testimony.” The object is not directly personal – “testimony.” But it is indirectly personal because the testimony is that which speaks of Christ Jesus. God has tied who He is into who the Son of God is. The two are united in one thought. To have the Son is to have the Father. To not have one is to have neither. Life application: John sums up the objective evidence of the preceding verses in this concise and precise thought. The objective witnesses are: 1) That He who came by water and blood. 2) The testimony of the Spirit. 3) The witness of the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit (which are one). 4) The Spirit, the water, and the blood (which are in agreement as one). 5) The witness of God – meaning the entire Godhead mentioned in item 3. These evidences now ask each person who hears to act upon their testimony and their witness, and either accept or reject them at face value. He who “believes in” (or rather “on”) is speaking of trust on the Person who is the Son of God. If a person has this ongoing trust, he also has the “witness in himself.” This isn’t speaking of initial salvation, but it is indicating that the individual has become an objective witness to the surety of the proclamation. John then says that any person who “does not believe” – here he leaves off “in” to indicate that it is not speaking of the work of God, but rather the truthfulness of God – “has made Him a liar.” If these evidences, all of which point to both the humanity and the deity of Jesus Christ, are not believed, then the man has called God a liar. There is, and there can be, no salvation for a person who denies this fundamental truth. He must repent of this (change his mind about the Son) and believe on the Son of God as the Bible reveals Him. If you have denied either the humanity or the deity of God, you have called God a liar. Go back, research the testimony which has been given, and accept God as truthful. Believe and be saved! Jesus, we believe with all of our hearts and souls that You are fully God and also fully Man. We believe You are the infinite united to the finite – the God/Man – who has come so that we can know and understand the depth of the love of God which was hidden in ages past. Glory to You our Lord. And thank You, O God, for revealing Yourself to us in the Person of Jesus! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 7, 2020 23:25:41 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:11, 7 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2020 Sunday 7 June 2020 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.1 John 5:11 John now uses the word translated as, marturia, for the sixth and final time in his epistle. All have been in verses 5:9-11. It is variously translated as “witness,” “testimony,” etc., but it is referring to the same thing, even if translators translate it differently in these verses. Simply translating all six uses as “testimony” would give the right sense to the reader. Concerning this, John begins this verse with, “And this is the testimony:” It is the testimony which is greater than that of the testimony of man. (5:9) It is the testimony which God has testified of His Son. (5:9) It is the testimony one has in himself when he believes in the Son. (5:10) It is the testimony of God which proves one a liar when he does not accept it. (5:10) It is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (5:11) As stated in the last statement, John defines this testimony as concerning the fact “that God Has given us eternal life.” It is an aorist verb, meaning He gave it one time for all time. However, two views are considered. The first is that this is speaking of eternal life being offered to the world, once for all, in the giving of His Son. It is a true statement, but is that the full intent of John’s words? The second is that God gave each person who believes in His Son eternal life, once for all-time. What seems more probable is that it is the latter of the two. This is because the word “us” is the object – God gave to us. It is a historical fact that God gave Jesus once for all time. It is offered to all, but it only applies to believers and not to non-believers. That would be supported by John 3:16 – “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.” The same phrase, zōēn aiōnion, or “eternal life” (without any article), is used in both. It is true that God gave His Son in His love for the world, but it is also true that only “whoever believes” in the Son will be given eternal life. That is because, as John next says, “and this life is in His Son.” It cannot be argued that God has given His Son to nonbelievers resulting in eternal life. It can only be argued that He has given His Son for this purpose – whether it is ever realized in them or not. It is in Christ that the life is found. Without coming to Christ, one cannot say that, “The Bible says God has given me eternal life because of Jesus,” except in an anticipatory way. Until a person believes in the offer, it remains unappropriated by the person. As Matthew Poole says, “His testimony, that this is his Son and the Christ, imports so much, that eternal life is in him, as the source and fountain of it; so that he gives it to us in no other way than in and by him.” Once it is found in Him by a person (through faith), the eternal life has been given. It is done – once for all time. The same thought is generally found in 1 John 3:1 – “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” The love of the Father is a fact that is based on being children of God. Eternal life is a fact because we have received the Son. Life application: “And this is the testimony” is speaking of the internal witness of the previous verse – “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself.” As noted, the same word is used in the Greek in both instances which ensures us that “the testimony” is understood in this context. In other words, “He who believes in the Son of God has witness in himself…that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” This construct of this verse is another witness to the doctrine of eternal salvation. The tense of the word “given” when united with the term “eternal life” indicates something that has been granted to us right now. In other words, we don’t need to anticipate an existence which goes on forever. Instead, it is already in our grasp and it has been given by God who cannot lie. The eternal life, which is in His Son, Jesus, is ours to enjoy from the moment we have the witness of Christ in ourselves. As we walk through our day, failing in our Christian walk, we should be astounded at our eternal state and ever grateful that it was a gift given even when God knew we would continue to err. But, because of Jesus, God is pleased to grant that which is beyond us. This also should help us to reflect on those around us who are lost. As God has given life in His Son, then it must be true that there is no life without His Son. God doesn’t simply grant life to anyone for any reason. Rather, as sons of Adam, we are already separated from Him, and He is under no obligation to redeem us. However, when He sent Jesus, He opened up an avenue by which restoration is offered, granted, and sealed. This path maintains His holiness and yet satisfies His righteousness. In other words, it is the surest deal in the universe. When the offer is accepted, complete and free access to eternal life is guaranteed. O God, our God! Thank You for the sure witness we have because of Jesus Your Son. Even when we fall short and fail You, we have no fear that the pardon we received will ever be revoked. With all confidence, we can stand up, brush ourselves off, and continue in Your good grace – all because of the work of Jesus our Lord! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 8, 2020 23:19:57 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:12, 8 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2020 Monday, 8 June 2020 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:12 There is an article in front of both instances of “life.” A literal translation would be – “he who is having the Son, hath the life; he who is not having the Son of God -- the life he hath not.” YLT This version will be used to analyze John’s words. The words, “the life,” are speaking of the life given by God just referred to in the previous verse where John says, “that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” It is this eternal life which he is now speaking of. Understanding this, he begins with, “He who is having the Son, hath the life.” It is all-encompassing. Anyone who has the Son has eternal life. This is appropriated in only one way – belief. But, as has been seen in John’s words, it is proper belief. John’s epistle has focused on the fact that the Son of God is deity, and that He has come in the flesh – meaning He is the God/Man. If one believes in a Jesus who is God but not man, he does not have the Son. If one believes in a Jesus who is man but not God, he does not have the Son. In either instance, he also does not have the life. Misdirected faith is, after all, wasted faith With this understood, John next says, “he who is not having the Son of God.” Notice how John has added “of God” to this second clause. Those who have the Son understand that He is of God. There is clarity in their thinking, and they have rightly called on Jesus. He came in the flesh; He is God incarnate. But in the second clause, John is more specific when he speaks of those who do not have the Son of God. A person who denies the deity of Christ might say, “I believe in Jesus, the Son of God.” They have to say this because the Bible calls Him the Son of God again and again. But how is He the Son of God? Was He created and then adopted? Was it a title conferred on Him without any true family relationship? Or, is He truly the Incarnate Word of God? Anything but the final option means that he does not have the Son of God as is spoken of in the Bible. If this is the case, John says that “the life he hath not.” In the first clause, the emphasis was on “hath.” If one is having the Son, he HATH the life. It is a certainty. However, in the second clause, the emphasis is on “life.” One who is not having the Son of God, THE LIFE he does not have. He has no connection to God, because he does not have the Son, in whom is THE LIFE. The tragedy of John’s words is found in the simple notion of either: 1) Never being told about the Son of God, 2) Rejecting the Son of God, or 3) Believing in Jesus as the Son of God incorrectly – by failing to acknowledge the incarnation. In any of these, the person does not have the Son. In not having the Son, he does not have the life which is found in the Son of God. He remains dead in his sins and forever separated from God. Life application: God is the source of life. An absolute truth concerning God is that He is the One who alone is Necessary; the One who cannot not exist. Everything and everyone else is contingent on God for its being – both initial being and continued existence. God is the Source of all life. He is therefore pure existence. In John Chapter 1, we read these words – “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12, 13 Being “born of God” then means to have the same life which is in God – a life which is eternal. John expands on this here when he says, “He who has the Son has life.” In this case, he is using the term synonymously with a personal relationship and acceptance of the work of the Lord Jesus. This is what we know of as being “born again.” When we call on Jesus, we are no longer merely flesh which perishes, but we are born of God, from above. This is the gift of life which issues from God through the Son. John then turns his sights on those who do “not have the Son of God.” Anyone who does not have the Son does not have life. Only a fool, a deceiver, or an imbecile could come to any other conclusion than this is what John is saying. God leaves the choice up to us – accept His offer of peace through Jesus Christ the Lord, or be eternally separated from Him. There is no other option, and to say differently is to call God a liar, state His word is in error, and/or to claim the Son is not who He is presented as in Scripture. The choice is up to each of us – may you make the right one. Lord God, You have given us the choice – life or death, light or darkness, heaven or hell. As incredible as it seems, You have allowed us to choose. May we be faithful to make the proclamation which glorifies You, by saying, “Truly this is the Son of God!” All hail the great and exalted name of Jesus! Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 10, 2020 0:30:45 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:13, 9 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 Tuesday, 9 June 2020 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13 John’s words of the last two verses were 1) concerning the testimony of God – that He has given us eternal life, and that eternal life is found in His Son, and then 2) He who has the Son has life, and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. John has been methodical in how he has presented his words in this epistle, leading up to those two final points. Now, he begins to close the epistle by saying, “These things I have written to you.” The Greek is in the aorist tense. It is referring to the contents of the letter up to this point. John’s words have been directed “to you who believe in the name of the Son of God.” The words here look back on how John opened his gospel – “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12, 13 In both John 1 and this verse, it more rightly states, “believe on the name.” To believe on a name signifies to believe on all that the name represents. In other words, the name stands for the person. Therefore, to believe on the name doesn’t merely include trusting the person – “I believe in my friend’s ability to get me out of this difficulty,” but to believe in all that he is. “I believe on my friend John. His name identifies to me a person who is trustworthy, capable, honest, willing to help, and so on.” This is what John is conveying. The name of the Son of God bears all the weight, authority, ability, characteristics, and so on of the Son of God. In believing on His name, John then says, “that you may know that you have eternal life.” John uses the word eidó, meaning to mentally grasp a truth. The two thoughts are completely connected. To believe on the name is to then know – with one hundred percent certainty – that you have eternal life. There should be no doubt in one’s mind that he has passed from death to life. As far as the words, “you have eternal life,” they are rather oddly arranged. The Greek reads, “life you have, eternal.” Translations vary on how to properly render this. The Weymouth Version renders it, “you already have the Life of the Ages.” It is a unique way of setting the thought off to catch the reader’s attention. John finishes the thought with, “and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” John’s words here cannot be taken as a statement reflecting a conditional salvation – as if someone fails to continue believing in the name of the Son of God, they aren’t really saved. He has already said that the person who believes has eternal life. What John is conveying with these words is that a person will have surety, and he will continue to have that surety. A good comparison to this thought comes from Paul – “...for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.” Ephesians 4:12-14 Paul shows that people can be carried away from what is sound. In 2 Peter 1, Peter writes about the person who “has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9). This is the same type of thought being conveyed by John. He is telling his reader that belief on the name saves, and it saves forever. His words implore his reader to understand this, and to continue to understand it. It is not a point of losing salvation, but of losing the joy which is found in the salvation. Life application: John’s words have two main thoughts – That you may know you have eternal life, and That you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. He has done this for the benefit of his readers – those “who believe in the name of the Son of God.” He wants those who already believe to be grounded in their faith and established in their doctrine so that nothing will draw them away from the truth of the message. Coming up in his second letter, he will go so far as to state this – “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.” 2 John -10, 11 Jesus is the key to eternal life, and apart from Him it is a concept without realization. John’s letter has specifically addressed Jesus’ nature, namely that He is the Son of God. Tied in with this is his directive that only by faith in this fact is salvation realized. Those who deny the deity of Christ deny He is the literal Son of God. Those who deny the humanity of Christ deny the very work God accomplished to bridge the gap between us. These are such important tenets that John tells us not to even greet someone who denies these fundamental truths. For those who are saved, they are saved forever. But they can forget this fact. God does not want you to, and so He inspired John to convey his words to us that we should continue to believe on the Name which is above every name – JESUS! Stand fast in your theology and never let the devil get a foothold into your doctrine. O God, keep us away from those who would attempt to diminish the truth of who Jesus is and the work He came to accomplish. Keep us steadfast in our devotion to Him, and to the purity of His nature and His deeds, so that our doctrine may be acceptable to You. Thank You for the gift of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 12, 2020 0:03:07 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:14, 10 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2020 Wednesday, 10 June 2020 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 John 5:14 John has just written about the surety of eternal life, and of the continuance of belief “in the name of the Son of God.” Based on that, he next says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him.” The word translated as “confidence” speaks of boldness. This is the fourth and last time it is used in the epistle, and it is its last use in Scripture as well. It refers to something spoken openly, and plainly. Further, the words “in Him” are more appropriately translated as “toward Him.” Thus, it reads, “Now this is the boldness that we have toward Him.” We have been granted eternal life because we believe in the name of Christ who is the Son of God. In this close and personal relationship, we are granted a nearness to God that allows us to be bold in our petitions made toward Him. This same thought is made in the book of Hebrews, where the author says – “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 We may come boldly to the throne of grace, and we may have boldness toward Him there, so “that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” This is the same general thought, using the same word, that was stated in 1 John 3:21 – “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” Our confidence is a set marker of our position in Christ. It is not an arrogant position where we can claim things because we believe the world revolves around us. Nor is it a carte blanche ticket to ask anything of God because we are in Christ. Rather, the state is one of unfettered access to God because of Christ, allowing us to petition Him for what we desire. But it must be, as John states, “according to His will.” This is the great limitation that is set upon us when asking of God. And it is one which is mentally overlooked by people when they desire something of Him. We may ask for health, but that may not be according to His will. We may have an affliction that we desire to be removed, but that may not be according to His will. Paul discovered this concerning his thorn in the flesh. He petitioned the Lord three times, but the Lord’s divine response was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Our job is to lay our petitions which are not contradictory to the nature of God before Him and then to wait. If our petition is not something unbiblical, and if it is also according to His will, He will hear us, and we can expect a positive response. If our request is not appropriate, He will not hear us, and it will not be granted. Or, if it is an otherwise appropriate request, but it is not according to His will, He will hear us, but it will not be granted. Life application: John’s words here and in the next verse are often taken to inappropriate extremes. The words are read, the parts which don’t fit our desires are overlooked, and expectations arise which are not in accord with God’s will. A couple other verses which are taken in this way are – “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:14 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:19 John 14:14 was spoken directly to His personal disciples and is to be taken in that context. It is not a verse to make claims over Jesus by us. Matthew 18:19 is a verse that is speaking about discipline and agreement on those disciplinary matters, not about any other issues that we desire to petition God about. John’s words in 1 John 5:14 are conditional based on the word “if.” God will hear and God will respond when our petitions are in accordance with His will. This, however, makes our requests subject to Him, not in authority over Him. We cannot get a group of people together, make a claim that we will receive a new church van or new flooring for the sanctuary, and expect it to happen. Everything must be taken in the proper context, and then, when it is, it must be subservient to God’s will. It is the epitome of arrogance to make a claim in Jesus’ name for anything unless it is directly in line with the outlines of the Bible and in accordance with His will. Be content that God has a good plan for us and that He knows both what we want and even more – what we need. Let us be content with that! Lord, help us to move away from the destructive prosperity gospel, which is no gospel at all. May we be thankful for what You provide. And what You withhold, may we understand that it was a desire and not a need, or maybe that it is simply not in Your will to give us that thing. All things from You are in accordance with Your will for us, and so help us to receive them as such. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 12, 2020 0:05:48 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:15, 11 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 Thursday, 11 June 2020 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:15 Here John uses the word “if” again, just as he did in the previous verse – “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” “if we know that He hears us.” The first “if” makes the statement conditional. We must ask according to His will. If this is the case, He hears us. The second “if” sets the tone for the coming proposition. It is not a conditional statement, but rather a rhetorical device – a note of surety – based on the first proposition. One could paraphrase it, “And as we know, based on the fact that we have asked according to His will, that He hears us.” With this understanding, John then says, “whatever we ask.” These words belong to the conditional statement of the previous verse – “if we ask anything according to His will.” Then... “whatever we ask.” The “whatever we ask” must be “according to His will.” If this is so, then we know that He hears us, and “we know that we have the petitions we have asked of Him.” It must be remembered that nothing goes unheard by God. In Isaiah it says – “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 The word “hear” does not mean He is unaware. It means that He does not actively acknowledge. That God is aware of every word spoken is conveyed by Jesus – “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:36 God is aware of all things, including every word ever spoken. However, God does not “hear” in the sense of acknowledgment, unless certain conditions are met. One of the conditions is that a prayer must be from a person in Christ. As He is the mediator between God and man, then no word of prayer will be “heard” by God if it comes from an unbeliever. Another condition is that a person’s prayer must be in accord with His will. If it is, then God “hears” that prayer. In meeting these requirements, John assures us that “we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” This, again, does not mean that they will be exactly as we asked. We ask without clarity of thought. Therefore, if we ask for something that is in accord with His will, but it is not in accord with His plans, He will give it to us, but only in the manner in which it aligns with both. For example, a person may ask God for a particular wife. That is in accord with His will – meaning marriage. But His plan may be that the person marries another woman who will bear a son that will accomplish things according to His plan for furthering the gospel. In this, He has actually given us what is according to His will, but it is also according to His plan – something we are unaware of. Therefore, there may be delays in answers to prayers, there may be seemingly no response at all to them (which is a response all by itself), there may be amendments to the response, and so on. God is not dismissive of our prayers, but He is above them – knowing what each response will result in. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to acknowledge the truth in God’s word, accept that God hears, and accept that we have what we have asked for, even if it doesn’t appear to be what we desired. God is not required to respond to our prayers as if they were dictates to Him. He graciously responds to our prayers as a Father – knowing what is best, withholding what is harmful, and directing our lives according to a plan that is infinitely more detailed than our shortsighted prayers may be. Life application: As learned in the previous verse, if we ask anything “according to His will,” He hears that petition. The words of this verse, “And if we know,” lead in and assumes that the rest of the thought is an axiom – a truth that is given. If the two are in agreement, then we have the petitions that we asked of Him. This action of knowing is to be taken at face value – it is completely certain. So why do we ask and not receive? Why do we pray, and our prayer isn’t acted upon in the manner we ask? Because it is not in accordance with His will. If we ask that our beloved child not be taken from us, and yet he or she is, this in no way means that we were wrong in asking, but it means that God’s will is that the child is to be taken. If we ask for our cancer to be healed and it isn’t, this in no way means that God didn’t hear, but that God has chosen to allow us to continue with the cancer. This shouldn’t lead to a fatalistic attitude that God doesn’t hear, but it should remind us that God’s will and His way are not ours. He is the Creator, we are the creation; He is the potter, we are the clay. It is unreasonable to think that we can demand anything of God. But it is also unreasonable for us to get upset when a heartfelt prayer isn’t responded to in the manner in which we would like. He has an eternal plan for billions of people. We have a temporal life which will end, and we also have limited knowledge of His workings. Therefore, we pray, we believe, and yet in the end we acknowledge, “Thy will be done, O God.” Lord God, when we come to You through Christ, our prayers are heard, and our petitions are answered. We believe this because Your word says it is true. But we understand that our prayers are not always in line with Your will. And so, the answer to our petition isn’t always what we want. Help us to be adults – mature in our thinking – concerning Your plan, and not only for our immediate desires. When our will is in accord with Your will, may Your will be done. Amen.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 13, 2020 1:32:57 GMT -5
Daily Bible Verse, 1 John 5:16, 12 June 2020
WWW.WONDERFUL1.COM·FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020 Friday, 12 June 2020 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 1 John 5:16 John now presents a supposition concerning a brother in Christ and the remedial action for what is proposed. He begins with, “If anyone.” It is speaking of any believer in Christ. Should a believer fall into this category, John has words of instruction to follow. This instruction is that if any believer “sees his brother sinning a sin.” The verb is a present participle. The person is actively engaged in committing sin. John next describes that sin as one “which does not lead to death.” The Greek is more strictly stated, “not unto death.” The person is sinning a sin that will not result in his death. What does that mean? It is not speaking of something that could lead to spiritual death and separation from God. This is certain because Paul has already instructed the church on this matter. In 2 Corinthians 5, he said – “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.” 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19 In Christ, God is no longer imputing sin to a person. What this means is that a believer may commit sin, but it is not recognized as such. This is evident for two reasons from the hand of John. First, John speaks of a brother “sinning a sin.” Therefore, believers can commit acts which are sinful. Secondly, however, John will say in just two verses “that whoever is born of God does not sin.” He is referring to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians. In God’s eyes, even if sin is committed, it is no longer imputed. What John is then speaking of now is an act of unrighteousness being committed by a believing brother that could lead to his physical death, not his spiritual death and a resulting return to separation from God. The salvation is secured and can never be lost, but a loss of life in the act of sinning can occur. In such a case, the person seeing the sin is given instruction. John says, “he will ask.” In this, the verb is in the future tense. As Vincent’s Word studies notes of this, it “expresses not merely permission (it shall be permitted him to ask), but the certainty that, as a Christian brother, he will ask. An injunction to that effect is implied.” It is the believer’s responsibility to pray for other believers who are found to be “sinning a sin” which does not lead to death. In this, a promise is made, saying, “and He will give him life.” Who the “he” is referring to is not completely discernible from the Greek. The NKJV capitalizes it, signifying they believe it is God. However, it could be referring to the petitioner. His actions through prayer are what lead to life (see James 5:20). Either is possible, but the more likely rendering is that it is God who is being referred to. John again stresses the fact that this injunction is “for those who commit sin not leading to death.” In this, John has gone from the third person singular to the third person plural – from “him” to “them.” He has now made the proposition a general statement. In other words, anytime such an event occurs, the believer is to pray for a person whose sin does not lead to death. Therefore, all believers are to pray for their brothers who fall into this category. It is an expected part of the conduct of those in the church. John then turns to the exception stating, “There is sin leading to death.” It is rightly translated. Some versions say, “There is a sin leading to death.” This is incorrect. It is not speaking of only one sin that could lead to death. Rather, it is a general proposition concerning any sin that leads to death. If a believer is sinning a sin that leads to death, John says, “I do not say that he should pray about that.” The words, “a sin that leads to death,” are the most difficult of the words of this verse, and there are various views on what is meant. The words of the final clause give insights into it. First, the words of the Greek Old Testament in Numbers 18:22 speak of incurring a death-bearing sin. It is a sin that leads to death. In a translation from the Hebrew, that verse says – “Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die.” Numbers 18:22 The idea here is one of physical death caused by one’s disobedient action in relation to the holy things of God. In overstepping their position within Israel by violating those holy duties, they would incur guilt and die. Paul speaks of this type of thing in the New Testament – “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” 1 Corinthians 11:28-30 The believers at Corinth had committed sin which leads to death. This is perfectly evident from the context of Paul’s words. They had partaken of the holy things in an unworthy manner, and they had gotten sick and/or died. This was a “sin leading to death.” This can also be referring to an ongoing and habitual sin. In 1 Corinthians 5, there is the account of someone committing an immensely degrading sin. Paul said to hand that man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh (sin which will lead to death if not terminated) so that his soul may be saved on the day when Jesus visits us. Such a sin leads to death. Therefore, any sin which will result in death is included. John says, “I do not say that he should pray about that.” He does not say we cannot pray about that, but that it is not to be expected or anticipated. In such a case, when a believer – knowing that his actions are unholy – continues in that unholy manner, he then brings discredit upon the holy things of the Lord. Rather than prayer, he needs instruction and to be called out for his actions. If he continues in his inappropriate behavior, why would anyone pray for that? Again, this is not – as so many scholars attempt to define it – speaking of a loss of salvation. It cannot be, because believers are no longer being imputed sin. As noted, John will confirm that in just two verses. This is referring to the physical death of a believer for sin which leads to that physical death. Life application: If you treat the holy things of the Lord improperly, Paul indicates that you may actually die from that conduct. If you sleep around, maybe you will get AIDS or get shot by someone’s husband. If you drink heavily, your liver is going to go, and your life will end. If you rob a bank to feed your family, the security officer may send you off to the check-out counter of life. As you can see, sin leading to death is obviously something that brings discredit upon the name of Jesus who saved you in the first place. John says that we don’t necessarily need to pray about this type of thing. In such cases, our fellow Christians have made their own beds and are now destined to lie in them. Choices like this bear the due penalty they deserve. Prayer for them is not necessary or expected. Lord Jesus, each of us has sinned since we came to You. We also see fellow Christians doing the same. In times when this sin isn’t active and with a high hand, give us the sense to pray about it for restoration. When the sin is an active affront to You and Your honor, may You judge according to Your wisdom and bring about whatever will lead to the most glory for You. Amen.
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