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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday August 4, 2019
FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD
(Through faith we can overcome sinful
influences)
1 John 5
Faith in GOD’s SON,
CHRIST JESUS is the secret to spiritual victory over the world system of satan,
that can completely blind us to the Gospel. Those who believe in CHRIST are
world conquerors, simply because of their faith. In the biblical Greek, the
word used for “faith” is “pistis” and it means “to rely upon with an inward
certainty”. In 1 John chapter 5, verses 1-12, the Apostle John concludes his
first biblical epistle by writing about how “a real faith in JESUS” is best
expressed by “the way we live out our lives under GOD”.
We know we have been
truly “born again” when we begin to love one another, and when we develop a
desire to obey GOD’s Word completely. A person who obeys GOD’s commands is
doing what is right towards GOD, and towards his fellowman. That person is by
their obedience to GOD, loving GOD, and, his fellowman also. As we experience
love for one another, and, for GOD, GOD’s laws will inevitably become paramount
in our lives.
The Christian Faith will
always rest on the reality of an historic JESUS WHO was both, man and GOD. “The
SPIRIT”, “the water”, and “the blood”, the three great witnesses, all testify
and agree to that fact (Vs.6-7). There has been much debate between scholars
over the years, as to the identity of these three witnesses, however, most
agree with the assessment of the great second century Church historian, Tertullian,
who writes that the “SPIRIT” is the HOLY SPIRIT, “the water” is the baptism of
JESUS, where HE affirms HIS identity with man as a “100% human being”, and “the
blood” of CHRIST, which was shed on the cross, accomplished our salvation. In
fact, the blood of CHRIST is “the life”, and quite literally represents, “life
eternal with GOD”.
Our faith in CHRIST
serves as its own “inner witness”, and in our hearts, we believe to a point of
knowing that the Gospel of JESUS is truth. Our certainty is confirmed by the
evidence of what GOD then does in our lives on a daily basis. Because of the victory
we achieve through our faith in GOD, obeying HIS commands really should not be
a burden for us (v.3). The “burden of sin” has been taken away, and we
shouldn’t want to turn around and replace it with “a burden of unwillingness” to
follow the ONE WHO freed us from the oppression, and depression, of a
satanically influenced world system in the first place.
As John wrote this
wonderful letter, he probably wrote it with two primary things in mind. One
would be that which is the basis for, probably, most of his thinking, and that
is the fact that “the love of GOD” and “the love of man” are inseparable parts
of a common experience. The other is that of “a family love”, or, in the Greek,
“storge”, that sort of binds a child to his father or mother, and also, to his
brothers and sisters that his parents have sired. Together, it is indeed the
same love that Christian brothers and sisters must have for GOD, and, for each
other.
As we close out this
study of this first epistle of the Apostle John, we can note that it contains
absolutely no hint, as to the identity or location of its originally intended
readers. The only thing we do know is that they were Christians, and that they had
been confronted with teachings of false doctrine about CHRIST and the newly
formed Christian Faith.
By this time, Peter, and
all the other original disciples, had already been martyred, and so had the
Apostle Paul, who had, perhaps, worked harder to develop and establish “the
Christian Way” than anyone, besides the SAVIOR HIMSELF. And despite the fact
that he had already been preaching and teaching for several decades at this
point in his life, John, being the only one left who had actually bore witness to
the glory of CHRIST, still had the story of that glory embedded in his heart,
and he still burned with passion to tell his story of love to anyone who would
listen, no matter where in the world they may have ventured into town from.
GOD does not wish for us
to go through this life being afraid and insecure about our relationship with
HIM. And so HE tells us plainly that, if we believe in CHRIST JESUS WHO existed
before man in a physical body as the SON of GOD, we will have eternal life,
despite the fact that we can’t see HIM (GOD the FATHER), WHO is spirit. GOD
wants us to live in confidence because HIS promise is true to the message that
CHRIST JESUS and all the other prophets delivered. And HE will always listen to
us, and will grant us anything that we ask for within HIS will (Vs.14-15).
Finally John urges us to
pray for any Christian who may have slipped into sin, for, because of CHRIST
JESUS’ sacrifice, that sin does not lead to spiritual death (permanent
separation from GOD) any longer. The blood of CHRIST can re-connect anyone back
into a personal relationship of friendship with GOD, through repentance. However,
sin without repentance is spiritually fatal.
Although the consequences
to any sin can lead to “physical death”, and remember, all sin is wrong. However,
all sin does not lead to “instant death”. Sometimes death may occur
instantaneously, sometimes over a short span of time, and sometimes over a long
period of time. Here John is saying that, on those occasions when a believer
sins, and it “does not cause instant death” (me pros thanaton), we should pray
for that individual’s repentance, and GOD will give that person new life. However,
if a person dies in their sin, it won’t do any good to pray for the dead person
(v.16).
People who are true
Christians, and really have a heart for GOD, are still capable of sinning,
however, such a person “does not practice sin on a regular, perpetual basis”.
True believers are the one’s whom CHRIST holds in HIS hand, and GOD, sees
HIMSELF in each of their hearts. They will never, and can never be plucked from
JESUS’ hands by satan (v.18).
True believers know that
we are children of GOD, and we also know that the world we live in now is
predominantly under the power and control of satan. However, we also know that
a “LIGHT”, namely CHRIST JESUS, has already come into this dark world. HE has
given us understanding so that, through it all, we can know the true GOD, from
“the prince of this world”, satan. We can now live in the true GOD, through
CHRIST JESUS, WHO is the only way to eternal life in Heaven. But we have to
keep away from anything that threatens to take GOD’s place in our hearts, and
causes us to offend the sanctity of the Christian Faith, which HE has established
(Vs.19-21).
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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