Historical context of 1 John:
1. Who is the audience of 1 John?
2. What is the purpose of 1 John?
In 1 John 1:1-4:
1. John wants to establish his apostolic authority.
2. John wants to re-establish the apostolic message,
3. John wants to make known or affirm his apostolic longing.
To proclaim the truths about Jesus. It is for your joy and the good of others. If you don’t proclaim the good news of Christ people will remains without fellowship with God and man and they will remain in despair, without hope, without joy. We are called to proclaim the truth that Life has come! That Life was made manifest! That Life took of flesh, so that a lost and dying world would be reconciled to God and enjoy eternal life.
1 John 1:5
February 5, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 1:5
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. He is perfectly good both in his character and work. He is the light that gives us life, and the light that calls us out of darkness. God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
Observations:
1. We can only know that God is light in and through Jesus.
2. We can only know that God is light in and through the proclamation of the gospel.
3. We can only know that God is light in and through hearing.
Implications:
1. God does not measure perfection or goodness from without, but within. God is the standard of perfection and goodness.
2. God does not create or perform darkness. All that God does is perfect and good.
3. God does not fellowship with darkness. God only fellowships with the light.
4. God does not tolerate darkness. God will one day, eternally, do away with darkness.
1 John 1:5-7
February 12, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 1:5–7
1. What do your actions, your walk, your practices reveal about you?
2. Are you walking in the light or are you walking in the dark?
3. Do your words match your actions?
4. What is you pattern of life?
5. Is your life one that reaps of the fruit of the Spirit or ofthe flesh?
The glorious truth is that those who faithfully walk in the light, as God is in the light, can walk in the assurance that they have fellowship with God, his people, all because they have been cleansed from all of their sins by the blood shed by Christ at the cross.
1 John 1:8-9
February 19, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 1:8–9
The book of James tells us that one way that we can do this is by confessing our sins to one another.
It might sound intimidating but they remind us of the finished work of Christ.
Reflect on this today, this past week, reflect on your attitude, your thoughts, your words, and your actions. Do they align with God or do they not? And if not, trust that confession is an opportunity, a gift granted to us so that we could be in right relationship with God.
Take some time to go before the Lord to confess and trust that if we come to him with our unrighteousness, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us.
Don’t feel like you have to confess because you are forced to, but because you want to align yourself with God.
Remember, confession is a gift, not a curse!
1 John 1:10-2:2
February 26, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 2:1–2, 1 John 1:10
Following the pattern of these false statements, the subsequent conclusions emerge:
1. Walking in darkness (enslavement of sin) = Lying to the world.
Remedy: Walk in the light.
2. Claiming sinlessness (false assumption of sinful nature) = Lying to self.
Remedy: Confess your sins.
3. Claiming perfection (the lack of indwelling sin) = Making God a liar
Remedy: Trust in Christ’s Present and Past Work
How are true Christians to interact with both the light and the dark?
1. Christians are to walk in the light.
The pattern and manner of life of a Christian, though not perfect, should be characterized by the light in all that they say, do, and think. Christian ought to hate and despise the darkness.
2. Christians are to confess their sins.
Christians should believe that they are aligning themselves with the light when they bring the darkness into the light. Christians must overcome the dark lies that prefers to keep sin hidden.
3. Christians are to trust in Christ.
Christians must rest in the accomplished (propitiation) and continued work of Christ (advocate). Christian must draw near to Jesus and let him plea his righteousness on behalf of them before the Father.
When put together, then, Christians strive against sin, they confess their sin, and they trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. As long as we see sin for what it is, God has given all Christians the ability to fight against sin, and when they fail against it, the ability to get up once
more! So let’s strive, confess, and when we fail, let’s trust our Savior, for what he has accomplished and for how he continues to serve us before the throne of God.
1 John 2:2
March 5, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 2:2
1. What Grounds Christ’s Advocacy?
2. What Can We Learn From Propitiation?3. Who Benefits From Christ’s Propitiation?
3. Who Benefits From Christ’s Propitiation?
God finds sin repulsive. He abhors and hates sin, and in his holy justice he will pour out his wrath not only on sin, but on the sinner. This is a warning, but also as an appeal to see God’s love. It was out of love that he put forward his own Son so that the wrath that we so deserve
would be appeased, averted, and absorbed. Today, let’s heed this warning, but also see the love of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ at the cross.
John writes this so that we would not sin and we would fight, flee, and resist sin. However, when we sin, please be comforted that the righteous advocate, our Lord stands at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. Do not be weighed down by guilt and shame but rather look to Jesus and be reminded that his righteousness is our righteousness. That he bore our judgment, he bore the Father’s wrath. There is no condemnation. The Father’s disposition, in Christ, is one of peace. Let not sin hinder our communion with the Lord. When we sin, rise and stand and continue to walk in the light! Remind ourselves, “Who shall bring any charge against me? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for me (Romans 8:33-34). Let nothing separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, not even our sins…!
1 John 2:3-11
March 12, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 2:3–11
Markers of a true Christian, of a child of God, of those who walk in the light
1. Obedience
2. Imitation
3. Brotherly Love
Many Christians struggle with having an assurance of their salvation, with having an assurance that they truly are in God and know God. We pray the the Holy Spirit comforts you and convict you to know that you can have an assurance that you are saved if you obey Jesus’ word, imitate Jesus’ live, and you love your brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Obedience, imitation, and love are fruits of salvation not the root of salvation. Faith and faith alone is what saves. However, we will be known by our fruit. While we are saved by faith alone, faith is never alone. Only those who obey, imitate, and love can have an assurance that they are saved and truly in God. May you have the assurance that you are saved.
1 John 2:12-14
March 19, 2023 • Samuel Hauzel • 1 John 2:12–14
1. Forgiveness of Sins
2. Knowledge of the Father
3. Victory Over the Evil One
Believers - Be encouraged and reassured that you know the truth and have fellowship with God. Keep the faith and continue to walk in the light and God will produce the fruit of brotherly love in you and strengthen you to over temptations and sin in your life.
Nonbelievers - It’s not too late to choose the light over the darkness. You too can live a victorious life over evil in and through Christ. Jesus is calling you to step into the light and live a life characterized by brotherly love.
1 John 2:15-17
March 26, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 2:15–17
God who is love directs and teaches us about love.
He guards us from:
1. Forbidden Love
2. Flawed Love
3. Fatal Love
1 John 2:18-23
April 2, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 2:18–23
An Inclusio is a literary device used by biblical authors to direct their reader’s focus.
In 1 John 2, verses 18-23, The inclusio begins with verses 18-19, where we learn about the antichrists which is matched with verse 22 where the antichrist is also referenced.
What’s left in the middle are verses 20 and 21 which, I believe, is John’s main point.
1. Antichrist(s) (vv. 18-19)
a. Anointing (vv. 20-21) - Inclusio
2. Antichrist(s) (v. 22)
3. Application (v. 23)
Conclusion
It is the last hour. We do await the return of Jesus and while we do there will be many false teachers. We must be aware of them and we must also and primarily believe that our salvation is assured because the Holy Spirit has sealed us. We have been anointed by the Holy One.
1 John 2:24-28
April 16, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 2:24–28
Abiding of the faithful believer:
1. Abide in the Word
2. Abide by the Spirit
3. Abide until the Appearance
1 John 2:29-3:10
April 23, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 2:29, 1 John 3:1–10
1. The Root of Spiritual Birth
2. The Character of Spiritual Birth
3. The Hope of Spiritual Birth
1 John 3:11-18
April 30, 2023 • Dave Jackson • 1 John 3:11–18
1. Unchanging message of love
2. Passed out of death into life
3. Exception of the world’s hate
4. Sacrificial love in truth and deed
1 John 3:19-24
May 7, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 3:19–24
1. Assurance before the Father
2. Assurance through the Son
3. Assurance in the Spirit
1 John 4:1-6
May 14, 2023 • Edgardo Rosa • 1 John 4:1–6
1. Test of Right Doctrine
2. Test of Right Fidelity
