Recap

So far in 1-3 John we've started 1 John and looked at walking in the light vs the darkness. The three Johannine epistles are traditionally attributed to the apostle John, though 1 John is anonymous and 2-3 John are signed “the elder.” They share language with John’s Gospel, hence being attributed to John.

1 John opens by affirming the tangible reality of Jesus, the “word of life,” revealed to the disciples. Believers are invited into this relationship with God and each other. Living in God’s light means confessing sin, seeking forgiveness through Jesus, and rejecting falsehood. The author reminds readers that Jesus’ atonement is available for all.

Obedience to Jesus’ commandments proves a genuine relationship with him. Believers are called to love one another and reject worldly desires, which are fleeting. True life is found in loving what God loves. The author warns against “antichrists,” those who oppose Jesus and lead others astray. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast, holding to the truth they have been taught and abiding in Jesus.

1 John 3-4

Because of God’s great love, those who walk in the light get to be called children of God. And because the world did not recognise Jesus and persecuted him, then it is expected that the world will treat believers the same way. As children of God it is part of the hope of believers that as they mature and grow, they will look more and more like him, if they work at purifying themselves.

The author then says that ‘everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness’ and ‘no one who abides in him sins’ (1 John 3:4-6). But we also read earlier that if anyone does sin that Jesus atones for it (1 John 2:1-2). So what the author is talking about here is not one of sins and mistakes, it is the continuous indulging and engaging with sin.

In fact, they argue that no one who continues in sin can claim to have ever known Jesus. They show themselves to be children of the devil. This is a call back to Genesis 3:14-15 where God tells the serpent that the serpent’s descendants and the women’s descendants will be at war with one another.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and so those that indulge sin are setting themselves up against Jesus. In contrast, the children of God do not sin. They cannot sin. Again, we’ve read earlier that the author does expect some to sin, so what is going on here?

We explored in Paul’s letter that there are two types of sin. There is the power of sin, and there is the breaking of the Old Testament law. Those who are in Jesus can no longer break the Old Testament law because Jesus satisfied it. John’s claim, then, is that children of God, believers, do not continue to indulge the power of sin.

This is the ultimate litmus test of who really is a follower of Jesus, do they choose to live right before God, and do they choose to love one another?

This leads the author to switch to the next main focus of the letter, love. Believers should love one another. They shouldn’t be like Cain, who gave in to the sin crouching ready to consume him (Genesis 4:7). He allowed this sin and his jealousy to lead him to kill his brother. His brother’s righteousness enraged him.

Love leads to life. Not loving leads to death. And Jesus is the perfect model of what love looks like. He was willing to lay down his life for all believers. Now believers should lay down their lives for one another.

Love should be lived out in practical action. If anyone has much, then they should use that to help those in need, not just say they love others, but do nothing. If a believer discovers any meanness in their heart that does not want to love others, then they are to take that before God, who is greater.

Others have interpreted this to be talking about when we feel guilty for not doing enough. Some place such high expectations on themselves and then assume they are terrible people when they fail to meet those expectations of serving others. In both cases, the believer can take their guilt and shame and frustrations to God and allow him to shape them as he sees fit.

As believers are made right by Jesus anyway, as long as they bring themselves to him, then believers can come in boldness before God know that what they ask of God he will do because the desire is to be obedient and please God.

The command, then, is for believers to have faith in Jesus and love one another. In doing so, they might abide in him and with one another.

The author then switches back to warning against false teachers and prophets. Believers must learn to discern what sort of spirit one comes from. Do they come with the spirit of a fellow child of God, or with the spirit of one who is setting themselves up against Jesus? The spirit of an antichrist.

A simple test is that anyone who claims to be a child of God has to be able to acknowledge that Jesus Christ was real, that he was born as a human, and that he was from God. If they are unable to do that, then they are not a child of God, but are an antichrist.

When these people come, the believers should not be concerned. The Holy Spirit in them is greater than any spirits these people come with. They might have influence in the world, because they are from the world. Those who are from God have his spirit and will be acknowledged by others who have his spirit.

And then the author switches back to love. God is love, therefore his children should love. If someone isn’t loving, then they can’t be from God. Again, Jesus is the perfect model of this. God sent his own son, Jesus, to be a sacrifice for sins. He loves the world that much.

In the same way, believers should love one another. While they might not see God face to face, when they love one another, God dwells in them. A believer is abiding in God when they receive his Spirit and this only happens when they are confessing Jesus. This is how a believer experiences God’s love.

Love is the way that believers abide in God and with one another. This love casts out all fears of punishment. If someone is still living in fear of punishment, then they have not fully understood and experienced love. It is not possible to fully experience God’s love if a believer is unwilling to demonstrate that love to others. To withhold love from others is to withhold love from God.

Psalm 35

This psalm is attributed to king David and falls into the category of lament psalm. It can be split into three sections, with each section ending with a promise to praise.

Psalm 35:1-3 - A prayer for help in battle

Psalm 35:4-8 - A request for enemies to fall

Psalm 35:9-10 - A promise to praise

Psalm 35:11-16 - Lament

Psalm 35:17 - A request for help

Psalm 35:18 - A promise to praise

Psalm 35:19-26 - A request for enemies to be put to shame

Psalm 35:27 - A request for supporters to rejoice

Psalm 35:28 - A promise to praise

The psalm opens with a call to God for help. Military language is used to ask God for his protection. May he be a shield to protect, and a spear to keep enemies at bay.

The psalmist turns to his enemies and asks for them to be put to shame. They have pursued the psalmist and intended to harm him, so may they meet their own destruction.

Having made his request, the psalmist looks forward to God’s victory and deliverance. Trusting that God will intervene, they anticipate the sense of joy and the praise that they’ll bring to God.

But then the psalmist dips back into lament. They bring to God the suffering and persecution they’ve experienced. This time, legal language is used. Their enemies are like witnesses that have accused them in court, seeking their defeat. 

What’s made it worse is the psalmist grieved and mourned for their enemies when they were struggling. The psalmist treated them as friends and family, but now they rejoice at the psalmist's struggles.

So the psalmist asks God to intervene. To rescue them from this attack. And once again, they look forward to that moment where God breaks in, and the praise that they will speak out before many.

One last time, the psalmist turn to his enemies and asks that God put them to shame. May they no longer be able to rejoice because they have pursued wickedness and deceit. 

It has felt like God has been absent in this situation, so the psalmist asks that he rise up and vindicate them. Put to shame their enemies and give their supporters a reason to rejoice.

Finally, the psalmist ends with anticipation. God will intervene and punish the wicked, and when that happens the psalmist will speak God’s praise ‘all day long’.