As we have seen, The Roman Emperor Nero executed the apostles Peter and Paul in approximately 67 A.D.
In that same period, a riot born out of religious differences, broke out between the Jews and the Greeks, in the Israeli city of Caesarea.
It has been referred to as the ‘Great Revolt,’ because as the riot spread, the Jews rebelled against Roman rule as well.
The Jews had defeated a Roman Garrison in a surprise attack. In response, Nero dispatched his general, Vespasian, to lead 60,000 soldiers into the city, to brutally crush the resistance in 68 A.D.
Subsequently, the apostle John moved Mary (the mother of Jesus), to the city of Ephesus – where it is thought that he was a revered elder in the church.
In 70 A.D., the Romans laid siege to the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, exactly when Jesus prophesied that they would, (see Mt. 24:2), and invaded the Israeli city of Masada as well. The historian Josephus recorded that over one million Jews were killed, and 97,000 were enslaved. Other Jews fled to other areas around the Mediterranean region.
Leaping ahead in time to the rule of the Roman Emperor Domitian, (81 – 96 A.D.), we again find a growing prevalence of Christian persecution.
At approximately the same period, the apostle John writes his Gospel, as well as three letters that would become the biblical books of 1, 2, and 3 John.
Because 2 John and 3 John carry many of the same themes as 1 John and primarily deal with caring for traveling Christian evangelizers in the home, I am going to focus primarily on the theologically rich 1 John.
John addresses this letter to the churches surrounding Ephesus, for the purpose of reassuring them of Christ’s return – especially to congregants who were leaving the church because they were losing their faith. He reminded them that the only way to have a relationship with God is to have one with Jesus.
The apostle also warns them of the danger of false teachers and how to remedy that by laying down a foundation for godly living – consisting of faith, obedience, and love.
John begins by revealing the nature of the Father-Son relationship, and our place within it:
We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him.
And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 1 Jn. 1:1 – 3. NLT
John is saying that Jesus is the living Word of life and that He was present with His Father when everything in the universe was created.
He is also stating that he was in the actual physical presence of Christ and wants to convey to them that he has learned directly from Him, so that they too would lay hold of their salvation gift.
Next, the apostle speaks to the great purpose of God as expressed in Christ:
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 1 Jn. 1:5 NLT
John also reveals how we too can get a hold of that light:
So, we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness, we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 1 Jn. 1:6, 7. NLT
Conversely, the Gnostics (false teachers at this time), claimed to be without sin, that they were unaccountable for their actions of the flesh.
But we know the truth: We are walking in the light when we live in a Christ-like manner, (one that passes the scrutiny of our Creator because of Christ’s blood-induced transformation in us). Subsequently, we can reflect our godliness outwards to others in a manner that creates loving relationship.
You cannot underestimate the importance of God’s forgiveness through His Son, because our very nature is in perpetual need of it, right up until the day our spirit rises from this earth:
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 Jn. 8 – 10. NLT
First, this is a second dig at the Gnostics because of their claim to be sinless, to have evolved beyond needing salvation.
John is pointing out that throughout our lives we need to confess and repent for every new sin.
We all fall from time to time. Thank God that in Christ we have an Advocate (one who supports us) and a Propitiator as well (who restores our favor with Jehovah):
…if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins – and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 1 Jn. 2:1, 2. NLT
What is our part in this exchange of God’s free gift of salvation?
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.
But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. 1 Jn. 2:3 – 6. NLT
Jesus Himself told us that the way we demonstrate our love for Him and His Father, is by keeping their commandments to the best of our ability.[1]
As we do that, we are walking like Christ – walking in light and love:
Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in the in darkness. Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.
But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness. 1 Jn. 2:8 – 11. NLT
Love and hate cannot coexist. Godly love transcends the hateful ways of the world. We must practice that love, to be part of the separated remnant that is God’s children:
Do not love this world or the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.
These are not from the Father but are from the world. 1 Jn. 2:15, 16. NLT
Those who are choosing to remain in the ways of the world, will not be a part of these children who reside in God’s grace.
That’s why we continue in our quest to fill Jehovah’s Kingdom. Doing our best to overcome the ignorant and self-destructive ways of the obstinate, with our message of hope.
We, as children of God, are even now being divinely prepared (transformed), for our date with destiny. When our risen spirits are housed in incorruptible, glorified bodies, in the image of Christ:
…we are [even here and] now children of God, and it is not yet made clear what we will be [after His coming]. We know that when He comes and is revealed, we will [as His children] be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is [in all His glory]. 1 Jn. 3:2 AMP
Until that time, we must retain our righteous vigil.
How? Through confession, repentance, and faith in the cleansing blood of Christ:
…all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.
Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin.
But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is. 1 Jn. 3:3 – 6. NLT
John is saying that Christ came to wipe our ‘sin slate’ clean – past, present, and future. So that when, (despite our best efforts), we do slip up, Jesus’ journey to the cross will wipe away the stain (after our confession and repentance). And He will restore us with His righteousness, that is provided through His Father’s grace. So, in effect, their sins do not stick, and in a manner of speaking, cannot sin.
Unfortunately, this grace does not apply to the willful sinner, who has no regards for the consequences:
But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.
Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So, they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 1 Jn. 3:8, 9. NLT
The darkness hates the light. Which is also reflected in the hate that the world has for the children of God:
So don’t be surprised…if the world hates you. If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life.
But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates brother of sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. 1 Jn. 3:13 – 15. NLT
The hallmark of Christian living is acting out of love:
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So, we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God’s love be in that person? …let’s not merely say that we love each other, let us show the truth by our actions. 1 Jn. 3:16 – 18. NLT
…if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is the commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 1 Jn. 3:21 – 23. NLT
…let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God showed us how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 Jn. 4:7 – 10. NLT
And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So, we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. 1 Jn. 4:17 – 19. NLT
If you know God, you know love. You have love flowing in and out of you because God loved you first. And He is still sending that love to you, through His Son.
You are a mirror of God’s love in this world. Because of that, you won’t have to tremble along with those who have denied Christ on the day of judgment.
As a child of God, that day will be one of celebration!
Goodnight and God bless.
[1] Jn. 14:21 & 23.