1,2,3 John: Lesson 4

Overview

The Seriousness of Sound Doctrine

John writes with urgency about false teaching because doctrine is not optional decoration on the Christian life—it is the substance of what nourishes the soul. When some left the apostolic fellowship, John observed, "They went out from us, but they did not belong to us" 1 John 2:19. False teaching breeds discord and a departure from the pure gospel. This is why, when looking for a church home, the first question is not proximity or programs but, "What does this church teach?" We want our children and grandchildren fed what is true.

John assures believers that the Holy Spirit, given in Baptism, abides in them and teaches through the Word 1 John 2:26-27. Against the Gnostic claim of secret knowledge, John insists there is no such thing as a wordless Spirit—the Spirit is always tethered to Scripture. This guards us against any teaching that begins, "God told me…" apart from what He has already spoken in His Word.

What It Means to Be a Child of God

John names the family identity given us in Christ: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God" 1 John 3:1. Several marks follow:

• Righteous. Those born of God do what is right 1 John 2:28-29. Righteous conduct is not the cause of the new birth but its evidence—fruit of the Spirit's indwelling work through Word and Sacrament.
• Not known by the world. The world did not recognize the significance of Christ, and it will not recognize His followers John 15:18-19. Conflict with the world is normal, not a sign that something has gone wrong.
• Destined to be like Him. "When he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is" 1 John 3:2. Resurrected, embodied, and at home with God forever.
• Purified. Already cleansed by the blood of Christ 1 John 1:7, we also "purify ourselves" 1 John 3:3 by turning from sin.

Sin, Repentance, and the Lord's Table

When John writes that "no one who abides in him sins" 1 John 3:4-10, he is not teaching sinless perfection—he is the same apostle who insists we all are sinners. He is addressing deliberate, habitual sinning and indifference to its seriousness. Gnostic teachers excused licentiousness; John refuses to let sin and Christ coexist as equals in the believer's life. Unrepentance kills faith.

This has direct pastoral implications. Sin itself does not bar us from the Lord's Supper—if it did, none of us could ever come. What bars us is unrepentance: the compartmentalized posture that says, "I know what Scripture says, but…" while continuing willfully in sin and still approaching the altar. Mature Christian love includes the willingness to gently confront a brother or sister caught in unrepentance, recognizing we too are sinners, with the goal that they might be restored.

Love That Lays Down Its Life

John loops back repeatedly to love 1 John 3:11-20. Cain stands as the anti-example: hatred toward a righteous brother leads to murder. By contrast, "we know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another." Love is the willingness to surrender something of value in our own lives to enrich another. It is incompatible with seeing a brother or sister in need and closing our hearts.

Crucially, John adds, "let us love not in word or speech but in truth and action." This is not a choice between proclamation and deeds—Scripture insists on both. We witness with our words and with our lives. And the test of love is not the easy abstraction of loving humanity in general but loving the actual, sometimes difficult, "irregular" people God has placed beside us. Where do our eyes turn when love is hard? To the One who loved us while we were sinners, and who is still at work shaping us until He takes us home. We rise each morning not asking, "Who will serve me today?" but, "Whom has God given me to serve, that He may be glorified?"

Transcript

What a beautiful day the Lord has given us. 3s

Let's join together, please, in prayer. 6s

Almighty God, grant to your church your Holy Spirit in the wisdom that comes down from above, 11s

that your Word may not be bound but have free course and be preached to the joy and edifying 19s

of Christ, Holy people, that instead fast faith we may serve you and in the confession 26s

of your name abide until the end through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 33s

Well, we studied last week from chapter 2 of first John and we took a look at two different 41s

aspects of our walk in faith. We took a look at obedience and we took a look at love. 49s

At love theme it's going to keep recycling through as we look at first, second and third John. 57s

And we saw last week how John also issued some warnings. 64s

First, it's the warning that we can't love both God and the world. 69s

He also talked about the anti-Christ and we talked last week about how in the Lutheran confessional 77s

writings our doctrinal writings the anti-Christ is revealed as the papacy. 86s

It's not the individual men that hold the office but it is the office itself. 93s

You see, if it was individual men that was identified as the anti-Christ when they would die then the anti-Christ would go away. 99s

So Lutherans historically and confessionally have understood the anti-Christ as the office of the papacy. 109s

It has all the marks, second Thessalonians to all the marks of the anti-Christ. 116s

Lutherans by the way aren't alone in that assessment. We are not an island on that. 122s

When you look for example at Calvin, the founder of the roots of Presbyterianism, when you look at Wesley, the roots of Methodism, 129s

when you look at Knox, when you look at Anglican reformers, that is the historic position of the church. 140s

That the anti-Christ is identifiable and the anti-Christ is the historic papacy. 149s

We also talked about how John Highlight's anti-Christ with a small letter A and that's anything that deviates from the apostolic gospel, 159s

anything that deviates. So we started to look at what was being denied and what he highlights. 171s

For example, denial of the incarnation, denial of the divinity of Christ, denial of the Father and the Son, denial of the Son, 177s

and not having the Father. We talked about how we relate that to the really prevalent belief in many quarters that whatever religion you come from 185s

were all worshipping the same God. Scripture is very clear. If you deny the Son, if you deny that Jesus is the Messiah, you do not have the Father. 195s

So we looked at various aspects of when he was getting into anti-Christ. 207s

And to conclude last week, let's pick up in chapter 2, verse 19 of 1 John, 213s

chapter 2, verse 19 of 1 John. 222s

In their John writes, they went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they belonged to us, they would have remained with us. 233s

But by going out, they made it plain that none of them belonged to us. 243s

False teaching gives rise to discord and division. It gives rise to a departure from the pure gospel. 250s

That's why you'll hear in John's writings. You hear it throughout Scripture of the seriousness associated with false teaching. 262s

And why it is so very important to be correct in the teaching. We live in an ever-growing age in which people see a great fluidity amongst churches. 273s

Where whatever denominational label might be or might not be upon a church, we're seeing a day and it's increasing all the time. 291s

In which people will look and say, well, we're going to go from this to this. Or from here to here. 302s

Even though there's profound theological differences. I mean profound theological differences. I was just talking yesterday with someone and they were talking about that. 313s

How they had seen a friend go from this particular denomination to a non-denominational and it's fundamentally different in so many aspects. 325s

That's why I've been preaching and teaching this for a while. The things that choose when you're looking for a church is what does that church teach? 339s

What is it teach? Program and all that kind of stuff, fellowship opportunities. I don't want to minimize that. 353s

But that is so secondary to what is it that you teach? Because you want to be fed that which is true. You want your children and your grandchildren to be fed that which is true. 361s

In today's world there's an incredible temptation to simply say, oh, we go to this church or this church. Why? Well, that's a church closest to us. Or, oh, we've got some friends that go to that church. 376s

And you start to hear that being given the reason as opposed to what is it that you teach? I'll tell you one thing that really energizes me. It's when people that visit the congregation, they say, you know, we'd love to sit down with you and they've got a whole list of theological questions. 393s

I mean, that's like a candy store, isn't it? I mean, that's like Christmas morning sitting there and they're going down their list of theological questions. And I love it. I love it. And I say, you know, whether the Lord leads you to this congregation or not, that's the Lord's business here. 410s

But the way you're going about it is exactly right. Exactly. Right. So we see John elevate here the importance of doctrine. Let's go on into verse 26 of chapter 2. 429s

There he says, I write things to you concerning those who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you. And so you do not need anyone to teach you. 445s

But as is anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie and just as taught you abide in him. 459s

Every believer is anointed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in us, in our baptism. And what John is saying is you don't have a need for anyone to teach you. 471s

What he's getting at, remember the background of this is the heresy of nosticism. And the false teachers that were saying you are saved by a special knowledge with God, very mystical type of understanding. 485s

And John is saying you don't need any of that kind of false teaching. What you have is you have the Holy Spirit who dwells in you who uses the word to teach. 497s

Remember, there's no such thing as a wordless spirit. The word is always attached to the word. And so there's never a sense in which God told me with regard to God. 510s

This which I believe, which is antithetical to the scripture. The Holy Spirit is always attached to the word. 527s

There was a group in which Luther was just railing about in terms of, they believe that they had the Holy Spirit and all of these special teachings that they had. 540s

And Luther said they believe that they've swallowed the Holy Spirit feathers and all. What he was getting at is you don't have an understanding of God. 553s

The Spirit doesn't communicate apart from the word. There's no such thing as the wordless spirit. So John is saying you don't need false teachers to teach you. 566s

Okay, let's swing in now into chapter 3. And we're going to look at one of the most beautiful designations that is ours through our baptism into Christ and that is being a child of God. 576s

And there are various characteristics of being a child of God that John highlights. First is righteous. Righteous. Now, being claimed in the waters of baptism as God comes and washes us in his promises, he makes us righteous. 590s

But John is also getting at this understanding of living out that which is righteous or that which is is right. 617s

So let's go to chapter 2. We'll pick up, I'm sorry, we're still finishing up chapter 2, verse 28 of chapter 2. And now little children abide in him so that when he's revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming. 627s

If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right has been born of him. 646s

Unrighteous conduct then, doing that which is not right in the eyes of God is unthinkable then for the Christian. 658s

Now that doesn't mean that we do right all the time. We're not sinless. But to live out that life which is pleasing to God as we anticipate his second coming, that is the desire that God plans in us. 669s

A person's righteousness is evident of the new birth. It's not the cause of the new birth. 684s

So as God manifests that which is pleasing to him through us, that's evidence of the indwelling spirit in us, that's evidence of God working through word and sacrament and birthing that in us. 693s

The Gnostic said, the heretic said, that righteousness, not knowledge is the mark of the regenerate. 710s

No, a mark of the one who has been regenerated through Christ is that which is pleasing unto God. 721s

A second aspect of being a child of God, to put it in shorthand, not known, not known. Now what do I mean by that? 731s

Let's go to chapter 3, verse 1. 743s

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are. 747s

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. That word there know, it means realizing the significance of something. 756s

The world did not realize, John, the first chapter, gospel of John, the world did not realize the significance of Jesus Christ. 769s

Because the world did not realize the significance of Christ, as followers of Christ, we can then expect to be treated in the same manner. 779s

Take a look please at the gospel of John chapter 15, please. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and then John. John chapter 15 will pick up in verse 18. 790s

If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belong to the world, the world would love you as its own. 812s

Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 824s

So a child of God means, and we have a desire to do that which is right, born of God. 835s

It means that just as the world did not understand who Jesus is, so also with us, the world will hate us when we come up against the ways of the world. 841s

The third aspect of being a child of God that John highlights is we'll be like him. 856s

Let's go on into verse 2 of chapter 3, but love it where God's children now. 870s

What we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this. When he's revealed, we will be like him. 877s

For we will see him as he is. We will all have resurrected bodies, real physical bodies then. 885s

That we will live forever with God in heaven. As I mentioned in past classes a while ago, some people will say exactly how old will I be in heaven? 900s

And then I have heard it, because people then will have an age when they ask that question. 913s

They will say, because 27 was great. If I could be 27, well we do not know the answer to that. 918s

But we do know that we will have flesh and body. We will be like him. 927s

Let's go on into verse 3. And here we have John highlighting purified. 931s

What do we mean by that? 943s

John chapter 3 verse 3. 946s

And all who have this hope in him purify themselves just as he is pure. 950s

Well, jump over to chapter 1 verse 7. 959s

And we read, if we walk in the light, as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. 967s

And the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sins. 973s

We have already been purified through the blood of Christ. 978s

But the Christian also is to purify themselves, that's what John is talking about, in terms of living out this reality. 984s

Now we are really a corollary of the righteous here. 992s

As we live out the life in terms of turning away from sin. 996s

For the sake of time I won't turn there, but let me just give you a couple of examples. 1003s

You can maybe put in the margins on this. 1007s

Second Corinthians 7-1. 1009s

1 Timothy 5-22. 1012s

James 4-8. 1017s

1 Peter 1-22. 1019s

All examples of the same point that John is making here. 1023s

John now turns to amplify what he's talking about, in terms of this turning away from sin. 1028s

Let's pick up in verse 4. 1037s

Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness. 1041s

Sin is lawlessness. 1044s

You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 1047s

No one who abides in him sins. 1054s

No one who sins has either seen him or known him. 1057s

Little children, let no one deceive you. 1063s

Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 1066s

Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil. 1070s

For the devil has been sinning from the beginning. 1075s

The Son of God was revealed for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil. 1079s

Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God's seed abides in them. 1086s

They cannot sin because they have been born of God. 1095s

The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way. 1101s

All who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters. 1107s

Well, this section catches our attention. 1117s

Now it doesn't it. 1119s

So, what's he talking about? 1120s

The very first part there, verse 4, everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness. 1123s

The sin is lawlessness. 1128s

Scripture gives us various definitions of sin in Scripture, missing the mark iniquity. 1130s

Here it's described as lawlessness, as lawlessness, verse 6. 1136s

No one who abides in him sins. 1148s

No one who sins has either seen him or known him. 1153s

What John is getting at in this section is deliberate habitual sinning. 1160s

John is going to be the first to say, we are all sinners, and this old Adam and old even us do not depart from us until the Lord takes us home. 1169s

The first to say that, the issue he's getting at here is deliberate habitual sinning. 1180s

See, John is not talking about the issue of somehow becoming perfect here, or our redemption based upon what it is that we do. 1188s

John is battling indifference to sin and its seriousness. 1197s

Now remember, in nosticism what you had was, you had an emphasis in terms of harshness upon the body because the body was looked at as evil. 1203s

You also had in nosticism an emphasis on licensiousness. 1214s

So John here is getting at the point that sin and Christ are irreconcibly opposed to each other, or to put it another way. 1221s

Unrepenance kills faith. 1234s

Unrepenance kills faith. 1238s

Our doctrinal writings is so clear echoing scripture on this. 1240s

And so then you get into the portions of scripture where you see if a brother or sister is caught in sin. 1246s

And if there's no repentance of that, we then need to confront that person in a spirit of gentleness with the understanding that we too are sinners for the purpose of that by the grace of God they may come to repentance. 1254s

The temptation that you see also growing in various quarters of the church is a compartmentalization with regard to understanding of the comprehensiveness of sin and also our individual walks. 1274s

What I mean by that is people comfortable in the pews while at the same time knowingly know that they're in a state of unrepentance with regard to sin. 1292s

And compartmentalizing those two to where it's also expressed in, I know the scripture says that but. 1308s

I know the scripture says that but you see that then is saying we can continue in habitual sin here while at the same time as not having repentance in that area that at the same time then coming to receive the sacrament when there is no repentance. 1319s

And the scripture says the one thing that should keep you away from the sacrament is not sin because if sin kept us away from the reception of the sacrament then none of us would ever come. 1342s

We'd come to the part be very awkward every week. 1355s

You say come for all has been made ready well all has been made ready but we can't because we're sinners see if sin keeps us from the sacrament then we're all in trouble. 1359s

But the one thing scripture says to keep us away from the sacrament is unrepentance that's the issue that John is getting at here. 1370s

It is in difference toward sin that's what he's getting at. 1378s

Okay. John adds to this list now he adds to it love. 1385s

So by the grace of God we want to live the righteous life we're not going to be known by the world the world there's immediate conflict in that because of the ways of the world and the ways of God. 1394s

We'll be liking we'll have the resurrected body we're purified through Christ but we're also to lay aside by the strength of God's sin we're to fight against that against that we are not to be indifferent with regard to our to our sin. 1408s

We are to hope that there are fellow Christians that will love us enough that if we're caught in unrepentance to confront us with that that's maturity in the body of Christ right. 1426s

When you say I love you this much that I want to talk with you about that and approaching in the spirit of gentleness. 1439s

He now adds the subject of love you'll notice John writes differently than the apostle Paul. 1448s

The apostle Paul is very linear in his writing he goes from A to B to C. It's very logical. 1457s

John comes along here and remember the Holy Spirit inspires all the words but the Holy Spirit did not violate the personalities of the various writers. 1463s

That's why you see the differences in them. 1474s

So John comes along with a logical A B C. John comes along and he'll talk about a subject. 1479s

He'll talk about another subject and he goes I got more to say about this again. 1487s

He'll loop back here and he goes I got more to say about this too. 1492s

You'll see these loops like this. That's just a characteristic of John. 1497s

Now he loops back to the topic of love. He's going to come and fill that out a little bit more. 1505s

Let's go to chapter 3 verse 11. 1513s

For this is the message you've heard from the beginning that we should love one another. 1517s

Now he's back on this. 1527s

He's amplifying now this section of the purified and purified. 1530s

He's going to come off of this now and he's going to go back to the love emphasis. 1537s

And then he gives an example. 1545s

We must not be like Cain who is from the evil one and murdered his brother. 1547s

Why they'd be murder him? 1553s

Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 1555s

Did not be astonished brothers and sisters at the world hates you. 1559s

We know that we've passed from death to life because we love one another. 1563s

So Cain here is held up as the prototype of those who hate and those who murder. 1571s

And the call then is do not be like them. 1583s

In other words to love. 1586s

Now notice in verse 12. 1591s

We must not be like Cain who is from the evil one and murdered his brother. 1608s

Why they'd be murder him? 1612s

Because his own deeds were evil and his brothers righteous. 1613s

Now he's looping back to this understanding that world's not going to know you. 1618s

And that conflict with the world can be when the righteousness of God is manifest against a world that sees a difference in righteousness. 1628s

And then there's immediate conflict because they don't like the righteousness. 1640s

When compared to their own belief system. 1645s

John is saying don't be like this. 1651s

Don't be like Cain here. 1654s

Don't be like one who murders his brother here. 1657s

Then we get to the pre-cars. 1664s

Verse 14. 1666s

We know that we've passed from death to life because we love one another. 1668s

Whoever does not love abides in death. 1672s

All who hate a brother or sister are murderers. 1676s

And you know that murderers do not have life, eternal life abiding in them. 1680s

Because here then gives the reason why believers know that we have passed from death to life. 1689s

It doesn't give the reason for the redemption. 1697s

In other words, we look at our own lives and we see by the grace of great God's grace being manifest in us. 1701s

That all is God's ways of testifying to the truth of His work in our lives. 1710s

You don't want to examine your life and then say I must be a believer because of this. 1719s

That's dangerous. 1726s

However, one can look at one's own life and know confidently that God will produce that which is pleasing to Him through me. 1729s

You've got some theological looks where to the answer of the question, well how do I know I really believe they will say we'll look at your life. 1742s

You understand the danger of that, right? 1751s

Because as we look at our life, we'll say well I can see some good or some righteous things coming but you also don't know what's going on inside. 1753s

And the sinfulness, the Lutheran understanding is God called you His own in the waters of baptism made His decision about you. 1764s

You see that roots it then on God's action and then a thankfulness that God will produce that life in us that is pleasing unto Him. 1772s

Verse 16. 1786s

We know love by this that He laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. 1791s

How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's good and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help? 1802s

Verse 18. 1817s

Little children let us love not in word or speech but in truth and in action. 1818s

Remember you let Scripture interpret Scripture because what did we talk about a couple of weeks ago the importance of verbal proclamation, right? 1826s

So you look at that and what does Scripture tell us? It's two truths. 1835s

How do we witness? We witness verbally and how do we witness? We witness through our actions. 1839s

That's not one, choose one, A or B, that is both, right? That we witness to Christ inward and in action. 1845s

The great theologian, Charlie Brown, put it this way. 1859s

I love the human race. It's people I can't stand. I love the human race. It's people I can't stand. 1866s

And so for those that particularly are challenging in your life or for those what the late author Joyce Landorf described in her books is irregular people in your lives. 1876s

For the irregular people in your lives or those that you perhaps struggle a little bit more to love, where do our eyes turn but our eyes turns to the one who loves us for the sinner we are? 1886s

And then we look at each other as fellow sinners, far short of being who Christ wants us to be but we're all works in progress as God is at work in our lives each and every day. 1902s

And he won't be finished until we draw our last breath and he takes us home. God's always at work transforming us and molding us into the person that he wants us to be. 1916s

Verse 17, again, how does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help? 1930s

Love is then the willingness to surrender something that has value for your own life in order to enrich the other. 1940s

It is saying how can I serve the other? It is the mindset every morning by the grace of God when we wake up and we say, 1951s

Lord, you have placed me on the earth to bring you glory and to serve others so how can I serve others instead of the expectation when our feet hit the floor of, I wonder who's going to serve me today? 1963s

I wonder who's going to make my life better today. I wonder about that. 1978s

Because when we live that way with the inward turn, we will always be disappointed because the world will never, ever be able to serve you up to the expectations that you will continually risingly have each and every day. 1984s

Because if there's a level of service that's here, then tomorrow it better be here, right? Instead, God says, I have redeemed you through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2002s

You are my servants. You bring me glory by serving others. And so we hit the day with saying, how is it that I can serve the people that I come into contact with? 2017s

How is it that I can encourage them in the Lord? How is it that I can live out my faith in Word and indeed even those people that I love the human race? It's the people I can't stand, kind of people, right? 2030s

The irregular people in our lives that we struggle, how can I love them? That's where John's going. He's right back at the understanding of love. 2051s

Verse 19. 2069s

By this we will know that we are from the truth and we will reassure our hearts before Him. 2073s

Whenever our hearts condemn us for God's greater than our hearts and He knows everything. 2079s

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God and we receive from Him whatever we ask. 2084s

Because we obey His commandments and do what pleases Him. 2091s

The by this here is that self-sacrificing love of God. 2097s

That as we look and we say, Lord, you desire righteousness in us and you will birth that. 2102s

Lord, you will strengthen us as we walk against a world that coals the other way when we walk His disciples of Christ. 2108s

They hated you, they're going to hate us. 2118s

But we live in the confidence that there's only an audience of one, only an audience of one, each and every day. 2121s

And the world is going to understand the significance of that. 2129s

But we're going to bring light into the world. 2134s

We always look each and every day with our eyes towards heaven. 2137s

The spirituals, it's just incredible when you listen to spirituals. 2144s

It's so heavenly focused, so many spirituals. 2148s

That's a good reminder for us that this isn't the stopping point. 2152s

Simple humankind is not the stopping point. 2157s

And as one sees sin rampant in the world, our homeland is in heaven. 2162s

We're called to bring light. 2168s

Here's our purpose. 2170s

We're going to go out and we're going to serve. 2171s

We've been purified by the Lord Jesus Christ and we want to set aside our sin. 2175s

And we want to love, not with broad statements of, I love humanity, but I love even that person. 2180s

And how can I love them and bring glory to God? 2193s

That's a life well lived, isn't it? 2201s

And that's what God produces in us. 2204s

To where we can look at ourselves and we see the sinner that we are, 2206s

but we look unto him confident in who he will birth in us each and every day as we are set forth to serve. 2211s

Well, next week we're going to continue on into chapter four, incredible chapter of 1 John. 2219s

We'll continue next week. 2226s