1,2,3 John: Lesson 7

Overview

Three Affirmations at the Close of 1 John

The final verses of John's first letter 1 John 5:18–21 ground believers in three confident affirmations that flow out of new birth into God's family.

• Behavior is changed. "Those who are born of God do not sin" speaks not of sinless perfection—we remain sinners this side of heaven—but of a life no longer marked by unrepentant sin. God continues chiseling away at us, conforming us to Christ.
• A line is drawn. "We know that we are God's children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one." There is no neutral middle ground—either one belongs to the family of God or to the world.
• Understanding is given. The Son of God "has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true." Saving knowledge of Jesus is not a self-generated decision; it is God turning the light on within us. The closing exhortation—"keep yourselves from idols"—warns again against the false teachers' distortions.

1 John and the Old Testament: Creation, Sin, Atonement

John's letter breathes Old Testament air. Three great themes anchor his message and connect us to the whole story of Scripture.

Creation. "That which was from the beginning" 1 John 1:1 echoes both John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1. God created from nothing by His Word, and pronounced it good. This directly answered the Gnostic heresy that matter is evil. The incarnation itself—God taking on flesh—is God's emphatic "yes" to the goodness of His creation.

Sin. Genesis 3, read alongside Genesis 2:16–17, shows the serpent manufacturing words—twisting God's command, adding to it, and inviting Eve to determine good and evil for herself. From that first rebellion comes a useful distinction: original sin, the corruption inherited from our first parents that makes us sinners by nature from conception, and actual sin, the disobedient acts that flow from that corruption. When John says the one who does not love his brother breaks God's command 1 John 4:21, the failure to love is the symptom; sinfulness is the disease.

Atonement. "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" 1 John 2:2. God cannot simply overlook sin without denying His justice. As Hebrews 9:22 declares, "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." The Old Testament sacrifices pointed forward to Christ, whose passive obedience (suffering and dying for our sins) and active obedience (perfectly fulfilling the law in our place) together secure our salvation. In Baptism we are clothed in His righteous garment, so that on the day of judgment God sees us in Christ.

A Simple Witness Framework

These three Old Testament threads—creation, sin, atonement—give us a faithful outline for sharing the gospel:

1. God created all things good.
2. Humanity fell into sin; we are sinners by nature and by act.
3. Jesus, by His perfect life and atoning death, deals with our sin once for all.

After sharing, ask gently, "Does this make sense to you?" If someone protests, "But I'm a good person," loop back to sin. If someone says, "God could never forgive me," loop back to atonement. And when the good news lands, the natural next invitation is, "Would you like to be baptized?"—rooting their faith not in their own decision but in God's promise delivered in the sacrament.

The early church tested teachings against these very themes and rejected what did not square with God's revealed truth. We can trust that same Word today—both for our own assurance and as a framework for pointing others to Christ.

Transcript

Well, good morning. 3s

Well, the first thing I want to say is you folks can really keep a secret. 4s

Hi, goodness. 9s

Pastor Malonex shared about 25 years here and celebration afterwards how kind. 11s

Thank you for that. 18s

And someone said, I wonder if you'll be able to trust the congregation now. 20s

You know, I hope it was really quite a surprise. 26s

Thank you. Thank you so much. 29s

Let's join in prayer, please. 31s

Almighty and ever-living God, you make us both to will and to do those things that are good and acceptable in your sight. 33s

Let your fatherly hand ever guide us and your Holy Spirit ever be with us to direct us in the knowledge and obedience of your Word in Jesus' name. Amen. 43s

Well, last week we were taking a look at the last chapter of 1 John in chapter 5, which has to do with family language and God's family, how we are made members of the family of God through the waters of baptism, how God calls us to love each other, how our brother, 55s

capital B, the Lord Jesus Christ has overcome the world and through him, we overcome how God makes us confident family members in terms of who we are and confident in our prayers as we pray in accordance with His will. 76s

Well, today I want to take a look at a first John, since we've completed here through chapter 5. 93s

I want to take a look at first John in terms of its relationship with the Old Testament, the teachings of the Old Testament. 100s

But I need to finish up in chapter 5 of 1 John where we left off, picking up in verse 18. 108s

And what we see here is this new birth into the family, it births for us three affirmations that John highlights. So picking up in verse 18 of chapter 5, 117s

we know that those who are born of God do not sin, but the one who was born of God protects them and the evil one does not touch them. 131s

We know that we are God's children and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true and we are in Him who is true in His Son Jesus Christ, 143s

He's the true God and eternal life, little children, keep yourselves from idols. 166s

There are three affirmations embedded in this little section here. And one of them has to do with behavior. 175s

Behavior. Going back into verse 18, we know that those who are born of God do not sin. Let's pause there. Remember that theme that John has been lifting up when he says phrases like that. 189s

What he's talking about is is unrepentance in terms of of living in sin, no repentance for it. We all know that none of us live a sin sinless life. We are we are sinners, record in the bondage of of our sinfulness. 206s

So what he's talking about here is this unrepentance, this continuing in the sin. We know that those who are born of God do not sin but the one who is born of God protects them and the evil one does not touch them. 226s

So the first aspect here that John talks about is is we're born into this family. As we become children of God, God manifests the difference in us. That's manifest in a behavior change in us. 246s

This is God going to continue to work at us until he takes us home. Absolutely. Are we ever finished product to the side of heaven? Absolutely not. God is continually at work in us, chiseling away at us to make us more and more like Jesus Christ. 262s

The second affirmation that is lifted up is the affirmation that there is a align, align in verse 19. We know that we're God's children, that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. 279s

There's a line then between being in the family of God and the world. You're either in the family of God or you're either in the quote unquote family of the world. You're either a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ or you're not a believer. There's no there's a middle ground here. 301s

The third affirmation has to do with understanding, understanding. And that is in verse 20. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true. 328s

And we are in him who is true. In his son Jesus Christ, he's the true God and eternal life. God is the one that has to turn the light bulb on in us. That's not some type of decision we generate on our own. That's a reflection of God's work in our lives where he turns that light bulb on us and we have an understanding of who Jesus is. 354s

So there's an affirmation with regard to behavior change and God is at work. There's the affirmation of there. There's a line between believer and an unbeliever. You're either in one of those camps and there's the affirmation of the understanding that is given to us. 383s

And the last little verse here, little children keep yourselves from idols. Most likely that has to do with regard to the false views of the false teachers that John is once again telling them to be aware of that teaching. 402s

Well, let's pull back here the lens from from first John. We're going to go into first or the second John next week. Let's pull back the lens a little bit and see the relationship between the old testament themes and first John. 421s

And there are three themes I want to highlight with you. One is creation. The other is sin and the other is atonement. Here are three themes that John lifts up in first John and it just breathes what we study and what we read about in the in the old testament. 437s

For example, the opening words here of first John, you hear echoes of that in Genesis and in the gospel of John. So let's go to first John chapter one. 466s

And there's similar language. First John chapter one, we read we declare to you what was from the beginning. 483s

Okay, now let's go to the gospel of John chapter one Matthew, Mark, Luke and then John John chapter one. 496s

Verse one. And here John starts his gospel chapter one verse one and says in the beginning was the word. Notice it's capitalized. That's standing for Jesus. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. 511s

You go back to the creation account in Genesis, the first chapter and how does it all start in the what in the beginning. So from Genesis here, John is echoing here this this theme of of creation. 534s

The odds of the universe existing how it exists that it just happened are astronomical. If one wants to argue that all of this is some kind of big cosmic accident. 552s

The folks that that kind of kind of study these kind of numbers on this have put this number to it. They say it would be like tossing a coin and having it come up heads 10 quintillion times in a row. 570s

Now I thought I said, okay, what's a quintillion? A quintillion is the number one with 18 zeros next to it. So the statisticians have looked at this and said, well, here's how we would we would put the probability on this that all of creation is just kind of this accident here. 593s

It's one and be like tossing a coin and having it come up heads 10 quintillion times in a row. 619s

And what is scripture echo, but scripture echoes and says you look at creation and you can infer a creator and the statisticians have said the same thing as they put numbers to it. God created on nothing. He created solely by his word. 632s

Six times we're told that God saw the creation was good. And at the end he looked at it and he said, isn't very good. The Genesis account reveals that God created the material of this world and that the material is good. 654s

So I remember back to the first session here six, seven, seven weeks ago one of the heresies was the heresy that John's addressing of gnosticism and the gnastics that were infiltrating the church were saying that matter, the body is evil. 676s

And so then they were extrapolating that and then saying, because when we sin, it's really the body then it's not us. 695s

Therefore we might as well send up a storm, right? And say, oh, that nasty body of mine. Well, John goes right, right at this. 706s

And so what John is lifting up in this creation language, he's addressing here the heresy of the of the nostics in terms of saying that matter is evil. 716s

The incarnation of our Lord, the infreshment of our Lord is God's say, it's good. It's good. God has taken Lord Jesus took on himself flesh. 730s

So John's epistle then it reflects creation. It also reflects teaching with regard to to sin. 745s

Let's go to Genesis the third chapter, Genesis chapter chapter three. 759s

Genesis three and we'll pick up in verse, verse one. 771s

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 782s

did God say you shall not eat from any tree in the garden? Well, instead of the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree. 789s

That's in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it or you shall die. And remember the tree here being referred to is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God is defining that there's a difference between God's creator and us as the created. 801s

God is saying you pluck from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In other words, you determine for yourself that which is right and wrong instead of relying and depending on how God has defined it. 817s

God says you die for that. You die for that. It's exactly of course what our first parents did. 832s

Verse three again, but God said you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it or you shall die. 841s

Okay, let's go to chapter two verse 17. 850s

Let's go to 16 so we're not mid-sentence. 856s

Chapter two verse 16 and the Lord God commanded the man, you may free the eat of every tree of the garden, but if the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not not eat for in the day that you eat of it, you shall die. 860s

Okay, notice a distinction. 876s

What did Eve add to what God said? 880s

What did she add? Have you picked it up? 887s

Eve says that God said we can't touch it. Did God say you couldn't touch it? No, he said don't eat from it. 891s

Eve, you see, is beginning to live right here on her own strength in resisting temptation. She puts her own, you shall not, on top of what God has already said. 902s

Eve then is manufacturing words. And there's a whole host of manufactured words here. 919s

Let's go back to chapter three verse four. 927s

But the serpent said to the woman, you will not die for God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be open, you'll be able, and you will be like God knowing good and evil. 932s

Well, that's a manufactured word, isn't it? 944s

Is what did God say? You eat of it and what? You die. It's the death penalty for you. You don't determine for yourselves what is right and what is wrong. 947s

There's more manufactured words for God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing good and evil. 959s

So here, Satan is putting upon God unworthy motifs. God didn't want them to seek moral discernment apart from him, until Satan is doing manufactured words. 967s

Verse six, so when the woman saw that the tree was good for food that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit in eight, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 984s

It's the false promise that such eating would make them like God, and he was rationalizing corrections. It's manufactured words. It's manufactured words from the humans. It's manufactured words from God. 1001s

What you have then is you have a distinction between, we'll deal with the category of sin here still, original sin, and what can be called actual sin. 1020s

I'm going to give you some categories in our time together this morning that I think can help in terms of our witnessing, is you're sharing with someone what I suggest that you use the term will let me tell you about original sin and actual sin and the difference. 1042s

Probably not, probably not, but when you keep this category, these categories in mind, it's helpful to form your witness here. 1060s

Original sin is our natural corruption that we inherited from our parents, Adam and Eve, and that produces within us sinful inclinations. 1071s

So, we, by nature are sinners. 1087s

So, life begins at conception, you have a sinner. The child is not born sinless, the child is born a sinner. Why? Because they've inherited the corruption of the parents that we can trace all the way back to our first parents, Adam and Eve, or put it another way. 1093s

Sinful parents don't produce sinless children. 1116s

So, we are born then reflecting original sin. Actual sin is when we act on those inclinations. 1122s

Actual sin is the disobedience against what God has commanded. 1136s

Let me show you an example. In 1 John 4 verse 21, let's go there, please. 1143s

1 John 4 verse 21. 1154s

John says, the commandment we have from him is this. Those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. 1169s

And so, when we don't love our brothers and sisters, when we commit that actual sin, it's a reflection of what? 1181s

It's a reflection that we are sinners, right? When you have a cold and you know, your nasal passages are filled and maybe you've got a cough and you've got post nasal drip, right? 1189s

Those are all symptoms of the what? Of the virus, right? And so, when we commit actual sin, it is reflection of the virus that we have, the sickness that we have, our sinfulness. 1206s

So, as we share with others, we can talk about the fact that we are sinners because what is the typical response when asked, you know, when you stand before God on judgment day, what will you say from the non-believer, the typical response is, well, I'm going to say I'm a pretty good version. 1224s

And I deserve to be here, right? No, because God calls us to be perfect, right? And none of us are perfect. We are all sinners and it's reflected in the actual sin. 1248s

John is taking this Old Testament theme and he is lifting it up. As he addresses the concerns, at the time God uses that for that word for us for all time. 1263s

John is addressing this fact of sin that we see in Scripture, that Jesus is the only one that can save us from our sin, which leads to the third theme that John highlights in his book that ties directly into the Old Testament, 1277s

which is the theme of atonement. Let's go to 1 John chapter 2, verse 2. 1305s

And speaking of Jesus, John writes, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1321s

You see, if we're going to understand our need for what our Savior has done, we have to understand the need for our Savior. 1338s

So that's why when you hear sermons, it's law and gospel. It shows our sin and then it shows us our Savior. 1349s

Exactly what John is doing here. 1360s

John didn't invent then this idea here of atonement. We see it rooted in the Old Testament. For the sake of time here, let me just give you some Bible references. 1365s

1 John 19, Psalm 51 2, Jeremiah 33 8, Exodus 32, 31 to 32, 1 Kings 8, 34 to 36, 2 Chronicles 6, 25 to 27. 1381s

All references here, how sin has to be dealt with, how it has to be taken away. God cannot simply look away from sin because that would deny then his, his justice. 1407s

He can't simply look away from sin. Sin has to be dealt with. And that is dealt with through the atonement of Jesus. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 9. 1420s

Hebrews chapter 9, verse 22. 1434s

And here we read, indeed under the law, almost everything is purified with blood. And without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. 1444s

The Old Testament sacrifices then were not in and of themselves effective from removing sin. 1461s

They pointed ahead to the one who shed his blood on the cross for us to remove the sin for us. 1472s

Sin has to be dealt with through atonement. Atonement is related to blood. John is saying, you see all of this that talks about in the Old Testament here. 1484s

That theme of atonement in the Old Testament is applicable and is applicable through the Lord Jesus Christ. 1497s

So let me give you two other terms here to help form witness as we talk about these themes. 1505s

Passive and active. We can use this as a little outline here. We can talk about how God created and it was perfect that human kind fell into the world. 1518s

So we can use this as a little outline here. 1542s

And we can use this as a little outline here. 1558s

We can use this as a little outline here. 1561s

Jesus was obedient to going to the cross. 1566s

The reason why Jesus came was to go to the cross, to bear the sins of the world. 1572s

And he was active or he was passive in going to cross to bear our sins. 1577s

He was active, his active righteousness in living the perfect life that none of us can ever live. 1584s

And so how did God deal with this problem that we had gotten ourselves into? 1594s

But he sends his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who passively goes to the cross. 1599s

That's the passive obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1603s

And his active obedience, fulfilling the law perfectly, so that Christ's perfect life is credited to our account. 1608s

So when we are baptized, we are washed in the promises of God. 1621s

We are, we are clothed in Jesus's perfect garment, won by his active obedience. 1625s

So that when we stand before God on judgment day, God looks upon us and what he sees is the perfect righteous garment of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1635s

Our sins have been cast as Scripture says as far as the East is from the West. God remembers them no more. 1647s

So a little witnessing outline, then creation, sin and atonement, the three themes that John lists up in his book, you see it tied to the Old Testament, can be a little witnessing tool. 1655s

Now, would I use the term passive obedience and active obedience? Is your sharing with solidity? 1669s

Probably not, probably not, right? But you can talk about that at what Christ has accomplished for us. 1677s

And the gift that God gives us in the waters of baptism. 1686s

So after you share this, a question you ask is, does this make sense to you? 1691s

Does it make sense to you? What are you thinking here as I share this? 1698s

And depending on the response, it tells you where you might need to loop back to. 1704s

So if the person says, well, yeah, but I'm a good person. I'm a lot better than, let me tell you about this person. 1709s

But I mean, comparatively speaking here, I'm a lot better than that. Then you've got to loop back. 1717s

You've got to talk about sin here, right? Or if they come and they say, I can't believe that God can forgive me for, and sometimes they might even say for this particular sin. 1725s

Or I can't believe that God would forgive us of our sins. Then you're right back here at the atonement. 1740s

So you say, does this make sense to you? And they say, yeah. 1750s

This is really good news. Yeah, yeah. And then the next question can be, would you like to be baptized? 1757s

So you'd like to be baptized? 1766s

Now you're rooting their faith in the sacrament, right? Not an action or decision that they're making. 1770s

And you're rooted in baptism to where they say, we sure. Sounds great. 1777s

Sounds great. This can be a little witnessing tool then as you witness to the Lord Jesus Christ. 1784s

In non-scriptural writings, from the early Christian error, you see mistakes in terms of people talking about sin and talking about forgiveness and talking about judgment. 1795s

And the church rejected those writings because they didn't square with creation, sin and atonement that you see in the Old Testament. 1815s

It was easy for them. They could immediately say, that's a false teaching. That's a false teaching because it doesn't line up with what God has taught about those subjects. 1828s

We can trust His Word and His Word provide strength for us, a framework for witnessing to others. 1844s

We see John do it, right? And first John. Well, we're going to continue on into second John next week. 1855s