1 John (Program #24) – The Virtues of the Divine Birth to Practice the Divine Righteousness (2)

In the epistle of first John there are three main sections. The fellowship of the divine life from the beginning of the book to 2:11. The teaching of the anointing starting in 2:12 through 2:27 and the virtues of the divine birth from 2:28 to the end of the book, 5:21.

The sequence of these three sections is important and it indicates the fellowship of the divine life and the teaching of the anointing bring us into the virtues of the divine birth.

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1 John (Program #23) – The Virtues of the Divine Birth to Practice the Divine Righteousness (1)

The book of 1 John though short in length is anything but short in its’ spiritual content.  This short epistle conveys some of the richest and deepest thought in all of the New Testament. Even its’ sequence is marvelous. Beginning with the divine life and the fellowship of the life which is our participation in God’s life. It then moves on to the teaching of the anointing. Which as we had already seen and is crucial to the experience and growth of every believer. Finally it come to the last main section that of the virtues of the divine life that we possess by the divine birth. And it is here that we see the progression brought to its’ consummation. That the children of God become His eternal expression and counterpart. All in this short book of 1 John.

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1 John (Program #22) – The Anointing and the Antichrists

In this age when so many people are talking about events related to the end times as prophesied in the Bible. You hear a lot of talk and speculation concerning this infamous personality that will play a major part in those events.

Christians and even interested believers commonly used the name Antichrist to identify this one. Actually though this term is Biblical it can only be found in two books out of the sixty-six in the Bible. And those two are 1 and 2 John. But it’s interesting to examine how John uses this title. It may surprise you to hear that there had been many Antichrists that had already been come and gone. Yes, there is one coming whom the Bible speaks of at the end times. But for our need today we should be very clear about the real meaning of the term Antichrist.

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1 John (Program #21) – The Teaching of the Divine Anointing (2)

At the very heart of the Christian faith is the truth concerning the nature and essence of God Himself. The Bible very clearly reveals that our God is Triune. It’s from this truth that we derive the word Trinity, which means three-one. Our God is uniquely one yet is eternally three.

Over the centuries various terms had been used in an attempted describe this essential characteristics of God. The most common of these borrowed terms may be persons. We often hear the word persons used in referenced to the three of the God-head. God the Father, God the Son, who is the Jesus Christ and God the Spirit. Though this term does help us in some regard to understand one aspect of the Trinity. It’s critical to keep in mind that the Bible itself never uses this term in such a context. And further, we should always use this term careful when apply to God. Because it’s over or incorrect used can lead us into the serious error of having three gods, either consciously or unconsciously.

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1 John (Program #20) – The Anointing

Of all of the great wonders of the Christian’s faith, perhaps none exceed the Trinity. Our God is uniquely one yet eternally three, Triune. God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit, co-exist and co-inhere from eternity to eternity yet not as three Gods working together but as one God. This mysterious and marvelous reality is revealed in so many aspects and with so much implications through out scriptures.

But because man had sought through the ages to understand, comprehend and explain this greatest of divine mysterious with mere human words and analogies many errors concerning the truth had invaded the Church over the centuries. Should we then avoid the subject all together or should we allow ourselves to be taught by the Spirit Himself concerning the very Triune God in both our understanding and our experience?   This was the apostle John’s clear word to us in His first epistle when he wrote,

2:27 “And as for you, the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you; but as His anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie, and even as it has taught you, abide in Him.“

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1 John (Program #19) – Experiencing the Teaching of the Anointing Concerning the Triune God

Let me post a question as we begin today to all of the spiritual matured ones. Let say you are with a new young believer, the question is how should you help to teach this one concerning the deep reality in truth of God?  Yes, the very Triune God, the God of the Bible.

Of course there are great theological issues that play in such a consideration, the mysterious aspects of God being simultaneously three and yet uniquely one. Should all the new believers then be required to complete a thorough seminary course on the Trinity before they can truly know God?   Well, the Bible addresses this very point in 1 John 2:20 & 27, “little children, …you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know.….. And .., the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you; but as His anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie, and even as it has taught you, abide in Him.“

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1 John (Program #18) – The World and the Things in the World

One of the interesting words in the original language of the New Testament is cosmos. This Greek word is normally translated in the Bible as “world”.

In John 3:16 “For God so loved the world (cosmos) that He gave His only begotten Son..” to save it.  Yet in John’s epistle we are told not to love the cosmos, because it’s impossible for us to both love the world and love God the Father at the same time.

The reason that we as believers need to flee and any attachment of the world is that the world is a mask for God’s enemy, Satan.

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1 John (Program #17) – The Teaching of the Divine Anointing (1)

John first epistle is a short book but very rich in contain. It is composed of three main sections. First it presents the fellowship of the divine life in a marvelous way. The second section covers the teaching of the anointing while the third develops the virtues of the divine birth.

Today we come to section two the teaching of the anointing from chapter two.  2:27 gives us a wonderful summary of this critical matter in the Christian life.

27 “And as for you, the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you; but as His anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie, and even as it has taught you, abide in Him.“

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1 John (Program #16) – Conditions of the Divine Fellowship (9)

John first epistle as a continuation of his gospel stresses the eternal life. And specifically the fellowship or flow of this divine life that is available for all of us as His children to experience.

But though our salvation is unconditional there are conditions for us to stay in the fellowship of life experimentally. The first of this condition is found in chapter one and this is a basic requirement for every believer to maintain their enjoyment of Christ as life.

1 John 1:7, 9
7 “But if we walk in the light as He 1is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from every sin.”

9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Keeping sure account by confessing our sins before God is vitally important. But John brings us another important condition for maintaining the fellowship of life and that is to love the brothers.

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1 John (Program #15) – Conditions of the Divine Fellowship (8)

The two conditions of the divine fellowship involves sin on the negative side and love on the positive side. On the negative side we need to deal with sin, on the positive side we need to exercise ourselves to love God and love the brothers.

Therefore sin must be dealt with and love must be perfected. If we deal with sin and exercise ourselves to love God and the brothers, we shall fulfill the conditions of keeping ourselves in the fellowship of the divine life.

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