WEEKLY WORD

Bearing Christ’s Resemblance

 

A Review of First John–Lesson 13

John was an eyewitness to both the human life and the divine life of Jesus Christ.  He testified to the reality of the incarnation and the eternal existence of the Divine Son of God, the Word of Life.  When writing 1 John, he wrote with three purposes in mind:  (1) to refute false teachers within the body of Christ, (2) to provide believers with assurance of salvation, and (3) to encourage believers to abide in the light and enjoy fellowship with God and each other.  Abiding in the light empowers and enables us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to live a victorious life–an extraordinary life that resembles the Lord Jesus Christ.

The teaching in 1 John emphasizes four major topics:  Life, Light, Love, and Faith.

 

 

LIFE
God is life

1.  Review 1 John 1:1-4.  According to verses 3-4, what are two reasons John proclaimed the truth about the Son of God (vs. 3-4)?

“Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6 

2. Define fellowship. (See Lesson 1, question #8.)  What makes fellowship possible?  Read John 1:4 for help with your answer.  What do we share in common with Christ and other believers?

 

 

LIGHT
God is light

3.  Review 1 John 1:5-10.  Explain the meaning of the message and the positive effects it has on believers (include verse 9).

4.  Why is it impossible to have fellowship with God and/or other believers while living in darkness?

5.  Read 1 John 2:1-2.  What does Jesus Christ do for believers who sin?  Why can He do this?

6.  Read 1 John 2:3-6.  What is the key to knowing God (vs. 3-4)?  What is the benefit of your answer (vs. 5-6)?

7.  Read 1 John 2:20, 27-28.  What are the benefits of abiding in the light (remaining in or continuing in Him)?  How does the anointing provide protection against false teaching?  (See Lesson 5, question #13.)

8.  Another benefit of abiding in the light is the opportunity to come boldly into God’s presence with our prayer requests.  What are the conditions for answered prayer?

9.  Read 1 John 3:24.  What is necessary to abide in the light?  How do we know we are abiding?

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”  John 15:4-5  NASB

 

LOVE
God is love

“And this is His command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”  1 John 3:23 

10.  When believers abide in the light, they love like God loves, and they resemble Him.  According to 1 John 2:5, 1 John 2:10, and 1 John 4:16, what is true of believers who love their brothers and sisters in Christ?

11.  Review 1 John 4:7-12.  How did God show us His love?  What did the love of God enable believers to do?  According to verse 11, what should God’s love motivate us to do?

(Note:  The word “complete” can be translated “perfected” of “fulfilled.”)

12.  “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”  From 1 John 3:16-18 what is characteristic of God’s agape love?

13.  Review 1 John 4:16-21 and John 13:35.  Explain how believers who abide in the light bear Christ’s resemblance in this world.

14.  What do you think would cause the world to notice agape love?

 

 

FAITH

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory
that has overcome the world, even our faith.”  1 John 5:4 

Although abiding in the light and loving one another with agape love seem to be the primary substance of this book, faith, though mentioned only once, is the foundation.  Faith in all that John has declared about the eternal existence and incarnation of Jesus Christ, the unique Son of God, the eternal Life, is the bedrock of the abiding life.  When Jesus died for our sins, He didn’t just give His life for us, He gave His life to us.

“…Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live in Him.”  Colossians 2:6 

15.  Read John 16:33.  Who has overcome the world?  According to 1 John 5:4, 11, how have we participated in this victory?

16.  Read 1 John 1:2 and 1 John 2:25.  John began this letter with his own testimony regarding eternal life, and he ends it with the testimony God gave concerning His Son in 1 John 5:10.  What is God’s testimony?

17.  Write a paragraph explaining how you were challenged or encouraged by one of the following:  Life, Light, Love, or Faith.  Are you bearing His resemblance?

“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. This is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20

 

 

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