1 John Lesson 4

Living in the Light of God's Love

1 John Lesson Four-1 John 2:28–3:10 As Children of the Heavenly Father, You Live in Righteousness 1. You are children who are righteous in Christ 2. You are children who will be righteous in heaven 3. You are children who struggle to live righteous lives

Introduction As soon as the baby is born, people begin to look for it. “Oh, look! She has her mother's nose!” “Listen to him! He has his father's voice!” Do you know a family with such distinctive features that you can easily see the family members are related?

Children of the heavenly Father display distinctive features for all the world to see. One such feature is the desire to live righteous lives. We want to reflect the righteousness of Christ that God has credited to us. What does Jesus tell us to do in Matthew 5:13-16?

Matthew 5:13–16 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 14 You are the light of the world.

A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 In the same way let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Studying God's Word You are children who are righteous in Christ Read 1 John 2:28,29 So now, dear children, remain in him so that we may be confident when he appears and may be unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, then you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

1. How do these verses express the main reason for continuing in Christ and clinging to his merits for our salvation? (2:28,29)

© 1997 Northwestern Publishing House. Reprinted by permission.

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2. Hebrews 10:19 speaks of confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Christ. What happens if we give up the blood of Christ and begin believing in the lies of those who are antichrists?

3. Read verse 29. Read Romans 3:28 and James 2:14-17. Explain the place of faith and works in our salvation.

Passage List Hebrews 10:19 Brothers, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place through the blood of Jesus.

Romans 3:28 For we conclude that a person is justified by faith without the works of the law.

James 2:14–17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but has no works? Such “faith” cannot save him, can it? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but does not give them what their body needs, what good is it? 17 So also, such “faith,” if it is alone and has no works, is dead.

His Word in My Life “Their works flow from a righteous mind and are works of faith. Moreover, if a Christian does not act according to this new mind and life principle, he abandons fellowship with Christ” (George Stoeckhardt, Lectures on the Three Letters of John [Aitkin, MN: Hope Press, 1963], p. 66). How can we know if someone “abandons fellowship with Christ”?

You are children who will be righteous in heaven Read 1 John 3:1-3 See the kind of love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are! The world does not know us, because it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, we are children of God now, but what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he is revealed we will be like him, and we will see him as he really is. 3 Everyone who has this hope purifies himself just as Jesus is pure.

1. What amazed John about God's love? (3:1)

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2. What change has come into your life that is totally unknown to the unbelieving world? (3:1)

3. According to verse 2, what will we be like in heaven? John expresses a certainty and a mystery.

What is he certain about? What mystery remains?

4. How does the hope of future glory lead us to live a pure life here on this earth? (3:3; see also 1 Corinthians 6:12-14.)

Passage 1 Corinthians 6:12–14 “All things are permitted for me”—but not all things are beneficial. “All things are permitted for me”— but I will not allow anything to control me. 13 “Foods are for the belly, and the belly is for foods, but God will do away with both of them.” However, the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 14 God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.

His Word in My Life What is your favorite hymn about heaven? Can you recite a verse or phrase from it? Share it with the class.

You are children who struggle to live righteous lives Read 1 John 3:4-10 Everyone who commits sin also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away our sins and in him there is no sin. 6 Anyone who remains in him does not sin. The person who keeps on sinning has not seen him or known him.

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Dear children, do not let anyone deceive you. Whoever does what is right is righteous just as Jesus is righteous. 8 The one who continues to sin is of the Devil, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. This is why the Son of God appeared: to destroy the works of the Devil. 9 Nobody who has been born of God continues to commit sin, because God’s seed remains in him. He cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how the children of God and the children of the Devil are obvious: Everyone who does not do what is right is not from God, along with everyone who does not love his brother.

1. How does John define sin in verse 4?

2. For what purpose did Jesus appear on this earth? (3:5) Contrast this with some current views on why Jesus appeared.

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3. How can verses 5 and 8 help us resist temptation? (See also Romans 6:1,2.)

4. Christians should not listen to those who say a little sin does not matter. What are some ways our world sends that message? How do verses 7 to 10 describe the person who willfully continues in sin?

Passage Romans 6:1–2 What shall we say then? Shall we keep on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 Absolutely not!

We died to sin. How can we go on living in it any longer?

His Word in My Life Stoeckhardt: “Whoever yet toys with, and yields himself to sin shows that he has absolutely no understanding of Christ, the Savior from sin, the Holy and Righteous One” (Lectures, p. 73). What understanding of Christ helps most in the battle against sin? (3:5; see also 1 John 1:7)

Summary Join together in your group to say or sing the following hymn verses: Blessed are the saints of God; They are bought with Christ's own blood.

They are ransomed from the grave; Life eternal they shall have.

With them numbered may we be Here and in eternity.

They are lights upon the earth, Children of a heav'nly birth.

One with God, with Jesus one, Glory is in them begun.

With them numbered may we be Here and in eternity. (CW1993 394:1,3) In this section you have seen the importance of living out the righteousness that has been credited to you in Christ. What are some of the struggles you have with living a righteous life? You may write these down below, or keep them to yourself.

Life with God Throughout the week: Read Romans 6 several times in your personal devotions. Think about the reasons Paul gives for living a God-pleasing life.

Read 1 John 3:11-24 in preparation for the next lesson.