PT-3 "Introduction to 1 John 2:12-14"

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/17/2024 8:04 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                    Focus: PT-3 “Introduction to 1 John 2:12-14”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                    Reference:  1 John 2:12-14           

 

            Message of the verses:  “12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

 

            I think it best for all those who read this if I continue to quote from John MacArthur’s commentaries on the introduction to these very important verses:  “In discussing spiritual growth, it is important to address several misconceptions that must be carefully avoided.  First, spiritual growth does not determine the believer’s standing in grace before God.  That issue is finally and completely settled when sinners trust in the atoning work of Jesus Christ and have His righteousness imputed to them (Rom. 3:21-26; 4:5-8; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Phil. 3:9; Col. 2:10; 1 Peter 2:24).”  Now if you have any doubts about whether or not you are a believer please go over these verses which will certainly help you.  “At the moment of conversion, Christ’s own sacrifice for sin is applied to the believing sinner and His own righteousness credited to the penitent so that God’s wrath is turned away, all sin is paid for and pardoned, and the believer is accepted by God in Christ Jesus.  The resultant standing is fixed and irrevocable, and it settles forever believers’ heavenly destiny.

 

            “Second, spiritual growth does not affect God’s love for believers.  He does not love the mature saints more than the less mature. (The reason for this is that His love is not based on the individual merit of any person [Rom. 5:8].)”  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  “The Lord Jesus Christ loves all the elect perfectly.  Even on the night before the crucifixion, the apostles demonstrated immaturity and pride (they were arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom [Luke 22:24; cf. Matt. 20:24; Mark 9:34), being insensitive to their Lord who was already in the looming shadow of the cross.  Still, John writes that in their worst behavior, the Lord continued to love them ‘to the end,’ that is, to perfection, or to the maximum of His love (John 13:1).

 

            Third, spiritual growth is not measured by the calendar (cf. Heb. 5:11-14).  People who have been believers for many years are often less mature than others who have been believers for a much shorter time.  This may be the result of inadequate study or instruction in the Word (cf. Eph. 4:11-15), or fleshly disobedience and unfaithful application of sound teaching (1 Cor. 3:1-3).

 

            “Fourth, spiritual growth is unrelated to the amount of theological information believers know.  Some Christians have an adequate or even exceptional amount of biblical knowledge, and yet are shockingly immature spiritually.  That is a dangerous position to be in, because the more biblical information one receives but does not apply, the more deceived he becomes about his spiritual condition (cf. Rom. 2:17-29; Heb. 5:12-14).  The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay.  Constant disobedience produces indifference and a subdued conscience, stunting spiritual growth.

 

            “Fifth, spiritual growth has nothing to do with outwardly successful ministry activity.  Some of the busiest people in the church are unskilled in the truth and immature in the wisdom that comes from above (James 3:17-18).  Even p;rominent spiritual leaders can display and appalling lack of biblical wisdom.  Great temporal success, a high level of influence, heading a large organization, or generating must financial support is not an indicator of genuine spiritual maturity.  In fact, sometimes the opposite is true.  For Pau, weakness, suffering, persecution, and poverty (2 Cor. 6:3-10; 11:23-33; 12:9-10; Phil. 4:11-13; cf. 1 Tim. 6:6-10) were the true signs of his maturity in the Lord.”

 

            There is a little bit left in this introduction, but I will leave it to our next SD.

 

10/17/2024 8:33 PM

 

PT-1 "The Propagation" (Matt. 28:15)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/17/2024 8:14 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                         Focus:  PT-1 “The Propagation”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                    Reference:  Matthew 28:15

 

            Message of the verse:  “15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.”

 

            Perhaps the first part of this verse should have said “They took the money with joy.”  I think that these soldiers took the money and were overjoyed for their fortune, probably thinking a bit earlier that their lives hung in the balance and now they were paid to keep their mouth shut about the truth and propagate the lie that is still going on today.  Matthew did not write this gospel record until around 68 A. D. so that story about the missing body of Jesus was still going on then, and as mentioned people still believe it today.  The question is why do they believe this story?  Well I think that the answer is that it is easier to not believe in a resurrected Messiah than to believe in One who was raised from the dead.  I think it is kind of like evolution as opposed to believing the truth that God created the earth in seven days and by the way “He created the stars too,” which to me is kind of an afterthought, like it was no big deal for God to do that.  If one believes the lies of Jesus not being raised from the dead and our universe is just some kind of a cosmetic accident life seems easier, but life will not end easier for those who believe those lies that come right out of the pit of hell, brought about by Satan.

 

            Matthew then continues by writing that this “story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.”  I mentioned that this was some 30+ years later when he wrote this. 

 

            MacArthur writes “The Sanhedrin’s lie was still common among the Jews of the second century.  The church Father Justin Martyr wrote in chapter 103 of his Dialogue With Trypho, ‘You [Jewish leaders] have sent chosen and ordained men throughout all the world to proclaim that the godless and lawless heresy had sprung from one Jesus, a Galilean deceiver, whom we crucified, but his disciples stole him by night from the tomb…and now deceived men by asserting that he has risen from the dead and ascended into heaven’ (The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans 1973] , p. 253).  That same falsehood can be heard even today.”

 

            I will have to warn you, those who are reading this and the following SD that I will quote much from MacArthur’s commentary on this subject, and I do believe that this subject of the resurrection and the false stories told about it are good to read about it, for as mentioned earlier it is easier to believe a lie than the truth, especially when believing the truth cost you much.

 

            MacArthur then begins his commentary as he has first of all commented on Matthew 28:15, and then goes on to write:  “But as wicked and self-serving as the Sanhedrin’s plan was, it fit perfectly into God’s much greater and sovereign plan.  God did not want unbelievers to proclaim the true gospel, even had they wanted to.  The Lord would not send out messengers to preach the resurrection who did not believe in the One who was raised.  In His eternal wisdom God permitted those guardians of the grave, who could have spread the factual, historic truth of the resurrection, to become victimized by the corrupt Jewish leaders.  The resurrection of the Son of God would be proclaimed only by those whose hearts were committed to the risen Savior and Lord.” 

 

            It was yesterday afternoon while getting a treatment to make my heart stronger that I lie there listening to a sermon by John MacArthur on this subject, and I don’t think that I heard his logic which I just quoted above before, but it all makes sense to me then and now.  With that thought I will close this SD and Lord willing, continue to quote from MacArthur’s commentary in my next SD.  Just think about what is highlighted above.

 

10/17/2024 8:43 AM

PT-2 "Intro to 1 John 2:12-14"

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/16/2024 9:28 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                    Focus: PT-2 “Introduction to 1 John 2:12-14”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                    Reference:  1 John 2:12-14           

 

            Message of the verses:  “12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

 

            I have been talking about physical growth and spiritual growth and like physical growth, spiritual growth ultimately depends on God’s power, but it also requires the element of human responsibility.  This is the part that has been difficult for me to understand ever since I became a believer many, many years ago and it is my hope that my study of these verses will help me to better understand the things that I am to do in order to continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ.  MacArthur writes that “All spiritual calls to obedience make that obvious.  In fact, the New Testament repeatedly echoes the call for Christians to ‘work out your salvation with fear and trembling’ (Phil. 1:12).  Peter commanded believers to ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 3:18a), while Paul exhorted them to ‘be imitators of God, as beloved children (Eph.  5:1). Paul also set forth spiritual growth’s ultimate goal:

 

‘Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14; cf. Rom. 8:29).”  “29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29).

 

“He understood that ‘the goal for the prize of the upward call of God’ is to become like ‘Christ Jesus’ (cf. Phil. 2:5; 3:10).  The apostle John reiterated that same truth when he wrote, ‘The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked’ (1 John 2:6).  As those who love the Lord, believers are to continually pursue holiness ‘like the Holy One who called [them]’ (1 Peter 1:15).  Thankfully, God has provided His church wit gifted men to help believers as they grow in that pursuit” 

 

11  And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12  for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.  (Eph. 4:11-13; cf. vv.  15-16; 3:16-20; Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal.  4:19; 1 Peter 2:2).

 

“Every biblical command toward sanctification assumes the necessary obedience of the ones commanded.  That makes it clear that believers have a duty to faithfully and obediently use the means of grace to grow to maturity.”

 

Lord willing more tomorrow from this introduction to these very important verses.

 

10/16/2024 9:39 PM

 

PT-4 "The Plot" (Matt. 28:11-14)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/16/2024 8:06 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                                      Focus:  PT-4 “The Plot”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                              Reference:  Matthew 28:11-14

 

            Message of the verses:  “11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, "You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep’ 14 "and if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble."

 

            I begin this SD with the first part of verse 12 “And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, and they did this as to how they might best obstruct the spreading of the news the soldiers had brought.  MacArthur adds “Counseled together was a formal phrase used of official decisions (see Matt. 12:14; 22:15; 27:1, 7), and at this meeting the Sanhedrin decided on a three-point resolution:  to bribe the soldiers, to spread a lie about the body, and to protect the soldiers from possible reprisal by Pilate.”  I think that in other words they are covering up the resurrection of Jesus Christ by spreading lies.  If you can’t stand the truth because it gets in your way of ruling then you lie. 

 

            Now as far as how much money a large sum of money is we really don’t know as it is not specified, but because there were possibly a dozen guards to be bribed and the Sanhedrin was desperate, it probably was a considerable sum.  MacArthur explains “Agurion (money) literally means silver, and is the same word used in Matthew 26:15 for the bribe given to Judas to betray Jesus.  Because they had so much at stake, the Sanhedrin did not hesitate to pay a high price for the lie to be spread.”

 

            Now I want to move into the second part of the resolution and that was a plan to disseminate the falsehood as widely as possible.  Because the soldiers were at the tomb and had their own reasons for spreading the lie, they were the obvious candidates for the job.  Now the soldiers were instructed to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.”  This verse has always caused me to wonder how they knew that happened while they were asleep.  MacArthur writes “Both the guards and the Sanhedrin knew full well that was not true, otherwise they would not have had to devise such a false and preposterous story.  The purpose of the lie was to hide the truth.”  (Kind of sounds like politics to me.)

 

            So what we see here is that it was the soldiers who became the first persons to preach that antigospel falsehood, and I have to say they were certainly not the last to do this.  The soldiers, as explained by MacArthur “were pagan, materialistic, self-indulgent, and hardened to every sort of evil.  Telling what to them was a trivial and insignificant lie was a small price to gain the Sanhedrin’s favor and protection.”

 

            Now we move to the third part of the Sanhedrin’s resolution that was offered protection to the soldiers.  “if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble."  In an earlier SD I talked about what would have probably happened if Pilate found out these soldiers were asleep, which was they probably would have been executed for sleeping on the job, so getting money from the Sanhedrin and keeping the news away from Pilate was a win, win for them.

 

            MacArthur concludes:  “By threatening to make an unfavorable report to Caesar, the Jewish religious leaders had usually managed to have their way with Pilate.  They knew he would not risk trouble with Caesar over the disposition of a Jewish corpse.  If the Sanhedrin came to the soldiers defense, the governor probably would give them no more than a reprimand.

 

            “By that resolution the Jewish leaders willfully rejected Christ, despite the evidence, and that spiritual obstinacy gave testimony to the apostasy of Israel’s leaders.” 

 

            That was then and this is now as many in Israel are coming to realize that their Messiah has already come and His name is Yeshua .

 

10/16/2024 8:35 AM

 

 

PT-1 "Intro to 1 John 2:12-14"

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/15/2024 9:28 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                    Focus: PT-1 “Introduction to 1 John 2:12-14”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                    Reference:  1 John 2:12-14           

 

            Message of the verses:  “12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

 

            John MacArthur entitles the seventh chapter of his commentary on 1 John 2:12-14 “The Stages of Spiritual Growth.”  As I look at the title of this section I think that I can say that I finally have a good idea of what these verses are saying, and that does make me happy.

 

            Growth is one essence of life, and this is true in both the physical realm and in the spiritual realm.  Let us look for a moment about physical growth and begin with living seeds that grow to mature plants and then infants grow into mature adults, as this is the way that God planned things when He created planet earth.  The truth is that new Christians are supposed to grow into Christlikeness, that is also the plan of God.  MacArthur writes “When growth is hindered in the physical realm, either by malnutrition, disease, or birth defects, the results can be tragic.  But it is an even greater tragedy when believers fail to grow and mature spiritually.  After all, immature Christians cannot fully appreciate all the blessings and privileges that God has reserved for them, nor serve Him with the usefulness He desires (John 15:4-5; 17:21; Rom. 5:2; 8:28, 34; 9:23; 2 Cor. 4:15-17;Eph. 2:19; 3:12; Phil. 4:7; Heb. 7:25; James 1:17; 2 Peter 1:4; cf. Pss. 18:2; 27:1; 46:14; Isa. 40:11).”

 

            The highlighted section gives the reason for looking at these verses and so with excluding the verses from Psalms I wish to quote all of these New Testament verses.

 

“4 “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. 5 “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).

 

“21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (Jn. 17:21).

 

“2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2).

 

“28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us” (Rom. 8:28,34).

 

“23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,” (Rom. 9:23).

 

“15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,” (2 Cor. 4:15-17).

 

“19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,” (Eph. 2:19).

 

“12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us”(Eph. 3:12, 20).

 

“7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus: (Phil. 4:7).

 

“25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).

 

“17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17).

 

 “4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2 Pet. 1:4).

 

            Please take the time to read over these verses.

 

10/15/2024 10:03 PM

 

PT-3 "The Plot" (Matt. 28:11-14)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/15/2024 8:26 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                                      Focus:  PT-3 “The Plot”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                              Reference:  Matthew 28:11-14

 

            Message of the verses:  “11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, "You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep’ 14 "and if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble."

 

            I want you to think about something that to me is significant and that is that the Jewish leaders have been trying to get rid of Jesus ever since He was born in that cave in Bethlehem, I think 33 years before they were having Him crucified.  They even killed many babies in Bethlehem that were two years old or younger, that is young boys.  You see the Magi who came to give gifts to Jesus didn’t come until sometime after Jesus was born and so in order to try and make sure that the Messiah would be killed they killed all those boys two years and older.  Of course they failed in their effort.  Now think about what is happening after Jesus was crucified, arose and then went into heaven in order to intercede for His church, and that is because Jesus is not here now that for the last two thousand years the devil has instigated the killing of many of Jesus’ true followers, so the beat goes on so to speak.  This will continue to happen until the end of the church age when the rapture of the church will take place.  After that the tribulation period will begin and the Antichrist will arise and after three and a half years he will begin to kill the Jews whom he had made a pack with and also begin to kill all the new believers who are now populating around the world as they will be brought to a saving knowledge of Christ through, first of all the 144,000 Jewish evangelists.  Then those they bring to Christ will continue to witness of what is going on and what will happen as they too will lead many to Christ.  I have read that during this time on planet earth that more people will come to Christ than any other time period, and this lasts only seven years.  I suppose it is also true that during those last three and a half years that move believers will die for the cause of Christ than any other time period.  Ok I have rambled on and need to get back to writing about these verses in Matthew’s gospel and the subject of “The Plot.”

 

            Next I write about how these Jewish religious leaders “had accused Jesus of working miracles in the power of Satan, of being an associated of sinners, of breaking God’s law by healing on the Sabbath, and of blasphemy for claiming to be the Messiah and God’s Son.  They perverted both biblical and rabbinical justice in order to convict Him, employed blackmail to get Him crucified, used armed force to try to keep His body in the grave, and now engaged in bribery to hide the truth of His resurrection” writes John MacArthur.

 

            MacArthur goes on “The soldiers’ news brought alarm, fear, and confusion to the religious leaders, but it did not bring repentance or faith.  They were without excuse.  They were informed about the resurrection and did not try to deny it.  Their only concern was to keep that news from their fellow Jews, fearing tat many would accept Him as the Messiah and that their own influence, power, and wealth would be severely diminished.”  All of this will come true a little over 35 years from now as the Romans will destroy the city  of Jerusalem, burn down the Temple and kill many, many Jews and send them off into exile where they roamed from country to country for almost two thousand years, that is until the fulfillment of prophecy as Israel became a nation on May 5, 1948 and they have had to struggle to defend their nation, and still are to this day.  That is why I pray for the people of Israel to defeat the Satanic backed enemies that surround them, and pray that they would understand that their Messiah came almost two thousand years ago in order to die for their sins, and not only theirs but for all who will accept that forgiveness.

 

            I think that I will end this SD now and will try and complete it in tomorrow’s SD, Lord willing.  This is a very important chapter in Matthew, and when one combines it with the ends of the other gospel writings a view of what happened after Jesus arose from the grace can be seen in its entirety, that is until He was taken up into heaven just before His Church began as seen in the first chapter of Acts and following.

 

10/15/2024 8:51 AM 

 

PT-2 "Love As A Way of Life" (1 John 2:9-11)

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/14/2024 10:19 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                             Focus:  PT-2 “Love As A Way of Life”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                      Reference:  1 John 2:9-11                       

            Message of the verses:  “9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

 

            I want to conclude this section this evening on this important subject about love by looking at how John emphatically reiterates that anyone who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks [follows a normal course of live] in the darkness.  John is saying that such people do not know where they are going.  Let us look now at John 12:35 “So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.”  Now the reason that they do not know where they are going is because the darkness has blinded their eyes.  These are like those who are completely blind and actually grope around to determine where they are (cf. Gen. 19:11; Acts 13:11-12).  Let us look now at those verses.  “They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway.”  These were the men who came to Lot’s house to have immoral relations with what they thought were mere men but were actually angles as they had the power to cause these men to be blind, but something worse was about to happen to them the next day when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. “11 “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord” (Acts 13:11-12).  MacArthur concludes “Such loveless people are clearly outside the kingdom of Light (cf. Matt. 5:21-22; 1 John 3:15) and void of spiritual life.  John described such claimants earlier as liars:  ‘5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.’

 

            “Unconverted sinners, devoid of love and living in spiritual darkness, cannot possibly fulfill Jesus’ well-known love command (see again John 13:34-35), which He originally gave to the apostles in the upper room.  Neither can they express the kind og sacrificial love Jesus showed when He washed the apostles’ feet (John 13:3-15), nor what He referred to later that evening when He declared, ‘Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends’ (John 15:13; cf. 1 John 3:16).

 

            “on the other hand, obedience to that commandment is a valid test for each believer’s genuineness.  Such obedience provides a distinct contrast to those who are without love and persist in walking in darkness.  Believers who manifest the new kind of love first taught by Jesus and reiterated by John truly obey the Lord’s command in the Sermon on the Mount, ‘Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven’ (Matt. 5:16; cf. Eph 5:8; Phil. 2:15; 1 Peter 2:9).”

 

            Now with that quote we end this sixth chapter in John MacArthur’s commentary on the book of 1 John and look forward to beginning the 7^th chapter titled “The Stages of Spiritual Growth” which cover 1 John 2:12-14). 

 

10/14/2024 10:39 PM