In the Apostle John’s first epistle we find him explaining to salvation seekers the spiritual connection between the one-time act of God known as JUSTIFICATION and the continuous acts of those who have been justified that will enable them to remain IN CHRIST on a continuous basis for the remainder of their lives. The second part is often referred to by New Testament writers as the justified believer’s “walk.” The Apostle Paul called it the believer’s “race” which must be “run” according to the rules established by the Lord of the race–Almighty God. Paul emphasizes that many people “run the race,” but only those who run according to the rules win. As he and his fellow apostles noted time and again, simply going through the motions dictated by church doctrine means nothing. ONE MUST OBEY GOD’S RACE RULES. The church’s race and race rules are dictated by Satan because it is his race and his rules. Fortunately, true saints have an example to follow in our quest for eternal life. His name is Jesus Who, while on earth, was a man like all other men. He not only showed us how to obey God, He left us a written document that lays out the process in written form. It is called the Holy Bible. God’s rules are called the Law.

What we must realize is that Jesus of Nazareth also had to “walk the walk” and to do so according to God’s rules. Like all true believers, Jesus had to overcome Satan’s temptations to break God’s rules, to take short-cuts, to ignore those parts that we do not agree with and to replace them with our own versions. Most salvation seekers have followed Satan’s suggestions. Their various versions are called “church doctrine.” Understand this, had Jesus failed even one time He would have disqualified Himself from being mankind’s Savior. Fortunately for us, He never failed. And if that was not enough, He died a most horrible death in order to provide JUSTIFICATION for us so that we can “walk the walk” and thereby attain eternal life upon His return to earth to establish His Father’s kingdom where He and His saints will live and reign (rule) the earth and the universe forever. Read about these truths relative to the Kingdom of God and the saint’s future rule of the entire universe using the key words–Kingdom and Caretakers. Note that Jesus said in Revelation 3:21 that only those who overcome Satan as He did will join Him on His throne in the Kingdom of God. Read Jesus of Nazareth: God, Man or God-man. Key word–God-man. We will now turn to John’s epistle and begin this study that is so vital to the life of God’s true saints. That life begins with JUSTIFICATION. Though I have written about this expression of God’s goodness (justification) in previous series, but for the sake of those who might not have read them I will briefly explain the Lord’s gracious act at this point.

Jesus suffered and died so that repentant sinners could be JUSTIFIED. Justification is defined as the removal of all of one’s PAST SINS by a singular act of God based solely on His grace (Rom. 3:25). Note that this act of grace does not automatically apply to any sin the justified believer might commit in the future. That is an entirely different issue. Read about Justification in the series titled “It Is Finished–What Was Finished?” Key word–Finished. That series will most likely shock most people. Simply stated, Jesus did not die for our salvation; He died so that we can be JUSTIFIED which provides the opportunity for salvation for those who walk as did Jesus of Nazareth. Justification, make possible by Christ’s death, is the BEGINNING of the salvation process, not the end as we are led to believe. “It Is Finished” is a must read for those who seek Biblical Truth about what Christ accomplished on the cross. His death did not save us; His death opened the door for us to walk the walk that will lead us to salvation. “THE WALK” is the way of the GOSPEL. In Mark 1:14 and 15 Jesus tells us to repent (of sin–breaking the Law–1 Jn. 3:4) and prepare for entrance into the Kingdom of God by believing and obeying the Gospel. Read The Message of the Cross. Key word–Message. Now on to First John chapter one.

In the first five verses of chapter one John reminds us of the person called Jesus of Nazareth who manifested “the life” which we must live (the walk we must walk) in order to qualify for eternal life. In verse five John states that the overriding message that the apostles proclaimed was that “God is LIGHT (RIGHTEOUSNESS) and IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS (SIN) AT ALL.” We learn immediately that our goal is to be IN GOD, which also means being IN CHRIST, and that being IN THEM means that we can have NO DARKNESS (SIN) IN US AT ALL. If we sin and are in Christ, then there is sin in Christ. So-called “sinners saved by grace” are in Christ. Jesus is our standard after Whom we must pattern our lives in order to join Him in the Kingdom of God (not heaven). Read about the heaven hoax using the key word–Heaven.

In verses seven through ten John writes about justification, noting that in order to walk in God’s light we must first be cleansed of all of our past sins (darkness). This refers to singular act of God whereby all of our past sins are forgiven and forgotten. In the eyes of God, following justification, those sins never took place. This act of grace on the part of Father and Son renders the justified one RIGHTEOUS (SINLESS). All who would enter paradise must be justified and must maintain in their justified (righteous) condition until the end of life in order to join Jesus upon His return to earth. All have sinned and must be cleansed (justified) by the grace of the Godhead (Father and Son). Not only that, but they must maintain their justified status, This is possible only by the power of the Holy Spirit which is given upon receiving justification. Not having been justified and therefore not having the Holy Spirit, church people are low-hanging fruit for the devil. As I point out in the “finished” series, one must confess and repent of one’s past sins in order to receive justification. Church people reject God’s definition of sin (the breaking of His Law). Therefore they do not repent of doing so and therefore cannot be forgiven.

In chapter two John explains why he is writing the letter. In verse one he declares that God’s saints MUST NOT SIN. This slaps down the belief that man has no choice but in the matter due to Adam’s sin which he supposedly transferred to all of his descendants. Read about the origin of this Satanic lie in the series titled Adam’s History-changing Miracle using the key word–Adam’s. John reminds us that IF a justified believer happens to sin, he has an Advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ who, as a man, had to fight and defeat Satan just as we do. Fortunately, following justification we have the same source of help that He had as a man–God’s Holy Spirit. In that the Holy Spirit is greater than Satan, the justified believer has no excuse for his/her sin. Read Sin Is A Choice. Key Word–Choice.

In verse two Jesus is presented as the PROPITIATION FOR OUR PAST sins, meaning that He took them on Himself, even becoming sin on our behalf (Rom. 3:25). A vital element of justification involves our coming to KNOW JESUS on a personal level. All church people claim to know Him; but do they know Him on an intimate, brotherly level as did the apostles? There is a simple test that determines if one actually KNOWS Him, or only knows about Him. The difference between knowing Christ and knowing about Him is like the difference between being married to someone and merely being acquainted with that person. The test is found in verses three and four where it is written: “Now by this (test) we know that we KNOW Him–IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS (LAW). Notice John used the word “we,” meaning church people, including himself. John continues: “If we say we know Him and do not keep His commandments (including #4), we are liars and His Truth is not in us.”

In verses five and six we find one of the Bible’s most important passages. Here John states that whosoever keeps His WORD (LAW) has the LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED IN HIM. This is another sign that we are IN HIM (abide/live in Him). John then tells us that he who says that he ABIDES (LIVES) IN CHRIST MUST WALK (LIVE) EVEN AS HE WALKED. Returning to the love of God issue, Relative to the love of God and abiding in Him, Jesus made two statements that reveal a life and death issue in our relationship with the Lord. In his (John’s) Gospel chapter 14 versus 15,23,24) we find Jesus saying: “IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS/WORDS …. And (if you do) the Father will love you and We will come unto you and make our abode with you. He who does not love Me will not keep My Words (commandments–Law).” Jesus later delivers the statement that proves that obeying the Law is of utmost importance relative to our relationship with Father and Son. In John 15:10 He says: “IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS YOU WILL ABIDE IN MY LOVE, EVEN AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHER’S COMMANDMENTS AND (THEREFORE) ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.” The man Jesus had to do exactly what we must do in order to spend eternity with God. We must prove our love for Father and Son in order to spend eternity with Them. We prove our love for them by obeying Their Ten Law. If we do not obey the Law we are not in Them and are neither Christ’s brethren nor God’s children.

The lessons John has already taught us in this epistle alert us to the fact that the vast majority of professing Christens do not love Jesus, do not love God and do not believe Their Word. This is life and death information which I am commissioned to deliver to that which calls itself “the church.” Sadly, due to Satan’s powers of deception, such people believe that they are God’s true church. May they open their eyes to God’s Truth and realize that their spiritual condition is taking them ever farther away from the Lord. Paul prophesied that just before Christ returns there would come a “falling away” from the Lord (2 Thess. 2:3). In the Greek language “falling away” is called “apostasy.” One cannot “fall away” from where one has never been. Paul is referring to church people. Read about this on-going tragedy using the key word–Apostasy. L.J.