1 John 2:12-29 | Sober Living For The Last Days

1 John 2:12-29 | Sober Living For The Last Days

I John 2:12-29
Sober Living for The Last Days

I. Introduction

  1. He writes to affirm their faith experience.
  2. He writes to warn of the world’s deception.
  3. He writes to warn of the antichrist’s lies.
  4. He writes to ready them for the Lord’s return.

II. vv. 12-14 Three certain Christian experiences.

12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is 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 wicked one.[1]

  1. It was important for John to draw on experiences with God that would assure readers that they were in the faith.
    1. These are basic experiences that John felt confident they would identify with as true believers.
    2. If these experiences rang true in their hearts, they would feel assured that they were indeed on the right path and would not need to venture elsewhere.
    3. Some believe these represent stages of spiritual growth.
    4. These are experiences all believers should have and know, regardless of how many years they’ve been walking with the Lord.
  2. It is noteworthy that in each of these descriptions, John uses a perfect verb.
    1. v. 12 Sins are FORGIVEN.
    2. v. 13a KNOWN Him from the beginning.
    3. v. 13b OVERCOME the wicked one.
    4. v. 13c KNOWN the Father.
    5. v. 14a KNOWN Him from the beginning.
    6. v. 14b OVERCOME the wicked one.
    7. Your experience of being forgiven, knowing, or overcoming is still having an impact on your life today.
    8. You are living in a state of being forgiven, knowing, and overcoming.
  3. Forgiveness of sin
    1. This is where it all begins for the believer, having our sins forgiven.
      1. The message we proclaim is forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus.
    2. Happy is the man whose sins are forgiven.

      Psalm 32:1–2 (NLT) 1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
      1. Nothing compares to the knowledge that you are accepted by God and free from the guilt and penalty of your sin.
      2. Imagine what life would be like to know you are guilty in sin, awaiting hell as a penalty, and you couldn’t do anything to change it.
      3. Then one day, you get the news that there is a way.
      4. We need to know that our sins are forgiven.
        1. So, we understand that we have a basis for approaching God (Heb 10:11-19).
        2. So, the enemy can’t condemn us (Rom 8:1).
    3. Although this truth is foundational, it is often forgotten in the face of failure.
      1. Satan loves to condemn us.
    4. For His name’s sake
      1. We are not forgiven because of our good name, but the Lord’s.
  4. Knowledge of Him
    1. John states that the father and children have known God.
      1. Fathers – You have known Him from the beginning.
      2. Children – Because you know the Father.
    2. John states that whether you are a babe in Christ or a mature believer, the same relational experiences are known to all.
    3. John doesn’t relate this experience to the young men.
      1. This does not mean they haven’t known Him.
      2. If the youngest and the oldest have known the Father, then logic would lead us to the conclusion that all believers know God.
    4. Knowing the Lord is listed in Scripture is among the greatest benefits.

      Philippians 3:8 (NLT) Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

      Jeremiah 9:23–24 (NLT) 23 This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. 24 But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!
  5. Strength to live the Christian life.
    1. Not “they will” but “they have” and “continue to experience” this strength.
    2. We are told how they have overcome the evil one. By abiding in the Word of God.
      1. The Word makes us wise to the devices of Satan.
      2. The Word makes us warriors with weapons.
      3. The Word makes us willing to follow the Lord and deny the enemy.
    3. Victory is found by abiding in the Word of God!
      1. Reading
      2. Studying
      3. Meditating
      4. Obeying

III. vv. 15-17 Love God, not this world.

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

  1. v. 15 John returns to the clear teachings that one cannot be living for the pleasure of God and self at the same time.
    1. Love for God will exclude a love for this present worldly system.
  2. v. 16 The world defined:
    1. Lust of the flesh – pleasure
    2. Lust of the eyes – possessions
    3. Pride of life – position
    4. Every temptation Satan throws at us will appeal to one or more of these three points.
      1. Lust of the flesh. Jesus was tempted to satisfy his desires for food.

        Matthew 4:1-4 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'”

      2. Pride of life. Jesus was tempted to make a public display of power to show His unique position.

        Matthew 4:5-7 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ “

      3. Lust of the eyes. Jesus was tempted to sin to gain the wealth and power of the world.

        Matthew 4:8-10 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ “
  3. v. 17 The world is passing away.
    1. Don’t invest your life into a system that is failing, but rather invest your life in that which is destined for eternal benefits.
    2. Living for the will of God promises the blessing of eternity.
    3. Knowing this truth, we should be clearly focused on what is important. We should be able to accurately value the position this worldly system should have in our lives.

IV. vv. 18-23 Deception in the last days.

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

  1. v. 18 The coming antichrist.
    1. This is a person who is coming on the scene that the world will follow as they should follow Christ.
    2. We will discuss this more fully in the book of Revelation.
    3. The danger of deception is not just in the future.
    4. The church must always be vigilant for those who depart from the Scriptures.
  2. v. 19 Believers endure.
    1. John notes that those who used to fellowship with them and have left their ranks were never really a part of them to begin with.
    2. Divisions serve the purpose of finding out who is really of the faith.

      1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.

    3. Endurance in the faith is what believers will be marked by.
  3. vv. 20-21 Instructed by the Holy Spirit.
    1. The true believer is taught and instructed in truth by the Holy Spirit.
    2. The true believer does not need to worry about deception because they have the Spirit of God dwelling in them, guiding and directing them.
    3. The false teachers seem to have claimed they had special insight and knowledge.
    4. John encourages the believers that the Spirit of Truth has revealed knowledge to them.
    5. Anyone who claims to have special access to knowledge that every other believer does not have should be rejected.
  4. vv. 22-23 Denial of Jesus’ deity.
    1. Deception surrounding the identity and nature of Jesus.
    2. As we noted in our earlier studies, these false teachers denied that Jesus was fully God.
    3. They did not believe Jesus was born as the Christ.
    4. Throughout history, many groups have taught that Jesus is not fully God.
      1. Arius (4th-century false teacher condemned in AD 318, 321, and 325)
      2. Mormons
      3. Jehovah’s Witnesses
    5. Biblical view of the nature of the Son
      1. John 1:1–3, John 5:16–23, John 20:28
      2. John 1:1-3 The Word of God was with God and was God

        1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

      3. John 5:16-23 Jesus is equal with God and should be honored even as the Father is honored.

        16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” 18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

      4. John 20:28 Thomas sees Jesus risen from the dead and declares Him to be Lord and God

        28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
    6. The Trinity is the biblical teaching that reveals that God exists in a three-in-one relationship.
      1. The word “trinity” is not used, but it is a word that accurately captures what Scripture teaches.
      2. We believe that there is only one true God; we are monotheists.
      3. We also believe that God has revealed Himself to us as three distinct persons.
      4. We believe the Son is God, the Father is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.
      5. We do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit or that the Father is the Son.
      6. Each person of the Trinity is as much God as the next, for they are each God.
        1. They share the same essence (deity) but have different functions.
        2. However, we should be careful not to divide their functions too strongly, for Scripture often speaks of them having overlapping ministries.
  5. To deny that Jesus is fully God is to deny the Father.
    1. In other words, it is imperative to hold to a right view of Christ.
    2. Beware of any teacher who does not clearly and emphatically teach that Jesus is fully man and fully God.

V. vv. 24-27 Abide in the truth.

24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

  1. v. 24 Truth that was from the beginning.
    1. Don’t be led astray by new ideas.
  2. v. 25 Biblical truth alone gives eternal life.
  3. vv. 26-27 Truth taught by the Holy Spirit is important, not new ideas outside of Scripture.

VI. vv. 28-29 Be ready for Jesus’ appearing.

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

  1. After writing an assuring word of encouragement, John then exhorts them to stand fast, for we will all stand before Jesus at His coming.
  2. We should live in righteousness, for when the righteous one arrives, we will not be ashamed.

VII. Conclusion

  1. He writes to affirm their faith experience.
  2. He writes to warn of the world’s deception.
  3. He writes to warn of the antichrist’s lies.
  4. He writes to ready them for the Lord’s return.

[1] All Scripture quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

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