The question everyone asks and answers either consciously or subconsciously is this: "What is the purpose of my life?" Is it to marry and have children? Or to obtain power? Or to devote myself to education? Or to acquire money? Or to obtain possessions? Or to seek personal pleasure? Or to develop status/influence? Or to endure my situation? Or to change my circumstances? Or to provide my children opportunities I never had?
This same writer wrote in his gospel a statement from Jesus: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). The context of this statement is that of a shepherd and his sheep. Jesus drew a distinct contrast between himself and others who claimed to be God's Messiah in this way: "The others only care about what is best for them; I care about what is best for my sheep. In me, those who follow have life, and they have it to the fullest." Often, when sheep followed the best shepherd, it was necessary for the shepherd to lead the sheep through some of the wilderness' most desolate places to reach lush grazing and still pools. In those times, the sheep must never lose confidence that their shepherd has their best interests at heart.
The context of John's writing (1 John) should be significant to us. Seemly, there were those who affirmed that one had only to love God to belong to God (believing in Jesus Christ was unnecessary), and those who affirmed obedience had nothing to do with belonging to God. Thus, some said that following God had nothing to do with placing confidence in Jesus Christ (you could love God without committing to Jesus Christ). Others said belonging to God had nothing to do with obedience (as long as you acknowledged Him, you did not have to obey Him). There are still those who wish to reduce Christianity to a feeling or an acknowledgment. There are still people who prefer to see Christianity as a convenience rather than a commitment.
The text of the lesson began by emphasizing two basic facts about spiritual birth: (a) when spiritual birth takes place, the person believes Jesus is the Christ, and (b) when spiritual birth takes place, the one born to God loves others who are also born to God. John did not write "all inclusively" in 1 John, but he addressed the problems confronting the original recipients of his letter. For examples, Jesus spoke of the futility of those who only cried, "Lord, Lord" (Matthew 7:22) and of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24-27). No one was more meticulous and technically precise in their obedience than were the Pharisees--even when they did wrong things, they had to do them in "the right way."
John stressed two examples. (a) If you love the parent, you love the child of the parent. Thus, if you love God, you love the person born into God's family. (b) Loving God and practicing God's teachings will result in loving people who belong to God. Nothing about loving and obeying God will result in rejecting those who love and obey God.
Obeying God is not humanly impossible. Jesus said (in comparison to first century Jewish traditions, regulations, and requirements) "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). Christian opposition came from "the world." "The world" is the last domain of Satan. John spoke of those who committed to Satan's leadership in rejection of God and Jesus Christ as "the world." Those in Christ were assured of personal victory over the anti-God forces that confronted them. The force that overcame the anti-God forces they confronted was faith in Jesus Christ, not power as pursued by the anti-God forces.
God's forgiveness, even in the Old Testament, involved a cleansing (read Leviticus 16). Cleansing commonly involved water and blood--often a washing and sacrificial blood. In John's emphasis, a cleansing was also involved. There was water involved and the sacrificial blood of Jesus.
What were the witnesses of this cleansing? First, the witnesses were from God, not from humans. The witnesses of the Christian cleansing included the ancient elements of cleansing--water and sacrificial blood. Additionally, the witnesses also included God's Spirit.
God declared Jesus to be His son (John 1:29-34; Matthew 3:13-17). His son was (is) adequate for human cleansing--Jesus' death is the source of water and blood (John 19:34). Faith in God's son is faith in what God did in Jesus to cleanse us. To the person who trusts what God did in Jesus, the reward is life.
Possessing the life that God gave involves having Jesus (being in Christ). Apart from Jesus, there is no life. The eternal life God promised in His son does not exist without faith in God's son as the gift the Lord God gave humanity, as God's promised Messiah or Christ.
For Thought and Discussion
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 7