1, 2, 3 John

Introduction

When this book was written, John was probably the last remaining apostle who was still alive. John’s ministry was centered in Ephesus where he taught and oversaw the churches in Asia Minor. Gnosticism was beginning to seep into the churches and gain a foothold. As John was an eyewitness to Christ and knew that this heresy and all it stood for was full of lies, he sought to use his authority to encourage believers to stay true to the real faith and keep heresies in all forms out of the churches.

The apostle John is mentioned 30 times in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, and Galatians. John also features as a character in his own Gospel and throughout the book of Revelation, which is also traditionally attributed to him. Apart from Paul, John was probably the most prolific writer among the apostles. He left us a Gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelation.

John wrote this letter with two basic purposes in mind: (1) to expose false teachers (2:26) and (2) to give believers assurance of salvation (5:13). In keeping with his intention to combat Gnostic teachers, John specifically struck at their total lack of morality (3:8-10); and by giving eyewitness testimony to the incarnation, he sought to confirm his readers' belief in the incarnate Christ (1:3). Success in this would give the writer joy (1:4).

SESSION 1 - We need to talk about it and live it - 1 John 1:1-7

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1 John 1:1-7 (NLT)

Introduction

1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

Living in the Light

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

🔎 DIG-IN

John opens his first letter by reminding his readers that the apostles had seen and touched Jesus, in the flesh. The truth of the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the foundation of our faith, makes it impossible to relegate Jesus to simply one of many good teachers. John then reminds us that we must deal with sin in our lives: by admitting our sins, confessing them, and then walking in the light. We are challenged to confess our sins regularly not only to God but also to trusted brothers and sisters.

When we gather to worship, it is to talk about our wonderful God and his Son and the indescribable hope to which we have been invited. It is tempting sometimes when we get together to talk about the daily activities of life — our jobs, our families, our health, etc. While there is a place for these things, our time together should focus on our faith. We build up our faith by discussing the truth we share and the experiences that holding to the truth brings us. If we have seen the light, let us declare it to one another. We need that constant reinforcement.

Seeing the light also brings a special responsibility to declare it to the world. Paul understood this responsibility just as John did when he wrote in Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

The world has a saying, "if you talk the talk, you had better walk the walk." The light of truth is not merely an academic exercise. It is a paradigm of life. If it is not, then we are hypocrites and not acceptable to our righteous God. Yet, this is the case with some of the Lord’s people. We need only look at the criticism leveled at the Church of Laodicea in Revelation chapter three. They claimed to be of Christ but were blind and wretched. This is the essence of Christian in name only. John says we must "’walk in the light." We should examine ourselves daily to ensure that we are doing so. The tendency of the flesh is to move away from the light; so, we need daily course corrections. Walking in the light means we have fellowship and help from those other who are walking beside us.

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

A few years ago our congregation prayed around the clock. We created a prayer room, developed prayer requests, and invited all members of the congregation to sign up for an hour. All the 24 time slots were filled. My hour came in the middle of the night.

I had a powerful “aha” moment during my hour. It came as I read what those who had prayed in the room before me had written. On the blank spaces of the paper, people had recorded holy words. There were words of deep gratitude to God; words of peace, hope, and joy; and words of struggle with doubt, pain, and loss. It became clear that I was in the company of fellow believers. I was with other people who were with the Father and his Son.

This is the fellowship we read about in our text—a fellowship that God himself creates as He gathers people to faith through the proclamation of the gospel. It is fellowship we have with one another, whether we are in the same room or not. It is fellowship with others in God, and it makes our joy complete.

🔎 SIMILAR

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 10:25 Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

SESSION 2 - We Fail, Then What? 1 John 1:8-10 & 2:1-8

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1 John 1:8-10 (NLT)

Introduction

Living in the Light

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

A New Commandment

7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

1 John 2:1-8 (NLT)

1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

A New Commandment

🔎 DIG-IN

Seeing the Light, preaching the Light, and walking in the Light does not make us perfect. We still fall due to the inherited imperfection which attaches to all things human. We cannot help it. So, from a practical standpoint, what are we to do?

First, the Apostle tells us that we have a means to be cleansed from sin. The latter half of 1 John 1:7 says, "the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." God knew that we could not serve him sinlessly. We simply can’t! But he arranged a means to have us cleansed and covered from sin through the merit/blood of Jesus. This simply means we have to believe that our sins will be forgiven, and we can be accepted by God in Christ Jesus. When we recognize a sin, we pray for the Heavenly Father’s forgiveness through the merit of Christ’s sacrifice. Does that mean we should simply accept sin as a normal component of our lives? No! We must never accept the sin in us. We acknowledge it, but we wage daily war against it. We should see it as an abnormal part of our lives and never make a treaty with it. We should never sin willfully! But when we sin, we should take heart:

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." (1 John 2:1). This is the arrangement God has made for us, and by faith we apprehend it and are cleansed by it. But apart from the stumbling into sin caused by the fallen flesh, we are to strive diligently to be obedient to the commandments of God. Such obedience will bring joy and peace to us and cause us to know the love of God which is behind every commandment.

John identifies Jesus as both our “advocate with the Father” (2:1) and the “atoning sacrifice” (2:2). The title “advocate” points to the role Jesus undertakes to intercede on our behalf before the court of heaven. The title “atoning sacrifice” points to his becoming, by his sacrifice on the cross, the payment required to satisfy the damages caused by our sins and to quench the just wrath of God aroused by those sins. Our sins justly deserve God’s wrath, but Jesus’ sacrifice provided the payment to satisfy heaven’s justice. With God’s wrath satisfied, the sacrifice of Jesus restores favor with God.

Christians sometimes focus on the joy of forgiveness and neglect the other side of the gospel: renewal in holiness. John reminds us that the marvel of the gospel is that Jesus both forgives our sins and leads us into new holiness. He writes that the sum of God’s holy commands is love (2:7–11; compare Matt. 22:37–40; Gal. 5:14). To be restored to holiness is to be renewed to a life of love for God and for one another. Sin breaks relationships. The gospel cleanses us from sin and renews us in holy love.

John describes the church as the assembly of those who hear and believe the testimony of the apostles. He uses the term “fellowship” (four times!) to describe these assemblies rather than the normal term “church.”

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

Often, ministers have opportunities to talk with people who are struggling with a certain sin and who sometimes wonder whether there’s any hope of forgiveness. They feel guilty and condemned. Have you ever been in that position? If so, what do you do?

The answer the Bible gives is to rely on the blood of Jesus. When you’re guilty, you need someone to argue your case. You need someone who can help you win. That’s impossible for us to do on our own because the evidence of sin in our lives is damning.

But the Bible pictures Jesus as our defense attorney. Jesus speaks to God, the Judge, in our defense and pleads our case. What makes him qualified to do that? What guarantee is there that his defense will bring forgiveness and acquittal? The evidence he brings to God is not our sins, but his sacrifice. Jesus is the Righteous One who perfectly obeyed God for us. He became the atoning sacrifice for our sins; he died to cover them. And on that basis, the Father hears and pardons.

🔎 SIMILAR

John 13:34 – A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 20:30-31 – Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Romans 6:12-14 – Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 8:12-13 – Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
John 16:7 – But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
Zechariah 3:1 – Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.
Hebrews 4:14-16 – Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

SESSION 3 - Love of God means we will love each other - 1 John 2:9-17

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1 John 2:9-17 (NLT)

9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

12 I am writing to you who are God’s children
    because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith
    because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
    because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God’s children
    because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
    because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
    because you are strong.
God’s word lives in your hearts,
    and you have won your battle with the evil one.

Do Not Love This World

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

🔎 DIG-IN

It is a part of walking in the light. How do you love someone if you find your personalities clash and you are continually at odds? One way is to remember how much God loves that one! God sees in him and in you, and in every one who has ever walked the narrow way, a great potential to be used for the blessing of others. If we get past the traits of the other person’s flesh which annoy us or try us, and see what God sees, we will truly discover the power of love.

In this section John discusses the power of evil and the opposition of the Adversary. We often talk about the three enemies of the new creation: The World, The Flesh and the Devil. In the previous section John wrote about the difficulties of the flesh. Now he expands to include the World and the Devil, whom he calls "the wicked one" (verse 14).

We live in this age of sin and death. The influences of the world are all around us, constantly trying to get our attention and time. These influences can be very seductive and effective. That is no surprise considering the Adversary is the designer of many of these.

John’s poetic address in 2:12–14, he breaks down the experience of salvation into three parts. To the “children,” John speaks of the joy of forgiveness through Christ (v. 12) and of a new relationship with the Father (v. 13c). To the “young men,” John speaks of sanctification and victory over sin (vv. 13b, 14b). To the “fathers,” he writes about their communion with the same Lord who has been at work among his people “from the beginning” (vv. 13a, 14a). Notably, it is the believer’s right relationship with God that provides both the beginning foundation (v. 13c) and the mature reward (vv. 13a, 14a) of our salvation.

Judgment is not always bad. When a judge renders a verdict, that judgment brings punishment to the guilty, but it also brings reward to the vindicated. In the Bible, God’s judgment is something that the innocent and the oppressed long for but that the unrepentant wicked ought to dread. At the heart of the gospel is the Christian’s hope and longing for the final judgment, when those whose sins have been forgiven will enter their eternal inheritance and the sins of the world will be purged forever. In 1 John 2:15–17, John teaches us to view the world and its sins through these “gospel judgment” lenses.

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

What does it mean to "hunger and thirst for righteousness"? We had better understand what righteousness is. John Stott, a minister in the Church of England, gives a helpful definition, observing that righteousness in the Bible has three aspects: legal righteousness, social righteousness, and moral righteousness.

A citizen of the kingdom of God hungers for legal righteousness--that is, to be right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. A citizen of God's kingdom hungers for social righteousness, in which people together aim to do what is right for all, especially in showing care and compassion for hurting and disadvantaged people. A follower of Jesus also thirsts for moral righteousness, learning to live God's way and "to say No' to ungodliness" (Titus 2:12).

The people who first listened to Jesus were similar to us in many ways, with many of the same kinds of personal struggles and sorrows. Jesus has come to us all, saying that if we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we will be filled, or satisfied. We all know that when hunger is not satisfied, we starve. And when thirst is not quenched, we die.

So, we need to ask, how much do we want righteousness? Do we want it as much as a hungry or thirsty person wants food or water?

🔎 SIMILAR

John 15:12 – My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Matthew 22:36-40 – “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Verses on Light –

1 Thessalonians 5:5 – You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
John 1:5 – The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 3:19-21 – This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Verses on Darkness –

John 12:35 – Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.
Matthew 6:23 – But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Ephesians 5:11 – Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

SESSION 4 - A sad truth, some in our fellowship will reject the truth and leave. - 1 John 2:18-29

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1 John 2:18-29 (NLT)

Warning about Antichrists

18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. 19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

20 But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. 21 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. 22 And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. 23 Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

24 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. 25 And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.

26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

Living as Children of God

28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.

29 Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.

🔎 DIG-IN

It was true in John’s day and has been true during the entire Gospel Age. How do we apply this? By recognizing that there is the possibility to lose one’s faith, to go into darkness and deny the truth that saved us. This is sobering and should motivate us all the more to stay close to God, the truth, and our fellowship. In a herd of sheep, the wolves pick off those at the perimeter, those that start to stray from the safety of the fold. If we lose interest in being with other believers and lose hunger for things spiritual, then we are in danger. By contrast, retaining our first love will preserve and protect us from seducers.

John writes to a church that has recently experienced turmoil. False teachers who denied that Jesus is the Son of God had emerged within the congregation (vv. 22–23). They eventually left the church, leading others out with them (v. 19). John writes to affirm those who have remained faithful to Christ. What title does John give for the false teachers, and what does this title mean (vv. 18, 22)?

John alternates between the errors of the false teachers (vv. 18–19, 22–23) and his words of assurance to the faithful (vv. 20–21, 24–25). What are some of the marks of those whose teaching is not true? What are the sources of assurance John mentions concerning what is true about Jesus?

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

Years ago, without my knowledge, a young man was given a counterfeit 20 dollar bill. He didn’t realize it until a clerk eyed me suspiciously while I was paying with cash for something. Because it wasn’t the real thing, he had to prove my innocence. Thankfully, he wasn’t charged with a crime. But for a short time, I felt caught between the forces of truth and lies.

Two forces are at work in the world today: truth is working by the Holy Spirit, and evil is working by the energy of Satan, the devil, the father of lies. We feel this tension in our lives every day. Sadly, many Christians have one foot in the world and one foot in the life of faith. The Bible calls this lukewarm belief (Revelation 3:15-16).

We are living in days that involve a crisis of faith. The spirit of the antichrist is working in this world. It is vitally important to stand strong in the faith and to be able to recognize the lies and deceit of the evil one when they come our way. Having daily devotions and a consistent life of prayer is a beautiful way to carry out you're anointing.

This anointing, the Bible tells us, is given to us by God and remains in us. Take comfort in this truth. Satan cannot snatch us away from God’s claim on our lives.

🔎 SIMILAR

Revelation 13:3-18 – Read this whole passage for a description of the Antichrist in the tribulation.
Daniel 8:23-25 – In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.
Matthew 24:15 – So, when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand
Matthew 7:15-16 – Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Romans 16:17-18 – I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people.
John 7:24 –Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.
2 Timothy 2:12 – If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us
John 14:26 – But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 16:13 – But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
2 Timothy 3:13-15 – While evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

SESSION 5 - Giving yourself a Faith Exam - 1 John 3:1-10

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1 John 3:1-10 (NLT)

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.

7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

🔎 DIG-IN

All love is animated, but godly love is life-giving. Remember how alive you felt that first time you fell in love? Everything in the world was beautiful and wonderful to you! When we see the life-giving work that God is doing among the body of Christ and we love them because God loves them, we are really passing into the godly life. The comfort, consolation and healing that we experience among God’s people is what God intends life to really be. If you want to experience the joy in life that God has for you, then love the things God loves and love the people God loves. Considering the wonderful characters we see among the Lord’s people truly brings joy.

In case, anyone was unsure, John makes it clear in verse 10 that he is recording a test we can use to determine someone’s salvation. He is asking “what is a real Christian?”

The test is ones’ actions. It is the same thing as James taught about faith must show itself in action. How should we use this test? Primarily it is not for judging others. Jesus told us to take the log out of our own eye before we try to take the speck out of our brother’s eye. We should use this test to examine our own life to see where we fall short. Examine to see if our heart truly belongs to God. If we find that we are practicing sin, we must fall on our knees before God, repent, and STOP practicing sin.

We could title this whole section “give yourself a spiritual self-exam.” A lot of times when people go for checkups, the doctor will tell them they are unhealthy. They are overweight. They are not eating well. They are not exercising well. The patient says, “yeah, yeah, yeah.” Then on the way home he buys a couple of Monster burgers, an order of French fries, and a large soda. He arrives home, plops himself down on the couch and flips on the TV. He continues on enjoying the same lifestyle until he has a heart attack. I hope none of us will be like this patient.

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

"If you do something for me, I'll do something for you." Have you ever made a statement like that? If you have, you've offered a relationship based on conditions.

Relationships like that are common in life. If I want to buy a car, I have to offer enough money to get it. If I vote for you, I expect you to govern in a way that pleases me. In some families, even love has become conditional. Our world seems to be driven by conditional love.
The late Dutch writer Henri J. M. Nouwen describes the weakness of this kind of love. He wrote, "The world's love is and always will be conditional. As long as I keep looking for my true self in the world of conditional love, I will remain ‘hooked' to the world-trying, failing, and trying again. It‘s a world that fosters addictions because what it offers cannot satisfy the deepest craving of my heart."

Is there any relationship not based on conditions? The apostle John points us to the love that God lavishes on us. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"
God, the Father's love is not conditional. The Father's love is not stingy.
Jesus met the conditions of the Father for us. And we are children of God because God really loves us.

🔎 SIMILAR

Galatians 3:26 – So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.
Matthew 5:9 – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Romans 8:16-17 – The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
John 1:12 – Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Hebrews 12:3-11 – A father has authority to discipline his children.
Luke 11:9-13 – Parable of the good father.
John 15:18 – If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
1 Peter 4:3-5 – For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 – The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

SESSION 6 - Genuine Love for Fellow Believers - 1 John 3:11-24

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1 John 3:11-24 (NLT)

Love One Another

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

🔎 DIG-IN

Doing what is right generally is manifested in loving one another specifically. Genuine love for fellow believers is one of the identifying marks of God's children. This text depicts what loving one another is not (vv. 12-15), and then describes what loving one another is (vv. 16-18).

The opposite of loving one another is hatred, for which Cain is the prototype (see Gen. 4:1-25). The brewing jealousy in Cain's heart bloomed into murder. The author is not talking about “other people.” We are not off the hook of this exhortation. The readers of 1 John 3 are to reflect on the murderous thoughts and intents of their own hearts.

At first, verse 13 might seem misplaced, but Jesus' message to His disciples in the Upper Room clarifies the connection. Jesus' exhortation to love one another (John 15:9-17) is followed immediately by the lesson that the world will hate His followers (15:18-25). In order to face the inevitable hostilities and persecution of unbelievers, Jesus' followers must love one another.

Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on the cross is the prototype of loving one another and provides the absolute contrast to Cain. Hatred results in the death of others; love results in the death of self, the laying down of one's life (v. 16). Eternal life is not an infinite extension of life as we know it; it is new, resurrection life in Jesus. Our lives become newly defined by Christ and His love—we are not only reconciled to God, but also to one another (vv. 14-15).

Verses 17 and 18 apply the call to lay down our lives in very practical terms. We are invited to love generously, expending our resources to relieve the needs of others (cf. Deut. 15:7-9; James 2:15-16). This cannot be reduced to a metaphor for spiritual poverty. The passage is talking about material needs, and love ought to manifest “with actions and in truth” (v. 18).

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

Work is not merely a means of earning a living; it is an opportunity to serve God with excellence. Whether it’s in our job or career, our studies, or our daily chores and tasks, we can bring glory to God by working with diligence and wholeheartedness.

Our attitude toward work reflects our devotion to Christ. When we view our labor as an offering to the Lord, even mundane tasks take on significance.

Every effort made with love and dedication is an act of worship.

God calls us to work for him and not for human approval. We find our ultimate reward in him.

Knowing that God sees and values our efforts, we serve with joy and a sense of purpose.

May our work ethic be characterized by integrity and humility. Whether we are enjoying success or facing challenges, we can keep our eyes fixed on the One we serve, knowing that our labor is not in vain.

And as we go about our work each day as working for the Lord, we become a reflection of God’s love and a light in this world.

🔎 SIMILAR

Genesis 4:1-8 – Cain kills Abel.
Romans 5:5 – And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
1 Thessalonians 4:9 – Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
John 15:12 – My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
1 Peter 1:22-23 – Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Hebrews 11:36-48 – Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
Matthew 5:20-22 – For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Galatians 5:19-21 – The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Revelation 22:15 – Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Galatians 5:13 – You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Romans 13:8 – Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Romans 12:9 – Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 – If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
James 2:14-16 – What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

SESSION 7 - Serving a Missionary God - 1 John 4

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1 John 4 (NLT)

Discerning False Prophets

1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

Loving One Another

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

🔎 DIG-IN

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18).

If we really believe the truth and really believe God is overruling every experience in our life, then we can rest in God and rest in the faith that all things will work out for good. Most fear is a fear of the unknown. In this case we are casting the ‘unknown’ into God’s capable hands and thus relinquishing our fear. It is a matter of faith. When faith is strong enough, it leads to unimaginably good things. Take for instance God’s command to Abraham to slay his son as a sacrifice. Fear could have incapacitated Abraham and frozen him from carrying out God’s command. Instead, Abraham took God’s promise as true — that his son Isaac would be the father of many nations. Abraham believed it! His faith brought him to the conclusion that God could raise up Isaac from the dead. His faith deduced the resurrection!

Likewise with us, God has promised us wonderful things if we will be obedient unto death. We will be capable of great acts of courage, if we believe this and are not hampered by fear.

Most of the history of Christianity is characterized by a presumptuous few telling everyone else what to believe and do. This results from the clergy-laity distinction that arrived on the scene early in the Gospel Age. The Apostle John is here counseling all believers to study carefully the doctrines of truth ("try the spirits") because there are false doctrines which circulate. Do not believe any teaching without thoughtful study and prayer, and good discussion with those of like precious faith.

One of the greatest struggles the early church faced was the threat posed by the Gnostic heresy. Charismatic teachers, such as Valentinus and Ptolemy, claimed access to secret knowledge, which they would share with only a few select “spiritual people.” Given their belief that matter and the body are evil, some Gnostics denied that Jesus was truly human. Gnosticism not only threatened to divide Christians into two classes, but also endangered the doctrine of the humanity of Jesus.

Chapter 3 ended with our confident assurance of knowing that Christ lives in us through the Spirit He gave us (3:24). In Chapter 4 the author brings to our attention the many others who claim to have God's Spirit indwelling them, but in fact are “false prophets.” We are urged to exercise discernment each time we encounter people who claim to speak in the name of God (4:1). John gives a straightforward measurement for testing the spirits and evaluating their messages carefully. The content of their teaching will determine whether they are truth or falsehood. The criterion of examination is spelled out in verse 2.

False prophets at first appear to be genuinely from God (cf. Matt. 7:15), but God had warned His people long before that many would try to distort God's Word, dilute the truth, and urge people to go after other gods (see Deut. 13:1-8). A proper belief regarding Jesus' Incarnation was the issue at hand for the original recipients of 1 John. To “acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” affirms His humanity (v. 2). Belief that Jesus is not only fully God but also fully human is essential to our salvation as well as our transformation to become more like Him. Early church leaders fought relentlessly against those who would teach otherwise. The spirit of the antichrist is a spirit of deception and lies. In our context, the spirit of the antichrist deceives people by denying the truth about Jesus (v. 3).

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

What is your mental picture of God? Some imagine a kindly grandfather. Others see a severe judge. Our text pictures God as love. He loved us before we were even lovable. Only a God of infinite love would send his eternal Son into this troubled world to die for our sins and to live within us. In the fully human yet fully divine Jesus, we know and experience God. “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:7). We don’t get one without the other.

Jesus makes clear that God is a missionary God. As missiologist David Bosch says, “God is a fountain of sending love.” Jesus wants to shape our thoughts about God. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). “For God so loved the world …” (John 3:16). Is this how you think of God? Is this how you know God? This is the God Jesus invites us to know in a faith relationship with him. And as the sent one, Jesus is inviting us to live as he lived.

Nothing has changed. God is still the same, still on a mission of love. God continues to “so love the world.” By his Spirit our missionary God is at work “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

🔎 SIMILAR

1 Timothy 4:1-2 – The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 – Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.
Acts 17:11- Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
1 John 1:1-4 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
Matthew 19:26 – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Philippians 4:13 – I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Ephesians 6:10-18 – A description of the armor of God.
1 Peter 5:6-9 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Revelation 22:18-19 – I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
Ephesians 1:3-5 – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
Deuteronomy 7:7 – The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
2 Corinthians 8:9 – For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
James 1:17-18 – Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Leviticus 16:15 – He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it.
Ephesians 1:13 – And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.
John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
John 5:24 – Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
2 Timothy 1:7 – For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Romans 8:14-15 – For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
1 John 2:28 – And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

SESSION 8 - Obeying Commands - 1 John 5:1-5

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1 John 5:1-5 (NLT)

Faith in the Son of God

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

🔎 DIG-IN

John tells us that the acid test of whether we love God is if we keep His commands. Yet over the centuries, Christians have invented many ways to try to get around this plain teaching. John Wesley, an 18th century minister, tackles this problem head on and exposes the folly of those who seek to skirt God's commands.

Very few religious leaders, preachers and teachers are willing to call people to obeying the commands of God. They would rather tell people “what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3-4) Yet the job of teachers and preachers is to know the commands of God and to call others to obey them.

We should test leaders/ministers to see if what they say is true. That could mean asking them point blank questions such as “Where does the Scripture say that?” or “Who do you believe Jesus Christ is?” If someone answers these questions with “a good teacher,” a “revolutionary,” a “kind leader,” a “good person” we can know that he doesn’t truly understand Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah.

This test, like all the others in the book of 1 John, is not just to be applied to others, but to ourselves as well. When you have doubts or questions about God then ask yourself do you really believe that Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God. If the answer is “yes,” then let that calm your doubt and reassure your faith so that you can move forward in confidence.

The word "born" is often used in the Bible to describe our relationship with God after salvation. It conveys a new beginning, a new life, a complete change of direction. It also shows that we have a Father, God. Because we are “born of God” we should also be like God. Like Father, like son.

Conquers the world – Muslims throughout history have actually tried to conquer the world through war, or what they call a “jihad.” At times they have been successful. For Christians, on the other hand, this is not the way. There are actually more ways than one to conquer. For example, many countries tend to think that America has conquered the world to some extent. They call it American Imperialism. However, it doesn’t mean that the US controls the world with troops. Rather the US has “conquered” the world culturally.

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

To receive a high school diploma, one must either graduate from high school or pass the General Education Development Test (GED). The GED measures an individual’s knowledge and academic skills against those of high school graduates. In short, the GED provides a standardized way of ensuring that an individual has reached the level expected of a high school graduate.

You could say that John also presents a type of “standardized test.” This test, however, is used to measure true Christianity from false teaching. This test is designed to affirm to believers that they are truly children of God. The ones who fail the test are those who reject Jesus Christ.

Even before the tests are applied, John reminds his readers that the first step is being born of God. We can love, obey, and believe only because we have become God’s children.

John then moves to the test, or affirmation, of true faith: love. Those who have been born of God, love God and others that born of God (v. 1). Although verses 1 and 2 seem circular, they show that it’s impossible to love God without loving other believers and equally impossible to love other believers without loving God.

The next affirmation of true faith is obedience, but notice that obedience springs from love: we obey God’s commands because we love Him (v. 2). The statement that God’s commands are not burdensome (v. 3) indicates that these commands are not intended to earn God’s favor, rather they are joyously obeyed because of our love for God.

🔎 SIMILAR

John 8:31-32 – To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 14:15,21 – If you love me, keep my commands. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.
John 15:10–If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
Matthew 23:4–They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
Matthew 11:30–For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Galatians 5:1–It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Romans 8:37–No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
2 Corinthians 2:14 – But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

SESSION 9 - And this is the testimony - 1 John 5:6-12

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1 John 5:6-12 (NLT)

6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 7 So we have these three witnesses— 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. 9 Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.

11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

🔎 DIG-IN

Certain conditions must be met before eyewitness testimony is admissible in a U.S. law court. First, the witness must have been physically present at the crime scene. Second, the witness must be deemed legally competent to give testimony. The testimony of a witness who was intoxicated or insane at the time of the crime will not be accepted.

Jewish law courts also had strict rules for admissible testimony. Deuteronomy 19:15 says that an accused individual could only be convicted by the testimony of two or three witnesses. In today’s passage, John uses legal terminology to show that the testimony concerning Jesus Christ goes well beyond legal requirements.

First, John says that Jesus came by water and blood. Most scholars believe these refer to Jesus’ baptism (the beginning of His ministry) and to His crucifixion (the purpose of His ministry). Thus John first appeals to the historical testimony to the work of Christ. It’s likely that heretics were denying the “blood,” or the fact of Jesus’ crucifixion (v. 6).

Others point out that these two elements come together in John 19:34, when both blood and water came from Jesus’ side after He died on the cross. In addition to affirming that His death was real, water suggests the coming of the Holy Spirit, and blood, the effectual cleansing for our sins.

Next, John points out the important role of the Holy Spirit as a witness to Christ (John 15:26; 16:13-15). Not only was the Spirit an eyewitness to Jesus’ baptism and crucifixion, but He also continually affirms the truth of who Jesus Christ is. Together, these three elements offer one unified testimony (vv. 7-8). This goes far beyond what Deuteronomy 19:15 required.

But even greater than the standards of human testimony is the fact that God Himself testifies to Jesus Christ. True faith accepts this testimony. This verse exposes the heresy of those false prophets: they reject God’s own witness concerning His Son.

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

Imagine a familiar scene from the middle of the week at a Christian summer camp. Emily is an awkward but lively twelve-year-old with braces, French braids, and denim shorts. For the first time she hears the compelling gospel message. Without hesitation, Emily accepts the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus. Now think ahead many years. How does Emily know that what happened that July evening at summer camp still means anything? Emily's confidence has been sealed with the promises of today's text. This same assurance of God's gift of eternal life is for you today.

The word testimony and its derivatives occur eight times within eight verses, revealing the unmistakable theme of our passage. Earlier, the human testimony of the eyewitnesses is highlighted (see 1:2; 4:14), but the ultimate testimony about Jesus is revealed in verse 9. In both Old and New Testament times, important issues were decided with the testimony of two or three witnesses (cf. Deut. 17:6; John 8:17-18). John accordingly presents three witnesses: water, blood, and the Spirit (v. 7). As 1 John teaches, one of the primary roles of the Spirit is to testify to the truth about Jesus. Water refers to the baptism of Jesus by John, particularly that God the Father testifies at Jesus' baptism (see Mark 1:9-11). Blood refers to Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross. All three witnesses are tangible.

Verses 10 and 11 mention two gifts from God: first, the testimony about His Son, and second, that through Him God gives eternal life. The theme of life is central to all of John's writing, including his Gospel and his letters, and life is always identified with Jesus. Jesus Himself is the life (cf. 1 John 5:20; John 14:6). The one who “has the Son” has life (v. 12). To “have Jesus” is to be indwelt by His Spirit, for God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to make their home in you (John 14:23).

🔎 SIMILAR

Matthew 3:17 – And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Luke 3:22 – And the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Mark 1:11 – And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Matthew 17:5–While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
John 17:3 – Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Romans 2:6-8 – God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

SESSION 10 - Incredible Confidence - 1 John 5:13-21

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1 John 5:13-21 (NLT)

Conclusion

13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

16 If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. 17 All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.

18 We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. 19 We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

🔎 DIG-IN

Before Jesus died on the cross, God's people experienced daily, tangible reminders that they were separated from Him. The only access to Him had to be mediated through priests and sacrifices. Consider the numerous temple courts, from the outer courts of the Gentiles all the way into the Holy of Holies, where the high priest could enter only once a year. Do you ever stop to think that our “easy” access and confidence before God through Jesus is incredible? Now, through Christ, our Great High Priest, “the curtain of the temple was torn” (Mark 15:38), and we approach God's throne of grace with confidence (Heb. 4:14-16). This is the background of today's passage.

In addition to the assurance of eternal life (v. 13), there is confidence in prayer (vv. 14-15). This passage celebrates our confidence not only in Christ's victory to bring us into God's presence, but also confidence that God hears us when we beseech Him according to His will. “He hears us” is repeated twice and suggests a positive response. Jesus similarly promises answered prayer while sharing the Passover meal with His disciples (John 16:23).

Verse 16 offers an example of praying according to God's will. Previously, John outlines what to do when you yourself sin (1:9). Here he teaches that we need to pray for fellow believers who fall into sin. The “sin that does not lead to death” includes those sins committed by believers in Jesus. Forgiveness is offered by Christ's atoning sacrifice. To pray with confidence for our fellow believer who is trapped in sin is to pray that God would grant him life. This is in accord with God's will.

The “sin that leads to death” is all sin committed apart from belief in Jesus. This sin leads to spiritual death (Rom. 6:23). The unbeliever who denies Jesus and His essential, atoning death does not have the remedy for sin and the sin nature, and therefore without belief he cannot experience life.

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

Maybe you have heard stories about genies. Genies are imaginary beings that can live in a lamp or a bottle, and when the bottle is rubbed, the genie comes out to grant wishes.

At first, Jesus’ words “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” may sound like the words of a genie.

But Jesus isn’t talking about granting any wish we might have. As the apostle John explains, what we pray for should be in line with God’s will.

And how do we know what God’s will is? We learn about God’s will through reading and studying his Word. Prayer, in fact, goes hand in hand with knowing God’s Word and will. As God reveals himself to us in his Word, we naturally grow in love for God and in our desire to serve him and others.

For example, we know that God calls us to love our neighbors, to care about their well-being, and to live peaceably with justice for all people. So we must pray (and work) for just and fair policies so that people everywhere may have good food and housing and safety, that they may learn and grow and flourish as God intends.

There’s nothing magical about prayer. Prayers based on the foundation of God’s Word put us in the position of wanting what God wants and seeking his kingdom. And we can be assured that God answers these prayers as we ask them in Jesus’ name.

🔎 SIMILAR

Psalms 145:18 – The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Ephesians 6:18 – And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Matthew 21:22 – If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
Mark 11:24 – Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
John 15:7 – If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Matthew 6:7 – And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Hebrews 4:16 – Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
James 5:16 – Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
1 Corinthians 11:30 – That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
1 John 3:9 – No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
Romans 6:15-22 – Part of the “dead to sin chapter.”
Job 1:10-12 – “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

SESSION 11 - Embrace Sound Doctrine - 2 John

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2 John (NLT)

Greetings

1 This letter is from John, the elder.

I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— 2 because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.

3 Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

Live in the Truth

4 How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded.

5 I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. 6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

7 I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. 9 Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.

Conclusion

12 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.

13 Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God.

🔎 DIG-IN

The book of 2 John is an urgent plea that the readers of John’s letter should show their love for God and His Son, Jesus, by obeying the commandment to love each other and live their lives in obedience to the Scriptures. The book of 2 John is also a strong warning to be on the lookout for deceivers who were going about denying the Incarnation, saying that Christ had not actually come in the flesh.

Key Verses:

- 2 John 6: "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."

- 2 John 8-9: "Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son."

The book of 2 John is addressed to "the chosen lady and her children." This could either have been a lady of important standing in the church or a code which refers to the local church and its congregation. In those days when Christians were being persecuted such coded salutations were often used.

The book of 2 John is largely concerned with an urgent warning concerning deceivers who were not teaching the exact doctrine of Christ and who maintained that Jesus did not actually come in the flesh. Such a teaching denies Jesus’ humanity. John is very anxious that true believers should be aware of these false teachers and have nothing to do with them.

John describes love not as an emotion or feeling, but as obedience to the commandments of God. Jesus reiterated the importance of the commandments, especially the “first and greatest commandment,” love for God (Deuteronomy 6:5), and the second, love for one another (Matthew 22:37-40; Leviticus 19:18). Far from abolishing the Old Testament law of God, Jesus came to fulfill it by providing the means of its fulfillment in Himself.

It is extremely important that we check everything we see, hear, and read that claims to be “Christian” with the Scriptures. This cannot be too strongly emphasized because one of Satan’s greatest weapons is deceit. It is very easy to be taken in by a new and exciting doctrine that appears to be based on Scripture but which, if examined closely, is in fact a departure from the Word of God. If what appears to be happening does not line up explicitly with Scripture, then this is false and not of the Spirit, and we should have nothing to do with it.

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

Lies have always been the greatest threat to God’s people, and in John’s second letter he warns a church he affectionately calls his chosen lady and children about them (2 John 1). In many ways it summarizes in one chapter what he spent five chapters explaining in his previous letter. 2 John is an apostolic booster shot to a church in need of care.

Like before, John reminds the church to love one another and keep God’s commands (2 John 5-6). He warns them of deceivers who deny that Jesus came in the flesh (2 John 7). He also emphasizes that those who do not live the way Jesus taught them to live do not have God (2 John 9). The gift of the Father’s power and the Son’s presence is only given to those who abide in the Gospel John preached, and the commands that Jesus prescribed. John calls this the way of living the truth (2 John 1-2).

That’s why it’s imperative that this church not welcome pastors or teachers who reject the Gospel and teach a different way to live (2 John 10). People of the truth should reject lies that are dangerous. Lies have the potential to rob this specially chosen lady and her children of their full reward of God’s truth and eternal life (2 John 8). John also warns that platforming these deceivers in their churches will make them complicit in their deceit and wickedness (2 John 11).

John abruptly ends his letter and hopes, like a caring father, that paper and pen will soon give way to face to face conversation (2 John 12).

🔎 SIMILAR

(Like Verse 3)

Philippians 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2 Timothy 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Jude 1 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

(Like Verse 6)

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Deuteronomy 8 6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
Leviticus 26:3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

SESSION 12 - Observing Hospitality - 3 John

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3 John (NLT)

Greetings

1 This letter is from John, the elder.

I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth.

2 Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. 4 I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

Caring for the Lord’s Workers

5 Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7 For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. 8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

9 I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 10 When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.

11 Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.

12 Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.

Conclusion

13 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. 14 For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.

15 Peace be with you.

Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there.

🔎 DIG-IN

John’s third letter is directed not to a group of churches, or even one church, but to Gaius, a man John deeply loves (3 John 1). Gaius is a faithful Christian whose hospitality is well known (3 John 3-5). Traveling missionaries frequently stayed at Gaius’ house and then told their home churches about his generosity and love (3 John 6). John wants Gaius to keep doing what he’s doing. For John, hospitality towards missionaries is a litmus test of inclusion in God’s Kingdom. And people like Gaius are co-workers—valuable partners in the mission of Jesus (3 John 8).

But not everyone in Gaius’s community is as humble and hospitable as he is. Diotrephes refuses to listen to John and other apostles' calls for hospitality (3 John 9). He resents their authority, slanders their character, and refuses to welcome their missionaries (3 John 10a). Worse still, Diotrephes has some level of authority in Gaius’s church. He both threatens and excommunicates those willing to support John’s missionaries (3 John 10b).

Knowing that Gaius would read his letter to everyone in his church, John tells them to imitate the good they see in Gaius and reject the evil of Diotrephes and men like him (3 John 11). John ends his third letter the same way he ended his last, with the hope of seeing his friends face to face soon (3 John 13-14).

🔎 THINK ABOUT THIS

John has talked about loving one another in every one of his letters. It’s the defining mark of those who know God (1 John 4:7). And the failure to love your brothers and sisters is the defining mark of those who don’t know God (1 John 4:8). Hospitality towards missionaries is a litmus test of inclusion in God’s Kingdom.

When Jesus first sent out his disciples, the hospitality shown by a town towards them determined whether God’s peace or God’s judgment would fall (Matthew 10:13, 15). Near the end of Jesus’ life, he said that whether or not we show hospitality to “the least of these” signals our eternal destiny (Matthew 25:45-46). That’s because hospitality isn’t just serving others—but Jesus himself (Matthew 25:40). To give or withhold hospitality (especially towards those sent to proclaim the way of Jesus) is to accept or deny that Jesus was sent by God.

Fittingly, Jesus revealed himself through his own hospitality. He gave wine to a wedding (John 2:11). He hosted feasts in the desert (Luke 9:16). He offers his body and blood as a meal to be eaten (Matthew 26:26-28). And when he finally convinced his disciples that he rose from the dead, it was over a shared meal (Luke 24:35). Jesus is generous and hospitable to his people. And when his people are hospitable in kind, God shows up. Jesus reveals himself. And we become coworkers and God’s chosen partners in the proclamation of Jesus and his Gospel.

Don’t imitate the evil of Diotrephes. Don’t invite the judgment Jesus warns against. Instead, love your brothers and be hospitable to your sisters, especially those who have been sent, like Jesus, to proclaim good news.

🔎 SIMILAR

3 John 1:5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,
Galatians 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
2 Corinthians 4:1-3 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
Luke 16:10-12 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
Luke 12:42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
1 Peter 4:10-11 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Matthew 24:45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?
Isaiah 1:16-17 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
Psalm 37:27 Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
1 Peter 3:11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
1 John 2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 Peter 3:13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
2 Timothy 3:10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
John 3:20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
1 Thessalonians 2:14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
1 Thessalonians 1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
John 12:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Exodus 23:2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
1 John 3:6-9 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
Hebrews 6:12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
1 Corinthians 4:16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
Proverbs 12:11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
Philippians 3:17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

10 Things to learn from 1 John

1. Until you see the problem, you'll never embrace the solution.
2. Real love requires real faith in the real God.
3. Confession is the antidote of deception - REPENT!
4. To confess means to agree with God.
5. Guard yourself according to the word.
6. God is going to make right what is wrong.
7. You're forgiven.
8. Young men and young women are strong because the word is in them.
9. Strong Christians go to church to get hungry.
10. We must be aware of the enemies tactics in order to overcome.

1, 2, 3 John

Introduction

SESSION 1 - We need to talk about it and live it - 1 John 1:1-7

1 John 1:1-7 (NLT)

Introduction

Living in the Light

SESSION 2 - We Fail, Then What? 1 John 1:8-10 & 2:1-8

1 John 1:8-10 (NLT)

Introduction

Living in the Light

A New Commandment

1 John 2:1-8 (NLT)

A New Commandment

SESSION 3 - Love of God means we will love each other - 1 John 2:9-17

1 John 2:9-17 (NLT)

Do Not Love This World

SESSION 4 - A sad truth, some in our fellowship will reject the truth and leave. - 1 John 2:18-29

1 John 2:18-29 (NLT)

Warning about Antichrists

Living as Children of God

SESSION 5 - Giving yourself a Faith Exam - 1 John 3:1-10

1 John 3:1-10 (NLT)

SESSION 6 - Genuine Love for Fellow Believers - 1 John 3:11-24

1 John 3:11-24 (NLT)

Love One Another

SESSION 7 - Serving a Missionary God - 1 John 4

1 John 4 (NLT)

Discerning False Prophets

Loving One Another

SESSION 8 - Obeying Commands - 1 John 5:1-5

1 John 5:1-5 (NLT)

Faith in the Son of God

SESSION 9 - And this is the testimony - 1 John 5:6-12

1 John 5:6-12 (NLT)

SESSION 10 - Incredible Confidence - 1 John 5:13-21

1 John 5:13-21 (NLT)

Conclusion

SESSION 11 - Embrace Sound Doctrine - 2 John

2 John (NLT)

Greetings

Live in the Truth

Conclusion

SESSION 12 - Observing Hospitality - 3 John

3 John (NLT)

Greetings

Caring for the Lord’s Workers

Conclusion

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