Day: December 25, 2021

1 John Overview

~ Patricia ~ 2 Comments

I know it is Christmas night, and you may have some catching up to do tomorrow…but this is a book that stands on its own!  You will love it even if you missed a few books this week. It’s OK!

John.  This is the same John that is the author of:

  • the Gospel John,
  • 1 John,
  • 2 John,
  • 3 John,
  • and Revelation. (I CAN’T WAIT TO READ THIS WITH YOU)

The book of 1 John was likely written between A.D. 85-95.

1 John is a summary that assumes the readers’ knowledge of the gospel. This epistle indicates that the readers were confronted with Gnosticism, which became a more serious problem in the second century.  This led to two false theories concerning the person of Christ:

  • Docetism—Docetism was an early Christian heresy that promoted a false view of Jesus’ humanity. Docetism comes from the Greek dokein, which meant “to seem”; according to Docetism, Jesus Christ only seemed to have a human body like ours. (Basically, he was like a ghost).  Docetism taught that Jesus had a “heavenly” body of some type but not a real, natural body of flesh. Docetism was closely related to Gnosticism, which viewed physical matter as inherently evil and spiritual substance as inherently good.
  • Cerinthianism—making Jesus a dual personality, at times human and at times divine.

Once again, another letter dealing with problems related to false teachers.

Takes take a look at today:

Top 10 religions in the world 2020 - The Lasting Education

This book is written with a loving tone.  Words like Father, Children, My Beloved are used often.  John speaks from the heart because he has seen and experienced a lot!  He listened to:

  • the Olivet Discourse,
  • the Sermon on the Mount,
  • seen miracles,
  • heard parables,
  • was at the Last Supper
  • witnessed the Transfiguration
  • and the Death and Resurrection of Christ.

So he takes it to heart that TRUTH is under attack more so than any other Epistle writer has seen.  The temple has been destroyed, and now teachers are trying to destroy Truth.

This book will teach that Christians should:

  1. Be in fellowship with one another (True relationships with each other)
  2. Be happy and joyful
  3. Be holy (set apart)
  4. Have discernment
  5. Have confidence that they are saved.

#5 is something we all think about from time to time.  Am I really Saved??

  • Did I have a cultural conversion?  (I live in the Bible Belt-doing churchy stuff can be a culture)
  • Did I have a ceremonial conversion? (I took the right “steps,” rituals)
  • Did I have an emotional conversion? (I was wrapped up in the emotion?  Someone gave me a reason to do it?
  • Or am I Different??

How do you know?  This book will give you the confidence to know!  Ask yourself…

  1. Are you obeying God’s Word?  (I know we are not perfect, that is the point of the Word: to show us what sin is) 2:3
  2. Do you believe in the Truth?  Do you believe what the Bible says? 4:2
  3. Are you expecting Jesus to return? 3:3
  4. Are you conforming over time to His standards and not the world’s? 3:24
  5. Do you love? 3:19

I hope you have a Peace and a Hope that you are one of His children after reading this book. ❤️

2 Peter

~ Patricia ~ 1 Comment

His Part:  3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Our Part:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

Paul stands on the authority that he did not just hear stories; he saw the Transfiguration of Jesus as God!  He was an eyewitness!

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

AND every prophecy told in the scripture is from GOD:

20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

One of the topics that have really been ‘highlighted’ to me this year is False Teachings.  We read about it ‘outside the church’; however, there have been many references about it ‘inside the church.’  How blessed I feel that we can be discerning NOW that we have read the Bible.  How would we be able to tell the difference?

Chapter 2 starting in verse 4 (again, I read this as if Peter said it all in one long breath….).  It is evident that Peter and Jude were “study partners.”  Actually, you can tell that Peter is expounding on Jude’s letter.  When you read through the Bible again: (please do)- take special note of the story of Abraham and Lot.  As we usually see Lot as the nephew that chose to live in Sodom, we make an assumption (at least I did) that because of his unrighteous decisions, he was unrighteous.  However. Peter points out the opposite:

6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

(It makes me want to go back and re-read Genesis!!!

22 Of them the proverbs are true:

“A dog returns to its vomit,”

and,

“A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

Peter is talking about someone who “tried” Christianity and then chose he liked not being a Christian more.  The judgment that falls on someone that has heard the Gospel and openly refused it will bring a very harsh judgment on them!  How strong Peter uses the words to return to a life of sin:  vomit….mud.

I know it is Christmas (or it was Christmas if you are in catch-up mode) but take your time on Chapter 3.  So many wonderful truths!  “Time” for us is an unusual concept.  Sometimes we feel it goes so slow (when we are waiting on the Lord), and sometimes it goes so fast (as we look at our old pictures).  But for God, time is used for PATIENCE.  Why is he taking so long to bring Jesus back to fight the enemy once and for all??

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

As we wait…what should WE look like??  What are you going to look like in 2022??

 You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming…

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Peter is bringing us RIGHT back to the introduction!    5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

EACH one feeds the next

  1. Goodness (virtue)-moral excellence
  2. Knowledge- (the Greek word is expenosis) means expert knowledge
  3. Self-Control- (an action word)
  4. Perseverance-Hang in there during your trials
  5. Godliness-God-like-be right with God AND be right with other people
  6. Mutual Affection-brotherly kindness
  7. LOVE-Agape Love-Sacrificial Love

(Please excuse any typos…my house is loud with Chrismas joy)

 

 

Jude

~ Patricia ~ Leave a comment

(Overviews posted yesterday for both books)

Verse 4 states 2 reasons this book was written.  Jude says people have slipped into the church and have perverted the Gospel by:

  • preaching a “license to sin”
  • denying Jesus as Lord

Jude writes about groups of people:

The first set:

  1. The people saved in the Exodus-but next generations did not believe
  2. Angels- who rebelled when Lucifer did
  3. Those in Sodom and Gomorrah-gave into a life of sexual immorality-craved it

All three are destined for Hell

The next set: (Jewish Tradition has them categorized as “those that teach evil”

  1. Cain-Murder
  2. Balaam- (He was the one on the talking donkey).  He not only betrayed Israel, but he lured them into a trap (Num. 22)
  3. Korah- A Levite that caused an uprising against Moses and Aaron.(1 Chron 2)

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

Now Read 2 Peter who must have read this letter first.