The Epistles of John: Living in Truth and Love.\u00a0 1 John 2:2-2:6<\/p>\n
Week 17: \u00a0Jan\u00a0\u00a015, 2012<\/p>\n
\u00a0I have fallen a little behind in posting the class, and will try to catch up in the next\u00a0 few days. When we finished from the last posted class John had interrupted is refutation of the claims of his opponents to clarify that his comments on forgiveness should not be misconstrued.\u00a0 We do not have forgiveness so that we can sin; we have forgiveness so that we can have fellowship with God.\u00a0 We also have an advocate or our behalf, Jesus.\u00a0 In verse two John continues this thought, giving the John giving the reason Jesus can serve so effectively as our advocate.<\/p>\n
Study<\/p>\n
2:2 – It is he who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world\u2019s. <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is he who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 atoning sacrifice\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The Greek word (\u1f31\u03bb\u03b1\u03c3\u03bc\u03cc\u03c2) occurs in NT only here and in 1 John 4:10, and there is some dispute over how to translate this word. \u00a0In secular literature this word refers to a means of placating an offended person, which could be translated with the word Propitiation.\u00a0 Some scholars, however, argue that in the Septuagint, the early Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word has a somewhat different meaning. Instead of focusing on appeasing the offended person, these scholars argue that it focuses on the removal or cancelling of sin, and as such means expiation more than propitiation. Not too surprising, other scholars strongly disagree, arguing that it does have the meaning of propitiation in some places of the OT.<\/p>\n So how should we settle? As always, we look to the context. Here the context is Jesus as our advocate before God and this would point to propitiation, the appeasing the offended person, more than expiation, the removal of sin. The meaning here is that Jesus\u2019 death on the cross, renders God favorable to pardoning our sins.\u00a0 Yet this controversy may help explain the passage in 1:9 earlier and the meaning of Forgive and Cleanse. Forgive would point to propitiation, cleanse to expiation and like in 1:9, and in this light both meaning may be in view here.\u00a0 Thus the translation of atoning sacrifice<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 atoning \u00a0\u2013\u00a0 for sin \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 expiation<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 sacrifice \u2013\u00a0 to God \u2013\u00a0 propitiation<\/p>\n Jesus is both or advocate and our atoning sacrifice. He pleads before the Father on our behalf based on what he has done.\u00a0\u00a0 However, it is important not to push the metaphor of the court room too far.\u00a0 There is nothing here to say that God is reluctant to forgive our sins. On the contrary,\u00a0 in John 10:30 Jesus said, \u201cI and the father are one.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0John 3:16 tells us that \u201cGod so loved the world that he gave is one and only son.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2013 \u00a0\u00a0 but also for the whole world\u2019s<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Christ serves this role no just for John\u2019 readers (i.e., Christian) but for the whole\/complete (\u1f45\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5) world (\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03cc\u03c3\u03bc\u03bf\u03c5). This is one of the reasons I question the doctrine of Limited Atonement, which holds that Christ died only for the elect. But if Christ died for all, does this then teach universal salvation?\u00a0 No.\u00a0 This is in the context of 1:9 which said, \u201cIf we make it our habit to confess our sins.\u201d\u00a0 Christ serves the role of advocate for the entire world. \u00a0If anyone in the world seeks forgiveness through Christ, they will be forgiven. But we must seek forgiveness to be forgiven.<\/p>\n What does this say about our duty to forgive? Are we required to forgive those who do not seek forgiveness?\u00a0 This may run counter to a lot of teaching on forgiveness, but I believe our duty to forgive is balanced by an offending parties duty to seek forgiveness.\u00a0 We have a duty to offer forgiveness, as Christ died for the whole world.\u00a0 But as with salvation, that forgiveness is not complete until it is truly sought.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ii.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To Know him is to Obey him (2:3-6)<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Statement (2:3) Having clarified the nature of forgiveness, John now returns to the claims of his opponents, in this case that they know God.\u00a0 Notice the emphasis that John\u2019s structure gives this claim.\u00a0 This is a very key claim and central to John\u2019s overall argument.<\/p>\n To understand this claim, it is important to understand the discussion to this point, which has centered on the question: who is correct. It is important to remember that 1 John was written to a church that had undergone a church split where a heretical faction has broken away.\u00a0 Both sides claim to have the truth, and to know God. Individual members probably had friends in both camps, so how could they tell which side was correct?<\/p>\n 2:3 — This is how we can be sure that we have come to know him: if we continually keep his commandments. <\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John answers the implied question of which side is correct.\u00a0 Again, a key claim of the opponents was to know God (see the next verse) and this was a key claim of Gnosticism.\u00a0 Yet for John this is not just intellectual knowledge about God. \u00a0To know God is to be in a relationship with Him.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 if we continually keep his commandments.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This is a common theme for John.\u00a0 In John 14:21-24 the theme is to love God is to obey him. We cannot be said to be in a relationship with God, if we do not obey him.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2:4 – The person who says, \u201cI have come to know him,\u201d but does not continually keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth has no place in that person.<\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John now returns to the specific claims of his opponents, in this case the claim that they know him.\u00a0 At the core of agnosticism was the claim to have a secret knowledge of God.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 but does not continually keep his commandments is a liar<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How can we claim to know Jesus if we do not follow him.\u00a0 This is a much more powerful argument than it may at first seem.\u00a0 How can we really truly believe that Jesus is God incarnate; that he died for our sins; that we are in a relationship with him, and yet then ignore what he says?\u00a0 Every time we sin, we in effect deny that we know Jesus.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and the truth has no place in that person. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This is an emphasis of the previous point, but it is more than just an emphasis.\u00a0 In John 14:6 Jesus says \u201cI am the way, the truth and the life.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0Jesus is the truth, and to have truth, secret truth, was a key claim of proto-Gnostics.\u00a0\u00a0 So this is more than just a mere emphasis of the point. They have neither the truth nor Jesus.<\/p>\n \u00a02:5 – But whoever continually keeps his commandments is the kind of person in whom God\u2019s love has truly been perfected. This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God:[1]<\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Having dealt with the claim, John now turns to his counter claim. Note that John as changed from \u201cIf we\u201d to \u201cthe kind of person\u201d (\u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u03cd\u03c4\u1ff3) Lit: in this one.\u00a0\u00a0 John is not talking about particular people but rather a goal that we should strive for.\u00a0\u00a0 The person who is willing to be molded and shaped by the love of God; that person is the one who will follow his commandments. \u00a0<\/p>\n has truly been perfected.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The word for perfected (\u03c4\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5\u03bb\u03b5\u03af\u03c9\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9) means to finish, to reach a goal, to perfect.\u00a0 God\u2019s work in us will be completed when we continually follow his commandment.\u00a0 John is not saying that we will reach this perfection.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact John has already made it clear that we will not. \u00a0Earlier in he wrote,\u00a0 \u201cIf we say that we do not have any sin, we are deceiving ourselves (1:7) But this is the goal we should strive for; the kind of person, we should strive to be.<\/p>\n This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John is not saying that we must reach perfection, to be sure. Rather that God is working in us.\u00a0 That we are striving to follow his commandments.<\/p>\n 2:6 – The one who says that he abides in him must live the same way he himself lived. <\/strong><\/p>\n John now returns to a restatement of his starting principle stated in verse 3, though here it is a summary statement and serves as an emphasis of this point. This was also one of the key messages of the Gospel of John.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n If you have question or comments about the class, feel free to send me an email at<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>elgin@hushbeck.com<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>and be sure to put \u201cEpistles of John\u201d in the header.<\/em><\/p>\n See here for references and more background on the class<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Claim (2:4)
\n<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 b.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Counter-Claim (2:5)
\n<\/strong>2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Restatement (2:6)<\/strong><\/p>\n