Encourage Love | Inspire Good

Our faithful God

let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. Hebrews 10:23-24 (ESV)

by Linda Ellsworth

Linda is the member care coordinator for Christian Camping International, Canada. Much has happened in our world over the past several months, especially the revelation of past and ongoing injustice that is heartbreaking to see and hear. And yet, as we ponder our theme verse, one truth MUST prevail: our God is a faithful God, even unto death! Without this assurance, and our total absorption of this fact, how could we continue (unwaveringly) to live this life to which we are called?

StoryBlocks.com DO YOU RECALL the end of our last study? “We OBEY because of His love.” In John 4:20-21, John reiterates the outcome of mature agape love.

“If someone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him, that he who loves God MUST love his brother also” (NKJV).

Share the ways in which this truth has hit your heart over the last few months.

READ chapter 5: 1-3 Verse. 1 describes our “position.” Explain:

_________________________ Verse 2 describes our “passion.” Explain:

_________________________ Verse 3 describes God’s “promise.” Explain:

READ verses 4 and 5 Verse 4 describes our “power.” Explain:

_________________________ Verse 5 describes our “premise.” Explain:

READ verses 6-13 These verses describe our “proof.” Pause for a moment after reading these verses to ponder why they are so crucial in our understanding of who God is, who Jesus is, and why these verses are proof of God’s faithfulness. Jot down your thoughts as you read.

_________________________ Do you, without any shadow of doubt, KNOW that you have eternal life? God is listening, and waiting with open arms to say “Welcome home, child . . . you are part of the family because you have accepted the work of my Son, who gave up His life for yours!”

READ verses 14-19 At the end of this first letter, John gives the Christian church a very difficult and serious warning, which is often puzzled over by scholars and lay people alike. One of the best teachings on these verses comes from Robin Brace at ukapologetics.net:

‘Now this obviously refers to sins committed by Christians since the context is of a “brother” sinning. All Christians will occasionally slip and stumble as the apostles Paul and John are very clear about. There are several Scriptures one may consult on this including the entirety of

Romans 7, Hebrews 12:1 and 1

John 1:8-10. Surely these are the sort of sins ‘that do not lead to death’—and why do they not lead to death? Because repentant,

Spirit-filled believers are now covered by the grace of God.

Surely that much is clear (Psalm 32:2; Romans 4:8; Romans 8:1-4; 1 John 3:9) . . .

“I think that the phrase, ‘there is a sin that leads to death,’ more particularly refers to the unpardonable sin, or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, for which there is no forgiveness ‘either in this age or the age to come.’ (Matthew 12:31-32). There appears to be no forgiveness for those few . . . who have quite deeply understood the message of the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ but who—in a pretty much full knowledge of the truth—throw it back in God’s face. This is not sinning under temptation, this is to sin in full, willing and knowledgeable rejection of what Christ did on the cross. There is no second path of full repentance, or re-sacrifice of Christ available for such persons (Hebrews 6:4-6).

“So I think that the strongest explanation for 1 John 5:16-17 is that these verses separate the sin which so easily besets us all (Hebrews 12:1) from the unpardonable sin which it is pointless to pray for.”

Robin A. Brace. November 22, 2013; http://www.ukapologetics.net

Having read the verses, and the above commentary, how does this affect your understanding of our faithful God?

_________________________ What areas of your life might these verses shed the light of the Spirit upon? Is there an action you should take?

READ verses 20-21 The greatest news of our faithful God is found in these verses: God has sent Jesus, who has given us an __________________, that we may know ____________, and thus know the father who is

____________________. “This is the true God, and eternal life!”

READ Psalm 119: 89-105 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides… They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider Your testimonies. I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad. Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey in my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path!

a little bacKGround on 1 John and its author

1 John was written by John, the son of Zebedee, who was one of Jesus’ first 12 disciples recruited in 27AD (see Matthew 10:2). John was one of Jesus’ close inner circle of three disciples. He was the young man who reclined next to Jesus at Jesus’ last supper in Jerusalem.

After the resurrection of Jesus in 30AD, John became one of the first leaders of the early Christian church in Jerusalem (see Acts 1:13). With Peter, he was dragged before the Jewish council (the Sanhedrin), for healing a crippled man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple in Jerusalem, and preaching about the resurrection of Jesus (see Acts 3:1 - 4:31)

1 John was written between c.86 and 88AD, after the writing of John’s Gospel in c.85AD and before the Revelation of John in c.90AD when John was in exile on the Isle of Patmos. By the time he wrote this letter, John was an old man in his late 70s who addressed his readers in Ephesus and elsewhere as “my dear children” (see 1 John 2:1). It was about 60 years since he had witnessed the events of Jesus’ life (see 1 John 1:1) but only a short time since he had written about them more fully in the Gospel of John. So many of the phrases in this section of Psalm 119 have been adapted into modern worship choruses. Take the time to prayerfully write this song back to your Heavenly father in your own words of heartfelt praise and thanksgiving. Sing it to Him daily! And SHINE!