This week’s “Wednesday Word” is a summary of Scott Ryan’s exposition of 1 John 2:18-3:10 given on Sunday, July 26, 2009.
In 1 John 2:18-3:10, John delivers great assurance, exhortation, and warning to his beloved children, the church. He helps them see just who belongs to the true church of Christ and also who belongs to Satan. The first section, 2:18-27, illuminates the heretical belief of the secessionists (i.e. antichrists) – they deny Jesus’ deity, that he is the Son of God, the Messiah. As the previous teachers mentioned, these antichrists claim to have fellowship with God, but John points out that since they deny the Son they also deny the Father (2.23). However, John knows who the true church is – in fact, he knows that those who remained in the church were the true believers. Those who left, the antichrists, were never part of the church anyway, for if they had been, they would have remained (2.19). He does not criticize the readers but rather helps them see who belongs to Christ and who does not. He knows that they have an anointing from the Holy Spirit and that they cling to the message which they heard from the beginning (the gospel message) (2.20). Yet he also spurs them on in their faith, commanding them to continually abide in the gospel. If the gospel abides in them, they will also abide in both the Son and Father (2.24).
I John 2:28-3:10 reveals that one’s works will indicate his or her standing in Christ. In a dizzying array of verses in this section, it seems possible that John states that God’s children cannot ever sin again. However, in looking at the whole context of this letter and the rest of the canon, it’s clear that those in whom God seed dwells do not practice continual, unrepentant, rebellious sin against God. The secessionists claim to have fellowship with God yet their constant, unrepentant lifestyles belie their claim of knowing God. They are both heretical (denying Christ’s identity) and hypocritical (disobedient to God’s Word). John sums up in 3.10 that it’s clear who belongs to Satan: those who practice unrighteousness and those don’t love the brothers.