Verses 1-2. "Born of God". (The test of truth). "Loves Father", "loves whoever born of him" (Test of love). Test of righteousness - three summary statements. "Who believes" - a deep-rooted belief.
Verse 3. "Not burdensome". Sin is burdensome, but not God's commands. They are difficult. It is work. If we think they're burdensome, we will complain and avoid.
Verses 4-5. "Overcome". Means we are quicker to repent and slower to repeat. Keeping God's commands is one form in overcoming the world. God's commandments find their origin in Him. The more we understand this, the more we will value His commands. We "overcome" the world one experience at a time. Help us to hate what you hate God.
Verses 6-8. We are shifting here into legal language: testify and testimony. A court room. Matthew 18:20 is not referring to gathering 2 to 3 people in prayer. It's actually referring to the need to establish credibility of a witness based on 2 or 3 witnesses. So, here, we have 3 witnesses: water, blood, spirit. He is establishing the truths of the claims of Jesus Christ according to 3 witnesses. Look at Deut. 19:15. Think of all the places in the Bible of establishing 2 or 3 witnesses for credibility: Revelations, birth of Jesus, temple, Abraham (3 men), Sodom and G, Garden of Eden. Why water and blood? Exodus adventure: the sea and the blood on posts. Moses tabernacle: laver of water (water), altar of sacrifice (blood), holy of holies (spirit). Reference John 19:31-35. He's showing that Jesus was human and actually suffered death, not what the gnostics believe. The Spirit descends on the day of Pentecost: water, blood and Spirit.
Verses 9-12. He says the Spirit is the test of truth, water is the test of righteousness, blood relates to the test of love.
Verses 9-10. "Greater". Testimony of man and the testimony of God. He's referring to the spirit of the antichrist versus the Spirit of truth. Which one is greater? The Spirit of truth.
Verse 12. More than saved from death but "life" as described in John 10. No spiritual lack.
Fear of man is the beginning of folly but the fear of God, as in Proverbs, is the beginning of wisdom.
Abdundant life is for the one who will run the race for the testimony of the Lord.
Two questions:
1. What commandment do we find to be burdensome?
2. How is our life a testimony to eternal life?
Next: Session 8: "That You May Know"
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