In John’s day, in the early church, there were already those who distorted truth for their own benefit. All of the Apostolic writers had to address it.

John was the last of them and the deception of gnostic teachers remained as he wrote toward the end of the first century. They taught that special knowledge was needed, and they had it.

They didn’t believe that Jesus was God IN FLESH, but that he only appeared that way, or that the Divine came and inhabited the body of Jesus of Nazareth at baptism and left him before death on the cross.

That taught either all flesh was evil or that flesh and spirit were separate so do as you want, one doesn’t affect the other.

John says in 1 John 2:21 I have not written because you do not know the truth, but because you DO know it, and because no lie comes from truth

v24 What you have heard from the beginning is to remain in you… then remain in the Son and the Father

v26 I have written these things concerning those who are trying to deceive you.

v27 as for you, the anointing you have received from him remains in you – and you don’t need anyone to teach you

in other words, you have been given, anointed with, the Holy Spirit to, as Jesus promised, will lead you into truth and remind you of truth (John 14:26). So, if someone is trying to teach you something different, something “special” or “secret” – get away!

Instead, REMAIN in Him, so when he appears we may be confident and not ashamed v28 and he continues, everyone who does right has been born of him.

I used to tell my sons when they left the house, “Don’t forget you are a Goforth”. I meant, remember and act like who you are.

John continues – remember he is writing to the CHURCH. He identifies him as “The Elder” (Pastor) so he is talking to the Church.

3:1 How great the love given by the Father… that we are called children…

3:3 everyone who has this hope… purifies himself – ACTS LIKE A FAMILY MEMBER

3:6 everyone who remains in him does not sin (KEEP ON SINNING) That rendering of “sin” is in present active indicative tense. It doesn’t mean we aren’t able to sin, or don’t do sin, but that it is not our lifestyle.

Why? Because we are children of God – we have new DNA, we have a family way now.

v9 we don’t keep on sinning because the SEED remains and he is not able to sin. That word dynamai – talking about our power to sin. That power is no longer present in a controlling fashion. That word here is in active passive. It is no longer a passive active force in our lives that we must obey, be a slave to sin.

v10 this is how God’s children and the devil’s children become obvious… the one who does not do what is right is not of God. Especially the one who does not LOVE his brother or sister

And here is where John really shows us something…

There are those who ACT “righteous” but are self-righteous, and yet they do NOT Love – and John says “that is not the family way.”

He is saying that it is more than just sin – but that a life without love is a sign that God doesn’t live in us. Oh, I’m over reading that right?

v14 the one who does not love REMAINS in DEATH

v15 the one who hates is a murderer

Well – thanks for clarifying that – maybe John was there when Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount – you think?

v16 this is how we know love, he (Jesus) laid down his life for us. We SHOULD (opheilo = obligate – present active indicative) also lay down OUR lives.

Well – Child of God – we have an Obligation that shows that we are in the family, and we need to Remain There.

v18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth

v19 this is how we will know that we belong to the Truth

well – pretty plain I think… so I’ll just leave it there

Remain Children Remain