1 John 3 and 4 Bible Study Notes

 If you would like a re-cap on last night's study or you'd like to look ahead to Wed 5th May 7:45pm, you might find some of this helpful: 

Homegroup Leaders Notes (5) 1 John 3:11-24

 

Though we included it last time, I suggest you also read verse 10 this week!

 

How does the passage say we can know if we are genuine believers? What ways of distinguishing true and false believers does it give?

(If you really followed up on everything that came out of this question, it might give you a way in to the whole passage! You will probably need to point people to some of the specific verses mentioned below.

For a brave alternative way of doing the study (!) you could try making lists on big sheets of paper of everything that belongs to the devil / Cain / evil one / murderer / world / hatred / death / words tongue only etc. side on the one hand and the child of God / love / righteous / life / hated / cross / actions / rest / confidence / obedience etc. side on the other and discuss John’s arguments as you go along. To get the most out of this approach the leader would need to have a firm grasp of the logic of all the elements and how they fit together and be ready to think on his feet! Why does each of those things belong where it is? Etc.)

v10: that if someone does not love his brother (a fellow-Christian) he shows himself not to be a true child of God. V14: love for the brothers. Cf. v15. Love is characteristic of God and his children; hatred is characteristic of the devil and his children (v10).

Vv16 & 19.

V24 – real believers obey God’s command, explained in v23.

We know by the Spirit that Jesus lives in us v24. Perhaps we know that Jesus lives in us (v24) by the love, righteousness and faith which the Spirit works in us and also perhaps by the Spirit’s inner witness in our hearts.

 

What are the two “examples” given in this passage? What is it about them John wants us to learn from (to copy or to avoid)?

Cain v12 (Genesis 4). Jesus v16. Cain took his brother’s life; Jesus gave his life for his brothers.

V15 on hatred and murder see Matthew 5:21-22.

 

Why might the world hate us? (v13 – see also v12) Why did Cain hate Abel?

Remember what John has said about the world as in rebellion against God e.g. 2:15-17; 3:1. Non-Christians might act like Cain (v11-12) and hate Christians because the Christian’s righteous actions expose their unrighteousness.

 

What does our culture mean by “love”? What might people say “love” is? How would people finish the sentence “love is…”?

? A feeling. ? sentimental. ? confused with lust / sex.

What does verse 16 suggest real love is? How does the passage challenge our culture’s view of love?

The cross defines real love. It is to do with purposeful self-sacrifice, acting in a way that’s costly to self for the good of others. (Jesus’ love for us was not because we are attractive or loveable.)

 

How should we lay down our lives for our brothers (v16)? What might it mean in practice do this / love one another? What practical ways of doing this are suggested in the passage? (vv17-18)

Purposeful self-sacrificial costly servant-hearted love in action for the undeserving like Jesus showed. V17: it may involve practical or financial help. V18: real love will involve actions, not just words

 

In what ways could you / your group / our church show love like this?

 

How does v19 suggest that Christians can have a clear conscience?

Genuine acts of love (v18) are a sign of being a real believer. Only believers will be genuinely and self-sacrificial in their love of others. Such love is God’s supernatural work in us.

 

If our hearts condemn us (v20), does that necessarily mean we are not genuine believers? Why? What reassurance does John have for someone whose heart condemns him?

John seems to expect that from time to time our hearts may (wrongly) condemn us. It’s reassuring simply to know that guilty feelings don’t mean we’re condemned. God is greater than our hearts – and God has loved us and sent Jesus to die for all those who will trust in him.

 

What promise and conditions does v22 give?

We receive whatever we ask in prayer if we obey God’s commands and do what pleases him. We must do this in what we ask for too. The verse seems to imply that we pray according to God’s will. Cf. 5:14-15.

 

How does v23 sum up what God commands of the Christian?

Believe in Jesus and love one another.

Jesus’ command to love: John 13:34; 15:12, 17.

 

Summary points / applications / for prayer & praise:

John Stott’s summary of vv11-18: “Hatred characterizes the world, whose prototype is Cain. It originates in the devil, issues in murder and is evidence of spiritual death. Love characterizes the Church, whose prototype is Christ. It originates in God, issues in self-sacrifice and is evidence of eternal life.” (Epistles of John, Tyndale NT Comm., IVP, 1964, p144)

Praise God for his love for us and the death of the Lord Jesus for us.

Pray that we would love one another sincerely and follow Jesus’ example, demonstrating self-sacrificial love in action. Look out for opportunities to do this.

Thank God that he hears our prayers.

 

 

Homegroup Leaders Notes (6) 1 John 4:1-21

 

Why do these verses suggest Christians need to be discerning? Why is it necessary to “test the spirits”? (v1)

 

How do these verses suggest that we should “test the spirits” / recognise true and false teaching / the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood?

 

vv2-3

V6: the “us” is probably the Apostles cf. 1:1-4, 19.

 

What comfort does verse 4 give us in the face of false teaching?

 

Can you think of ways in which we might be tempted to accommodate our teaching to the “viewpoint of the world” so that people might listen to us (v5)?

 

Why should we love one another?

V7 Similarly, v16b.

V11. Similarly, v19.

v21.

 

(If you didn’t use the “what do people in our culture think love is” etc. question last time, you could use it here in contrast to vv9&10)

 

How should we love one another? What should our love be like?

vv9-10

 

Since God is unseen (v12), how can we know he loves us?

v14. See also vv9-10.

 

How can we know that we are Christians? Vv13-16.

 

Why can the Christian be without fear? What does the Christian not fear? (vv17-18)

 

Why do verses 20 and 21 suggest it’s incredible to say we love God if we do not love fellow Christians?

See also 5v3

 

Summary points / applications / for prayer & praise:

Pray for true teachers and teaching in the church and that we might recognise and reject false teachers and teaching, not seeking to accommodate our teaching to what people want to hear.

Give thanks for God’s love for us and the confidence it gives us.

Pray for God’s help to love fellow Christians – especially any you find difficult.