Archive for November 2023

Ezekiel 38-39, Job 14, John 11:17-37, 1 John 3:19-24 1 John 3:19-24: Assurance is a matter of real significance and sometimes real concern: how do I know for sure that I am really a Christian? Here in this passage John gives us four ways to be sure about our salvation. First, Remember God is bigger than your emotions.…

Ezekiel 35-37, Job 13, John 11:1-16, 1 John 3:11-18 1 John 3:11-18: John has these two interweaving themes related to doctrinal orthodoxy and moral obedience to Christ. And here he is reflecting on the second of those themes, but particularly regarding love. John gives two reasons and models for what love is and should be.…

Ezekiel 33-34, Job 12, John 10:22-42, 1 John 3:1-10 1 John 3:1-10: John now returns in his spiral method to the other main theme in his letter, namely moral obedience to Christ. He has been emphasizing the importance of orthodox doctrine; but true doctrine must lead to real transformed lives. How? And why? First, we are to purify…

Ezekiel 31-32, Job 11, John 10:11-21, 1 John 2:24-29 1 John 2:24-29: John is concerned that false teaching will lead Christians astray from the truth to which they hold. And in this section he continues to teach about the “anointing” (the Holy Spirit within us) which enables us and equips us to know the truth…

Ezekiel 29-30, Job 10, John 10:1-10, 1 John 2:18-23 1 John 2:18-23: In John’s spiral staircase method of writing, he has now reached another turn where he approaches one of his main themes again – namely doctrinal orthodoxy. This time, though, he brings into view the much-discussed “antichrist” and how Christians can avoid being taken…

Ezekiel 27-28, Job 9:21-35, John 9:26-41, 1 John 2:12-17 1 John 2:12-17: John now steps back to tell his readers why he is writing to them. Each grouping is repeated to emphasize his particular focus for each age range. Here, we may say, is evidence in the Bible that suiting our teaching to the intellectual…

Ezekiel 24-26, Job 9:1-20, John 9:13-25, 1 John 2:1-11 1 John 2:1-11: The spiral staircase of John’s writing continues with an apparent circling of subject, returning again and again to the main themes of doctrinal orthodoxy and obedience to God.   First, he tells his readers (“my dear children”: note how affectionate John is! What a…

 Ezekiel 22-23, Job 8, John 9:1-12, 1 John 1 1 John 1: John is writing to call his readers to a life of doctrinal orthodoxy and godly obedience to Christ – and he does so with a rhetorical style that is both profound and unusual for contemporary ears. He appears to wander from topic to topic; in reality…