 Good morning, everyone. Welcome to today's session on New Testament survey BC103. Today we're going to study on the epistles of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. So even before we could begin with our session, can I request Sidd? Can you lead us in that? Father, we come to the throne of grace, Lord. Thank you for this day. You have given us, Lord, as we are going to learn from your scriptures, Lord, in the New Testament, Lord, the word you are living, Lord, whatever we are going to, Lord, it should be, Lord, just the word, but Lord, it should minister us and it should be impactful when we learn about daily life, Lord. Lord, thank you for this teacher. Thank you for all the students, Lord, as we are going to study about your word, Lord. Give us understanding so that we can understand and do accordingly. Oh, Lord, help us and guide us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen. Thank you so much. Am I this, I mean, audible or are you getting any background noise from my side? No, ma'am, you are audible. Okay, there's no background noise because there's some work going on outside. I'm not too sure. Is it noise? Okay, so there's no background noise, right? Yes, ma'am, your audio is clear. Okay, okay, thank you so much. Yes, we will begin with our session. You all can turn to the book of John, one John. We're going to study on one John. Sid, you can take the recording of yesterday's session. We studied on first and second meters. The recorded session is available on the stream, okay, so that you don't miss on any other classes. Thank you, ma'am. Yeah, so today we're going to study on the first episode of John, first, second and third John we will be starting off. So in first John, we have about five chapters and Apostle John writes this letter around 85 to between 85 to 95 AD. And he assures us as readers that through Jesus, we have eternal life and we can enjoy the fellowship with God and with fellow believers. And this letter is also circulated among the believers throughout the Asia province, including the seven churches that has been mentioned in Revelation chapter two and three. So the highlight of this letter is the three characteristics of God, that God is light, there is no darkness in him and God is righteous and everyone who participates in the righteousness is born of God. And he also says as he's been an apostle of love, he also says that God is love. And he who does not love does not know God. And it also contains the best and the most concise definition for worldliness. And there are some key verses in this book, like John chapter one verse eight and nine. Can I request one of us to turn to John one, John chapter one verse eight to nine. First John chapter first verses eight and nine. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Nine, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. So what we see here is we see that God is faithful. To forgive us, forgive us from all our sins. And in chapter two verse 15 to 17, can the other person pick up one John chapter two verse 15 to 17. Another person please turn to one John chapter four verse four. And the next person pick up one John chapter four verse 18. First John chapter two verse 15 to 17. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not the father, but it is of the world. And the world is passing away and the lust of it. But he who does the will of God abides forever. So what we see in this three scripture is John is encouraging us to not love the world or the things of the world or lust for the things that is in the world because the world is passing away and the lust of it. But he who does the will of God abides forever is encouraging us. He is trying to take a focus from the worldiness and is asking us to be focused on Christ and be focused on the eternal life. Do not focus on the glory that is passing away, but then focus on Christ. And we also see in one John chapter four verse four, you are of God, little children have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Here John is saying that God is greater. God is greater than anything in the world and hold on to him. And then in John chapter four verse 18, he says, there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts off fear because fear involves torment, but he who fears has not been made perfect in love. So here we see that John is bringing a point here saying that the perfect love casts out all fear. When we have the love, when we have God's love and when he is with us, this help, every fear that is ordering us or that is affecting us will be casted out and also is giving us a promise in one John chapter five verse 11 to 13. We see that God has given us eternal life and this is the promise that we can hold on to. So this is what John is encouraging us through the first letter of John. So with that we will go on to the background of this book. So all of these letters were written by the same man, same person, that is Apostle John. Even though he does not refer himself, but then the language, the style and the formation of the words and the universal acceptance by the early church fathers all suggest that Apostle John was the author of this book. So that the first John is with or this book refers to the book of love. First John is also referred as the book of love. So John is often referred to as the disciple who Jesus loved. He is something sometimes called the Apostle of Love. It is primarily because of the book of first John that he's given this title and love is used more in this little book than in any other book of the Bible. So in this letter, in first John it said the word love is written over 50 times and evidently John was concerned about the lack of true Christian love among the body of believers. So he's trying to emphasize and build each believer in the love of Christ and we also see John has been concerned about the rising heresy of Gnosticism and its effect on the church, on the church believers and he was very particularly concerned about the branch of Gnosticism and belief. Jesus did not have a physical body. They had a question on this deity. They denied the dual nature of Christ being a deity and human at the same time. Well, their view was Christ seemed to have just a body. So it was a different kind of body. And this teaching was trying to spread among the believers in the churches by these false teachers. So what we see here is just like the other apostles like Paul, Peter. Here we see John is also concerned about these false teachers who are causing a lot of trouble to him in the church. So he is trying to sternly instruct the believers and share the truth to bring them to the knowledge of the gospel. And yeah, so what did this Gnosticism believe in? What was they teaching? They believed that all matter was evil. They also believed that the spirit was good. And they believed in order that Jesus was fully good but he could not have been a partaker of flesh and blood. So they believe that Jesus Christ did not literally die on the cross. He only appeared to do so. So the teaching was completely not realistic and they were trying to spread this type of wrong teaching into the churches. They were slowly creeping in. So John was also writing to encourage the saints, the believers in the church. He gives seven reasons of his own writing. So what is that seven reason? We see that in John chapter one verse three where he says that that they might have fellowship with him fellowship with him and their joy might be full in full. And we also see in chapter two verse one we see that my little children, these things are right to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the father. Jesus Christ be righteous. So what we see the third point here, John is making this that they might not sin. And in the same chapter verse 12 to 14 John is encouraging the believers saying that they might be instructed. And same chapter two verse 26 he says that they might not be deceived. Be very careful, don't be deceived with these false teaching. And in chapter five and we turn to chapter five verse 13 he talks about he says these things have returned to you believe in the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the son of God. So what we see here is assuring that we have eternal life and he also continues to say believe in Jesus, believe in the name of the son of God believe in him. So he is emphasizing on Jesus who's been the son of God and when we believe on him we have been assured of the eternal life. So these are the seven things that John is encouraging the believers as saints in the church and also with this we will move on to second John. So yeah second John is one chapter so in second John we see that this chapter is all about truth it is called as the book of truth so the focus of this book is that having love for the truth and walking in truth so the second John is only the New Testament book specifically addressed to a women to whom John is writing he is mentioning as in chapter one verse one he says to be a lady and her children whom I love in truth and not only I but also all those who have known the truth. We also see like you know some of the interpreters say that this is just a personification of the universal church and where the children who here it says all believers it has been addressed to all the believers as the children but then in general scholars believe that there is a women who was in leadership in the church in Babylon so now when we say Babylon do we know which place is Babylon we discussed it in yesterday's class it is Rome so in first Peter chapter 5 verse 13 we read I think our first Peter chapter 5 verse 13 we read that she who is Babylon elect together with you greets you and so does art my son okay so this actually addressed to a leader who was in leadership in the church in Rome Babylon there is nothing but those days that was the code or symbol that they used for Rome so she seems to be a well-known lady in the church who was loved by all including Apostle John so this is the most common view by all the scholars that the personal nature of the greeting at the end of this book seemed to lean toward it being addressed to an actual friend of John and she was a women verse 13 we see that the children of your elect sister greet you so what we see is in verse 4 in this letter verse 4 where it says I don't know I think somebody's microphone is on okay okay so what we see here is in verse 4 second John verse 4 we see that I rejoice greatly that I found some of your children walking in through as we received commandment from father so what we see here had believing children obedient to the truth can I request one of us to read verse 10 from this letter verse 10 11 and 13 second John chapter 1 verse 10 if anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching do not take him into your hands or welcome him anyone who welcomes him shares in the wicked work I have much to write to you but I do not want to use paper and ink instead I hope to visit you and talk to you face to face so that our joy may be complete the children of your chosen sister and send their greetings thank you so what we see here is the letter that is addressed as elect lady is a person who had believing children were obedient to the truth and she is used of both for the congregations gathering we also see that she was known for a tremendous spirit of hospitality in verse 10 to 11 we see that and in verse 13 we see that she had a sister who refused to be friends of John so the very purpose of this letter is John addresses similar concerns to that of the first letter of John on a more personal basis so we see that he wanted to warn of women who was noted for receiving itinerant minister to be on the lookout for the points teachers and they might try to infiltrate so he was little concerned about that not much concerned about that with that we can move on to the third letter of John so in third letter we see that even this even this letter is known to be as the book of truth but with more emphasis on the practical side of walking in truth rather than the doctrinal side of protecting the truth from the errors as we saw in the second John so it is the shortest book in the New Testament yeah so the third John is written to a man by the name of Gaius now who is Gaius? Have we heard his name any time before any other letter any other book have we heard his name in the book of Acts or in any of Paul's letter this we have come across his name in the book of Acts when we turn to Acts chapter 19 verse 29 we see that there were several in the book of New Testament when we read different books like book of Acts or any of the letters of Paul especially in the book of the letter to Romans or the letter to Corinthian church we come across this person by the name of Gaius so one man which is with a rest in the book of Acts chapter 19 verse 29 it is a man from Macedonia who traveled with Paul and also in Acts 20 we see another man from Derby traveling with Paul and in the book of Corinthians chapter 1 verse 40 we also see he was a third man who was resident of the church at Corinth and he was also baptized by Paul and posted Paul when he wrote the book of Romans now because the Gaius of the third John was a convert of John he most likely is none of the three mentioned about who was already related with Paul so this John sorry this Gaius John is addressing in the third letter is a Gaius who is different from the three Gaius who were in touch with Paul so this person may have been converted by John and you would have been a respected leader in the church so when we read third John chapter 1 verse 1 we see that the elder to the beloved Gaius whom I love in truth so he seemed to be a very respected leader in the church and verse 3 says that he was a man who walked out his faith also seeing from verse 5 to 8 John is addressing him and he was well noted for this hospitality so that's what he says he says beloved you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers who have born witness of your love before the church so if you send them forward John in a manner worthy of God you will do well because they went forth for this namesake taking nothing from the Gentiles be therefore ought to receive such that we may become fellow workers for the truth so this is what he has been noted for and the very purpose for this letter was to commend Gaius for his attitude of hospitality and also to express the concern of a diatriphus who seemed to be rejecting the Apostle to get road into the life of church he also it appears that diatriphus was openly rejecting the leaders the ministry leaders who were hydrant or who were visiting the churches there and they were particularly carrying the letter of John and visiting them so what is so the date of writing this letter is again approximately from 85 to 1980 where this letter seems to have written from Ephesus prior to John's exile on and the other two episodes were more personal in nature and they were never circulated to the extent of the first letter was and with that let's move on to the unique features of this all three books so the first John the unique features of first letter first John is John's refutation towards the Gnostic heresy so here we see that Jesus Christ was true man with flesh and blood so John saw and heard Jesus personally with his own eyes and yes he was a personal mind witness to Jesus and he also says in 1 John chapter 1 he says actually I touched him I handled Jesus I was with him you know he gives that emotion the physical expression of being with Jesus and we also see that he is also confirming that Jesus had flesh and blood Jesus received and having true flesh just like he was of man he is trying to explain it to come against the Gnostic heresy and he also depicts Christ in 1 John from chapter 1 and 2 he tries to depicts so he says Jesus was indeed the son of God when he defended the human nature of Christ and now he is saying he is also 100% when he was 100% man he is also 100% and here he says Jesus was the son of God and he is our advocate with the father he also says in 1 John 1 John chapter 2 verse 2 he says and he himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for us only but also for the whole world what is this word propitiation anyone in the class propitiation is nothing but Jesus became our mercy seat can we also turn to Hebrews chapter 9 verse 5 anyone Hebrews chapter 9 verse 5 we also see Paul addressing this not Paul sorry the writer of the book and about where the cherubim of glory overshadowing if you all have different version other than KJB I would encourage you to read from that please ma'am I am having NIV yes please Hebrews chapter 9 verses 5 above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the atonement cover but we cannot discuss these things in detail now so what we see in different version is it says about where the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat the propitiation for our sin and not for us only but also for the whole world Jesus was our mercy seat for our sins and we also see in chapter 2 verse 20 John is depicting Christ as the Holy One Jesus is the Holy One and in verse 22 it says Jesus is the Christ Jesus is the Christ so what are the 5 points that he depicts Christ as in the letter of his job first as a son of God second that Jesus is the advocate with the Father third Jesus as a mercy seat for our sins fourth this is the Holy One fifth Jesus is the Christ so with that now he also goes further and depicts someone who is born of God that is the saints the believers who believe in Jesus Christ as a law and savior now he is depicting that again in 5 ways in chapter 2, 3, 4 and 5 we see that we see that in chapter 2 verse 5 can I request one of us to please read 1 John chapter 2 verse 5 1 John chapter 2 and verses 9 anyone who claims to be verse 5 verse 5 1 John chapter 2 verses 5 yes okay ma'am but if anyone obeys his word God's love is truly made complete in him this is how we know we are in him thank you so what we see here if there is anyone who keeps his word truly the love of God is perfected in him but this we know that we are in him by this we know that we are in him so what is that we need to keep they keep his word the one who believes Jesus as a law and savior are the saints who keeps his word and the second point he says it was one of you to turn to chapter 2 verse 29 and the other person turn to chapter 3 verse 9 4 chapter 4 verse 7 and then last chapter 5 verse 1 so if you are ready with chapter 2 verse 29 can we read and read 1 John chapter 2 verse 29 if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him so what is important here the key point here is if you know that he is righteous then everyone who practice righteousness is born of him so if we are in Christ if we are the child the saint of God then we will practice righteousness in our life so this character the body character will be embedded within us as the follower of Christ we will we will try to practice righteousness in our life so whenever we do something wrong we will immediately correct ourselves correct ourselves and try to do what is right what is God so we try to practice righteousness okay and if you are ready with chapter 3 verse 9 please read chapter 3 verse 9 I will read 1 John chapter 3 verse 9 whoever has been born of God does not sin for he remains in him and he cannot sin because he has been born of God yes so whoever has been born of God does not sin so what happens as a saint we do not encourage ourselves to sin we do not continue and sin and also chapter 4 verse 7 says we love it let us love one another for love of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God as a saint we love God and other people because it is one of the commandment from Jesus love your neighbor as you love us and also in chapter 5 verse 1 it says whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and everyone who loves him who begot also loves him who is begotten of so they believe that Jesus is the Christ so the 5 points when John is depicted of someone who is born of God will have this 5 traits in them or 5 characteristics in them what is that first they will keep his word second they will practice righteousness third they do not continue and sin 4 they love God and others and fifth they believe that Jesus is Christ and sixth is they overcome the world when they believe Jesus they overcome the world you see that chapter 5 verse 4 it says for whatever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world okay same chapter I am just reading it for the time okay verse 18 it says we know that whoever is born of God does not sin but you has been born of God keeps himself and the wicked one does not touch it so what we see here you see that the guard themselves from the evil the guard themselves from the evil would be the God so with that we will see how John compares God's love and our love you see that in John chapter 1 verse can I request one of us to turn to John chapter 1 sorry John 1 John chapter 4 verse 11 and 16 1 John chapter 4 verse 11 and 16 verses 11 dear friends since God so loved us we also ought to love one another and verses 16 and so we know and we relay on the love God has for us okay the version is little different I will read it from M.C.J.B beloved of God so loved us we also ought to love one another and then 16 he says and we have known and believed the love that God has for us and God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and God in and so what we see that God's love for man is manifested in in the way like he sent the son into the world and we see that his son lay down his life for us we see that he has given up given up a spirit for us and he was called and he called us as his children through God and then we see our love for God is manifested like how in chapter 2 verse 3 to 5 1 John chapter 2 verse 3 to 5 can I request 1 John chapter 3 verse 23 1 John chapter 1 John chapter 2 verse 23 1 John chapter 3 verse 23 1 John chapter 3 verse 23 let me read 1 John chapter 3 verse 23 It says, and this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment. Amen. Amen. So what we see here, our love for God is manifested in that we keep his command and also in in John chapter 5, we see that love is only begotten son. We also see in chapter 2 that love our brother and sister and John is encouraging us to not love the world or the things of the world because they are tired. He's asking us to keep our mind focused on the eternal things and in John chapter 3 verse 16, he says, by this we know love because we lay down his life for us and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. So here we see John is encouraging each of us to lay our lives down for one another and the following verse 17 and 18 where he says that share your possession with your brother and sister who are in me. He's encouraging us to be generous like how even Jesus were teaching when we read that in the Gospel of Matthew where it says it's more blessed to give than to receive. So verse 18 says that love was not in your words but also in your action. Should not just be a word in our mouth or in our tongue but it should be in our deed, in our action and in truth. So with that we will move on to John. We see that John is explaining or giving us an insight into the Eichnerian ministers, the traveling ministry leaders. So what happened here is we see the Apostle John raises some of the leaders and he sends a letter in their hand on behalf of them. So they could travel from church to church with a letter from the Apostle John and bring a word of encouragement to the congregation. So what happened? This was a great service to the church and it helped to keep them in touch with a greater body of church. So what happened as these traveling ministers depended greatly on the deal of hospitality of the church leaders or the church believers. So what happened where the church leaders or the believers members could provide them for their travel and meet the need during their travel. So we see that John addresses and the third John. He addresses how this person named Gaius has been known for his hospitality towards this traveling migrant minister where he says Diatriphus but then there was a person called Diatriphus who was on the opposite spectrum. On the opposite side he was totally against these traveling ministry leaders where John evidently had sent a letter to the church and this person Diatriphus did not allow these traveling ministry leaders to read the letter. Eventually what happened Diatriphus was so against this ministry that he persecuted those open their house towards these traveling ministers. So John's commendation for hospitality towards the leaders and towards Gaius opened up their house to these traveling ministry leaders. We see that and third John was five to six. We see that beloved you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers. Well six he says who have born witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God you will do well. Something very nice is encouraging the believers the saints of the church to bless or treat well these traveling ministry leaders and whatever you do on to them is like you're doing on to God. There are two ways to interpretation to the scripture we can say. One you can say like you treat people the way you would treat God himself. In the second way we can interpret the scripture as maybe we can treat these people the way God himself will treat them. We need to see the minister of God as the servant of God as you know like how we treat God. So we need to treat people the way God reads us. We need to treat people as how we can treat God himself. These are the two perspective interpretation. We can take this word of encouragement from John and John three minutes where in contrast like how we studied about guys who opened up his house and received these leaders and he was known for his good hospitality. And there's also another person in this letter where we see them in three years. He had a good testimony from all and he led a good life relationship to the truth. At the same time he received direct rivers was totally opposite. He was very rude. He was malicious and running other ministries down. He refused to receive other ministry leaders and he forbid others to receive them and punish them if they do. And they even in relationship with the church. So and also what was our learning from these three letters? What was our learning from these three letters? What was the message that we get from all these three letters? So we see in checking. Yeah. So in first John we see the main message of the first John is that love is the glue that binds the universe together. Yes, it begins with God who's love demonstrating his love for us in action by giving his only begotten son to die for us. And we also see that John explains that love is extended when we are sick for a great God's love. And in turn, love one neighbor as us. And in second John, yeah, in second John we see that the main message of this book is that is that loving truth, abiding in truth, walking in truth will keep us from being deceived by any false teaching or any false doctrine that So hold on to the truth of possible and the third letter, the main message of the third letter of John is that we need to verify our love for the truth, how by action. In a in a tricky nominalist leaders or being very hospitable towards the same maintaining openness and imitating the love of God as a good nature in us and being try to be a blessing to give to the church, the ministry leaders because they depend on us. So here we see John encouraging us to be a blessing to the ministry leaders who serve God, who's carrying this message you are traveling from one place to the other to spread the word, spread the gospel. So here we see John is encouraging not only the church there, but each of us to be a blessing towards the ministry towards the church, towards the pastors, towards the ministry leaders who are carrying the gospel from a place to be open up our doors when they are visiting our place, host them at your home, make sure that we make they give bless something that they don't run shortage in their travel. So you know, overall he's asking us to be a channel of blessing and he's encouraging us do it as though you do it and who got no hand to any man. And we also see it will be always just encouraging as the gospel man who says it is a blessing to give them that to receive. So you're saying when you give you receive the blessing from God all will be well with you. So this is the message that we get from all these three letters. And now I open it to the class. Is there anything that you'd like to share and we can go ahead before because this was our site with the word of God. Anyone? You would like, yes, yes, please go ahead. Ma'am, when I listen like when I see the name of the book, like John one, John two, John three, so suddenly a question raises in my mind, like there are so small chapters like if we see like John second and John three, three, they are only one one chapters. So then like what was the reason like he wrote like Apostle John wrote specific like different books? Why didn't he just compiled it in one like John? Why there are like three different epistles like this? Okay, so because of his writing in different period and different periods, so they have to preserve it that way. They cannot combine all the letters which was written in different seasons with different intention or the purpose. Or anyone else would like to add on to Sid's question. Alita, Yalama, Aradhana, is there anything that you blessing anything that you would like to share or what is your thought Sid? Why do you think that John letter is not combined as one single letter and why they have made it separate? What do you think Sid? Ma'am, I was just thinking about like I agree with your I agree with your answer like because of the timeline difference and the set of people he was ministering to. You see the first letter was addressed to the church. Okay, it is also referred as the Book of Love and it is referred to the churches and this first letter was circulated to different churches. It was written in different timeline and this letter was circulated. But if you see the second letter, who was it addressed to? Woman. Yes, it was addressed to a family of women who had children and elect women who had children. Okay, so that letter cannot be combined with the first letter because this letter would have sent to that after many years after many years it was written and it was sent to the particular church where she was the leader. Okay, and the third letter was sent to encourage the church that opened up the house to host the ministry, the travel, the traveling ministry leaders like he encouraged Gaius for his hospitality at the same time. He condemned, he brought a correction to Demetrius of the act that he was doing. The way he was against these traveling ministry leaders and sorry, not Demetrius, Dio Trifus, like how rude he behaved against these leaders and he encouraged the church members not to do something like that. Okay, he said, don't do such evil things to the traveling ministry leaders. In fact, we need to laugh and we need to be a good example by hosting them. Okay, we need to do good work. So these three letters were written for three different purposes and for three different churches. You got it? Yes, ma'am. Okay, so that's why we cannot combine them together as one single letter and they have addressed three separately and each one have their own purpose of themes and yeah, there's a lot of things for us to learn from these three different letters. Though the author is the same, but he has written an address of three different. Okay, did that answer your question? Yes ma'am, thank you. Yes, thank you. So can you pray and dismiss us? Father, we come to the throne of grace. Lord, thank you for today, Lord, as we have learned about John 1, John 2, and John 3, Lord, whatever the commandments, the blessing, the Lord, whatever the codes are there, Lord, as we have to follow, as the third should grow, as the woman, as for the Lord, we have to host the ministry in our house, Lord. Lord, we are your vessel, Lord. We should be used in a mightly way, Lord. Lord, use us and make us in whatever the way it suits you, Lord. Not our will, but Lord, your will be done, Lord. Lord, thank you for this hour, what we have spent in your presence, Lord. Whatever the learning we have got, Lord, it should not be wasted, but it should be used for the effective ministry and your kingdom expansion. In the name of Jesus, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the God's people say Amen. Amen. Thank you so much for joining in today's session. Have a great day. God bless you. See you all next. Thank you.