There are a lot of books in the Bible that I like reading. I’d always been partial to James. Such good stuff in there, and I remember more than a few times I’ve had to pull out James chapter four and ask friends, “what really has you upset right now?” (read it and you’ll see what I mean). James covers a lot of ground: how to be joyful in tribulation, how to treat others, how to be accountable for our words – all very good clues to the Christian life.
But I’ve always loved John’s first letter, and I think just about any time I get a new Bible I go right to it and mark it up. It’s filled with reminders – not so much telling you how to be a Christian, but more, “how do you know you’re a Christian?”
But today I was listening to Tom Schrader as he was wrapping up a study on the letter, and although I’m sure I heard this study before, he mentioned something I liked but don’t remember ever hearing. He named four freedoms that John tells us.
The first is freedom from despair. John says “We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete” (1:4). He reminds us that we won’t be encumbered by the worries of the world, but rather we are to be joyful knowing something.
The second is freedom from guilt. “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (2:1). It’s not that we won’t sin, but when we do, we have someone speaking on our behalf.
The third is freedom from deception. In verse 2:26, John says “I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.” Well, this is kind of obvious, isn’t it?
The fourth is freedom is the one that always struck me when studying this letter – the knowledge that we have eternal life. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (5:13).
And this verse is why I go to 1 John so often. Five chapters. A quick study. And if you do it, start there — with 5:13. Then go back and every time you see a statement that tells you something about the Christian life, consider – is he writing to me so that I may know I have eternal life?
But now I have even more to consider. More to look for. More about which I can be hopeful.
More to come.