I John - Jude

XXIII. I John

Author – Apostle John one of the original 12 disciples
When – 85 A.D. perhaps from Ephesus
To Whom – unknown.
Purpose – To teach Christians the importance of being separate from this sinful world. John makes a clear delineation … line in the sand between the followers of Jesus and the followers of sin. A Christian looks like this and a sinner looks like this. He offers illustrations such as walking in the light versus walking in darkness, and the children of God versus children of the devil. John repeatedly uses the pronoun “this” in his letter: “By this you know …” “In this ...” “This is …,” for the purpose of getting the readers attention to a specific point. John did not want there to be any confusion about what it meant to be a follower of God, what love is, who the Holy Spirit is, etc. The key command in I John is to love. Christians are to follow Jesus’ example by loving one another and this love comes from God.
Key Verses – I John 1:5-10

XXIV. II John

Author – Apostle John one of the original 12 disciples
When – 85 A.D.
To Whom – to a local church that met in a person’s home. “Chosen lady and her children” were probably metaphors for a local church and its members. Place unknown.
Purpose – A) Emphasize Christ’s command for his followers to love one another. See also John 13:34-35. Why was it necessary for Jesus to give a commandment specifically to believers to love one another? What impression would it give to unbelievers if believers are unable to love one another? B) Warning against false teachings. Specifically, the teaching that Jesus did not come into the flesh. Read verse 7. What did John call someone who spread such a false teaching? Deceiver and antichrist. What did John tell the church to do if someone came to them with such a teaching? Read verse 10. If anyone accepts such a person, what will they be guilty of? Read verse 11. It was customary for churches show hospitality to/to take in missionaries and teachers and house and feed them. John said to show no such hospitality to false teachers.
Key Verses – II John verses 5-6

XXV. III John

Author – Apostle John one of the original 12 disciples
When – 85-90 A.D.
To Whom – A Christian named Gaius. Place unknown.
Purpose – A personal letter to Gaius who probably became a Christian through John’s ministry. Two themes are found in this letter: truth and hospitality. John commended Gaius for showing hospitality to a group of believers sent by John despite the efforts of one church member named Diotrephenes who denied hospitality to the men. Moreover, he prevented others in the church from doing so. If anyone did, Diotrephenes forced them out of the church. Diotrophenes rejected John’s authority over the church and went so far as to speak evil in the church about the apostle. Why was he doing this? Read verse 9. Diotrephenes evidently held a position of influence/authority within the church. His church … not John’s or anyone else’s. Diotrephenes did not respect/acknowledge John’s authority as apostle … as someone who spoke God’s truth. He worked to undermine John’s authority. What was more important to Diotrephenes: truth or himself? As Christians, we are not to undermine or be an obstacle to those in spiritual authority over us (pastor) who live and speak the truth. Example – Demetrius in verses 11-12. Sent by John to speak truth to the local church.
Key Verse – III John verse 11

XXVI. Jude

Author – Jude, half-brother of Jesus and brother of James, the author of the epistle James.
When – 70 A.D.
To Whom – Given the many Old Testament references in his letter, it was probably written to Jewish Christians. Place unknown.
Purpose – Warning against false believers who had infiltrated the local church. They were regular churchgoers. They held a perverted teaching that God’s grace gave one the license to sin. The more one sins, the more grace from God to forgive such sin, the more glory God receives. These false believers also denied the authority of Jesus Christ. They did not regard Him as their Lord. Jude proceeded to list off numerous Old Testament examples of what happened to those who held similar false beliefs. Jude also listed in verse 16 the characteristics of false believers – grumblers/complainers, faultfinders, followed evil desires, boasters of themselves, flatter others for their own advantage.
Key Verse – Jude verse 3

Is the greatest threat to a church from within or without? Explain.

What do you believe is the number one reason why nonbelievers refuse to become Christians? Hypocrisy of churchgoers.