It's impossible for John to think
of people who have fellowship with God
who willingly, consistently break God's command.
That's a contradiction that doesn't work for John.
What I would title 1 John, "Genuine Fellowship with God."
The theme of this wonderful letter
is fellowship with God.
And John is very intent
on rooting his readers in the truth
that there's no such thing as fellowship with God
that does not have his foundation
in the person and work with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our fellowship with God
is through the Lord Jesus Christ.
That sin broke that fellowship,
and Jesus had to come,
again, to live the life that we could not live,
die a death that we should have died,
rise again, conquering sin and death.
He is our advocate.
He is our righteousness.
He is our propitiation.
And then John wants us,
this is two sides of his fellowship coin,
he wants us to understand that the expression
"the fruit of fellowship with God"
is transformed living.
So, two things he has
on the two sides of his gospel coin,
his fellowship with God coin is,
foundation is Jesus Christ.
The result of that fellowship is gospel living.
And this little letter is organized
by three signs of gospel living,
three signs of true faith,
true fellowship with God.
First is the moral sign.
Do you keep God's commands?
It's impossible for John to think
of people who have fellowship with God
who willingly, consistently break God's command.
That's a contradiction that doesn't work for John.
So, there's a moral sign.
There's the theological side.
Do you believe Jesus is the son of God?
That's the watershed.
And you know that there are many people
outside of the church,
who would recognize that Jesus was a great teacher,
a good man.
That's not enough.
If Jesus is not the son of God,
the whole of the gospel is a lie.
C. S. Lewis says,
"If Jesus is just a great prophet,
He is either an incredible liar
or He's insane."
In either case, He's not worth following
because He declared himself to be the son of God.
That's exactly where John is.
Do you believe in the son of God?
And then there's the affection sign.
Do you love God and His people?
I think these three hold a wonderful mirror for all of us.
Are we zealous to keep God's commands?
Do we hold tightly onto our belief
in Jesus is the son of God?
And do we live a life of love for God
and love for His people?
Now, why those three signs?
Because John says the grace of the gospel transforms you.
Biblical thinkers, theologians have talked years
of the test of true faith has been the testimony
of a transformed life.
There's no such thing as true faith,
grace at work in a person's heart,
and that person's life remaining the same.
This book about fellowship with God
really comes and becomes an argument
for the transforming power of grace.
God's grace transforms your morality.
God's grace gives you a brand-new worldview
and a theology of Jesus at the center.
God's grace transforms the loves of your heart
where love of God and His people
becomes the most important love to you.
What does fellowship with God look like?
Well, it looks like more than joyfully singing on a Sunday.
It looks like a life that's transformed
because when God touches you by His grace,
you won't be the same.