Commentary on 1,2,3 John

By COGwriter

John is believed to have been the last of the original apostles to die.

He also wrote the last several books of the Bible, including the Book of Revelation.

The letters, also called epistles, known as 1, 2, 3 John are believed to have been written around 90 A.D.

1 John is much longer than both 2 & 3 John combined.

In the 3rd century Origen of Alexandria (Reid G. Canon of the Old Testament. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume III. Copyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company) and in the 4th century Eusebius (Eusebius. The History of the Church. Book III, Chapter III verse 5 and Chapter XXV, verses 3-4, pp. 44, 59-60) both wrote that 2 John and 3 John were among books that the Greco-Roman alliance disputed. Yet, the Church of God leader Polycarp of Smyrna, who knew the Apostle John, seemingly quoted from both of them like they were scripture in his Letter to the Philippians.

We would have expected that as it remains our view that the Apostle John canonized the New Testament and passed the knowledge of the books to Polycarp (see also Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete?).

1 John

So, let's start with the first verse of 1 John:

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life -- (NKJV throughout, unless otherwise noted)

John starts out by saying that which was from the beginning. John appears to have been one of the first disciples called by Jesus, responding on the very first day Jesus began gathering disciples (John 1:35-40). John points to his long historical connection to Jesus and then adds that he saw Him, looked at Him, etc.

Basically, John is saying that he is a reliable source of Jesus.

1:2

John further states that not only is he a witness, but that he is declaring them eternal life!

2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us --

1:3

Then he invites the reader to have fellowship with other believers:

3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

1:4

Now why John said he wrote:

4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

John wrote so believers could be full of joy.

1:5

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

John is teaching that claiming to be a Christian does not make someone one. Real Christians believe and practice the truth.

1:7

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Christians are to walk in the light of the truth, meaning we have to actual practice and live as Christians. If we do that, then the blood of Jesus will cleanse us from ALL sin.

1:8

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We are lying to ourselves if we think we have no sin. Jesus rebuked the majority of end time Christians in Revelation when He said:

14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19)

While we MUST repent to be a Christian per Acts 2:38, notice that Jesus said that Christians still needed to repent.

1:9

John writes about an important way to do that:

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We are to admit that we sin.

1:10

Otherwise:

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

We must admit our sins to be a Christian.

Sin harms us and others and we need to repent of sinning.

1 John 2

In the second chapter, John starts off by saying why he wrote these things:

1a My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.

Not sinning is important. Later in this letter, John more clearly defines sin.

2:1b

Continuing, John writes:

1b And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Jesus is our advocate and as the Apostle Paul wrote, our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)

2:2

2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Propitiation implies averting just judgment through a substitute or payment.

Notice that Jesus is NOT just the atoning sacrifice for the elect, but also for the whole world.

This is something that early Christians taught and believed.

Yet, this is something that the Greco-Roman Catholic and Protestant world no longer fully grasps.

We have a free eBook that covers God's plan of salvation, including for those not called in this age. Here is a link: Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation.

2:3 John switches to explaining how we can know we know Jesus:

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

Notice that John did not say we know we know Jesus because of an emotional feeling, but if we keep the commandments.

Many Protestants teach that you do not have to keep all the Ten Commandments, whereas the Greco-Roman Catholics, like the Pharisees of old, teach they are to be kept, yet they have so many exceptions from their traditions, they do not actually keep them. Details are in our free eBook: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast.

2:4 Continuing, John writes:

4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

It is not presumed manifestation of tongues or emotions that counts. Real Christians keep the commandments.

Those people who do not truly strive to do so, are deceiving themselves as they are not truly Christian.

Real Christians keep the word of God.

2:5

5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

We keep the word of God by obeying it. While some argue against the need for obedience, notice what the apostles, including Peter, John, and Paul taught:

29 ... Peter and the apostles answered and said, “We are obligated to obey God rather than men. ... 32. And we are His witnesses of these things, as is also the Holy Spirit, which God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:29,32, A Faithful Version)

8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, (Hebrews 5:8-9)

We must obey God for salvation. Jesus obeyed.

2:6

6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

How did Jesus walk? Well, notice something He said:

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. (John 15:10)

Jesus kept the Ten Commandments. So, did the Apostle Paul who wrote:

1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

2:7

7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

That command is to love. Notice something that the Apostle Paul wrote:

5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, (1 Timothy 1:5)

Keeping the commandments shows love to both God and to others. The Ten Commandments are not just some set of arbitrary rules--they exist to help us develop love.

Despite those who call abominable acts love, keeping the commandments of God shows real love.

2:8

8a Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you,

The Study Bible Commentary notes:

The "new commandment" echoes Jesus' words in John 13:34, where He instructs His disciples to love one another as He has loved them. This commandment is not new in the sense of being recently created, but new in its emphasis and depth, reflecting the transformative love of Christ. The Apostle John, writing to early Christians, reinforces the importance of this commandment in the context of their faith journey. The concept of a "new commandment" also ties back to the Old Testament, where the law was given to guide the Israelites, but now it is fulfilled and expanded in Christ.

Continuing in 1 John 2

8b because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

When we are in the light of God and truly obeying Him, we are not in the darkness of hating others. Those who are living in hate have their eyes blinded.

2:12

12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.

If we have repented and been baptize and continue to confess our sins, they are forgiven because of Jesus' sacrifice.

2:13

John now gives other reasons that he writes and repeats certain points:

13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

One of the reasons he wrote that he writes the brethren is that they have the word of God abiding in them. Also, that Christians should know Jesus who existed from the beginning. John wrote of that in his gospel:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

That is something Christians should know.

2:15

15 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. 16 For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.

The late Herbert W. Armstrong commented on these verses in a sermon titled What is Sin?:

If you'll notice now
   1 John 2:15-16 Love not the world [That's the teaching of the New Testament that God tells us, and we have to come out of this world and be separate. Love not the world], neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world…
   What is worldliness? What is in the world? What is it? What is the way the world has gone?
   1 John 2:16 …the lust of the flesh…
   That is, desires of the flesh, to have things to please the different senses—the sense of sight; the sense of feel, sex; the sense of the exhilaration that you get from alcohol or you get high on drugs. Lust of the flesh, what is it? Even the taste of food. Many foods that taste good are bad for your health, and people wonder why their health is not good. They don't think about eating food that's good for their health and will keep their minds clear and their bodies in good shape. They only think of what tastes good to the palate, lust of the flesh. Brethren, I tell you, we're just simply LOADED with that; and we don't realize it.
   1 John 2:16 All that is in the world, lust of the flesh…
   That is, desires. Just selfish, self-centered desires of your own flesh, of the five senses. The sense of hearing. Now there's good music and bad music. And Satan has got bad music going and got all of the younger generation today on bad music. Rock and pure rock, like it's finally come, is having a very bad effect on the mind and the spirit.
   [**Tape turned over, and part missing at 44:11]
   It pleases them, so they want to do it. They just want to go the way that seems to please the woman.
   1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes [what looks pretty to the eyes], and the pride of life[vanity]... (Armstrong HW. What is Sin? Sermon Date: December 5, 1981)

Now let's continue in 1 John 2:

17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

Related to those verses, Herbert W. Armstrong stated:

   1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth…
   It gets down to doing, but it starts with an attitude of mind that inspires the doing; and then you act on it. We have to think, and we have to act according to the thinking. And the mind must direct what we do, our actions. And sin is when that action, that thought, conceives into a wrong action. I'm trying to get down to the biblical definition of sin and just what is sin. It is a spiritual thing.
   1 John 2:17-19 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. [I might read a little more right here.] (18) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come [Now it says "the last time." We're in the last days now. We're in the very last days.], even now are there many antichrists [Why the world's full of them! All of false religions.] whereby we know that it is the last time. (19) They went out from us…
   Now, many went out on this very question of "What is sin?" Not necessarily just on make-up alone (that's only one), but on the whole thing in general. It just threatened to split up the Church back in 1974, and a liberalism that was coming in to God's Church.
   1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been OF us, they would no doubt have continued WITH US.
   I can't understand why some that I love so much have gone out from us. And I have to read this and say, "Well, they just probably were not really with us, or they wouldn't have gone out." That's what God said. Can I say. "Well, God. You're wrong! That's not true"? Well, God says (He says here in plain language):
   1 John 2:19 [Therefore] if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us ["altogether of us"—They just were not!]. (Armstrong HW. What is Sin? Sermon Date: December 5, 1981)

Allow me to add that one of the earliest documented changes in church history from the practices of the Apostle John is when the Greco-Roman churches changed from keeping Passover on the 14th of Nisan/Abib to Sunday. And that is known by theological scholars (see also Passover and the Early Church).

2:20

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

That anointing comes from the receipt of the Holy Spirit after baptism and the laying on of hands. Notice that:

4 those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, (Hebrews 6:4)

2:21

Remember that John is writing to Christians.

21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Real Christians have accepted the truth and live the truth.

2:22

22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

One of the doctrines of antichrist is denying the individuality of the Father and the Son. More on antichrist will be covered related to 2nd and 3rd John.

2:24

24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

Let me add that the trinity was NOT something Christians heard from the beginning. That doctrine was officially adopted by the Greco-Roman Catholics at the 381 Council of Constantinople convened by Emperor Theodosius. More on that can be found in our free eBook: Mysteries of God. What is God? 

2:25

25 And this is the promise that He has promised us-- eternal life.

Eternal life is the big, and one of the biggest, promises.

2:26

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.

Jesus and Paul also warned about people deceiving:

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:4-5)

13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13)

2:27

27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

This is a reference again to the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught:

13 However, when that one has come, even the Spirit of the truth, it will lead you into all truth because it shall not speak from itself, but whatever it shall hear, it shall speak. And it shall disclose to you the things to come. 14 That one shall glorify Me because it shall disclose to you the things that it receives from Me. 15 Everything that the Father has is Mine; for this reason, I said that it shall receive from Me and shall disclose these things to you. (John 16:13-15, AFV)

Remember that the Spirit of truth is granted after baptism to those who obey Jesus (Acts 5:32).

2:28

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

Herbert Armstrong wrote:

 In the American Revised version I John 2:29 is correctly translated: "is begotten of Him"; but in the A.V. it is, incorrectly, "... every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." (Armstrong HW. Just what do you mean... BORN AGAIN? Radio Church of God, 1962)

What is righteousness?

Notice:

172 My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness. (Psalms 119:172)

Those who obey God's commandments are practicing righteousness.

1 John 3

Now to chapter 3:

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Christians are begotten, but not yet born, children of God. But with the first resurrection, Christians will be deified (see What is Your Destiny? Deification? Did the Early Church Teach That Christians Would Become God?).

Yet, the world does not know us now--in general they hate and despise us. Real Christians have been called all kinds of negative names through the church age (see also Is the true Church of God a Heretical Cult?).

3:3

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

There are pure and those who are not:

26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. (Psalms 18:26)

15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. (Titus 1:15-16)

Those who are not pure do not think God is pure. Even though they may profess to know God, by their works they deny Him and often want to speak out against the faithful.

Jesus taught:

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:8-12)

Not let's transition to sin, which is mentioned in the next verse in 1 John.

We are about to do so by first looking some things that the late Herbert W. Armstrong taught:

WHAT IS SIN?

Now what is sin? Isn't it funny that the world doesn't know? I've said this before and I want to say it once again and just even if I do repeat, we need to. Well, repetition is the strongest form of emphasis and sometimes some of these things need to be emphasized a little so we remember them, or we will seem to forget so easily.

I was in Springfield, Oregon. Now, that's a little town that just adjoins Eugene, Oregon. And I believe it's across the river. Anyway, it just adjoins Eugene. I'd gone over to see someone that had asked a question for a Bible Study or something. At that time there was an evangelist from Los Angeles that drove with certain cars. They bought second-hand Cadillacs, I believe they were. They had painted in Old-English type that looked religious, you know. Made it look 'churchified' and religious, certain things that either were scriptures, or looked like it was scriptures, looked very religious. He had a tent pitched there in Springfield, and he was trying to get men to come to his meeting.

He had about five or six young men of college age. I'd say 21 or 22 years of age. Each one of them had a Bible. They were going by on the street and accosting everyone on the street.

One of them accosted me and stopped me and wanted me to come to the meeting that night.

I said "Well," I said, "does your minister preach repentance from sin?"

"Oh, yes, sir. Yes, sir!" he said.

"Uh huh. Well, what does it mean? What do you repent of? What is it you quit doing? What is sin?"

"Well, Christ died for our sins."

I said, "Well, yes. I know that. I've heard that before. But" I said, "I want a definition. Is there somewhere in the Bible that says 'Sin is…' and then, just like a dictionary, gives you the definition of what it is?"

"Well," he says, "Christ died for our sins."

"Well," I said, "that's not giving me the definition."

Well, a crowd began to gather around us. And pretty soon another one of the young fellows, a half a block away, he came running over. He couldn't give me an answer. And then another one came, and he couldn't give an answer; and he ran and brought the evangelist himself there. And I said to the evangelist "I won't come to your meeting unless you know what it is—what sin is, and what I have to quit doing. WHAT IS SIN? What have I got to repent of? What have I got to turn away from? I want a Bible definition. Now," I said, "Mister, I know that you know; and I don't think you want to tell me!" He just got angry and turned and told all of his men to "Come on away from this man!"

By this time there was quite a crowd around there, and they all laughed. I said, "Well." I said, "He wouldn't give me the Bible definition." I knew that he knew, but he wouldn't tell me because he doesn't believe it! He preaches just the opposite from what the Bible says. I said, "Would you like to know what the Bible says?" "Oh, yes." they said they would. "Well," I said, "you know I just happen to have a Bible here with me in my briefcase!" [Audience laughs.] So I got out the Bible, and I turned to 1 John 3:4.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

He said, "Christ nailed the law to the cross, so you don't have to obey the law."

"So Christ did away with sin?" I said. That's why that man wouldn't answer me. ...

What is sin? Sin is the way Adam chose, and he rejected the law of God and the whole Law of God It is an attitude of mind that goes into the action, following that attitude, and doing the wrong way. It is a way of life; it is self; it is vanity; it is the way of get. "I love me, but I want to have and I want to acquire and I want to exalt myself. I want to glorify myself." ...

PHYSICAL SIN - SPIRITUAL SIN

Now, talking about this thing of sin: There is both physical sin and spiritual sin. Many, even of our MINISTERS, don't seem to understand that! And many people in the CHURCH don't seem to understand that. The penalty of physical sin is physical sickness or debility of some kind, and pain and suffering that is physical. Now, physical sin is transgressing the law that normally would operate in a body that God started functioning and working. He started you breathing from your first breath, when you were born. You keep on breathing, and your heart's been pumping ever since. Your heart has not missed. It might miss a half a beat or a beat once in a while, but it goes right on. You've never missed very many, or you wouldn't still be here today.

There is a law that works in your body. There are a number of systems in the body--the digestive system; the eliminative system; the nervous system (many different systems in the human body); and God devised them all and designed them. It's a marvelous mechanism. No machine that man ever designed and made is as marvelous. But something could go wrong with them.

It isn't always that you have committed a sin. You haven't always done it intentionally, and maybe you didn't know it. Or maybe you caught a germ that brought a transgression of the physical laws of your body. Maybe it was a contagious something from someone else. It might have been in the water you drink. I think that's what happened to me when I was nineteen years old, and I had typhoid fever. The only time in my life I ever went to a hospital. But it is a physical sin, and the penalty is physical suffering. And, of course, it could result finally in this physical death too—or the cessation of this physical existence.

Now there is spiritual sin. And the penalty of spiritual sin is not the first death even, but the second death. The first death—
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die…

I Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam ALL DIE [Not because of your own sin, but "as in Adam" all die.], so in Christ shall all be made alive [by a resurrection]."

But that's speaking of the Great White Throne Judgment resurrection. The penalty of physical sin is physical suffering. It's a physical penalty. The penalty of spiritual sin is death—or the loss of spiritual life. Now you don't have spiritual life; and the penalty is that you will die, even the second time, because you finally will just expire. But most people think of sin in the spiritual sense. So, it is the transgression of the spiritual law of God that we think of sin. I'm thinking of it from a spiritual point of view. Now spiritual sin is the violation of the PRINCIPLE. I want you to get this, brethren. We have never seemed to get it! ...

Romans 7:14. Anyway, it says (I won't turn to it), "The law is spiritual." I'm talking about the spiritual law when we talk about spiritual sin. The law is spiritual.

Now it is II Corinthians. I'd like to go to that for just a moment. Now here I finally find I have it here. "The law is spiritual." But II Corinthians… (I thought I had a marker for that, and I guess I didn't. So it takes a little longer to turn to it, if I don't have it already marked.) II Corinthians, chapter 3 and beginning with verse 1, where Paul says:

II Corinthians 3:1-3 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you [That is, recommendations or some certificate or something of the kind.], or letters of commendation from you? (2) Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink [Now, notice it's not by the letter written in ink, by a certain word.], but with the Spirit of the living God [This is the Spirit—getting down to the really, the principle of the thing involved.]; not in tables of stone [where every little detail was written out]…

And the "tables of stone" there referred to the tables that were written on stones. Not the Ten Commandments written on the two carved tables of stone, but written on whole stones—the physical laws, the ritual laws of ancient Israel, if you'd turn back to it and read it.

II Corinthians 3:3-8 …but in fleshy tables of the heart (4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: (5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (6) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, [not of the letter] but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit [maketh alive]. (7) But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones [on whole stones] was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: (8) How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

Jesus magnified the Law. The Law is a principle. You don't have to get down to every specific thing. You know the principle of law and apply it to the circumstance. Now let's take one example that Jesus had, back in The Beatitudes.

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

"The law and the prophets" meant the Old Testament writings. To verse 21, now He takes the literal law. Under the old covenant they were under THE LETTER OF THE LAW; but they had these specific things to do morning, noon and night that were only a temporary substitute for the Holy Spirit. Today we have the Holy Spirit, and we don't need the substitute.

So that law of physical things is done away, but the spiritual law is not. Now He said:

Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill [Now that's one of the spiritual laws.]; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: [Now notice how Christ magnified that law—how He applied the PRINCIPLE, not just the letter](22) But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…

He magnified the law. It went a lot farther than just the letter of actually killing a man until his life had stopped. It went a lot farther. Now in verse 27:

Matthew 5:27-28 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time [Going back when they had the letter of the law.], Thou shalt not commit adultery [Unless you're caught in the very act, then it wasn't adultery; but look how He applied the principle]; (28) But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

He magnified that law and expanded the principle. You don't have to get down to the literal letter. And people want to get to the letter; and if they can't get a single simple letter, they say, "Well, then it's okay." Well, would you rather go Satan's way? Do you think that's the better way to live for all eternity? Satan's going to live with it for all eternity; and he's the most unhappy, uncomfortable, mixed-up mind in all the universe.

Now, I found in the Bible that God's people did not observe birthdays, but the world did. And the Bible gives us an example to follow. So I set in the Church that we do not observe birthdays. Now we don't have to get down to every little picky thing. It's just a general principle. There is a general rule why the world observes your birthdays and why we don't. We don't observe the birthday of Christ. The Bible nowhere tells us to, or gives us the date of His birth. But it does give us the date of His death, and we celebrate His death! Why?

Because His death cleared up our record and wiped our sins clean and reconciled us to God so we can have eternal life. And God wants us to remember that, and remember the price that was paid—that was His death.

…the second and third tithe being an absolute law for all [It is God's way; and, if we want to do God's Will, we will do it. And so it is a doctrine of the Church]; healing being an absolute promise and law of God . . . there was there for a while ministers who wanted to do away with every booklet that I wrote ... You were "majoring in the minors" if you spoke on health foods; prohibited anything to do with birthday parties; insisted on modest apparel among the women [You mean, instead of extra-ordinary Hollywood stuff that is unseemly?] and no long hair among the boys or men…

The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair…?

So it is A DOCTRINE OF THIS CHURCH THAT OUR MEN MUST NOT HAVE LONG HAIR {nor are women to have short hair}. Do I have to SPELL IT OUT? Or do we want, in our hearts, to have the spirit of wanting to obey God? Do we want to "Oh No, God, I, I, I don't want to go any further than have to!" Well, I want to read one or two scriptures in closing. (I'm going to have to close. I won't have a chance to go on as far as I wanted to.) They want to partially obey God. You turn back here to I Kings 11:6 about King Solomon, the son of David.

1 Kings 11:6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.

David went FULLY after the Eternal! Today they say, "Well, I don't want to go fully after God's Way. I just want to go as far as I have to!" Brethren, God's way is to go wholly after God's way spiritually. It's an attitude. Where is your attitude? What do you really want in your heart?

Now then, God says in Revelation 18:4 to us, "Come out of Babylon." That's this world and this world's religion.

Revelation 18:4 …Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

I don't want to see you people be partakers of the plagues that God is going to visit on Babylon because of her sins, if you get into them. Now then, here's what God tells me. God says to you, "Come out of Babylon!" What does He say to me and to our preachers?

Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, [Why should I lift up my voice now and then, brethren? I do.] and shew my people [God says, their sins or] their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

And we are the house of Jacob, and we have found that out. (Armstrong HW. What is Sin? Sermon Date: December 5, 1981)

Let me add that some of what Herbert Armstrong classified as physical sin, is not sin. If, for example, someone gives you poisoned or contaminated food that you are not aware is poisoned or contaminated and you get physically ill, that does not mean you sinned. But he was correct that there are physical penalties associated with various improper things.

3:4 Now to the fourth verse:

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. NKJV

4 Everyone who is doing sin, he also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness, (LSV)Everyone who practices sin is also practicing lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness.

4 Everyone who practices sin is also practicing lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. (AFV)

The word translated as lawlessness in the NKJV is:

anomia (an-om-ee'-ah); from NT:459; illegality, i.e. violation of law
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006, 2010 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Sin, therefore, is a violation of God's law, which includes, but is not limited to, the Ten Commandments.

We have literature, articles, and sermons on them. Here are some of those:

The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
Two Beasts and Ten Commandments The "Mystery of Iniquity" has been present since the time of the Apostle Paul. Will the coming two beasts of Revelation 13 violate the Ten Commandments, but the faithful still keep them in the end times?
FIRST COMMANDMENT: Priorities and the Most Broken Commandment Which commandment is broken the most? Which one is most involved with what should be your top priority? Here is a link to a related sermon: The Most Violated Commandment and Priorities.
SECOND COMMANDMENT: What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did the early Church use icons? What was the position of Christians about such things? A related sermon is available: The Second Commandment, Idols, and Icons.
THIRD COMMANDMENT: Words Matter Are you obeying the Third Commandment? Are you sure? Could you be blaspheming with your euphemisms or life actions? Here is a link to a related sermon: Third Commandment Plus: Words Matter. Here is a link to a shorter video: Was Increased Cursing Prophesied?
FOURTH COMMANDMENT: The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church? Here is a link to a related sermon: Fourth Commandment: Saturday or Sunday?
FIFTH COMMANDMENT: Honor and Be Honorable The fifth commandment involves family relationships. Is it more than parents and children? What about love and ruling well your household? Here is a link to a related sermon: Honor Your Parents and Rule Honorably.
SIXTH COMMANDMENT: Anger, Murder, Abortion, Sports, Self-Control, & Kindness Is there more to the 6th commandment than not murdering? What about abortion, hate, and violent sports? What is the attitude real Christians should have? Here is a link to a related sermon:: Murder, anger, kindness, and love.
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT: Love and Faithfulness, Not Sexual Immorality The seventh commandment prohibits adultery. Jesus made it clear that it involved more than marital infiedlity. What about the LGBTQ+ movement and the Bible? Here is a link to a related video sermon: 7th Commandment: Love and Faithfulness.
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT: Give not take. The eighth commandment prohibits stealing. This includes thievery, not tithing, debasing currency, cheating, and many other wrong acts. Here is a link to a related sermon: 8th Commandment: Do Not Steal or Cheat, Instead Produce and Give.
NINTH COMMANDMENT: No False Witness For a Better World What were the first lies in the Bible? What would happen if people obeyed God and did not bear false witness? Here is a link to a related sermon: NINTH COMMANDMENT: Joys to the World.
TENTH COMMANDMENT: Protects You From Sinning Against Yourself Lust is not a victim-less crime. A related sermon is available: Tenth Commandment: Sinning against yourself and society.
The Ten Commandments in Hebrew This is a photo of a Hebrew document from the 2nd century, B.C.
Were the Ten Commandments in Effect Before Mount Sinai? Some have said not. This article provides biblical quotes to answer this important question. A sermon of related interest is titled Were the Ten Commandments in Place prior to Mt. Sinai?
Job and the Ten Commandments Was Job written prior to Mount Sinai? Did Job know about the ten commandments? This article provides biblical answers to those questions.
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
Were the Ten Commandments Nailed to the Cross? Some have said so. This article provides some biblical quotes to answer this important question. Here is a link to a related sermon: Were the Ten Commandments 'Nailed to the Cross'?
What Did Paul Actually Teach About the Ten Commandments? Many say Paul taught against the ten commandments. Is this true? This article quotes Paul with his words in green.
Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect? This article quotes the ten commandments and combines some of the previous articles into one article about the ten commandments. The commandments are shown at Mount Sinai, before Mount Sinai, in the teachings of Jesus, after the crucifixion, and in the teachings of Paul. It addresses the most common "traditions of men" regarding them as well. Here is a version in the Spanish language:.¿Están vigentes todavía los diez mandamientos?
Were the Pharisees Condemned for Keeping the Law or Reasoning Around it? Many believe that the Pharisees were condemned for keeping the law, but what does your Bible say? If they were not condemned for that, what were they condemned for? A related sermon is titled Jesus, Pharisees, and the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God--and here is a link to a related article in Spanish: Los primeros cuatro mandamientos: Amar a Dios. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese SAga‹ëT}f>y:r1ÿÝSÍ‹ëT}v„\1f/ª`vv„
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John's writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments: Cause and Effect Is everything random? Why do things happen? Are there just two ways? Should Christians keep the ten commandments? A related sermon is also available: Cause and Effect: Two Trees, Two Ways.
Love and Who is My Brother? This is an article with 1/2 of the information from late CCOG deacon Richard Close. It talks about love, the ten commandments,and who are your brothers and sisters and neighbors. Here is a link a related sermon: Love Your Brother and Neighbor.
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings. A related sermon is titled: Christians and the Ten Commandments.

3:5

5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

The Apostle Paul also wrote that Jesus was without sin:

15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

3:6

6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

Here is how the AFV and NIV put it:

6 Everyone who dwells in Him does not practice sin; anyone who practices sin has not seen Him, nor has known Him. (AFV)

6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (NIV)

Why is are those understandings proper?

Well, consider that in 1 John 1:10 it says if Christians say they have no sin, they are liars. And that in 1 John 3:4 the word related to sin, poeio in the Greek, means doing. Now it is not because ποιέω itself means "practice," but because the present participle (which is used in 1 John 3:4) is often understood to denote continuous or characteristic action.

Related to verse 6, the participle ὁ ἁμαρτάνων literally means "the one sinning." Since present participles frequently denote ongoing or characteristic activity, translators often render it as:

• "the one who practices sin"
• "the one who keeps on sinning"
• "the one who continues in sin"

Likewise, the present indicative ἁμαρτάνει ("sins") can be understood as describing ongoing action. Many grammarians argue that John's repeated use of the present tense throughout 1 John 3 (vv. 4, 6, 8, 9) is intended to describe a person's characteristic pattern of life, so "practices sin" or "keeps on sinning" seems to accurately communicate his meaning.

3:7

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

Notice also:

25 ... it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us. (Deuteronomy 6:25)

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Luke 1:6)

3:8

8a He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

In his gospel account, John recorded that Jesus said:

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God. (John 8:44-47)

The devil is called a murderer from the beginning and a liar--hence this is at least part of how the devil sinned from the beginning. And despite Jesus, as well as His disciples preaching the truth, most will not believe.

3:8b

8b For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil which are sin and death.

3:9

9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

In his sermon, Herbert Armstrong stated:

"And the fact that we are begotten now. You're not born yet, only begotten." (Armstrong HW. What is Sin? Sermon Date: December 5, 1981)

He also wrote:

Look at that! It says plainly, chat after a man is "born of God" it is impossible co sin again.(Armstrong HW. Just what do you mean... BORN AGAIN? Radio Church of God, 1962)

The old WCG taught regarding certain Protestants who:

believe they were "born again" when they first "accepted Christ."

Then by misapplying I John 3:9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God," many conclude that they are no longer capable of sinning in this life. The Bible shows that this conclusion is absolutely false!

1. Did the Apostle John say that Christians do sometimes commit sin? I John 1:8-10. COMMENT: By using the present tense of the verbs in verse 8, John meant they sin after becoming Christians. Notice also that he includes himself by saying "we." 2. Was the Apostle Paul beset with recurring sin long after he was baptized and received (was begotten by) the Holy Spirit? Rom. 7:14-25. Is there a just man on earth who does not at some time commit sin? Eccl. 7:20. So isn't it plain that Christians in this mortal flesh are not now perfect, and therefore NOT YET BORN OF GOD? 3. Now notice I John 5:18. Does this verse further prove that Christians are not yet born of God?

COMMENT: Once we are born of God at the resurrection, we will be able to live without ever sinning again because we will then possess the fullness of God's perfect character and divine nature (I John 3:9). But as long as we are only "begotten" of God we must "keep ourselves" from sinning we must resist evil temptations. But we can still commit sin. (Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course. Lesson 8 - What it Means to be Born Again, 1984)

While I still agree with the above, many, including some in other COGs, changed on that.

Christians are begotten, not born in this age. We are born again at the resurrection. I believe that God designed begettal and birth to help us better understand that concept. That was also the view of early Church of God Christians--see also Born Again: A Question of Semantics?

3:10a

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God,

This is one of the reasons why we are not part of the ecumenical or interfaith movements that the Vatican and the World Council of Churches promotes. Plus, the Apostle Paul essentially wrote that we should be separate from such:

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? ...

17 Therefore

"Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17, which ties in with Isaiah 52:11)

19 For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. (Romans 6:14, 19)

As far as holiness goes, the Apostle Peter wrote:

15 ... He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15-16)

Where verse 16 was originally written was in Leviticus 11:

24 'By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening; 25 whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening: 26 The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean. 27 And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening. 28 Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you.

29 'These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind; (Leviticus 11:24-29)

43 You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them. 44 For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. (Leviticus 11:43-44)

So, we see that righteousness and holiness also involve avoiding dead unclean animals. Yet, Greco-Roman Catholics and the bulk of the Protestants eat them (see also The New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats).

3:10b

3:10b nor is he who does not love his brother.

We are not just not to hate our brother, we are to love our brother.

Jesus taught:

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

3:11

11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

Jesus taught:

37 ... "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)

3:12 John continues with:

12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous.

Cain was of the wicked one--that means he allowed the wicked devil (Matthew 13:38-19), Satan, the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2) to influence him. Satan envied God (Isaiah 12:12-14) and rebelled against Him (Revelation 12:3-4). Cain killed his brother.

3:13

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

Jesus taught:

18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. (John 15:18-21)

3:14a

14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.

Christians have a small deposit, if you will, of the Holy Spirit, which the obedient receive after baptism and the laying on of hands (see also the free eBook About Baptism).

We receive a small amount of God's Spirit at baptism. (Faulkner DH. Just one more thing! Worldwide News, November 10, 1980, p. 2)

As Christians we need to remember that conversion does not occur all at once. ... the Holy Spirit, the earnest (or down payment) of eternal life. (Lohr R. Facing life's greatest defeat: Milestones 'in Church's work Have you surrendered to God? Worldwide News, December 16, 1985, p. 5)

Paul explained that God's begotten children are "sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise [of ultimately receiving eternal life], which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption o( the purchased possession" (Eph. 1:13-14). The receiving of God's Spirit, this "earnest" payment, spiritually begets us as members of God's Family. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God . . . the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom. 8:14,16). We receive the Holy Spirit after a real repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38). So those who receive the Holy Spirit become begotten sons of God at that moment. (McMichael S. Is Your Name in the Book of Life? Good News, March 1980, p. 8)

Receiving the Holy Spirit fully begets us as children of God to be born again at the first resurrection and be granted eternal life.

3:14b

14b He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Those who do not obey, including murderers, do not possess the Holy Spirit which leads to eternal life.

3:16a

16a By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

The Apostle Paul taught:

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:6-10)

3:16b

16b And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

While many tell themselves that they would lay down their lives for the brethren, many end time Christians cringe at supporting the Continuing Church of God financially as we do assist the poor in places like Africa, Northern Brazil, and Haiti.

Note that we are to love in deed--and yes that includes aiding the poor and hungry.

The Apostle James added:

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe -- and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:15-20)

3:19

19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

We know we are the truth if if DO what we are to do for the brethren.

3:20

20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

That also means that if our heart does not condemn us for not supporting as we should, God knows that as well.

3:21

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

That is the case IF we have done what we should.

3:22

22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Yes, we are to not sin and keep His commandments and He will answer our prayers--though sometimes the clear response to us may seem longer than we would have expected (2 Peter 3:9).

3:23

23 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.

Yes, we are to believe on and in Jesus and love one another.

3:24

24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

And we know that we do NOT receive God's Holy Spirit if we do not obey (cf. Acts 5:32).

1 John 4

It is only in 1,2,3 John that the Bible ever uses term antichrist or antichrists.

One of the most detailed is in 1 John 4:

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Note that the 'spirit of the Antichrist' was already in the world by the Apostle John's time. The wording of that points to that spirit existing throughout the church age as well as a specific individual to be considered THE Antichrist in the end times.

4:4

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

We, as true Christians, have overcome the 'spirit of the Antichrist.' Why, because Jesus is greater than any and all worldly powers.

4:5

5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

Like the Pharisees of old, the Greco-Roman Catholics and Protestants rely a lot on traditions and philosophies of men over the word of God. That is documented in the following:

• Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? 

• Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism 

4:6

6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

True Christians are of God as we believe the word of God and strive to live by it. We accept the Bible as truth. Anything opposed to it is the 'spirit of error.'

4:7

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Herbert Armstrong wrote:

I John 4:7: The A.V. incorrectly has it: "... and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." But the Revised version corrected this error, rendering it: "... is begotten of God." (Armstrong HW. Just what do you mean... BORN AGAIN? Radio Church of God, 1962)

4:8

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God is love. EVERYTHING HE DOES IS BASED ON LOVE.

God created what He did so that there would be more love in the universe.

God made you, so if you will respond to Him, you will be able to give love in your own unique way to make eternity better for yourself and everyone else.

God made everyone else in order to increase love and to make your eternity better.

This is documented in more detail in our free eBook:

• The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? 

9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

John also wrote the following

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

4:10

10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The Father sent His only eternal companion, Jesus, because He loved us so much. You could say that they both risked everything for YOU!

4:11

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

John continues to hammer home the necessity of Christians to love, not just God, but others.

4:12a

12 No one has seen God at any time.

What does that mean since Jesus was seen by John himself, after His resurrection?

The verb of interest is τεθέαται ("tetheatai"), rendered in many translations as "hath seen" or "has seen". The word derives from θεάομαι ("theaomai")

Viable meanings of theaomai include:

gaze on (contemplate) as a spectator; to observe intently, especially to interpret something (grasp its significance); to see (concentrate on) so as to significantly impact (influence) the viewer. (see here)

In context, is this passage talking about "seeing" God or "grasping the significance" of God? ...

1 John 1:1 English Standard Version

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen [3708 ὁράω horaó] with our eyes, which we looked upon [2300 θεάομαι theaomai] and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life

The KJV translates Strong's G2300 in the following manner: see (20x), behold (2x), look (1x), look upon (1x). In general, the word carries a range of meaning from sight seeing to mind perceiving.

John used two different words for seeing at the opening of his letter.
ὁράω is a simple seeing with physical eyes.

θεάομαι is a deeper kind of seeing with the mind, in addition to seeing with the eyes. This is the context of how John used this word in his 1st letter.

Later, the same John wrote in 4:12

No one has ever seen [2300] God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

has ever seen
τεθέαται (tetheatai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's Greek 2300: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to look closely at, i.e. perceive; by extension to visit.

This time he used the same lexeme for mind-seeing as at the opening. Further, he conjugated it to the prolonged form for emphasis. This latter mind-seeing is even deeper than the earlier mind-seeing in 1 John 1:1.

No one has ever fully grasped the full significance of God at any time. (What is the meaning of tetheatai "has seen" [God] in 1 John 4:12? Biblical Hermeneutics accessed 0708/26)

4:12b

If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

Jesus called on Christians to be perfect:

If we love as we should, God's love becomes perfected in us.

48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

4:13

13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

His Spirit is only given to those who obey Him (cf. Acts 5:32).

4:14

14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

John is saying he is giving testimony as a witness.

4:15

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

Just confessing that Jesus is the Son of God does not have God abide in one unless the person also abides in God.

The world's versions of Christianity do not abide in God.

4:16

16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Again, John tells us God is love. He/she who abides in love, would be abiding by God's commandments, and then God would abide in him/her.

4:17

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

Living as a Christian will have God perfect love in us as we live in this world, as Jesus also did.

4:18

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1

We are not to fear, despite being a small minority in this world.

The Psalmist wrote:

6 The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:6)

I found that verse when I was facing potential jail time for being unwilling to work on the Day of Atonement during my last year in the military.

Remember that Jesus said:

32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

4:19

19 We love Him because He first loved us.

Do not forget that, yes, God does love you.

4:20

20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

There are bitter and unforgiving people who claim to be Church of God Christians. Many show hate in what they say or write or what they do or NOT do.

4:21

21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

John keeps hammering the need to love for one to be a real Christian.

1 John 5

Now to chapter 5:

1a Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,

Although many think that they believe Jesus is born of God, Jesus warned:

21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Matthew 7:21-23)

There are those who think they believe and there are those who live as Jesus wanted His true believers to.

5:1b:

1b and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

Yes, true Christians are begotten by Him. We are to love the brethren.

Herbert Armstrong noted:

I john 5:1: in the A.V., incorrectly: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him." Here, this same Greek word, "gennao," was inspired by the Holy Spirit three times in the same verse. The first time, the King James translators erroneously rendered it into the English word "born." The second time "gennao" is used in the Greek they could not render it "Him that was BORN" or "Him that "borned" -- for it refers to the human believer, not God. Here they were forced to choose the correct definition of "gennao," in the past tense, as "begat." Then, since they already had to use the past-tense "begat" in that instance, they also correctly rendered it, in the third place the word occurred, "is begotten."

The Revised version also corrected this error, rightly rendering it: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God, and whosoever loveth Him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of Him." (Armstrong HW. Just what do you mean... BORN AGAIN? Radio Church of God, 1962)

5:2

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Yet, many Protestant ministers claim that the Ten Commandments are a burden. They particularly like to strike out against the Sabbath being a burden. The Apostle John says it is the love of God for us to keep His commandments.

5:4

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith.

Herbert Armstrong commented:

I John 5:4 -- the A.V. erroneously renders it: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world,... " but the Revised version corrected it to read: "For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world... " (Armstrong HW. Just what do you mean... BORN AGAIN? Radio Church of God, 1962)

5:5

5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Those who truly believe Jesus is the Son of God, obey Him and are begotten of God when they receive the Holy Spirit, will overcome the world.

Remeber that John wrote:

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

5:6

We will use the KJV below as it properly translates the gender of the Holy Spirit correctly, whereas the NKJV translators did not:

6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. (KJV)

Jesus came through the water via baptism (Matthew 3:16) and through blood by shedding His blood for us (Romans 3:25). And, yes, the Greek term for spirit, pneuma, is of the neuter gender.

5:7

The following is in the NKJV but is wrong:

7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

The NKJV translators should be ashamed of themselves for putting passages in that are not in the original Textus Receptus Greek text of the New Testament.

Most who profess Christ claim to believe in the Greco-Roman trinity--and many cite what is supposedly 1 John 5:7-8 as proof.

But was the trinity a doctrine in the New Testament or held by early Christians?

No.

Here is what one modern historian wrote about it:

Like other doctrines that became central to the faith, however, belief in the Trinity was a historical development, not a “given” from the early years of the faith. A. The basic notion of the Trinity is that there are three persons in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are all equally God and of the same substance, but despite the fact there are three persons, together, they compromise only one God, indivisible in nature. B. This doctrine does not appear to be a doctrine pronounced by the historical Jesus, Paul, or any other Christian writer during the first hundred years or so of Christianity. C. It cannot be found explicitly stated in the earliest Christian writings. The only passage of the New Testament that declares the doctrine (1 John 5:7-8) was not originally part of the text but was added by doctrinally astute scribes at a later date (it is not found in any Greek manuscripts until the 11th century) (Ehrman B. From Jesus to Constantine: A History of Early Christianity, Part 2. The Teaching Company, Chantilly (VA), 2004, p. 43).

The above properly concludes that the trinity was not an original Christian belief and that the only passage in the New Testament that supposedly declares that doctrine (1 John 5:7-8) was added at a later date.

Let me add that the trinity as generally now understood, was pushed by Emperor Theodosius at his Council of Constantinople. Furthermore, he had to remove Demophilus, the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, from his position as Demophilus would not accept Theodosius’ trinity. The trinity did not come from the Bible.

That said, here is the version of 1 John 5:7-8 as is also improperly shown in the modern Roman Catholic Douay Rheims:

7 And there are three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. 8 And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three are one. (1 John 5:7-8, Douay-Rheims)

But much of what is shown above was ADDED to the original biblical texts.

Here is what the original text supports according to Dr. Daniel Wallace, professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary (a trinitarian institution) wrote:

The Textual Problem in 1 John 5:7-8:

“5:7 For there are three that testify, 5:8 the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are in agreement.” –NET Bible

Notice that this is much shorter than what most Protestant or Roman Catholic translators now show. Even certain trinitarian scholars realize that instead of teaching the trinity, the above has to do with Jesus and baptism (see Nelson Study Bible, p. 2147 which is also quoted in the article Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?). It was only after someone scribbled a side note, well after the Bible was written, that the trinitarian view was added.

How late was the addition that made it longer?

Here is something from Dr. Daniel Wallace on the longer addition:

This longer reading is found only in eight late manuscripts, four of which have the words in a marginal note. Most of these manuscripts (2318, 221, and [with minor variations] 61, 88, 429, 629, 636, and 918) originate from the 16th century; the earliest manuscript, codex 221 (10th century), includes the reading in a marginal note which was added sometime after the original composition. Thus, there is no sure evidence of this reading in any Greek manuscript until the 1500s; each such reading was apparently composed after Erasmus’ Greek NT was published in 1516. Indeed, the reading appears in no Greek witness of any kind (either manuscript, patristic, or Greek translation of some other version) until AD 1215 (in a Greek translation of the Acts of the Lateran Council, a work originally written in Latin)…

The Trinitarian formula (known as the Comma Johanneum) made its way into the third edition of Erasmus’ Greek NT (1522) because of pressure from the Catholic Church. After his first edition appeared (1516), there arose such a furor over the absence of the Comma that Erasmus needed to defend himself. He argued that he did not put in the Comma because he found no Greek manuscripts that included it…

In reality, the issue is history, not heresy: How can one argue that the Comma Johanneum must go back to the original text when it did not appear until the 16th century in any Greek manuscripts? (Wallace DB. The Textual Problem in 1 John 5:7-8. http://bible.org/article/textual-problem-1-john-57-8)

Although the NIV gets I John 5:7-8 right, the KJV, Douay-Rheims, NKJV and many other translations of I John 5:7-8 include words not in the original text. On page 1918, The Ryrie Study Bible reminds everyone, related to the NKJV:

“Verse 7 should end with the word witness. The remainder of v. 7 and part of v. 8 are not in any ancient Greek manuscript…”.

In other words the words “in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth” are not inspired and are not supposed to be in the Bible.

Even though the Eastern Orthodox Bible has the addition in it, it has a footnote that states:

c. Only a few recent Greek manuscripts include this clause known as the comma ("in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth...") This passage is undoubtedly an interpolation or later theological comment seemingly of Spanish-Latin origin ... (EOB: The Eastern Orthodox Bible. Laurent Cleenewerck, editor. 2013, p. 534)

Note the claim it is from Spanish-Latin origin--that would seem to be a reference to from the gnostic Spaniard Priscillian c. 380. known as the Latin Liber Apologeticus. It was then found in the 5th-7th century Frisingensia Fragmenta which the León palimpsest of the 7th century looks to have been based on. The original New Testament was written in Greek with a few words from Aramaic. None of it came from Spanish or Latin.

Now lest any Roman Catholics have a different view, although the CHANGED version of the Latin Vulgate contains a version of this, the Codex Amiatinus (Codex Amiatinus. Novum Testamentum Latine interpreter Hieronymo. Epistula Iohannis I V:6-8. Constantinus Tischendorf, Lipsiae. 1854 http://books.google.com/books?hl=pl&id=x0opAAAAYAAJ&q=NOVUM_TESTAMENTUM_LATINE#v=onepage&q=NOVUM_TESTAMENTUM_LATINE&f=false viewed 04/21/12), which is believed to be the closest to the original document that Jerome originally translated into Latin, also does not have this as The Catholic Encyclopedia states:

Codex Amiatinus The most celebrated manuscript of the Latin Vulgate Bible, remarkable as the best witness to the true text of St. Jerome…(Fenlon, John Francis. “Codex Amiatinus.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 21 Apr. 2012 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04081a.htm>)

Here is what it actually shows for 1 John 5:7-8:

7 Quia tres sunt qui testimonium dant, 8 spiritus et aqua et sanguis, et tres unum sunt.

Directly translated into English, it means:

7 For there are three that give testimony, 8 the spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are one.

Note: Yes, I personally read the Latin in the Codex Amiatinus and compared it to the changed version and more modern version of the Latin Vulgate which differs from the early version in that the modern version adds “in caelo, Pater, Verbum, et Spiritus Sanctus. Et hi tres unum sunt. Et tres sunt qui testimonium dant in terra:” (Latin Vulgate . com is provided by Mental Systems, Inc. http://www.latinvulgate.com/verse.aspx?t=1&b=23&c=5 viewed 04/21/12).

In other words, Roman Catholic scholars realize that the texts that Jerome used to originally put together the Latin Vulgate Bible (the basic Bible for Roman Catholics) did not have the late addition (which, of course, it could not originally have had as that addition came about many centuries after Jerome did his translation).

The reality is that unbiased scholars realize that 1 John 5:7-8 additions were added centuries after the New Testament was originally written.
Here is a copy of the relevant section of the Codex Sinaiticus c. 350:

Here is a translation of 1 John 5:7-8 as shown in the Codex Sinaiticus from a scholastic source:

7 For they that testify are three, 8 the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the three are one. (CodexSinaiticus.org accessed 07/02/20)

Notice also:

1 John 5:8 … Ambrose, a Latin … quotes the passage thus:

“But the same Evangelist, that he might make it plain that he wrote this concerning the Holy Spirit, says elsewhere: ‘Jesus Christ came by water and blood, not in the water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth; for there are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three are one,’” (Ambrose of Milan, On the Holy Spirit, Book 3, Chapter 10).

Again, the phrase “these three are one” refers here to the Spirit, water, and blood. Further, the passage is quoted fully here and it is absolutely clear that the Comma is not in the text. (Wayne L. 1 John 5:7-8 and King James Onlyism. CARM.org, October 31, 2018)

Yes, it should be absolutely clear that the “trinitarian formula” was never part of the biblical text.

What some seem to want to do is claim that because some writers wrote statements similar to the extra words added to 1 John 5:7-8 that this proves that they were originally in the inspired manuscripts of scripture (e.g. Rogers J. Why Creeds and Confessions? Lulu.com, pp. 98-99).

Instead, if that proves anything, it proves that a monk who read non-biblical texts (probably the late 4th century document known as the Latin Liber Apologeticus by the gnostic Priscillian) decided to insert a comment he read elsewhere—not the other way around. Accepting that the added words to 1 John 5:7-8 are divinely inspired is believing a lie (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11; Revelation 22:15).

It is partially because of intentional errors like including those verses that Muslims claim that the New Testament cannot be trusted because ‘Christians’ (so-called) changed it. The Apostle Peter warned, “there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies … And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed” (2 Peter 2:1-2). Certainly that warning applies to any who intentionally changed the Bible on their own.

The Protestant and Greco-Roman Catholic Bibles that have the added words are relying on very late documents that were not considered to be original. Some, of course, have ignored the truth about the origin of 1 John 5:7-8 and wish to believe that because early heretics seem to have possibly referred to it (one popular online source falsely claims that Tertullian, who followed the heretic Montanus, quoted the omitted words in Against Praxeas–this is not true as I have read that writing and it is not in there–but even if it was, Tertullian was a heretic follower who did not seem to have the proper canon), that it must be true–but that of course is a lie.

Even various trinitarian scholars have concluded that 1 John 5:6-8 essentially has to do with Christ–not the “trinity” (see Nelson Study Bible, p. 2147 which is also quoted in the article Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?).

Notice more of what the trinitarian Dr. Wallace has said about it:

In 1516, Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch humanist scholar, published the first printed Greek New Testament—on March 1, 1516. When it came out, he did not have this verse, 1 John 5:7 in there, affirming the Trinity. There were Catholic scholars who got very upset with him for not putting it in there. And in his second edition of 1519, he didn’t have it. What he mentioned in his notes in that second edition is “I did not put it in because I did not see it in any Greek manuscripts.” … his third edition of 1522 now has 1 John 5:7-8 in it with that Trinitarian formula.

That is something that has plagued English readers of the Bible, but not German readers. Because Martin Luther based his New Testament on the 1519 edition that didn’t have that. So, in 1519 Luther was using that edition and it didn’t have that Trinitarian formula. German Christianity has never had a problem the Bible, never had the Trinitarian formula in 1 John 5:7-8. As stated, it made it into Erasmus’ 1522 text and then in the King James Version Bible after that. Erasmus basically puts it in under protest. … It seems that this particular reading was never part of the Greek New Testament until after there was a protest. … It never affected Christians through any of the church councils. They never pointed out that verse, because it did not exist in the Bible. So, they came up to the doctrine of the Trinity on some other basis. (Wallace D. What are Some Passages You Interpret Differently than Dr. Ehrman?, 1 John 5:7-8. YouTube video. Jan 15, 2011)

Yes, “the Trinitarian formula in 1 John 5:7-8” was not part of the true Textus Receptus. Notice that the Greco-Roman church councils did not mention it, as the addition did not exist in scripture. Understand that it is from the councils of men (influenced by Imperial authorities and others) that the trinitarian doctrine came from.

The so-called “trinitarian formula” was never part of the biblical text. Notice also the following from Dr. Bruce Metzger:

(1) The text is missing from all Greek manuscripts except eight and these contain the passage of in what appears to be a translation of the Latin Vulgate …

(2) The passage is quoted in none of the Greek Fathers, who, had they known it, would most certainly have employed it in the Trinitarian controversies (Sabellian and Arian). Its first appearance in Greek is in a Greek version of the (Latin) Acts of the Lateran Council in 1215.

(3) The passage is absent from the manuscripts of all ancient versions (Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Arabic, Slavonic), except the Latin; and it is not found (a) in the Old Latin in its early form (Tertullian Cyprian Augustine), or in the Vulgate (b) as issued by Jerome … or (c) as revised by Alcuin…

The earliest instance of the passage being quoted as a part of the actual text of the Epistle [italics added] is in a fourth century Latin treatise entitled Liber Apologeticus (chap. 4), attributed either to the Spanish heretic Priscillian (died about 385) or to his follower Bishop Instantius. (Metzger B. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, 2nd ed. Hendrickson Publishers, 2005, pp. 647-648)

Despite the facts of history, what some seem to want to do is claim that because some writers wrote statements similar to the extra words added to 1 John 5:7-8 that this proves that they were originally in the inspired manuscripts of scripture (e.g. Rogers J. Why Creeds and Confessions? Lulu.com, pp. 98-99).

Instead, if such trinitarian writings prove anything, they point to a monk of some type who read non-biblical texts (probably the late 4th century document known as the Latin Liber Apologeticus by the gnostic Priscillian) and then decided to insert a comment he read elsewhere.

The truth is that the current Protestant and Catholic Bibles, which have the added words, are relying on very late documents that were not considered to be original or faithful to the original text of the Bible. Some, of course, have ignored the truth about the origin of 1 John 5:7-8. The reality is that scholars realize that 1 John 5:7-8 additions were added centuries after the New Testament was originally written.

According to Protestant Dr. Wallace, here is what the original Greek supports for 1 John 5:7-8:

“5:7 For there are three that testify, 5:8 the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are in agreement.” —NET Bible

Furthermore, other Protestant trinitarian scholars have concluded that what should be in 1 John 5:6-8 essentially has to do with baptism and Jesus—not the “trinity”:

5:6 Water and blood have been interpreted … (1) as Jesus’ baptism and death, (2) as His incarnation … Most scholars favor the first interpretation …

5;7, 8 The Holy Spirit testifies in accord with the water and the blood (v. 6) that Jesus is the Son of God (Radmacher ED, general editor. Nelson Study Bible. New King James Version, 1997, p. 2147).

Properly understood, 1 John 5 simply is not teaching the modern Greco-Roman trinity that most who profess Christ claim to believe in.

I would like to mention here that BECAUSE most Bibles contain the false long addition to 1 John 5:7-8, that Muslims often cite this as absolute proof that the Bible has been tampered with and cannot be trusted like they claim the Koran can. The belief and use of 1 John 5:7-8 causes the name of Christ (through the term ‘Christianity’) to be blasphemed among the Gentiles (Romans 2:24; Isaiah 52:5). No honest translator should have ever included it in the Bible as anything other than a footnote that it was improperly added in later centuries as a pretended addition to the text.

The Apostle Peter warned, “there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies … And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed” (2 Peter 2:1-2). Certainly, that warning applies to any who intentionally changed the Bible on their own (see also Revelation 22:18-19).

The Cathecism of the Catholic Church itself admits that the Church (not the Bible) had to come up with terms of “philosophical” (pagan/Greek) origin to explain the trinity:

251 In order to articulate the dogma of the Trinity, the Church had to develop its own terminology with the help of certain notions of philosophical origin: “substance,” “person,” or “hypostasis,” “relation” and so on (Catechism of the Catholic Church. Imprimatur Potest +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Doubleday, NY 1995, p. 74).

According to a Greco-Roman Catholic bishop named Marcellus of Ancyrae, around the middle of the fourth century, certain aspects of trinitarianism came from paganism and the term “hypostases” entered the professing Christian world from a heretic named Valentinus:

Now with the heresy of the Ariomaniacs, which has corrupted the Church of God ... These then teach three hypostases, just as Valentinus the heresiarch first invented in the book entitled by him ‘On the Three Natures’. For he was the first to invent three hypostases and three persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he is discovered to have filched this from Hermes and Plato (Source: Logan A. Marcellus of Ancyra (Pseudo-Anthimus), ‘On the Holy Church’: Text, Translation and Commentary. Verses 8-9. Journal of Theological Studies, NS, Volume 51, Pt. 1, April 2000, p.95 ).

So, it was a heretic that introduced the trinitarian term hypostasis.

The term "substance" basically comes from a Greek term that was introduced to the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches by the pagan sun-worshiping Emperor Constantine. Protestant scholar H. Brown noted:

Although Constantine is usually remembered for the steps he took toward making Christianity the established religion of the Roman Empire, it would not be wrong to consider him the one who inaugurated the centuries of trinitarian orthodoxy. It was he who proposed and perhaps even imposed the expression homoousis at the Council of Nicea in 325, and it was he who provided government aid to the orthodox and exerted government pressure against nonconformists. ( Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988)

It should be noted that it is understood, even by some Roman Catholic scholars, like Priest Bellarmino Bagatti, that those considered to be Judeao-Christians did not accept the Emperor’s non-biblical term:

The point of view of the Judaeo-Christians, devoid of Greek philosophical formation, was that of keeping steadfast to the Testimonia, and therefore not to admit any word foreign to the Bible, including Homoousion. ( Bagatti, Bellarmino. Translated by Eugene Hoade. The Church from the Gentiles in Palestine. Nihil obstat: Ignatius Mancini, 1 Februari 1970. Imprimi potest: Herminius Roncari, 26 Februari 1970. Imprimatur: +Albertus Gori, die 28 Februarii 1970. Franciscan Printing Press, Jerusalem, 1971, pp. 47-48)

Regarding the New Testament, even a trinitarian scholar has admitted that the Bible promotes a binitarian view, and does not teach what is now considered to be the trinity:

The binitarian formulas are found in Rom. 8:11, 2 Cor. 4:14, Gal. 1:1, Eph. 1:20, 1 Tim 1:2, 1 Pet. 1:21, and 2 John 1:13…No doctrine of the Trinity in the Nicene sense is present in the New Testament…There is no doctrine of the Trinity in the strict sense in the Apostolic Fathers…(Rusch W.G. The Trinitarian Controversy. Fortress Press, Phil., 1980, pp. 2-3).

The terms trinity, threeness, or trinitarian are not found in the Bible. The Protestant reformer Martin Luther himself taught:

It is indeed true that the name “Trinity” is nowhere to be found in the Holy Scriptures, but has been conceived and invented by man. (Luther Martin. The Sermons of Martin Luther, Church Postil, 1522; III:406-421, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

According to Roman Catholic sources, the term trinity, in relation to the Godhead, did not come until the late second/early third century. Yet, the idea of the trinity was apparently voiced by the heretic Montanus and developed by a famous Gnostic heretic named Valentinus in the mid-2nd Century. One of the so-called Montanist Oracles, spoken by Montanus was:

“I am the Father and the Son and the Paraclete.” (Didymus, De trinitate iii. 41. 1.) (Assembled in P. de Labriolle, La crise montaniste (1913), 34-105, by Bates College, Lewston (Maine) http://abacus.bates.edu/Faculty/Philosophy%20and%20Religion/rel_241/texts/montanism.html 01/31/06).

This is one of the first references to a trinitarian view of the Godhead (the other earliest one was from the heretic Valentinus–it is unclear which was first). The paraclete is a term used to signify the Holy Spirit (it is from the Greek term parakletos). Eusebius records (Eusebius. Church History, Book V, Chapters 18-19) that church leaders in Asia Minor and Antioch, such as Apollonius of Ephesus, that Serapion of Antioch, Apollinaris of Hierapolis, and Thraseas of Eumenia opposed the Montantist heresies (Apollinaris of Hierapolis and Thraseas of Eumenia were Quartodecimans, and Apollonius likely was as well). And Irenaeus recorded that Polycarp denounced Valentinus.

The reality is that the longer addition of 1 John 5:7-8 was unknown to early Christians as it was not part of the Bible. Church of God Christians never accepted it.

And although it is shocking to some, the early faithful clearly held what has been called a binitarian or semi-Arian view of the Godhead. See also our free eBook: Mysteries of God. What is God? 

5:9

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

Not accepting the truth of God makes one a liar. The witness of God, which is contained in His word, is greater than testimonies of humans.

Scripture tells us:

4 ... Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. (Romans 3:4)

5:11

John said one of the reasons for this epistle was for him to be declaring eternal life. He does so here:

11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who 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.

John is basically saying that eternal life should motivate Christians to believe and follow Jesus as Jesus is the only source for it.

5:14

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Real Christians can have confidence that God always hears us. And He will give what we ask ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. And His will is ALWAYS based on love and what will ultimately be best for us.

5:16

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

While the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), in verse 17 John here is referring to the second death (see also The Second Death). As is 1 John 5:16. The old Good News magazine added:

In I John 5:16, John writes: “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” It must be understood that there does come a time when men have gone so far in sin and iniquity that God will not hear our prayers for them. We’ve got to realize this, talk to God about it, and bc sensitive enough to recognize when God tells us it’s time to stop praying about it. (Dart R. Pray for Others. Good News, September-October 1969, p. 12)

It is better not to be called now than to turn against that calling. Notice what else Peter wrote:

20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. (2 Peter 2:20-21)

The time will come that, "For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Since God wants all saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and would not want humans to commit the unpardonable sin, this explains why only few are chosen in this age (Matthew 20:16) while nearly all others will be forgiven in the age to come (Matthew 12:32).  

5:18

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

The late evangelist Raymond McNair taught:

 I John 3:9: "Whosoever is BORN of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is BORN of God."
   Here is a plain statement from Scripture. If one is born of God, he CAN'T sin!
   But the apostle John wrote in I John 1:8 that "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." And Solomon was inspired to write: "There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
   By putting all the Bible together, and not taking a verse out of its context to suit ourselves, we see that Christians can commit sin. To say otherwise would prove that the truth wasn't in us, said John. Paul was constantly beset by sins which he had not overcome (Romans 7:14-25). Jesus admonishes us to OVERCOME AND KEEP HIS WORKS TO THE END (Rev. 2:26).
   Therefore true Christians are not now born of God. They are only begotten by the Holy Spirit. "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (I John 5:18).
   Notice the difference between the two conditions. The one can't sin because God's seed remaineth in him. He is born of God and has God's nature, not the human nature that once caused him to sin if he didn't have the strength to resist. The other, who is begotten, must KEEP HIMSELF from being spotted — he must continue to resist the deceptions and the pollutions of the world. Such a one can commit sin. He will not willfully — but when caught off guard or in a moment of weakness. Life is to the begotten child still a constant struggle against the wiles of the Devil operating in the world and through his own human nature.
   Much of the confusion about being born again has resulted from misinterpreting the original Greek. In English we use three distinct words: begettal, conception and birth. But in the Greek which Paul and the apostles used, there is one root word having three meanings. (McNair R. What do you mean... "Be BORN AGAIN"? Plain Truth. November-December 1955)

5:19

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

We should have confidence and know that real Christians are of God, but the rest of the world is under that sway/deceit of Satan:

9 ... that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; (Revelation 12:9)

5:20

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

20b Jesus Christ; this One is the true God and the continuous Life! (LSV)

John is again giving testimony that:

1. Jesus actually came.
2. He gave understanding and was true.
3. Jesus is also God--hence John was not a unitarian.
4. Jesus has eternal life and basically is the source of eternal life.

5:21a

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

God inspired the last of the Apostles to write to warn about idols.

He would not have warned about them unless there was a risk.

As it turns out, professors of Christ, mainly from the Greek areas moved towards adopting and using what we would call idols--they tend to prefer to call them icons. But having seen Greek Orthodox bow down and pray before them, just like Hindus do to their pagan gods, they look to have the same practices with icons as do those with idols.

God had Isaiah record the following:

13 The craftsman stretches out his rule,
He marks one out with chalk;
He fashions it with a plane,
He marks it out with the compass,
And makes it like the figure of a man,
According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house.
14 He cuts down cedars for himself,
And takes the cypress and the oak;
He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest.
He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it.

15 Then it shall be for a man to burn,
For he will take some of it and warm himself;
Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread;
Indeed he makes a god and worships it;
He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
16 He burns half of it in the fire;
With this half he eats meat;
He roasts a roast, and is satisfied.
He even warms himself and says,
"Ah! I am warm,
I have seen the fire."
17 And the rest of it he makes into a god,
His carved image.
He falls down before it and worships it,
Prays to it and says,
"Deliver me, for you are my god!"

18 They do not know nor understand;
For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see,
And their hearts, so that they cannot understand.
19 And no one considers in his heart,
Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say,
"I have burned half of it in the fire,
Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals;
I have roasted meat and eaten it;
And shall I make the rest of it an abomination?
Shall I fall down before a block of wood?"
20 He feeds on ashes;
A deceived heart has turned him aside;
And he cannot deliver his soul,
Nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?" (Isaiah 44:13-20)

Yes, idols are obvious self-deception.

Jesus taught:

24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).

And the truth is that God does not want to be represented by things made by man. And the truth is that since no one knows what Jesus (or God the Father for that matter) looks like--all ICONIC REPRESENTATIONS OF GOD ARE NOT SPIRIT are not true. This is part of why all idols and icons are wrong.

Notice something from the Book of Acts:

28... For we are also His offspring.' 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. (Acts 17:28-29)

29 Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold, or silver, or stone, the graving of art, and device of man. 30 And God indeed having winked at the times of this ignorance, now declareth unto men, that all should every where do penance. (Acts 17:29-30, Douay-Rheims)

Christians ARE NOT to represent God with icons or idols.

Notice what the Original Rheim's New Testament teaches:

6:16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols? For you are the temple of the living God. as God saith, Then I will dwell, and walk in them, and will be their God: and they shall be my people. 17. For the which cause, Go out of the midst of them, and separate yourselves. saith our Lord, and touch not the unclean: and I will receive you...

7:1 HAVING therefore these promises, my dearest, let us cleanse ourselves from all iniquities of the flesh and spirit, perfecting sanctification in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 2:6:16-17, 7:1, Original Rheims NT)

Christians are NOT to defile themselves with idols.

Furthermore, notice more from the New Testament:

7 For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8).

18 ... knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers (1 Peter 1:18).

Thus faith does not come by seeing icons, but comes from HEARING THE WORD OF GOD and not traditions of men. Not from items made with gold or silver.

Idols and icons are just a small part of the traditions of men that should not be part of Christianity (see also Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings). Christ NEVER taught that idols or icons were acceptable.

In the early-mid second century there was an apologist named Marcianus Aristides who wrote the following to the emperor:

But it is a marvel, O King, with regard to the Greeks, who surpass all other peoples in their manner of life and reasoning, how they have gone astray after dead idols and lifeless images. And yet they see their gods in the hands of their artificers being sawn out, and planed and docked, and hacked short, and charred, and ornamented, and being altered by them in every kind of way. And when they grow old, and are worn away through lapse of time, and when they are molten and crushed to powder, how, I wonder, did they not perceive concerning them, that they are not gods? And as for those who did not find deliverance for themselves, how can they serve the distress of men?

But even the writers and philosophers among them have wrongly alleged that the gods are such as are made in honour of God Almighty. And they err in seeking to liken (them) to God whom man has not at any time seen nor can see unto what He is like. Herein, too (they err) in asserting of deity that any such thing as deficiency can be present to it; as when they say that He receives sacrifice and requires burnt-offering and libation and immolations of men, and temples. But God is not in need, and none of these things is necessary to Him; and it is clear that men err in these things they imagine (Marcianus Aristides. TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK AND FROM THE SYRIAC VERSION BY D. M. KAY. Apology of Aristides the Philosopher, Chapter XIII. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 9. Edited by Allan Menzies, D.D. American Edition, 1896 and 1897. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

It should be noted that Marcianus Aristides argued against the concept that it was acceptable to believe that the idols only represented God--he clearly teaches that God was not to be worshiped with idols.

In the early third century, the Greco-Roman Catholic theologian, Origen wrote:

Christians and Jews have regard to this command, "You shall fear the Lord your God, and serve Him alone;" and this other, "You shall have no other gods before Me: you shall not make unto you any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them;" and again, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve." It is in consideration of these and many other such commands, that they not only avoid temples, altars, and images, but are ready to suffer death when it is necessary, rather than debase by any such impiety the conception which they have of the Most High God (Origen. Contra Celsus, Book VII, Chapter 64, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/04167.htm 01/23/07).

But that changed.

Many did NOT heed John's admonition to keep themselves from idols.

Notice that even Roman Catholic scholars know that the early church was against idols and images and that the reason given to accept them appears to contradict the Bible (bolding mine):

"Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God," etc. It also explains the fact that in the first ages of Christianity, when converts from paganism were so numerous, and the impression of idol-worship was so fresh, the Church found it advisable not to permit the development of this cult of images; but later, when that danger had disappeared, when Christian traditions and Christian instinct had gained strength, the cult developed more freely (Cabrol F. Transcribed by Wm Stuart French, Jr. The True Cross. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IV. Copyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat. Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York).

In other words, long after the apostles died, once non-biblical "Christianity" attained power, it allowed the veneration of images to develop. Shouldn't everyone associated with the Roman and Orthodox Catholic churches understand that there veneration of images is NOT consistent with the Bible or the practices of the "faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3)?

The 19th century Roman Catholic Cardinal Newman wrote:

The use of temples, and these dedicated to particular saints, and ornamented on occasions with branches of trees; incense, lamps, and candles; votive offerings on recovery from illness; holy water; asylums; holydays and seasons, use of calendars, processions, blessings on the fields; sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, the ring in marriage, turning to the East, images at a later date, perhaps the ecclesiastical chant, and the Kyrie Eleison, are all of pagan origin, (Newman JH. The Protestant Idea of Antichrist. [British Critic, Oct. 1840]. Newman Reader -- Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies, pp. 359-360)

Christians are not to use pagan practices in worship. Shrines/temples devoted to saints and the use of holy water is pagan.

In 787 the Council of Nicea authorized veneration (the inclination of honor) for images, but denied them latreia (adoratio, or "worship"). This distinction was lost on the Council of Frankfort {794}, which condemned the the "service and adoration of images allowed at Nicea. The Western church attempted to follow the maxim laid down by Pope Gregory I almost two centuries earlier (Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988, p. 227).

But even though early Roman Catholic leaders fought against idols and the veneration of images, the Eastern Orthodox leaders kept wanting them.

Actually, it was not until the ninth century that the arguments over idols were resolved between the Roman Catholics and Orthodox (the Orthodox generally wanted them, but many Roman bishops/pontiffs up until that time fought against them). The Orthodox Church teaches this:

The Seventh Ecumenical Council (787 and 843) decreed the use of icons, following in the main the teaching of St. John of Damascus" (Litsas FK. A Dictionary of Orthodox Terminology - Part 2. http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article9152.asp 8/27/05) .

...within Christianity itself there had always existed a 'puritan' outlook, which condemned icons because it saw in all images a latent idolatry...The final victory of the Holy Images in 843 is known as 'the Triumph of Orthodoxy'...One of the distinctive features of Orthodoxy is the place which it assigns to icons. An Orthodox church today is filled with them...An Orthodox prostrates himself before these icons, he kisses them and burns candles in front of them...Because icons are only symbols, Orthodox do not worship them, but reverence or venerate them...icons form a part of Holy Tradition...The Iconoclasts, by repudiating all representations of God, failed to take to full account the Incarnation" (Ware T. The Orthodox Church. Penguin Books, London, 1997, pp. 31-33).

Notice that the Orthodox call that acceptance of icons as "the victory of Orthodoxy" over those of anti-idol professing Christian faiths (the date appears to have been March 11, 843).

However, since the use of idols and icons was not the position of the first or even second century church, it is truly not orthodox to use idols and icons. (More information on the Orthodox Church can be found in the article Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God.)

One Protestant scholar noted:

For the Jews and the early Christians, all attempts to create a likeness of God were prohibited...Gradually this reluctance faded, and at the beginning of the eighth century we find images in widespread use in the East; in the West they were less common (Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988, p. 212).

But why did idols win? It is my opinion that the Romans felt that they needed unity with the Orthodox in order to put up a united front against Islam. Islam was properly against idols, and apparently Rome felt that its historically correct position against idols portrayed a divided "Christianity," hence this was one additional major compromise for it.

5:21b

21b Amen.

John closed with Amen.

Jesus ended the prayer He gave in Matthew 6 with the term “Amen.” In the “Received text,” the Greek word is άμην, transliterated as into Latin characters as “amen” (anciently pronounced ah-min or ah-men). Nearly all the books of the New Testament end with the word “Amen.”

Some do not like the word “Amen.” Some claim it is pagan and that using it is calling out to, or praying to, an Egyptian sun-god.

However, “amen” stems from the Hebrew verb aman (anciently pronounced ah-main) meaning “to support, confirm, or rear up” (Harkavy, Students’ Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary). The Hebrew word aman (אמן) differs from the word for the Egyptian god Amon/Amun used in the Bible (ן‎ואָמ‎). Yet, some falsely claim that saying “Amen” is actually a prayer to that pagan deity.

Amen itself means “truly” (Harkavy). Christians can say truly or verily if they wish (cf. Romans 14:23c), but most use the term “Amen.” Basically, the word אמן/άμην signifies that you believe and agree with what was stated before.

Christ often used this word in the New Testament. In the King James Version, άμην is often translated as “verily.”

Believe what you pray. Have the right attitude. Amen.

2 John

2 John

1 The Elder,

To the elect lady and her children,

The Bible tends to use the feminine when referring to the church. Notice that the Apostle Paul wrote:

25 Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

This is also carried forward in prophecies, such as the following:

6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Revelation 19:6-8)

1b

1b whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

John is saying he loves those now in the church, but also all who have known the truth. Notice that the truth will abide in Christians and be with us forever.

Jesus stated what the truth was:

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17)

The Apostle Paul wrote:

13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 14. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 2:13-14a).

7... the word of truth, (2 Corinthians 6:7)

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; (Ephesians 1:13)

5 the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, (Colossians 1:5)

James similarly wrote:

18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (James 1:18)

The Apostle John wrote:

24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

46 And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.(John 8:46-47)

37 I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice (John 18:37).

6 Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." (Revelation 22:6)

Verse 3

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Yes, God grants Christians grace:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

God grants Christians mercy:

30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. (Romans 11:30-32)

God grants Christians peace:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:2)

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)

God reveals the loving truth to us through His word.

Verse 4

4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.

We walk in the truth when we believe the word of God, love, do good, and keep the Father's commandments.

Verse 5

5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

We are to walk according to God's loving commands, which includes the Ten Commandments.

Verse 7

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Let's now look at something from the Apostle Peter:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:2-4)

26 years after I originally wrote that the Greco-Roman trinity was a doctrine of antichrist, I found that before I was old enough to write, Herbert Armstrong wrote:

But the theologians and "Higher Critics" have blindly accepted the heretical and false doctrine introduced by PAGAN false prophets who crept in, that the HOLY SPIRIT is a THIRD PERSON — the heresy of the "TRINITY." This LIMITS God to "Three Persons." This DENIES that Christ, through His Holy Spirit, actually comes now INTO the converted Christian and does His saving work on the INSIDE — "Christ IN you, the hope of GLORY" (Col. 1:27).

Peter plainly shows that the Holy Spirit entering INTO us means that we then become "Partakers of the DIVINE NATURE." The "Trinity" doctrine DENIES this.

Any Church, or preacher, that DENIES that CHRIST is actually COMING INTO each converted Christian, through His HOLY SPIRIT, IS ANTI-CHRIST!

And those are MANY, today. See I John 4:2, and II John 7. The expression "Jesus Christ IS COME in the flesh," as inspired in its original Greek language means, literally, PRESENT TENSE — that Christ is NOW COMING — and the way He now COMES in human flesh, is that He comes literally INTO every truly begotten child of God, BY AND THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

If the Holy Spirit were a third PERSON that would be IMPOSSIBLE!

That false doctrine, beautiful as it may have been made to sound, DENIES the presence of God's Holy Spirit within, to impregnate or BEGET us with the NATURE and the very LIFE of GOD!

That heresy DENIES the true BORN-AGAIN experience!

That false teaching DENIES that the Church is the true BODY OF CHRIST-- because, as it was the HOLY SPIRIT of God working IN the individual BODY of Jesus, who started God's present work, so it is that SAME SPIRIT, now working IN THE COLLECTIVE BODY of His CHURCH, which carries God's work on. Thus the true Church is the BODY of CHRIST.

But the Holy SPIRIT is the SPIRIT that emanates from both the Father, and from CHRIST, and literally enters INTO us, begetting us, so that we may BE BORN as the VERY sons of GOD!

Yes, "BEHOLD, WHAT manner of love the FATHER hath bestowed upon us, that WE should be called THE SONS OF GOD!!" Yes, if converted, then already, NOW, we are the begotten SONS of the Eternal Living GOD! (Armstrong HW. Just what do you mean... BORN AGAIN? Radio Church of God, 1962)

Verse 8

8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

Look to yourselves--take heed, lest you grow remiss or negligent in the course of your obedience--or you may not receive a full reward.

Verse 9

9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

Despite what many in the world think, simply calling Jesus Lord does not make one a Christian. Notice something Jesus said:

21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Matthew 7:21-23)

Verse 10

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

We are warned about false Christians here. The Apostle Paul wrote that we need to be separate from them (2 Corinthians 6:17).

We have detailed books and articles explaining why the bulk of those claiming Christianity are not following the original faith:

• Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? 

• Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism 

• Should You Keep God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? 

Teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) and the Continuing Church of God 

Seventh Day Baptists are Protestant, not Church of God

SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666

Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God 

Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Continuing Church of God

Verse 12

12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

Some things are easier and more effective to say in person than in writing.

Verse 13

13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

Again, a reference to the church, the "elect sister," being feminine.

3 John

Now to 3rd John:

1 The Elder,

To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:

The Pulpit Commentary notes:

The name Gaius occurs elsewhere in the New Testament four times (Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4; Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:14); as it was as common in the Roman Empire as John Smith is among ourselves, it would be rash to infer that the Gaius addressed here is the same as any of those mentioned elsewhere. In all probability there are at least four persons of this name in the New Testament. 

Verse 2

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

The Apostle, on behalf of God, prays that Christians will prosper physically, healthily, and spiritually.

God does not intend for us to be poor and miserable. Nor should we try to make ourselves poor and miserable as some of the Roman Catholics do who claim that is what God wants.

Well, then, why are not all Christians wealthy and fully healthy?

Because we have various lessons to learn that will make us better for eternity.

But, again, we should strive to be healthy and not spend recklessly to be poor.

Verse 3

3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Yes, Christians are to live by the truth of the word of God and actually walk in it, meaning to lovingly live by it.

Verse 5

5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, 6 who have borne 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, 7 because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

John is teaching to be kind and generous, even to strangers, but to also support the missionary aspects of the work of God. The comment about taking nothing from the Gentiles shows that they wanted to be careful to show that they were not reaching them for personal financial gain.

The Pulpit Commentary notes:

The pronoun is very emphatic. If no help comes from the heathen, we must give it; that we may become their fellow-workers for the truth.

Yes, we who can need to financially support the work. And that should be nearly all Christians--nearly all because some are unable do to age and health to not provide support.

Verse 9

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

Diotrephes conspired against true believers and the Apostle John, who at that time looks to have been the ONE MAN that God was using to lead His church on earth.

People who claimed to be Christians spoke bad things about the Apostle John. Jesus said:

11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

You can find all kinds "prating against" me and various CCOG leaders "with malicious words" on the internet. And they like to use a lot of inuendo as well as absurdities.

But Christians should accept God's government (see also The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government).

11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

Do not fall for the talebearers. Support what is good. Many have said a lot of false and evil things.

Verse 12a

12a Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself.

Respecting Demetrius we know no more than is told us here. But we are told that the truth supports him. He does NOT seem to be the same as Demetrius the silversmith we read of in Acts 19:24.

Verse 12b

12b And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.

John is again saying he is a reliable witness.

Verse 13

13 I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.

That is similar to how he closed 2 John.

Verse 14b

14b Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

The late Dr. Herman Hoeh noted that this letter, along with some others, did not end with Amen. Here are his comments related to that:

The book of Revelation ends with an "Amen."

This little word "Amen," of Hebrew derivation, signifies completion. In the New King James (most modern versions are incorrect, and in several instances leave off the proper ending found in the official printed Greek text) every one of the New Testament books ends with an "Amen" except three -- Acts, James and -- III John. In these three, and these three only, the word "Amen" is not in the inspired original Greek. It is purposely missing. Why?

Each missing "Amen" is a special sign. It indicates God wants us to understand that certain knowledge was not to be made known to the world -- until now, when the gospel is being sent around the world as a final witness before the end of this age.

God purposely excluded from the book of Acts the final chapters in the history of the early true Church. If they had been included, the identity and whereabouts of Israel and of the true Church would have been revealed. It is part of God's plan that the House of Israel should lose its identity and think itself Gentile.

If the book of James had ended with the ordinary salutation, the nations of Israel would have been disclosed. Paul often ends his letters with names of places and people. See the last verses of Romans, Colossians, Hebrews, for example. This is the very part missing. purposely, from James.

And why was the short letter of III John missing an "Amen"? God did not permit John to make known, in plain language, the full nature of a conspiracy, by which some sought to gain control of local congregations, expell those truly converted and loyal to the apostle John, and make Christianity acceptable to the majority of the Roman Empire (see III John 9 and 10). That is why John cut his letter short. The missing "Amen" is to tell us to look elsewhere in the Bible for the answer. It is described, if you have eyes to see, in Revelation 17, Acts 8 and many other chapters of the Bible. (Hoeh H. Where Did The Twelve Apostles Go? Reprint article 1973)

https://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getspectopics&InfoID=1466691476

Well, the conspiracy against what the Apostle John and the true church has continued over the centuries.

Many would not accept or teach the Book of Revelation.

And even the millennial doctrine was denounced by the Greco-Roman Catholics as well as by Martin Luther, to name one.

Nor do the Greco-Roman Catholics and Protestants keep Passover when John did, to name another.

Back to COGwriter Home Page

Thiel B. Commentary of 1,2,3 John. COGwriter (c) 2026 https://www.cogwriter.com/123john.htm