Treasuring God's Truth in Your Heart

1 John 2:22-23: “Truly God and Truly Man” [1]

1 John 2:22-23: Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. [2]

 Throughout church history many people have denied Christ’s deity and/or humanity. [3] Even today, Mormonism claims that Jesus was once a man who became a god and we can become gods ourselves. [4] Other modern examples abound. What happens if we waver on the incarnate Christ’s being truly God and truly man? We worship a god who cannot save because he is powerless and cannot represent us. [5] John also teaches that we cannot know God the Father if we do not understand His revelation to us in His Son. [6] Loose/misguided Christology leads to eternal damnation, misunderstanding God, and creates lies. [7]

 Do you grasp how serious this is? These are not arbitrary opinions founded on subjective desires. This is eternal life or death. [8] This is the Gospel: how the eternal Son of God became man so His elect could be saved, sanctified, restored. [9] If you are a Christian, are you careful in articulating Christ so that you are presenting Him faithfully as much as possible? [10] If you are a non-Christian: do not be deceived by the many antichrists and lies about Jesus. [11] The LORD Jesus is the risen, incarnate, exalted Son of God Who saves sinners. Put your faith in Him, and you will be saved. [12]

This blog was written by Seth Dunn

[1] Stephen Nichols. “The Humanity of Jesus: The Ligoner Statement on Christology.” www.Ligoner.org. Accessed 1 August 2019. https://www.ligonier.org/blog/the-humanity-of-jesus-the-ligonier-statement-on-christology/.

[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Logos Bible Software. All Scripture references will be ESV unless noted otherwise.

[3] John Calvin. Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles. Trans. and ed.: John Owen. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1979), 195.

[4] Jeff Durbin. “The Gospel for Mormons.” Youtube.com. Accessed 1 August 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQNObk2qAwo.

[5] Carl Trueman. “Tertullian.” (Lecture: Westminster Theological Seminary, Glenside, PA, October 8, 2015).

[6] Calvin, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles, 197.

[7] Calvin, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles, 198.

[8] John 14:6; Acts 4:14.

[9] John 1:1, 3:16; Ephesians 1:3-14; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-4, 1 John 3:1-10; etc.

[10] Calvin, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles, 195.

[11] Matthew 7:15-20; Romans 16:17-18; Ephesians 5:6-13; Galatians 6:1-10; 1 John 4:1-6.

[12] Ephesians 2:1-10.

Treasuring God's Truth in Your Heart

John 3:36: Not A Smorgasbord

John 3:36: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. [1]

You may know, or perhaps are, someone who treats religious believes like a buffet: “Buddhist meditation relaxes me, I like the Christian heaven, and Unitarianism is welcoming.” But John 3:36 teaches only those exclusively believing in Christ, and continue believing by God’s grace [2] have eternal life. Along with John, Jesus and Scripture are clear that God enabled heart change alone produces saving faith in the Son which leads to everlasting life. [3] Further, wrath and judgment waits for those outside Jesus. [4]

How is this fair? When we ask this, we ask the wrong question. The real question: why has God given escape from just wrath? We sinned, rebelled, and made ourselves God’s enemies. [5] Who do you know Who loves their enemies so much He would kill and raise His Son so that His chosen enemies could enter His glory with all the welcome and acceptance of a child? [6] Only the triune LORD of Scripture is that loving. He is yours when you confess your sins and submit your life to Him, as is His heaven. [7] May you grow in love and knowledge of this loving God.

This blog was written by Seth Dunn

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (Wheaton, IL: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Logos Bible Software 6. All Scripture references will be ESV unless noted otherwise.

[2] Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament with Scripture, Subject, and Greek Word Indexes. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 621 footnote 22.

[3] Habakkuk 2:4; John 1:12, 3:3, 3:15-18, 5:24, 6:40, 6:47, 6:54, 11:25-26, 14:6, 20:31, Romans 3:23-26, 4:13-25; Ephesians 2:1-10, etc. See also John Calvin. Commentary on the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to John. Trans. William Pringle. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1981), 141-142, Andreas J. Kostenberger. John: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2004), 139-140, and The Westminster Standards: The Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger Catechism, and the Shorter Catechism. (Philadelphia, PA: Great Commission Publications, 2011), chapters VI-XIV.

[4] Romans 1:17-18, 2:9; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6; Hebrews 3:18; 1 John 5:10-13, and Kostenberger, John, 139-140.

[5] Genesis 3:1-14; Romans 3:9-23, 5:6-11, 8:7-8; Ephesians 2:1-3, 2:11-12.

[6] Romans 8:14-19; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 3:1-2.

[7] 1 John 2:1-2, 2:25-29.

Treasuring God's Truth in Your Heart

John 6:66-67: Life Giving Offense:

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” [1]

The last blog discussed Christ compassion for an oppressed crowd. [2] But in this passage, many of Jesus’ followers, who were miraculously fed by him, [3] are offended by His teaching and leave. Is the problem with the Son of God or the people? If we say Jesus is the issue we commit blasphemy. [4] The problem must rest on the so called “disciples.” But why were the people offended? Because Christ communicate that He is the only way to salvation since they cannot save themselves. [5]

Truthfully, Jesus’ message should have made the people glad [6] because God’s promised means of deliverance from sin was standing before them. [7] But for people unchanged by the Holy Spirit, Christ’s words bore the “fragrance” of death. [8] Sinful ears take no pleasure in words that destroy self-reliance and affirm human insufficiency. [9] While the Gospel should be articulated carefully to avoid unnecessary offence, the Gospel will always offend because it portrays people as we really are. [10] If we are offended by Christ’s words, we need to repent. Whether you are repenting for the first time in a cry for salvation, or as a believer who has returned to trying to save yourself, please repent with me rather than trusting in any other thing. Things that cause us to be offended by Jesus lead to our death.

This blog was written by Seth Dunn

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (Wheaton, IL: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Logos Bible Software 6.

[2] Please see blog on Matthew 9:36-38.

[3] Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-39, Mark 6:32-44; 8:1-30, Luke 9:10-17, and Tenney, Merrill C. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary with the New International Version of the Holy Bible in Twelve Volumes, Volume 9 (John-Acts). General Editor Frank E. Gaebelein. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 71.

[4] 1 John 2:22-25; 3:5, Acts 4:12, Matthew 1:21, John 14:6.

[5] See John 6:22-65 and Tenney, Expositor’s, 80.

[6] Calvin, John. Commentary on the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to John. Trans. William Pringle. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1981), 276.

[7] John 6:35; 48; 51, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7; 9, 10:11; 14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1, Luke 24:44-49, Matthew 1:21, Hebrews 8-10.

[8] 2 Corinthians 2:14-16.

[9] Romans 8:7-8, 5:6-11.

[10] Calvin, Commentary, 277. See also Matthew 5:10-12, 10:22, and Luke 21:17.

Treasuring God's Truth in Your Heart

Psalm 96:4-6: Second To None:

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

A modern teaching tells us, “You believe what you believe, and I believe what I believe.” This sentiment is not found in the Bible. In fact, Scripture is unapologetically clear that salvation is exclusively found in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. [1] God’s Word is also explicit that following any god, religion, and/or system besides orthodox Christianity increases “sorrows.” [2]

The reason why unbiblical beliefs do not work is because they all are empty and worthless. [3] In contrast, God is more powerful, capable, holy, righteous, loving, wise, and just than anything people may create. [4] The mystery of the Gospel is that this Holy God has made the only way for us to behold his “splendor and majesty . . . in his sanctuary.” [5] By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ has absorbed God’s wrath on our behalf that we might worship Him. [6] Whether you are a Christian or non-Christian today you can repent of worship that is worthless, and embrace a holy, redeeming God Who is second to none.

This blog was written by Seth Dunn

[1] Psalm 62:1-2; 37:39; 130:7-8, Matthew 19:25-26, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9, Revelation 7:10, etc.

[2] Psalm 16:4.

[3] Psalm 96:5, Isaiah 44:6-20, Jeremiah 10:11-12.

[4] Genesis 1:1, Leviticus 19:4, 1 Chronicles 16:25-27, Psalm 18:3; 29:1-2; 89:6-7; 95:3, Isaiah 42:5, Revelation 4-5.

[5] Psalm 96:6, Ephesians 3:1-6.

[6] Luke 23:34, John 17:19-21.