Posts from August 2023

What do you imagine when you hear the word “antichrist?” A monster? A boogeyman? Actually, the term antichrist only appears in the letters of 1 and 2 John (nothing in Revelation as we might have expected), and it has nothing to do with monsters. John gives us a simple enough definition: “Those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh – any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.” (2 John 7) He also says…

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for each other. – 1 John 3:16 It’s good, essential even, to place things in the proper order. We know what love is because we’ve seen Jesus do it. To know what love is, we don’t look first to ourselves, or even to each other, but first to Jesus. If we can begin to know Jesus, knowing ourselves will…

Nature versus nurture. To what extent are we simply what our innate nature decides we are? And to what extent are we the product of our influences, experiences, and circumstances? It seems like a never ending back and forth. But the third chapter of 1 John is weighing in. “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) Nature wins out, says John. Children…

There’s a moment in 1 John 2 where the writer erupts into song. “I write to you, children! I write to you, fathers! I write to you, young ones! Because your sins are forgiven! Because you know the Father! Because you are strong! Because the word of God abides in you! Because you have overcome the evil one!” (1 John 2:12-14) John sings the song twice because that’s how we humans best remember things, by putting it in rhythm and…

There’s an interesting back and forth in the Gospel of John. One minute we’re told that the words and miracles of Jesus cause those who see and hear to believe. The next minute, John is telling us that no matter what Jesus does, people just won’t believe. Or maybe they believe, but they feel that Jesus is just too controversial, too radioactive to admit how much they really do believe in him. As the storyteller wrestles with this in John…