This week, we shall be finishing the study of the book of 1 John, 2 John and 3 John in the New Testament.
Testing the “Spirit”
(1) Reread the closing verses at the end of the last chapter (3:23-24).
a. How do we know that Christ lives in us who “believe in the name of God’s Son, Jesus Christ”?
b. How does the Apostle Paul reinforce this truth in the book of Romans 8:15-16?
c. Do you really know now that Christ lives in you? Why or why not?
(2) There are many who knock at our door and claim they are Christians and that their belief system is quite biblical.
a. Are they necessarily Christians?
b. What if they can even perform miracles? (Mk. 13:22)
c. What should we do? (4:1)
(3) How does John teach us to test if the “spirit” is from God? (4:2)
(4) This one-sentence test has actually three parts:
a. “Jesus Christ”: What does it mean for the spirit to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ?
- What if Jesus is not the Christ? (See today's Meditative Article.)
b. “has come in the flesh”: What does it mean for the spirit to acknowledge that Jesus Christ has “come in the flesh”?
- What if Jesus Christ had not come in the flesh (“the Word became flesh”; see Jn. 1:14), but simply appeared in the form of a man, as the Angel of the Lord often did in the Old Testament?
c. "is from God": What does it mean for the spirit to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is from God?
- What if Jesus was just a man?
(5) What results if any spirit does not acknowledge part or the whole of the statement in v. 2?
a. Is this spirit from God?
b. What spirit is it?
(6) We read in the Gospels and in Acts that evil spirits often appeared and spoke through people that they possessed (e.g. the slave girl in Acts 16:16-18).
a. Should we be afraid of them?
b. Why or why not? (v. 4)
(7) Why do cults, like Jehovah Witness and Mormons, attract so many followers? (v. 5)
(8) Should we still try to evangelize them? Why or why not? (v. 6)
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
本週我們會讀完新約約翰壹書、貳書和叁書。請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
「靈」的試驗
(1) 請重溫上一章結束的兩節(3:23-24)
a. 我們怎樣知道神住在凡「信祂兒子耶穌的名」的人裡面？
b. 保羅如何在羅馬書8:15-16論到這真理？
c. 你是否知道神住在你裡面呢？為什麼？
(2) 今天不少人叩我們的家門自稱是「基督徒」，但他們所傳講的與我們所信的有異：
a. 他們是否因這自稱，便是基督徒？
b. 如果他們連神蹟奇事也能行又如何？
c. 聖經這裡告訴我們當如何面對這等人？(4:1)
(3) 約翰教我們怎樣去試驗這些「靈」? （4:2）
(4) 這試驗其實有三部份：
a. 「耶穌基督」：這靈是否承認耶穌是基督的重要性何在？
如果耶穌不是基督，對我們所信的有什麼影響？(可參上周第232日的靈修小品)
b. 「成了肉身」：這靈是否承認耶穌基督是成了肉身的重要性何在？
如果基督只像舊約的「耶和華的使者」用人的形像顯現，而非「成了肉身」，對我們所信的有什麼影響？
c. 「出於（即從）神（而來）」：這靈是否承認這一點的重要性何在？
如果耶穌只是一個人而已，對我們所信的有什麼影響？
(5) 如果一個「靈」只承認以上的真理其中的一部份又如何？
a. 這靈是出於神嗎？
b. 這是什麼的靈？
(6) 我們從福音書和使徒行傳常常讀到「邪靈」是會藉著所附的人說話的（可參徒16:16-18）
a. 我們應該怕這些靈嗎？
b. 為什麼？（4:4）
(7) 今天的異端如摩門教和耶和華見證人為何吸引那麼多的信徒？
(8) 我們應與這些人談道嗎？(4:6)
(9) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.” (1 Jn. 4:2)
Sometimes, I wonder why people are so gullible that they can believe in cults like the Jehovah Witness or Mormonism. How would one believe in the claim of their leaders of having received special revelation? Why would one pay attention to these new claims that surfaced only in the last two hundred years, and only in America?!
For one, the Apostle John reminds us that these follies are not the mere work of men, but that behind them is the “spirit of the antichrist” (4:3). Therefore to counter these fallacies is not just a work of theology, but a spiritual battle. As Paul puts it, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12). They are tools that the devil is using to lead people astray, away from the true knowledge of God in Jesus Christ.
Should we then evangelize those who believe in these cults? Should we seek to convert those who knock at our door? Certainly, we should seek to evangelize all, except the devil himself. However, given the spiritual nature of this battle,
- We need to equip ourselves with a thorough understanding of the Scriptures.
- We need to understand the follies of their belief systems, not simply by reading a book or two about them, but by receiving proper training and research in these areas. (I believe, such training is best done through a Bible study setting and with a lot of prayer support.)
The reason that I prioritize equipping ourselves with a thorough understanding of the Scriptures is because the members of a cult often throw out a word or two of biblical original language to support their misinterpretation of the Scriptures. They do this especially in the area of who Jesus is. If we are not well equipped in this respect, it is difficult for us as lay Christians to convince them of their errors.
The spiritual nature of this battle is seen in the zeal of these cults as they seek to convert others with their unusual investment of time, money and energy and to reach every corner of the world just as Jesus has predicted: “You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” (Matt. 23:15)
「凡靈認耶穌基督是成了肉身來，就是出於神的；從此你們可以認出神的靈來。」 ( 約壹 4:2)
我實在不明白為什麼會有這麼多人相信如摩門教和耶和華見證人這些異端；怎能相信這些近百多年來才出現的奇異教理，且是個人自稱有神特別的啟示，毫無根據，更是「花旗」獨有的產品！
不過，使徒約翰就提醒我們，異端邪說不是單出於人意，乃有背後「敵基督的靈」所策動的(4:3) 。故此駁斥異端非僅是神學的辯論，乃是屬靈的爭戰，正如使徒保羅所言：“因我們並不是與屬血氣的爭戰，乃是與那些執政的、掌權的、管轄這幽暗世界的，以及天空屬靈氣的惡魔爭戰”（弗6:12）。他們是被撒但所利用的工具，來迷惑人離開和不認識耶穌基督。
那麼，我們就不該與那些誤信異端的人談道嗎？我們應否邀請那些叩門的「耶證」談道？當然，除了那惡者之外，我們該力求把福音傳給世人。但是我們不要忘記這是一場屬靈的爭戰，也要知道：
1. 自己須熟識聖經的真理；
2. 也要熟識異端的教義：只看一兩本論及該異端的書籍是不足夠的，最好能接受神學院這方面訓練的課程；
3. 最好以查經方式與他討論；
4. 並要有禱告的支持。
我之所以把熟識聖經的真理放在首，是因為異端的傳道者往往會用一兩個原文來支持他們錯誤的理論，特別是針對到耶穌的神性方面。如果我們自己不好好裝備，自不容易駁倒他們的錯誤。
從這些異端的門徒宣教的熱衷，我們就能看出這是一場屬靈的爭戰；為著要找他人入教，他們不惜大量的投資人力、物力和精神，走遍全球；誰知像主耶穌所說的：“因為你們走遍洋海陸地，勾引一個人入教，既入了教，卻使他作地獄之子，比你們還加倍。” (太23:15)
After a little detour in addressing the spirit of the antichrist, John jumps right back to something he obviously sees as of utmost importance to his hearers: It is to love one another.
(1) What is its importance in the following areas?
a. Our Christian life
b. Our relationship with God
c. The community of believers (i.e. the church)
d. Our witness of the gospel that we preach
(2) John gives several aspects of the love involved. (vv. 7-8)
a. The source of love (v. 7a):
- Where does love come from?
- Does it mean that those who do not know God or belong to God cannot love?
b. It is natural (or rather supernatural)(v. 7b)
- In what way is “loving one another” part of our new nature?
- Why is it a mark of those who know God?
c. The flip side (v. 8a):
- Is it true that “whoever does not love does not know God”?
- Why or why not?
d. Which of the above speaks to you most? Why?
(3) If none of the above moves us to love another, John then uses the most powerful of all to speak to us. (vv. 9-12)
a. What is the supreme example of love? (v. 9)
b. Use the following questions to understand the supreme definition of love. (vv. 9-10)
- Who is God?
- Who is Jesus?
- Who are we?
- What do we deserve?
- What does God desire for us?
- What did God do?
- What did Jesus do?
- What is the result?
c. How then would you define God’s love?
d. Since love was “not that we loved God” (v. 10),
- How then should we love God now?
- How then should we love one another?
(4) In our effort to evangelize the world, would it help if the world could somehow see God?
(5) In essence, John is saying that God can be seen. How so? (v. 12)
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
約翰在短短論靈的試驗之後，立刻跳回那個他似乎最看重的問題上，就是信徒「彼此相愛」：
(1) 「彼此相愛」為何如此重要？特別是對：
a. 一個基督徒的生命？
b. 他與神的關係？
c. 教會的生活？
d. 對傳福音？
(2) 約翰列舉「彼此相愛」的原因（4:7-8）
a. 愛的源頭（4:7a）
i. 愛從何來？
ii. 這是否說不認識神、不屬於神的人就沒有愛？
b. 與生命有關（4:7b-8）
i. 「彼此相愛」與我們的新生命何關？(4:7b)
ii. 為何「彼此相愛」是認識神的標記？
iii. 是否真的「沒有愛心的就不認識神」？(4:8)
iv. 為什麼？
c. 這兩節經文對你有什麼意義？
(3) 如果以上兩節沒有感動我們彼此相愛，約翰就叫我們正視彼此相愛最重要的動力：(4:9-12)
a. 愛最終極的榜樣是什麼？（4:9）
b. 為何這是最終極的榜樣？
i. 神是誰？
ii. 耶穌基督是誰？
iii. 我們是誰？
iv. 我們本應得到的命運是什麼？
v. 但神對我們的心意是什麼？
vi. 神因此作了什麼？
vii. 耶穌基督又作了什麼？
viii. 帶來的結果是什麼？
c. 既是這樣，你可以為這愛下個什麼定義？
d. 既然原先「不是我們愛神」(4:10)
i. 現在我們該如何愛神？
ii. 我們該如何愛弟兄姊妹？
(4) 在向世人傳福音時，如果神能向他們顯現，會有助他們信主嗎？
(5) 約翰在4:12論到世人其實怎樣能見到神呢？
(6) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” (1 Jn. 4:12)
On different occasions when I shared the gospel with agnostics, they challenged me to show God to them. If convinced, they said they would “then believe”.
Of course, if God shows Himself to them, it is not faith anymore; and since God is absolutely holy and majestic, no one may see Him and live. (Exod. 33:20) On the other hand, I can also understand their desire to see the God we proclaim, because there are so many religions and so many claims these days that some kind of “epiphany” would certainly help.
In a rather interesting way, the Apostle John seems to agree that “seeing is believing”. It is not totally impossible as he says, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” (1 Jn. 4:12) In other words, he is saying that God does desire Himself to be seen and He can be seen, but not in the way of an epiphany, but by the very lives of those in whom He dwells. How then can we make God visible in our lives? John answers, “if we love one another”.
This was exactly what the believers in Charleston, South Carolina did. After a white young man went into Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, a primarily black church and shot to death nine people who were attending a Bible study, many of the family members of the victims, instead of reacting with anger and hatred, offered forgiveness to the young man. One of them urged the killer to give his life to Jesus Christ. God’s love has indeed been made complete in them. There is no way that this young man cannot see God in them!
「從來沒有人見過神，我們若彼此相愛，神就住在我們裡面，愛他的心在我們裡面得以完全了。」(約壹4:12)
當我與人分享福音時，間中有些頑梗之輩會這樣說：“你拿神給我看，我就會信啦！”
當然這是個藉口。若看見了神，何用相信呢！再者，神說，沒有人看見祂能存活的(出33:20)。不過，我也明白想看見我們的神的心態，特別這麼多的宗教都說自己的才是真確的；若有神的顯現豈不是更穩妥嗎？
讀到約翰這裡的話，似乎他在說，神是可以被看見的。對，從來沒有人見過神，但我們若彼此相愛，神就住在我們當中，而祂的愛就得以完全（4:12）。換句話說，神是希望被人看見的；不過不是藉著什麼奇特的顯現，乃是藉著那些祂內住的人。我們這些有神內住的人怎樣能把神顯給世人看到呢？約翰說：就是藉著我們彼此相愛了。
這愛就被那群在美國South Carolina洲Charleston市的基督徒所活出來了。當那年青的白人進那黑人的以馬內利循道聖公會堂，開槍殺死多個牧者和信徒後，這些死者的家屬不但不懷仇恨，反而出言饒恕了他。其中一位姊妹更勸這年青人：“把你的生命獻給耶穌基督罷！” 神的愛真是在他們中間得到完全。我相信這年青人不能不看到神就在他們當中！
Under the command of love, John reiterates two main emphases that he just made: (1) God lives in us and we in Him, and (2) Love is made complete in us.
4:13-16—God in Us and We in Him
(1) Once again, John reiterates that we do know we live in God and He is us (v. 13)
a. How do we know this?
b. What does it mean that “we live in Him and He in us”? (3:24)
(2) How then can we have Him live in us and we in Him? (v. 15)
(3) Why is John so sure who Jesus is? (v. 14)
(4) Can we live in God and not in love? Why or why not? (v. 16)
4:17-18—Love Made Complete
(5) How is love made complete? (vv. 12, 16)
(6) What is meant by love being made “complete”?
(7) What is the result (or benefit) of having love made complete in us? (v. 17) Why?
(8) Are you afraid to face God on judgment day? (v. 18)
a. If one is not afraid, what is the basis of his/her confidence?
b. If one is afraid, what is the reason?
4:19-21—Love Made Visible
(9) What is difference between love that has nothing to do with God and love that is based on God’s love? (v. 19)
(10) How can we prove whether we truly love God? Why? (v. 20)
(11) V. 21 concludes this admonition about love by stating that it is a “command”. What is the difference between a mere suggestion and a command?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
論到愛的命令，約翰在此引伸上文剛提到的兩個重點，就是(a) 神在我們裡面、我們也在祂裡面，和(b) 愛在我們裡面得以完全：
4:13-16— 神住在我們裡面、我們也住在祂裡面
(1) 我們住在神裡面、祂也住在我們裡面:
a. 這是什麼意思？(2:24-25)
b. 我們怎能知道？
(2) 我們如何才能有這真實？(4:15)
(3) 約翰為何如此肯定耶穌是誰？(4:14)
(4) 我們可否住在神裡面而不住在愛裡面呢？(4:16)
4:17-18—愛得完全
(5) 愛是怎樣得以完全的？（4:12, 16）
(6) 愛得以「完全」是什麼意思？
(7) 愛在我們裡面得以完全帶來什麼果效？(4:17) 為什麼？
(8) 你是否會要面對神審判的日子而有所懼怕？(4:18)
a. 不懼怕的因由是什麼？
b. 懼怕就顯出什麼來呢？
4:19-21—看見的愛
(9) 與神無關的愛和因被神感動的愛有什麼分別？(4:19)
(10) 我們怎樣能證明自己愛神？為什麼？(4:20)
(11) 為何約翰說，愛是一個命令？(4:21) 這是什麼意思？
(12) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” (1 Jn. 4:17)
It is difficult for us to understand how God’s love is made complete in us (4:12), in that God’s love is already perfect, how can it be made more perfect? Also, how can we contribute to the perfection of God’s love? (Note: The Greek word, “made complete” carries the meaning of “achieved its goal".)
As amazing and as perfect as the love of God is, love always needs an object. One cannot love in a vacuum, and so neither does God’s love! And God has chosen us, who are sinners, as the object of His love, by the sending of His Son into the world to save us from sin, death and eternal damnation (4:14; and Jn. 3:16). It would be more than a mockery to His love if we do not respond to His sacrificial love by believing in His Son and accepting His love; it would also mean His love has failed, in the sense that it has been spurned.
And thus, when we believe in His Son and accept His love, He dwells in us and we in Him and His love has achieved His purpose and is perfected (4:16-17). However, John reminds us powerfully that His love is truly perfected in us only if we truly love Him who is invisible by loving one another (the visible people)! (4:20-21)
Has God’s love been perfected in you?
「這樣，愛在我們裡面得以完全，我們就可以在審判的日子坦然無懼。因為他如何，我們在這世上也如何。」(約壹4:17)
神是完全的，祂的愛也當然是完全的；為何還需在我們裡面得到完全呢？我們能作什麼使祂的愛得以完全呢？（「完全」的原文有達到目的之意。）
神的愛固然既奇妙又完全，但愛是必須有愛的對象的。神的愛也不例外。但神竟然選擇罪人為祂愛的對象，甚至差祂的獨生愛子，來到世上為罪人而死，把我們從罪中釋放，出死入生（4:14；約3:16）。但若我們對這犧牲的愛不作出回應，不相信祂的兒子，不接受祂的愛，這不但是藐視祂的愛，更是叫祂的愛落空了。
故此，若我們相信祂的兒子，接受祂的愛，祂就住在我們裡面，我們也住在祂裡面；這樣，祂的愛就得到完全，達到了目的（4:16-17）。但約翰很誠實的指出，除非我們能愛看得見的弟兄，才能真正愛那看不見的神；祂的愛才真正在我們裡面得到完全(4:20-21) 。
神的愛今天是否在你裡面得到完全呢？
5:1-5—Faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God
(1) How do we show our love for God? (v. 1)
(2) How do we know we love the children of God? (v. 2)
(3) If we love God, does it mean we are necessarily able to carry out His commands? (vv. 3-4)
(4) What is the key to overcoming the world? (v. 5)
(5) What is the flip side of not believing Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? (vv. 1, 5)
5:6-12—Who is Jesus?
(6) “Water” likely refers to the baptism of Jesus Christ (see Note below).
a. According to John, is the Jesus who was baptized the same Jesus who died on the cross? (v. 6)
b. What is the meaning of the baptism of Jesus Christ?
c. What is the meaning of His death on the cross? (4:10)
d. How are His baptism and death on the cross related?
e. How does the Holy Spirit testify about who Jesus is at both events? (Matt. 3:16-17; Eph. 1:18-21)
(7) John calls the three—the Spirit, the water and the blood—witnesses. In what ways are the three testimonies one? How are they in agreement? (v. 8)
(8) How do the three witnesses still testify today? (vv. 7-8)
a. The Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16)
b. Believers’ baptism (Rom. 6:3ff)
c. The Holy Communion? (1 Cor. 11:26)
(9) Human testimony versus God’s testimony—Since the Bible is the Word of God, why is it that most people are more inclined to believe in human testimonies (as in science and philosophy), and not the testimony of God?
(10) According to John, what is the ultimate testimony of God in the Bible? (v. 11)
(11) What then is the definition of eternal life? (vv. 11-12)
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
As previously explained, John is combating early Gnostic heresies, notably those of Cerinthus who “held that the heavenly Christ descended upon Jesus at his baptism but withdrew from him before his death, so that it was only the earthly Jesus who died and not the heavenly Christ” (Marshall, 232).
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
5:1-5—相信耶穌基督、神的兒子
(1) 我們怎樣顯出對神的愛？(5:1)
(2) 我們怎知自己愛神的兒女？(5:2)
(3) 我們愛神是否就能遵守祂的誡命呢？(5:3-4）
(4) 能勝過世界的原因是什麼？(5:5)
(5) 不信耶穌是基督、是神的兒子的人能勝過世界嗎？(5:1, 5)
5:6-12—耶穌是誰？
(6) 「水」是指耶穌基督的洗禮(參下註)
a. 按約翰所言，那受洗的耶穌是否就是那釘在十字架上的耶穌？(5:6)
b. 耶穌基督的受洗有什麼意義？
c. 耶穌基督在十字架的死亡有什麼意義？(4:10)
d. 祂的洗禮與十字架的死亡有什麼關係？
e. 在這兩件事情中，聖靈怎樣為耶穌基督作見證？(太3:16-17；弗1:18-21)
(7) 約翰稱聖靈、水和血為三見證人：這三見證如何「都歸於一」？
(8) 這三個如何在今天仍作見證（5:7-8）？
a. 聖靈？(羅8:16)
b. 信徒的洗禮？(羅6: 3ff)
c. 聖餐？(林前11:26)
(9) 人與神的見證：為何人總信人的見證（如科學與哲學）而不信神的見證（聖經）？
(10) 聖經最主要的見證是什麼？（5:11）
(11) 「永生」是什麼？(5:11-12)
(12) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中?
註：我們曾經提到約翰當時所針對的早期諾斯底的異端是Cerinthus的異端，「他認為天上的基督在耶穌受洗時降臨到祂的身上，但在耶穌死前離開了祂；故此只是地上的耶穌死亡，而非天上來的基督死亡。」(
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” (1 Jn. 5:11)
These days as we seek to evangelize our loved ones and our friends, some love to emphasize the joy and peace that comes with the forgiveness of sin; others love to talk about finding meaning and fulfillment in life, but few talk about the gift of eternal life.
As I have the chance of conducting evangelism training from time to time, people give one common reason for not talking about eternal life, and that is it appears to be too vague and too remote from people’s life.
The problem is, if we simply lead people to Christ for the sake of joy, peace, meaning and fulfillment of life, or even the forgiveness of sin, these can be purely temporal benefits. Not only that, if they do not see that because of their sins, the person “stands condemned already because he does not believe in the name of God’s one and only Son” (Jn. 3:18), they will take the believing in Jesus Christ as an improvement project, not a deliverance from eternal damnation to eternal life (Jn. 3:16). If eternal damnation in hell is not such a certainty and such a horrible fate, why would the Son of God, Jesus Christ bother to become a man, to suffer and to die such a horrific death on the cross for us?
Throughout this first letter of John, John repeats again and again the “must” of believing Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, not only to refute the Gnostic kind of heresies, but because it is the only way to eternal life; and eternal life is not just a warm and fuzzy feeling or only something in the future, but it is the very life of the risen Christ (1:2). When we confess our sins, and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His resurrected life — that everlasting life — comes in and dwells with us. This is eternal life, and therefore John reiterates here and says, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (5:12).
In other words, eternal life begins the very moment we receive Christ Jesus into our life.
「這見證就是神賜給我們永生；這永生也是在他兒子裡面。」(約壹5:11)
在與未信的親友分享福音時，我們似乎很著重罪得赦免所帶來的喜樂與平安，也強調信耶穌所帶來生命的意義和滿足，卻少提到神的恩賜：在主耶穌裡是永生（羅6:23）。
在教傳福音訓練時，學員往往告訴我，不多提到永生的原因是恐怕聽者對永生感到遙遠和虛渺（其實，恐怕是學員本身是這樣的看永生）。
但這樣的傳福音是很糟糕的，因為如果人信耶穌主要是為得著喜樂、平安、滿足與人生的意義，這些都是今生會過去的事。不但如此，如果他們不曉得 “不信的人，罪已經定了，因為他不信神獨生子的名。”( 約3:18) ，他們會看信耶穌為一項「改良計劃/improvement project」，而不是從永死到永生的救恩。如果地獄的永遠刑罰-永死-不是真實，不是如此可怕，神的兒子耶穌基督何用降世成人、受苦、更受十字架的酷刑而為我們的罪而死呢！
在約翰壹書中，使徒約翰一再堅持要相信耶穌就是基督、是神的兒子，不單是要紏正諾斯底式異端的錯誤，更是因為這是得永生惟一的途徑。這永生不是一個叫人有喜樂滿足的感受而已，也不單是將來的盼望，乃是那復活的基督的生命(1:2) 。當我們認罪、悔改、接受耶穌作我們的主和救主時，祂那復活的生命—那永遠不死的生命—就進入並住在我們裡面。這就是永生；故此約翰鄭重的說：“人有了神的兒子就有生命，沒有神的兒子就沒有生命” （5:12）
換句話說，當我們接受主耶穌進入我們生命的那一刻，永生就開始了。
(1) John has given various reasons for writing this letter, and in his “concluding affirmation”, he ends with another, perhaps, the most important reason for his writing (as Howard Hendricks says, “Last words are lasting words”).
a. What is this reason for his writing? (v. 13)
b. How important is it?
c. Do you know that you have eternal life? Why or why not? (see 5:11-12)
(2) One of the results of having the eternal life of Christ (1:2) is the privilege to approach God in prayer as His children:
a. Does God necessarily answer whatever we ask for?
b. Why or why not?
c. What is meant by asking “according to His will”? (v. 14)
(3) In talking about asking according to God’s will, John seems to have intercession in mind in particular (vv. 16-17):
a. For whom and for what does John want us to intercede?
b. What can we expect God to do with such an intercession?
c. Since all wrongdoing is sin, what kind of wrongdoing belongs to the kind that leads to death within the context of this letter? (1:10; 2:18, 22; 4:3)
(4) Who is in control of this world right now? (v. 19; Jn. 14:30)
a. Whom can the evil one harm and whom can he not harm? (v. 18)
b. Why? (4:4)
c. What is the sign that we are born of God? (v. 18)
(5) Now John reiterates who Jesus is. (v. 20)
a. Who is Jesus?
b. What are the results of our believing in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, the true God and the eternal life?
(6) Why does John end his letter by admonishing his hearers, “Keep yourselves from idols.”?
a. How may this exhortation apply to you today?
(7) How does this “concluding affirmation” (5:13-21) wrap up the entire letter?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 約翰在這書信中提到好幾個寫信的原因，而在這末段就把可能最重要的原因告訴收信的人（正如有人說臨終之言是由衷之言）:
a. 這裡說的原因是什麼？(5:13)
b. 這原因有多重要？
c. 你知道自己有永生嗎？為什麼？(參5:11-12)
(2) 有永生—即基督的生命(1:2) ，就能夠以兒女的身份到神面前禱告：
a. 神是否因此就聽我們一切所求的呢？
b. 為什麼？
c. 「照祂旨意求」是什麼意思？(5:14)
(3) 談到「照祂旨意求」時，約翰就立刻應用在代求方面（5:16-17）:
a. 約翰要我們為什麼人和什麼事代求？
b. 神會應允我們這樣的代求嗎？
c. 既然凡行不義都是罪：按這書信的內容所提及的，那些罪會是至死的罪？（1:10, 2:18, 22, 4:3)
(4) 今天的世界是誰在掌管著？(5:19；約14:30)
a. 那惡者不能害那些人？(5:18)
b. 為什麼？(4:4)
c. 從神生的人有什麼徵記？(5:18)
(5) 約翰再一次論到耶穌是誰(5:20)：
a. 這裡說耶穌是誰？
b. 我們因著承認耶穌是基督、是神的兒子、是真神，也是永生，帶來什麼後果？
(6) 這書信的結束是有點突然的：
a. 為何約翰以「遠避偶像」作結語？
b. 你可以怎樣應用這句勸勉？
(7) 這末段的話(5:13-21) 怎樣把全書作總結？
(8) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. “ (1 Jn. 5:13)
I have learned and conducted Evangelism Explosion training for many decades and I am very thankful for Dr. Kennedy for coming up with this method of evangelism. Apart from the fact that it focuses on what the gospel really is (the salvation of souls from eternal damnation into eternal life which is so neglected these days by the church), the two introductory diagnostic questions are so helpful in determining whether a person has the assurance of eternal life or not, and in particular, if they rely on good works for their salvation.
The two diagnostic questions are:
“Have you come into the place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you were to die today, you would go to heaven, or is that something you would say you’re still working on?”
“Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say to you, ‘Why should I let you into My heaven?’ what would you say?”
I encourage you to try it in your introduction to the gospel, and if you ask prayerfully, sincerely and tactfully, you will not only not offend the hearer, but you will be doing him or her immense good, causing them to face the most important question in their life.
Often, I would receive a response saying, “I do not believe in heaven” or “I am not sure there is eternal life.” To such an answer, I would say, “But you do not know for sure that there is no heaven, right? And if there is a heaven, wouldn’t it be great that you could know in the here and now that you do have eternal life?”
In many decades of asking this question, there is yet to be one who does not agree that it would be wonderful to be able to know for sure that we have eternal life now. In fact, there are times that the hearers are so eager to know if that is possible, and I would quote these words from 1 John, “I write these things to you…so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 Jn. 5:13) The fact that we can know if we have eternal life now is such great news that most hearers would be eager to listen to the rest of the gospel message.
Do you know that you have eternal life?
「我將這些話寫給你們信奉神兒子之名的人，要叫你們知道自己有永生。」(約壹5:13)
我使用「三福」來作傳福音訓練已經很多年了，心中實在感謝Dr. Kennedy在五十年代設計的傳福音訓練課程。這課程把握了現今很多傳福音的人所忽略的，就是人靈魂的得救，出永死而入永生。特別在「三福」引言所要問的兩個診斷問題，十分能幫助去診斷聽者是否真有永生的確據，特別他們是否在靠行為得救。
這兩個診斷的問題是：
1. 假如你今天晚上離開世界，按你現在的信仰或思想， 是否肯定自己可以上到天堂？
2. 假如你今天晚上離開世界，站在神面前，神問你：「為甚麼我要讓你進入我的天堂？」
你會怎樣回答？
我鼓勵你嘗試以這兩個問題作為你傳福音的引言的一部份。如果你以禱告的心，誠意並技巧地問這兩個問題，你是不會冒犯人，反而叫聽者能正視人生最重要的問題。
間中我會得到像這樣的回答：“我都不信有天堂的” ，或是“我都不知是否有永生這回事” 。我一向的回答是：“但你不能肯定沒有呢！如果真的有天堂和永生，而你現在就能夠知道確能一定有永生、進天堂，你說是不是好得無比呢！”
傳福音這麼多年，我還沒遇見一人不同意能現在確知有永生是好得無比的事。我更遇見一些因此而很想明白是否真的能知道自己有永生的。我就立刻讀出使徒約翰所說的這句話：“我將這些話寫給你們……要叫你們知道自己有永生。” (5:13) 。聖經這句保證的話，往往叫聽者更欲聽我們繼續要說的福音信息。
不曉得你已知道自己有永生沒有？