Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Just like many other journalists, Bob Moser of the magazine The Rolling Stones published an article on Billy Graham.

In this article, Bob Moser shares how he responded to an “alter-call” unto salvation, yet felt that salvation somehow eluded him.

I repented, I confessed, I felt hands on my head, praying over me.

I signed up to receive literature.

And then it was over.

I was born again.

Everything would be different.

But nothing changed.

The evil was still in me.

And later that fall, I'd learn from Billy Graham just how evil I was.

BUT, Unlike the many other journalists, Bob decided to use this article to vent his personal anger concerning a conviction against sin that he just couldn’t shake and, instead of responding to that conviction rightly, Bob blames Billy Graham for his unresolved conviction:

“I have never known despair greater than I felt, reading those words [Billy Graham’s words exposing homosexuality as a sin against God].

I had already tried to seize salvation, and it had eluded me.

I would torment myself for another 20 years trying to find it, trying to "reform," dating women, attempting suicide, never quite able to shake the voice of Billy Graham promising me eternal damnation, even after I knew it was all a lie.”

So, instead of agreeing with God about sin, this writer for The Rolling Stones would rather rant against Billy Graham after his death, then to come to terms with the fact that he is really mad at God, and His eternal Word, for disagreeing with his personal perversion of love.

Bob titled his rant, “The Soul-Crushing Legacy of Billy Graham”

So what do we do with a case like this? where we have a man who professes that he came to receive salvation, yet never was freed from his conviction or from his sin?

Did God fail to save him?

or maybe all this guy really needs is some assurance of salvation.

How could you assure someone that they have something that, in reality, they don’t have and never had in the first place?

Transition:

Well, as you might be able to guess, the Apostle John has something to say about this in his epistle right where we left off last week.

Scripture Reading:

This part of the letter begins a significant thematic shift.

While the first 2 chapters of 1 John have the subject of right fellowship as their main theme, the next 3 chapters have a sonship tone as the theme to close off this letter.

Transition:

In these verses, the verb “to know” pops up a few times.

What you might not know is that this English verb, “to know” is interchanged in the Greek here with two words: γινώσκω and οἶδα.

This interchange is significant, and my outline will hopefully reflect that this morning.

I.

We Know (2:29)

the ESV does not really show this too well, but the Greek word “know” actually pops up twice in this verse.

Let me show you a clearer rendering in the Lexham English Bible’s translation for this verse

The first know is οἶδα and the second know is γινώσκω

Some distinctions can be made within ancient Greek literature.

γινώσκω, to know by information, observation, and experience, is thus distinguished from οἶδα, to know by reflection, relationally, personally (a mental process, based more on intuition)

οἶδα is always conjugated in the past perfect which would give the Greco-Roman mind the idea of a completed action with continuing results

Taking these two semantic nuances to consideration, John is likely then saying that we know intuitively that YHWH is righteous and the effect of this today is that we are knowing (present continuing) those that are born again by their righteousness or even by their righteous life.

but don't forget, that is only “if”

“if”

THIRD CLASS/ potential action.

Here, John refers to an assumed knowledge that believers share, but the false teachers miss.

“righteous … righteousness” This is an expected family characteristic!

This is such a crucial theological topic that anyone serious about the Bible must make it a personal study to meditate on at some point.

Why? in short, it is a key element to an understanding of the Gospel!

In the OT, YHWH is known and described as “just” or “righteous.”

This just concept comes from a river reed in Mesopotamia used as a construction tool to judge the straightness of horizontal walls and fences.

YHWH chose this exact term to be used metaphorically of His own nature.

He is the straight edge (ruler/reed) by which all things are to be and will be evaluated.

This concept asserts God’s righteousness and His right to judge.

Man was created in the image of God and was created specifically for fellowship with YHWH.

YHWH wanted His prized creation, humans, to know Him, love Him, serve Him, and even to be like Him! Mankind was tested (cf.

Gen. 3) and failed and sin separated us.

This resulted in a deep division in the relationship between YHWH and all of humanity (cf.

Gen. 3; Rom.

5:12–21).

God promised and promises to restore the fellowship (cf.

Gen. 3:15).

And so He does this through His own will and His own Son despite mankind’s reaction or inaction.

Humans were never capable of restoring this once close fellowship (cf.

Rom.

1:18–3:20) we first had.

After the Fall, God’s first step toward restoration was the concept of covenant based on God’s invitation and mankind’s repentant, faithful, obedient response.

Because of the Fall, humans were incapable of appropriate action (cf. the OT; Rom.

3:21–31; Gal. 3).

God Himself had to take the first initiative to restore covenant-breaking humans.

He did this by

1.Declaring mankind righteous through the work of Christ.

2.Freely giving mankind’s righteousness through the work of Christ.

3.Providing the indwelling Spirit who produces righteousness (i.e.

Christlikeness, the restoration of the image of God in mankind.)

How is it right and just to declare sinful offending humans righteous?

First, God continued the unconditional covenant promise: God decrees (i.e.

freely gives) and provides, but humans must respond.

Second, Humans have to respond in: repentance, faith, perseverance, and a lifestyle marked by obedience

Righteousness, therefore, is a covenantal, reciprocal action between God and His creation.

It is based on the character of God, the work of Christ, and the enabling of the Spirit, to which each individual must personally and continually respond appropriately.

This is called “justification by faith” and vindicates the Judge as righteous and just.

In the Hebrew thinking, righteousness is always linked and likened to covenantal terms.

YHWH is just, ethical, and moral.

He wants His people to reflect His character.

The gospel (good news) of Jesus is that fallen mankind has been restored to fellowship with God.

All of the Bible from Gen. 4–Rev.

20 is a record of God’s restoring the fellowship of Eden.

The Bible starts with God and mankind in fellowship in an earthly setting (cf.

Gen. 1–2) and the Bible ends with the same setting (cf.

Rev. 21–22).

God’s image and pure creation will be fully restored!

Dr. Utley, a Bob who responded rightly to conviction, said:

Righteousness is a characteristic of God, freely given to sinful mankind through Christ.

It is

1.a decree of God

2.a gift of God

3.an act of Christ

but it is also a process of becoming righteous that must be vigorously and steadfastly pursued, which will one day be consummated at the Second Coming.

Fellowship with God is restored at salvation, but progresses throughout life to become a face-to-face encounter at death or the Parousia (the second coming)!

For Dr. Utley the believer’s relationship to God has three aspects:

the gospel is a person

the gospel is truth

the gospel is a changed life