The Obedience of Faith

The Christian life is distinguished from the natural man, who is a slave to sin (Rom 6:6), by the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11). We are known by God long before we know Him. It is when He sets His love upon one of His elect, redeemed people that we begin to know and to love Him (1 Jn 4:19). Prior to that moment, we are hostile toward God and His chosen people (Jn 7:7; 15:18–25; Rom 1:30; 2 Tim 3:12).

The sin nature and practice of sin is what defines the man or woman outside of Christ (Rom 3:23; Eph 2:3). This is the lifestyle of lawlessness that is lived in darkness on the wide way leading to destruction (Mt 7:13; 1 Jn 2:11). It is Satan who has developed a world system to help sinners to sin all the more against God (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Eph 6:12). Our adversary, the devil, is known as the “father of lies,” and the children of the devil walk in all of his ways (Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:10). This is the way of disobedience against God.

The indwelling Spirit and the implanted Word in one’s soul (heart and mind) is evidenced by the life transformation caused by those two divine agents (Rom 12:1–13; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; Jas 1:21; 1 Pet 1:2). Union with Christ means He is in each believer by His Spirit (Gal 2:20); and the believer is “in Christ.” This mutual indwelling manifests a new spiritual life that is marked by holy living (1 Pet 1:15–16), especially obedience to the Law of love, which is the Law of Christ (Rom 13:10; 1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2).

Christ in us is the hope of glory to come (Col 1:27); but it is also a life of faith in Him, today. The obedience of faith is a way of living fully dependent upon God, who cares for His redeemed and adopted children (Rom 8:15, 23; 1 Pet 5:7).

We walk by the Spirit of truth (Gal 5:16, 25), who leads us and guides us on the path of righteousness (Ps 23:3; Jn 16:13). Upon receipt of the Spirit of Christ, we know God has poured out His love within our hearts (Jn 1:12–13; Rom 5:5; 2 Cor 5:5). The life — new, abundant, and eternal — now lived by the Christian is a life of faithful obedience to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us (Gal 2:20).

The genuine Christian life is not just a vertical one with God; it is horizontal with others (Gal 5:14; Jas 2:8). Loving our neighbors is Jesus’ second command after loving God with one’s whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. These two commands are the most succinct expression of a person’s life — one who is truly pleasing to God.

The secessionists at Ephesus — those who went out from the local church and who tried to lure others away from the fellowship — had made many claims that the Apostle John addressed in 1 John.

The claim of fellowship with God must have certain proofs. The first is fellowship with other forgiven sinners, who were set free from bondage to sin. These are God’s dear children who also share in the Spirit and the Word. These also share the desire to live godly in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 3:12; Titus 2:12).

The Ephesian Heresy was Gnostic in type; and one claim of the heretics was sinless perfection (1 Jn 1:8). God’s Word assures the children of God that we still have issues with sin despite its loss of dominion in our lives (Rom 7). We sin. We confess it. We are forgiven. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7).

Knowing God means we are honest with God and our brethren. The truth must be in us, for us to live in agreement with God’s assessment of us (1 Jn 1:8).

Christians love the light that illumines the truth about God and about ourselves. The false brethren have no love for God in their hearts, no love for Christ, and no love for Christians (Jn 5:42; 7:7; 15:18–25). Hatred is heard in their words from their hardened hearts (1 Jn 1:11). The manner of the walk of the secessionists was also worldly (1 Jn 2:15–17). This is the mark of the natural man, who lusts after more of the world, and then boasts of his prowess when he attains his ambitions for himself. We boast in Christ alone (1 Cor 1:31; Gal 6:14).

Christians live for the world-to-come by serving the kingdom of God, today, as slaves of Christ (Eph 6:6). Our ambition is to please God (2 Cor 5:9). Desiring what God wills for one’s Christian life, and then relying on Him to accomplish what concerns us, is the Christian way (Ps 57:2; 138:8). We overcome the world by faith in the Word of God (1 Jn 5:4).

The will of God is revealed in the Word of God. The Word of God was brought to us by the Spirit of God (2 Pet 1:20–21). The Spirit of God causes us to walk in God’s statutes (Ezek 36:27). God’s statutes shine light on the holiness of God and the sinfulness of sin. Thus, the Law of God drives us to trust Jesus Christ, who overcame the world (Jn 16:33), as our only hope for salvation (Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 1:1).

In 1 John, we see a stark contrast between: light and darkness; truth and lies; love and hatred; the Word of God and the unsound doctrine of heretics. The evil one works in this perverse generation, too. As John addressed the young and the old, there was a message for all (1 Jn 2:12–14). Every Christian must fight the good fight of faith because our spiritual warfare remains, as it was in the early church (Eph 6:10–20).

From the eyewitness of the Apostles came the Gospel message to be heeded by Christians in every generation and in every place (1 Jn 1). We preach the same Word of life that overcame death, and who has given us eternal life (Jn 10:28; 1 Jn 5:11). There are many false teachers who have gone out to deceive many (2 Pet 2:1). Just as the Apostle John refuted their arguments and rebuked them as liars (1 Jn 2), so we must know sound doctrine to stand firm against our heretical opponents (1 Tim 4:6; 6:3; 2 Tim 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1).

Just as the Bereans searched the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), in order to validate a true versus false teacher, so we must be diligent to contend against the heretics without losing our first love (Rev 2:4). The truth of God’s Word has been there since the beginning; and it has been passed down to us…for to be faithful in our generation.

Let us remember that we have faith in the truth. God, who is true, has given us His true Word. This is the true light in our lives; and we must walk in the light, who is Himself the light of the world (Jn 8:12). To do so is the obedience of faith.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

October 26, 2023

1 John 2:3–17