Shownotes
Welcome to Day 2709 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Day 2709 – A Clean Life - Strong Warnings About the World 1 John 2_12-17
Putnam Church Message – 08/31/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “A Clean Life – Strong Warnings About the World.” Last week, we explored 1 John 2:1-11 as we learned the seven rules on how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Wise Words from a Family Meeting.” This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will cover 1 John 2:12-17 as we explore how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Strong Warnings About the World.” Let’s read 1 John 2:12-17 from the NIV, which is found on page 1900 of your Pew Bibles. 12 12 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14 I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. On Not Loving the World 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. Opening Prayer When danger draws near, a warning is in order. And the greater the danger, the more vital the warning. Let me share a story from a long-time pastor and President of Dallas Theological Seminary, Chuck Swindoll. I will share it in the first person as he did. /When I think of warnings, my mind goes back over sixty years to when I found myself standing on the deck of a massive troopship, seeing the city of Yokohama, Japan, in the distance, just across the Tokyo Bay. Our ship was slowly snaking its way through the bay because there were still some naval mines lurking beneath those waters—leftovers from World War II. As the pilot was guiding us carefully, a full colonel called some thirty-five hundred Marines to an assembly. He called us together to give us a warning. Great danger drew near. Not the physical danger of the naval mines. Those could be easily navigated. He had other dangers in mind … dangers lurking not in Tokyo Bay but in the streets of Yokohama, where thousands of pent-up Marines were about to be unleashed. “All of you, listen up,” he said. “For many of you, you will be the foreigner for the first time in your lives. You’re going to be walking in an area you’ve never walked before. You’ll be among people who speak a language you’ve never spoken before. You’ll be in the midst of a culture you don’t understand. So, I have a few words of warning for all of you. First, a message to every one of you: You’ll be wearing your uniform. It’s the uniform of the United States Marine Corps. You’re representing your country while you’re on this land. Don’t bring reproach to our land and our country. Behave yourselves.” And then the colonel went into some particulars as he addressed some specific categories of personnel. “Some of you,” he said, “are older men. You’ve traveled abroad before. You know better what to expect. But you’re not safe any more than the younger men among us.” Then he said to those of us who were younger: “Most of you have never been out of your own country, so you hardly know where the danger lies. Let me say to all of you: Remember these things today. Less than two days from now, at 1100 hours, we will be leaving this dock, and I want all of you back on this ship. Between now and then, you’re going to find yourself among great crowds of people. Watch out for pickpockets. Be careful what you eat … and where you eat. Don’t buy any food off the street. In some parts of the city, there’s open prostitution. Don’t be stupid. The bars would love to see you come in. And they’d love to see your face flat on the floor. And when you wake up, you’ll have nothing of value that belonged to you before. So, discipline yourself.” After several other similar warnings, he concluded, “Again, we’re leaving this dock at 1100 hours in less than forty-eight hours. I want all of you back on the ship, in uniform, on your feet, ready to make your way down to Okinawa.” I hardly need to tell you that some promptly forgot the warnings. It wasn’t long before some had their pockets picked. Some got back on the ship with temporary food poisoning, others with long-term diseases they picked up from streetwalkers. Several of them were still inebriated or nursing hangovers. And, yes, a handful even missed the ship! I’ll never forget when we were leaving the dock at 1100 hours sharp. A few guys were running toward the ship, waving their ties and yelling, “Wait! Wait! Wait!” The ship didn’t delay its departure for them. It just sailed right out of the harbor as planned. Many of those men—young and old alike—didn’t take the colonel’s warnings seriously. Maybe they thought he was just killing time while the ship weaved around the naval mines. Maybe they thought the “old man” was simply obligated to go through that litany of do-nots as part of an official “cover our behinds”> policy. But he was serious. These were real warnings from an older, seasoned Marine who wanted to impart wisdom to those under his charge. But because many failed to take heed, they became victims of the dangers. And they paid the price. My mind immediately returns to that scene on the ship decades ago as we turn to 1 JOHN 2:12-17. I can picture the apostle John, seasoned by years of trials and tragedy, made wise by years of testing and triumph. Like that veteran colonel imparting wisdom to a ship of Marines young and old alike, John was leaning into his audience—not to tell them things they wanted to hear, but to tell them things they needed to hear. Whether they were older men and women or younger men and women, whether they had been believers for a few days or a few decades, John needed to impart to them strong warnings about the real world. 2:12–14 John precedes his strong warnings by again addressing his readers with that term of grandfatherly affection that underscores their close family relationship: “I am writing to you, dear children” (2:12). I understand this as a general address to all his readers, as it is throughout this letter (see 2:1, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21). However, included among his spiritual children are “fathers,” “young men,” and even “children” (2:13–14). The term “fathers” is probably used in the same sense as in 1 Timothy 5:1, where Paul says, Never speak harshly to an older man,[a] but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. John is addressing the older members of the church, “mature in the faith” (NLT), perhaps even the church’s leaders. In this case, the “young men” would be a reference to those under the mentorship of the older members. “young in the faith” (NLT) Finally, the word translated “children” in 1 John 2:14 is not teknion, as in 2:12, but rather the word paidion [3813], which usually refers to a preteen who is still under the tutelage of teachers. In any case, the term likely refers to the youngest members spiritually of the church, especially those who are still very early in their spiritual formation. Like that colonel in our story who addressed his warning about Yokohama to both battle-hardened veterans and wide-eyed novices, the apostle John calls to attention every generation at every level of spiritual maturity. In my lifetime as a believer, I’ve learned that some are so young in age and so new to the faith that they have no idea how dangerous the world can be to their spiritual lives. On the other hand, some are so old and mature in the faith that they begin to believe they’ve outgrown the power of temptation. These older types fittingly fall under Paul’s warning: If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. (1 Cor. 10:12). The truth is, we all need these warnings about the world. Before launching into his warnings in 1 John 2:15-17, John reminds his readers of the spiritual blessings they have in their permanent family relationship with Christ. Though different blessings are associated with different groups within the church, these are general qualities that apply to all believers. He first reaffirms the complete forgiveness of their sins (2:12). your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. These believers are children of the eternal God, not because of their own merit or something special they have done or achieved. They are forgiven “for His name’s sake,” purely by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. This is the permanent condition in which they stand. These forgiven ones “know Christ, who existed from the beginning.” (2:13–14). It may seem strange that John repeats this statement virtually word for word in these two verses. The only difference is that in the first instance John says, “I am writing to you, fathers” (2:13), while in the second he says, “I have written to you, fathers” (2:14). Bible scholars have puzzled over the reason for John’s repetition and change of tense in these two statements, and it’s probably impossible to sort out precisely what John’s doing. Perhaps his reference to writing in the present tense refers to 1 John, while his reference to writing in the past refers to the Gospel of John. In that case, John would be emphasizing the fact that knowing Christ “who has been from the beginning” is a significant theme in his writings, life, and ministry. In John 20:31, he made his purpose in writing the Gospel clear: “But these are written so that you may continue to believe[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” John clearly wants to underscore the importance of knowing Christ, who is “from the beginning.” This description of Christ, emphasizing His eternal deity,/ recalls the opening words of the letter: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,[a] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.” (1 Jn. 1:1). Because of their permanent, personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, the “young men” have “overcome the evil one” (2:13). This blessing is also repeated, with a couple of significant additions, in 2:14: “you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” Our relationship with Christ results in the indwelling of the Spirit and the empowering of His word. As Jesus taught: 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[a] who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. (John 14:16–17, 20) This indwelling presence of the Spirit is what gives believers strength, which results in an ability to stand firm against the spiritual wickedness of the world. And to the “children,” John offers a reminder to them that they “know the Father” (1 Jn. 2:13). To know Jesus, who is “from the beginning,” is to know the Father. Jesus Himself said, “If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.[a] From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:7). John writes later in this letter, “The one who confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 Jn. 2:23); and he writes in 2 John, “The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son” (2 Jn. 1:9). Because of the reality of the triune God in the lives of all believers—young and old alike—believers are able to take a stand against the world. 2:15–17 Having firmly established the believers’ irrevocable position of power and victory because of the forgiveness of their sins and their relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit (1 Jn. 2:12–14), John levels some strong warnings about the world. What does John mean by “the world”? In his usage here, the Greek term kosmos [2889] refers to the system of this present age before the return of Christ. This world is led by Satan, who works against Christ and His people. It’s therefore hostile to righteousness. The world magnifies humanity, celebrates depravity, and rejects God’s word. In this negative sense, the world’s values, pleasures, pastimes, aspirations, and even attitudes have no room for God, no respect for Christ, and no regard for His followers. John uses the term kosmos in this sense throughout the letter, but in 2:15–17 alone, he uses the term six times as part of his strong warning. John begins his warning with a straightforward, simple command: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world” (2:15). But wait! Doesn’t John 3:16 say “For this is how God loved the world:”? And didn’t God send Jesus into the world “but to save the world through him” (John 3:17)? Why does John seem to tell believers not to love what God clearly loves? The answer is found in the two different senses of the word “world” and the two different senses of the term “love.” While John’s warning in 1 John 2:15–17 is primarily concerned with the wicked, fallen world system, the “world” that is the object of the self-sacrificial love of Christ is the world of humanity in desperate need of a Savior, just as John said earlier in this letter: “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” (2:2). Also, the word “love” here is used with the meaning “to have high esteem for or satisfaction with” or to “take pleasure in” something. What are the things in which a lover of the world takes pleasure? In 2:16, John describes them as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” Let’s take a closer look at these things of the world. The first is “the lust of the flesh.” The term “lust” refers to a craving or a passionate desire. This is more than a person who is hungry and desires food. It’s more like an alcoholic who longs for a drink … or a drug addict who’ll do anything for another hit. The term sarx (4561), translated “flesh,” refers most basically to physical things, particularly the material nature of the body. In that neutral sense, “flesh” is not essentially evil but can be used as a vessel of holiness to glorify God (2 Cor. 4:11). However, the term can also be used in a negative sense, as in 1 John 2:16. This is similar to the way the apostle Paul often used the term “flesh” in reference to our sinful, rebellious manner of thought and deed that reveres the world system, perverted since the Fall. Sarx is that part of our fallen state that opposes God and is in conflict with the Spirit’s work of instilling attitudes and promoting actions that counter the world and its values. The “lust of the flesh,” then, appears to be self-generated. It’s our internal sinful tendencies taking shape and looking for something to satiate our carnal desires. This includes selfish ambitions and self-serving objectives—the all-powerful triumvirate of me, myself, and I. It finds its focus in self: my comfort, my possessions, my money, my future, my career, my hopes. The lust of the flesh starts with me, ends with me, and keeps me in the middle of it all. John next refers to the “lust of the eyes” (2:16). This includes sinful cravings triggered by what we see, leading to covetousness and envy. We may be perfectly content with what we have, but then we see what somebody else has. Suddenly our own house, car, spouse, family, job, clothes, or church just isn’t enough anymore. The lust of the eyes can...Transcripts
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Day: /:Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John
“A Clean Life – Strong Warnings About the World.”
Last week, we explored 1 John 2:1-11 as we learned the seven rules on how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Wise Words from a Family Meeting.”
e NIV, which is found on page:12 12 I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
14 I write to you, dear children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
On Not Loving the World
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Opening Prayer
When danger draws near, a warning is in order. And the greater the danger, the more vital the warning.
Let me share a story from a long-time pastor and President of Dallas Theological Seminary, Chuck Swindoll. I will share it in the first person as he did. /When I think of warnings, my mind goes back over sixty years to when I found myself standing on the deck of a massive troopship, seeing the city of Yokohama, Japan, in the distance, just across the Tokyo Bay. Our ship was slowly snaking its way through the bay because there were still some naval mines lurking beneath those waters—leftovers from World War II. As the pilot was guiding us carefully, a full colonel called some thirty-five hundred Marines to an assembly.
He called us together to give us a warning. Great danger drew near. Not the physical danger of the naval mines. Those could be easily navigated. He had other dangers in mind … dangers lurking not in Tokyo Bay but in the streets of Yokohama, where thousands of pent-up Marines were about to be unleashed.
“All of you, listen up,” he said. “For many of you, you will be the foreigner for the first time in your lives. You’re going to be walking in an area you’ve never walked before. You’ll be among people who speak a language you’ve never spoken before. You’ll be in the midst of a culture you don’t understand. So, I have a few words of warning for all of you. First, a message to every one of you: You’ll be wearing your uniform. It’s the uniform of the United States Marine Corps. You’re representing your country while you’re on this land. Don’t bring reproach to our land and our country. Behave yourselves.”
And then the colonel went into some particulars as he addressed some specific categories of personnel. “Some of you,” he said, “are older men. You’ve traveled abroad before. You know better what to expect. But you’re not safe any more than the younger men among us.”
ss than two days from now, at: we’re leaving this dock at: n we were leaving the dock at:Many of those men—young and old alike—didn’t take the colonel’s warnings seriously. Maybe they thought he was just killing time while the ship weaved around the naval mines. Maybe they thought the “old man” was simply obligated to go through that litany of do-nots as part of an official “cover our behinds”> policy. But he was serious. These were real warnings from an older, seasoned Marine who wanted to impart wisdom to those under his charge. But because many failed to take heed, they became victims of the dangers. And they paid the price.
My mind immediately returns to that scene on the ship decades ago as we turn to 1 JOHN 2:12-17. I can picture the apostle John, seasoned by years of trials and tragedy, made wise by years of testing and triumph. Like that veteran colonel imparting wisdom to a ship of Marines young and old alike, John was leaning into his audience—not to tell them things they wanted to hear, but to tell them things they needed to hear. Whether they were older men and women or younger men and women, whether they had been believers for a few days or a few decades, John needed to impart to them strong warnings about the real world.
2:12–14
John precedes his strong warnings by again addressing his readers with that term of grandfatherly affection that underscores their close family relationship: “I am writing to you, dear children” (2:12). I understand this as a general address to all his readers, as it is throughout this letter (see 2:1, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21).
but rather the word paidion [: Cor.:Before launching into his warnings in 1 John 2:15-17, John reminds his readers of the spiritual blessings they have in their permanent family relationship with Christ. Though different blessings are associated with different groups within the church, these are general qualities that apply to all believers. He first reaffirms the complete forgiveness of their sins (2:12). your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. These believers are children of the eternal God, not because of their own merit or something special they have done or achieved. They are forgiven “for His name’s sake,” purely by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. This is the permanent condition in which they stand.
These forgiven ones “know Christ, who existed from the beginning.” (2:13–14). It may seem strange that John repeats this statement virtually word for word in these two verses. The only difference is that in the first instance John says, “I am writing to you, fathers” (2:13), while in the second he says, “I have written to you, fathers” (2:14). Bible scholars have puzzled over the reason for John’s repetition and change of tense in these two statements, and it’s probably impossible to sort out precisely what John’s doing.
, life, and ministry. In John:John clearly wants to underscore the importance of knowing Christ, who is “from the beginning.” This description of Christ, emphasizing His eternal deity,/ recalls the opening words of the letter: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,[a] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.” (1 Jn. 1:1).
Because of their permanent, personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, the “young men” have “overcome the evil one” (2:13). This blessing is also repeated, with a couple of significant additions, in 2:14: “you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” Our relationship with Christ results in the indwelling of the Spirit and the empowering of His word. As Jesus taught:
d later will be in you. (John:This indwelling presence of the Spirit is what gives believers strength, which results in an ability to stand firm against the spiritual wickedness of the world.
And to the “children,” John offers a reminder to them that they “know the Father” (1 Jn. 2:13). To know Jesus, who is “from the beginning,” is to know the Father. Jesus Himself said, “If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.[a] From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:7). John writes later in this letter, “The one who confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 Jn. 2:23); and he writes in 2 John, “The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son” (2 Jn. 1:9).
Because of the reality of the triune God in the lives of all believers—young and old alike—believers are able to take a stand against the world.
2:15–17
Having firmly established the believers’ irrevocable position of power and victory because of the forgiveness of their sins and their relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit (1 Jn. 2:12–14), John levels some strong warnings about the world.
here, the Greek term kosmos [:John begins his warning with a straightforward, simple command: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world” (2:15). But wait! Doesn’t John 3:16 say “For this is how God loved the world:”? And didn’t God send Jesus into the world “but to save the world through him” (John 3:17)? Why does John seem to tell believers not to love what God clearly loves?
The answer is found in the two different senses of the word “world” and the two different senses of the term “love.” While John’s warning in 1 John 2:15–17 is primarily concerned with the wicked, fallen world system, the “world” that is the object of the self-sacrificial love of Christ is the world of humanity in desperate need of a Savior, just as John said earlier in this letter: “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” (2:2). Also, the word “love” here is used with the meaning “to have high esteem for or satisfaction with” or to “take pleasure in” something. What are the things in which a lover of the world takes pleasure? In 2:16, John describes them as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”
Let’s take a closer look at these things of the world. The first is “the lust of the flesh.” The term “lust” refers to a craving or a passionate desire. This is more than a person who is hungry and desires food. It’s more like an alcoholic who longs for a drink … or a drug addict who’ll do anything for another hit.
The term sarx (:The “lust of the flesh,” then, appears to be self-generated. It’s our internal sinful tendencies taking shape and looking for something to satiate our carnal desires. This includes selfish ambitions and self-serving objectives—the all-powerful triumvirate of me, myself, and I. It finds its focus in self: my comfort, my possessions, my money, my future, my career, my hopes. The lust of the flesh starts with me, ends with me, and keeps me in the middle of it all.
John next refers to the “lust of the eyes” (2:16). This includes sinful cravings triggered by what we see, leading to covetousness and envy. We may be perfectly content with what we have, but then we see what somebody else has. Suddenly our own house, car, spouse, family, job, clothes, or church just isn’t enough anymore. The lust of the eyes can also be our symbols of success: titles, positions, degrees, or added pages to our résumés. The lust of the eyes suddenly makes us desperately “need” something we never knew we didn’t have!
Finally, John refers to “the boastful pride of life” (2:16). The lust of the flesh comes from our sinful hearts. The lust of the eyes comes from the sinful world around us. And the boastful pride of life comes from our lips. The arrogant words. The prideful claims. The exaggerated tales that make us look greater than we are, usually at the cost of tearing other people down. We see this kind of boasting flowing from many sports heroes, slick politicians, and strutting rock stars.
Those are the things of the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. This cocktail of cravings is not a nourishing spiritual drink served up by the Father of Light, but a toxic poison pushed and promoted by the father of lies through the means of a wicked world. The point of John’s admonition in 2:15–16 is clear: The object of a Christian’s unconditional devotion and commitment should be God and His people, not the sinful world and all of its delights. To embrace the wicked world system with the same kind of boundless love we should have for God is to demonstrate that “the love of the Father is not in [us]” (2:15). When we fall in love with the world, we fall out of love with God.
As if we didn’t already have enough reason to avoid a love affair with the world, John gives us one more warning in 2:17: The world with all its lusts “is passing away.” These sinful delights have no part to play in eternity. Those who embrace the world system embrace what is temporal. But when you do God’s will—believing in His Son and living by the power of the Spirit—you embrace the eternal.
APPLICATION:1 JOHN 2:12–17
Overcoming the Things of the World
John’s warning to believers is clear: Don’t get tangled up with the world or the things of the world. If you do, you’ll be like those late-arriving Marines stranded at the dock, shouting and waving their arms as the ship pulled away and left them behind. They were so wrapped up in the pleasures of Yokohama that they had forgotten the colonel’s warning. The dangers were real, and the consequences left permanent marks on their military records. I don’t know precisely what the colonel said later to those Marines when he confronted them, but I know I wouldn’t be able to use those words here!
We need to heed John’s strong warnings about the world. And we need to be sensible and practical when it comes to putting these warnings into action. I know it’s easy to jump to extremes. Back on that ship, a soldier could have walked out of the colonel’s assembly, headed to their bunk, and hid under the covers for forty-eight hours. That would have definitely kept them safe from the pickpockets, pork products, and prostitutes of Yokohama! But he would have gone to an unnecessary extreme.
Similarly, some Christians respond to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life by resorting to radical isolation—“HIDE YOURSELF!” Their list of “don’ts” would include things like: Don’t own a television! Don’t go to the movies! No computer! No smartphone! Stay away from worldly people! Don’t watch sports! Don’t ever dress up or drive a decent car! Keep your life plain and drab and colorless.
Jesus clearly stated in John:At the other extreme, some Christians may engage in radical provocation—“ASSERT YOURSELF!” Their rules of engagement would include things like: Everywhere you go, openly insult those who embrace “the things of the world.” Broadcast your moral convictions in ways that not only shame sinners but also anger them. Be obnoxious about your displeasure with the world. Go out of your way to insult people who disagree with you. Put down those who are more liberal than you or less faithful than you. In short, openly judge them!
But Paul said, “When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10 But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.” (1 Cor. 5:9–10). In fact, he takes it much further: 12 It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” (1 Cor. 5:12-13). Our presence in this wicked world should be pleasant and gracious. We stand firm on our convictions, but we respond to outsiders with kindness, not condescension. Peter puts it best: “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” (1 Pet. 3:15).
That’s balance—not isolation or provocation, but insulation and proclamation! Next week, we will continue our exploration of 1 John. Our message for next week is “A Discerning Life – Dealing With Deceivers. Our Core verses for next week will be: 1 John 2:18-27 - Closing Prayer