God is Love (1, 2, 3 John)

John’s Testimony of Light

READ 1 John 1:1-3 (including JST)

What is the testimony of John, and the others with him, to us?

That they have seen Christ, heard His voice (His testimony, and His teachings), and touched His body as a witness of His reality and resurrection.

Why do they bear this testimony to us?

That we might have fellowship with them (John and company) – in other words that we might have the same experience as them.

Which experience is to have fellowship with the Father and the Son.

They want us to be sealed up to Eternal Life as they are, that we may all fellowship together as part of the Church of the Firstborn, in heaven but while in the flesh (see D&C 107:19).

 

READ 1 John 1:4-7

Whose message is this?

This is a message directly from Christ – this is not some preaching of John.

John is a true “messenger” – this is an authentic, literal, exact message from the mouth of God – “thus saitheth the Lord…”.

What is the message directly from God?

“(I AM) light and in (Me) is no darkness at all”.

Why is that God’s message to us?

He wants us to be like Him – filled with a fullness of light – so that we can also be saved.

Which requires us to seek after light and rid ourselves of darkness.

 

READ D&C 50:23-25 and 3 Nephi 13:22-23

What chases darkness from you?

Light and truth.

To the degree we are filled with light, darkness cannot abide in us to that degree – they are mutually exclusive, but light triumphs over darkness – light drives out darkness and to the degree you are filled with light, darkness cannot abide in you.

How do we “walk in the light”?

We must seek it out – seek out God, as He is the source of the light.

We must “receive it” when offered – no matter how difficult it might be to accept – because the wicked take the truth to be hard and we are all wicked to one degree or another (1 Nephi 16:2).

Light/truth is gained bit by bit – but light also attracts more light (D&C 88:40 and Alma 12:9-11).

Why do we have fellowship with each other if we (all) walk in the light?

Because light cleaves to light (see D&C 88:40).

We become “one” with each other – filled with the same “mind” or “spirit” – the Holy Spirit (see LoF 5:2).

Which is also the same mind that God possesses – making us “one” with Him, too.

 

 

The Advocate and the Accuser

READ 1 John 2:1 (including JST)

What is an advocate?

A person who publicly supports or recommends someone or something.

In this context, it has a courtroom or legal feel about the word usage.

What is the opposite of an advocate?

An accuser – a role that Satan takes upon himself.

Is the Accuser wrong in accusing you?

No – we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23).

Is the Advocate right in recommending you?

No – not on YOUR merits, at least.

Christ advocates for us based on HIS mercy and grace – He doesn’t want us to get what’s coming to us (justice) and He wants to give us blessings we don’t deserve because He loves us and does the work of His Father, which is to enable our immortality and eternal life.

We are saved based on HIS merits because we were willing to accept the covenant that He offered to us – sacrificing our whole souls to Him in line with the prescribed terms of that covenant.

Christ decrees us innocent (because we are NOT actually innocent through our works) – He advocates for us before the Father – based on His righteousness and our covenant with Him (see D&C 88:75).

If we were justly innocent, Christ would have no need to advocate for us.

 

 

The Holy Anointing

READ 1 John 2:20, 25, 27-28

What is the “unction” or anointing from the Holy One (Christ)?

The Holy Ghost.

Which reveals the truth of all things (see Moroni 10:5).

And abides in you.

What is the promise the Holy One/Christ promises us when He anoints us?

Seals us up to eternal life.

This anointing is the sealing from the Holy Spirit of Promise.

Who is to teach you after you have received this anointing?

The Holy Ghost – which knows the truth of all things.

The Lord Himself when He comes to you (see 2 Nephi 32:5-6).

You are no longer to go to men to be taught (rely on the arm of the flesh) – you have no need to go to them because you know the Lord yourself (see Jeremiah 31:34) and He has promises to make to you and instructions for you to follow that CANNOT come from a man (or anyone else, for that matter).

 

 

Sons of God

READ 1 John 3:1-9 (including JSTs) and 1 John 5:18 (JST)

What is the Father doing when He calls us “sons of God”?

Adopting us (back) into His family as an heir (not just a spirit child).

Disassociating us from the world and associating us again with heaven.

Why does following Christ’s commandments allow us to see what He is like?

His commandments reveal Christ to us – what He is actually like.

Following His commandments means to align yourself completely with His mindset, attributes, and behavioral example.

It makes you like Him.

Becoming more like Him adds light to your being – you are quickened through the Spirit – more filled with light and truth or glory – i.e. more like Him.

We can’t see Him for who He is unless we comprehend Him.

And we can’t comprehend Him unless we are like Him – filled with a fullness of light/truth/spirit/intelligence/glory.

How much easier is it to know someone you are like than someone you are completely different from – in capability, mindset, values, culture, attributes, thoughts, feelings, talents, interests, actions, and experiences?

It’s much easier.  You have many things in common so can relate more perfectly to each other – you comprehend each other much better.

But remember, Christ had to descend below and ascend above all things to accomplish the Atonement and attain to the resurrection – so He knows us and loves us, even if we do not know and love Him.

Why does it not yet appear (clear) to us what we shall be as Sons of God?

We are not Gods so we cannot comprehend His mind, the blessings He has in store for those who love and wait for Him, or what it takes to become a God ourselves (1 Corinthians 2:9, LoF 7:9, TPJS 390:2-391:2).

But His mind is offered to us – the Holy Spirit is the mind of God (see LoF 5:2), if we will receive it.

And the command to learn what it takes and to go forward and do it has also been given to us.

As He intends to make us Gods, Sons of God – precisely as He is - or we cannot be saved (see LoF 7:9 and TPJS 423:1-2).

If the definition of sin is something that transgresses the Law, what Law is being referred to here?

Not the Law of Moses.

The Law of Heaven, or in other words, the Law or standard of being that God conforms to so as to be and remain a God or exalted man.

Anything that transgresses (violates) or is out of alignment with the Law of Heaven is “sin” or contrary to the nature of (being a) God.

What does it mean to “continue in sin”?

To seek after or desire to sin or act out of alignment with the Law of Heaven and to act in accordance with those desires.

To prefer darkness to light.

Why do those who have been born of God, abide in that covenant, have seen Christ and received the Holy Spirit of Promise not continue in sin?

Knowledge saves a man (see TPJS 400:2).

They know enough not to continue to sin – they understand the full affects of sin and chose not to participate.

They have been quickened (sanctified or filled with enough light) such that they don’t desire to sin, anyway.

What happens if they do continue in sin?

They become perdition – like the Devil, they sin knowing all things.

 

READ 1 John 4:1

Why would John tell the Saints to “try” or test the Spirits?

Because it is very easy to be deceived by the various spirits that reside here, some of whom are seeking to gain power over us because they have more knowledge than we do, and we can be taken in as a result – thinking a thought or feeling is of God when it is not (see TPJS 246:1 and TPJS 232:3).

Because the Saints were receiving angelic messengers – of various varieties; they were seeking to connect to Heaven and were engaging in the fight with the Adversary that naturally ensues when people get close to truly connecting with God.  This is what all who are seeking after the presence of God must do – it is part of walking the Way.

God Is Love

READ 1 John 3:10-11, 14

How can you tell the children of God from the children of the Devil?

Not from what they say.

Not from their religion or beliefs.

From what they do – their righteousness (which is different from virtue or doing good) in following God’s commandments.

From who they are or in other words, how much they love their fellowmen – how much light they have within them.

How would you describe true love demonstrated?

Patience.

Supporting.

Sacrificing.

Long-suffering.

Creating.

Inviting.

Rejoicing in the success of others.

What behaviors do you see in the children of the Devil?

Fear.

Hate.

Control and compulsion.

Discouragement.

Limiting progression.

Placing setbacks and obstacles.

Rejoicing in the failure of others.

 

READ 1 John 4:7-8, 11-12, 16

What kind of love is John talking about?

The pure love of Christ or charity – the love Christ has for us.

What does it imply that “God is love”?

That love is the greatest power in the universe – that it can dwell in us as it dwells in God.

That love is what makes us one – it is the harmonizing attribute between the Gods and between mankind – love is the great binding or sealing power.

That love is the power of creation – creation is the fruit of love.

That love is the motivation for all God does.

That love is the reason for existence and the purpose behind all things – the reason why God’s work and glory is our immortality and eternal life.

That love is Gods’ core attribute – They ARE love.

 

READ 1 John 3:16-24

What does it mean to love your brother?

Lay down our lives for each other.

Live our lives for each other – sacrifice.

Relieve the suffering of others.

The pure love of Christ requires action.

Belief is to faith, as love is to…?

Charity or the pure love of Christ.

Both faith and charity require action (same with hope).

What gives us confidence in the presence of God?

If our hearts are genuinely filled with charity.

In other words, if our hearts are like Christ’s.

We are one with Christ – in heart (charity), mind (Holy Spirit), and action (abiding perfectly by the Law of Heaven – filled with light – obedient to God’s commandments – precisely like Christ).

 

READ 1 John 5:2-3

This scripture implies that we don’t truly love each other unless we first love God and walk in His ways – is this true?

Yes.

It is referring to true love – “God’s love” or charity.

We are not filled with charity unless we are a true follower of Christ, because charity is a spiritual gift which is bestowed by God, not a feeling we manufacture through our mortal emotions.

The sad irony about an atheist mother’s deep love for her child is that she is tapping into God’s love without realizing what is happening – where this love she is feeling (which she did not feel before the birth) comes from, what it mirrors, and the message of love (for her from her heavenly parents) it is attempting to teach her.

 

READ 1 John 4:19

How did God show us that He first loved us?

He and Mother “organized” us as spirits from intelligence which was co-equal with Them but much less developed.

Enabling us to become a danger to the Universe, as Satan became, as our agency was unconstrained once we had been “birthed” as Spirits.

Also introducing the possibility that we would heap heartache on ourselves and others of God’s children through the poor use of that agency.

He sent His Beloved Son to risk His godhood to save us.

Christ, as God, sacrificed by condescending to live in a mortal tabernacle and suffered all that a God can suffer (eternal suffering) to redeem us from sin and death.

Unless we become as They are, we will never understand the depth of love that motivated the terrible sacrifices made by the Gods on our behalf.

 

READ 1 John 4:18

What is the relationship between perfect love and fear?

Perfect love casts out fear – fear cannot exist where perfect love is.

If you fear, you cannot be made perfect in love – you must first remove the fear, which is done by embracing the love of God and mirroring it with all others.

Love is inherently selfless while fear is inherently selfish.

Love operates at a high, fast and short frequency or vibration (a positive polarization) while fear operates at a low, slow and long frequency or vibration (a negative polarization) – to the degree that one is present, the other cannot be.

Since God is love (existing at a high, fast and short vibrational frequency), we cannot connect with Him if we are not resonating to His frequency because we are lost in fear; we literally cannot see Him because our visible light spectrum is so small – we cannot see ultraviolet, x-rays or gamma light because it resonates at a higher frequency than our mortal eyes can see – same with infrared, microwave and radio waves because they are too low a frequency – and those are just the frequencies we know about.