1John Theology and Greek Grammar
Author: Steve Amato
Description: bible study guide for 1john
Keywords: bible study, 1john, perseverance of the saints, eternal security, eternal life, salvation, sin, obedience

# 1 John Lessons

1JOHN Sunday School Handout
10/23/11
A Disparity of Themes

> Reformed - Distinguishing Whether or Not a Person is a Child of God
> Keswickian - Distinguishing Carnal Saints from "Spiritual" Saints

The Inductive Approach

The Semantics of Biblical Greek Grammar
with regards to John's usage of the Tenses of Verbs in 1John

PRESENT TENSE (P) = That which is CHARACTERISTIC of a person's LIFESTYLE, "A Matter of Course", or a PROCESS. English example: "You always do that!"
AORIST TENSE (A) = Point in time EVENT (such as an historical event, or at this present instance) or that which occurs OCCASIONALLY but UNCHARACTERISTICALLY
PERFECT TENSE (R) = That which occured in the past with results experienced in the present.

The Present Tense uses words not intended to be subject to boundary conditions

> Examples in English: Just about any Virtue or Vice, Maturity, Intelligence, anything which is a matter of degree.

The Predictability of Present versus Aorist

> Illustrations: Flip a Coin, Probability Curves

Characteristic Behavior of the Unregenerate - (Unsaved)

> Eph 2:3 All of us also lived (A) among them at one time, gratifying (P) the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

Characteristic Behavior of the Regenerate - (Born Again, Children of God, Saved)

> 1John 3:9,10 Whoever has been born of God does not live a lifestyle of sin, for His seed characteristically dwells in him; indeed he doesn't have the ability in himself to live a lifestyle of sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are being revealed: Whoever does not characteristically do righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not characteristically love his brother.

What is the gravity and friction involved in each case?

> Rom 1:26,28
> Gal 5:16-21

Backsliding: 2Peter 2:20-22
Sample Reading of the Literalized Translation
1John 1:
vs 6 If we were to say at some point in time that we characteristically have fellowship with Him, but in fact are characteristically walking in darkness, we are characteristically lying to ourselves and are not characteristically practicing the truth.
vs 7 But if we are characteristically walking in the light as He exists in the light, we characteristically have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son is continuously cleansing us from all sin.
vs 8 If we were to say that the complete absence of sin is characteristic of our life, we are actively deceiving ourselves, and the truth does not exist in us. (Compare with Jesus 1John 3:5; Heb 4:15)
vs 9 If confessing our sins is characteristic of our life, He is faithful and just (with regards to the New Covenant He established with us) to forgive our sins at some point and cleanse us from all unrighteousness at some point. (Eph 4:32) [same structure as 1John 3:5]
vs 10 If we say that we never sinned, we are making Him out to be a liar, and His word does not exist in us.
1John 3:6 Whoever characteristically dwells in Him characteristically does not sin. Whoever characteristically sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
1John 5:18a We have perceived that whoever has been born of God does not characteristically sin;

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