First John makes a consistent distinction between position and fellowship, eternal life and temporal life quality. John is not testing who is saved; he is diagnosing spiritual health among those already saved (1 John 5:13). His purpose is pastoral and corrective, calling believers to walk in the light so that their experience aligns with their secure standing in Christ (1 John 1:6–7). Below is a catalogue of the major controversial texts in First John, with explanations that remain internally consistent and exegetically defensible.
Tag: spiritual growth
When We Do Not Understand Scripture
This article teaches that divine revelation is perfect, but human understanding develops progressively, as seen in examples like Daniel, the prophets, the apostles, Peter, and John the Baptist, all of whom received truth from God yet did not fully grasp it at the time. Scripture distinguishes between revelation and comprehension, showing that misunderstanding can arise when assumptions are added to God’s words, and that even after the resurrection the disciples lacked clarity on aspects of the kingdom. These examples establish that limited understanding is part of normal spiritual growth, not failure. As believers continue in Scripture with humility and dependence on the Spirit, their understanding increases over time, so that the challenge of the Bible becomes an invitation to deeper knowledge of God rather than a barrier to faith.
Satan and the Flesh Judged at the Cross
Christ’s death on the cross rendered a definitive judgment against both Satan and the sin nature. Satan’s condemnation is settled, though the execution of that sentence awaits his future confinement and final destruction. Likewise, the sin nature was judicially crucified with Christ, nullifying its authority even though its presence and impulses continue within every believer. God has created a new nature that delights in Him, and the Christian life unfolds amid the ongoing conflict between flesh and Spirit. Victory comes through learning and applying God’s Word, walking by faith, and living under the Spirit’s empowering ministry.
The Life That Glorifies God
Phase one secures eternal life—a permanent possession guaranteed by the single decision to believe in Jesus as Savior (John 3:16; Eph 2:8–9). That life can never be lost, diminished, or revoked. Phase two, however, determines eternal rewards, which are also permanent but depend on faithfulness in time (2 John 1:8). These rewards are not given for salvation but for service—for living to the glory of God in every sphere of life (1 Cor 10:31), for sacrificially serving others in love (Phil 2:3–4), and for walking by faith as we appropriate divine grace moment by moment (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 11:6). Each decision to obey advances the believer toward spiritual maturity and future reward at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor 3:12–15; 2 Cor 5:10). Just as eternal life is secured by one act of faith, eternal rewards are secured through a lifetime of faithful choices aligned with God’s will (Rom 12:1; Gal 6:9).
Fullness in Christ
Salvation is entirely the work of God through Jesus Christ, who, as the sinless Son of God, bore our sins at the cross and secured eternal life for all who believe. Once received, eternal life is secure, sealed, and irrevocable. However, the abundant life Jesus promised is experienced in phase two of the Christian life—daily fellowship with Him—through humility, obedience, faith, and sacrificial service to others. God has supplied everything necessary for life and godliness, leaving no excuse for spiritual failure. As believers grow toward maturity, they walk by faith, depend on the Spirit, live by the Word, and cultivate a life that glorifies God and edifies others. Disobedience brings God’s discipline and forfeits present and eternal blessings, but a faithful walk overflows with joy, spiritual fruit, and eternal reward.
The Sufficiency of Scripture
The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture affirms that the written Word of God is entirely adequate for all matters of faith and practice, providing the divine information necessary for salvation (2 Tim 3:15; John 3:16), spiritual growth (1 Pet 2:2), and righteous living (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:3). Paul wrote, “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). To say that all Scripture is inspired by God affirms its divine origin and authority. It is profitable for teaching truth, exposing error, correcting wrong, and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16), with the goal of making the child of God spiritually competent, fully equipped for every good work that honors the Lord (2 Tim 3:17). No other source of revelation is needed to meet the believer’s spiritual needs, for God has already disclosed His will sufficiently in the sixty-six canonical books. This sufficiency does not imply that Scripture answers every curiosity of human inquiry, but rather that it provides the full counsel of God necessary for knowing Him, serving Him, and walking faithfully in the world.
Where You Look Determines How You Live
Spiritual maturity and mental health don’t happen by accident. It results from intentional focus—looking in the right direction. Far too many believers get tangled in introspection, endlessly examining themselves for signs of progress or failure. But Scripture calls us to a different orientation: upward toward God, outward toward others, and forward into the future God has promised. This tri-directional focus reflects a biblically grounded and grace-driven model for the Christian life.
Eternal Life Is Free, but Eternal Rewards Are Earned
Eternal life is a free gift. Rewards are earned. We can’t lose our salvation—ever, because it’s an irrevocable free gift, by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone (John 10:28; Eph 2:8-9). It’s the gift of God (Rom 6:23), not of works (Rom 4:4-5). But while eternal life is secure, rewards are not. We can forfeit eternal rewards through failure in the spiritual life. Rewards are tied to faithfulness, obedience, and production under the filling of the Spirit. They’re not about keeping salvation. They’re about honor, authority, privilege, and commendation before Jesus Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10).
Salvation is Free, Discipleship is Costly
Salvation is the gift of God—period. There are no strings attached, no preconditions, and no performance requirements. It is not a trade agreement, contract, or partnership. It is grace. That means it’s free. And if it’s not free, it’s not grace (Rom 11:6). The sole condition for receiving eternal life is personal faith in Jesus Christ—believing that He is the Son of God (John 1:1; Col 2:9) who died for our sins and rose again (1 Cor 15:3-4). No commitment, no works, no rituals, no emotional displays—just faith. Now, discipleship is another matter. That’s the Christian life. That’s growth (1 Pet 2:2), maturity (Heb 5:14), suffering (Phil 1:29; 2 Tim 3:12), service (Rom 12:1; Gal 5:13), and reward (1 Cor 3:14; 2 Cor 5:10). Discipleship costs. Salvation doesn’t. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).
Spiritual Health in a Sick World
As Christians living in a fallen world, we should not be surprised when adversity comes. It is the natural consequence of living in a creation under the curse of sin (Gen 3:17-19), where “the whole creation groans” (Rom 8:22), and where spiritual warfare rages invisibly behind visible circumstances (Eph 6:12). Adversity takes many forms—physical illness, relational conflict, financial strain, social or political hostility, or simply the grind of daily pressures. Often, these difficulties are part of God’s training ground for spiritual growth (Rom 5:3-5; Jam 1:2-4). And we know that God is always in control of life, and when He turns up the heat, He never takes His hand off the thermostat. And it in this fallen world that we live, work, raise our families, and engage in Christian service.
Does God Promise Promotion and Prosperity?
Divine promotion is not earned through ambition, scheming, or strategic networking, but through humble dependence on the Lord and a consistent walk of faith. God honors those who honor Him—not by the standards of the world, but by the metrics of faithfulness, humility, and spiritual maturity (1 Sam 2:30; Prov 3:5-6). As believers, we are called to be diligent and responsible in whatever roles we are given, but we must resist the temptation to take matters into our own hands in pursuit of advancement. Our job is to remain faithful; God’s job is to promote us when we are ready and when it serves His greater purpose.
What Motivates Christians to Live Righteously?
The Bible teaches that Christians are called to love and perform good works, motivated by God’s love and grace. This service arises from gratitude, anticipation of Christ's return, and the desire to glorify God. Mutual encouragement within the church fosters spiritual growth and perseverance in faith amidst divine discipline.
Trusting God in Difficult Times
God wants all of His children to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). The word “walk” translates the Greek verb περιπατέω (peripateō), which literally means “to walk around” or “to conduct one’s life.” This verb is frequently used in the New Testament as a metaphor for one’s daily life, behavior, and manner of living. Paul’s use of “walk” implies a continual, habitual pattern rather than a one-time event. To walk by faith means to trust in God’s Word, even when circumstances or emotions suggest otherwise. It involves making decisions in alignment with divine viewpoint rather than human viewpoint.
Keep the Gospel Simple
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9). No gimmicks. No emotional hype. No religious rituals. The issue is not whether faith is “easy” or “hard”—that’s a false dilemma. The real issue is whether a person believes in the biblical Christ for eternal life. Jesus Himself stated, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). He didn’t say you must feel something, prove something, or commit to something. He simply said, “believe.” Salvation is based on Christ’s work, not on human effort.
The Priority of the Gospel
Getting the gospel right is of paramount importance because it determines the difference between eternal life and eternal separation from God. A person may be well studied in the Scriptures, know the original languages, be deeply versed in theology, and have sound doctrine in every respect, but if he misunderstands the gospel and fails to believe in Christ alone for salvation, he remains lost and in danger of eternal condemnation, for “if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15).
The Grace-Call to Live Righteously
Salvation is by grace alone (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), totally apart from works (Rom 4:4-5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). However, after salvation, the Christian is called to a life of obedience, not as a means of securing salvation, but as the proper response to divine grace.
The Sin Nature vs. The New Nature in the Christian
Every human inherits a sin nature from Adam, which corrupts thoughts and behaviors in opposition to God (Jer 17:9; Rom 5:12). This nature manifests in both self-righteous legalism and lawless indulgence, leaving unbelievers spiritually dead and incapable of pleasing God (Rom 8:7-8; Eph 2:1-3). At salvation, believers receive a new nature, created in righteousness, yet the old sin nature remains, leading to an ongoing battle between the flesh and the Spirit (Rom 7:14-25; Gal 5:16-17).
Spiritual Growth Through Meditation on Scripture
The spiritual life is built by repeatedly studying, processing, and applying God’s truth, not by racing through it. A slow, steady rain results in greater ground saturation than a flash flood, where most of the water runs across the surface. Likewise, slow reading with thoughtful meditation penetrates more deeply into the heart.
Guilty Before God
The Bible reveals God is “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), and He “is a righteous judge” (Psa 7:11), and He “judges righteously” (Jer 11:20), and “will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” (Ex 34:7). Yet, the Bible also reveals God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Psa 86:15), and One “Who pardons all your iniquities” (Psa 103:3), when we come to Him in honesty and humility.
Trusting God’s Provision: Resting in His Promises
As Christians, we can depend on the Lord to provide for our daily needs. Abraham knew this to be true and said of Yahweh, “The LORD Will Provide” (Gen 22:14). And Paul wrote, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Cor 9:8), and “God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19).
Beyond Self-Interest: Embracing Disadvantage for the Blessing of Others
The more I understand biblical Christianity, the more I think our advance to maturity involves being willingly disadvantaged that others might receive an advantage. To be voluntarily disadvantaged means I am deprived of something so that others might gain an asset, an edge, a benefit, or an opportunity they might not have otherwise. This is charitable on my part, in which I give for the benefit of others. This is how Jesus lived, as He said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Walking Worthy of God’s Call to Service
As God's people, we are called into service to the King, to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph 4:1). Paul uses similar language when writing to Christians in Thessalonica, saying, “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Th 2:12). We are called to a mission, and our mission field is wherever we happen to be and includes whoever we happen to meet. To fulfill our divine objective requires submission, humility, commitment, biblical education, field training, and advancement testing. We reach the spiritual high-ground by operating by faith as God’s Word saturates our thinking and directs our speech and behavior.
Spiritual Disciplines for Christians
Discipline is doing what I ought to do, whether I want to do it or not, because it’s right. Christian discipline is living as God wants me to live, as an obedient-to-the-Word believer who walks by faith and not feelings. The proper Christian life glorifies the Lord, edifies others, and creates in me a personal sense of destiny that is connected with the God who called me into service.
Suffering that Builds Christian Character
No one likes suffering, and generally, we try to avoid it. However, some suffering is unavoidable, as there are people and circumstances beyond our ability to influence. This is part of the human experience. But we are not neutral, and though suffering is inevitable, how we handle it is optional. If we greatly fear suffering, then we may be tempted to avoid it at all costs, and the weakening instinct of self-preservation might handicap us from maturing in life. God wants us to grow up and become mature Christians (1 Cor 14:20; Eph 4:11-14), and suffering is sometimes the vehicle He uses to help get us there.
Being the Good Boss
On a day to day basis, the good leader is one who will listen to you, stand up for you, trust you and not micromanage every aspect of your work. She communicates clearly, constantly, and in a collaborative manner. He seeks your advice, listens to your concerns, and consults you on the best solutions for success. She sets high expectations and encourage you to be the best you can be, operating according to agency standards, and striving for new heights of excellence. He also cares about your life outside of work and wants you to have good physical, social, and mental health. Lastly, the good boss can be tough when needed. She lives in reality and knows there are some who will not respond to her leadership, and, may be required to use her authority to reprimand and/or terminate staff; however, this is always a last recourse after all other positive strategies have failed. Overall, I see the good boss as one who lives sacrificially for the benefit of others, always desiring their success as well as the success of the agency.
Twelve Ways to Deal with a Bad Boss
A good boss has integrity, studies God’s Word, listens to wise counsel, and respects his employees. A bad boss seeks self-interest, oppresses, and lacks self-awareness. Christian employees can cope using faith, excellence, and wisdom.
The Righteous Lifestyle of the Believer
God is working to produce His righteousness in us from the moment of salvation onward. Paul writes, “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). God produces His righteousness in us to justify, sanctify, and ultimately glorify us.
Characteristics of a Controlling Personality
Generally, a controlling person is self-absorbed, insensitive towards others, pushes to get his own way, and manipulates circumstances and people to achieve his own agenda. He cares mainly about himself and sees others as a means to an end. When feeling threatened, he may resort to unethical behavior to destroy his opponent. He does not understand or appreciate freedom and grace. Controlling others involves breaking them down, destroying their self-worth, degrading them psychologically and emotionally, even resorting to social and physical abuse in some instances. In many cases, the controlling person lacks the capacity to enjoy a mature loving relationship, because his thoughts are consumed with self, and he does not know how to love sacrificially for the benefit of others. He does not know how to love graciously, freely, with an open hand, expecting nothing in return. He gives only to get. He may use the word love, but it’s only as a means to an end, to serve his own selfish program and not the wellbeing of the other person. People are seen as objects to be manipulated, not individuals to be loved.
Preface to True Spirituality – Francis A. Schaeffer
Preface to True Spirituality By Francis A. Schaeffer ...In 1951 and 1952 I faced a spiritual crisis in my own life. I had become a Christian from agnosticism many years before. After that I had become a pastor for ten years in the United States, and then for several years my wife … Continue reading Preface to True Spirituality – Francis A. Schaeffer
Steps to Spiritual Growth
The Christian experiences his greatest blessings in life when he reaches spiritual maturity and utilizes the rich resources God has for him. However, this takes time to learn, and ignorance must give way to the light of God’s revelation found in His Word. Frustration is often the handmaiden of ignorance, but spiritual success comes with knowledge of God and His Word.
Suffering and Depression
Suffering touches us all. It moves and shapes us in ways we never imagine. It breaks us down and builds us up, but it never leaves us where it finds us. In Scripture we learn that God’s power is magnified in our weaknesses and that suffering reveals our true state as weak creatures who need the Lord in our lives for strength and guidance (2 Cor. 12:7-10).
Thoughts about Spiritual Growth
Truth is reality as God sets it forth in His Word. A plain reading of Scripture reveals that God exists, and that He is not silent. His Word reveals the origin of all things, and helps the reader to understand and orient to the world as it is. More so, the Bible reveals God’s … Continue reading Thoughts about Spiritual Growth