1. To believers suffering a schism

Since last Christmas we have been reading passages from the Gospel according to John. The book was addressed to believers who were suffering persecution by Jewish authorities. John, the presumed author*, tried to encourage them through Jesus’ words: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). John is saying in effect, “be courageous, do not surrender because He, who has overcome the world, is always on your side”.

John’s church survived those ordeals and believers increased in number, forming several groups around Ephesus. But a new crises occurred. Among the church members several began to interpret falsely the Apostles’ original teachings, which ultimately unsettled the belief of others. The three Epistles of John ** were written under such circumstances.

We need now to read the letters as encouragement for ourselves too, because we have experienced similar difficulties of a schism in our church. Besides, the recent closure of our place of preaching seems to be caused in part by a split or division in the thinking of some members. So, from today, and continuing for a few weeks, I will give lectures on these letters.

The good news commenced to spread from Jerusalem to the Hellenistic and Roman world. Meanwhile, a tendency was occurring in the Church, in which doubts, and even denials were being raised about the Incarnation. Traditionally, Greek philosophers taught that the essentials of the human is the spirit, and the body is merely its dwelling place, or even its prison, like that which was taught by third century Manichaeism.

Therefore Hellenistic believers began to think it was foolish that God had a human body. Those persons interpreted the Incarnation as a metaphor, and Jesus birth as a human was fictitious or imaginary. Then they rebuffed the Passion by saying that God’s son could not possibly die bleeding. They rejected the Resurrection too, a stance which denies all of the teachings given to the Church by the Apostles.

Indeed, if we are to follow human common sense it is almost ridiculous to believe that God became a human then died to save all humans. Yet, faith is accepting the fact which is beyond human reasoning.

Those who had accepted false teachings seems to have left the church, as the letter implies: “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19).

However, remaining believers were left confused, and the letters is addressed to such people, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin . . . ” (1 John 2:1). The authorship of the letters is uncertain, but the similarities between them and the Gospel of John are striking. The vocabulary of the letters and of John’s gospel are very much alike. The author calls himself, “The elder . . . ” (3 John 1), so many scholars identify him with John the Presbyter**

2. Don’t walk in the darkness

The author writes, ” That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life” ( 1 John 1:1).

This phrase is a reflection of John’s Gospel, chapter 1 verse 14, ” In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” Both of them, the Apostle, and the Epistle writer, declared that God’s son, Jesus, had a human body, they saw Him, heard His voice, and even touched Him. He is Christ, the Savior.

John, the Epistle writer, continues,"The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us” (1 John 1:2).

They witnessed Jesus’ death on the Cross, the Resurrection three days after, and the events which was to bring reconciliation between God and us. Thus we are allowed to enter into a real relationship with God, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Thanks to Jesus’ blood we are redeemed, and we have found again the alliance with God. And those who restored their relationship with God can enter into the real fellowship with others, because all children of God are sisters and brothers.

John the epistle writer says, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). God is light. He enlightens the darkness of our soul, and our sin. As humans, all of us have dark and ugly sides within, hidden in the depths of our being, away from the view of others.

But the dark parts of our lives are brought into the light, by God. If only we would admit to our sinful nature and repent, we would be purified: “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:6-7).

The above verses allude to those who have corrupted the fellowship within, and left the church, even though they once confessed that God was the light. Humans are so weak and vulnerable. We do commit such errors.

Sin is the act of a transgression against God’s will, which distorts our relationship with God. In consequence, it disrupts human relationships, because sin pushes us to behave in a egoistical manner, which ultimately causes conflicts. John is facing the fact that the fellowship in the church is being disturbed and destroyed by such conduct. So much so, he teaches how to overcome the situation. God has granted us the way through Jesus’ blood, the Atonement and the Passion.

Now it is for us to find what and how to do exactly. John says: ” If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness"¡Ê1 John 1:9). But, ” If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives"¡Ê1 John 1:10¡Ë.

Those who caused a schism in the church pretended to be righteous. By considering themselves sinless, was to say Jesus’ death was meaningless. That attitude is to reject Gods’ words recorded in the Gospels. And those who pretend to be sinless, are about judging others, and destroying the fellowship. Therefore, John the Epistle writer compels his church members to confess their sins in order to be purified by Jesus’ blood, and to maintain the spiritual fellowship within the church.

3. Walk in the light

Now let us read together today’s invocation verses from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The passage is from the Sermon on the Mount, which was also the subject of Pastor Mizuguchi’s latest lecture. Even though we had heard the Good News, Jesus said, if we keep its light from the sight of others, it remains useless. Knowing the content of the message, we ourselves, are already capable to enlighten others, not as the emitter of light, but by reflecting it towards the world. That is exactly our role to play, and our way of life.

John the Epistle writer expressed in other words those of Matthew, when he said, ” Walk in the light.”

The light does not enlighten itself, but brightens the environment. To become the light of the world is not to conduct ourselves with respectable behavior, and influence a surrounding society to make it better by such conduct. Neither is it to work eagerly for social welfare and human rights. But, it is to be understanding, sensitive and compassionate to the suffering of others. We should be able to do that.

We knew and suffered through our own miserable state of affairs, through our failures, sins and despair. Therefore, we can have empathy and share with others, as they suffer through their own painful experience. In that way, we could be a light in the world, by walking in the light. John said, “Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble” (1 John 2:10).

By walking in the light, we can build relationships of love with our neighbors, through the Cross of Jesus Christ. So, “don’t go away from, but stay close to Jesus”, that is the message to us from Matthew and John the Epistle writer, respectively with a mutual voice.

Wrong teachings and offensive behavior might be found on the earth. Paul wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

But in reality, there were racial, social and sexual discriminations even within the Church. Indeed, we cannot have a personal feeling and affection for everyone. Nevertheless, we should be able to make efforts to be kind. And, real love is not a matter of feelings only, but of a will, a strong will. We know Jesus died for the sake of every human. So, whether we like or dislike them, other humans are also about to be saved by Jesus’ love, and consequently we cannot continue to hate anybody.

It is true too that, sometimes our friendly approaches might be refused or rejected and in such cases Jesus gave us some guidance,"If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them” (Luke 9:5).

Do not try to maintain relationships with those who persists in false teachings or wrong beliefs. We make efforts as far as we can, and entrust to God with the results. Because it is God who decides results. Our task is only to keep an open mind, without shutting the door. We remain receptive.

Its not difficult to see whether our belief is faithful to the Bible or not. It only depends on, “whether we can accept those who are different from us or not.” If we hate someone who follows a different way of thinking, we are already out of the light as John said, “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness” (1 John 2:9).

So please keep those lovely words of John deep within your mind and heart as we conclude today’s lecture.
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references :
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_John#Authorship
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorship_of_the_Johannine_works
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Presbyter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Evangelist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_John
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08435a.htm#IV