John was not writing to those who are Christians. Why would he write "Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all." If they were Christians, they would not need to have the gospel announced to them. (Do you need the gospel announced to you?)
setst RE: If you read the context of this
whole letter, we see that John is addressing those who claim faith in Jesus, but John is not taking their faith for granted, since we see many warnings given by John.
All these warnings show us that John is not writing to unbelievers who could care less.
We also realize by all these warnings that John realized that only continued faithfulness demonstrated by keeping the commandments of Jesus, would insure their remaining in Christ and ultimate salvation.
For instance let us review several beginning verses of the context of the 2nd chapter in of the very same letter - remembering that chapter markings and verses were added over 1500 years after the NT letters were written:
1 John 2
1 My little children (John calls the recipients of his letter "My little children" a intimate familiar term), I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins,
we have a Counselor (
John includes them a having access to the Counselor if they should sin) with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. 2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. 3
This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments (This is a warning that we must continually keep His commandments to know Him). 4 One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him. 5 But God’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know that we are in him: 6 he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked (
More warnings that we must keep His commands and walk as Jesus Walked to remain in Christ).
Justification was accomplished by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. You can't be justified over and over, any more than you can be found innocent of any crime more than once if you have been found to be innocent of the charge. Romans 5:1-2, "Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory."
setst RE: You quoted Romans 5:1-2 to prove your point that Justification, and access to God's grace, is by faith.
True enough. Remember that faith, is not a one time action, but a continuous believing demonstrated by following Lord Jesus.
By following Jesus is how we are turned from death to life, from darkness to light.
John 5:24 (WEB) 24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who
hears my word and believes (
continuous action) him who sent me
has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but
has passed out of death into life.
John 8:12 (WEB) 12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. [Isaiah 60:1]
He who follows me (
believing in Jesus is demonstrated by following Jesus) will
not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 12:46 (WEB) 46 I have come as a light into the world, that
whoever believes (
continuous action) in me may
not remain in the darkness.
John 20:31 (WEB) 31 but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
believing you may have life in his name.
Notice that the terms:
- death to life
- darkness to light,
- have life
are terms used for the new birth in Christ - only by faith.
If you remain faithful to the end, you will be eternally saved.
Revelation 3:21 (WEB)
He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne,
as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.
2 Thessalonians 1:4-11 (WEB)
4 So that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God
for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure. 5 This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end
that you may be counted worthy of God’s Kingdom, for which you also suffer.
Revelation 3:1-6 (WEB)
1 “I know your works – that
you have a reputation of being alive but you are dead. 2
Wake up and keep the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard.
Keep it and repent.
If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.
4 Nevertheless you have
a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments.
They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
5
He who overcomes will be
arrayed in white garments, and I will in
no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will
confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Luke 21:36 (WEB) 36 Therefore
be watchful all the time, praying
that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen,
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Romans 11:19-22 (WEB) 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.” 20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith.
Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but
toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (WEB) Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, 2 by which also you are saved,
if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.
The NT is filled with such warnings.
So consider all the warnings that John gives in his three letters, that our responsibility is to remain in that one faith from the lusts of the world, from idols, from false doctrine, from unloving acts, et cetera, to remain in Christ.
So faith is our responsibility before God as John repeatedly drives home throughout his letters. If we remain faithful, we remain in God's grace, and we are justified.
All the Apostles taught the very same thing, as we see many warnings throughout all the Apostolic Letters, warning us to continue in the faith to remain in Christ.
Blessings.
