Monthly Study
February 2023

Walk in the Light

A Study of 1, 2, 3 John

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 1:7

If the way ahead sometimes seems dark, you will be encouraged by this month’s study of 1, 2, and 3 John. The apostle John’s message is filled with life and hope. If I were to choose a favorite phrase, though, it would be this: “The darkness is passing and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:8).

No matter what we are facing, no matter what we read in the headlines, the Light has dawned, the Son has risen, and the Day is coming! As we study together this month, I pray you will:

  • Live out your salvation through love in action
  • Discern and resist worldly temptations and false teaching
  • Understand the connections between love and obedience

Your devotional author,
Bradley Baurain

Volume 36Edition 2
Managing Editor: Jamie Janosz, Senior Editor: Elena Mafter, Contributing Editor: John Koessler, Writer: Bradley Baurain, Art Director: Lynn Gabalec, Graphic Designer: Rachel Hutcheson, Marketing & Production: Paul B. Currie

About the Author

Brad Baurain

Bradley Baurain is Associate Professor and Program Head of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Moody Bible Institute.

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Devotional Calendar

Podcasts

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Firsthand Witness
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By the time the apostle John wrote these three letters, he was an elderly and revered leader of the church and perhaps the last living apostle. Once one of the “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17), John was also “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). Though he doesn’t directly name himself in these letters, the early church fathers unanimously agreed that John was the author. In addition, John was an eyewitness of the life of Christ.
February 1, 2023
Light and Dark
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Blackouts make my youngest daughter nervous. She hates trying to find her way in the dark, where anything might be lurking. She keeps a flashlight on her dresser for emergencies and knows exactly where the battery- powered camping lanterns are in my home office.
February 2, 2023
The Wonder of Forgiveness
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We are all sinners. We all need forgiveness. “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean,” David prayed. “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice” (Ps. 51:7–8). This psalm shows how God views sin, as well as the joy we experience at His forgiveness. When our sins are forgiven, we are relieved of their weight. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12).
February 3, 2023
Paid in Full
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Imagine that you are given an accounting ledger with your name at the top. In the negative column is everything you owe God—your sins carry the penalty of death. You can never do enough good deeds to repay that debt. How can you balance your account? Then you hear about God’s offer of forgiveness. Jesus paid that penalty by dying in our place. When we put our faith in Him and accept God’s gift of eternal life, our debt is canceled!
February 4, 2023
Obedience in Love
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How do you calculate the cost of something? I usually check the price, do some comparison shopping online, and try to figure out how long we’d have to save to afford it. More thoughtfully, the famous American philosopher Henry David Thoreau said: “I count the cost of a thing in terms of how much of life I have to give to obtain it.”
February 5, 2023
Loving the Light
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The Phos Hilaron is one of the oldest hymns we know. As lamps were lit at evening, the early Christians would sing: “O gracious light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
February 6, 2023
"I Write to You Because"
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When I write letters or emails, I try to put my main purpose near the beginning. “I’m writing to you about...” “I need to speak with you about...” The apostle John, however, scattered his purpose throughout his letters. It might seem a bit strange to us that today’s reading from chapter two is a series of purpose statements. Why is he stating his main point here?
February 7, 2023
The World and Its Temptation
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Lust is an intense desire or craving, not only for sex but for anything: money, power, even food. In 1 John 2:16, we are warned about the “lust of the flesh” and “lust of the eyes.” What exactly does that mean? One commentator says the word “lust” implies that we are in hot pursuit of something. When we lust with our flesh or our eyes, we are seeking satisfaction in something apart from God.
February 8, 2023
Liars and Antichrists
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You may have heard of the Antichrist, a specific end-times figure mentioned in the Bible (see Dan. 9, 2 Thess. 2:1–12, Revelation 13). But John said there will be “many antichrists” (v. 18). What did he mean? An “antichrist” is any person who denies Christ and tries to deceive others with lies about Him (vv. 22–23). Such an individual follows in the footsteps of Satan, whose native language is lies (John 8:44).
February 9, 2023
Anointing and Abiding
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“Anointing” in ancient Near Eastern culture was the act of putting oil or perfume on someone, usually on their head. This indicated a special choosing or commissioning, as when Samuel anointed David to be the next king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:1–13). Anointing someone with oil could also signify high respect or honor, as when Mary anointed Jesus before His crucifixion (John 12:1–8).
February 10, 2023
Children of God
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As a parent of four, I can safely say that I have no idea what my children will be when they grow up. No one knows! Not the parents, not the grandparents, and certainly not the children. What about children of God? John wrote, “What we will be has not yet been made known” (v. 2). The only One who knows our future is God, and He has revealed just enough to excite and encourage us!
February 11, 2023
A True Christian
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How can you tell if someone is a Christian? John gives a simple answer: “the one who does what is right is righteous, just as he [Christ] is righteous” (v. 7). We shouldn’t listen to anyone who tells us differently, such as the Gnostic teachers in John’s day, for if we do, they’ll lead us astray (v. 7; 1 John 2:26).
February 12, 2023
The Necessity of Love
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In this age when instant connection is at our fingertips, loneliness has become an epidemic. About half of all Americans are lonely, according to a recent survey. Forty-seven percent of respondents reported feeling lonely or left out. Thirteen percent said they didn’t have even one person who knew them well.
February 13, 2023
You Are Loved!
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Christ “astounds and sustains us with his endless kindness,” wrote Dane Ortlund in Gentle and Lowly. “Only as we walk ever deeper into this tender kindness can we live the Christian life as the New Testament calls us to. Only as we drink down the kindness of the heart of Christ will we leave in our wake, everywhere we go, the aroma of heaven.”
February 14, 2023
Are You a Child of God?
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Children who grow up in Christian homes sometimes pray the “sinner’s prayer” more than once “just to be sure.” That is, they respond to invitations to accept Christ into their heart multiple times because they are not sure if the previous times were “enough.”
February 15, 2023
True or False?
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Good news: About three-quarters of all Americans believe Jesus was a real person, born in Bethlehem. These people will even say He’s the Son of God. Less than half, however, according to a recent study by LifeWay Research, think Jesus existed prior to the Incarnation. They don’t view Him as coeternal with the Father.
February 16, 2023
Why Love Matters
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On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany, launching the Reformation. Five centuries later, many German Christians have been inspired by his teachings to offer safe haven to refugees. Because they have been so loved by God, they want to love others in need. After all, Luther himself was a refugee, fleeing for his life from Catholic authorities.
February 17, 2023
Love Made Complete
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“Love divine, all loves excelling,” begins a classic hymn by Charles Wesley. “Joy of heaven to earth come down, fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art; visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.”
February 18, 2023
Loving God and One Another
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Do you remember your first crush? Maybe even when you were in grade school? Sometimes children will send notes trying to figure out how the object of their crush feels about them. “Do you like me?” they’ll ask. Before they declare their “love” they want to be sure it will be returned.
February 19, 2023
Keeping God's Commands
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There have been many songs, in the church and in popular music, written about love. In fact, if you search “love” on the Hymnary.org website you’ll find 59,040 hymn texts. The same cannot be said about “obedience.” That search turns up only 1,342 results. Apparently, we like to sing about one much more than the other!
February 20, 2023
Three Witnesses
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In a court case, both sides may call on expert witnesses to explain a complex situation. If the witnesses disagree, the lawyers focus on their credibility. Who has more relevant experience? Who demonstrates the most valid understanding? In other words, who is more trustworthy?
February 21, 2023
Confident Prayers
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Prayers to an idol were often an exercise in fear and bargaining. How could they convince the “god” to do what they want? Maybe if they promised more sacrifices, or gave a costly gift, they would get their wish. The “god” wouldn’t deliver the goods unless he got something out of the deal.
February 22, 2023
Sinning Siblings
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“We approach God imperfectly,” admitted Gretchen Ronnevik in Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted. “We approach him as sinners wearing the covering of Christ. There cannot be any pretense about it. Pretense is in opposition to intimacy. We are who we are, and God is who he is. Don’t flower it up or try to be impressive.”
February 23, 2023
A Final Word
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What do I want my last words to be? I’m not morbid, but I’ve pondered this topic. I’d like to say something profound that would be quoted for generations. Or maybe I’d quote a favorite verse of Scripture. But what if I don’t have time to choose? Unfortunately, my last words might very well turn out to be a “Dad joke”!
February 24, 2023
Truth and Love
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In the summer of 2022, the U.S. Postal Service’s longest-tenured letter carrier, Johnnie Bell, celebrated 70 years of sorting and delivering mail in Oklahoma City. When he started, the pay was only $1.81 per hour. “Thanks so much for this recognition,” he said humbly. “This is just something I do because I enjoy doing it.”
February 25, 2023
The Deceiver and the Antichrist
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The apostle John lived his later years in the city of Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey. If you visit, you’ll find a church built on the place tradition identifies as his burial site. Named St. John’s Basilica, it was constructed in the fifth century A.D. by Emperor Justinian.
February 26, 2023
What Brings Us Joy?
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What brings you joy? I find great pleasure in listening to live music. Last summer, my wife and I attended a concert by the Emerson String Quartet. They played pieces by Barber, Brahms, and Schubert with precision and passion. My wife and I drank it in with great joy.
February 27, 2023
Imitating What Is Good
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Early in the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Jane is sent to Lowood School, a charitable institution that educated orphans and poor girls. A victim of various injustices, she arrives angry and wanting revenge. At the school, however, she makes friends with a girl named Helen Burns. From Helen, she learns about perseverance, kindness, and forgiveness. She resolves to imitate her friend instead of nursing her grudges.
February 28, 2023