Gospel of John [20:19]. Christ's Resurrection, part 8 (fellowship with Christ and the Father - Antinomianism).0:19]. Christ's Resurrection, part 8 (fellowship with Christ and the Father - Antinomianism).
Joh 20:19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
1Jo 1:1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life —
1Jo 1:2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us —
1Jo 1:3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us [of the same kind as us]; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
This shows us that fellowship is based upon what Christ says and does and our understanding of those things so that we may jointly participate in them. 1Jo 1:4 And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
1Jo 1:5 And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
1Jo 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
1Jo 1:7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light [we now share this in common], we have fellowship with one another [Son and Father], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Antinomianism - The view that Christians are exempt from the demands of the moral law by reason of their reliance upon divine grace alone for salvation. [International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]
This would not refer to the Mosaic Law but to the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus, the law of love, and the Royal Family honor code.
In order to further understand the light that we share with the Trinity and what it is to walk in that light, and what it isn't we have begun a study a section of Eph 5.
Verses 3-5 reveal the vices of fallen man, the vices of darkness.
Eph 5:3 But do not let immorality [illicit sexual intercourse] or any impurity or greed [lust for more] even be named among you, as is proper among saints;
Eph 5:4 and there must be no filthiness [obscenity, shameless immoral conduct] and silly talk [lack of forethought or wisdom], or coarse jesting [polished, deceptive speech], which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks [for the Father's plan].
Eph 5:5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral [pornos - sexual immorality] or impure person [unclean in thought and life] or covetous man [greedy for more], who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God [unbeliever].
Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words [excusing the vices of vv. 3-5 with the sins of the tongue from vs. 4], for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Therefore do not be partakers with them;
"partakers" - summetochos = to hold with another and the prefix "with". Partaking together with one. The saints should not participate with the sons of disobedience in the vices of vv. 3-5.
This word does not mean to isolate yourself from the unbeliever (which may be warranted in some cases) but that you don't partake with them or partner with them in their common mind. We are to partake in the mind of Christ that we share in common.
The fall of man and his vices produce a slavery upon him. He is not free because he practices any of these vices. The only way he can be set free is by the gospel and by the word of God and the Spirit of God, which has been given to all mankind freely.
God's church therefore is to be wide open to all. Whosoever may come and listen and be set free, but that does not mean that the church is to become partakers in these vices or to make them seem as not vices at all or to condone them.
Eph 5:8 for you were [emphatic] formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light
"light" - phos = not a lamp but light itself. The believer is so transformed that he is not called enlightened but actual light, and that "in the Lord."
This is a complete transformation from darkness of the sons of disobedience to light in the Lord and sons of God. So then to return to a lifestyle of darkness is to abandon fellowship with the Lord, to fail to see Him, hear Him, and touch Him in life and thus fail to fulfill the mission that He has sent us into the world to accomplish, just as the Father sent Him. Think of Thomas' condition for the week following the first appearance of Christ to the disciples as a group. Because he failed to see Him and hear His message he continued in fear and doubt.
"walk" - peripateo = to order one's behavior, to conduct oneself. Present imperative - a habitual command.
Eph 5:9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
goodness [agathosune] = the character of God's good. righteousness [dikaiosune] = the character of God's rightness and justice. truth [aletheia] = the character of the reality of all things, good and evil.
Walking in the light produces a desire for God's character and through the word of God and dependence upon the teaching, leading, and empowering ministry of God the Holy Spirit that character is produced by the believer.
This being the fruit or production of the light are the results of walking in the light. Just as a plant needs light to grow so the believer must walk in the light, in the sphere of God's character, so as to grow and come to know the person and work of Christ more and more. It is not enough to just perceive the word of God and not apply it to our thinking, our ways, and our conduct.
"trying to learn" - dokimazo = to put to the test for the purpose of approving. The will of the Lord is to be put to the test in the believer's life in order to find that it meets the specifications and therefore becomes approved.
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