First, Paul didn’t write 1 John. Second, you are not discussing the historical/cultural background of either the ancient Johnanine community, nor of your local congregation. The assignment calls for you to analyze the contextual situation of both worlds and find connections and contradictions. You are making generalizations about theological understandings of both communities, even though these communities do not speak the same language or possess the same worldview or experience of faith. you need to go back and revisit the lecture for this module, you should see that all meaning is contextual and should be entered into through the lens of the ancient world in order to understand and allow it to speak to the world today.
The final paragraph demonstrates that you aren’t reading carefully the text before you, taking into consideration the theological complexity that the words are addressing. Please redo this assignment ! The grade was a F! Go back and complete the Theological Correspondence Exercise and answer the questions again! i told you ; you must clearly look at the modules ; you can’t skate through this!
Assignment 1
The sermon claims that Christ was sent by God to redeem us from our sins. God came to us through his son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. This was a sign of hope to us Christians, that we are saved from our sins and shall see the kingdom of God. For us to receive God’s promise of love, we must shun away from evil and lead a righteous live, just like Christ Jesus.
The focus is seeing the kingdom of God, which is the ultimate goal of every Christian. God’s love for us is inexhaustible. It is because of his love that he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to give Christians hope. By doing what is good and living righteously, God’s love will be abounded and they shall see the kingdom of God.
The function of the sermon is to reassure Christians of God’s agape love. As they go on with their daily lives, they should strive to live righteously. Through hope, they shall be redeemed from sin and see God’s kingdom.
Assignment 2
The Sermon explores the tough choices Christians are faced with on a daily lives, between making comfortable choice that can take them in the wrong path or uncomfortable decisions that direct them towards the right path. Many times, the uncomfortable choices are tough and have a seemingly larger opportunity cost but these choices are the ones that lead us on the path of life and fulfilment in God. We should seek the living God regardless of the hard times, discomfort, hunger, and thirst because only he can give us life and eternal fulfilment.
Assignment 3
1. What are the areas of correspondence between the world of the authorial audience and the world of the contemporary congregation to whom the theological meaning will be preached? In other words, what experiences of your community of faith resemble closely the experiences of the ancient community of faith?
In writing the epistle, Apostle John sought to counter the rising belief in Docetism which was propagated by false teachers. Christians in modern communities are, as well, faced with several false messages coming from false prophets and conmen who seek to deter their faith into false beliefs. In both ancient and contemporary communities of faith, there is strongly grounded belief that strict obedience to God and faith in him that we, as his children, will enjoy the joyful ending that he has given to us. God is the source of law and law itself therefore both communities seek to follow his example, through Christ.
2. In what ways do the experiences of your community of faith differ widely from the experiences of the ancient community of faith?
Apostle John’s audience comprised a wide range of people including Jews, Pharisees, Gentiles and tax collectors, some of whom (the Pharisees in particular) were vocal in condemning others of their wrongdoing and in exalting their own righteousness. His target audience for the epistle, however, is the Gentiles who were under influence from heretical teachers. Several cults had sprung up such as Gnosticism and Docetism some of which were centred on polytheistic beliefs. Modern Christians do not encounter polytheistic beliefs unlike the traditional community where several believers were converts from such cults.
3. Given those similarities and differences, in what way does the theological meaning formed through your interpretation of the text address both the ancient context and the contemporary experiences of your congregation?
The messages of inexhaustible love, the foundation of all hope and the avoidance of sin were important to traditional communities of faith just as they are to contemporary Christians. Traditional Christians who had Gnostic beliefs were encouraged that avoidance of sin is the only way to God. Modern Christians are encouraged to abide by God’s teaching and shun sin. We are responsible for our sins and not the ‘seed of God’ since the Apostle says that “No one born of God sins.” Moreover, the edicts given by the message encourage traditional Christians to shun their false beliefs while encouraging modern Christians to seek God’s eternal love.
