I thought Sam Frost was pulling my leg. Sam said there were some guys going around claiming 1 John was written to Judaizers and Gnostics. Surely Sam couldn’t be serious, but serious he was as validated here. http://www.facebook.com/groups/fullpreterist/permalink/10150800773118657/?comment_id=10150803534733657&offset=0&total_comments=32
Dale, a hyperpreterist of four years, justifies his absurd position by asking, “How many believers do you know who claim they don’t sin?” Evidently Dale didn’t comprehend the implication of Allyn’s question, “Sam Frost, what does the High Priest Jesus need to keep doing after he has already done it and said it was finished?”
One of the reasons Christ Jesus is the Priest of the believer is that He intercedes on their behalf because they still sin which is what John states they need to confess. The author of Hebrews explained,
“he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man” Hebrews 7:25 – 8:2
Odd, for some reason Allyn doesn’t think Christ Jesus continues as the believers High Priest however, Dale should ask Allyn why he denies Christ Jesus is the believers High Priest. I’m thinking if Dale did ask Allyn he would get the answer to his question. Why? Because according to Allyn, “He does not have that role. He has turned the kingdom over to the Father and now God is all and in all.”, which means by implication Allyn doesn’t sin. I guess Dale didn’t realize he was interacting on facebook with, a guy whose position dictates that he doesn’t sin. LOL!
But what is even more humorous regarding Dale’s absurd claim as to who 1 John was written is the realization that John identified the audience to whom he was writing as, “My little children,” (1 John 2:1). Gnostics denied the doctrine of Christ. The Gnostics denied God would come in the flesh. However in the 4th chapter of this letter John explains, “…every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God…” 1 John 4:2-4
Now how is it Gnostics affirmed Jesus Christ had come in the flesh and John identified them as his children who are from God? I’m appalled Dale would lecture anyone on the “basics rules” of hermeneutics when he just contradicted the very word of John. I can certainly understand why it is suggested hyperpreterists are, “unscholarly theological neophytes”.