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Dever on John on Christian Morals

The first epistle of John is written “to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (5:13). In order “that you may know,” the apostle presents three tests: the doctrinal test, the moral test, and the love test. On the place and importance of morality, Mark Dever writes,

[T]he most orthodox person in the world, who has every point of doctrine correct, is not a Christian if his or her right thinking is not coupled with right living. Let me use a story to illustrate this point. Suppose Bob starts a business and he puts me in charge of it. Then Bob travels to Europe for some business deals and leaves me with very careful instructions. While he is away, Bob sends me a few more letters with further instructions about what would be done in the office. Suppose, then, Bob returns several weeks later and finds the office in ruins. The receptionist sits listening to the local disco station while ignoring the ringing telephone. Everyone else is playing checkers, chess, or cards. There is trash in the halls. And Bob’s email is filled with angry notes from canceling customers and clients. So Bob walks up to me and says, “Mark, what happened here? Didn’t you get my letters?” I smile and say, “Oh, yeah, I got your letters. Not only did I get your letters, I loved reading them. Bob, those were wonderful letters! You know, those letters were so good that I photocopied them and gave a copy to everybody in the office. And they liked them so much we had letter studies. After work, we gathered to study them together. We also had them framed. There they are, up on the wall! What great letters! Some of us had even begun memorizing parts of them and are having our children memorize them.” Well, you can only imagine what Bob might say at this point. “Mark, why didn’t you do what the letters said to do? And what do you mean, you loved the letters? Of course you don’t!”
This is what John is saying to these Christians: “You might have all your doctrine right and say you believe in Jesus. But why aren’t you obeying his commands?” If we claim to walk in the light, but we walk in the dark, we lie. Words alone, without actions, are empty. You are not a disciple if there are no actions. A disciple is one who follows. You can be as emotionally attached as you want to the word “Christian,” but if you are not following Christ you are not a disciple. Besides, why do you think Jesus lived the life he did if the kind of life you live is not important? Why do you think he died the death he did?
—Mark Dever, The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept (Crossway, 2005), 480.