1 John 3:1 is one of my favorite in the Scriptures. "What manner of love" or "how great a love" speaks of the type and nature of the love the Father has shown that He has for us. This is not a statement of quantity or amount (I love you this much...), as it is a statement of type/nature (I love you this way). I think the chapter begins this way because this kind of love is the template that overlays the rest of this chapter (and book) as we discuss the love we have.
The kind of love John speaks of results in God's adoption of us as sons. As far as I know, adoption is a free choice on the part of the one adopting. He does it for his own purpose. It also speaks of the benefit to the adoptee. The new son inherits the Name of the Father and the status as a son. Now many Christians can relate to being taken in (like little orphan Annie) but have a difficult time understanding their new position in Christ...as sons/daughters of God. The last phrase in the verse "and such we are" speaks to this. It is a present tense reality that we are in fact sons of God if we are Christians. We (in the present) have the Name of God and the authority of sons of God in the here and now. We are not waiting to receive our name or our power...we have it immediately upon being justified (moment of salvation).
So who has this new status/nature as a son of God? John gives several characteristics which serve us by providing criteria by which we can discern for ourselves.
v.3. As sons of God we are constantly purifying ourselves in anticipation/hope of seeing God.
v.4-7, As sons of God we practice righteousness and reject sin/lawlessness. (Another reference to purifying ourselves). Why? Because sin/lawlessness is the activity of the devil and his sons (v.8) and Christ came to destroy this work (v.8). It is contrary to the nature of a Christian to continue in sin (v.9) since the son of God has been reborn to walk in the new nature.
In v.10 we see that a person's practices (sin or righteousness) are the only indicator that John has given to this point. He says that by a person's "practices" it is evident who their father is. Then we see another outworking at the last part of verse 10. "loving ones brother" is a characteristic that goes into the mix now.
If one hates his brother, then he is a murderer and he is not a son of God (v.15). A son of God lays down his life for his brother as Christ did for us (v.16). Now it gets crazy here: "Who is my brother?" Is he the fellow believer who is in my church, somewhere else in the Kingdom, or...is this referring to other people who have yet to become sons of God?
Now you are probably waiting for me to give you the answer.... but let me do this like Jesus might. Rather than answering straight up...let me say this: "Who did Jesus die for?" "Did He die for those who were righteous or for the unrighteous?" "Did He only love those who would become Christ followers...or did He love the whole world?" (Now-- Go and do likewise.)
DOES THIS SHOCK ANYONE ELSE? How unreasonable of God to want us to love unloveable people? Doesn't God know how difficult it is to love difficult people? Answer-- Yes. He demonstrated that He does know...by loving us while we were in direct defiance and rebellion against Him (Romans 5:8).
How do we love? Do we say it, pray for people, and hug everyone? No. We serve them in whatever way we can, as agents of reconciliation/ sons of God (v.17-18).
John tells us that this kind of love as a priority and practice in our lives is sufficient to give us assurance/confidence in our salvation (v.19-20). Our heart will convict us as we apply this standard.
Why is it necessary for us to have standards to evaluate/discern spiritual condition? Simply stated: Because we are easily self-deceived and easily self-convinced. We sometimes accept good presentation as spirituality...which we will discuss more in depth tomorrow.
Proverbs 22:3 is my takeaway today. "The prudent sees evil and hides himself, but the naive go on, and are punished for it." Wisdom is displayed when we respond properly to the environment around us. All throughout the day, we receive little cues and signals about things we are about to experience. When the first alert signals come up...wise people change course; whereas, the naive proceed through. Why? Because they have yet to learn to practice wisdom.
Grace,
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
3 comments:
Oh my you are on fire today.. thank you! When I read it I didn't exactly get all of that but I am glad to be able to read your insights and yes I agree. I love the part where you speak about Christ loving everyone. He didn't die for just me and you. He died for the entire world. Even those that don't deserve it, hey wait that's me I didn't deserve it but I sure am glad He died for me:)v16 Christ describes what love looks like. Jesus laid His life down for us. Wow, who could do that? I tell my kids that I love them more than life but really do I understand what that looks like. I hope so but deep down inside I don't completely understand what my Lord went through to ensure I had eternal life. I am completely Overwhelmed by His love.
Thank you Lord for your amazing love for me and for the world.
You are soooo on track. Thanks for the post. Just one thought...do we ever know if we can love sacrificially until we are placed into the place to do it. I have only met a couple of moms in my time who did not love their children this way. Most that I have met...when the pressure is on, give themselves away for their kids because of their love. I would bet...you are exactly the same. Sooo. I guess you have to be like the mother to the whole world? Wow...where is the tylenol? :)
That is something I have often heard from those who adopt and the ones they adopted. It always comes out, at least between parent and child. I actually have a friend I have known for decades that I have just recently discovered was adopted and nobody else really knew outside his family. I have cousins who are adopted and it doesn't change a thing in our relationship. Much emphasis is placed on born children and they can be strongly prayed for, greatly desired, wonderfully cherished and devotedly loved. But. But. The bottom line on adoption and the thing that seems to stick in almost every case I know of, even though all of the above is also true,in the end, when push comes to shove, the parents can say to their adopted child the one thing that no born child can ever hear: "I chose you." No parent with born children can ever say that.
Repeatedly, we can find that same issue come up in Scripture, that we are adopted by the Father. He chooses us. Of interest might be the fact that adoption laws follow the Jewish law on this subject and the one being adopted becomes legally "bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh". A new birth certificate is issued and any old one is sealed. The child has every single right and privilege of a birth child. Jesus is specifically called the firstborn of the Father, because under Jewish law, the firstborn son has some extra blessings, but for all else, there is no difference in rights.
He chose us.
John again brings up the issue of fruits for our discernment and good fruits come from a good tree while evil fruits come from an evil tree.
He chose us.
John not only gives love in talk as a sign, but like James, he also commands works as a visible sign of our faith. Works will not save you, but a saved man does works for the perfecting of his faith.
He chose us.
Right now, the verse hitting me out of Proverbs is 22:15 "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."
"My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." (Proverbs 3:11-12)
He chose us.
I'm sorry, something I have known for a long, long time has been made more clear to me in the last few years and I had thought the lesson was over. I know better than that one too. He has given me too many object lessons. He has just shown me this one had another level to it. I was going to say something else about an issue that doesn't trouble my spirit but does my mind that John addresses. It just doesn't seem important now. Never doubt the He does not direct your paths. Never doubt that all things work together for good for those who trust in the Lord. Never, never doubt.
I could not even tell you why I delayed posting on this until today instead of the day it was posted. Now I know.
Now something to ask ourselves again when we have a quiet moment remembering we aren't the tiny little baby in diapers brought home from the hospital. We are the older ones. The ones crippled in their spirit. The ones maimed in their souls. The ones deficient in their bodies. The "problem kids" that nobody wants. The ones that you have to take back, you have to make them hit the developmental milestones that were interrupted when their trauma began. The ones who are so sure of themselves, cocky, ready to reject you before you can reject them. The ones that will try their best to make themselves unlovable so you can go ahead and reject them, because deep down in their hearts, they know they are unworthy of you. So ask again.
He chose me! WHY?!?
Post a Comment