1 John 5 begins with another characteristic of a genuine believer. V.2 stuck out to me as I read (and re-read) it. We know we love God's children when we love God and keep His commandments. Chew on that. We can be assured that we love God's children (which is a test we looked at previously) if we love God and keep His commandments.
A way that we demonstrate the love we have for people is by walking closer with God. Loving God is not only confessional (something we say), but is also practical (something we practice/do). This brings a second consideration to mind: For those who might live as though the commandments of God are abolished/fulfilled/no longer applicable...this text was written to New Testament believers and would seem to refute that.
To say that we love people and not walk with God is contradictory. To say that we are with God and not love His people is contradictory. (Breathe...I know it sounds like I am spinning my wheels...but I am not.:) ) vv.3-4 shed light on it. Loving God is keeping His Word which is not burdensome (but helpful/profitable/and leads us to abundant life). This we know by faith.
God's commandments are not a burden, but a roadmap and a safeguard to us. We may find that keeping these seems burdensome or difficult or even illogical...but we do it because we have faith in the Giver of these that they lead us to fulfilled/ abundant living in Christ.
vv.6-8 speak of the proof offered to show us that following God in the way John speaks here...is the course to abundant life. The water (Christ's baptismal confession) testify of who He is. The blood (His sacrifical and atoning death and subsequent resurrection) testify of who He is. The Spirit (the inner conviction in our hearts) testifies of who He is. We have three witnesses that speak of Christ and His worthiness for our "followship." [Sidenote: There is a parallel here with the confessional/practical aspect of loving God/loving people we just discussed].
v.13-15, John tells us that he wrote these things to give us assurance of who Christ is...that we would KNOW. And, in KNOWING we would confidently live in community with Christ and pray KNOWING that our prayers are heard and answered. That we would love one another and help one another to walk in the love of God (not sinning) (v.16-17).
In v.18 John closes by answering the question that would arise from his statement about the sin unto death in v.16b-17. (I can't unpack all of that here...maybe later). Some would say, "Maybe sin has just overtaken this brother and the enemy has just snatched him away." John assures the reader that the enemy has no ability to do that... and if anyone abandons the faith and chooses the "dark side," then they do it willingly. No one who is of God can be taken away from God ever. Those who abandon, never really were.
Proverbs 24:27 is my takeaway today. (It was difficult since I had 3 that stuck out). "Prepare your work outside and make it ready for yourself in the fiedl; afterwards then, build your house."
When I read this, I am mindful that wise people put in the hard work before they rest. They plan for the growing season before they make their bed. They labor now so that they can enjoy later. From this, I am reminded that we must be diligent to choose "best" over "good" when we decide how to spend our time. We must live for something beyond today. If we only live for today...we will experience ruin tomorrow, due to our unwise actions.
Grace,
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8 comments:
I found this a very interesting chapter to read and have been pondering on the deadly sin. Knowing someone who seemed to have genuine faith in God and then abruptly turning away from it has made me think a lot about that subject in recent months. I guess even those who seem most genuine in their faith aren't necessarily what they appear to be. This is a subject I've always had a hard time understanding, how someone can turn away from something they've based their whole life on. I suppose she wasn't really in a true relationship with God though. Thank you for writing this blog Pastor Chris!! It's definitely helped me with making sure I have a quiet time every day, which is something I've always struggled with, and helps me to better understand what I'm reading. I appreciate it!!
Ah, the deadly sin... people departing from the faith... I have been studying a lot on sin because of a recent bible study that I began...
Oh how satan loves to try and sway us from what God has called us to do and be. He is crafty and his only motive is to seek and destroy. He will do that by any means necessary and for the believers that depart and never return, they were never of us to begin with. If they were, God would have convicted them and they would have repented and returned to the faith.
I know that this is a little off kilter, but Job was an upright and godly man... satan went to God and had to ask permission to attack him, and God granted that. No matter what satan did, Job remained faithful to God. satan took everything from Job, but the one thing that he couldn't take was Job's faith. What an encouragement to those of us who seem to always be kicked around!
Back to the Scripture at hand... Vs 14 says that if we ask in accordance to His will He hears, vs 15 says that He gives. It is so hard to love people that continually reject the saving grace of Jesus Christ, but we are commanded to love them anyways and we can't do that on our own accord! We HAVE to have to power of God to be able to do that. I know that for me, I have had to pray for God to let me see those people through HIS eyes so that I can better understand the way that HE loves.
Vs 16-17 for me, showed that unconfessed habitual sin can lead to our demise. God will tolerate it for a while, but our death would be our judgement. It causes me to pray for God to look within me and bring to light something that may be hidden deep within, something that maybe I have forgotten about. In my eyes, If it's not confessed and repented of, God still remembers it. It's not forgotten until it's confessed and repented of.
Vs 21 stuck out to me. I meditated on that for a while. Keep yourselves from idols. Idols can be anything that takes away from God's worship. Anything that takes away from what I am doing in God's name or my quiet time. I have to be on guard at all times to make sure that the things of this world, even life itself, becomes an idol for me.
The takeaway... First, take care of what I have, the necessities, then prepare for the desires. If I am faithful in little, He will entrust me with much. Build on the Lord and all things will be added. God comes first in everything, no excuses, no nonsense... then everthing will fall into place. :-)
Reading this I see two things. (1) is that we can hide form man what we want to but darkness is the overall motive and (2) If we love God the our actions will show it. The past couple of lessons have delt with a problem close to our church. We need to look at what is really important to us in our life. Do we really chose God and all that comes with that dicision or do we live in deciet and suffer for it eternality. There has to be something in all people if God tells us to love everyone and to be a servant to our brothers. We need to keep it simple(as one of my old officers used to say) the alternative is not an option for true believers.
Bob
wow so many comments awesome! My thoughts are on the lines of Lauren's. But what I have been reminded of is that Satan is crafty. He knows who believes and who does not. When we play the part of church but don't have Christ in our hearts Satan will use that to try and break down Christians. God has been speaking to me lately(halleluah) and we can not put our trust in our friends. we must have Christ and his word as our foundation. Thank you Lord for being alive in our church and in those that have read I John today. I pray that you speak to us indivually and light the word in our hearts. Thank you for speaking through your servant John to bring us the truth today. We love you Lord!
Pastor, thanks for your reflective blogs! Peace out!
Lauren, Thanks for th epost. Continue to pray for your friend. One day soon, when I write on the "deadly sin" spoken of here, you will see that it is a sin that we can't predict or label someone with. The only thing we are called to do is treat folks who are separated as "separated" and work to restore them. If they have committed the sin unto death...we will be unsuccessful...but still obedient. Good post. Thanks for the accountability you provide me by reading the blog.
Valerie,
Thanks for your comments.
Bob,
Can't argue with old officer. :)
Amanda,
You rock. Good Post. Thanks for praying for US ALL. Peace out! :)
Loving God is keeping His commandments. This one helps spark the faith/works controversy just as James 2 will. This and similar passages are not contradictions of the saved by grace/works are useless passages. They are addressing different issues. One was to groups who were adding works to faith as if the works did something and the other was to those who turned freedom in Christ into sin. This one helps for me, since even though everything you can do is as nothing before God, works are the perfecting of our faith.
I always find it hard to explain this part, but the best I can think for an analogy is the Karate Kid. The master got the kid to accept his authority and agree to teach him. Then, instead of fighting type stuff, the kid has to learn "wax on/wax off" and "paint the fence". It didn't make sense, but that is what the master told the Kid to do to. The Kid didn't really understand until he had his face rubbed in it.
For me, verses 13-14 in Proverbs.
Kamatu,
Dude you're killing me. How did you get to faith and works from this chapter?
As for Miagi-san...I am lost. Are you on caffeine? :)
Seriously, thanks for the post...
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." (1 John 5:2-3)
"A way that we demonstrate the love we have for people is by walking closer with God. Loving God is not only confessional (something we say), but is also practical (something we practice/do). This brings a second consideration to mind: For those who might live as though the commandments of God are abolished/fulfilled/no longer applicable...this text was written to New Testament believers and would seem to refute that."
By jumping around too much. Actually, it might be not enough caffeine, I'm not focusing. :D
Ugh, I'm actually getting better at not appearing to pull things out of thin air (at least that is what the charitable would say), but some things have changed since I last sat in your office. You sparked me into looking at some things and while I won't say things have changed, I definitely have a different emphasis in some areas.
I actually wasn't going to bother following up these posts, but I thought I might to let you glance at them.
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