#22. June 1, 2015
2015 Devotional. Our goal for these weekly devotionals is to grow in humility and to grow spiritually by memorizing selected passages, putting them into context, and by applying them to our daily living. These passages are taken from: “100 Verses Every Christian Needs to Know” by Freeman-Smith. All passages are from the NIV.
I John 2:3
3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
I John 2 is divided into five sections, plus an introduction. The introduction sets the tone for the chapter: “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin”, but John allows for our shortcomings. John addresses fellow believers as a father addresses his children; “But if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Believers struggle with sin as Paul also experiences (Rom. 7: 14-25}. John adds to that the sins of the whole world. John shows us an amazing vision. How does Jesus atone for our sins? Jesus in His righteousness and in His perfect obedience is the only one qualified to fulfill God’s justice required for sin. By God’s grace and by the love of Jesus we become righteous in Christ when we by faith believe in Him. We are forgiven and set free (Eph. 2:1-10)! By God’s power Jesus’ righteousness covers all the sins of the world, salvation is sufficient for all those who have been born and who are yet to be born if one turns to God (John 3:16-18).
Verse 3 in I Jn. 2 is part of the section labeled in the NIV as: “Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers” It is in the context of obedience, love for Jesus, and love for each other. If we love Jesus, we obey the Word of God, we love fellow believers, and we love those who do not yet believe. The command to love is in the Old Testament: “Love the Lord your God”… (Duet. 6:1-9 ) and love your neighbor as yourself (Lev.19:34). Jesus quotes this law when questioned by a teacher of the law (Mk.12:28-34). John calls it a new command because if we “claim to live in Jesus we must live like him”. The truth of the command to love one another becomes a new command because it is seen in Jesus and in us, as John tells us: the “love for God is made complete in” us. Obedience to God’s Commands, God’s Word. is the difference between light for the path of life or stumbling blindly in the dark through life. John uses the word ‘hate” when love is absent because there is no in-between. If one of our fellow believers falls short/sins and we reject him without showing the way, is that hate? If we refuse to extend forgiveness to a fellow believer, and isolate ourselves from them, is that hate? Yes it is total hate because we hold back the grace of Jesus that He gives us to share (II Cor. 5:18).
This verse we are memorizing is much deeper than these few words may suggest. How does one know when God is known? We know God by his Word and the witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Faith is difficult to explain, it is a gift from God and grows in as much as we respond to the gift. By faith we accept the Bible as God’s Word and Jesus, God’s Word in the flesh. What does it mean to know God? It means that we have His light in our hearts, His commands, His Love, His Grace, and His Forgiveness. When we know God we live like Jesus lived on this earth! That light of Christ is extended to others as we proclaim the Good News and as we practice what we say we believe. “By our love they will know us.” Thanks be to God!
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Heavenhigh 