Today’s reading is 1 John 4:1-5:21.

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20).

God has provided me a litmus test. I know that He works everything out for good for those who love Him. How do I know if I love Him? This text says I look to the way I relate to His children around me.

If I hate people, I don’t love God. I simply cannot. But beyond that, if I view the brethren around me as folks who are here for my benefit, to use, abuse, dominate, then I don’t love them. And I don’t love God. If I am constantly working to prove I am better than all those people around me, then I don’t love them. And I don’t love God. If I view others as my servants, put here for my good pleasure, to stand on, walk on, and simply see what I can get from them, I don’t love them. And I don’t love God.

I need to take a good long look at how I really view the brethren I have seen. It will help me understand how I view my God whom I have not seen. That will show me where I still need work and God’s grace.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 1 John 2:1-3:24.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1).

What more needs to be said? God has called me His son. Considering all I’ve done wrong, all the mistakes and sins, all the weaknesses, all the rebellion, He still looks at me and says I’m His child. He loves me.

Today, I’m going to lean on that love in order to love Him in return. Why would I do otherwise?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Perhaps it is providential I’m reading these chapters today. On an intellectual level, I have no doubts about God or His power. Sometimes on an emotional gut level, I have all kinds. As I struggle daily to be holy and overcome temptation and sin, I sometimes wonder where God is in my life. That especially happens if I slip and fall. I can even have times of despair wondering if God will ever lift me up out of this mire and get me over all these sins like He has promised.

I John 4:4 is like a beacon to me this morning: “…for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (ESV). Satan is attacking. He is actively trying to get me to fall. But Jesus, who is in me and in whom I abide, is greater. That doesn’t mean I’ll never ever mess up. It simply means Jesus is working His plan to conform me to His image. As Romans 8:28-30 says, God is working everything in my life together for my ultimate good and I will become conformed to the image of His Son. 

Satan cannot possibly when this war unless I give up on Jesus. As long as I’m hanging on the Jesus as my Lord, surrendering my life to Him, He will overcome through me in the end. 

What a comfort.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

I John 3 is a tough passage for me. At first glance, it seems to suggest that because I have sinned even since becoming a Christian that I’m actually not yet a child of God, but rather am still of the devil. However, there are two issues about this passage that alter that interpretation.

1. The historical context.

I’m sure you have heard before that John was writing to combat the errors of Gnosticism. The Gnostics believed in a dualistic nature. To them the spiritual was good and the flesh was bad. This led to two schools of thought. Some had the idea that the flesh should be denied at all costs. However, other Gnostics believed nothing could be done about the flesh. No matter what they tried to do, the flesh would simply keep on sinning. So, they allowed the flesh to indulge and believed they were in a good relationship with God by learning the spiritual mysteries. 

John is not dealing with the growing Christian who struggles as Paul talked about in Romans 7 or as Peter talks about in II Peter 1:5-8. Rather, he is dealing with this concept that it is really spiritual to quit worrying about whether or not the flesh sins. Those who are in Christ turn away from sin, they do not continue in it. Those who just keep on sinning, who make a practice of sinning, are not children of God no matter how spiritual they claim to be.

2. The practical point.

Further, instead of reading this as if it is some kind of doctoral dissertation on sin, rather see it as a practical explanation of how to overcome sin. The point is not that if I have ever sinned since becoming a Christian I am back to being a child of the devil. Rather the point is there is only one way to overcome sin. That is by abiding in Christ. Instead of spending all my time worrying about whether this means that since I committed __________ today, yesterday or whenever that I’m lost, I should view it as the advice for how to overcome the sins that have had control of my life. 

While at the same time refuting the Gnostic doctrine, John is saying the same thing Paul said in Romans 7:24-25. Abiding in Jesus is what will deliver me from the body of death. If I don’t get into Jesus, I will continue sinning and I will be lost. But if I get into Jesus, I will progressively be delivered from my sins. 

Of course, the other side of this practicality is if I find that I’ve been fighting some sin for years and I’m still just as entrenched as ever, I need to look at where I’m abiding. I may be “going to church” but still not abiding with Jesus. In the Biblical context, this passage doesn’t mean I enter Christ today and become perfect tomorrow. At the same time, if there is no growth, no progressive victory over sin, I need to change my spiritual address. After all, when I am really abiding in Jesus, I will begin to overcome.

 

Who knows, maybe this passage hasn’t ever caused you any trouble like it has me. If so, I hope this helped.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC