LOVING GOD MEANS LOVING HIS KIDS
1 John 5:1-3 NLT
[1] Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. [2] We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. [3] Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.
Loving God, loving God’s kids, it’s all the same thing to John. Obeying His commandments ties it all together. You see, when we love, respect and reverence God the Father so much because of who He is and what He has done for us in His Son, Jesus, that we wouldn’t dream of doing anything He wouldn’t want us to do, obeying His commandments isn’t difficult at all.
We have already learned that He has only two commandments for us to obey, so how can they be burdensome, especially when those commandments involve Jesus. Believe in Jesus! Again, what is difficult or burdensome to about believing in Jesus when He laid down His life for us?
What’s so burdensome about loving His children when He is busy changing them to be like Him? Some may be further along the way to becoming like Jesus than others but we are all facing the same way and going in the same direction.
On top of that, we have God’s love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. What God is requiring of us, unlike His people under the Old Covenant which set the standard but provided no power to attain it, is adequately supported by His grace. In fact, God’s grace makes everything possible that God requires of us, from the smallest detail to the biggest hurdle. All we have to do is ask with humility, believe, and act upon that provision.
James 4:6 NLT
[6] And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
So, dear readers, by the 5th chapter of this letter, John has made very clear that living God’s children means being honest with each other, living in fellowship with each other, and taking care of each other’s needs. When we faithfully take care of these things, the evidence is clear. We love the Father and we love His Son.
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LOVE EQUALS OBEDIENCE
LOVE EQUALS OBEDIENCE
“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If
someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person
is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show
how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those
who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”
1 John 2:3-6 NLT
How many church goers today live in self-deception! Claiming to be
“born-again” believers is no criterion unless obedience to Jesus as
Lord accompanies the claim.
Jesus gave His disciples a simple test… “Do you love me? Then do what I
tell you.” He asked a question of those who persistently followed Him
without ever having any intention to be true disciples.
“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I
will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching,
and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and
lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against
that house, it stands firm because it is well built.”
Luke 6:46-48 NLT
Obedience to Jesus’s teaching is the only proof that we are His disciples, in
union with Him through the indwelling Holy Spirit and representing Him to an
unbelieving world. Such followers experience the power of His life working in
and through them.
Unfortunately, there are streams in the modern church that go after “signs
and wonders” to prove their allegiance to Jesus. Some claim supernatural
offices and accompanying “ministries” as their superior authority in
the church.
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of
Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
On judgment day, many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name
and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But
I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ “
Matthew 7:21-23 NLT
Jesus set a different, simple test to authenticate a true disciple.
“Knowing Him” is the real issue.
“And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.”
John 17:3 NLT
What does knowing Him mean?
King Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, failed to live up to his father’s example. He
lavished his wealth on himself instead of caring for his needy subjects. God
came down hard on him, revealing, at the same time, His criterion for knowing
God.
“But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king! Your father,
Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink. But he was just and right in all his
dealings. That is why God blessed him. He gave justice and help to the poor and
needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?”
says the Lord.”
Jeremiah 22:15-16 NLT
So, we can only prove any claim that we know God to be true if we genuinely
share Jesus’ heart for people. This means doing something about their needs if
we can. Of course, we can’t save the world but, as Mother Teresa said, when
challenged, “I can save this one!”
Jesus judges the nations by the same standard as He judges individuals.
“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in
his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his
left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed
by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the
world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a
drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and
you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and
you visited me.’ “
Matthew 25:31-36 NL
Just imagine, if the church, including those who fight about doctrines,
claim illegitimate authority, or sniff out those who don’t believe or do what
they do, cared more about loving Jesus by loving His people, what a witness to
the world that would be!