Love God BY Loving Others

I don't think we should be paranoid, but I've been wrong before. John again opens the chapter by saying watch out who you listen to. Even just a few years after His death, there were many false teachers springing up. He tells them they can tell a false teacher (or spirit) by listening carefully to what they say. If they admit that Jesus was fully man and fully God, then you can trust what they are saying. This was a big deal then, many people were claiming Jesus was fully God, but were denying the fact that He was man because God wouldn't lower Himself to become a man. Today we have the opposite problem: people are willing to accept that Jesus was a man, a good teacher even, but He couldn't have been God. The problem is that Jesus Himself claimed to be both. So He can't be a good teacher if what He said wasn't true can He? Again, the key here is to know what Jesus said by reading the Scripture, and then you will be able to tell if the people who are teaching you are telling you the truth. Test everything, eternity is at stake. 

He then goes on another discourse about love. He reminds us that we have to love each other, or we can't love God. He says that I can't claim to love God (who I've never seen face to face) if I can't love my brother (who I have seen face to face). What does love look like? Check this out:

"This is the embodiment of true love: not that we have loved God first, but that He loved us and sent His unique Son on a special mission to become an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

That is love. Being willing to die for someone who doesn't even like you, much less love you back. This is the message of the gospel, not that we have a God who is trying to send everyone to hell, but that we have a God who loved us so much that He was willing to send His Son on a death mission to save us from it. If God loves me that much, it should change the way I look at the things He asks me to do. He doesn't ask me to do things so that I won't have fun, He asks me to do things because He has my best interests at heart. How do I know? The cross. How do I prove that I love Him? I do what He says. He says to love others. So I'm working everyday to make my priorities the same as His: the world. 

Enjoy the Journey 

God as My Dad

Having a son of my own has dramatically changed the way that I read and understand scripture. The fact that we are called children of God is absolutely mind blowing. I love my son in a way that I can't love other people's kids. It is just on a different level. It's not to say that I don't love and want the best for other people's kids, but my kid is different. He is special to me. I would give anything for Him. It is a love that you can't understand until you have kids (I always rolled my eyes when people said that, but I get it now). So for God to call me His child is unbelievable. Especially since He chose me to be His child. I'm not a natural born son of God, I'm adopted. That is even more unbelievable. Even with all of the junk and the baggage that I bring with me, He loves me like a son. 

I know that I'm not a good person by God's standards. I know that nobody is a good person by God's standards because we all have sin in our lives. Knowing that and knowing that God still calls me His child is almost too much to take. Frankly, there are kids I wouldn't want to adopt. If God were like me, this world would be in a lot of trouble! Thankfully, God is nothing like me, He is infinitely better! His love is deeper than I can even fathom. 

Of course God doesn't adopt everyone, this is written to believers. So how do you know if you are a child of God? The Bible covers this topic throughout its pages, but it is summarize like this: A child of God believes, has repented (or turned away from their sin), confessed Jesus as Lord, has been baptized, and is living for Jesus. Check out what John says here:

"Everyone who has been born into God's family avoids sin as a lifestyle because the genes of God's children come from God Himself. Therefore, a child of God can't live a life of persistent sin so it is not hard to figure out who are the children of God and who are the children of the diabolical one: those who lack right standing and those who don't show love for another do not belong to God."

This isn't a 'you slip up once and you're out' kind of thing. God knows that we will all sin, but there is a big difference between sinning and living a lifestyle of sin. Children of God do not lead lifestyles of sin because they have 'God's genes.' Children of God are new creations, they don't live like their dead because they aren't dead anymore! This isn't meant to be a legalistic, it isn't a 'you can't mess up too many times or God won't love you anymore' kind of thing. It is saying that children of God love Him and do their best to do the things that make Him proud. It is like the relationship between a parent and a child. It's almost as if God had that in mind when He planned the family (who would have thought He'd plan things out?)! 

This is a beautiful picture of God's love. A love that I don't deserve. Knowing this makes it even more beautiful. It helps me rest easy knowing I can call the God of the universe Dad.

Enjoy the Journey

Following Jesus is Hard

Following Jesus isn't something you just put on autopilot. It is hard work and it takes intentional steps every single day. John says you aren't following Jesus unless you are doing what He says. That seems almost dumbed down, but think about it. How many people do you know who claim to be followers of Christ that don't even try to keep some of the commands of Jesus because they are just too hard? According to John, these people aren't following Jesus. That doesn't mean that we won't ever sin, and John addresses that. He says that Jesus stands up for us when we sin. However, there is a big difference between someone who sins and someone who leads a lifestyle of sin. For example, there is a big difference between someone who lied and a liar. A liar is someone who constantly says things that aren't true. This person is not following Jesus. Probably a more socially accepted one would be sex before marriage. The Bible states over and over again that this is sin. If I am having sex before I am married, I am not following Jesus. Like I said, following Jesus is difficult, and sometimes it causes us to go against our culture. 

Later on, John says that we don't even know God if we don't love. Wow. I mean I love some people, mostly people who love me back...but is that really what he is talking about? How does God love people? Well, He sent Jesus to die for us 'while we were still sinners,' so I think that is a if clue. How can I claim to love God and walk closely with Him if I don't love people? According to John, I can't. 

Again John warns that people are already teaching false things about Jesus. He calls them antichrists. Actually this is where we get the term antichrist from. The term is never used in Revelation. That's just an interesting side note. Anyway, he comes back again to the thought that I need to be careful who I listen to about Jesus. I need to be in the Word myself so that I will be able to tell when people are saying things that aren't true. Following Jesus is hard, but it is the only way to eternal life.

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Do I Really Walk with God?

John opens his letter by reminding us who Jesus is. Jesus has been with God from the beginning, He is perfect in every way. Yet He came down and spent time here on earth, with John himself! So who better to listen to about Jesus than someone who actually hung out with Him! John was very close to Jesus, in fact he was known as the 'disciple Jesus loved.' So when John speaks about Jesus, we can trust it, because he knew Jesus very well. 

He goes on to talk about walking with God. He says that God is pure light, and if you are still stumbling around in the dark, then you can't say you are walking with God. In other words, if you are still deliberately sinning, the you aren't walking with God. God is not ok with that. In the same way, if you claim to have no sin, you aren't telling the truth and therefore aren't walking with God either. But if you confess your sin, the blood of Jesus will purifiy you and you will be allowed to walk with God. This is a big deal, because it puts us in our proper place. You see we aren't perfect and we need forgiveness, and we have to recognize that and ask for it before it will be given to us. We can't just give up and assume God's forgiveness though, we have to do our best to live for Him. 

If I love God, I will try really hard to live for Him. Even though I know I will fail, I still keep trying. This is where the beauty of grace comes in to play. But grace is not given to those who make no effort. Everything won't just 'work out' in the end. Being a Christian is hard, but it's worth it.

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Is God Slow?

People were making fun of believers because Jesus hadn't come back yet...sound familiar? It's fascinating that it is ok to make fun of Christians whenever you want, but if Christians even state what we believe then we are labeled as hateful and intolerant. It shouldn't be surprising, that has been going on ever since Jesus left the first time! People have a hard time dealing with the truth and so they just make light of it so they don't have to change their lives. You see, if you realize the truth, then you are obligated to change the way you live. 

Peter urges the believers not to become discouraged, but to remember that what they believe is the truth. I have to remember all the things that God has done, and I have to look at all the things He is still doing, otherwise it is easy to become discouraged. But I have to remember that I have been entrusted with the truth. Jesus is Lord, and He is coming again. Yes it has been a long time, but I am grateful for that otherwise I might not have had the chance to come to know Him. God is not slow, but patient. He doesn't want anyone to go to hell, but that is a reality that most face. That is why Jesus hasn't returned yet, Christians still have a job to do. It is time to take that job seriously.

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Who are You Following?

There have always been false prophets and teachers, and there always will be. Why? Because people love to be followed. We all want to be leaders, we want people to like us and listen to us. So people will say whatever they think will get people to follow them. Leaders though, will be judged most harshly. The truth is eternity is at stake here and what you say matters. It is very important that you choose your leaders well. How can you do that? How do you know if your leader is telling you the truth? Simple. Know the Word of God. Real disciples know the voice of the Father, and they won't follow another. Leaders are responsible for their words, but all of us are responsible for our own actions, and our choices to follow the leaders we follow. 'But my pastor said it was ok,' isn't going to cut it. We follow Jesus. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ." This is my prayer as a leader. Not that people would do what I do because I'm doing it, but that people would follow me as I chase after Jesus.

There is a strong warning at the end of 2 Peter 2 for those who are slipping back into their sinful ways. In verses 20-21 we read this: "Those who have been pulled out of the cesspool of worldly desires through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Liberating King, yet have found themselves mired in it again, are worse off than they were before. They would have been better off never knowing the way or righteousness than to have known it and then abandoned the sacred commandment they had previously received and dived back into the muck!"

So what do you take from that? It is possible to walk away from Jesus, and the punishment will be more severe than had you never come to Him in the first place! The question is why would you walk away from eternal life? There is only One who has the power to save. The Christian life is difficult, yes, but it is worth it! There are only two types of people in this world: saved and lost. Come to Jesus, love Him, and follow His commandments. Be careful who you follow. Eternity is at stake.

Enjoy the Journey