1 John 2: Obedience is Commitment
How do we know we belong to Christ? Every time we sin, have thoughts of doubt, fill our minds with fear, or overflow with rage; this question may come into our heads.
As we discussed last week, darkness and evil are real. Sin is real and it is unavoidable. But Jesus is seated next to the Judge and He is advocating for us. Jesus is defending us and has already paid the penalty for our sins. We may feel like what we have done is unforgivable and filling us with shame and guilt, but God does not see it that way. Jesus’ death on the cross has already taken our case off the docket. We cannot be tried for something if the penalty has already been paid. Christ’s death offers salvation to the whole world and results in forgiveness for all those who enter into relationship with Him. As we saw last week in 1 John 1:9, if we confess our sins, and accept that Jesus Christ is Lord, and are obedient to Jesus’ commandments, our God will be faithful to forgive us our sins. There is no greater sacrifice than this. Jesus stands for us and pleads on our behalf.
Do you have trouble forgiving yourself for past sins?
How does Jesus’ death on the cross and the truth that He is now advocating for you bring you hope?
When we are obedient to something, for example your boss, government, parents, spouse, you are showing a commitment to that person or group. Our obedience to Christ’s commandments reveals commitment to Him. 1 John 2:5 says, “But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them.” When we accepted Jesus into our hearts and committed our lives to Him, something changed in us. We had an inward transformation. The Holy Spirit came to dwell within us which leads to an outward transformation. This outward transformation leads us to love. Loving one another is one of the greatest commandments from Jesus. John addresses that this is not a new commandment. It is something that was given to Moses to teach to the Jews, and Jesus taught it through His entire ministry on earth. But since Jesus’ ascension into Heaven and the gift of the Holy Spirit, as we love each other, the darkness is lit by Jesus’ light shining through us. If we claim to be Christians and still have hatred for others, we are living in the darkness. So, let’s get this straight, not loving each other is a sin? That’s exactly right. I’m not talking about just loving your fellow church members, your children’s friends, or your neighbors. I’m talking about loving your government officials, your snarky co-workers, the homeless man on the corner asking for money, and the person tail-gating you. Those people you detest and don’t ever want to talk to them again, we should love them in our hearts and with our actions. This kind of love is when the light of Christ is truly shown. When we have this love for each other, we know we truly belong to Christ.
How do you need to ask God to help you show love to others?
Is there a certain person God has placed on your heart to show love to this week?
“I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account on his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
1 John 2:12-24
I love these verses. John is telling us that he is writing this letter because he already knows we belong to God. Through Jesus Christ, we have already overcome the devil. The Word of God lives in us and we are strong because of that. If we have a relationship with Christ and remain obedient to His teachings nothing can separate us from the love of God. That does not mean the devil will not try to separate us from God. The devil uses the world to distract us. He uses lust for the flesh, lust for power, lust for money, pride and selfish desires to force his way into our lives. He tries to squash the truths of God we hold so dear to us. This is such a dangerous game to play with the devil. Human society should not define us as believers, we should shape our society with Jesus’ values. Our passion should not be for what culture offers but for what God desires. This is a hard truth stuck right in the middle of showing love to all. It is hard to show love to others who are not living in God’s values but in the world’s. John is telling us we should love those people but not allow them to tempt us to stray from God’s commands. God’s commands and truths should always be on the forefront of our thoughts. They should prevail over all other thoughts or desires.
What temptations does the world bring you?
How does the devil try to work his way into your life?
Can you commit to God today that His ways are higher and you need help in fighting against the devil’s schemes?
Jesus warns us of false teachers, those who claim to preach God’s Word but are teaching for their own benefit or purposefully preaching wrongful commands. Jesus says in Mark 13:21, “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.” Matthew 24:24 He says, “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” We are to always be looking for those false teachers and fleeing from them. Do not allow this to bring you fear; we are God’s anointed people. John tells us we are anointed from the Holy One. Since we are anointed by God, we know the truth. By knowing God’s truths and promises, we are given wisdom and discernment to reject the false teachings of the antichrists. The Holy Spirit has come upon us and given us this gift. We also have the Holy Scriptures to lean into to provide the truths and promises of God. We can use God’s Word and test questionable teachings we may hear. To stay true to Christ, we must follow His Word and His Spirit. When you live in Christ’s teachings and His goodness, there is no room for fear.
What are good practices to keep so that you can be aware of false teachings?
What promises of God give you hope as you face antichrists?
What can you do this week to strengthen your relationship with Christ?