The Old Commandment New Again 1 John 2:7 – Equipped for Battle
John the apostle is well into his years. It has been close to sixty years that he has been walking in fellowship with God at the point he writes First John. There are more than likely many memories that he has about when he was physically with Jesus. There are likely many things that he remembers Jesus saying, and yet he recalls one of the most known ideas in all of his time with Jesus – simply to love God and love one another. He writes it this way in First John chapter two verse seven:
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Some ideas never grow old, and the commandment to which John refers will last forever and ever. Paul wrote these words in the First book of Corinthians chapter thirteen and verse thirteen:
And now abides faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.
The greatest of all the virtues that one may obtain is love. This love is not romantic type of love but rather an “unconditional love” that is only obtainable from the Heavenly Father above. John knows the importance of loving one another in this unconditional way because we are flawed individuals. We make mistakes. We sin, and we often separate ourselves from others by our failures and imperfections. The charge from John is a reminder of the old principle of loving one another that is just as relevant today.
Now stating that one should obey this commandment is one thing, but obedience to it is quite another. We must solicit the help of Almighty God, and we do so by falling so in love with Him that He permeates our very being. The old commandment to love God and love people is manifested best when we first acknowledge it and pray that the Lord will increase our obedience in this area every day. The alternative will be seen in graphic detail in tomorrow’s study.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
No New Commandment 1 John 2:6 – Equipped for Battle
John the apostle has been sharing with us about how to know there is fellowship with God or not. A person must follow the commandments. Now John helps us to know exactly what he means when he says our talk must match our walk. He shares in verse seven of chapter two of First John:
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
When it comes to the commandment to love, there is no need for a new commandment. Love is the all encompassing commandment, and by it all the other commandments are fulfilled. If we love another person, we will not steal from them. If we love another person, we will not kill them. If we love another person, all the “thou shalt nots” are easily fulfilled, so there is not a need for another commandment other than to love. From the very beginning John has been talking about loving God and loving one another. If a person can truly do this, there is no need for another commandment at all.
Jesus said it this way as recorded in the book of Mark chapter twelve verses twenty-nine thru thirty one:
And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment. And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
If we can just follow these two great commandments, there is no need to enumerate the others. If we love God with all our hearts, souls, mind and strength, no other passion, desire or idol will come before Him. And if we love others as we do ourselves, not one of the commandments about living with others will be unfulfilled. If we will concentrate on these two laws, there is no need for any more.
John lets his readers know that this is the “same old story” so to speak. You have heard it from the beginning, and it continues to apply today. Love God and love others, and you will be walking in the truth of God’s word. Love God, and love others, and the world will take note that there is something different about you.
Read ahead to chapter two verse eight, and we will meet again another time.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
Walking as He Walked 1 John 2:6 – Equipped for Battle
What was it like to physically walk with Jesus when He was on the Earth? It must have been wonderful to watch Him with people, healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, opening deaf ears, making the lame to walk again, raising the dead, walking on water and feeding five thousand people. How was it to see Him die not only physically but also to Himself as He came to sacrifice His life for others rather than Himself. Today John gives us all a challenge in the second chapter of First John verse six:
He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
There are so many today who claim that they walk as “Christians” in this world. The word “Christian” actually means “little Christs”. In other words, a Christian is like “little Jesus’”. People say they believe in God, and they say they abide with God, however, somewhat like the way this teaching began let’s ask ourselves this question, “What is it like to walk with you?” Do people see your life like “little Christs”? When they examine our living do they have enough evidence to convict us should we be put on trial for it? Do people think, “Wow, that person demonstrates the love, joy and peace of Jesus within their lives, or do they rather think, “If that’s what a Christian is like, I don’t want to be one.”
John has been sharing with us the drive that God has to walk in fellowship with people. God has made every provision from the forgiveness and removal of sin to the perfecting of the life of the saint. However, there is one requirement. Each of us must decide if we are going to accept His provision or not. We must have a walk that is consistent with our speech. The way we talk, the things we do, the activities we participate within all have a direct bearing on how others perceive us. An old saying goes, “You may be the only Bible that some people ever read.” So the question becomes, “What do people read when they read your life? The thought of it should cause every one of us to examine ourselves and pray.
Tomorrow we talk about John’s commandment, so read ahead and may the Lord bless you as you do.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
Perfecting Love 1 John 2:5 – Equipped for Battle
John has been sharing the way to determine whether a person really knows God or not – he or she keeps His commandments. (To Love God and Love your Neighbor as yourself.) To say that one knows God and not keep His commandments makes that person a liar, and they are without the truth. However, John continues his words with verse five of chapter two of First John:
But whoever keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
When a person keeps the word of God, God’s love is perfected within them. The idea is to be continually perfected or made complete. The implication is that there is a shortage within and more needs to be done. When a person reads that he or she must keep the commandments of God as proof that they know Him, sometimes anxiety sets in. It is usually easy to find oneself loving God, but loving others is often more difficult. God is so lovable, but people can be challenging. However, these two commandments work hand in hand. We will see more about that in coming verses, but for now suffice it to say that we all need more perfecting in the area of love.
This is where John helps us. Keep His word, and the love of God is being perfected within us. Today we should be more loving than yesterday, and tomorrow we should be more loving than today. It’s a process, and since we are involved within the process, we know that we are in Him. Remember, God desires fellowship with people. It was His reason for creating them in the first place, and He does everything necessary to bring people into relationship with Him.
Here are a few questions to ask: Am I loving toward God? Do I really love people? Do I love God more today than I did last year at this time? How about people? Do I love people more today than I did a year ago? Am I being perfected in the love of God? The answers to these questions will be revealing as to your status of fellowship with God.
Tomorrow we will take a look at John’s words about the way we walk.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
Second Time Liar? 1 John 2:4 – Equipped for Battle
John the apostle has been giving instruction on how to have fellowship with God. He has noted that we must confess our own sin, and when we do this God will not only forgive our sin but will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. However, if we say that we do not have any sin, we make God a liar and God’s word is not in us. John notes that it is important that we live without sin, and he gives provision through the advocacy of Jesus should we fail. The way to know if we are in fellowship with God is that we will keep his commandments. Today we look at the second reference to being a liar in John’s view.
In First John chapter two and verse four John writes:
He that says, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
John makes it very clear. There is a lot of difference between someone who simply declares that they know Jesus as Lord and Savior and one who actually lives it. Jesus said it this way:
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.
The way a person lives demonstrates his or her actual beliefs. We learned yesterday that Jesus’ commandments were to love God and to love people. Do we do this? Do we put God before every other thing in our lives? Do we make time for Him, pray to Him, read His word, and note His fellowship all day long? Do we put others before ourselves? Do we try to help others, be kind to others, pray for others more than we do for our own lives? In other words, if someone were to examine the “fruit” in our lives, what would the fruit look like? The popular phrase of the day is “I’m just sayin’”, but is that our declaration when it comes to keeping the commandments of Jesus?
John says if were are “just sayin’” we are liars, and the truth is not in us. This is inditing, isn’t it? Today let’s take time to examine our own lives to determine whether we are simply declaring that we know God or whether our lives demonstrate it. I know God is rooting for us, and the provision of His Son Jesus declares and demonstrates His love toward us. Now it is our turn to respond, and tomorrow John will tell us what happens when we keep God’s word.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
Know God? Keep His Commandments 1 John 2:3 – Equipped for Battle
Talking about God and knowing about God is one thing, but having fellowship and relationship with Him is quite another. Many people “talk the talk”, but there are very few who actually “walk the walk”. So, how is a person to know whether they really know God or not? What if they think they believe, but they are really deceived? What if all the religious practices, methods, and ways of a person are false or misdirected? How is one to know whether he or she is actually a person who knows God? John answers that question in verse three of chapter two of his book named First John:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
Simply put, John says that we can know that we know Him “if we keep His commandments”. The question becomes, “what commandments?” The Ten Commandments? The six hundred and thirteen or so listed in the old testament? What commandments must be kept to insure that a person actually has a relationship and fellowship with God? Jesus said it this way in John’s gospel chapter fourteen and verse twenty-one:
He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
There is no one better than Jesus to relay how to have a relationship with Him, and He says that a person must have and keep His commandments in order to do so. His commandments were as follows:
“Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second [is] like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39
This is how one knows whether or not he or she is in fellowship with God. Do you love God with everything that is within you? Do you think about Him, trust Him, and believe in Him with everything you are and will be? Do you love your neighbor the way that you love yourself? Jesus said in another place that on these two laws hang all the laws and the prophets. In other words, the whole law can be determined by these two laws: Do you love God? And Do you love people? If so, then you have fellowship with Him. If not, then He invites you to know Him, have fellowship with Him, and allow Him to show you how to accomplish what you will never be able to do on your own.
Tomorrow we will look into what John says about the one who does not keep God’s commandments. Read ahead, and we’ll see you then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
Every Sin in the World 1 John 2:2 – Equipped for Battle
What if you were on trial for the wrongdoing of another person? You didn’t commit the crime. You were not even close to the crime, and you certainly didn’t have anything to do with any part of the crime. Yet, you were on trial for the crimedoer. Could you pay their penalty? Would you pay their penalty? Now, what if it were the crimes, the sins, of the whole world? Would you, could you pay for them? Here is some good news. Someone already has.
John the apostle wrote in First John chapter two verse two:
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
As a reminder the word “propitiation” means “appeasing” or “satisfying the penalty of”. In other words, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for “the sins of the whole world.” Every crime, every violation whether big or small, Jesus paid the price for when He died on the cross. There is a penalty for sin as stated by Paul the apostle in the book of Romans chapter six verse twenty-three:
For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
God Himself pronounced the penalty for wrongdoing in the very beginning of mankind while they were in the garden of Eden. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, in chapter two verses sixteen and seventeen:
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shalt not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shalt surely die.
The first man and woman, Adam and Eve, did eat of the fruit of that tree, and people have been dying every since. Jesus paid the penalty, death, for the sins of every person in the world. John the apostle wants everyone everywhere to know that the penalty for their sins has been paid. Now all that is necessary is to accept and apply the forgiveness that the Heavenly Father, the Righteous Judge, is willing to give to all who believe in His Son’s appeasing sacrifice.
What criminal, what wrongdoer, what violator would not want someone else to pay their penalty if there was a person who would? Remember, Jesus already has, and now, the belief part is up to you. The question becomes, “How will I know if I have believed and accepted God’s invitation to believe in His Son’s payment?” We shall discuss that in tomorrow’s blog. Read ahead if you’d like, and we shall share again then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
Appeasing Sacrifice 1 John 2:2 – Equipped for Battle
In discovering that God desires fellowship with people, we have seen where sin separates a person from God. Jesus came to remove that separating factor so that everyone could have a relationship with their Creator. Yesterday John as a spiritual father let us know one of the reasons he was writing this book “that you sin not”, and he informed us that if we do sin, we have an advocate, an attorney – Jesus Christ the righteous – interceding for us before the Heavenly Father. Today we see even more clearly just how Jesus does this.
In John chapter two and verse two it says,
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
Now before there is anxiety over what “propitiation” means, it is simply “appeasing” or in other words :”the one who satisfies the penalty of”. Jesus Christ is the only appeasing sacrifice for sin, and His sacrifice paid the price for the sins of the whole world. Now, every sin that anyone has ever done, is doing, or will be doing has been appeased by Jesus Christ’s death. Jesus Himself gave only one exception to this as recorded by the apostle Matthew in chapter twelve verse thirty-one and thirty-two of his book:
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy [against] the [Holy] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come.
Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is the only unforgivable sin, but all others are forgiven because of Jesus Christ’s appeasing sacrifice. The witness that the Holy Spirit gives of Jesus Christ’s payment for sin is where many have difficulty. Whenever the Holy Spirit points to Jesus Christ’s death on the cross being the only sacrifice that will satisfy the penalty for sin, many reject His witness. They refuse to believe that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me” as said by Jesus Himself. However, He is the only way. He is the only truth, and He is the only life that will save a person from their sins. To reject the Holy Spirit’s witness of Jesus is to commit the unpardonable and unforgivable sin, and there is no other remedy or propitiation available.
Peter had more to say about the exclusivity of Jesus’ sacrifice, and we shall consider it tomorrow. Here’s a hint: read in the book of Acts, chapter four verses eight through twelve.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
Our Faithful Attorney 1 John 2:1 – Equipped for Battle
John the apostle has been sharing with us the idea that God wants to have fellowship with people, and that by confession of our sins that keep us separated from that fellowship, Jesus’ blood brings forgiveness and cleansing to all who will do so. In chapter two of this awesome letter John writes in verse one:
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
We learned yesterday that one of the reasons John wrote this book is so that we would not sin. However, to be sinless completely is something that only Jesus did on Earth. John knows this, and for those who occasionally sin even when they desire not to, John has a solution – “we have an advocate with the Father”.
An “advocate” literally means “one who comes alongside; one who pleads another’s cause before a judge; a pleader; a counsel for defense”. In other words, an advocate is an attorney. Whenever there is an occasional, and not habitual, sin within a person’s life who follows Jesus Christ as their Savior, Jesus steps in as their attorney who represents them before God the righteous judge. Jesus makes a plea on the sinner’s behalf, and the Father hears His Son’s case.
Jesus is a faithful attorney like no other in that He paid the price in advance for the sins we have committed. Paul the apostle wrote it this way in Second Corinthians chapter five verse twenty-one:
For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Jesus as our great advocate, our faithful attorney, not only steps in for the one who sins, but has already paid the penalty for those sins. His plea before the Heavenly Father is that because of His sacrifice, we are now righteous in Him. When one thinks about this concept for very long, it is indeed humbling. John the apostle knows our nature is to sin, and when we do so, Jesus steps in with arguments that cleanse, forgive and makes us righteous before the judge. No wonder “Elvina Hall” wrote the words to this famous hymn:
Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
My Little Children Sin Not 1 John 2:1 – Equipped for Battle
John the apostle has been sharing with us how to have fellowship with God. He writes that we can have fellowship with God as long as our sin problem that separates us from God is removed. God has made provision for that removal by His Son Jesus Christ, and everyone who confesses his or her sins can now establish a relationship with the Heavenly Father. Beginning in chapter two verse one John now writes:
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
John assumes the role of a father in this wonderful verse, and in a way, he is a father in the faith to all who read and love his words. John, who was close to Jesus, walked with the disciples, saw the miracles, experienced the transfiguration, wanted to call down fire on Samaria, saw the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, witnessed Jesus’ raising from the dead and ascension, raised a lame man to walk again, was boiled in oil and exiled to the island of Patmos for his faith, now calls those who read his words, “My little children.” And, he has a reason to write to his children:
that you sin not
Many who follow after Jesus Christ, especially in the beginning, find themselves engaging in sin even after they accept Christ as their savior. There is the human element still inside, and as long as we live in these bodies, there will be a tendency toward sin. John knows this, and therefore writes his words so that people will not sin. Whenever the idea of breaking fellowship with God is mentioned because of sin, a person who is attentive will have a desire to never break that fellowship. In fact, there will be such a desire to continue in relationship with God that whenever there is sin in a person’s life, there will also be conviction. Those who have fellowship with God do not want to break that fellowship ever again.
However, John, who speaks as a spiritual father, says, that he writes his word that we not sin, but adds, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Perhaps we shall leave this part for tomorrow’s sharing. For now, just realize that John wrote the words in this wonderful little book of his that we not sin, and that shall be enough to meditate upon today.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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