1st John 2 – Jude Day 37
“My friend SAYS he’s a Christian, but I just don’t see it.”
These are the words a friend said to me–in fact many friends on numerous occasions–concerning a coworker or schoolmate. Praise the Lord for the Bible reading today that gives the litmus test for approving that which is from God.
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Sounds pretty simple. Problem: What if they keep SOME commandments but not OTHERS! Aarrgg. Well, God says in the Psalms that the unfolding of His Word gives light–it gives understanding to the simple. We can go to God’s Word for illumination on these difficult subjects. The Bible also says in Isaiah 29:13 that there are people who come near to God with their mouths but their hearts and far from Him. How sad…how true, for many at least.
In this area we live in, many claim to know Christ; where is the fruit? Show me fruit and I can show you the tree it came from. Show me an apple and I can tell you for sure it didn’t grow from that dead oak over there! (smile).
1st John 2:15 says, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Wow, that’s kind of harsh…but is it really? I believe the old apostle John is saying here, by God’s Spirit, that if you are all consumed and filled up with passion and lust and desire for this world there is really no ROOM for God in your life. You’ve crowded God out. Your life is too full of the pleasures of this world and there’s no place for God’s Spirit to be poured in so you can be a useful vessel poured out.
1st John 4:8 says, “He who does not love, does not know God, for God is love.” Wait a minute! Aren’t these high standards?! I mean, who can really love all the time?! Does that mean I don’t know God now??? Again, I believe the heart of the message is not legalism and law, but grace and truth. If you meet someone who calls himself a Christian, but is completely unloving and self-focused, then you have every right to make a judgment call and say, “Hmm, I don’t know about this one.”
Remember why John wrote 1st John: “These things I have written…that you may know that you have eternal life”. Again, we can glean from the reading today a type of test to identify if we or others belong to Christ–where is the fruit?
Is there fruit in my life? Is it difficult for someone to I.D. you as a follower of a loving Savior named Jesus?
mike sadzinski
