1 John 2:4-6
“Whoever says ‘I know Him [the Lord]’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.”
There’s a lot in this passage.
Allow me to distill some of it for this week’s newsletter.
The Apostle John wrote his gospel, along with 1, 2, and 3 John and the Book of Revelation, near the end of the 1st century A.D.—nearly 40 years after the last book, Jude, had been written. By then parts of the Church had for some time been straying from the orthodox teachings of Scripture. Having walked with Jesus personally as one of His closest disciples, and being the last living Apostle, John takes on a father-figure role in the Church. His writings, therefore, were largely focused on reminding God’s people of basic biblical truths.
Here in his first epistle John reiterates the vital truth of knowing, and being known by, God. He differentiates between a simple declaration of being a Christ-follower and authentically being one of His disciples/students. This in part stems from Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21-23 and Paul’s assertion in Galatians 4:9.
In essence, John affirms there is evidence of a life transformed in and through the biblical Jesus. Not that the root of our devotion to Christ is measured in a moral lifestyle but rather that our growing proclivity to align with Christ and His teachings is fruit of having been transformed by Him! The religious leaders of Jesus’ day, the Pharisees, were very good at being religious and “holy,” but as Jesus pointed out to them often, this did not equate to having a relationship with Him. The horse (salvation in Christ) must come before the cart (a resulting transformed life in Christ).
So, what does it mean to walk in the “same way” as Jesus? Courageously proclaiming truth? Yes. Compassionately engaging others? Yes. Consistently being peculiar to the world? Yes. But consider this one instance in the life of Jesus that depicts the foundation of it all. In the Garden of Gethsemane at the base of the Mount of Olives, preparing to endure unimaginable torture and death having previously prayed so hard He sweat drops of blood, Jesus declared:
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup [of suffering] from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
A life of acquiescence to God is the most accurate way of measuring our relationship with Jesus. James, Jesus’ half-brother, said it this way:
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’ [emphasis added]. As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So, whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:13-17).
It’s about our trajectory in Christ. It’s about putting Him before all things, seeking Him in all things, and by His grace walking in obedience to Him.
THIS takes courage, compassion, and consistency.
THIS is truly knowing and being known by God.
Pondering 