Good Tuesday morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
So how was your ‘walking’ yesterday? Remember we started our week yesterday with this good word from Peter: “Be alert and sober minded. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8,9) So, how did it go for you, yesterday?
A few years after Peter wrote this powerful statement of warning to Christians in the mid first century, his friend the apostle John wrote this: “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the Firstborn of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know HIM who is True. And we are in Him who is True by being in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:18-20)
When the suffering Christians in the first century combined these two great statements by two of the disciples who knew Jesus best, it was greatly encouraging, despite the increasing persecution which was becoming almost intolerable! As we look closely at these two statements, can we understand why those suffering Christians took such great courage from these words?
Now don’t let John’s first statement frighten you. We all know that as God transforms us into ‘new creations in Christ’ (2 Cor. 5:17) during our salvation experience that does NOT extinguish our sinful nature and we still are tempted by the devil every day to think, say and do those things which are dishonoring to God… sin.
What John means is that the authentic Christian does not intentionally, willfully continue to sin, knowing full well they are mocking Jesus and His atonement death. Oh no, that type of unrepentant, repeated, willful sinful living is simply not compatible with a Holy Spirit filled, God honoring, Jesus Christ following lifestyle. While the Romans 7 inner battle the apostle Paul wrote about is true, it is not consistently sinful while at the same time claiming a God honoring authentic relationship with Christ. They are antithetical of each other.
John also likes to call us to remember the miraculous, unique resurrection of Jesus from the dead when John refers to Him as the Firstborn of God. That means Jesus was the first in all history to be raised from the dead by God, to live again in an eternal, heavenly body, and never again to die. John uses the phrase “firstborn” to remind all authentic Christians that we have the very same experience awaiting us when Jesus returns from heaven to gather up all the people of God from all time, and then each and all of us will receive our eternal body as Jesus did. (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15) John wants all Christians everywhere, who are suffering the temptations of the devil and the persecutions of people acting under the influence of the devil, to realize we are safe under the watchful eye and powerful hand of the risen Jesus Christ who defeated death, sin and Satan in His resurrection. That’s why John wrote: “…the Firstborn of God [Jesus Christ] keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.” Oh, I hope that greatly encourages you my friends, especially those of you living in parts of the world with horrific persecution aimed at Christians.
John continues by reminding us of the devil’s strong influence in our world is everywhere “the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” John writes. But friends I urge you to realize the word ‘control‘ here does not mean the devil is superior for we know Jesus reigns superior over Satan and all his demons and the entire evil kingdom of darkness.
What John means is that the power of the global stronghold of evil and wickedness is evident to everyone. Every person, every government, every family, every school, every business… everywhere is under the strong influence of the evil kingdom. Why? Because beginning with Adam and Eve, and continuing in EVERY Generation since, in every place, people have invited the devil and his dark kingdom to reign in our world! We see the evidence all around us, don’t we?
But don’t lose heart my friends, for the final statement John made is our great hope this Tuesday, no matter where you live in our world, listen: “We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know HIM who is True. And we are in Him who is true by being in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”) Do you see twice John uses the phrase “In Him“. That’s very important my friends. Remember Paul wrote this to the Roman Christians: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are In Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1) and to the Corinthian Christians Paul wrote: “If anyone is IN CHRIST, they are a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come. All this is from God…” (2 Cor. 5:17,18) This miracle of you and me and any repentant sinner being brought by God INTO a new identity in Christ and a new, holy relationship with God is an important part of the salvation work that God accomplishes IN us! Are you living in the reality of being “in Christ” my friends?
Do you see John reminds us that God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. That’s the incarnation of God and Jesus spoke God’s Truth to our world. The Holy Spirit of God then opens our minds and hearts to gain understanding of God’s truth. (1 Corinthians 2) That understanding of God’s truth assures every person that we are a sinful human race who cannot fix our sin problem and our sin will always separate us from Holy God. We also understand that only Jesus can deal with and resolve our sin stranglehold and He did so through His atonement death, paying our sin death penalty so God can forgive our sin and reconcile us to Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19) We understand that the Holy Spirit teaches us all truth and will lead us to live our lives according to God’s Truth and for God’s great glory, both here on earth and in heaven with God for all eternity. Now that my friends is a powerful truth statement and it’s a life that is totally contrary to the life someone lives under the control of the devil in our evil filled world.
So, all this begs a simple question for each of us today… which life are you and I living? Who has authority and control in our lives now and with whom, the devil or Jesus, will we spend eternity? Is there any more important question that demands an answer from each and all of us today? And as always, I have a wonderful worship song that will help you think about these great truths today.
Today’s Scripture is 1 John 5:18-20.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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