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Hello my dear “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you heard someone say ‘oh, now we see that persons’ true identity, who they really are!“? Usually that means someone has said or done something that REVEALS what is really down deep inside them. This is especially true when someone is perceived to have been less than authentic, perhaps too secretive, maybe even hypocritical or outright deceitful.
This week I’m hoping you and I will discover some important truths in John’s little letter 1 John, in which John, the close friend of Jesus, challenges us to be authentic, in a way which reflects the authenticity of Jesus. Let’s dig into chapter 2 today: “My dear friends, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with God the Father – Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1,2) Listen to how Paul wrote it: “There is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men…”
Friends, do you see it? Let me paint the picture this way… come with me. The words “advocate” and “mediator” call us into the cosmic courtroom where you, I, and every person, stand guilty as charged, condemned because of our sin nature which has expressed itself in a mountain of sin against Holy God. Can you see, over there, Satan, permitted access into that courtroom, as our accuser? (Rev. 12:9,10) He points at us and recounts with accuracy and in detail, every sinful thing we’ve ever said or done, and Holy God, as Judge, listens while looking right at us…, we, you and I, are sinful, guilty, shamed.
And then Jesus stands to His feet, and comes to stand at my side, opening His nail scarred hands and He simply says “Doug is guilty as charged, but I paid for it all with My death, as I took upon Myself the justice wrath of God. I stand here as his victorious advocate, his mediator, his resurrected atonement…”
And God the Father, the Holy Judge declares… “I accept the full, sin debt payment of My Son, Jesus. Douglas, because you have trusted fully in Jesus and HIS atonement on your behalf, I declare you not guilty, your sin has been fully paid for. Enter into My kingdom righteous and justified, as My adopted son! Satan, I reject your accusation of Douglas who is redeemed by the sinless blood of Jesus.”
What emotions, what words would properly express my reaction to that scene? By the way, it WILL happen, I’m confident of it, and Revelation 20:12 tells me so! Now I have to ask you my friends all around the world. . . are you confident this will be your experience?
John continues: “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says ‘I know Jesus’ but does not do what Jesus commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys God’s Word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in relationship with God must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:3-6) Oh My! Now that’s quite a remarkable statement isn’t it? You may need to chew on that a while, really work it over in your heart and mind. John uses some strong language doesn’t he? Do you know why? Because the stakes are so high! Being deceived here can cost you eternity separated from God. So John will over and over make very clear statements and ask us to measure our lives up against those statements. He did it in chapter 1:6,8,10.
Notice the relationship John points out between love and obedience, do you see it? John was there when Jesus said to His disciples in the upper room: “Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching…anyone who does not love Me will not obey My teaching. These words you hear are not My own, they belong to the Father who sent Me.” (John 14:23,24)
I’m sure that powerful statement struck you as it has struck me… “Whoever claims to live in relationship with God must walk as Jesus did.” WOW… what does that mean in your life and mine practically, everyday? How do I live my life as Jesus lived His?
And then John takes it another step into more of the bright light of God’s truth: “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness; he does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded him.” (1 John 2:9-11) Yes my friends I believe you can use the word ‘brother’ here in the two ways Christians often do… both a family sibling and a fellow Christian. It’s pretty clear isn’t it? Hatred, unforgiveness, bitterness, unresolved anger…all of this is evidence that despite what a person claims about their relationship with God, the truth is, we have reason, because of their attitudes, to suspect their claim is not authentic.
At first read John may appear to be writing to three generations in verses 12-14, but may I urge you to consider his words through the lenses of our spiritual maturing journey? We all begin that journey as spiritual infants and like newborn babies we need good nutrition often, both to satisfy our God given hunger, but also for growth. As a baby desperately needs an attentive mother to help it find the food it desperately needs and probably won’t find without help, so newborn Christians need such help.
Do you have a sensitive heart and watchful eye for newborn Christians and are you helping some grow by feeding them, discipling them, teaching them or at least bringing them to those who can nourish them? Think back, who helped you grow as a newborn? Oh friends, this is vital. If you are a follower of Jesus you, me, all of us should be helping newborn Christians grow. Don’t let them starve.
Do you see John has specific comments aimed toward children, young men and fathers. Now can you use the human maturing journey and make the application to the spiritual maturing journey and what should be taking place SPIRITUALLY in a person’s spiritual infancy, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle age, retirement age and elderly age? This is why the main mandate Jesus gave His closest friends was “As you are going through life, make disciples of all people. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them all I have taught you…” (Matt. 28:18-20)
So as we close today, I invite you to take your journal and first jot down the names of key people who have helped you with your spiritual growth, from the time you were a spiritual infant. Then identify where you are now in your spiritual growth. Also, identify your recent rate of growth… slow, fast, stagnant, dynamic etc.
Finally, I invite you to make a list of at least 10 people who you consider friends. And next to each name put a word or two that describes what you believe to be their stage of spiritual maturity. Now finally, I’m asking you to talk with Jesus about this and I challenge you to ask Jesus what role He wants you to have in the spiritual growth of each of the people you’ve listed! And oh, by the way, thank Jesus for those He has brought into your life who have helped you grow spiritually. And finally, ask Him what He would like to see in your own spiritual growth to make it more vibrant. Would you agree, your help in their spiritual growth may be what these people will be most grateful for, to you, at the end of their lives?
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
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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