1 JOHN 3:16-18 – By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
THEME OF THE DAY. PROVING THE GENUINESS OF OUR FAITH. The little New Testament book of 1 John is like a stick of dynamite. It might be small, but it is explosive. It packs a lot of power to encourage the believer seeking assurance of salvation. The word “know” – a word of certainty – appears thirty-five times. The Apostle John uses it extensively to give these young believers and us, the joy-producing certainty of our relationship with the Lord. Also, this little letter packs a “big punch” when it comes to self-examination of our spiritual conditions. There are a ton of contrasting statements. Or we may call them “either/or” statements helping us toward assurance of salvation. Here is just one – If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:6-7). In many ways, 1 John is “in your face” pointing us to make sure our “Christian talk” is matched by “Christian walk.” There is no “wiggle room” for us. But remember, John is not writing to create doubt. He wants these genuine believers to know they are, well, genuine believers. And in today’s scripture, he gives all believers a place to prove we are genuine Christians leading to the joy of having assurance we are genuine Christians.
As we read today’s scripture, there are two things to observe. First true love is defined by God, not us. This is extremely important. The world has “hijacked” love and redefined it as fleeting lust and infatuation instead of how God defines it – sacrificial and based on commitment – By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us. Never allow our own understanding or the world define anything mentioned in the Bible and especially love. God defines love by supreme sacrifice measured by visible actions. That leads to the second observation in today’s scripture proving our identity as Christians and thus gaining assurance.
Genuine Christians motivated by the love of Christ will consistently and sacrificially serve other Christians by meeting their needs – We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. The Apostle is telling us, “Don’t just talk your faith in Christ, walk or live your faith in Christ and that towards actively serving His people.” We deceive ourselves and others by professing a faith in Christ without a life of practicing faith in Christ. And it will be a practice touching lives in word and deed. What does that mean? It means get involved in people’s lives. Know their needs, then go and meet needs. Don’t be content with a profession only faith. That is not saving faith. But remember, we are saved by faith for good works not by good works. Obeying today’s scripture is not some “have to obey” command. It is to be a regular part of our lives with the loving attitude of a “get to obey” command. And in doing so, we prove the genuineness of our faith and gain much assurance we are truly children of the King!
PRAYER: “Father, may the truths of Your Son and Word be living realities, not mere professions, in my life.”
QUOTE: “Christianity defined by the Bible is to be alive, vibrant, life-altering, and sacrificial in serving others”