Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 75th. Edition.
Dear Apple of God’s Eye,
In today’s passage (1 John 2:3-6), we return to the theme first encountered in verse 5 of chapter one – living what we say. John’s style is cyclic, not linear. He does not dispense with a matter once and for all, as the apostle, Paul often does in his letters. John instead goes round and eventually comes back where he started.
What Confirms our Relationship with God (vv. 3, 6). If we ask of any Christian, How do we know that you indeed have come to a personal relationship with Christ? The answer should be that the believer is imitating Christ, patterning his life after the example the Master set. In fact, the question should not need to be asked, at all. People should look at us and see Jesus in the way we live. Word of Life Fellowship, which I serve with, enthusiastically distributes armbands to young people, inscribed with the letters, WWJD – what would Jesus do? That should be the mantra for every Christian.
What Contradicts our Claim of Intimacy with Jesus (v. 4). Claiming to be a follower of Jesus, while ignoring his commandments is a lie, pure and simple. That is not to encourage legalism – “By the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians 2:16). When we come to Jesus and give our lives to him, he seals us with the Holy Spirit and we become his possession for eternity (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit in us produces fruit (Galatians 3:22-23) that demonstrates Christlikeness. If such fruit is not found in us, then we must doubt that the Holy Spirit is in us and “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9).
What Constitutes the Love of God in Us (v. 5).In John’s thought here, when we keep God’s word, that is to say, if we obey, not only is the love of God in us, it is perfected. Perfect here means complete. Relationships are cultivated through interaction. In interaction, we learn what the other person likes and does not like. If we love the other person, we avoid what he/she does not like, and try our best to do what pleases him/her. This is the way love grows. The ideal is when we can second-guess the other person and fulfill his/her wish before it is even voiced.
In our relationship with God, this constitutes a conscience that is alert to the will of God and a desire to please him, no matter the cost.
This is the perfection of love for God.
Your Loving Pastor Chris