Before deploying atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the US Army spread leaflets in the region, giving heed to the residents concerning the coming destruction. Those who heeded the pamphlet’s warning survived, but those who did not heed the warning perished. The Bible is full of similar warnings that precede spiritual destruction– that, if heeded, would save the reader from certain destruction. Among all the warnings in the Bible and especially from the New Testament epistles, John’s warning from 1 John 5:21 carries special gravitas. Because of both the placement and the actual message of the warning, we understand that this is a warning that, if not taken special measures for, would certainly lead to spiritual destruction.

What is idolatry? Idolatry is defined by Martyn Lloyd-Jones as having “anything in our lives that occupies the place that should be occupied by God alone”. Because God demands our worship and does not share it (Is 42:8), to have an idol that we adore more than God would be akin to thievery. We are robbing from God of what rightly belongs to only Him. What constitutes as idols? While anything can become an idol in our lives, the most common areas of idolatry are money, career, and family. These are all things that we are tempted to love above God. Spurgeon gives a great insight regarding these idols, saying, “We must love, but love in such a way that all things loved will take second place to Christ.”

Sometimes we even let things like denominations of church or doctrinal issues become our idols. For example, Calvinists are often worshiping at the altar of Calvin, not the altar of God. They are sometimes divisive and dismissive. We must not be this way.

Another form of idolatry comes from addictions. There are many things to which people become addicted – drugs, sports, pornography, social media, and the like. Succumbing to addiction is like submitting once again to the bondage from which God rescued us. (Gal 4:3)

What is the idolatry that John’s warning his church about? Apostle John is addressing a specific idolatry at the end of his first epistle – the wrong views of God and Jesus. Having the correct view of Christ and God is important. Many Christians today only have a vague understanding of who God is and are not interested in learning about God and Jesus. This kind of ambiguous understanding leads to an ambiguous understanding of salvation. If there is no clear understanding of God in the mind of the confessing Christian, he is at best assuming his own salvation. Until clarity is pursued regarding his salvation, such a man is likely not saved.

What is a wrong view of God prevalent today? Some people believe that God gives health and wealth to all his followers, citing Romans 8:32. The correct reading of Romans 8:32 is that God gives all the spiritual blessings, not the material things that can easily become our idols. God does not tolerate a corrupted view of His love.

What are some wrong views of Jesus prevalent today? Some believe that Jesus is their buddy, not Lord. It should be understood that those who do not consider themselves under the authority of Jesus believe in the wrong Jesus. Some say that Jesus is solely concerned on the welfare of the needy, citing his miracles. Good deeds and charity is important, but those things are not Jesus’ primary concern, because those good works cannot replace the gospel. Some say that Jesus is all about peace, but never in the Scriptures does Jesus call for an ecumenical, inter-religious, intercultural peace and tolerance. Jesus is not an angel of the Lord, nor is He God or man exclusively. Not having the right view of God and Jesus and instead adopting false ideas is idolatry. Such idolatry weakens our spirituality.

Why do we commit idolatry? We commit idolatry when we fail to guard our hearts like John commanded in 1 John 5:21. We can only guard our hearts meditating on God’s Word, as stated in Psalms 1:1-3. We commit idolatry when we fear and panic before trials in our lives. When Moses did not return from his audience with God, the Israelites panicked and demanded Aaron create a tangible image of God. (Ex 32:1) They created an idol to worship, instead of God. We often thirst for God in our distress, but we must not create an idolatrous false image of God in our desperation. We must wait on the Lord, because He is the deliverer, and is faithful to save even in the most improbable of situations, as we read in Jonah 2:10. We commit idolatry when we lose sight of the beauty of God. The moment our excitement about God and His work disappears from our hearts is the moment we begin to feel boredom. Boredom is the birthplace of idols. We must always remind ourselves of God’s majesty and beauty in nature as well as in the Gospel.

How, then, do we guard ourselves against idols? We must adhere only to sound doctrine. We must both desire and commit to it. As we studied last week in 1 John 5:18-20, John repeats the word “Know” as a statement of confidence. We must seek to know God in this way through our sound doctrine. In John 6:68-69, Peter makes a sound analysis of Jesus, both in recognizing Him as the source of truth and our need of Him and His truth. We must also remember Jesus this way, and love Him. We need to resolve to and be in the practice of loving the Lord – over all things, over all people. Before using him as His mouthpiece on Pentecost, Jesus required one thing of Peter – that Peter loved Jesus. (John 21:15-18) If we are to become successful servants of Jesus, we must begin by loving Jesus.

“Little children” is an affectionate title for Jesus’ followers. Because He loves us, even though we may struggle against idols, we can have confidence that we will victor and conquer over them. He has given us the special privilege of repentance. Let us, therefore, examine our hearts for idols, repent, and guard our hearts.

Every believer is under God’s lordship. We are from God. We belong to Him; He is our Lord. Verse 19 reveals the dichotomy of two kingdoms and two powers- God and Satan- that divides all men as servants under two lordships. It is a continual pattern throughout Scripture- Cain and Abel, Egypt and Israel, Esau and Jacob, Saul and David. Christians are under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Every realm of our life is surrendered to Jesus- we are no longer the lord of our own lives. We practice lordship by first beginning with the truth of Jesus Christ. There are many teachings of counterfeit saviors in this world, but we trust in Jesus as we know Him through Scripture alone. (1Jn 4:3) Second, we submit to Jesus’ lordship as we overcome all suffering by faith. Jesus is Lord of all, and he equips us to go through every trial victoriously. (Rom 8:28; Phil 3:7) Third, we must listen to and obey Christ. There is no neutrality or middle ground to Jesus’ lordship. No matter what our circumstances may be, we must trust Jesus and obey His Word. (Lk 5:8) Finally, practicing lordship is to love God and love one another. Love is God’s command. It is not to be based on our fleeting emotions or circumstances, but we must do all things in love. Every good work devoid of love is in vain. (1Cor 13:1)

Christians live before Christ. You are not alone. Jesus came into the world as Immanuel- God with us. He has promised to never forsake or abandon you. (Matt 1:23, Matt 28:20) Even when you are unfaithful, God remains faithful. It is often due to unrepented sin that we fail to recognize God’s presence in our lives. (Is 59:2; Ps 13:1-2) Jesus has promised that all who come to Him will never be cast out. We must trust in the Lord and His Word, depending on His faithfulness through all things.

Every Christian’s mind is changed. Knowledge is an integral part of salvation. Repentance is a change of mind– if the mind is not changed, actions will not follow. Unbelievers do not have clarity. They are unable to know themselves, or have a right view of anything in life. Jesus came to give us understanding- He has given us the right understanding of God, life, Scripture, and salvation. We have been transformed and enlightened to understand and accept who God is according to Scripture. We enjoy intimate fellowship with God. He abides in us, and we in Him. We experience Him as our tender Father, walking before Him not in fear, but with reverence. (Joshua 1:9; Rom 8:31-32) When God feels distant, ponder your ways and search out your sin. Our fellowship with God is inseparable because it comes through Jesus Christ. (Rom 8:38-39)

Christians are saved by Christ alone. Jesus Christ it the true God. There is no other. God’s eternal plan for salvation was for man to be saved by Christ alone. (Acts 4:11-12) Only Jesus had two natures in one person- humanity and divinity. He was not born in original sin because He came to us by virgin birth. Jesus was sinless and pure, reflecting the unblemished sacrifices of the Old Testament- He alone can atone for sin and fully please God as a sacrifice. Only Jesus overcame death by His resurrection. Our salvation is truly unlike anything man has devised. It cannot be bought by any price, and we have done nothing to ever deserve Jesus Christ. It is because of God’s love that Jesus has come to save us.

Christians are saved for eternal life. Throughout history man has sought to live forever, but all have died and lie in the grave. Only Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and in Him, we have eternal life. (Jn 11:26) He has given us endless hope- eternal life is the glittering crown of this hope. Those who have eternal life enjoy the treasure they’ve found in Christ Jesus. (Matt 13:44) This is the most precious truth we must always remember and rejoice in. It is the truth that all dying men must hear through us. May all glory, honor, and praise be to our God!

As the world increasingly blurs the definitive line between truth and error, the idea of an absolute God has eroded in peoples’ minds, instead making religion and piety a thing to be customized by each individual’s personal convictions. These uncertain waters of confused religiosity are made murkier by relativity and subjectivism; therefore, Christians must be assured of their true identity in the Lord.

Every true Christian is a man of conviction on God’s Word. Not all conviction is the same. We must see the Bible as the very Word of God. Apostle John’s letter focuses on the Christian’s assurance- his absolute certainty of God’s specific revelation to us through every word of Scripture. (1Jn 1:1) The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and therefore infallible. It is the only ruling authority. (2Tim 3:16; Matt 24:35) It is only faith rooted in the Word that gives believers the conviction and boldness to stand against a world that opposes Christ. On what basis are you secure and at peace? Unless our foundation is God’s Word, we are bound to fail. Saving faith comes by the Word, and it is the source of endless conviction. (Rom 10:17) Every area of our lives- our marriages, ministries, businesses- must be ruled by God’s Word.

Every believer is a child of God. To be a child of God, you must be born of God. We are born of the Spirit when He illuminates truth in us – that we are sinners before a holy God. That’s when the Holy Spirit changes our nature for our salvation. We are imparted with a divine nature like Christ, as we are adopted by God in His love and grace. (Jn 1:12; 2Pet 1:3-4; Eph 4:24) Though we have sinned and strayed from the Lord, those on whom God has set His grace are kept in His steadfast love and mercy. (Lk 15:16, 22-24) There is no fear before God our Father, and He will never forsake us, because Jesus Christ was forsaken for us. (1Jn 3:1-2; Heb 4:16; Matt 27:46) We often fail to feel this intimacy with God our Father because we fail to fear God and live by faith. God shows His fatherly compassion on those who fear and love Him. (103:13)

Christians are holy. Though all Christians sin, genuine believers do not follow after false teaching and remain in God’s Word. The Christian life is not an extension of the old life. We no longer sin naturally, and when facing temptations, sin is not our automatic response. As we continually move closer to God’s holiness, it becomes more evident that sin is incompatible to our new nature. When we do sin, we confess our sins to God and are cleansed through our justification in Christ. (Titus 3:4-5; 1Jn 1:9) We do not remain in sin because of our relationship with Christ. He protects us from its power by His Word and by prayer. The closer we are to Christ and His Word, the farther we are from sin. Jesus prays for us unceasingly because we are children of God, and His prayers sustain us and cause us to grow in sanctification. (Jn 17:17; Rom 8:26; Heb 7:25)

God has provided everything for us to be holy- Jesus’ crucifixion is complete, and we live in His resurrection- yet why do we still sin? It is because we fail to discipline ourselves in the pursuit of our sanctification. (Phil 2:12) We must unceasingly cultivate and work out our sanctification. Our holiness is the only mark that will shine the light of true saving faith in this cursed world. We must draw near to Jesus, the source of living water and eternal life. Then we must live the life of Christ, that is, the life according to Christ. As we do, our holiness will point others to the true and living God.

Every Christian must be a man or woman of prayer. Whenever we pray according to the will of God, He hears us. We must know God’s will to pray accordingly, and the only way to know God’s will is to have an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. (Jn 15:7) As we believe and trust in the Lord with complete dependence, He guides us as we read the Word with faith. Moreover, our prayers must extend into intercessory prayers, as we pray for the brethren in love. We love as Jesus loved us when we pray for one another. (Rom 8:34) Christians must recognize their priesthood unto God and give themselves to prayer by interceding for one another. (1Pet 2:9) In this portion of John’s letter, we see why love and intercessory prayer are always bound together.

Without love, there is no motivation to do anything. Intercessory prayer is motivated by love alone. We must understand how deep our relationships are with fellow believers. It is deeper than earthly familial ties, because we have the same heavenly Father, and the same divine nature. The early church knew this, and in love were willing to risk their own lives for one another. (Matt 12:50; Rom 16:3-4) In verse 16 where John refers to sin not leading to death, he is referring to praying for brothers and sisters in Christ who are growing distant from the Lord because of different circumstances, such as sufferings or sin. Genuine believers are preserved by God’s power- no matter what sin they commit, their salvation is forever secured by the objective work of Christ. (1Jn 1:9; 2:1-2) Believers may, however, experience periods in their life when they wander away from the Lord. It is by the prayers of the brethren, motivated by love, that can restore them back to fellowship with the Lord and His church.

Intercessory prayer is done by love. It is natural to pray for the brother you truly love. We see Jesus’ divine love on the cross when He prayed for those who crucified Him. (Lk 23:34) We are to love like Jesus, and pray for one another without ceasing. (Acts 7:60; 20:31) We pray by asking– we consider our brother’s situation as our own, and with fervency and love, we pour out our hearts to God for our brother. (Matt 15:22; Lk 18:6-7) Our intercessory prayers result in life and restoration for the brethren. (Lk 22:32; James 5:16) In verse 16, Apostle John speaks of a sin leading to death. This is the sin of apostasy. (1Jn 2:18-19) He speaks of those who know the truth, but willfully deny the truth for their own self-gain. Those who reject, deny, and rebuke the conviction of the Holy Spirit can not be restored. (Matt 12:31-32; Heb 6:4-6)

All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. (v.17) Only Christians can pray for those who can be restored from their struggles and sins. God has given us the gift of intercessory prayer to love one another, and we are built up and matured only as we pray for one another. Our prayers must be motivated by love, and done in love, because God looks at the heart of those who call on Him. Let us therefore see our brother with a heart of compassion, and pray for him in love. God Himself will restore and for him give life.

Eternal life is to know God and to live in His presence. Many of us think eternal life pertains only to our future state in heaven, but in this part of Apostle John’s letter we learn that eternal life is here for us now to fully enjoy, taste, and rejoice in. How can we be assured of this eternal life that is here, yet not fully established?

By faith. Eternal life can be experienced by saving faith alone. Apostle John wrote his letter so believers would have no doubt of their eternal life. Through all the trials and sufferings of life, believers can count eternal life as their untarnished hope and most precious possession. (Phil 3:8) Saving faith has these three elements-

– The right source. (v.13) The only source of eternal life is Jesus Christ, and Christ is only known through the gospel. The entirety of Scripture contains the gospel, its essence in Jesus’ death and resurrection. (Jn 20:30-31) God came to the world in human flesh to die in our place. His love, hope, and forgiveness is wrapped up in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and offered to undeserving sinners by His grace alone. Jesus Christ is the right and only source of eternal life. (Rom 10:9, 17; Jn 1:11-12)

– The right response. (v.13) Faith is not merely an intellectual assent, but it is a total trust and dependence on Christ alone. Faith involves repentance- a turning away from sin and turning into Christ- which cultivates your heart to receive forgiveness through the gospel. (Matt 3:1-3) It brings about transformation as faith operates in your heart, bearing the fruit of love for God and for the church.

– The right object. (v.13) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the only object of saving faith. He alone was fully God and fully man, able to stand as man’s sinless substitute to bear the infinite weight of God’s wrath in His divinity. (Jn 1:1-3) He alone conquered sin and death forever by His resurrection. We must depend on Christ alone for our justification. Do you believe and live in the gospel? By faith alone, you can be assured of eternal life.

By prayer. Prayer is the first proof of those who have eternal life. It is the expression of faith, the foundation of the Christian’s every act and belief. Those who are kept from falling away are those with genuine faith, whose lives are marked by prayer. Jesus prayed unceasingly throughout His earthly ministry, up to His very last moments on the cross. Those who have eternal life pray unceasingly because of the confidence they have before God. (v.14) Sin severed communion between man and God, but Jesus restored and reconciled man to God to give him the confidence to approach God without fear. (Gen 3:8-10; Heb 4:16) Believers are now able to pray according to God’s will, knowing they have the requests they have made to God. Every answer to every prayer is from God, and we can be assured He will answer in His sovereign Will and timing. (Phil 4:6-7)

As you mediate and ponder on eternal life, may it be a settled reality and great source of peace in your heart. The more we are convinced of the eternal life we have in Christ Jesus by faith and by prayer, the more we will proclaim Christ in confidence to those around us.

As we learn foundational truths of Scripture that define Christian faith, we need a deep, abiding assurance of the certainty of God’s Word to fortify our spiritual lives. The certainty of God’s saving testimony concerning Jesus Christ is the Christian’s assurance of salvation. In this section of Scripture, Apostle John explains why.

God’s saving testimony is trustworthy. God’s testimony in Scripture is His own revelation. We can depend on His testimony in all circumstances because His revelation is inerrant and infallible. (Jn 20:31) His testimony is superlative– it is greater than the words of man, as infinitely greater as God Himself is to man. As we see who Christ is- God Almighty, Who came to us as man- we see the perfection and greatness of His testimony. (Col 1:16-17) His testimony is the gospel. God the Father sent His only begotten Son into this world to save sinners. The wisdom of man can not compare to the wisdom of Jesus Christ crucified- His gospel is the only testimony we can trust to make us wise unto salvation. (1Cor 15:3-6; 2:2; 2Cor 5:21)

God’s testimony bears fruit. His testimony is not theoretical or abstract, but there is real transformation in the believer’s life, because Jesus dwells in him. The first fruit is inner conviction. The testimony of God is in every Christian’s heart. His inner man is renewed by the Spirit dwelling in him, who leads him and gives him the desire to be more like Jesus. (2Cor 4:7) To have the testimony of God in himself is to have the Holy Spirit. (v.10) This is an undeniable reality of every believer’s life. The Spirit continually dwells in us, and causes our continual transformation. (Rom 8:9; Acts 1:8) In all circumstances, the Holy Spirit causes all believers to choose faith. Believers remain in Christ through all suffering and persecution, not by their own will, but because of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in them. (Jn 6:67-68) Believers choose love, because it is the fruit of the Spirit dwelling in them. We look to Jesus, who is our perfect example of love, who willingly sacrificed Himself on the cross because of His love. Do you love? Our love reflects our salvation. As we understand how much God has loved us even while we were yet sinners, we pursue to love God and love one another. (Jn 13:1; 1Tim 1:5)

How can we have the testimony of God in our hearts? God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (v.11) The one who believes in God’s testimony has the testimony in himself. To believe is to have faith– an ongoing faith that trusts and commits to Jesus Christ alone. Are you believing? The one who believes remains in Christ. In our abiding, we are His sheep, His disciple, His servant, and He is our Shepherd, Teacher, and Master. (Jn 15:4-5) Our relationship to Jesus defines our identity. In our complete dependence on Christ, we obey His Word as we believe in Him. (Matt 8:7-9) All who reject Christ commit the serious sin of misrepresenting God by not believing in Him. It is only by the Holy Spirit we now believe in the gospel, to see that everything is from God, for His glory.

Lastly, the testimony of God bears eternal life. Eternal life is Christ living in us. We are no longer dead in sin, under God’s condemnation, but we now have the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians are the only ones who gain from death, because we are united to Christ in His death and His resurrection. (Phil 1:21) He who has the Son of God has eternal life. Jesus is more precious to the believer than anything that exists in this created world. (Matt 13:44) Do you have this kind of relationship with Jesus? The result of believing in God’s testimony is eternal life. As we continue to abide in Christ and live according to the testimony of God, we must declare God’s testimony to others. His testimony never fails. (Acts 3:16)

Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses on a church door in Germany, thereby sparking the Protestant Reformation. Through the study of God’s Word, Luther and others like him defended the foundational principles of Christian faith, which came to be known as the five solas – Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, and Soli Deo Gloria- Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, Grace Alone, To God Alone be the Glory. Half a century has passed, but the urgency to uphold these foundational truths remains the same. We live in a world that opposes Christ, a world that is deceived by Satan’s schemes. (Eph 6:11-12) Who is the one who overcomes the world? Solus Christus. As Apostle John explains in this portion of Scripture, those who believe in Christ alone is overcoming the world. (v.5)

This is the One who came by water and blood…(v.6) Jesus Christ is God incarnate. He is the eternal God Who came into the world in the likeness of man to accomplish the work of salvation. (Jn 1:1-2, 12-14) Jesus came by water and blood, which represents His perfect righteousness and sacrifice. In His water baptism, God the Creator submitted to the creature’s call for repentance to fulfill the righteousness of God. (Matt 3:13-15) Jesus alone obeyed God’s will perfectly, making Him the only acceptable sacrifice to God. The Law requires blood to be shed for the price of sin, and only the perfect blood of Christ can satisfy God who is holy and just. (1Pet 1:19, Jn 1:29) Jesus loved us, and gave Himself up for us by dying on the cross in our place. In Christ, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of our sins. (Eph 1:7)

It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify…the three are in agreement. (v.6-8) We can believe the work of Christ is still effective for us today, because God the Spirit continues to bear witness of our redemption in Christ. He converts souls as He speaks to us through the Word, always working to show us the truth of Jesus Christ. (Jn 16:13) His testimony is true, because God can not lie. From the beginning to the end of Scripture, there is perfect unity in its testimony of Christ. (Jn 5:39) As we know Jesus and believe He is the Son of God, our faith in Christ will be our victory. In this world all who are born of God will face suffering through their sanctification, but in Christ, we will overcome as we depend on Him. (Jn 16:33)

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1Jn 5:4

Regeneration does not happen by man’s effort. It is a divine work and a gift from God as He creates hearts anew to have faith in Jesus Christ. (1Jn 5:1) Those who are born of God love the Father and their fellow brethren, and they live a life of wholehearted obedience to Jesus Christ. We conclude this sermon series with another mark of one who is born of God- faith that overcomes the world.

Faith is divine. Faith is a gift from God. By faith alone, we overcome the spiritual power of sin and gain hope under circumstances that would otherwise leave us hopeless. It is not simply faith alone, but faith in Christ alone– imparted to us through Scripture- that can overcome the world. (Rom 10:17; Acts 4:30-32, 19:11-16) Every child of God has faith, but in order to grow in faith, we need to constantly work out our faith. We exercise faith by meditating on Christ. Be determined to know who He is until His Word influences your mind and heart. Embrace the trials and sufferings that God permits into your life, because He causes all things for our good. (James 1:2) And finally, be constant in prayer, encountering God and laying all your burdens down to Him. Prayer is an effective expression of our faith in God.

Faith is victorious. Faith does not make us immune to trials and sufferings. Our Lord Jesus went through every temptation and suffering in His life- if we are His disciples, we must expect the same. Faith does, however, overcome all circumstances, because it is God Who is working in us through faith. (Matt 28:20) Even when we forget God’s goodness and fail to be faithful, God continually keeps His promises. He never abandons us, but He works all things in His perfect timing. In the book of Numbers, God promised the Israelites the land of Canaan, but as a group of them spied out the land, they became paralyzed with fear of the Canaanites who looked physically bigger and stronger. Only Joshua and Caleb- who were among the group sent out to spy- seeing the same sights and the same people, they did not depend on their own understanding. They trusted God’s promise and did not fear man. Let us follow their example and heed their call for faith- do not rebel against the Lord and do not fear the people of the land…the Lord is with us. (Num 13:30-14:9)

 

Faith knows who the enemy is. Lastly, anyone who is born of God is no longer blind, but is able to see the world as God sees it. Without this discernment of good and evil, we cannot fight against the enemy. (Eph 6:16; Jn 15:5; Gal 2:20) By faith in Christ, we can control the power of sin and continually grow in holiness. We can trust God through all circumstances, because we believe what God says in Scripture. Faith produces obedience in us, occupying our souls with everything good God gives us through Christ. We can endure and rejoice in sufferings and trials, because faith counts everything as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ the Lord. This is our victory- our faith in Jesus Christ. We overcome the world in Christ, because He alone overcame the world through His life, death, and resurrection. (Phil 3:10-11; Rom 12:2)

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 1Jn 5:2-3

Our ongoing series in Apostle John’s letter to the church examines the evidence of saving faith in a believer’s life. We have learned that he who believes in Jesus Christ for salvation has been regenerated and transformed by the love of God. In response, he loves God and loves fellow believers. In this portion of Scripture, we see how those born of God live in true obedience to Him.

Obedience is inevitable in every Christian’s life. Worship without obedience is not true worship- it is idolatry. (1Jn 2:4; 1Sam 15:22; Lk 6:46) We must obey God because He is trustworthy. Just like Joshua who chose to obey God because of God’s faithfulness, we too can obey because God’s promises never fail. (Joshua 24:15; 23:14) We obey because we love God, who loved us before the foundation of the world, and saved us even while we were yet sinners. (Ps 63:1-2) In obedience our hearts recognize and submit to the lordship of Christ. His Word is the power that turned our hearts to Himself, and it’s by His Word we are equipped for every good work in bearing the fruit of the Spirit. (Lk 5:5, 2Tim 3:16-17)

There are different kinds of false obedience that can confuse us. Those who obey out of fear of getting disciplined practice a servile obedience that does not know of the love and grace in Christ. Some obey carnally, thinking that if they obey, God will bless them with worldly goods. And there are those whose obedience is incomplete, who are reluctant and partial in following Christ. Failing to deny ourselves will hinder our obedience. When obedience becomes dependent on circumstances, emotions, or a subjective knowledge of God, we will fail to obey. Small faith will also hinder our obedience- no matter how we feel or what our circumstances are, we must remember that Jesus is always with us. (Matt 8:26) To obey God, we must deny ourselves and look to God’s Word rather than our emotions. God has given us the gift of prayer, and through Christ we can come before the throne of grace with all our needs and cares. We must increase our faith to improve our obedience, by fixing our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith. Read the gospels and ponder on what Jesus did for you. Be in wonder of who Christ is, and be rooted in Him. Stronger faith will lead to faster obedience. (Heb 12:2, 1Pet 1:8)

Obedience is not difficult. God’s commandments are encompassed by two commandments- love God and love your neighbor. (Matt 22:34-40) Obedience is not burdensome, yet many believe it is out of reach. Satan will continually attempt to distort God’s Word to cause confusion in us, but God’s Word is clear and He knows our weakness. He does not cause confusion in revealing His Will, but many ignore God and Scripture to escape the suffering that comes with obeying the Will of God. Sin causes us to conform to the world, hindering us from obedience. (Rom 12:1-2) We must renew our minds through the Word and know how good God’s Will is. Obeying God is the path of true blessing, and Jesus is always with us to relieve us from every burden we bear as we follow Him. (Matt 11:28-30; Rom 8:31-32) As we see God’s Word as it is, we will taste and see that the Lord is good. Believing in Jesus will beget steadfast obedience to God in our lives.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 1 Jn 5:1

No event or blessing in life can compare to becoming a child of God. To be born of God, the Holy Spirit regenerates our hearts, planting the seed of saving faith that converts us to Jesus Christ, Who came as a man to suffer and die in our place. (Jn 1:12, Acts 4:12) Many may confess of being born again, but Scripture teaches that love is the foremost sign of being born of God. Before our conversion, we didn’t know love, but once we received the love of God the Father through Jesus Christ, we were adopted as His beloved children who can never be separated from His love. (Rom 8:38-39, 1Jn 4:10) His love begets love, and as we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, our love for the Father and fellow believers is the evidence of our divine adoption in Christ.

Love for the Father. Before you knew God as Father, you were utterly dead in sin. But God raised up your inner man to life through Christ, enabling you to love Him with all your heart, soul, and might. (Deut 6:5) To love God in this way is to seek and honor God in all circumstances, using your will, intellect, emotions, and everything you have for God’s glory. (Acts 16:22-25, Lk 22:42, Mk 12:44) We must examine why we fail to love God. If our love for God is indistinct from and compromised by idols and a love for the world, we will fail to love Him. (1Jn 2:15-17, Matt 7:22-23) If we don’t have a high view of God, our love for Him will not be biblical. (Ps 18:1-2) If we fail to love God- even though His love for us never changes- we will think God is distant. (James 4:8) To love God, we must live by faith. We must be satisfied with God every day, trusting that His ways are perfect, good, and worthy of praise. We express love for God when we are in constant prayer, praise, and gratitude, knowing that He is real and is the rewarder of our souls. (Hab 3:17-19, Phil 4:12-13, Is 66:2, Heb 11:6)

Love for the brethren. Christians must be steadfast in love. The Bible seriously charges those who don’t love to be liars, declaring them to be haters of God and condemned. (1Jn 4:20, 3:14, 2:9, Jn 15:23) It is impossible to have fellowship with God if you don’t love the brethren. (Matt 5:22-24) Therefore, before you worship, pray, or read Scripture, you must examine whether you have failed to love one another. If you do not love your brother, your conversion may not be true, because the fruit of genuine repentance is love. As we know the love of God, we practice His love toward others.

Jesus died on the cross because He loved you, even while you were yet a sinner. Nothing can compare to the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Jn 3:16) Do you believe in the love God has for you? Are you born of God? To believe in God is to love the Father and love one another.