1 John 2
October Memory Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NIV)
1 John 2
“He is Jesus Christ, the righteous one who pleases God completely.”
I want to focus on the first six verses of 1 John 2. The entire chapter is foundational for every believer’s life/walk, but there are too many wonderful verses to cover in a short devotional.
I grew up in a godly home. My parents lived out an authentic faith in Jesus Christ. My sisters and I experienced morning devotionals/prayers, faithful church attendance, worship, and service with my parents. We were truly blessed to be raised in a home like that. Consequently, I don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t believe in God. I was brought up to fear and obey the Lord. Now, there was a time when I truly trusted Jesus with my whole life, but there was no radical conversion story. Over the years this has caused me to doubt my salvation at times - specifically when I’ve been wrestling with sin. I didn’t leave behind a life of drugs and crime and I’m still struggling with sin in my life…did I truly give my life to Christ?
John, in verse three, starts by asking a similar question, “How can we be sure that we belong to [Jesus]?” Have you ever wrestled with this question in your walk with God? The Christian life can be extremely challenging at times. We deal with sin, suffering, death, depression, anxiety, disease, etc. and after a while doubt can creep into our heart and cause us to question our eternal salvation. Take heart, the Holy Spirit inspired John to write this passage for such times.
Verse five says, “But those who obey God’s word really do love Him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in Him.” Brother, sister, are you striving to live according to God’s word? Are you seeking to honor him with your life? Then you are IN CHRIST! He doesn’t say you must live perfectly. He doesn’t even say that living for God is what saves you. John is giving us a simple checklist. Are you obeying God? Then that is the proof that Christ has saved you and placed His Holy Spirit in your heart to seal and preserve you for eternity. You are His, and Jesus says in John 6:39, “I will not lose even one of those [the Father] has given to me, and I will raise them up in the last day.”
Here are two applications for this text. First, if you are seeking to obey the Lord and follow His word, but you are struggling with sin. John reminds us that Jesus is pleading your case before the Father! Christ is the one who has paid for your sin. He has won your freedom and salvation by His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection. “He is Jesus Christ, the righteous one who pleases God completely” (v1). Let that reality sink in and be the fuel that motivates you to fight sin. “Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea. A great high priest whose name is ‘Love’ who ever lives and pleads for me.”
Second, if you’re being honest and your life doesn’t obey God’s word. You rarely, if ever, consider God’s commands for your life, then let this passage be a sobering wakeup call. Jesus, in his kindness, has led you to read this Jumpstart today. If you would trust in Him and make him the Lord of your life, then He will gladly take away your sin and make you His forevermore.
By: Joe Weaver
1 John 2
“He is Jesus Christ, the righteous one who pleases God completely.”
I want to focus on the first six verses of 1 John 2. The entire chapter is foundational for every believer’s life/walk, but there are too many wonderful verses to cover in a short devotional.
I grew up in a godly home. My parents lived out an authentic faith in Jesus Christ. My sisters and I experienced morning devotionals/prayers, faithful church attendance, worship, and service with my parents. We were truly blessed to be raised in a home like that. Consequently, I don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t believe in God. I was brought up to fear and obey the Lord. Now, there was a time when I truly trusted Jesus with my whole life, but there was no radical conversion story. Over the years this has caused me to doubt my salvation at times - specifically when I’ve been wrestling with sin. I didn’t leave behind a life of drugs and crime and I’m still struggling with sin in my life…did I truly give my life to Christ?
John, in verse three, starts by asking a similar question, “How can we be sure that we belong to [Jesus]?” Have you ever wrestled with this question in your walk with God? The Christian life can be extremely challenging at times. We deal with sin, suffering, death, depression, anxiety, disease, etc. and after a while doubt can creep into our heart and cause us to question our eternal salvation. Take heart, the Holy Spirit inspired John to write this passage for such times.
Verse five says, “But those who obey God’s word really do love Him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in Him.” Brother, sister, are you striving to live according to God’s word? Are you seeking to honor him with your life? Then you are IN CHRIST! He doesn’t say you must live perfectly. He doesn’t even say that living for God is what saves you. John is giving us a simple checklist. Are you obeying God? Then that is the proof that Christ has saved you and placed His Holy Spirit in your heart to seal and preserve you for eternity. You are His, and Jesus says in John 6:39, “I will not lose even one of those [the Father] has given to me, and I will raise them up in the last day.”
Here are two applications for this text. First, if you are seeking to obey the Lord and follow His word, but you are struggling with sin. John reminds us that Jesus is pleading your case before the Father! Christ is the one who has paid for your sin. He has won your freedom and salvation by His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection. “He is Jesus Christ, the righteous one who pleases God completely” (v1). Let that reality sink in and be the fuel that motivates you to fight sin. “Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea. A great high priest whose name is ‘Love’ who ever lives and pleads for me.”
Second, if you’re being honest and your life doesn’t obey God’s word. You rarely, if ever, consider God’s commands for your life, then let this passage be a sobering wakeup call. Jesus, in his kindness, has led you to read this Jumpstart today. If you would trust in Him and make him the Lord of your life, then He will gladly take away your sin and make you His forevermore.
By: Joe Weaver
3 Comments
It has been asked in my house, "Are you struggling against sin? Are you struggling at all? Get back in the fight."
And the fight applies to loving. To confession. To believing. To advocating. To reconciling. To fellowship and encouragement. Walk in the Light.
Thanks Joe, I'm thankful to God for you. 1 John 2 means a lot today.
16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
Verse 16 grabbed my attention today. How true is this? Just look at television commercials selling you luxurious vacations that "you deserve", beauty products that will make the world love you more, hair growth products for men that will get rid of that bald spot and make you feel younger, Botox for youthful skin, and on & on it goes. All of these things are momentary pleasures that if we are really honest are done to look better in the eyes of people. My prayer is that God will help me and His church to see beyond the physical pleasures of Earth and keep our eyes on things eternal. At the end of life only two things will have really mattered, our relationship with God through Jesus and relationships with our fellow man. Thanks for the commentary today Joe W.
I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but I wanted to share a quote from my study Bible on what we read about regarding our fellowship with God. "As sinners, human beings have nothing in common with the holy God. But God in His grace sent Christ to have something in common with us." I love that. Have a blessed day CPC!