I am very thankful that we finally had a little rain here in the central U.S. this week. It wasn't enough to save the corn crop, but we may have received enough in my area so that the soybean crop will at least be average.
In last week's message, we looked at John's idea of antichrists. Antichrists are those who deny the truth about Jesus Christ. Jesus is divine. He is the Messiah. Jesus is Lord.
Today we continue in I John chapter 2 starting at verse 23 where John continues his discussion about the implications of denying the reality of who Jesus is. I John 2:23 states, "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also."
What John is trying to make clear is that the Father sent His Son into the world. Jesus was God's gift of love to this world. When we refuse to accept Jesus as Savior, or when we refuse to acknowledge the truth about Jesus, we are turning our back on the Father. We are refusing the gift that He has given us.
Look at it from an entirely human perspective. If someone speaks badly about your son, you aren't going to like it. In essence, if someone rejects your child, they are rejecting you.
John goes on to encourage his readers to remain strong and steadfast in the faith. They should follow the correct teaching about Jesus and remain faithful to the Father and to the Son.
In verse 25, John tells us what the promise is for those who are faithful to the Lord. Those who accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and do not turn their back on Christ will live forever in the presence of Jesus.
At this point, John speaks about how we as believers can recognize those who teach doctrines about Jesus that are in error. This in an important teaching because in this day and age there is a great deal of false teaching concerning the person and work of Jesus. Unfortunately, some nominal Christians are drawn away into false systems of belief.
John speaks about the Spirit abiding in believers and believers abiding in the Lord. When we accept Jesus into our life, we receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples that He was sending them another comforter, the Holy Spirit, who would be with them always. Jesus also said that the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit would lead the children of God into all truth.
The Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts as believers and tells us what is truth and what is error. The Spirit through His abiding presence leads and guides us.
I'll give you a couple of examples of how this has worked in my life. Sometimes when I listen to a sermon on the Internet I will hear a minister make an assertion about Jesus. For instance, I was listening to a sermon the other day and the preacher was questioning the omniscience of Jesus. Immediately, the Scripture concerning Jesus encounter with Nathaniel came to mind. Also, the Scripture about Jesus knowing what was in the heart of men came to mind.
Another example is when I often hear teaching about Jesus from the Fundamentalist teachers of my youth. As I've said before, these ministers preached a Jesus that was not a Lord of love and forgiveness but was just waiting to punish you for anything. I was so frightened of Jesus when I was a boy that I almost left Christianity as an adult. Now, when I hear this type of teaching, I feel the Spirit reassuring me about who Jesus really is. I am able to remember the words of Jesus and His great love for me.
I believe that these are instances of the Holy Spirit leading me in the truth and keeping me from going down the path of error. The Holy Spirit teaches us the things we need to know.
John also speaks about our abiding in Christ. We have the responsibility as believers to abide in the true vine Jesus Christ. We need to be people of prayer engaged in intimate conversation with the Lord.
We also need to be people firmly committed to the in depth study of the Word of God. I know that I make this point a lot, but it is so important that I don't believe that I can stress this point enough.
Most people are led into error because they simply don't have a firm grasp on the truth. If you study and learn the Word of God, you won't be mislead by those who preach unorthodox doctrine.
Through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit leading us into all truth and by our abiding in Jesus we will be strong and we will stay on the right course with our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus who is the author and the perfecter of our faith.
John concludes chapter 2 by urging his readers to live in such a way that they will not be ashamed at Jesus' coming. The way we accomplish this is to live a life of righteousness in imitation of the righteousness of Christ.
Jesus is our perfect example. When we read the Word we learn how Jesus responded in a variety of different circumstances. We learn about His teachings and commandments. If we follow Jesus and His teachings, we can't go wrong in this life or in the life to come.
I hope that if you don't know Jesus as your Savior that you will give your life to Him today. May God bless you. Amen.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Good Tiger Books
Reading about tigers in the wild led me to become very committed to the cause of wildlife conservation. If humans can stand by and let these magnificent creatures become extinct in the wild, what hope is there for wildlife on this planet. I would like to recommend three tiger books that are among my very favorite. Tiger: Portrait of a Predator and Tigers: The Secret Life are both written by Valmik Thapar. I've read these books over and over again. The third book is A Tiger's Tale by Anup Shah. Read these books and then think about how you can help tigers in the wild.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Weekend Sermon I John 2:18-22
It's good to be back with you to study what God has to say to us from the words of the apostle John. This week has been unbelievably hot. The temperature has been as high as 107 degrees, and the weatherman says it's only going to get hotter. I'm praying for cooler weather. I am very thankful to God that it did rain at least a little two nights ago. We need some more.
When we studied I John last time, we learned that a true follower of Jesus does not love this world or the things that are in the world. We learned that the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are characteristics of a worldly lifestyle. The world is passing away. Our focus should be doing the will and purpose of God.
Today, John focuses on the concept of antichrists. He begins in verse 18 by stating, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that this is the last time."
This verse introduces two interesting concepts. First of all, John refers to the last time. There is a great deal of teaching in Christian circles about the end times and the last days. One thing I've found interesting is that the Bible refers to the last days as beginning with the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy about the Spirit being poured out upon all flesh at the Day of Pentecost. John says that believers were living in the last time in his day because there were antichrists about. Jesus said that in the last days many would rise up and say that they were the Christ. Jesus warned His followers not to heed the messages of these fake Messiahs.
I try to keep my last day focus tempered by the idea that we've been living in the last time for 2,000 years. No matter what anyone tells you, no one knows when Jesus will return to earth again. Jesus Himself said that no man knows the day or the hour. Only the Father knows when He will send Jesus to establish His Kingdom that will have no end. Our duty as Christians is to live every minute of our lives expecting Jesus to return at any moment. The Bible says that Jesus' coming will be like a thief coming in the night. No one will know when to expect it.
Now to the subject of antichrist spoken of by John in this passage. John is not speaking here of the same antichrist that he will refer to in the book of Revelation. Some people believe that the antichrist in Revelation was a reference to a Roman Emperor possibly Nero or Domitian. Others believe that the antichrist will come on the scene after the rapture.
When it comes to the end times, I usually limit what I like to say by what I call the eschatology of Jesus. Jesus taught clearly that at the end of time He would send the angels to separate the righteous from the unrighteous. This will happen when Jesus comes back to earth again. Jesus will judge the people and the nations of the world. Those who followed Jesus will be rewarded with an eternity with Him. Those who rejected the Lord and His teachings will go into eternal punishment.
When John speaks of antichrists in our passage, he is referring to those in the church and outside the church who deny the deity of Christ or deny that Jesus is the Messiah. John clearly states in verse 22 that, "Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is an antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son."
There are millions of people today who in various ways deny who Jesus is. First of all, millions just flat out reject any of the claims of Jesus, and in many cases are adherents of entirely different religions. In fact, 70 percent of the world falls into this category as only approximately 30 percent of the world's population makes any claim to being a part of the Christian faith. These individuals reject Jesus and have chosen a different religion or none at all.
Unfortunately, many people who call themselves Christians deny the deity of Jesus Christ. I've actually heard ministers preach about how that Jesus was just a good man and we should follow His example.
Many in the church today hold a belief about Jesus called adoptionism that teaches that Jesus was just a man that God decided to adopt as His son either at Jesus' baptism or resurrection.
Jesus was very clear, and the testimony of Scripture is very clear, that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is the Messiah. It is also clear that Jesus is God come in the flesh. He is the Word made flesh and He dwelled among us. Jesus is the God-man, the second person of the Holy Trinity. To deny this belief is to deny the message of Jesus and to deny the entire basis of the Christian faith.
Believers today need to be on guard against the teachings of many pastors who deny the historic doctrines of the Christian faith. We must test all things by the Scripture.
If anyone is debating the deity of Jesus, I would direct him to read the first chapter of the Gospel of John. Also read John 5:17-47 and John 8:54-59. I would also recommend that you read Revelation chapters 1 and 5. May God bless you. Amen.
When we studied I John last time, we learned that a true follower of Jesus does not love this world or the things that are in the world. We learned that the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are characteristics of a worldly lifestyle. The world is passing away. Our focus should be doing the will and purpose of God.
Today, John focuses on the concept of antichrists. He begins in verse 18 by stating, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that this is the last time."
This verse introduces two interesting concepts. First of all, John refers to the last time. There is a great deal of teaching in Christian circles about the end times and the last days. One thing I've found interesting is that the Bible refers to the last days as beginning with the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy about the Spirit being poured out upon all flesh at the Day of Pentecost. John says that believers were living in the last time in his day because there were antichrists about. Jesus said that in the last days many would rise up and say that they were the Christ. Jesus warned His followers not to heed the messages of these fake Messiahs.
I try to keep my last day focus tempered by the idea that we've been living in the last time for 2,000 years. No matter what anyone tells you, no one knows when Jesus will return to earth again. Jesus Himself said that no man knows the day or the hour. Only the Father knows when He will send Jesus to establish His Kingdom that will have no end. Our duty as Christians is to live every minute of our lives expecting Jesus to return at any moment. The Bible says that Jesus' coming will be like a thief coming in the night. No one will know when to expect it.
Now to the subject of antichrist spoken of by John in this passage. John is not speaking here of the same antichrist that he will refer to in the book of Revelation. Some people believe that the antichrist in Revelation was a reference to a Roman Emperor possibly Nero or Domitian. Others believe that the antichrist will come on the scene after the rapture.
When it comes to the end times, I usually limit what I like to say by what I call the eschatology of Jesus. Jesus taught clearly that at the end of time He would send the angels to separate the righteous from the unrighteous. This will happen when Jesus comes back to earth again. Jesus will judge the people and the nations of the world. Those who followed Jesus will be rewarded with an eternity with Him. Those who rejected the Lord and His teachings will go into eternal punishment.
When John speaks of antichrists in our passage, he is referring to those in the church and outside the church who deny the deity of Christ or deny that Jesus is the Messiah. John clearly states in verse 22 that, "Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is an antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son."
There are millions of people today who in various ways deny who Jesus is. First of all, millions just flat out reject any of the claims of Jesus, and in many cases are adherents of entirely different religions. In fact, 70 percent of the world falls into this category as only approximately 30 percent of the world's population makes any claim to being a part of the Christian faith. These individuals reject Jesus and have chosen a different religion or none at all.
Unfortunately, many people who call themselves Christians deny the deity of Jesus Christ. I've actually heard ministers preach about how that Jesus was just a good man and we should follow His example.
Many in the church today hold a belief about Jesus called adoptionism that teaches that Jesus was just a man that God decided to adopt as His son either at Jesus' baptism or resurrection.
Jesus was very clear, and the testimony of Scripture is very clear, that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is the Messiah. It is also clear that Jesus is God come in the flesh. He is the Word made flesh and He dwelled among us. Jesus is the God-man, the second person of the Holy Trinity. To deny this belief is to deny the message of Jesus and to deny the entire basis of the Christian faith.
Believers today need to be on guard against the teachings of many pastors who deny the historic doctrines of the Christian faith. We must test all things by the Scripture.
If anyone is debating the deity of Jesus, I would direct him to read the first chapter of the Gospel of John. Also read John 5:17-47 and John 8:54-59. I would also recommend that you read Revelation chapters 1 and 5. May God bless you. Amen.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Weekend Sermon I John 2:12-17
I hope that everyone is doing well. I'm still looking for more work. Please keep praying. The last I heard, many of the fires in the West were under control. I thank the Lord for this.
Last week, I focused on the importance of loving our brothers and sisters in Christ. John includes this in his list of those characteristics that demonstrate whether or not someone is truly walking in the light. The other characteristics we've seen in John are keeping the commandments of the Lord and not habitually committing sin.
In the verses we are studying in today's message, John is shifting his focus somewhat. John begins by saying that he is writing to little children because their sins have been forgiven.
Verses 12-14 say the same thing over again addressing little children, young men and fathers. Although it may not look like it on first reading, this is actually a rather controversial section of Scripture.
Some Bible scholars believe that the repetition occurs because John is trying to place added emphasis on this passage of material.
Other Bible scholars think that there is repetition in this passage due to a scribal error passed on in subsequent manuscripts. Conservative Bible scholars tend to reject this view because of the potential to place the doctrine of inerrancy in a negative light.
I think that those of you who read this blog know that I am at least moderately conservative theologically speaking. However, this second view seems very plausible to me.
The second area of disagreement is over what the meaning is of the groups mentioned. For instance, are the fathers, children, etc. actually chronological categories, or do these classifications represent spiritual categories. I tend to think that they represent spiritual categories.
Whatever the interpretation, the message of John in verses 12-14 is clear. We have been forgiven of our sin for Jesus' sake. If we are in Christ, we have known Him who is from the beginning. And if we are being faithful to Jesus, we have overcome the wicked one. Actually, we have overcome the evil one by the death and resurrection of Jesus. It's nothing we've accomplished or could ever accomplish on our own.
In verse 15, John changes course again when he says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Once again John gives us another characteristic of someone who is a true follower of Jesus. A true follower of Jesus turns his back on the world and keeps his eyes focused on Jesus Christ.
John then goes on to tell his audience what love of the world consists of. The first characteristic of loving the world is the lust of the flesh. This phrase refers to those physical desires which are opposed to the will of God.
In Scripture, the Lord sets out a detailed system of sexual ethics. The New Testament is clear that any sexual activity outside of a marriage relationship between a man and a woman is contrary to the law of God. So many problems arise in individual lives and within entire societies when God's law in this area is ignored.
The second characteristic of the world is the lust of the eyes. One meaning of this phrase is greed. A worldly person is never satisfied with what the Lord has provided. The worldly individual is constantly desiring the accumulation of more and more. The greedy person doesn't care who he hurts or what law of God he violates to obtain that which his lust seeks to possess.
Jesus spoke about this in one of His parables. Jesus said that a man harvested a large crop that was so large his barns couldn't contain it. Instead of distributing his excess to the needy, the man tore down his barns and built bigger barns. Then he said that he would eat, drink and be merry. Jesus called this man a fool. Jesus said that life does not consist in the abundance of things one possesses.
John then speaks about the pride of life. This refers to a lack of humility. Some people think more highly of themselves that they ought to think. They believe that they can do whatever they wish without the help of God. They even think that they can obtain eternal life by their own merit.
John makes it clear that everything in the world is passing away. All of the material things that people strive for are of no eternal value. Only what is done for Christ will last.
Jesus talked about this as well. Jesus told His followers to lay up treasure in Heaven and not on earth where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break in and steal. Jesus also said that it is not possible to serve God and money. Money is the god of the world, and it too shall pass away.
So much of what people spend their lives on is of little value. Let us concentrate our efforts on serving God and turn away from the things of the world that are passing away. Amen.
Last week, I focused on the importance of loving our brothers and sisters in Christ. John includes this in his list of those characteristics that demonstrate whether or not someone is truly walking in the light. The other characteristics we've seen in John are keeping the commandments of the Lord and not habitually committing sin.
In the verses we are studying in today's message, John is shifting his focus somewhat. John begins by saying that he is writing to little children because their sins have been forgiven.
Verses 12-14 say the same thing over again addressing little children, young men and fathers. Although it may not look like it on first reading, this is actually a rather controversial section of Scripture.
Some Bible scholars believe that the repetition occurs because John is trying to place added emphasis on this passage of material.
Other Bible scholars think that there is repetition in this passage due to a scribal error passed on in subsequent manuscripts. Conservative Bible scholars tend to reject this view because of the potential to place the doctrine of inerrancy in a negative light.
I think that those of you who read this blog know that I am at least moderately conservative theologically speaking. However, this second view seems very plausible to me.
The second area of disagreement is over what the meaning is of the groups mentioned. For instance, are the fathers, children, etc. actually chronological categories, or do these classifications represent spiritual categories. I tend to think that they represent spiritual categories.
Whatever the interpretation, the message of John in verses 12-14 is clear. We have been forgiven of our sin for Jesus' sake. If we are in Christ, we have known Him who is from the beginning. And if we are being faithful to Jesus, we have overcome the wicked one. Actually, we have overcome the evil one by the death and resurrection of Jesus. It's nothing we've accomplished or could ever accomplish on our own.
In verse 15, John changes course again when he says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Once again John gives us another characteristic of someone who is a true follower of Jesus. A true follower of Jesus turns his back on the world and keeps his eyes focused on Jesus Christ.
John then goes on to tell his audience what love of the world consists of. The first characteristic of loving the world is the lust of the flesh. This phrase refers to those physical desires which are opposed to the will of God.
In Scripture, the Lord sets out a detailed system of sexual ethics. The New Testament is clear that any sexual activity outside of a marriage relationship between a man and a woman is contrary to the law of God. So many problems arise in individual lives and within entire societies when God's law in this area is ignored.
The second characteristic of the world is the lust of the eyes. One meaning of this phrase is greed. A worldly person is never satisfied with what the Lord has provided. The worldly individual is constantly desiring the accumulation of more and more. The greedy person doesn't care who he hurts or what law of God he violates to obtain that which his lust seeks to possess.
Jesus spoke about this in one of His parables. Jesus said that a man harvested a large crop that was so large his barns couldn't contain it. Instead of distributing his excess to the needy, the man tore down his barns and built bigger barns. Then he said that he would eat, drink and be merry. Jesus called this man a fool. Jesus said that life does not consist in the abundance of things one possesses.
John then speaks about the pride of life. This refers to a lack of humility. Some people think more highly of themselves that they ought to think. They believe that they can do whatever they wish without the help of God. They even think that they can obtain eternal life by their own merit.
John makes it clear that everything in the world is passing away. All of the material things that people strive for are of no eternal value. Only what is done for Christ will last.
Jesus talked about this as well. Jesus told His followers to lay up treasure in Heaven and not on earth where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break in and steal. Jesus also said that it is not possible to serve God and money. Money is the god of the world, and it too shall pass away.
So much of what people spend their lives on is of little value. Let us concentrate our efforts on serving God and turn away from the things of the world that are passing away. Amen.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Weekend Sermon--I John 2:7-11
I hope that everyone had a wonderful 4th of July holiday. It's so dry and hot where I live that many of the fireworks displays were cancelled. It was too hot in the evening to enjoy being outdoors to watch the fireworks.
Please pray for all those suffering in this heat. Also, pray for those out west who are in the midst of the terrible forest and prairie fires.
Last week in our study in I John, we looked at the fact that following the commandments given to us by the Lord is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer in Jesus Christ. John makes it abundantly clear that a person cannot be a truly redeemed person and live a life of habitual sin and disobedience. A true follower of Jesus will want to obey the commandments of Jesus out of the deep love for Jesus that resides in his heart.
As we come to our passage from I John today, John is giving us another indication of what true Christianity looks like. He begins this section by talking about a new and old commandment. Based on what follows these verses, I think that John is referring to Jesus commandment to His disciples to love one another recorded in John 15:12 as part of Jesus' Upper Room Discourse. In fact, Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another as He had love them. In other words, they were to love sacrificially. They were to give their all in loving each other.
What's exciting about this is that in a real way, the early church really did carry out Jesus' idea of self giving love. Acts 2:44-45 states, "And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need."
In the early church, they showed their love for one another by meeting each others needs. If one member of the congregation had financial difficulty, the others would rally around and come to the needy members aid. They loved and cared for their brothers and sisters in Christ.
If the church acted this way today, just think of what a difference it would make in people's lives. If we loved each other and did our best to help one another we could help the hungry, homeless and hurting.
Unfortunately, this is often not the case. I became so frustrated many times in my younger days when the churches I attended wouldn't help people in our own congregation who were facing hardship.
It's a bad testimony to those outside of the church as well. Scripture says that people will know that we are Christians by our love for one another. It doesn't look to the world like we love our brothers and sisters in Christ when church going people have to seek government assistance to make it through the hard times. Fellow believers who love God and love one another should be helping each other out. Some will be able to help financially, while others can help in other ways.
John writes in I John 2:9, "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now." Sometimes, I believe that indifference is worse than hate.
John is saying that if we don't love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are not walking in the light. We don't have the characteristics of a truly redeemed person.
One thing that I believe really grieves the heart of Jesus is when Christians don't act like a family. Families help each other in hard times. At least they ought to.
The Christian world often times looks to the outside world like a hateful and dysfunctional family and not a loving family.
I believe that Jesus is grieved at the lack of unity and the fighting and arguing amongst His followers. Just look at how many different denominations and fellowships there are in the world. Almost all of these were founded because Christians became engaged in what were often very minor theological disagreements and split off and so on and so on. True believers should be able to get along better than that.
When those who aren't Christians see those who name the name of Christ acting so badly to one another, it is a big turn off.
Another application of John's message in this passage concerns the way Christians talk about one another. I've heard many times the terrible insults one group of Christians levels against another group of Christians.
For instance, when I was growing up, our church was very negative towards Pentecostals. As far as my church was concerned, Pentecostals weren't really Christians. I am not a Pentecostal, but most Pentecostal ministers I've heard preach the gospel of Jesus and are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Why do we want to act in such an abusive way toward each other?
Just think about the great things that could be accomplished if believers would work together in love. The gospel of Jesus Christ could be spread to every human being on planet earth. We could put a huge dent in the social and environmental problems of our day. The church could really make a powerful difference if we loved one another.
As John says, if we don't love our brother we walk in darkness. Let us walk in the light of the love of Jesus. Amen.
Please pray for all those suffering in this heat. Also, pray for those out west who are in the midst of the terrible forest and prairie fires.
Last week in our study in I John, we looked at the fact that following the commandments given to us by the Lord is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer in Jesus Christ. John makes it abundantly clear that a person cannot be a truly redeemed person and live a life of habitual sin and disobedience. A true follower of Jesus will want to obey the commandments of Jesus out of the deep love for Jesus that resides in his heart.
As we come to our passage from I John today, John is giving us another indication of what true Christianity looks like. He begins this section by talking about a new and old commandment. Based on what follows these verses, I think that John is referring to Jesus commandment to His disciples to love one another recorded in John 15:12 as part of Jesus' Upper Room Discourse. In fact, Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another as He had love them. In other words, they were to love sacrificially. They were to give their all in loving each other.
What's exciting about this is that in a real way, the early church really did carry out Jesus' idea of self giving love. Acts 2:44-45 states, "And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need."
In the early church, they showed their love for one another by meeting each others needs. If one member of the congregation had financial difficulty, the others would rally around and come to the needy members aid. They loved and cared for their brothers and sisters in Christ.
If the church acted this way today, just think of what a difference it would make in people's lives. If we loved each other and did our best to help one another we could help the hungry, homeless and hurting.
Unfortunately, this is often not the case. I became so frustrated many times in my younger days when the churches I attended wouldn't help people in our own congregation who were facing hardship.
It's a bad testimony to those outside of the church as well. Scripture says that people will know that we are Christians by our love for one another. It doesn't look to the world like we love our brothers and sisters in Christ when church going people have to seek government assistance to make it through the hard times. Fellow believers who love God and love one another should be helping each other out. Some will be able to help financially, while others can help in other ways.
John writes in I John 2:9, "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now." Sometimes, I believe that indifference is worse than hate.
John is saying that if we don't love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are not walking in the light. We don't have the characteristics of a truly redeemed person.
One thing that I believe really grieves the heart of Jesus is when Christians don't act like a family. Families help each other in hard times. At least they ought to.
The Christian world often times looks to the outside world like a hateful and dysfunctional family and not a loving family.
I believe that Jesus is grieved at the lack of unity and the fighting and arguing amongst His followers. Just look at how many different denominations and fellowships there are in the world. Almost all of these were founded because Christians became engaged in what were often very minor theological disagreements and split off and so on and so on. True believers should be able to get along better than that.
When those who aren't Christians see those who name the name of Christ acting so badly to one another, it is a big turn off.
Another application of John's message in this passage concerns the way Christians talk about one another. I've heard many times the terrible insults one group of Christians levels against another group of Christians.
For instance, when I was growing up, our church was very negative towards Pentecostals. As far as my church was concerned, Pentecostals weren't really Christians. I am not a Pentecostal, but most Pentecostal ministers I've heard preach the gospel of Jesus and are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Why do we want to act in such an abusive way toward each other?
Just think about the great things that could be accomplished if believers would work together in love. The gospel of Jesus Christ could be spread to every human being on planet earth. We could put a huge dent in the social and environmental problems of our day. The church could really make a powerful difference if we loved one another.
As John says, if we don't love our brother we walk in darkness. Let us walk in the light of the love of Jesus. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)