"What's Your Point John?"
As I sit in McD's this morning, I see the news on the new flat screen tv's. They're showing presidential runners, the weather, and other news. As they ramble on with their mouths running, but no volume coming out I wonder what it is they're talking about. I'm not a very political guy or well cultured guy when it comes to the news, but one thing I have noticed from my little experience in the matter is that they seem to ramble on about the same thing over and over. The news media can get stuck on one thing and report it to death. Well, one could easily get the same attitude towards this book we've been studying for the semester. The more we think about it, John has really only had one thing in mind this whole time he's been writing to us. His point is: "For true believers to know they are saved, they're salvation is demonstrated by how they love others."
Anyone who has put their faith in Jesus Christ is saved, because he becomes our righteousness (2:1), our atoning sacrifice (2:2, 4:10), laid down His life for us (3:16), the Savior of the world (4:13), and washes away all of our sin with His blood (1:7) . All we have to do is confess our sins and He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins (1:9). But a lot of people claim to know Jesus, when they actually only know about Him. They have
When we have truly been loved by God, that love will burst out of us for others (Chapter 3). So the mark of a believer is, has been, and always be love. So we can know we are Christians by our love.
So what was John's point in writing this letter? So that those who are truly saved, can know that they have eternal life (5:13-15) by the love they demonstrate (5:1-5), because they have been loved and given life through Christ God's Son (5:6-12), and that anyone who falls into this category of the "saved" will continue in Him to become more and more Christ like ( 5:16-21).
The last verse of this book is interesting. It's not a goodbye, it's not a greeting, it's not a blessing, it's a charge. "Keep yourselves from idols." Is this because they were subject to idolatry wherever they were. Possibly. But maybe it's because we're all subject to idolatry. We look to ourselves, our money, our spouse, our children, our friends, our church, our job, our stuff, our comfort, our attitude, anything we can look to other than God and His Son, we look to those things instead of Him. Why? Because we're still fallen, sinful people. But we have an advocate with the Father, one who speaks for us (2:1), Jesus Christ. If we know Him, We can be forgiven and saved from our sins of idolatry. But let us not forget Him when we stray into our sinful patterns of idolatry. God help us confess our sins and be forgiven. And only He can help us love people by knowing how truly loved we are in Jesus.
Kent Suits,
Youth Director
Next Book: ?????
Any Suggestions? I'm taking a couple of weeks off from any specific book series as we head into the Christmas season, but let me know if you have any suggestions for a specific book of the Bible study for Wednesday in the WORD starting in January. Thanks!
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