1 John 5:1 – 4 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.”
There he goes again! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! What is WITH this John character anyway? Why does he keep hammering on these same points? Hasn’t he made things clear already? Well, evidently John doesn’t think so.
Any experienced pastor can tell you of church members with personalities so toxic that entire families have left and joined other churches to avoid repeated confrontations.
Not everyone claiming to be a Christian actually is one. It’s likely that even in the early church, John was already encountering similar problems, hence the need to teach about love.
In an earlier age, we used to watch programs about Superman, a hero who was “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!” Part of the fascination of the program was the idea of someone with super powers. Most of us feel that on a good day, we might trip over our feet! So WHY is John insisting on setting such lofty goals?
News flash: by ourselves, NONE of us is a loving person. It takes the power of God working in our hearts to change us. And in the beginning when we first open our hearts to God, our capacity to love is miniscule. But the longer we go on with God, the more He stretches us and makes us over into His Likeness. God will do what we cannot do for ourselves, if we will only let Him.
Is this process simple? Yes. Is this process easy? No! We want our own way and we are determined to get it, no matter what! But the more we study God’s Word and the more we learn about God’s Son, Jesus, the easier it is for God to change us. In the beginning, our hearts are like rocks. But as God continues to pour his love into our hearts, we change and become more like Him.
The biggest leap of faith we must take is in the beginning when we choose to trust that God is real. Hebrews 11:6 says, “ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
“But I don’t have faith!” you say. “How am I supposed to get faith?” Here is one of the many wonderful things about God. If you will pray and ask God to help you to trust Him and to believe in Him, He will help you. And once you begin to trust, God will give you more proofs of His love and his faithfulness. And the faith you gain in this
fashion will protect you against the onslaughts of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
PRAYER: Father God, please give us the faith to trust you and to believe that you are a good Father who will give us the ability to love you and to love those around us. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Lord, come into our hearts and change us s that we will be like You, loving those around us. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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