Tag Archives: the book of 1 John

December 22
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“For everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — comes not from the Father but from the world.”  (1 John 2:16, NIV)

There you have it in a nutshell: The world’s attraction is what feels good (lust of the flesh), what looks good (lust of the eyes), and what lives large (the pride of life) — all ahead of its time.

This is not to say that God doesn’t want His children to feel good, look good, and enjoy all of the joys of this life: He does, more than we usually realize.  However, His gifts arrive when they will give us pleasure; not cause us pain.

To lust is to want it all now; and the intoxication of pride lasts only for a short while.  Viewed from this perspective, is it easy to see the difference between the offerings of the world, and the gifts of our heavenly Father?  – Luther

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December 21
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“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.  Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.”  (1 John 2:3-4, NIV)

Jesus requires only two simple things of any who would follow Him: (a) Love God with all of our being and; (b) love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Generally speaking, we love ourselves. . . a lot.  God does not begrudge our high opinion of ourselves so long as we are willing to hold the same opinion of all others.

To love God with all our being is to love God not only with all that we are but with all that we have.  It is the nature of love to give.

To love our heavenly Father is to do as He requires.  – Luther

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January 12
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“If someone claims, ‘I know God,’ but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.”  (1 John 2:4, NLT)

Here is the essence of knowing God: Obedience to His commandments.

It is not doing great things in God’s name that shows we know Him.  It is not acquiring volumes of knowledge about God that shows we know Him.  It is not the depth of our sacrifice that shows we know God.  To know God is to obey His commandments.

God’s commandments are to love God with all our being; and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  (Please see Mark 12:30-31.)

To be sure, to do great things in God’s name; learning all we can about Him; and sacrificing ourselves for His name’s sake are honorable ambitions.  However, unless these and other works begin at God’s initiative, our labor and our accomplishments are in vain.

Let complete obedience to our Creator and our God be our daily goal.  It is only through obedience that we become like Him.  – Luther

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