Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%201-5&version=NASB
1 John 5:12-13 “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
How do you know if you have eternal life? What does a child of God look like? What kind of indicators are there in the life of one who walks in the Light? Here are some verses from First John that can answer those questions.
1:5 “God is Light”
1:9-10 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us” Denying that we have sin, is a denial that we need Jesus as our Savior. A child of God admits that there is sin in his life
1:7 "If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” A child of God knows that he/she is cleansed of our sin by our Savior, Jesus Christ’s blood.
3:10 “By this the children of God are obvious and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.” We can habitually practice sin or we can habitually practice righteousness. A child of God chooses to habitually practice righteousness.
2:5-6 “but whoever keeps his Word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. by this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” Jesus is our perfect example. He was a loving and righteous servant, who walked in obedience to God. A child of God follows in Jesus' footsteps as an obedient servant to God.
2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” God, not the spiritual and physical things of this world should have our love. He is the first love of a child of God.
3:18 “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth.” You’ve heard the saying actions speak louder than words. A child of God shows love through actions.
3:23 "This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.” A child of God believes in the name of Jesus Christ and the power of salvation that lies in that name.
4:14-15 “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” The child of God not only believes in the name of Jesus, but confesses that He is Savior and Lord.
The best part about being a child of God is 1 John 3:1 “See how great a love the father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God”. Have you thought much about that love? It’s a love so wide and deep and intense that it’s unfathomable. It’s a love so pure and perfect that He gave you a gift that you absolutely don’t deserve. He gave you forgiveness and mercy and grace. He snatched you out of darkness and into His Light and poured his perfect Love into you so that you might have eternal Life with Him. Think about that. It’s pretty powerful stuff. How great is the love that He lavishes on you that you are called His child. Let that sink in.
You can know that you are a child of God by looking at the evidence in your life. If you are a child of God, let the unspeakable joy that comes from that knowledge sink into the depths of your being. If you are not a child of God, admit to Him that you are a sinner and that you know that you need Him to. Tell Him you want to be His child and that you want Him to be Lord of your life. Turn your life over to Him and ask Him to guide you in displaying the characteristics of a child of God. When you pray that prayer, listen quietly as the angels rejoice because God’s eternal Kingdom family has just grown to include you!
Submitted by Kelly Coxe
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1John3:18 is indeed one of my favorite verses.
ReplyDelete**JOHN knew JESUS better than any other man, and his work is so true and wonderful.
**I am going to sign off for the year as far as this year-long Bible study is concerned.
I urge all of you wonderful people to very carefully study the Revelation of Jesus per John.
I say this because the entire theme of Christianity cannot be defined merely via the soft, fluffy, touchy-feely stuff. Although most theologians/pastors seem to almost unanimously agree that John3:16,17 are the most important verses in all the Bible, the HOLINESS of the Father involves much more serious and flat-out terrible consequence.
**The Revelation of Jesus is so wonderful, scary,intimidating, etc. all in one.
As Dr. Young's series entitled "know that you know..." demonstrated, it is important not just to hang onto the salvation security truths and promises but also to focus on the walk, not the talk!
**I still have a long way to go, but I can tell all of you that witnessing for JESUS will bring tears to your eyes and will fill you with an undeniable sense of purpose and gratitude.
**I am rambling, but I just want to ask all of you to pray for me and for JOY Prison Ministry. I have become much more engaged, and have been witnessing to 300 or more men in one room--Some of whom have 2 or 3 life sentences and will surely die where they are currently living.
**Please consider becoming an active(much more action-based) witness and disciple for our LORD.
Being saved is great;however, expanding the kingdom and sharing the Gospel and carrying out the Great Commission is what it's all about.
**I don't know about you, but I want to help ensure that as few people as possible have to endure the Tribulation(I am a "pre-Trib" Christian).
**I only wish I had not wasted so much of my life being a "worldly Christian".....Only way to make up for that is to just move forward!
**Remember faith without works is dead!!
**Just because it is true that we cannot earn our way to the Father, because the only way to HIM is through the SON, that truth is not a license to idly sit back and do nothing!
**Thanks so much Russ, Kelly, Carol, and all of you who shared and diligently went through the Bible this past year.
**I will miss all of you in the Bridge Class, as I am returning back to my "roots"--->I will be attending Dr. Young's 9:30 service each Sunday going forward. I have had a great time in the Bridge, and I LOVE YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH!!
Luke 9:23
Romans 6:23
Mathew 23:11---->"But the greatest among you shall be your servant..."
Peace and love!!!
Thanks for all of your encouragement David. Praying that God will equip you as you continue to work in the prison ministry and in life. Grace and peace be with you! The Bridge will miss you!
ReplyDelete~KC