The Obedience Tightrope, and the Sin Saftey Net; First John

May the mumbling commence!

May you and I live like Jesus did.  That is another reason that the author of First John wrote.  To avoid sin is a good step in that direction.  But, don’t sweat it.  We have a safety net.  Read from the Today’s New International Version from First John chapter two:

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.  Those who say, "I know him," but do not do what he commands are liars, and the truth is not in them.  But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (Verses 1-6)

The author tells us that a goal of his letter is that we will not sin.  Have you sinned?  Yes…  Well, join the club.

Join the club and hear the Good News.  We have an advocate – someone far greater than any of the most experienced trial defense lawyers.  We have Jesus and our side.  Will we choose Jesus to be our advocate?  That is the only pertinent question; because, once we choose Jesus, there is no doubt about the outcome before the Lord God.

What a relief!  How do you spell relief?  I spell relief J-E-S-U-S.  And what greater reason do we have to choose obedience just as Jesus has done?  There is no greater reason.  When we choose to follow in the Way of Jesus, we choose obedience, love and the willingness to suffer for our God.

Yes, to be obedient and to love and to suffer for Christ’s name is the narrow path to making our love for God complete.  To live as Jesus did is to choose the narrow path for making our love of God complete – an answering call of love that God first sent out to us.

If we are to follow God’s commands, we will want to know which commands are the most important to follow.  If we are careful in reading First John, we will find a couple of distinct commands that we are to follow.  And take heart – REJOICE – we have twenty more days of mining the depths of First John before we move on to a different epistle.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out