TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM (1 JOHN 5)
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Here some quotes from the internet:
“I love God, but
…I cuss a little!”
---have road rage
---stand on the couch at club
…will smack somebody”
Here’smore:
“I love God, but I can’t stand the church.”
“I love God, but some of His children get on my nerves.”
“I love God, but I keep sinning.”
“I love God, but I’m not happy with leaders.”
“I love God, but I do not love my neighbor.”
John is not called the apostle of love for nothing. The verb “love” occurs 143 times in the Bible, but a total of 68 times or nearly half is from John’s pen - 28 times is in 1 John alone, more than any chapter except 37 times in John’s gospel, twice in 2 John (2x) and one in 3 John. 1 John, however, begins with loving one’s brother (2:10), loving one another (3:11), loving the brethren (3:14) and loving the children of God (1 John 5:2) , but climaxes and ends with loving God (5:2). Loving God is the first and great commandment in life (Matt 22:38).
Do you love God? How do you show it? Why is loving God a blessing and not a burden?
Apply His Word
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
Once upon a time there lived an elderly millionaire who had four nephews. Desiring to make one of these his heir, he tested their cleverness. He gave to each a $100.00 bill, with the request that they hide the bills for a year in the city of New York. Any of them who should succeed in finding the hidden bill at the end of the year should share in the inheritance.
The year being over, the four nephews brought their reports. The first, deeply chagrined, told how he had put his bill in the strongest and surest safe deposit vault, but, alas, clever thieves had broken in and stolen it. The second had put his in charge of a tried and true friend. But the friend has proved untrustworthy and had spent the money. The third had hidden his bill in a crevice in the floor of his room, but a mouse had nibbled it to bits to build her nest. The fourth nephew calmly produced his $100.00 bill, as crisp and as fresh as when it had been given him.
“And where did you hide it?” asked his uncle. “Too easy! I stuck it in a hotel bible.” (More Toasts, Gertrude Stein)
Loving God means the purpose (hina) of keeping His commandments (v 3). Loving God is not an abstract but an actual faith, not passionate but practical spirituality, producing not subjective, sentimental or sugary, but consistent, concrete and circumspect believers.
Verse 3’s burdensome (“his commands are not burdensome”) means heavy (Matt 23:4), grievous (Acts 20:29) and weighty (2 Cor 10:10). It means unbearable, unjust and uneducated, Without God’s word, there is no authority, no anchor and no awakening.
Why is keeping his commands important? Because (gar) only those who keep his commandments can overcome the world (v 4). John in his epistle tells us that in Christ we have overcome the wicked one (1 John 2:13), the spirit of the antichrist (1 John 4:3-4) and now the world (1 John 5:4). The verb “overcome” (vv 4-5) occurs only four times in the Bible up to 1 John (Luke 11:22, John 16:33, Rom 3:4, 12:21 twice), but six times in 1 John (1 John 2:13, 2:14, 4:4, 5:4 twice, 5:5), eventually overtaken by its 17 times in Revelation! The testimony is from the Spirit, water and the blood. The noun form “victory” occurs only once in the Bible, here in verse 4. In John’s gospel and the letters of John the use of the verb tense is as follow:
You have overcome (perfect tense) the wicked one (1 John 2:13)
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome (perfect tense) them (the spirits) (1 John 4:4)
For whatsoever is born of God overcomes (PRESENT tense) the world (1 John 5:4)
John consistently emphasizes keeping His “commands” (1 John 2:3, 3:22, 24, 5:3) and keeping His “words” (1 John 2:5), just as Jesus did in his teaching (John 14:23, 15;10), and never keeping the “law.” Only the Judaizers insist on keeping the law of Moses (Acts 15:5). The “noun” law is completely absent in 1 John - not only 1 John but 2 John, 3 John and Revelation. There is such a thing as “his commands” but not “his laws” in the New Testament, which is impersonal, indifferent and independent. Commands are an order but not an object (law). It is based on relationship (commands) rather than rules (law). It is out of love and not labor. It is a walk rather than a work.
Admit His Way
7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
A few months ago on our church Annual General Meeting (September 8, 2019) I woke up feeling dizzy but my new Sunday class on Jonah was starting, so I did not want to cancel (newcomers and neighbor have signed up). I felt dizzy three times that Sunday and finally called for ambulance to the hospital that night.
The doctors at first said I can go at 2 a.m. but later realized my heartbeat was beating really slow (into 40s). After more tests they could not find anything wrong with me and released me next day. Amy ordered a 24-hour Holter for me with the results below.
Sinus rhythm 42- 134/min. Insignificant amount of ectopic beats. No sustained tachyarrhythmia. No long pauses.
Me: Amy, am I going to die?
Amy the nurse: Everyone will one day.
Me: Die in my young age? Not before finishing my last five books!
Amy: (Two laughing/crying emoticon) Need to ask God about that, no report shows you will.
Many people say they are not afraid of death, but few dare say they do not fear dying and rarer are those who can imagine being half-dead, disabled or on life-support.
The opposite of death is not life, but eternal life. More than any author, John has the most references to “eternal life” in the Bible. Matthew’s gospel mentioned eternal life three times (Matt 19:16, 19:29, 25:46), Mark (Mark 10:17, 10:30) and Luke twice (10:25, 18:18), but John’s gospel as many as 17 times – more than all other three gospels put together. Next to John’s gospel, 1 John 1 (John 1:2, 2:25, 3:15, 5:11, 13, 20) has the second most, more than any epistle, even Romans.
Eternal life is not about quantity, but quality; not about duration but depth; not extension of life but experience with God. It is about life in its fullness, in fellowship with God and in favor with Him when you have the Son of God in your life. Eternal life is life in the present invaded, influenced and inspired by the future. Someone once said, It is not about how long dinner is, but who’s coming for dinner. ????????!
Eternal life and endless living is for those who are sick of physical suffering, human suffering and needless suffering in this world. It’s for those who feel the world is not their home, the world is not enough. For those who pine for a better, more meaningful life, children of God, just as Abraham looked for a city with God whose foundation, builder and maker is God (Heb 11:10)..
The world is dead, dying or half-dead, but in Christ, eternal life is “here and now,” “now but not yet,” and “now and ever.”
Advance His Will
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. 18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
“Skill and confidence are an unconquered army.” – George Herbert
“Concentration comes out of a combination of confidence and hunger.” – Arnold Palmer
“Experience tells you what to do; confidence allows you to do it.” – Stan Smith
“When you have my confidence, I will do 200% for you.” – Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Confidence is translated as openly (Mark 8:32), boldly (John 7:26), plainly (John 10:24) and freely (Acts 2:29). Confidence means living with assurance, affirmation and approval, not disturbed, doubtful or defeated. It’s been said, “Optimism is expecting the best, but confidence means knowing how to handle the worst.” Verse 14 is interesting. What verb is considered the most occurrence in the chapter? It’s not love, witness or even believe (6x). Confidence is backed up by seven “know” (vv 13, 15 twice, 16, 18, 19, 20)
The first knowledge is answered prayers, especially for others who sinned (v 18). Do you have an unrepentant loved one? Pray.
The second is assured pardon. The devil cannot touch us (v 18) because we are of him (v 19) and in him (v 20). Touch (haptomai) is to attach oneself to, to affix and append himself onto us. No physical contact, Touch (haptomai) is to attach oneself to, to affix and append himself onto us. The devil has no power over us because the Lord’s walk with us, work in us and watch over us.
The third is avoidable pitfalls. The verb “keep” (v 21 phulasso) means observe (Matt 23:3) watch (Matt 27:36), reserved (Acts 25:21) and hold fast (Rev 3:3). While God delivers, defends and directs us, it is our responsibility to be circumspect, cautious and consistent- not to entertain, embrace or excuse sin,
Keep means to establish a personal, peaceful and permanent relationship with God, not be enticed, encumbered and engulfed by sin.
Conclusion: God not only has given us eternal life, but promised us the newness of life (Rom 6:4), a life more abundantly (John 10:10) and the crown of life to those who endure temptation (James 1:12).It’s been said, “The devil doesn’t care you if you go to church or read your Bible, as long as you don’t apply it to your life.” Let us live our lives not with ambiguity, apprehension or arrogance of faith, but with authentication, affirmation and application of faith!
