1 John 4:1-6

 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God”

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The world hates us and yet we’re challenged to work diligently on behalf of the world. In doing so we’re told to avoid the temptations of the world without removing ourselves form the world.

We walk a thin line between godliness and worldliness. It’s messy. It reminds me of the phrase in a Def Leppard song…”When Love and Hate Collide”

“You could have a change of heart, if you would only change your mind”

We want desperately for the world to change its mind about Christ. With everything at stake we might be tempted to make compromises in order to be effective. Whenever I ask pastors why they make certain changes in their church or worship the answer is, invariably, “so we can be relevant”. Really? That’s it? What could be more relevant than a Savior who died for a lost world? Why must we fiddle with that formula?

And…as a result…to quote A.W. Tozer: “Christianity has come to a point where if it was a medicine it wouldn’t cure anybody and if it was a poison it wouldn’t kill anybody”

I’d say the devil has us exactly where he wants us…

To avoid this fatal flaw John tells us to test every idea to confirm it comes from the heart of God. He says “by this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist”. Based on this test I’ve met more than a few antichrists. And…the further the frustration, “he who is not from God does not listen to us”.

It’s enough to make me throw in the towel…except for the promise, “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world”.

Love boldly out there today…

1 John 3:1-24

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.

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So, the first couple of chapters have been intended to help us put some distance between ourselves and the world. God has a good reason for this. The world, in spite of being God’s creation, is fallen from grace and serves only as a vehicle to turn us from God. We might be tempted to scoff at this notion and say “some of my best friends live in this world!”

I assure you , we have no friends in this world. John says the people in this world don’t even know us. They have no clue how to work in our best interests. How can they really be friends?

The sad truth is…the world is only interested in deceiving us into believing right is wrong…and wrong is right. You see, we are at odds with the master deceiver…and his minions. The world is so devoted to deceit that it doesn’t even recognize truth anymore. It doesn’t recognize Christ so how could it recognize us if we look like Christ?  Do you think I’m exaggerating?

What about Hobby Lobby?

What about Majestic Bakery?

What about the Pizzeria in Indiana?

We might be tempted to “check out”, but we’re told not to.  God intends us to work diligently on His behalf…demonstrating His love for a world that has no clue.  John says “let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth”. I know it’s tough to offer a glass of cool water just to have it thrown back in our face. Still…that’s what we’re told to do. It might be humanly impossible but…”when we do this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

The good news is this: A day will come when Christ returns to this earth and the entire world will recognize Him for who He is. In the interim, can we turn some of these scoffers into disciples? That’s what Christ has in mind.

Can we really do this if we look so much like the world we hope to influences?
Live boldly out there today

1 John 2:25-28

“This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life”.

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Mali and I have moved 25 times. Each time we pack up we’re frustrated for having accumulated so much stuff. Our last move was nearly 20,000 pounds. This next move will have to be different. Our home(s) will only get smaller from here on. We will have to “down-size” and rid ourselves of superfluous possessions.

Sure…

Each move we try to pare things down. The problem is, we like it all. That’s why we have it. Even so…I occasionally think about things I had and wonder “where did that go?”  My old table saw is somewhere. I sure miss it.

Nothing is forever…

Is it possible to own anything that does not take something from us? Money? Devotion? Time? Energy? The truth is…we don’t own things, things own us. The only question remaining is “how much will I allow my possessions to take from me?”

John says the world works hard to convince us these things are important. Madison Avenue is awash in cash for the express purpose of continuing to convince us we need the next greatest thing. The whole exercise is for their benefit, not ours. Madison Avenue doesn’t care if we smother under a ton of stuff.

I think I need an Apple watch...

We have only one possession that doesn’t diminish us…eternal life. It’s also the only possession that remains with us forever.  A good question is…do we spend more time viewing our eternal life…or our flat screen television?

That will tell us what we value most…

So tell me…what will you be packing up for your final move…to Glory?

Live boldly out there today…

1 John 2:15-24

 ^“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him”.

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This may be why our lives are so difficult…we tend to love the world. Hard not to…it’s where we live.

What’s not to love? Ice cream? Football? Music? Even God loves grandchildren! But, John is referring to “the lust of the flesh (physical appetite) and the lust of the eyes (emotional appetite)  and the boastful pride of life (spiritual appetite). None of that comes from God.

Yes, there is plenty of that in the world as well.

Forgive the crass example but, Jim Croce wrote a song that included these words: “five short minutes of loving got me twenty long years in jail”. The (not so hidden) inference is all the sex in the world can’t last long enough to fully satisfy. The same is true of every other passion the world offers us. In fact, John says  “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; And, so it goes…with the pleasures of this world

But…” the one who does the will of God lives forever”.

Forever is a long time. We do we do than…when all the things we loved are gone? If we build our lives around things that can’t last, our world will end up empty. Then, what do we hold on to? It could be a troubled time.

So, ultimately, John says we need “an anointing from the Holy One that will abide in us… so that we may also abide in the Son and in the Father”. Only then, can we fall “out of love” with the world and fall in love with the things that truly last.

Live boldly out there today…

1 John 2:1-14

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.

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Sin is like a millstone around my neck…

 I hate it. I obsess over it. I repent. Yet…I regularly fail. I understand the value in being aware of my sin and renewing myself daily. I’m concerned, however, that when I make sin bigger than it deserves to be it truly immobilizes me with fear. When that happens…Satan has won.

This is why John assures us of Christ’s advocacy. Meaning…Jesus has our back when we sin. He says “if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation (appeasement) for our sins”.

“Advocate” comes from the Greek…παράκλητος…which means “called to one’s side”. It implies "one who pleads another's cause before a judge ".  How does Christ plead for us? By being our “propitiation…our “sin offering” Basically, Jesus tells the Father “God, I’ve already got this covered. Restitution has already been made”.

I can’t imagine it gets better than this. We answer only to God for our sin. When we sin, we don’t have to plead our own case before God…Jesus Christ pleads it for us. And, since He is the one who actually was offered for our sin in the first place, it’s unimaginable that God would not hear His Son’s pleadings.

I can quit obsessing about my sin. Because “the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining”, I can focus my attention on more positive things. John says because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake… you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Game…set…match!

This opens a whole new world of possibilities…I can pay attention to the grace evident in others because of the grace given to me. I can see the beauty of Christ in them and I can love them, all because I’m not consumed by my own failures.

Imagine what a difference we can make for others if we just get over ourselves…

You may recall the story about the IRS agent who was part of the anti-counterfeit division. He was once asked, “How can you ever successfully spot a counterfeit bill? There are so many ways to counterfeit money that I’d think your task impossible”.

The agent replied…”I don’t worry about counterfeits. I focus all my attention of the genuine bills. If I am intimately familiar with an authentic bill the counterfeit ones will be easy to spot”.

Let’s turn our attention to the genuine, the authentic, the positive. It will change our lives.

Live boldly out there today…

1 John 1:5-10

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth”

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John is talking about a whole new level of relationship with God when he talks about fellowship. When we come to faith in Christ we become “children” of God (through forgiveness of sin) and we receive the gift of eternal life.  Unfortunately, many Christians are content to be forgiven. Their lives don’t take on a significant change in attitude or behavior.  Consequently, their lives also lack any meaningful experience of victory and joy.

Fellowship “κοινωνία” is a relationship that is intimate and participatory. It is a mutual devotion characterized by a relentless and collaborative pursuit of one another. God does this by nature. We do this through discipline.

The rewards are out of this world…

The most righteous of us would like to say we pursue “κοινωνία with the father” as its own reward.  The truth is, as frail humans, we need an incentive to pursue God and John tells us that incentive is joy. So…if our goal in life is the pursuit of Joy, and fullness of Joy is found only in “κοινωνία” with God (the Father) and His Son…where do we begin?

Of course, John tells us…

 Since God is light, full κοινωνία with Him (full joy) cannot be attained if we dwell in the shadows of life (darkness). In fact, if we live in the shadows and claim we have κοινωνία with God we’re lying. If we claim to have κοινωνία with God we must walk in the light…out of the shadows.

Again, John is helpful. He tells us exactly what “light” and “dark” mean to us. “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. “Light” is sinlessness and “Dark” is sinfulness. This is a nice, clear answer but…have you ever tried to live a sinless life?

Exactly…

So…is it even possible to have κοινωνία with God (the father) and His son? Once again, John helps us out. “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have “κοινωνία” with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin”.

John makes it clear “walking in the light” is not a matter of sinlessness. It is a matter of obedience…as imperfect as it may be. If we are walking in the light the blood of Christ covers our inability to do it perfectly. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.

“κοινωνία with God” (joy) is achieved by walking in the light…not with perfection but, with the forgiveness that comes from an intentionality that fully agrees with God regarding sin. I will not quibble. I will not rationalize. I will confirm in my soul that God is right. I will step out daily and follow this path of agreement with all my heart, soul, mind and strength…and with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

And, when I don’t do it as well as I’d like…I admit it and…I’m forgiven. This is why agreement with God is at the heart of obedience. If I dispute what is, or isn’t sin, how would I come to a point of confession? I’d spend all my time arguing with God. We won’t find much forgiveness in that…

If you’ve tried walking in the light you will agree with me there is a kind of euphoria and joy that comes from knowing our halting attempts are pleasing to God. There is a sense of “cleanness” that comes from following an obedient path. I will never walk another path. I will only get up each morning and ask God to help me do a better job today. I will κοινωνία with God regularly throughout the day to monitor my progress. Why? Because of the incredible joy I gain from κοινωνία.

But…intimacy, collaboration and participation with God begin with agreement…

Live boldly out there today…

1 John 1:1-4

^"These things we write, so that (y)our joy may be made complete".

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“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”. Henry David Thoreau
 

My friend, Charles, visited a patient preparing for surgery. Charles wears a clerical collar and, as he approached, the patient put out his hand and said “I don’t want any of that!”

“Any of what?” Charles responded…

Well…it seems many people today see God (and Jesus) as barriers to their happiness. So, they intentionally remove the Divine from their lives. And…they don’t even wonder why their sitting in pre-op.

No Jesus…no health. Do you suppose there might be a connection?

Of course there is. If we excise any presence of the Divine from our lives, what is the probability the Divine will be present to help in times of need? Or…do we think our ability to find peace and joy in this world is all your own doing?

John begins his epistle by saying “what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ”. He concludes his phrase by saying “These things we write, so that (y)our joy may be made complete". Notwithstanding some uncertainty concerning whether the pronoun is "our" or "your",  We shouldn't take our eyes off the premise...joy is connected with Jesus. 

John infers fellowship with God, and His Son Jesus, is the context in which we will find true joy. As I look around at this world, I believe John. Do you?

Live boldly out there today…