Tag: commandment
The Word: Judge or Salvation?
Scripture reading for April 22: John 12
“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My Words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects Me and does not receive My Words has a judge; the Word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father, Who sent Me has Himself given Me a commandment–what to say and what to speak. And I know that His commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told Me.” John 12:46-50
Jesus plainly declared that He was the ‘Light of the World’ Who came to reveal the Father and His great love for lost mankind. In declaring the Gospel and calling people to repentance, His message was rejected by many of the religious Jews. They judged Him by His Words to be a blasphemer and impostor worthy of rejection and death. But Jesus was patient with them. He reassured them that He did not come into the world to judge them or others in the world. His goal was to see as many as would believe saved by faith and trust in His Word. Those who chose not to believe but judge, these would have a judge: The Words spoken by Jesus! This was the true light of Truth shining from God’s Son, the Savior.
Not only was Jesus not there as a judge, the Father sent Him with the message of salvation and eternal life through repentance and faith. Jesus’ Words were a light to all who were in the darkness of sin or religious self improvement. He called out to them to simply believe. He performed miracles and gave supernatural signs that God was present with Him by healing the blind and lame, casting out demons, and even raising the dead to life again. He did all this at the Father’s command to fulfill His will. Many believed in Him but did not confess Him for fear of religious leaders.
What have you done with the Words of Jesus Christ? If Jesus’ Words will be our judge on the last day, what will be His verdict about our believing them? Can you say with Jesus, “What I say, therefore the Father has told me.”?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for giving Jesus the Words that He has declared to us in perfect obedience. I want to stand at the last day with no fear of judgment or death. I love my Father and Savior Jesus and His saving Word of the Father’s love and mercy! Amen!
True love in deed and truth
Scripture reading for November 24th: 1st John 3
Key Scriptures: 1st John 3:11-15 “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
John is writing to the church as an overseer of churches and an elder with wisdom. He goes back to the basics in this chapter, emphasizing a simple message that has been in effect from the beginning of recorded biblical history: ‘love one another.’ Cain and Able were the first two offspring of Adam and Eve after the fall. Cain murdered his brother out of jealousy that his brother’s offering was accepted by God (a blood offering) while his own was not (a grain offering). John pointed out that Cain was of Satan, the evil one who was a murderer from the beginning! Satan is also behind the world system that even to this day hates Jesus and those following Him. Hatred is the root stronghold behind Satan’s murderous spirit. John plainly points out that no murderer or anyone hating his brother has eternal life but actually abides in death! Love for our brothers will be displayed not by talk but by actions of love and faith.
1st John 3:16-18 “By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for this simple message of our basic need and your command to love our brothers and sisters. Help me to guard my heart against hatred of anyone made in Your image and to show compassion by serving brothers and sisters in need of help instead of siding with the evil one. I want to love in deed and truth.
1st John 3:23-24 “And this is His commandment, that we believe in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us. Whoever keeps His commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit Whom He has given us.”