Last Sunday we had some formal instruction on a text which helps to answer two questions related to our renewed commitment to biblical discipleship. First, “Is the Jesus I follow the Jesus revealed in scripture?” And second, “How do I persevere in the path of discipleship?” I John 5:1-5 concisely provides three tests of true Christianity, seen from the perspective of the believer’s “regeneration,” or new birth. John’s opening statement (v. 1a) speaks to “what you believe if you’ve been born again.” “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God” (ESV). This, says John Stott, “shows clearly that believing is the consequence, not the cause, of the new birth” It does not originate within us any more than our own physical birth. The new birth originates with the Father. This creates faith, the capacity to believe, through the work of the Holy Spirit (2:20, 27; 3:24). Effectual faith has a true object: it ”believes that Jesus is the Christ" and “the Son of God” (v. 5). Elsewhere in the letter John has affirmed Jesus’ deity (1:1-3) and His atoning death (2:2) as the fullest revelation of God’s love for sinners (4:9-10). This is the essence of the apostles’ testimony. All who believe these things, and no one else, have been born of God. But faith is not so much reliance upon doctrinal truth (important as that is) as it is “the absolute surrender of self to Him” (Alfred Plummer) which occurs when one has been born again. John then reveals “what you do if you’ve been born again” in vv. 1b-2a. The certain evidence of new birth is this: “everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him” (v. 1b). This springs from the reality of spiritual family relationship. A lack of love for the brethren betrays a lack of love for the Father (cf. 3:16-18, 4:20), and vice versa. All Christians struggle in these areas, but John states the matter in absolutes in separating the “saints” from the “aint’s.” Such love looks like something: “This is love for God: to obey his commands” (2b). Jesus’ words must have echoed in John’s heart as he wrote this (cf. John 13:34; 14:15, 21; 15:10-11). The inevitable corollary is that “sin is lawlessness” (3:4). Love is not simply an emotional experience but a commitment leading to action. It is “the obedience of faith “(Rom. 1:5, 16:25), seen here primarily, although not exclusively, as sacrificial regard for God’s people. From John’s perspective it is our sin (1:8-10) and our remaining love for the world (2:15-17) that stifles our love and make obedience a struggle. But John’s next comment speaks to an important dimension of obedience: “And his commands are not burdensome.” They “do not weigh us down” (NET). “They may be difficult,” says Leon Morris, “but they are a delight.” Faith in Christ makes obedience a joy and is certain evidence that the carnal old order in our hearts has been overthrown. What do you have now if you’ve been born again (vv. 4-5)? You have “victory.” This is because “everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The “world” is not the creation but “the sum of all the limited, transitory powers opposed to God which make obedience difficult” (Westcott). Joined to Him as branches to the Vine (John 15:1f.) we abide in Him, and He in us (4:13-16) in the achieved and unfolding victory that is the “now and not yet” of the Christian life. We “overcome the world” when we resist its allurements and stand fast against the lies of its prophets. We “overcome”e when we believe the Father rather than world, love the Father rather than the world, and obey the Father rather than the world. In the end we will remain after the world has faded away (2:15-18). John emphatically concludes, “Who… overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (v. 5). No one else. What does believing look like? It looks like joyful perseverance in loving obedience. It looks like the liberty and glorious duty of sonship (3:1-3). The great weapon of the Church against Satan and all aligned with him is our unquenchable joy and our continual movement towards God and others in love. This text enables us to discern whether we, or others, follow the Jesus who is revealed in the scriptures. And it enables us to live as disciples as God intended. Obedience often gets a bad rap. The ignorant, the lazy and the carnal often deride it as legalism. The Jesus whom John tells us to follow says otherwise. By way of application we made these commitments: *I will immediately commit myself to loving others in some practical and visible way when I perceive that I despise them. *I will ask my loved ones if my actions and attitudes towards them are born of love or some other motivation. *I will share the truths of this passage with someone who claims to love God and challenge them to measure their love by these criteria. This Sunday Living Saviour’s meeting will begin at 11am. In lieu of congregational singing and prayer members and friends will do “prayer walks” in their neighborhoods. They will ask the Lord’s blessings upon their neighbors and ask Him to reveal “people of peace” (cf. Luke 10:6) with whom they can establish relationships and begin a Discovery Bible Study (DBS). What does a prayer walk look like? In some ways it is a very natural thing to do. Following Jesus’ template for outreach in Luke 10 disciples go two-by-two and pray for the folks in their community. If they encounter a neighbor they specifically ask for the Lord’s peace to come upon that person. They tell them what they are doing, and ask if they can pray for them, especially for healing. They follow up if the person is receptive, and move on if they are rebuffed. But they do not take up time with small talk. The plan is to begin the meeting promptly at 11am with brief reports of our experiences. We will take an offering, and then proceed with our DBS as the ministry of the Word. Not exactly your usual Sunday worship service. But we anticipate that the Spirit will reveal Jesus to us. He can reveal Jesus to you too!
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 00:06:27 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015