Now that John has again reminded his readers of the character of the triune God he says that we know God if we keep His commandments. In fact, we are nothing better than liars if we claim we know God but we don't obey Him. Again, this makes sense in our human relationships. A child can come to know better his/her parents' hearts only as they do as they are told. They can come to see the wisdom in the things the parents ask them to do and so know their parents on a deeper level. God's commandments come out of who He is and when we do them we know better, on a deeper level, that He truly is good and for us. When we disobey (don't walk in the light) we miss the opportunity to see how He would have worked and used our obedience in our own transformation. Staying in the darkness doesn't help you see better in the darkness.
It is important, too, to remember here that a crucial part of obeying God is trusting Him, counting on Him. Trust is the foundational command so that all of our obedience is to flow out of a trust that He is active and good and present. And, as we trust Him and act on that trust, we see that He is trustworthy, we come to know Him better. As we all know it is difficult if not impossible to have an intimate friendship when there is no trust.
It is interesting to look at v.5 and see that when we keep His word, "love for God is perfected" in us. Notice it does not say that we perfect our love for God. Rather as we trust God and act on that, even when that means being honest about our own sins, God is able to do something in us--He is able to grow our love for Him to perfection--which goes back to what it means to be righteous. Righteousness, perfection, is not some abstract individual goal to attain. To be righteous is to be in right relationship. To obey God is to grow in having more and more of an intimate full loving relationship with Him. Right now I know my love for God is poor. I do not enjoy loving Him very much. How wonderful to know that some day nothing will impede me from loving Him with all that I am and so also come to love fully all His ways as well.
Last point--John says that the way to know we are in Christ is to walk or live in the same way He walked. John is speaking about something deep, internal, personal. The point is not so much that we need to follow Jesus' example but much more we should as abide where He abides, remain with Him wherever He goes, share in His heart and mind, be led by His Spirit. Being in Christ is not just imitating Him, appearing like Him, mimicking Him, letting Him be our role model. That's all superficial and shallow, external compared to what John is telling us. Jesus is far more than a example or a tool or instrument or means to an end. The connection between Jesus and us is far more profound. Jesus walked by the Spirit, trusting wholly in His good and loving Father, doing what He saw His Father doing, knowing and sharing in His very heart.
God is light and Jesus, the Righteous, by becoming the expiation for our sins has connected Himself to us in such a way that now we can share in His loving relationship with His Father and He will make us right in Him so that our fellowship with God is perfected.
And this study just makes me truly want to seek where light is and stay out of the darkness...For God is Light...
Someone once said..."It is hard to live for Jesus..."
I beg to differ...I served satan...and when I say..."I served satan..." I mean that...but Praise God I had nowhere to look but up...and Praise God that day ALL SINS WERE REMOVED AND HAVE SINNED NO MORE...THAT IS WHAT GOD WILL DO FOR YA...HIS LIGHT WILL KEEP YOU ON THE PATH CALLED STRAIGHT...
AMEN!!! It is my sincere hope that these lessons bless you as much as they are helping me in studying them...
PamzSpamz
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