Read 1 John 2: 28- 3: 24

1 John2:28-3:24 My Reflections

Who is the person that does not continue in sin?

Answer = the one “in” the sinless Son of Man.

What does the answer mean? It means that people following Christ with a continual progression do so because they believe and love Him. Consequently, John tells us Remaining “in” Christ means something! That looks like the love of God.

John also tells us what the love of God is writing in verse 11 that the message of the gospel is that we should love one another. He did not say that the Gospel is only, that Jesus forgives sins, though that is true. The Gospel is more than that. The Apostle John said UNDER INSPIRATION OF GOD, “we should love one another.”

There is a link here with ongoing love based on and proceeding from the belief in our hearts. The belief leads our actions. This understanding is in line with what the Apostle Paul says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 NKJV) That in action looks like loving one another.

I am pointing out that the result God wants from his Son’s sacrifice is not just souls (people saved) but people loving one another. For what good are people with salvation if they don’t love each other?!
So, John warns us, “don’t be like Cain who hated his brother.”

Here I think John is saying, take your actions seriously when you claim to live right before God. Those of us who are Christians bear His Name. The bearing of God’s name must match what in our heart. Let us remember the third commandment, “Do not carry the name of the Lord in vain.” I did not quote that wrong. Those that bear the name of God must love as He loves or in reality, they take the name of God in vain. God does not change, but we must change to reflect Him.

His seed must see growth in us. Our belief in Christ is the water of God’s seed. So, the seed given remains because it is of Christ, but without belief, there is no growth and death will occur (see John 15). The Apostle John provides us with contrast here to make things very clear:
The lawless continue in sin.
The righteous continue to love.

There is indeed a significant challenge to consistently live in the love of God. Those that believe in Him follow Him (as John points out in verse 16) even at the cost of their own life for fellow Christians.

What’s more, verses 18-22 seem to me, to be a way of saying behavior based in God’s revealed character brings forth specific direction and emotional comfort in the presence of God. Where morally we who believe are drawn deeper and deeper into the love of God. Also, making a pathway to bring his love into the world through our belief in The God who loves us. I think this process is the result of the residing seed of verses 9-10 because obedient belief in God drives out sin or puts sinful deeds to death and is how human life can blossom with the love of God.

John says as much in verses 23-24., which I encourage you to meditate on.

“Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides in us by the Spirit he has given us.” (1John 3:23-24 NET)

BMD