The Test of Obedience
0 Amens
When you became a Christian the Bible said you became a new creation; it said the old is gone. Now, I don’t know about you, but as the years have gone on, I have sometimes wondered about the old – and whether it really has gone? You see it seems to return rather too often. I am well aware that in the past there were times when Christians claimed they had totally left behind their old nature; sin was a thing of the past for them; they were people who lived totally in the light; their fellowship with God was on an altogether higher plane. In fact when I was being interviewed here someone commented; do you believe that all Christians could – and presumably should -live on a higher plane? Behind John’s letter is a situation called Gnosticism which wants to separate the spiritual things from the earthly things; claiming that Christians live in the upper story – above the corruption of the earth. Being connected with God John writes to correct that separation; he is very concerned that his readers know that Jesus was a flesh and blood human. So much so, that John claims people, including himself, have seen and actually touched this "Word of life" as he calls Jesus, 1:1.
He rightly sees that humans long to be connected with God; what we call "fellowship with God" – this relationship that allows God and us to be good friends. Much of the great searches that humans engage on, are to see if there are ways we can get God onto our side, and whether we can become acquainted.
The Christian claim is that this is exactly what happens when we trust Christ. He is our link-man. Through his cross he provides THE way for any human being to become related to God. You see all humans are not God’s children – all are his creation – made by him. But only in Jesus can anyone become his child – a member of his close family.
The constant human longing is to know God well; to develop a relationship with him. And Christians long for this to be a good and strong relationship. But the fact is, there are some things that get in the way and block the relationship – we call these blockages SIN – and so does John.
Maybe that troubles you, and you feel they should not be there. I wish they weren’t there.
Maybe you feel there is something wrong with you and you should feel or think like this. I agree, I wish they wouldn’t invade my mind and heart.
Maybe you feel it’s a contradiction to what you were originally led to believe; that when you trust Christ you sinful troubles are over. I wish they were, but its not like that.
What if we lose the connection with God?
Our aim is NOT to sin; that’s what John writes to his people about, 2:1a. But he is a realist; he knows that we don’t always hit our goal, and we do sin. What then? Are we wiped out forever? NO – he says God has provided for just such occasions 2:1b.
He has already told us to confess our sins, 1:9, and now he is clean that we live in the light, that is in fellowship with God, where there is no darkness.
However, when the darkness does overtake us, we must know what to do – 2:1.
How do we keep the connection with God strong?
We obey, rather than disobey, 3-6
We love rather than hate, 7-11
We centre on God, rather than the world, 12-17
Obedience rather than disobedience, 3-6
We say that we don’t feel close to God. But feelings are never a true test of Xnty. Nor for that matter is knowledge. Its not what we experience, or what we know – they are Gnostic tests. It’s plain old obedience. We know if we obey, 3 that’s +ve. And then john puts it –vely, 4. Obedience is the proof of love, 5. Obedience says that if the pressure is to go one way, and my heart says another, I will choose to go God’s way according to his word. If we claim to remain in Christ, we must behave like Christ, 6.
Obedience is always preferred over disobedience
Here is an old command which is also new. It’s old cos it was laid down at the beginning in Deut 6:5. But in what sense is it new? It certainly isn't a new truth; indeed there is always a danger when someone says they have a "new truth" to share with us!
Its new cos Jesus made it new. He set a new standard; we are to love AS Jesus loves. Jesus was the first to put together love for God and love for neighbour – Deut 6:5 with Lev 19:18. It is also new in the same way as each day is a new day, and God’s mercies are new every morning. But I would suggest its new in one more sense:
This kind of love is characteristic of the new age. We live in the overlap – the old age passing away and the new age dawning. So 8b the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. True the final perfection is not here, but the Holy Spirit has given us a down-payment, and now love is the mark of this new age – sacrificial love as demonstrated by Jesus. John will pick up the theme again in ch 3
Love is always to be preferred over hate, 9-11
God-centred living rather than world-centred, 12-17
On first reading it appears that there are 3 sections here: dear children, fathers, young men. Each group is addressed twice.
But rather than take these as three age ranges – or even 3 maturity levels, it seems more likely that dear children is the generic way that dear old John, the beloved apostle, addresses all his readers –2:1, 18. So first a word to everyone – dear children. They have had their sins forgiven, 12 and they have known the Father, 13 These are the two basics for every true believer: we know God and are forgiven. This is what we look for in a baptism testimony: have you repented of your sin so that you are forgiven? Is your trust fully in Christ so that you know God for yourself?
Then a word to the fathers, probably the more mature. They have known God, 13; repeated in 14. The God who is grounded in eternity is known to these wise and older ones.
As for the young men. They have overcome evil, 13 and are strong cos the word of God lives in them. Here are the people with great vitality, who take hold of God’s word and act on it. They are God-centred and therefore word-centred.
Now over against these God-centred believers is the world, 15-17. John uses world here, not in the sense of everything beautiful God has made in this present world of nature, nor as everyone who lives here, as in God so loved the world. No, this is the world where the moral order is twisted, this is the world of evil that rises up against God.
John spells out what this world means in
16 – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does not have. This is our fallen sinful nature and its sensual cravings.
Notice that the desires that come through our eyes are those temptations we see which resonate with our inward sinful nature. The boasting means and things which advance our status of which we’re proud; whether material possessions, educational advances, silver spoons, how large our DVD collection is, even how big our theological library is.
These things become worldly when we have them in order to get our backs patted. Beware of false humility; it can also be a type of pride.
All this, says John, will pass away, 17. Jesus says lay up treasure in heaven; for where your heart is there is your treasure also; ie choose your treasure and your heart will follow. If all you want to do is retire, and go on cruises – then beware – that may be world-centred and not God-centred.
A true Christian believer is connected to god cos of the atoning death of Jesus Christ. They know they are truly converted to Christ, cos they love to obey God; they love to love and not hate, to centre their lives on God and not this world. Is that you? And if it is, how are you doing with your obedience, your love and your God-centredness?
~~ end
Prayer:
Gracious God, how very kind of you to provide a way for us to come to know you, to have our sins forgiven. Truthfully we don’t like sin and evil; it corrupts us. We would like to stay focused on you, but our sinful nature often rises up and is attracted by all sorts of worldly ideas.
Would you kindly help us to be more obedient to you and the new nature you’ve given us, than to our inner nature?
Remind is again that this world is passing away, and we live in the dawn of the new age. Fit us for your kingdom we pray; change our wrong desires to good ones. Make us those who love to love, we pray. For Christ’s sake, Amen
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