~ The Test of Lifestyle ~
There are three
main tests in the Epistle of First John.
The first was
the Moral Test or the Test of Righteousness.
The second is
the Social Test or the Test of Love.
The Problem ~
“Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but
an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you
heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you,
which thing is true in Him and in you,
because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his
brother, is in darkness until now. He
who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling
in him. But he who hates his brother is
in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because
the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:7-11).
“In this the children of
God and the children of the devil are manifest: whoever does not practice
righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from
the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the
wicked one and murdered his brother. And
why did he murder him? Because his works
were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to
life, because we love the brethren. He
who does not love his brother abides
in death. Whoever hates his brother is a
murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1
John 3:11-15). There is a problem if the
love of God is not shown through us by our lifestyle.
The Solution ~ “By this we know love, because He laid down
His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren. But whoever has this
world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,
how does the love of God abide in him? My
little children, let us not love in word
or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
And by this we know that we
are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him” (1 John
3:16-18).
“Beloved, let us love one
another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows
God. He
who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward
us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live
through Him. In this is love, not that
we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for
our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
“No one has seen God at
any time. If we love one another, God
abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this
we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His
Spirit. And we have seen and testify
that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of
God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that
God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God
in him.
“Love has been perfected
among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as
He is, so are we in this world. There is
no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves
torment. But he who fears has not been
made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
“If someone says, ‘I love
God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother
whom he has seen, how can he love
God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he
who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:7-21). The
Spirit of God living in us provides God’s power to live a life manifested by
love for others.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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