Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation–1 John 2:4-6

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Welcome to today’s Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation covering 1 John 2:4-6 wherein we are challenged to answer the question, “Do I know Jesus?” and examine our lives to know if we are answering truthfully.

Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

It is almost too common a phrase to even be effective anymore, but one can hardly read this passage without thinking, “Actions speak louder than words.”  John introduces words that many of us have probably used (“I know Him”) but then presses the subject.  “Are there actions?” he asks.  John wants to know if those words that supposedly point to a relationship with Jesus actually mean anything to the one who voices them.  He isn’t soft in his approach, but rather informs his readers that we’re either full of lies or full of love, we’re either unchanging in regards to Jesus or we’re new people of love-filled devotion.  The Lord made it clear during His time walking the earth that a new life would absolutely mean the bearing of good fruit.  John records this in his gospel: Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

This then is the question that we are forced to ask ourselves: “Am I a liar?”  And we cannot lie in answering this, knowing that our soul is on the line!  John isn’t asking us to compare ourselves to others in the world or even in the church.  He is also not asking us whether or not we still struggle with sins since he has just written, if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (V. 1).  The thing that John is asking us to assess is the true nature of our identification, what it is that our lives are marked by.  Do we keep Christ’s commandments…do we keep His word?  Do we find His ways our regular practice?  This is sobering as we look at the many facets of our lives, everything from thought life, to work ethic, to recreation, to our motivation in all of those things.  We simply cannot afford to move past this small portion of the Word of God too quickly.

To bring final clarity then to his brief argument, John states, whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked. Our lives are to reflect the life of Christ, not simply by way of doing kind things for people (important as that is) but we are called to live lives of continual listening to the will of the Father, living according to the Spirit’s desires and in His power from which a life of fruitfulness will flow.

What must be remembered about passages like this one is that the intention is not to lead us into confusion but rather to give us clarity.  We are to know whether or not we are in Him is John’s cry and the evidence to be examined is not something complicated to search out.  Do you know Jesus in a life-changing way that flows from an internal love of Him?  Right now is the moment to answer.  Right now is the moment for acknowledging Him as Lord and embracing Him forever.

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