In yesterday’s passage from Psalm 119 (17-24) the psalmist was praying that his eyes (mind and heart) would be opened to seeing “wondrous things” from God’s Word knowing full well that it was only possible with the help of the Spirit of God. We asked ourselves some tough questions about our own delight in God’s Word and our dependence on the Holy Spirit in reading and studying of the Scriptures.
The passage for today is from the Apostle John’s first epistle. It is once again going to connect our treatment and approach to the Scriptures to our relationship with Christ. This passage is a pivot in the letter, from talking about walking in the light and fellowshipping with God, to focus on the topic of truly knowing God.
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
1 John 2:3–6 (ESV)
4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
John doesn’t leave us any wiggle room. The test is pretty simple. We can know if we truly know God and are in right relationship with Him, in spite of our failures, by simply assessing whether we obey His commands.
If we really know God and if we really love Christ, it will have a powerful and life-altering effect on our thoughts, words, and actions. There is just no way to say we love Him and continue our former lifestyle. That knowledge, that relationship, changes who we are forever. It is evidence of the “new birth.” (John 3:1-21)
Now this “knowledge” of God is not some theological insight or a mystical vision found only in the spiritually elite. Our God genuinely wants us to know him, experience Him, work with Him, and rest in Him. If he was not self-revealing, we would never be even able to perceive Him much less know Him. And John said it is pretty simple to know whether one truly is in relationship with God – they obey His commands. Jesus said simply, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:21)
Anyone who claims to have this knowledge and does not do what God commands, John calls him a liar and even goes so far to say, “that the truth is not in him.” Some might be tempted to call that legalism but our love and our obedience is a response to His love and truly getting to know Him.
God has revealed Himself in His Word and in the person of Jesus, who is the Word (John 1:1). The coming of Christ, Messiah, brought a challenge to all human life, to abandon self-seeking, self-promotion, and self-satisfaction for a life of love and service. Jesus calls those who would know Him to “take up their cross and follow him. (Matthew 16:24) It’s all or nothing! To truly know Christ is to die to one’s self. True love of Christ is seen in obedience for, like the psalmist, love delights to do God’s will.
The final verse of this passage (v6) points us to Jesus’ life and ministry as a metric, as a standard, for our own relationship with God (our knowing Him). Obedience to the Father marks all of Jesus’ life, words, and actions. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38 (ESV)
If we fellowship with God, if we delight and walk in the light of His Word, as Jesus did, we can be confident that we know and love God by the evidence, the proof, of that relationship – our obedience to His Word.
Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived. – This is The Way
1 John 2:6 (The Message)
Questions to Ponder
- How would you respond to John’s questions and assertions? What if it was Jesus asking you face-to-face? How would you respond?
- Is there anything you know you need to change or do? How are you going to make it happen?
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