Abide in Him

I Jn. 2:15-17

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

 

 

If and when believers sin, they have an advocate with the Father, someone who pleads for them. That advocate is Jesus Christ, the righteous, the propitiation for our sins. What is a propitiation? It is a sacrifice that bears God's wrath and turns it to favor. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross absorbed the just wrath for our sin, and through His act, we obtained favor with God. He sees us through the blood of His Son. What is the proof of this fact? How do we know it is a reality? The simple answer is obedience. We know and keep God's commandments, His word. Abiding is the key to obedience(Jn. 15). If I abide (live, dwell) in Him, then I will walk in the same way that Jesus walked. It is a complete identification and full nature do-over.

 

But what if I hate my brother? John's answer is strong and clear. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. The proof is in the living! Since Jesus loved all men and willingly died for all, and if I abide in Him, then His life is my life, then I must love as He loved! I must walk in His light! But what if I still have mixed feelings? What if I still think, say, and do things that Jesus would never do? Then John says my sins are forgiven. God's love is forgiveness. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Confession on my part and forgiveness on God's part.

 

However, we are not plagued just with hatred but also with a love of the world. John wrote another powerful warning, Do not love the world or the things of the world...the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride in possessions. Tough one! How deceptive the world is and how strong is its pull! We want all its cool technology, houses, furniture, cars, toys, its beauty secrets, and its life style. We tend to jump on that same bandwagon that the world does, materialism . We buy and accumulate, and sometimes buy on credit and put ourselves in bondage to the world.  But John says, NO, don't. As Paul charged Timothy, Guard the good deposit within you. Am I guarding that deposit if I am filling my soul with the world.? Am I treasuring the good deposit above all else?

 

John closed this chapter with a startling fact. It was true then and it is true now. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. The world is trying to deceive Christians, to dilute our faith, even to make us believe that we can have it all, church, faith, worldly possessions and the desires of the flesh and the pride of life.  But John urged us to remember what we have been taught, remember His words, and abide in Him! There is the key, Abiding. If I am abiding, I will know if I am guarding the good deposit, that is my faith, my relationship with Jesus, and the love of God. I will know if the world and all its lies are infiltrating my soul. The satisfaction that the world offers is bitter and empty, but the love that God gives is eternal and so very sweet!

 

Father,

Reveal to me my heart. I know that Satan's lies are deceptive and hard to spot. I want to guard the deposit You have placed in my heart. I want to abide in Jesus taking all my sustenance from Him, living as He would and loving as He would.

In Jesus name,

Amen