The New Testament
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Devotional
Weekly Bible Devotion By Books
March 4-9 2023
Enter the presence of the Lord-
(All) Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
(M)Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
(W) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
(M) This is how God showed his love among us:
(W)He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
(M)This is love:
(W) not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
(All) Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God
lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
(NIV, 1 John 4:8-12)
Confession
Dear God, we confess that our culture trends persuade us to use the words such as ‘truth’, ‘love’, ‘fellowship’ casually. We watered down our faith which build upon the sacrifice of your Son Jesus Christ. We let our churches become more and more like the world. We do everything in terms of programs, not in the Spirit and in Truth. We treat our brothers and sisters with the world value system. O. Lord, come, and expose our wrong attitudes and our shallow knowing you. Cleanse us. Bring us back to you. Humble us to learn to love you in your way. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Scripture reading:1 John
1:4 We write this to make our joy complete.
2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.
2:26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
1:5b, 7 God is light; in him there is no darkness at all…. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
2:1b-2 But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth…
3:1, 16 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!... This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
4:2-3 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
4:15-16 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
4:19, 21b We love because he first loved us…. Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
5:11-12 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
5:20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Thoughts to Share: Our Complete Joy in Jesus Christ
The first letter of Apostle John itself tells us of some struggles in its recipient community. We see some phrases implying those struggles-: walk in the darkness(1:6), in sin but denial of it (1:10), not keep the commandments of Jesus Christ(2:4), hate brothers(2:9), intensely devote the things of the world (2:16) , went out from the community(2:19), deny Jesus is the Christ(2:22), denies the Father and the Son, spread the false teachings and deceive people(2:26), lip services and lack of acts of loving brothers(3:17), false prophets (4:1), the spirit does not confess Jesus ( 4:3), the spirit deny Jesus Christ has come in flesh,(4:2), does not love(4:8), Jesus came by water only(5:6), fear of punishment and judgement (4:18), idols (5:21).
It was clear that Apostle John intended to deal with these struggles pastorally.
Apostle John restated the fundamental truth for a Christ-followers’ community. He invited all who said that they were Christians to check their understanding about this basic truth.
1) Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and He is the Christ?
2) Do you believe that Jesus has come in flesh?
3) Do you believe that God’s love is in his sending his Son to be the propitiation of our sins on the cross?
4) Do you believe that Jesus Christ was testified by Spirit, water, and blood and they are in agreement?
5) Do you have the spirit that confess Jesus as the Christ?
6) Do you have the assurance of eternal life through Jesus Christ without fear of eternal judgement?
7) Do you know that God is faithful, and he will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness if you confess your sin?
8) Do you know that God first loves us is the foundation of brotherly love one another in Christian communities?
9) Do you know the Holy Spirit anointing us teaches us all things about Jesus Christ?
Apostle John also invited them to self-exam if they really practice the truth.
1) Do you guard and obey the commandments of Jesus Christ?
2) Do you walk and live in the light of Jesus Christ?
3) Do you remain in and abide with Jesus Christ and Christian communities?
4) Do you one another have fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ?
5) Do you have action of loving your brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ?
6) Can you discern the false spirits, teachers and prophets and reject them?
7) Can you not devote yourself in the things of the world- such as the desire of the flesh, the desires of eyes and pride of life?
8) Can you confess sin if you sinned?
9) Will you pray for your brother/sister if his/her sin does not lead him/her to death?
Love God is to know God. To know God is to put our faith centered in the Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice and the apostolic teachings. To know God is also to practice the way of life in the life, light, and love of God. We will obey the commandments of Jesus Christ. We will love one another in action. We will hold fast the eternal life at present and in eternality. At the same time, we do not sin. We reject to be led by false spirits, teachers, and prophets. Love one another within such kind of knowing God is safe, fulfilled, pleasant, edifying, and encouraging.
Let us remain in and abide with Jesus Christ. There is a complete joy in Jesus Christ.
Prayer Suggestions
Jesus Christ, our Word of Life, Light and Love, we need you in our pluralistic and confusing cultures. Welcome you once again into our lives. Cleanse us. Fill us. Restore us. Transform us. Let us love you more, know you more, walk with you closer. Let your perfect love in us manifest contagiously in love our brothers and sisters and in the sure hope of eternal life for us in eternality. Thank you. We praise you and thank you. Amen in your wonderful name.
Benediction
May your joy be complete in the faith of The Son of God Jesus Christ and in the practice of love one another.
Prayer Request
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