In chapter two we can tell by the language John is using that he very much cares about the reader of this letter and therefore wants the best for them. Because he wants the best for them, he warns us to be careful not to be lead back into a life of sin. Beyond just being careful, the text is challenging us to stand for what we believe in and even goes so far as to question our where are faith was if we were not living apart from sin.
John very much understands we will still make mistakes, but he also believed we should be a people that were constantly improving in our obedience to Christ. He also warns us to be causious around temptation. Satin is creative and will distract us into a life of sin in whatever way he can. We are warned to avoid these situations at all cost while still being a light in the world.
I pray that I become more of an example to people around me who are not following Christ and that I set my actions apart from theirs.
Tomorrow is 1 John 3
God Bless,
Nick
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Loved 1 John 2:17 - The world and it's desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
ReplyDeleteTo me, that is so simple and yet so profound.
There's so many things that I can get wrapped up in that are here today and gone tommorrow. There's only one thing that lasts forever...People! And the more we invest in People getting to Know and Love God, the more we are doing what God made us to do.
Nate
I found Chapter 2 a bit challenging and needed to read it 4 different times, and I'm still a bit lost....
ReplyDeleteIn verse 1 John says "My little children, I write tese things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Yeshua the Messiah, the righteous." I really appreciate the reminder that while our goal is to not sin, we have a place to turn for forgiveness. This affects me everyday as I constantly do my best to not sin I feel like I fail everyday; however, by the grace of God I know that admiting my sins, asking for forgiveness, and not repeating I'm forgiven.
In this chapter I see John continue with the references to duality of Light and Dark, and how walking in darkness one is blind.
In 1 John 2:12-14 John is writing to 3 different people: children, young men, fathers The statements made to each "group" is different and uplifting. Looking at the symbolism of this I have come to the following conclusions:
1. Children = these are new comers to Christianity
2. Young men = these, to me, are those who have been in Christianity for sometime; however they are not considered church elders
3. Fathers = these are those who are church elders, or those who have been in Christianity the longest
I look at the three groups as three different stages of growth in Jesus and in each stage will understand the message in their own correct way.
The rest of the chapter is about the anointing froms the Holy One which was received, and those who received it now know the truth. This reminds me of The Matrix. There is a choice either the Red pill or the Blue pill, Jesus/Light or World/Darkness. As we saw in the movie once you took the Red pill you could never go back. Similarily once you have been shown the truth of Jesus, and accepted it, you can never go back.
God Bless!