Why The 1st John Website Exists
Many claim to follow Christ, yet few know the full truth of salvation. 1st John exists to make that truth known.
Obedience and the Will of God
The Call to Seek What Is Above
1) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3) For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5) Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6) Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7) in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8) But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
10) and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
11) where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
12) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Choosing God’s Will Over the Flesh
The above verses found in Colossians have a common thread throughout them; they all instruct us to do various things, and we must choose to do them. In this, we see the beauty of God’s plan of salvation, the way He has given us “free-will” to make choices, either to do His will, or not. We see that death to the flesh is a death of choice, a decision, if real, that will last the remainder of our lives.
Doing God’s will is always a choice, and it is our opinion that we humans are always doing what we want most, limited only by opportunity. We are exposed to being who we are by the choices we make, for good or evil. Doesn’t Jesus tell us we are known by what we do, Matthew 7:15-20?
The Beauty of God’s Separation: Wheat from Tares
Do we see the beauty in how God separates the wheat from the tares? The way we live out our lives reveals our true character; we cannot hide it. If what we want most is to honor God and obey Him, then we will do that. If we would rather do things that God opposes, then that is what we will do. Conflicted desires between doing good or evil are settled when we make our choice.
Are we there yet? Do we really understand this basic truth, that we can overcome the world when that is what we want most? Jesus gave us this power when He rose from the dead. His victory over death is our victory over sin, in Him and through Him. Do not be deceived.
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