1 JOHN 2:5

TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN


1 JOHN 2:5

But if anyone obeys his word,
God's love is truly made complete in him.
This is how we know we are in him:


MEDITATION:

Obedience to God's word is the mark that one is made complete in God's love.
Obedience to God's word is how we know that we are of God.


It is written in 1 John 2:3

By this we know that we have come to know Him,
if we keep His commandments.


It is also written in 1 John 3:24

The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.
We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

NOTE: keeping God's commandment is the mark that one abides in God, and God abides in that person. The Spirit which God has given us is the means of knowing if we are of God or not.


What is the greatest of God's commandments?

it is written in Matthew 22:36-38

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus replied:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'

This is the first and greatest commandment.


What is the second greatest commandment?

It is written in Matthew 22:39-40

And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."


What is the New Commandment given to the Christian Church?

It is written in John 13:34

"A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.


How did Christ loved us?

It is written in John 15:12-14

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command.


it is written in John 10:11

"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

It is written in 1 John 3:16

This is how we know what love is:
Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.


WHO THEN SHOULD WE LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR?

Those who follow God's commandments...


It is written in John 15:14

You are my friends if you do what I command.


Therefore, the one who is following God will only lay down one's own life to those who truly follow God's words and is a true Christian according to the standards set by the word of God.


HOW DOES ONE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS?

THE CENTRAL IDEA OF ONE LAYING DOWN ONE'S LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS IS SELF-SACRIFICE IN HELPING THOSE WHO DO GOD'S WILL, AND FOR THE WELFARE OF ONE'S FRIENDS IN CHRIST JESUS...

It is written in Mark 10:45

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many."


HELPING THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND THE CHRIST, HELPING THEM IN THEIR LIVES, SHARING IN THE BURDEN IN FOLLOWING THE LAW OF CHRIST IS A PART OF LAYING ONE'S LIFE TO A FRIEND.

for it is written in Galatians 6:2

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.


BEING HUMBLE AND GENTLE TO OUR FRIENDS IN CHRIST AND IN GOD, ACCEPTING ONE ANOTHER, BEARING EACH OTHER, BEING TOLERANT TO EACH OTHER IN CHRIST JESUS, FORGIVING GRIEVANCES WITH ONE ANOTHER IS A PART OF GIVING ONE'S LIFE FOR A FRIEND...

THIS APPLIES TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY...


Colossians 3:13

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.


Romans 15:7

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.


Ephesians 4:2

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,


Ephesians 4:32

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other,
just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.


THE FORGIVENESS PART ON THE SCRIPTURES IS SELECTIVE TO THE SINS THAT DOES NOT LEAD TO DEATH,... WE PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER WHO COMMITS SIN THAT DOES NOT LEAD TO DEATH...

It is written in 1 John 5:16

If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.

James 5:15

and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

James 5:20
remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.


WE DO NOT PRAY FOR THOSE WHO SINS THAT LEAD TO DEATH.


WHAT SIN LEADS TO DEATH?

Hebrew 6:4 -6

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.


Hebrews 10:26-27
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, THEN WILLFULLY SINS BECAUSE THAT PERSON WILLFULLY TURNS AWAY FROM GOD, AND EMBRACES THE DEVIL AND FALLS AWAY CAN NEVER BE SAVED...

THIS ALSO APPLIES TO THOSE WHO USES THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR EVIL PURPOSES, AND THE POWER OF THE WORDS OF GOD FOR EVIL WILLFULLY TURNING AWAY FROM GOD.

(THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO SINS DUE TO WEAKNESS AND FRAILTY OF THE FLESH- OR SINS THAT ONE DOES UNWILLINGLY, OR SINS THAT WE RESIST IT YET WE FALL TO IT)


IN GIVING ONE'S LIFE FOR OUR FRIENDS, WE PATTERN SUCH GIVING AS OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS GIVEN SERVICE FOR OTHERS...


Matthew 20:28

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."


THOSE WHO GIVES ONE'S LIFE FOR THE WORD OF GOD WILL BE SAVED...

Luke 9:24

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for me will save it.


Matthew 10:39

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.


Matthew 16:25
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it;
but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.


Mark 8:35
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.


Luke 9:24
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.


MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN.

TRULY IT IS A NARROW PATH TO WALK THE WAY OF GOD.
ONLY FEW WILL MAKE IT TO THE END.

MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP THOSE WHO SINCERELY GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE WORD OF GOD TO SPREAD AND GIVE LIFE TO OTHERS...

MAY THE LOVE OF GOD REIGN...

MAY THE LOST SHEEP FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO THE FOLD...

MAY GOD BE MERCIFUL UPON THOSE WHO ARE PERSEVERING TO DO GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS...

TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.