Wednesday Devo
Scripture:
1 John 5
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.
Commentary:
5:1 Everyone who believes that. The word “that” underscores that saving faith has a particular content. It is not a vague religious commitment but a wholehearted trust in the saving work of Christ. Everyone who believes has been born of God. Regeneration precedes faith (cf. 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; note on Eph. 2:5).
5:2 Obeying God’s commandments in Scripture is the way to love the children of God because God’s commandments show believers the true way to do good for others (cf. Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14). Love and law are complementary.
5:3 not burdensome. God’s love in his people gives them the desire to love and please him. So with eagerness they keep his commandments. Rightly understood and followed, God’s commandments bring believers great joy and freedom, not a sense of oppression (cf. Matt. 11:28–30).
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2436.
5:2 Obeying God’s commandments in Scripture is the way to love the children of God because God’s commandments show believers the true way to do good for others (cf. Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14). Love and law are complementary.
5:3 not burdensome. God’s love in his people gives them the desire to love and please him. So with eagerness they keep his commandments. Rightly understood and followed, God’s commandments bring believers great joy and freedom, not a sense of oppression (cf. Matt. 11:28–30).
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2436.
Questions:
- The bottom line is, when it comes to these kinds of disagreements between biblical truth and culture, God's truth wins. HE has ultimate authority... not you, not culture, not what's popular, not some supposed Christian that sells a lot of books or gets a lot of clicks. Jesus said that if we loved Him, we would obey Him. He said that if we put His word into practice we would be building our house on solid rock. He said that in order to follow Him we must DENY ourselves and take up our cross. Is God's Word the authority of your life? Do you truly submit to Him in every way? Or are there areas where you like to take back the reigns?
- Reflect on this quote from Thomas Schreiner: “Jude probably had in mind the lordship of God and/or Christ here. Indeed, the translation reject “lordship” or “sovereignty” is preferable to “reject authority” since it more clearly points to God’s sovereignty. The sin here is comparable to v. 4, where the opponents denied Jesus Christ as their Master and Lord. They denied the lordship of God or Christ by the way they lived.” If we asked those that know you best, your family, friends, coworkers... what would they say? Do you deny Christ as Lord of your life by the way you speak or behave?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would submit to the Lordship of Christ today.
- That your life would always point to Jesus.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
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