‘If, then’… the absolute declaration of personal accountability – and the Bible is full of it. One spot challenged me every time I read it – found in 1 John 2: 3-5.
‘Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.’
For years, when I read the word keep I saw the word do. But upon further study I came to realize keep means to guard, to protect – and reflects the place for God’s Word in a person’s heart. To keep God’s Word is to love, to honor, to cherish, to adore, to highly exalt, and to bow down before his Word… to give one’s self wholly to the Lord.
Thus, John’s behavior in Revelation 5 speaks so clear…
‘Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.’ (But the Lamb had prevailed!)
The challenge of 1John 2 remains – but it goes far beyond ‘what I do’… deep into ‘who I am’.
Dive in, and read it for yourself.
Read it for yourself. 