1 John

1 John: Readings and the Thoughts that followed

1 John 1:6 ~ "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."

You can't talk about following Jesus and not actually be following Him.
It is a lot better to not even claim to be a follower than to try to fake it.
You are lying to yourself, which is most dangerous because you're the one who will lose the most in the end. 9/4/18

1 John 1:9 ~ "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

We can't do anything about our sin.
This is a very hard lesson to learn, but it is something we must give over to Jesus and allow Him to do His work. 2/6/18

1 John 2:6 ~ "whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked."

It's a simple test: if you abide in Jesus you will be doing the things He did.
If you have to make excuses or reasons you don't walk like He did, then you probably aren't abiding in Him.
But, this is more than a self check-up.
Are the members of your church who are claiming Jesus, walking like Jesus did?
Believers should always be held to a higher standard than non believers, so don't let a believer walk differently than Jesus an not approach them about their hypocrisy. 9/5/18

1 John 3:6 ~ "No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him."

Do you know Jesus?
Have you accepted him as Savior AND Lord?
Nobody who is walking in Christ is seeking out sin, incompatible and not happening. 9/6/18

1 John 3:16 ~ "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers."

1 John 4:4 ~ "Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

1 John 4:11 ~ "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

If anybody has a reason not to love someone it's God.
He made a perfect creation and left it under our care, for Him to help us govern it.
All He asked was for our obedience in governing, but we didn't give it.
Instead we wrecked His creation, ripping people from Him and He had to sacrifice to bring us back.
Even after His sacrifice we continue to rebel against Him.
AND YET, He still loves us.
Go love somebody today. 9/9/18

1 John 5:3 ~ "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."

If you are truly saved, you will not be chasing sin.
You will pursue God's commandments, if you aren't pursuing God and His Commands then you likely are not actually saved.
When you are keeping His commandments you aren't burdened by them, but instead you are at peace and content.
If this verse doesn't describe you, please do a very deep and serious self-check if you are actually a believer. 9/10/18