L-I-F-E. A small word. A simple word. It is a quality, a force, a state. an existence.
If you are reading this, you have it. LIFE, that is. God has, a few (the number varies dependent upon who is reading this) years ago, given you this thing. This state of being, this organismic existence.
As the Apostle John starts out this letter, he addresses 'The life', without directly stating WHAT (or WHO) this 'life' is...just 'the life'. We obviouisly conclude, however, that John is referring to the Son of God, Jesus, the 'life' God put on this earth for him and the other Apostles to learn from.
John brings to 'life' the concept of walking in the light, explaining that God is that light, and that Jesus is part of God, and hence was a 'light with life' on earth. I find it interesting that John says that we need to 'walk in the light', and not necessarily BE light. That is, we are not perfect, as 'the light' is, however, we are allowed to walk 'in' it.
Why aren't we light? Because we sin. Why aren't we banned from the light, from life? Because Jesus died for us. If He had not done so, we would not be saved. We would not be in the light. We would not go to Heaven. Now, this is where many non-believers have issues. The concept of sin. We are allowed to walk in the light, to have life beyond our current physical life, EVEN IF WE SIN, because of the deeds accomplished by Jesus. However, as you can read, if we sin and do not confess it, then we can't walk in the light, and we won't go to Heaven. And even non-believers believe (????sounds weird) that doing wrong is sin---they don't get the concept that 1, there is life beyond this one, 2, that sin can stop you from going to Heaven, and 3, because we Do sin, then 2 can't be true.
Little do they understand. Yes, sin can stop you from going to Heaven (even those who have been saved)....it's a matter of confessing that sin and at least 'attempting' to walk in the light, that is, attempting not to sin--even though we know we will.
Jesus is our only venue through which we can confess our sins and get forgiveness. If we don't, we don't. Do you? Do you, on a regular basis, confess your sin (after all, John points out that if we claim not to have sinned, then we're liars)?
To have life, to have an existence, is one thing. To have a life for all of eternity is another. To get the latter, we must spend the former by walking in the light, by trying not to sin, but when we do sin, confess it to God through Jesus, for forgiveness.
I hope you all enjoy our new journey for the month of December. Been missing a vital link from Rich, who has been going through some tuff times. Hopefully this sojourn will help him, and us all. Welcome home Rick---how was Vermont? Thanks for the help again Tony...always a great experience when we're together, whether it is working or just fellowshipping. JB--I look forward to many more words from the wise--you have talent. Reply to this
December 1, 2008 7:47 AM
Johnbob wrote:
Ok. Let's hear it. Let's hear about your sins. Well, this blog might not be the best venue if Danielle is reading, but in some way, we need to be confessing our sins to God and to one another. Have any of you participated in a Chemical Recovery group? I have sponsored a couple of people over the years and I can tell you that it is the most refreshing ministry - (I might have blogged about this before). It was refreshing because people were REAL (though some did lie through their teeth, but would usually come clean eventually). So we had people from all walks of life talking about their addictions to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and all the 'triggers' in their lives that led to such behaviors. And they were real and the 'graduates' would lovingly (and sometimes not lovingly) disciple them until eventually they were victorious over their sin. Very refreshing because I am typically surrounded by college graduates with good jobs, a 'together' life, a sharp wife, etc., but I really never feel like I know what is going on with them. This chapter really deals with the fact that you can't be a lone ranger christian. Part of walking in the light is 'fellowhip with one another'. I have said this before that I think 40+ year old American men are very independent and really want to put on a good face more than anything.
So I haven't confessed much in a while. A couple things happened toward the end of Thanksgiving that I need to get off my chest - will do that via phone sometime today. Reply to this
December 1, 2008 12:41 PM
Sam wrote:
Fellowhip--I LIKE that....sorta like discipling! Something you get after you confess your sin to someone else other than God!
OH, you meant fellowSHIP...My bad!
Face-to-face fellowhipping is probably better than this OR the telephone. But, you're right, probably none of us have done too much of this James 5:16 thing lately. Occasionally Tony and I talk, and sometimes Rik and I--but other than the obvious stuff we blog about, probaby not much confession is going on---BUT, I hope that each IS confessing to God....but then, you're right again, probably if we're not talking about between ourselves, we're probably not telling God about it either. We can't do this alone, like you said, JB---we can only do this with God AND with friends. Reply to this
December 1, 2008 4:57 PM
Rich wrote:
A good friend of mine (Johnbob here) gently rebuked me on Sunday about not blogging. I apologize and I repent. I confess that I have been lazy and distracted. I have no excuse (how can there be any excuse to not spend time with God and to share my excitement about what I am learning with others). John, thanks. A friend who will hold you accountable and who knows how to motivate and rebuke is more valuable than all the gold in the world. I don't think that is a proverb, but it sure could be. I know the message is similar to proverbs we have read over the past year.
I find John's comment: "We write this to make our joy complete" to be very interesting. I see a footnote that "our" is "your" in some manuscripts. But as I learned in a book Mac suggested about the origin of scripture, our is probably the accurate translation. More likely than not, as this verse was being transcribed, someone thought that your made more sense. And in fact, in some ways it does make more sense. John writes so that others may know Jesus and because they know him they can have complete joy.
But "our" is more interesting. If this is really what John wrote, then he obviously felt that sharing the gospel with others, that teaching others about Jesus, that sharing his convictions with others actually COMPLETED him. It fulfilled his mission is life. John believed that sharing his faith and life and convictions was just as much a part of his Christianity as having faith. Our belief and knowledge of Jesus is not something to hide. It is only truly complete if we share it with others. I really wish I believed this deeply enough to share my faith because I thought it would make me more complete. Reply to this
December 2, 2008 1:18 PM
Johnbob wrote:
Yeah c'mon! Great comments on joy (whether your or our). Good to hear from you and keep it coming!
Life.
L-I-F-E. A small word. A simple word. It is a quality, a force, a state. an existence.
If you are reading this, you have it. LIFE, that is. God has, a few (the number varies dependent upon who is reading this) years ago, given you this thing. This state of being, this organismic existence.
As the Apostle John starts out this letter, he addresses 'The life', without directly stating WHAT (or WHO) this 'life' is...just 'the life'. We obviouisly conclude, however, that John is referring to the Son of God, Jesus, the 'life' God put on this earth for him and the other Apostles to learn from.
John brings to 'life' the concept of walking in the light, explaining that God is that light, and that Jesus is part of God, and hence was a 'light with life' on earth. I find it interesting that John says that we need to 'walk in the light', and not necessarily BE light. That is, we are not perfect, as 'the light' is, however, we are allowed to walk 'in' it.
Why aren't we light? Because we sin. Why aren't we banned from the light, from life? Because Jesus died for us. If He had not done so, we would not be saved. We would not be in the light. We would not go to Heaven. Now, this is where many non-believers have issues. The concept of sin. We are allowed to walk in the light, to have life beyond our current physical life, EVEN IF WE SIN, because of the deeds accomplished by Jesus. However, as you can read, if we sin and do not confess it, then we can't walk in the light, and we won't go to Heaven. And even non-believers believe (????sounds weird) that doing wrong is sin---they don't get the concept that 1, there is life beyond this one, 2, that sin can stop you from going to Heaven, and 3, because we Do sin, then 2 can't be true.
Little do they understand. Yes, sin can stop you from going to Heaven (even those who have been saved)....it's a matter of confessing that sin and at least 'attempting' to walk in the light, that is, attempting not to sin--even though we know we will.
Jesus is our only venue through which we can confess our sins and get forgiveness. If we don't, we don't. Do you? Do you, on a regular basis, confess your sin (after all, John points out that if we claim not to have sinned, then we're liars)?
To have life, to have an existence, is one thing. To have a life for all of eternity is another. To get the latter, we must spend the former by walking in the light, by trying not to sin, but when we do sin, confess it to God through Jesus, for forgiveness.
I hope you all enjoy our new journey for the month of December. Been missing a vital link from Rich, who has been going through some tuff times. Hopefully this sojourn will help him, and us all. Welcome home Rick---how was Vermont? Thanks for the help again Tony...always a great experience when we're together, whether it is working or just fellowshipping. JB--I look forward to many more words from the wise--you have talent.
Reply to this
Ok. Let's hear it. Let's hear about your sins. Well, this blog might not be the best venue if Danielle is reading, but in some way, we need to be confessing our sins to God and to one another. Have any of you participated in a Chemical Recovery group? I have sponsored a couple of people over the years and I can tell you that it is the most refreshing ministry - (I might have blogged about this before). It was refreshing because people were REAL (though some did lie through their teeth, but would usually come clean eventually). So we had people from all walks of life talking about their addictions to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and all the 'triggers' in their lives that led to such behaviors. And they were real and the 'graduates' would lovingly (and sometimes not lovingly) disciple them until eventually they were victorious over their sin. Very refreshing because I am typically surrounded by college graduates with good jobs, a 'together' life, a sharp wife, etc., but I really never feel like I know what is going on with them. This chapter really deals with the fact that you can't be a lone ranger christian. Part of walking in the light is 'fellowhip with one another'. I have said this before that I think 40+ year old American men are very independent and really want to put on a good face more than anything.
So I haven't confessed much in a while. A couple things happened toward the end of Thanksgiving that I need to get off my chest - will do that via phone sometime today.
Reply to this
Fellowhip--I LIKE that....sorta like discipling!
OH, you meant fellowSHIP...My bad!
Face-to-face fellowhipping is probably better than this OR the telephone. But, you're right, probably none of us have done too much of this James 5:16 thing lately. Occasionally Tony and I talk, and sometimes Rik and I--but other than the obvious stuff we blog about, probaby not much confession is going on---BUT, I hope that each IS confessing to God....but then, you're right again, probably if we're not talking about between ourselves, we're probably not telling God about it either. We can't do this alone, like you said, JB---we can only do this with God AND with friends.
Reply to this
A good friend of mine (Johnbob here) gently rebuked me on Sunday about not blogging. I apologize and I repent. I confess that I have been lazy and distracted. I have no excuse (how can there be any excuse to not spend time with God and to share my excitement about what I am learning with others). John, thanks. A friend who will hold you accountable and who knows how to motivate and rebuke is more valuable than all the gold in the world. I don't think that is a proverb, but it sure could be. I know the message is similar to proverbs we have read over the past year.
I find John's comment: "We write this to make our joy complete" to be very interesting. I see a footnote that "our" is "your" in some manuscripts. But as I learned in a book Mac suggested about the origin of scripture, our is probably the accurate translation. More likely than not, as this verse was being transcribed, someone thought that your made more sense. And in fact, in some ways it does make more sense. John writes so that others may know Jesus and because they know him they can have complete joy.
But "our" is more interesting. If this is really what John wrote, then he obviously felt that sharing the gospel with others, that teaching others about Jesus, that sharing his convictions with others actually COMPLETED him. It fulfilled his mission is life. John believed that sharing his faith and life and convictions was just as much a part of his Christianity as having faith. Our belief and knowledge of Jesus is not something to hide. It is only truly complete if we share it with others. I really wish I believed this deeply enough to share my faith because I thought it would make me more complete.
Reply to this
Yeah c'mon! Great comments on joy (whether your or our). Good to hear from you and keep it coming!
JR
Reply to this