... and everyone
who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know
that we love the children of God, when we love God ... 1 John 5:1b-2a
We are what we wear! John in writing his first epistle is striving to get his readers to wear the apparel of "Victory in Jesus" and to "Just Do It" so as to gain the overcoming victory of living by faith. We learned the word for “victory” or “overcoming” in the New Testament language is “Nikao” which leads us to share our own “Nike” Formula.
We are what we wear! John in writing his first epistle is striving to get his readers to wear the apparel of "Victory in Jesus" and to "Just Do It" so as to gain the overcoming victory of living by faith. We learned the word for “victory” or “overcoming” in the New Testament language is “Nikao” which leads us to share our own “Nike” Formula.
Nike Formula of Love ... "Shirt of Love"
- Love God - You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your strength. Deuteronomy
6:5
Can the people around you tell
that you love God? Have you not seen a
boy playing or admiring his father and heard someone say, "He sure loves
his Daddy." Others ought to be able
to look at us and say, "They sure do love their heavenly Daddy!"
- Love Believers – For this is
the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love
one another; 1 John 3:11
What exactly does this mean? It means God loves you and I have to love you
because I love God. We do not get to
choose who we love! If we love God we
are to love one another and if we love one another will love God. Agape (self-sacrificing love) breaks down
into:
- God's Love for You and I
- Our Love for God
- Our Love for One Another
John is hard in his teaching about
this. He brings our love down to either
being the children of God or the children of the devil. In 1 John 3:10 the children of God and the children of the devil are defined
by obedience: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he
who does not love his brother.
How we love one another makes us distinctive from the world
by . . .
- Showing that we are disciples of Jesus Christ. ("A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love
one another. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if
you have love for one another." John 13:34-35)
- Displaying how much we love God as His children.
Nike Formula of
Obedience ... "Cap of Obedience"
- Obeying God's Commandments …and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we
keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome1 John
5:2b-3
God has always asked for
obedience. From the garden days of Adam
and Eve to today with you and me, obedience is what God desires from His
children. Is our obedience to God
characterized by joyfulness or "have-to-ness"? I understand there are things I have to do, but does that mindset
characterize the victory I have in Christ?
Joyful obedience is born out of a love for God, God's Son and God's
Word. Obedience to God is an outward
manifestation of our love for Him.
A child on a sports field may or may not want his/her
parents to watch. If they feel their
parent will only chide them for their errors and not rejoice in their
accomplishments, they will wish their eyes were not on them. But a child who knows his parents applaud
them regardless of their mistakes and rejoices with them in their victories is
pleased to have his parents watch. God
is watching…and that is a good thing.
Scripture to
Claim:
…looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of
the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
