Me and You

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

There are two underlying themes of this epistle of John; love and sin. Those things that testify of it, or the lack of it. How can we say we are Christians if we do or don’t do these things? John’s epistle is a big “how ya’ living” look at oneself. John starts off being very clear, he is not telling you anything new, that from the beginning it is clear what God through his Son Jesus did for us. John simply stresses through the evidence of that love for us, we should love others just the same as God loved us. How can we call ourselves Christians, if we don’t love as he first loved us? John openly addresses sin and the struggles of sin throughout this book. John talks of how those that continue in sin, may not be saved at all. We all have sin struggles, we all battle something on a large scale, but that leads to an intimate relationship of repentance down the path of sanctification for our entire lives this side of glory. As crazy as it sounds, our sins struggles draw us closer to God; the conviction of sin is healthy when it leads to a repentant relationship.

Our world is full of hate, and it is hard to love so many people who hate one another. We can’t “love” those who are evil, but we can love them enough to pray for them, for God to open their hearts to their sin and to rescue them from Hell. That is how we love those who hate us, who mock us, who do bad things to us each day; we give them over to God. Paul expounds on this greatly in Romans 12 also: 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I am really struggling with all I see going on around me in the world today. I am struggling with socially acceptable sin, praised sin even, sins that mock God on large scales. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. I struggle with the level of evil in our hearts, the level of evil in our children’s hearts; this shows how far from Christians we have become according to these epistles. We have lost our reverence for life, for each other, for God; we are a dying generation from within on a biblical scale. God is not lacking in his promises to reclaim his people and judge the worlds sin. God has to be stirring in the heavens above to make the call of both, and change the world as we know it forever. Will you do the best you can today to live as a Christian? Will you seek to exemplify Jesus Christ showing love where not expected? Will you go to him with your sin struggles and repent? Will you seek him in prayer and his Word, letting him change you from the inside, showing it on the outside? Worldly changes begins with one, maybe today it will be me and you.