Topic: A Worthy Walk [Wednesday January 31st, 2018]
Text: 1 John 2:1-19 (KJV)
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Key Verse: “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6)
MESSAGE:
In an era when every Dick, Tom and Harry claims and wears the tag of “child of God,” John the beloved admonishes believers to go beyond the empty claim of knowing God. In verse 6 of the chapter, he uses the phrase, “ought to walk”. It means that if we claim allegiance to God, we have a moral burden and obligation to follow Christ’s steps. It is only those who live according to the will of God that will remain in fellowship with both the Father and the Son.
Believers are admonished to hold onto Jesus, who alone is the Saviour of the world and our Advocate “with the Father”. Every professing Christian must genuinely follow the path of righteousness as Christ did. Christ-like life and walk is only possible through the gracious experience of salvation. To obtain this experience, the sinner must turn away from sin, believe that Jesus the Son of God died and rose again to procure forgiveness for him/her and receive Him as His personal Lord and Saviour. As Christ comes in, He activates his/her heart to love God and live a righteous lifestyle.
One who is saved will be different from a pack of other so-called Christians who make mere profession of their love for Christ but live contrary to Him. It is strange to note that many churches today are populated with people who are bereft of genuine experience of salvation. Any superstructure without a foundation will surely collapse. That is why John the beloved conveyed God’s message of Christ-like living to all classes of people.
As witnesses for Christ, we must carefully and wisely choose words to suit those we witness to in order to achieve maximum success. We must not forget that we are in the last days and this truth places a heavy burden on us to watch over our lives while guiding others on the path of righteousness and into God’s kingdom.
Thought For The Day: Those who walk worthy of their profession of faith will ultimately fulfil destiny.
Bible Reading in a Year: Exodus 4-6.
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
