Following the Commands of God

Like a branding mark on cattle, there are certain marks that distinguish us as well. For Christians, they show our true identity and relationship to God—even when we have questions about our faith. Last time we saw the idea from Scripture that obeying God's commands marks us as genuine followers of His.

Each of us may at times have doubts about our faith. You may ask, Am I really a believer? Has God really saved me? In the book of 1 John, the Apostle wants to help provide assurance of the grace and hope available in Christ. So he describes what demonstrates the life of a real believer: the mark of faith, the mark of obedience, and the mark of love. These things will mark you for who you really are in Christ. We previously looked at the mark of faith.

When it comes to the mark of obedience, what does this look like? How can we recognize the distinctions between those who are true followers of Jesus and those who are not? John characterizes at least three distinctions.

Walking in the light, or Walking in darkness

Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. If we say, "We have fellowship with Him," yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1.5-7, HCSB)

If you are a true follower of Christ, you not only recognize that you are a sinner, you also admit it, and you choose to start living ("walking") and practicing the truth. The Apostle Paul uses that same picture. "Walking" in Scripture often simply signifies how you live, what you practice. So John tells us to walk in light, and God is the light we need.

My wife and I are in the practice of doing whatever it takes not to wake our children once they're asleep at night. Most parents can relate. One night recently, in order not to bother the kids, I tried to get to the bathroom without turning on the light. As if I haven't lived in this house for over a year and a half, I ran into a wall. Felt pretty stupid. It hurt. Among other things, John is saying here that to avoid an eternal hurt, we must start walking in the light, the truth.

It seems so many bad crimes that we hear about on the news have happened in the middle of the night. Believers in Christ should walk like they're in the daylight, not the darkness of night. That should be the standard pattern of our lives. Why? Because God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Love for God, or Love for the world

Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one's lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God's will remains forever. (1 John 2.15-17, HCSB)

The Bible here describes that the things of the world, in a general, secular sense, are not from God. So many of us, if we're honest, would say that we love God and we love the world. But God says that we cannot do both.

Early in the story of redemption, in the book of Genesis, we see a parallel in how Eve responds to the serpent's temptation. She determines that the fruit tree would produce great food ("lust of the flesh"), that it would be beautiful to keep gazing at ("lust of the eyes"), and that eating from it might even make her wise like God ("the pride of life"). Clearly these temptations have been around for a long time. So ask yourself, Who do I love? The Bible says you cannot love both God and the world.

Children of God, or Children of the Devil

If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children. And we are! (1 John 2.29—3.1, HCSB)

Little children, let no one deceive you! The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil's works. Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God. This is how God's children—and the Devil's children—are made evident. (1 John 3.7-10, HCSB)

Think of the extremes of these illustrations. One of the sweetest pictures I can think of to show us who we are in Christ is the description that we have been brought into God's family, and we are His children. At the same time, one of the most extreme and appalling pictures I can think of is that, if we are not in Christ, we are children of the Devil.

Sometimes we Christians tend to think of nonbelievers—those not in Christ—as the ones who are flagrant, obvious sinners. But nonbelievers can also be those who are self-righteous religious folks, trusting in their own accomplishments and supposed righteousness. The problem is that even on our best day, if attempted in our own strength, we can never be good enough. We can't make the standard of real righteousness.

But One has. And His name is Jesus. And everyone who trusts in Him will be saved by His perfect life, substitutionary death, and victorious resurrection.

So am I really a believer in Jesus? John essentially says we can ask it this way: Am I walking in the light? Am I loving God? Am I living as His child?

Whether we obey God, or at least desire to obey Him, will mark us for who we really are.

The Mark of Obedience

Have you ever seen cattle being branded? Me neither. But the branding iron leaves a mark. It marks the cattle as belonging to someone. There's a sense in which that's what John the Apostle is talking about in his letter, 1 John.

Each of us may at times have doubts about our faith. You may ask, Am I really a believer? Has God really saved me? In 1 John, he wants to help provide assurance of the grace and hope available in Christ. So he describes what demonstrates the life of a real believer: the mark of faith, the mark of obedience, and the mark of love. These things will mark you for who you really are in Christ.

The central question that many of us may ask at certain points of doubt is: How do we know for certain that we are God's children, that we are His and He is ours? God tells us how:

This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2.3-4, HCSB)

In other words, someone who says that he is a believer, but doesn't do what God says, is actually lying, and perhaps only deceiving himself. So John says, Do what God tells you, and it shows that you belong to Him.

That's the positive sense. But here's the negative sense:

You know that He was revealed so that He might take away sins, and there is no sin in Him. Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him. (1 John 3.5-6, HCSB)

This means that a person who truly knows God does not purposely and intentionally continue in sin. That's not the pattern of her life. Instead, a true follower of Jesus will, once sin is realized, confess and repent of that sin, and not continue in it. But continuing in sin—living in sin as a pattern of life—shows that we are not walking with Him and that we have never really known Him (v. 6).

Ultimately, it's a matter of staying close with God throughout each day ("remaining with Him"), and living life as He would live it, making the choices He would make. He shares it this way:

But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. (1 John 2.5-6, HCSB)

If you say you know Him, with His Spirit in you, then you will live each day (that is, "walking") the same way Jesus lived. This is the What would Jesus do? question.

Of course the real question that matters for all of eternity is, What has Jesus done? He lived perfectly and yet died in our place. He then rose from death. He's the supreme reality of both obedience and love. And a genuine believer in Jesus will want to live, love, and yes, even obey as Jesus did.

I realize that in my last post I said I would talk about the mark of obedience in one post, but after seeing how long it was running, I had to break it into two. The next post will look at how John specifically describes the difference between real followers of Jesus, and those who are not.

Take courage that you can know that you are His.

The Mark of Faith

Earlier I referenced some marks of a genuine believer that we can see in the biblical letter known as 1 John. In general, he explains the marks of faith, obedience, and love.

We talked about the mark of faith in three posts, so I simply wanted to link them together here in one place. We see the mark of genuine faith in what we can and cannot trust as described in 1 John:

• Jesus Had a Real Human Body
• Jesus Was (and Is) Fully God
• Teaching You Cannot Trust

In this way, we can't help but see the mark of true faith.

In the next two posts, I'll briefly address the mark of obedience and the mark of love, in one post each.

Teaching You Cannot Trust

John the Apostle, in his first letter, not only writes about who and what we can trust, he also tells us what we cannot trust.

What you believe about Jesus matters. John wrote to clarify that a true believer in Jesus will be shown by certain distinguishing marks: faith, obedience, love. We have previously seen that John says we can trust that Jesus had a real human body and that, at the same time, He was and is really God. Believing that Jesus is God, who took on a human body in order to rescue us, really matters.

But that means that you cannot trust any alternative teaching about Jesus.

You cannot trust teaching that denies the full divinity or full humanity of Jesus.

John tells us this in clear, stern terms:

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. But every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist; you have heard that he is coming, and he is already in the world now. (1 John 4.1-3, HCSB)

What in the world does that mean? Since they did not yet have the Scriptures that we now know as the New Testament, God provided prophets for the churches. They spoke from the Holy Spirit. They preached the gospel. Many prophesied and taught, and most of them taught the truth.

However, John was saying that some were speaking from another spirit, the spirit of the antichrist. Simply put, they were spreading lies. So John said the church should test these prophetic statements ("test the spirits"). The statements should be tested against other known truth. And one way to know that a prophetic statement was not from God was if it denied the humanity of Jesus, and by implication, the divinity of Jesus. This kind of teaching, John says, is not true, and you cannot trust it. (You can see this type of warning also from Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5.20-22.)

Notice that the "spirit of the antichrist" has been around since even the first century A.D. He has been deceiving people for a very long time. So John says to be on guard, because you cannot trust teaching that denies the full humanity (or full divinity) of Jesus.

If Jesus was not really a man, then He didn't die in your place, and you are hopeless. But He was, and He did. It matters.

If Jesus is not really God, then He didn't have the power or authority to save you and you are helpless. But He is, and He does. It matters.

Is your life marked by genuine faith?

Jesus Was (and Is) Fully God

To say that Jesus had a real human body does not mean that He wasn't God. The opposite is true. When Jesus entered this world, He was fully man and fully God at the same time.

John the Apostle was clear that if you are a genuine believer, what you believe about Jesus matters. A true believer in Jesus will be shown by certain distinguishing marks: faith, obedience, love. Here we're talking about the mark of faith. True followers of Jesus will be shown by their faith. Believing that Jesus is God really matters.

You can trust that Jesus was (and is) also fully God.

Not only was it clear to John, who was there with Jesus, that He had a real human body, it was also clear that He was the divine Son of God. He says it this way in 1 John:

And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent His Son as the world’s Savior. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. (1 John 4.14-15, HCSB)

So believing that Jesus is God really matters. It matters that we believe that He was really a man, and that He was really God—at the same time.

It is not merely that God the Father saw a remarkable and holy man named Jesus from Nazareth, and then decided to adopt him. That is a heresy known as Adoptionism. Those who take this wrong view would essentially say that Jesus was such an amazing man on His own, that God saw Him from heaven, decided that Jesus would make a great Savior, adopted Him as His son, and then gave Him power and authority. This view completely contradicts key sections of Scripture.

Jesus was indeed born of God into this world, after the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary (Luke 1.35; Matthew 1.18), but that does not mean He was created. Jesus, the eternal second person in the Trinity, was already with God the Father when they began creating (John 1.1-3).

The Apostle John simply affirms Him as the anointed God-man, the Messiah. And whoever believes in Him as the Messiah will be saved:

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him. (1 John 5.1, HCSB)

Many centuries earlier, Isaiah had prophesied that His name would be Immanuel, translated God With Us. And that is exactly who He is.

You can trust that Jesus had a real human body, and that He was and is also fully God. When you do, it's a mark of faith.

Jesus Had a Real Human Body

The Apostle John wrote a biblical letter known as 1 John concerning what we can know about God, and about us. And he says we can know that we know God through Jesus Christ.

But false teaching had apparently cropped up where he was ministering. Some said then, and now, that Jesus only appeared to have a body, or that He merely seemed to die on a cross.

That may sound odd that some would question that Jesus had a real human body. But that seed of doubt has been used for centuries to cause people to stumble. So it's important to establish that Jesus did in fact have a real human body. And John clarifies that for his readers, and down through the centuries, for us.

John was trying to get across the idea that if you are a genuine believer, what you believe about Jesus matters. A true believer in Jesus will be marked by certain distinguishing marks: faith, obedience, love. The first that we'll talk about here is the mark of faith. True followers of Jesus will be shown by their faith.

And that faith must be rooted in the God who took on a human body to live perfectly, and then die and rise, in our place, instead of us. To do so, Jesus had to have an actual body, in which He actually died (and rose).

You can trust that Jesus had a real human body.

John says you can believe that. Why? Because he was there. John and his friends were with Jesus. They saw Him, they heard Him, they ate with Him, they touched Him, and they knew that He had a real human body. They were eyewitnesses in these early days of Jesus' ministry:

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life—that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1.1-3, HCSB)

God's word says that Jesus really took on a human body. If you can trust Scripture—and you can—then you can trust that He had a real body. John and his buddies were there, and that's among the most important early facts they reported to us about Jesus.

When Jesus came back from death and showed up in the locked, fearful room the disciples had created, He joined them in their room and wanted to reassure them. "Peace to you!" He said. And then "He showed them His hands and His side" (John 20.20, HCSB). He was real.

Then a little later when Thomas kept having doubts, which were normal, Jesus wanted to reassure him also, and said:

Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don't be an unbeliever, but a believer. (John 20.27, HCSB)

Thomas saw and believed. Jesus said those who hadn't seen and still believed are blessed, but He knew that these close friends would soon attest to the fact that His body was indeed real. He really died. He really rose from death.

This is the incarnation. He put on flesh. He put on bones. Specifically this is what we celebrate at Christmas each year. Born into this world, He put on a body.

If He didn't, or hadn't, we would be hopeless. But He did. And we have certainty, and we believe. And our lives are marked by faith.

The Marks of a Genuine Believer

Do you have a prominent, distinguishing birthmark? Or perhaps you have other markings like tattoos?

I've always thought it to be pretty interesting when a local news alert comes across the airwaves and a reporter says that police have offered a description of the suspect. They will tell the obvious details, such as height, weight, ethnicity, and the clothes they were wearing when they were last seen. But once in a while they will say something like, "…and the suspect has a large tattoo on his left arm with the words, Elvira Forever, prominently displayed." Bet they can't find that guy.

So do you have any marks?

The Apostle John wrote a letter in the New Testament that is all about what we can know about God, and about us. And he says we can know that we know God, through Jesus Christ.

These categories are nothing new with me, but over the next few posts, we'll be looking at three distinguishing marks of a true believer, according to John's letter. Genuine followers of Jesus will display:

• The Mark of Faith
• The Mark of Obedience
• The Mark of Love

I hope this brief look into John's letter will provide the clarity and assurance that John intended.

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5.13, HCSB)

What Some People Don't Know

On the blog this week we looked at what the Apostle John says we know that we know. There are several spiritual truths that we can know with certainty. Most importantly, God's word says that we can know that we know God.

Interestingly, though, John also speaks about a few things that some people don't know. After each unknown, see John's words of concern from the letter of 1 John.

Those who hate their brothers or sisters in Christ don't know the direction they are going.

But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he's going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2.11, HCSB)

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. (1 John 3.15, HCSB)

Those who haven’t looked to God as their Father don't know or understand His children.

Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn't know Him. (1 John 3.1, HCSB)

Those who continue in a life of sin don't know God.

Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him. (1 John 3.6, HCSB)

As you can see, this is a devastating list of unknown unknowns—things they don't know that they don't know. How can they know unless someone tells them?

I hope that you and I will take the time today to let others know all that is available in Christ.

Knowing What You Know

Yesterday we considered that although there are a vast number of things we don't know, when it comes to the most important things in life, we can have more certainty than we might initially think.

The Bible says that we can be sure that we know God through Jesus. We can have real certainty about who He is and who we are because of Him. We can know that we know God. For the believer, it is a known known.

And there are lots of other spiritual truths that John the Apostle says that we can know. In teaching through the letter of 1 John, it struck me how many things the Apostle says that we can know. By my count, he uses a form of one of the two main Greek words for know at least 40 times in 32 verses, throughout this five-chapter letter.

Below are six categories of items that John says we can know with certainty. The verses of Scripture that follow each statement are indicative of the ways that John speaks with conviction.

We know that the end of days could happen anytime.

Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, “Antichrist  is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. (1 John 2.18, HCSB)

We know that we have the truth about God.

I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. (1 John 2.21, HCSB)

We know what genuine love is, and how to show it.

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. (1 John 3.16, HCSB)

And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. (1 John 4.16, HCSB)

We know that we have been given real life, escaping death.

We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. (1 John 3.14, HCSB)

We know that God abides in us, and we in Him.

The one who keeps His commands remains in Him, and He in him. And the way we know that He remains in us is from the Spirit He has given us. (1 John 3.24, HCSB)

This is how we know that we remain in Him and He in us: He has given assurance to us from His Spirit. (1 John 4.13, HCSB)

We know that we have a saving relationship with God.

This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. (1 John 2.3, HCSB)

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5.13, HCSB)

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true One. We are in the true One—that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5.20, HCSB)

Remember, this is just a sampling of the 40 instances of what John's first letter says that we know. If we followers of Jesus lived our lives in the certainty and gracious boldness that is possible, we would make a much greater impact on our world.

I'm so thankful for the confidence that is available in Christ.

Knowing That You Know Him

How much do you really know?

You know more than you think you do. Or at least you can.

I can still remember the press conference in 2002 when Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld made a statement that later became established in pop culture. A reporter had asked him a question by stating that there were "reports that there is no evidence" of something. Rumsfeld's response was classic Rumsfeld.

Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones.

—Donald Rumsfeld, February 12, 2002

There are certainly thousands of things you don't know. More like billions. But even when it comes to the most important concerns we have, we often have no certainty as to what the outcome will be. We have no idea if our loved ones will still be with us next year, or whether we will be healthy next month, or whether we will lose our jobs next week. When it comes to knowledge with certainty, it seems we don't know much.

So how about God, and spiritual things? That seems like an area where we might not know much. After all, that's the very definition of faith, isn't it? Believing without seeing?

We might be surprised to see just how much the Bible says we can know with certainty when it comes to our faith. The Apostle John, the same one who through amazing experiences had matured into a great man of God (see these posts), wrote in a letter about what we can know with certainty concerning God and ourselves, when we are in Christ. And he even says that we can know that we know God. Take a look at these remarkable words:

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. (1 John 2.3, ESV)

He actually uses the primary Greek root word for know twice in this sentence. I used to hear pastors ask, "Do you know that you know Him?" And I used to think it was funny that they would word it that way. But the fact is, John the Apostle essentially does just that.

We'll cover later what John is saying in 1 John 2.3, about doing what God says to do. But one thing is certain. He says you can know that you know God through Jesus Christ. And that's real certainty. Some translations even word it that way: "And by this we are certain…". 

God's word says that you can know that you know Him. That's profound. Do you know Him?

Next time, we'll look at more of what we know.

What Changes Us?, Part 3

In studying the biblical letter, 1 John, I began wondering how the Apostle John turned from what appears to be a rather immature guy into a godly man who would write a powerful Gospel account, key letters, and a phenomenal Revelation, all while being a key leader in his early, local church. Through his ministry and Scriptures, John still speaks and still leads.

So what changed him? We looked at some key events here and here. Although many things happened to John that changed him, this final part includes the last two that I'll mention for now.

John observed the agony of Jesus.

John witnessed the suffering of Jesus. He was actually there. When we view movies that depict Christ's death, few even come close to showing what that kind of deep agony must have been. We sometimes forget that Jesus suffered even in the garden of Gethsemane. He suffered as He talked with his Father about what would soon happen. So much so that it was as if He were sweating blood. It was intense. And John was there.

Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified. Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow—to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” (Mark 14.32-34, HCSB)

They were so exhausted that they eventually fell asleep. But they would not forget this dramatic event that changed them. Don't you think that would have changed you?

John took responsibility for the family of Jesus.

In a sweet gesture just before His death, Jesus wanted to ensure care for His widowed mother. So in one act of love, He took care of His mom and at the same time brought John into the family. Jesus was of course the firstborn among His brothers. Why He did not at some point assign the care of His mother to the next oldest brother is a mystery to me. Perhaps it was because John was maturing. He was changing. And Jesus trusted him. In this remarkable move, from the cross, He accomplished so much. Here is the story:

Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing there, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19.25-27, HCSB)

That final sentence says so much. John completed his assignment well. From that day forward, he knew that Jesus had entrusted the care of His mom to him, and he faithfully provided care. Don't you think that would have changed you?

In both of these instances, and all of the others we have seen, it is a sweet reminder for me to see all that happened to John the Apostle in changing him.

But then I remember that in various ways, these things have happened to you and me as well. I've come to a point of belief in Jesus through a personal encounter. I've seen, in some ways, the supernatural power of God at work. I've been appointed by Jesus in a special connection. I've come to appreciate the approval of Jesus by God the Father. I've come to understand the suffering of Jesus. And Jesus has brought me into His family. In a spiritual way, I've experienced these episodes just like John.

And so have you.

And when it's real, it changes us.

What Changes Us?, Part 2

Last time, we asked the question, essentially: What does it take for a man to change from a selfish, perhaps wimpy guy into an influential leader among Christians in the first century and beyond? John the Apostle was such a man. He became a great leader who wrote Scripture and helped lead the church into a new era.

So what changed him? We looked at two events previously. Here are two more life-changing episodes.

John was appointed in a special connection with Jesus.

The Gospel writers give lists of the Twelve Apostles, but Mark's list includes something interesting. It lists two examples of the nicknames that Jesus gave among the specially appointed team:

He appointed the Twelve:
To Simon, He gave the name Peter;
and to James the son of Zebedee,
and to his brother John,
He gave the name “Boanerges”
(that is, “Sons of Thunder”)…
(Mark 3.16-17, HCSB)

Perhaps we shouldn't read too much into this. But over the years, the folks who have chosen to give me a nickname are often those who have known me best, or worked with me the closest. I have many times done the same. A nickname is often a term of endearment, or a way to show a special connection. We know that Jesus began calling Simon by the name of Peter because of a special connection. And that's just what John the Apostle also had with Jesus. No one knows (now) exactly what Jesus meant by calling Zebedee's sons the Sons of Thunder—or however we should translate that! But my guess: it was a loving term of closeness.

I think, That sure would have changed me.

John's was certainly a special connection, but have you realized how special a connection you have with God? God knows your name, He knows your days, and even the number of hairs on your head. He may even have a nickname for you (okay, I made that part up, but it sounds just like His loving self to do something like that).

John witnessed the approval of Jesus by God the Father.

In one of the intriguing stories of the unfolding revelation of who Jesus really was and is, He allowed three of the Apostles to come to a very unique mountaintop prayer service. We call it the Transfiguration because Jesus' body and even clothes apparently began to glow! He was glorified right in front of them.

About eight days after these words, He took along Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became dazzling white. (Luke 9.28-29, HCSB)

He spoke with Moses and Elijah, and then a cloud overshadowed them and the voice of God the Father said, "This is My Son, the Chosen One; listen to Him!" (v. 35). John and the others were able to be there when God the Father personally spoke on behalf of His Son to say that they should listen to Him. It's as though He was saying: The Law and the Prophets (represented by Moses and Elijah) are good, but this One—He is My Son! Be sure to pay attention to Him! Others had seen something similar at Jesus' baptism, but not this. This was a special revelation from God reserved for Peter, James and you guessed it—John.

I think, That sure would have changed me.

We may not have seen this transfiguration live, but what was once kept to themselves (v. 36) has now been told to the world through the Scriptures. And many of us have experienced God the Father's most significant approval…that of Jesus' sacrifice in our place.

More next time.

What Changes Us?, Part 1

As we began a new series at our church about What We Know from the letter called 1 John, I began thinking about the dramatic changes that clearly took place in the Apostle John's life. This is the fellow who at one point asked Jesus if he could sit in authority next to Jesus once His kingdom was in place. And apparently on another occasion, John allowed his mom to go to bat for him and ask Jesus the same basic question.

What kind of mature man stands idly by while expecting (or at least allowing) his mother to ask a selfish question about a promotion?

But, John did ultimately mature. He became the man of God that would write a powerful Gospel account, key letters, and a phenomenal Revelation that would be talked about for centuries to come (and still is).

So I wanted to remind myself of some of the significant events and experiences that John had during his earlier days. There were several instances in John the Apostle’s life that must have altered the rest of his life. What changed him (and what changes us)?

I'm going to point out six events that shaped John. Here are the first two.

John came to a point of belief in Jesus through a personal encounter.

I've always been intrigued by the way the Gospels tell the story of the first disciples' initial steps of faith in Christ. They must have known who Jesus was. But when He encountered them, in person, something began to change inside them. They believed in Him.

Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. (Matthew 4.21-22, HCSB)

Can you imagine what that must have been like? Jesus Himself called John to follow. And John did. Surely that personal encounter began to change John into the man he would later become. It must have been quite a feeling to have been directly and personally called by Jesus.

But then, aren't each of us directly and personally called by Jesus? Absolutely.

John saw firsthand the supernatural power of Jesus.

As the stories in the Gospels unfold, it is amazing to think about being there! But John didn't have to imagine it. He was there for some of the most significant miracles of Jesus. Here is one particular example.

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went into Simon and Andrew’s house with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told Him [Jesus] about her at once. So He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.
When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all those who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. The whole town was assembled at the door, and He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him. (Mark 1.29-34, HCSB)

Then another time, John was present as Jesus raised from death a little girl. Very few got to see such a glorious sight. But look who was included:

After He came to the house, He let no one enter with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother. (Luke 8.51, HCSB)

It seems that the Apostle John was blessed to be able to witness in clear view many of the more well-known works of the Savior. He was there. And in some cases, he was given direct and special access. Certainly this up-close and privileged access to the supernatural work of Jesus would end up shaping John's life!

But then again, haven't there been times when you have seen God work in incredible ways? You may not have thought of them as miracles, but if it was God working in a specific way that you witnessed, didn't He grant special access? Absolutely.

To be continued.

From the Beginning

How do you start off your day? It seems many people contend that what you do first in the morning has a great impact on the rest of your day. Thus it follows that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Not sure who came up with that one; I would fail that test.

How do you begin a new year? Or any new phase? Certainly there is something powerful about starting well so that you can end well.

This all makes sense when we remember perhaps the three main inherent desires that each of us has. We all long for a sense of significance/value, we all need relationship/community, and we all desire an understanding our destiny (where we're going) and origin (where we came from; how we began). We Christians would contend that these desires are satisfied in Christ.

So it's not ironic that the Apostle John would focus on this third element: the origin, the beginning.

It's obvious to see what appears to be a parallel between how John starts the letter now known as 1 John, and how he starts the Gospel that bears his name. And both of those remind us of the first words in the Bible:

What was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we have observed
and have touched with our hands,
concerning the Word of life—
(1 John 1.1, HCSB, emphasis added) 

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
(John 1.1-2, HCSB, emphasis added)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1.1, HCSB, emphasis added)

Regarding the parallels, some have said that in 1 John, he is talking about the eternality of Jesus, the "Word of life." They might cite 1 John 2.13-14: "the One who is from the beginning."

Others say that John is referencing the beginning of the proclamation of the gospel message, the "word about the Life." They might quote 1 John 2.7; 2.24, or 3.11: "For this is the message you have heard from the beginning."

I believe that John was smart enough to do both at the same time. Listen to how he continues chapter one, after the first verse:

…that life was revealed,
and we have seen it
and we testify and declare to you
the eternal life that was with the Father
and was revealed to us—
what we have seen and heard
we also declare to you,
so that you may have fellowship along with us;
and indeed our fellowship is with the Father
and with His Son Jesus Christ.
(1 John 1.2-3, HCSB)

The beautiful way in which John works in both the eternal nature of God and the consistent message of His grace is the starting point of a short letter in which he reminds us of all the things that we can and should know.

On Sunday mornings at Fellowship we are working our way through the letter of 1 John this Advent season. It may not be at the top of everyone's list of obvious Christmas texts of Scripture, but maybe it should be. John starts off with the genuineness of the incarnation of Jesus. That is Christmas—the miracle of the birth of the Messiah.

If you live in our area, we hope you can join us. If not, you can listen to our podcasts. And we'll be sharing some thoughts here along the way.

Jesus—Better Than Moses

The Bible affirms Moses in so many ways, and it is obvious that to Jews throughout history, he is not merely a forefather, but a hero. Moses is one of the most prominent, respected leaders in Jewish heritage. So when the writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews first mentions Moses, it is with a clear level of respect.

In fact, in Hebrews 3.1-6, the letter commends Moses in several ways. But it is even clearer that although Moses is good, Jesus is better. Jesus is the greatest, and He is certainly far superior to Moses.

Simply put, the writer says that they should “consider Jesus.”

In this text, there are a couple of immediately noticeable comparisons between Jesus and Moses. The writer says that both of them were faithful to God the Father who appointed them in their roles. Another implied comparison is that both are worthy of glory and honor. But that is where the distinctions become clear.

First, he refers to Jesus as the apostle and high priest of their confession as Jewish believers. Then Jesus is described as having more glory or honor than Moses (v. 3). He is saying that Jesus is greater than Moses. But how, specifically?

There are two metaphors used. The first is that although Moses was instrumental in the household of faith, Jesus built the house. As the builder, Jesus is greater and worthy of more glory. The second metaphor is that although Moses was like an amazing servant in the house, Jesus is a Son over the household. And a son is greater than a servant.

There is a glowing example of this comparison of glory in what Paul says to the Corinthian church about the ministry of Moses and the ministry of the Holy Spirit:

Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to look directly at Moses’ face because of the glory from his face—a fading glory—how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness overflows with even more glory. In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious. (2 Corinthians 3.7-11, HCSB)

Moses’ glory eventually faded. Jesus’ glory has not. The Bible is clear in several instances that Moses’ law is good and has its place, but that the work of Jesus fulfilled the law. The writer of Hebrews will make that abundantly clear, later in his letter.

Listen to this amazing indictment by Jesus:

For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. (John 5.46, HCSB)

All of the Scriptures point to Jesus. Including the Book of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy—the Pentateuch). Moses was looking ahead, to Jesus.

A trust in one’s religious heritage or heroes, rather than Jesus, is a dangerous thing. Jesus is greater.

The Best Brother Anyone Could Have

Growing up with a brother or sister or both can be quite a competitive venture. Most of us don’t even mean for competition to happen; it just develops naturally. Some sibling rivalries are legendary.

For those who are blessed to have a brother or sister, often it seems that there is not much middle ground: Either you have a wonderful relationship, or you struggle to have a good relationship with your sibling. Imagine having the best possible brother you could have. What would that look like? Well, if you’re a follower of Jesus, you have just that.

We often think of God as our perfect Father, and we should. But do we realize how vibrant is the picture of Jesus as our brother? The Scriptures say this in several ways. Jesus is the best big brother anyone could ever imagine.

We have previously seen that the basic idea throughout the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is better than everyone and everything. In Hebrews 2.10-18 the writer shows that Jesus is the best brother anyone could have. You can see the family theme in this text in these words:

• Verse 10: “sons”
• Verse 11: “one Father…brothers”
• Verse 12: “brothers”
• Verse 13: “children God gave Me”
• Verse 14: “children”
• Verse 17: “like his brothers”

With this backdrop of a spiritual family in view, we see Jesus on display as the best possible older brother, and that principle has its effect in a few ways.

Having the Son of God as my brother means that I have an eternal family. (vv. 10-13)

As Jesus’ perfection was shown to be complete through His suffering, God’s word says that He brings many sons to glory, and they are tied together with Him not only in His suffering, but also in His future glory. Jesus isn’t ashamed to call them brothers, the spiritual and eternal family who God the Father gave to His Son. This is also reminiscent of Ephesians 3.14-15:

For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. (HCSB)

We have been adopted into the family of God by grace through faith. And because of His suffering for us, He calls us His brothers and sisters in the eternal family.

Having the Son of God as my brother means that I have a powerful representative. (vv. 14-16)

Growing up, it was always a relief when my older brother represented me before others. I knew he would look out for me. Imagine, though, what it’s like to have the Son of God as your big Brother. He always looks out for you in ways that you haven’t even imagined. Verses 14-15 say that He looks out for us so much that He even destroyed the Devil on our behalf. He didn’t do this for angels—He did it for His brothers and sisters (v. 16). Paul says in Romans:

For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8.29, HCSB)

He is not ashamed to call us family, and as the firstborn Brother, he is pleased to look out for us in every way.

Having the Son of God as my brother means that I have the ultimate advocate. (vv. 16-18)

What if your brother not only looked out for you, but also even stood in your place before a holy God? And took the punishment that was due you? That’s what Jesus did for His brothers and sisters. He took our place, and took on Him the wrath that we would have had to take (propitiation). He became like us and was then tested and suffered, so that He would be able to help us. If we trust in Him and do His will, He calls us family:

Whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother. (Mark 3.35, HCSB)

What an amazing Brother that Jesus is to those who believe!

The Danger of Drifting Away

Have you ever gone to one of those gift shops in a vacation destination that sells fancy driftwood? I’ve seen those pieces of wood in many places. What amazes me the most is how expensive some of them are. Some cost hundreds of dollars. For a piece of wood. A piece of wood that is dead.

Granted, some of the pieces look very cool. They are quite interesting. But let’s be honest: Where else but in America would we pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for a piece of wood that died and drifted far away?

In Hebrews 2.1-9, the writer discusses the grave danger of drifting away from God by neglecting the great salvation He has made available. Drifting away involves death, whether a slow death or not. Notice how serious the warning is in these verses. He tells us some things to beware of.

Beware of drifting away from the word of God. (v. 1)

The writer is helpful to begin by specifically stating what we must beware of drifting away from: Beware of drifting away from what we have heard. And what had they heard? God’s word. So he says they and we must “pay even more attention” or “pay much closer attention” to His word. Why? Because God’s word is truth, and God’s word is power.

James also highlights the problem with someone who hears the word of God without really listening and acting on it. He says:

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1.22, HCSB)

So the first thing he tells us to beware of is drifting away from God’s word. That leads to the second one.

Beware of falling away from the salvation of God. (vv. 2-4)

Having stated the place from which our drifting begins—from the word of God—now the writer tells us that neglecting “such a great salvation” will cause us to fall away from it. He questions how we can escape our due punishment if we neglect His salvation. And he says we have all the proof we need: Jesus spoke it; those who heard Him confirmed it; signs, wonders, miracles and spiritual gifts testified to it. How much more evidence do we need?

The Bible graciously warns of a great falling away, and it comes after people have been deceived and have drifted from the truth:

Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy [rebellion, falling away] comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. (2 Thessalonians 2.3, HCSB)

Sadly, it seems that many will be deceived by the false signs that will be on display (see 2 Thessalonians 2.9-12), and they will believe the lies of the adversary instead of the truth of the cross of Jesus. Many in our day think that this kind of talk is foolishness, but God graciously predicted that, too (see 1 Corinthians 1.18).

Beware of missing out on the glory of God. (vv. 5-9)

If drifting away from the word of God can make us fall away from the salvation of God, the worst part is missing out on the glory of God. The writer here is saying that Jesus was subjected to suffering and death so that we don’t have to face the due and just punishment described in verse 2 if we trust in Him and do not fall away. What is that just punishment? Eternal death…separation from the glorious God. He then says that because He was subjected to death, He has been crowned with glory and honor—glory and honor that we get to experience when we are with Him. In addition to being with Him, which we don’t deserve, look at what else happens:

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of the Messiah, and they will reign with Him for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20.6, HCSB)

Missing out on God’s glory happens because we fall away from His great salvation. And falling away from faith happens when we drift away from His word. There’s a terrible pattern of regression here. God desires that you know Him through His word so that you can delight in His great salvation and begin to share in His true glory!

A dead piece of driftwood may appear beautiful and have value to many people. But it’s still dead.

An Angel…or Jesus?

I don’t think I ever watched a full episode of the nine-year CBS television series Touched by an Angel.

I haven’t missed it. But I do remember seeing snippets of the show. It seems the good angels always show up at just the right time, and do just the right thing.

If someone were to ask me who is better, Jesus or an angel, the question would be an obvious moot point. But for those who accept a vague spirituality, or who just have an exaggerated view of angels, that question is a challenging one that they must get right.

This is why the section in Hebrews 1.4-14 was written. In the first century, those who were God-fearing Jews had a very high view of angelic beings. Some of them also had not yet committed to being followers of Jesus, and were essentially riding the fence on that decision. It was into this context that the writer says emphatically: Jesus is superior to angels. But why, specifically?

The writer of Hebrews simply makes basic points about the claims of Jesus. And he wisely uses texts from the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) to prove a few points. Take a look at Hebrews 1.4-14, and note these important distinctions.

Jesus Christ is better than angels because He is the Son of God. (vv. 4-5)

In verses 4-5, when he quotes from the Psalms and 2 Samuel, he is saying that Jesus automatically has a higher rank simply because He is the Son of God. It’s a very basic, but important argument. Look at how God the Father is blessed by and pleased with His Son:

…and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:
“You are My beloved Son.
I take delight in You!”
(Luke 3.22, HCSB)

Jesus Christ is better than angels because He is the object of worship. (v. 6)

Next the writer again quotes older Scriptures and points out that even the celestial beings are to worship Jesus, showing that He is better and more important than they are. Paul writes that one day every single creature will worship Jesus:

For this reason God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name
that is above every name,
(10) so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
of those who are in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
(11) and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2.9-11, HCSB)

Jesus Christ is better than angels because He is the Ruler of creation. (vv. 7-12)

Then the writer describes the distinction between Jesus and the angels as vast due to His remarkable power over all creation. He rules it with a “scepter of justice.” He has been anointed as the one who established the earth and heavens. Again, note how Paul reiterates this:

For everything was created by Him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
(17) He is before all things,
and by Him all things hold together.
(Colossians 1.16-17, HCSB)

Jesus Christ is better than angels because He is the King of glory. (vv. 13-14)

Simply put, verses 13-14 declare that Jesus is better because He deserves the glory, since the angels work to point people to Jesus and His saving gospel. He is the King of Glory:

Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of glory will come in.
(10) Who is He, this King of glory?
The Lord of Hosts,
He is the King of glory.
(Psalm 24.9-10, HCSB)

I know Someone who showed up at just the right time and did just the right thing, once and for all.

Jesus. And He’s better than all the angels.

The Greatest of All, Part 2

Last time we began by talking about being the greatest, or at least knowing the greatest. And we looked at the biblical book of Hebrews, since its main theme is that Jesus truly is the greatest, and it was written as an encouragement and warning to keep trusting and progressing in Jesus.

In short, Jesus is better. He’s the best. He’s the greatest of all. So trust in Him.

It all begins with an amazing intro that essentially summarizes the book.

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. (2) In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. (3) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1.1-3, HCSB)

The writer of Hebrews says that although God spoke to humanity at different times and in various ways, in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son.

God spoke to us in a Son. His unique, amazing Son.

He really is the Greatest. Let’s look briefly at why Jesus is supreme over all, according to these first verses in Hebrews.

1. Jesus Christ is superior over all because He is the perfect messenger. (vv. 1-2)

In the first two verses the Holy Spirit inspired writer tells us that God the Father spoke in God the Son. So we see all three members of the Trinity at work here. And we are told that although the Father spoke to and through the forefathers and prophets, He has now ultimately and finally spoken in a Son. He sent the perfect messenger. Jesus perfectly fulfills and replaces the work of the forefathers and prophets since among things He is infinitely more personal and authoritative, being Himself the divine Son of God. Jesus, the perfect messenger, actually said that He only said what the Father wanted Him to say:

“For I have not spoken on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a command as to what I should say and what I should speak. I know that His command is eternal life. So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” (John 12.49-50, HCSB)

2. Jesus Christ is superior over all because He is the perfect message. (vv. 2-3)

In addition to being the perfect messenger, Jesus is Himself the perfect message. No other supposed religious leader can even try to make this claim. Jesus is the perfect messenger of the gospel—the good news. But not only that, Jesus is Himself the good news. He is the perfect messenger and message: He Himself is the Word of God, and He came here to reveal Himself to us. John’s Gospel describes Him this way:

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning. …
The Word became flesh
and took up residence among us.
We observed His glory,
the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
(John 1.1-2, 14, HCSB)

3. Jesus Christ is superior over all because He is the perfect model. (v. 3)

Here is yet another reason is the greatest: since He is a Son, Jesus is the best example for us to see what God the Father is like. The writer of Hebrews says He is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature….” If you want to see and know God, then look no further than Jesus, since He is the perfect model for us. Jesus is God, who took on skin and bones, so He gives perfect clarity for us to understand God. Notice how clearly the Apostle Paul describes Him in Colossians:

He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
(Colossians 1.15, HCSB)

4. Jesus Christ is superior over all because He is the perfect mediator. (vv. 3-4)

Even though in Jesus, the Son, we have the perfect messenger, message and model, we still cannot be with God unless He makes us clean. We need purification from sins, and verse 4 says that Jesus, our perfect mediator, does just that. He bridges the gap between God and us. He died in our place. He was raised for our justification. He brings us to God. Look at these amazing truths:

But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been legally enacted on better promises. (Hebrews 8.6, HCSB)

For there is one God
and one mediator between God and humanity,
Christ Jesus, Himself human,
who gave Himself—a ransom for all,
a testimony at the proper time.
(1 Timothy 2.5-6, HCSB)

Since He is the perfect messenger, message, model, and mediator, Jesus Christ really is the Greatest.

The Greatest of All, Part 1

At times, you just have to wonder what our obsession is with being the greatest. The greatest at anything, really. As a child of the 1970s, I remember famed boxer Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) being referred to as The Greatest. He is quoted as saying: “I knew I had him in the first round. Almighty God was with me. I want everyone to bear witness, I am the greatest! I'm the greatest thing that ever lived.” He later acknowledged he wasn’t the greatest thing, “just the greatest boxer.”

Still, we like to dream about being really good at something, and perhaps becoming the greatest. If we can’t be the greatest, maybe we can know the greatest. So we tend to worship the stars in Hollywood. Or the very best athletes. Or top government leaders.

In the Scriptures there are many ways that God is set apart as truly the greatest of all. And when it comes to people who have walked the face of the earth, one Man stands out above all else. He has first place in everything. He is Jesus. Look at how the Apostle Paul describes Him in the letter known as Colossians.

…He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that He might come to have
first place in everything.
(19) For God was pleased to have
all His fullness dwell in Him,
(20) and through Him to reconcile
everything to Himself
by making peace
through the blood of His cross—
whether things on earth or things in heaven.
(Colossians 1.18-20, HCSB)

That idea is all over the Bible, and it certainly is on display in the letter to the Hebrews. This book of the Bible is rich in helping readers to see the connection between the Hebrew Scriptures, otherwise known as the Old Testament of the Bible, and the New Testament. Originally addressed primarily to Jews who had joined the Christian faith community, the letter offers gracious warnings regarding falling away from faith in Jesus alone, by pointing out how much better Jesus is than anyone or anything.

In short, Jesus is better. He’s the best. He’s the greatest of all.

It all begins with an amazing intro that essentially summarizes the book.

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. (2) In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. (3) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1.1-3, HCSB)

The writer of Hebrews says that although God spoke to humanity, and to His people, at different times and in various ways, in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son.

Did you catch that? God spoke to us in a Son. His unique, amazing Son.

In the next post we’ll look briefly at how and why Jesus is supreme over all. He really is the Greatest.