November 17, 2024
Passage Read: 1 John 1-2
Meditation Verses: 2:10-11
Thought
Love for brothers is key to walking in the light so as to guard a believer from stumbling. Love for other believers protects us from sinning! But the one who hates his brother is still walking in darkness and has no idea how to live and behave. Now, we think that love for brothers means we put up with everyone who calls himself a brother, even if they don't do what God calls believers to do. But that's not love for a brother—that is actually hatred! If instead we love one another so as to correct each other, we are continually reminded of the way in which we're supposed to walk so as to please God! That keeps us in the light, and it shows we care enough for each other to keep them going on the right paths! We see clearly how we're supposed to live and we help each other practice it! Love for each other protects each of us and keeps us from stumbling, because we see clearly how we're all supposed to walk.
Application
Acceptance of each other in our imperfection is a starting point, but allowing each other to remain in our imperfection, that is sin, that is hatred. The unrepentant "believer" is no believer at all. If it were permissible for a believer to remain in sinful ways, and no other believer was needed to help each of us change, then little of the New Testament needed to be written, and most of the Old Testament was pointless. Even in this letter, John is rebuking and correcting many wrong ideas among believers. Because he loves them and wants them to have true fellowship with him. He fellowships with the Father, who is perfect, and he wants these other believers to walk in righteousness, so that they too can have fellowship with him and the Father and the Son. Those whom Jesus loves, He rebukes and disciplines. So if I am to love my fellow believer, I need to rebuke and discipline according to God's Word, and I need to receive rebuke and correction according to God's Word. That allows us both to see clearly where we're supposed to be going.