November 19, 2024

Passage Read: 1 John 5 - 2 John 1
Meditation Verse: 1 John 5:1

Thought

"Whoever loves the Father, loves the child born of Him." At first read, this seems like a command that I have to love every Christian, which would be true if every Christian loved the Father. But what it says is that anyone who loves the Father must love everyone else who also loves the Father. That's not the same. For there are many false believers, false brothers, some who deliberately teach what is contrary to the truth but still claim to love God. "The man who claims to know God but hates his brother" is an example of someone I'm not obligated to love, if I love the Father. But people who truly love the Father are a special people, a delightful people, and should be easy to love. They are jealous for God's glory and reputation, and humble and contrite before Him. Just like I should be.

Application

It should be fairly clear who loves God and who doesn't. Those who are responsive to His Word and commands, who are more concerned about pleasing Him than pursuing their own way. Humble and contrite, yet determined to do what He asks, even if not directly commanded. How could they be difficult to love? But the command is here, and the reminders are several, even just within John's writings. So there must be challenges, perhaps some immaturity in young believers, a lack of true understanding that creates conflicting convictions. Love is needed to cover a multitude of sins. We are not completed in perfection the moment we accept Christ as Lord and God as Father. So there are those who might be difficult to love early in their walk, but certainly as they mature, they should grow in delightfulness. Their hunger and thirst to know and please God better sets them apart.