I John Review: General Info

March 28, 2016

General Info...

• To Have Christ is to Have Life
• This is Love
• To Love is to Obey
• No Fear in Love
• Eternal Life is Real

These go well together. When we look at them, we see where it all starts, with Christ - God. In order for us to find life, we must have Christ. It is where it all begins. Christ is love and we receive love from him, and we are enabled to love him back. But love is not an empty saying or feeling. Sure it produces feelings, and we must confess it, but what it produces is obedience. It takes obedience to love our Savior, or we do not truly love him. This is a major theme of 1st John. People like to quote the phrase and truth that there is no fear in love. But they forget that if we are not rightly serving the Lord, being obedient to his commands, we do not love him and fear needs to be felt.

This is contrary to teachings in the liberal churches of today. There love is shallow, an acknowledgment that Jesus is who he is and this should produce good feelings and cause one to live a happy, content life. We must be wise to false teachings and live a life of service to the Lord.

What we do in this life matters for eternal life is real. John didn't say it, but sometimes I look at the end this way... Everyone gets eternal life, some in heaven, some in the lake of fire! I know that seems like an eternal death but in reality, it is a life of eternal suffering where each person hope it ends but never does. But those who love the Lord, those obedient to his way and commands, will find the eternal pleasure the others thought they found following the world.

A and K, chose wisely the path you walk. Take Christ and find life. Live life for him according to his way. Then, when you die, you will receive the reward for your love and devotion, that of eternal life.

~Dad