Daily Bread 2010 - 1 John 5
Daily Bread 2010 - 1 John 5
Faith in the Incarnate Son of God
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
As John finishes his letter, he reminds us that whoever believes Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), not only just a man, is born of God. By believing that Jesus is the Son of God, we become part of God’s holy family. We love the Father by accepting the Son, and also our brothers and sisters in God’s holy family. This is the Church. The Church is all those who are born of God and become part of God’s family through belief and then baptism, the public sign that we are now members in the Church and believe in Jesus.
As we live out this new calling, obedience to God’s commands are the distinctive mark of who we are. Importantly his commands are not burdensome, because we know have a new love for God and we want to please him, just like a child who loves their parents want to please them by doing what is right.
Though we will all have challenges living out our faith in the world, we have been given the victory over the world through Jesus’ death and resurrection. As sons of God and brothers and sisters of His Son we have been given power and we can overcome the world as Jesus has overcome it.
This is helpful teaching as often “obedience” has such a negative connotation in the Church today. God’s commands are not meant to be burdensome, but freeing. As we realize we are sons and daughters of God and His power lives in and through us, we can begin to see the victory, which has already been accomplished, begin to take root in our daily lives. The false teachers were saying the body is bad, so do whatever you want in this life, because Your Spirit will bring you to eternal life. John is refuting this false teaching and teaching that Jesus had a body and lived in a body and died (reference to the blood at the end of the chapter), but God rose him from the dead and gave him a resurrected body. Why is this important?
It teaches us to realize that our bodies are good, and God can use us in this world as we obey His commands. The eternal life God has given us through His Son begins now as we begin to live in the victory He has already accomplished through His Son.
As you consider the challenges you have in living out your life in obedience to your heavenly Father, realize that you have been born of God and have power to live this new life and it does not to be burdensome but actually freeing and light.
God we thank you that you have overcome the world. Jesus thank you for coming in the flesh and showing us that you are the Christ by becoming truly human. You experienced temptation and suffering just like we do, but you overcame the world and now you live in us through Your Spirit. Help us to overcome the world and the specific temptations we all face through Your power which works so mightily within us. Amen.
Faith in the Incarnate Son of God
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
As John finishes his letter, he reminds us that whoever believes Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), not only just a man, is born of God. By believing that Jesus is the Son of God, we become part of God’s holy family. We love the Father by accepting the Son, and also our brothers and sisters in God’s holy family. This is the Church. The Church is all those who are born of God and become part of God’s family through belief and then baptism, the public sign that we are now members in the Church and believe in Jesus.
As we live out this new calling, obedience to God’s commands are the distinctive mark of who we are. Importantly his commands are not burdensome, because we know have a new love for God and we want to please him, just like a child who loves their parents want to please them by doing what is right.
Though we will all have challenges living out our faith in the world, we have been given the victory over the world through Jesus’ death and resurrection. As sons of God and brothers and sisters of His Son we have been given power and we can overcome the world as Jesus has overcome it.
This is helpful teaching as often “obedience” has such a negative connotation in the Church today. God’s commands are not meant to be burdensome, but freeing. As we realize we are sons and daughters of God and His power lives in and through us, we can begin to see the victory, which has already been accomplished, begin to take root in our daily lives. The false teachers were saying the body is bad, so do whatever you want in this life, because Your Spirit will bring you to eternal life. John is refuting this false teaching and teaching that Jesus had a body and lived in a body and died (reference to the blood at the end of the chapter), but God rose him from the dead and gave him a resurrected body. Why is this important?
It teaches us to realize that our bodies are good, and God can use us in this world as we obey His commands. The eternal life God has given us through His Son begins now as we begin to live in the victory He has already accomplished through His Son.
As you consider the challenges you have in living out your life in obedience to your heavenly Father, realize that you have been born of God and have power to live this new life and it does not to be burdensome but actually freeing and light.
God we thank you that you have overcome the world. Jesus thank you for coming in the flesh and showing us that you are the Christ by becoming truly human. You experienced temptation and suffering just like we do, but you overcame the world and now you live in us through Your Spirit. Help us to overcome the world and the specific temptations we all face through Your power which works so mightily within us. Amen.
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