1 John 4:9-10
B M I L X D Y Q N Q H H M N X Z E B Z E Y N L O Y D I Z Y Z L S C V P T E B I E Q M N Z N P V O A O S U M T M K S X S H U L K N U T J S A T T J N N P S X L O W S E G I H H T W I S S Y M B M F E M T R G T R S E Q O L R I Y P O I O I L H P N X W N N D T X B P U M Q N A T Y D A S O H I S O G O T N I T E M L W Q V E O R H R U O Q K B V A R L O V E P N I E R E H K R I D O G V J K A W Q D W G D V E L I W U K V C N O J S S B E G O T T E N J I G R H H O
BECAUSE BEGOTTEN BUT GOD HEREIN HIM HIS INTO LIVE LOVE LOVED MANIFESTED MIGHT ONLY OUR PROPITIATION SENT SINS SON THAT THROUGH TOWARD WORLD
Our scripture reading for today is taken from 1 John 4:9-10 which reads "9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.4.KJV I thought since last time we discussed the origin of sin and Satan that today we might discuss the solution to the sin problem. Does God really care about what happens on this earth and what has He done about it? Isaiah 43:4-5 says, "4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.43.KJV And Jeremiah 31:3 states, "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JER.31.KJV Probably the best known verse in the whole Bible is John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.3.KJV We might feel that we are too bad for God to possibly love us, that we have done things that may have disqualified us somehow, but this is what the Bible says in our scripture reading that God loves us even when we don't love Him. Romans chapter 5 verse 8 makes it even more clear when it says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.5.KJV While we were still sinners. How many of us aren't still sinners? I know I am! In case you think that you don't actually fall into that category lets read Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.3.KJV Since all have sinned this is what the Bible says is supposed to be the outcome; in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.6.KJV Jesus death on the cross gives us the option to choose to live forever in heaven with God. It also gives us something else. Lets look at 1 John 3:1 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.3.KJV God has called us sons (and daughters) of Himself. As John 1:12 also states, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.1.KJV According to this verse all we must do is believe in Jesus and what He did for us and we get to be called children of God! What does it mean to believe in Jesus? We must believe three things 1. Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/HEB.2.KJV Jesus dies for every man, woman, and child on earth. 2. 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.1.KJV God is ready, willing, and able to forgive us for any sin we may have committed if we ask with sincerity of heart. John 6:47 " Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.6.KJV 3. If we have believed that Jesus died for our sins and we have confessed those sins to God, not just in a, yes I got caught kind of way, but with sincerity and a wanting to turn from those things, then the Bible clearly states that eternal life will be ours. Romans 3:24, 28 makes it even more clear. "24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.3.KJV Ephesians 2:8-9 clarifies even more. 8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/EPH.2.KJV Once we have confessed our sins to God then God begins a work in us of helping us to change into someone that is more and more like Him. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/2CO.5.KJV Some people have a fear that coming to Jesus means that you have to give up having fun and become a "boring" Christian. While it will be true that some of the things you are possibly doing now will have to change; God's plan for you is not to make you sad, in fact it's quite the opposite. See the following verses. John 15:11 "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.15.KJV John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.8.KJV And John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.10.KJV It does not mean that this new life will be easy, quite the opposite in fact, but we have this hope found in Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/HEB.4.KJV Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/GAL.2.KJV And Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PHP.4.KJV All of this does not void the fact that we need to follow God's laws. It simply gives us a reason to follow them and help to do so. Psalms 40:8 "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.40.KJV Jesus says in John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.14.KJV 1 John 2:4 "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.2.KJV 1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.5.KJV God has many promises in His word for those who keep His commandments. This is one of them in 1 John 3:22 "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.3.KJV Someone might say, "But isn't that being legalistic?" Legalism is when you obey certain rules in order to get a certain outcome. But in this case we are following God's laws not in order to get salvation, but because we love Him. It's like in a marriage, when you love someone it's not hard at all to follow the marriage vows. You do nice things for someone because you love them. That is the same way it is when we love God. The Bible says, in Revelation 14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/REV.14.KJV Being a Christian does not guarantee and easy life. It may in fact, require ones life, as it says in Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/REV.12.KJV Just like in a marriage, we must continually seek to maintain a relationship with our creator. I heard a story once about a couple who had been married for several years. One day the woman asked her husband if he still loved her. He replied, "I told you on the day we married that I loved you, if that ever changes, I'll let you know." Would that work for you? No, of course not. So how do we get and maintain a relationship with an infinite God? Jesus says in John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.5.KJV The Bible testifies about Jesus and we should search them and I would add the word--daily. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/1TH.5.KJV This does not mean that you have to spend every single moment on your knees, or even that you have to always be talking. Good communication also requires listening. One might say, but how do you know if God is talking. Jesus said in John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.10.KJV And Isaiah said in Isaiah 30:21 "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.30.KJV Once we accept Jesus as our savior we should continue a relationship by not only studying the Bible and praying but also doing the kinds of things that Jesus did as Colossians 2:6 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:" https://my.bible.com/bible/1/COL.2.KJV and Romans 6:1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.6.KJV The Bible often equates our relationship with God as like a marriage; one where we are deeply loved. 2 Corinthians 11:2 "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/2CO.11.KJV "To seal your spiritual marriage with Jesus for eternity, God has promised never to forsake you (Psalm 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.55.KJV; Matthew 28:20 "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/MAT.28.KJV; Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/HEB.13.KJV), to take care of you in sickness and in health (Psalm 41:3 "The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.41.KJV; Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/ISA.41.KJV), and to provide for every need that could possibly develop in your life (Matthew 6:25–34 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/MAT.6.KJV). Just as you received Him by faith, keep on trusting Him for every future need and He will never let you down." https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4980/t/saved-from-certain-death God gave his life so that you might one day live forever with Him. One day very soon Jesus will come and He promised to take us to heaven with Him. John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." https://my.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.14.KJV I want to go home with Him, don't you?
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