“If we say that we remain in union with God, we should live just as Jesus Christ did.” (1John 2:6)
It’s true that we who have been freed of sin and death, who have been translated into the kingdom of God and who call ourselves children of God are most unfaithful. John recognized how the flesh pulls us at every turn to give in to the call of the flesh. Yes, we are forgiven of past, present and future sins, but only an insincere heart with no understanding would depend on that to be his life preserver. We are deceiving ourselves and deceiving others, but not God. We are demonstrating that we love ourselves more than we love the Lord. And without prejudging anyone, I wonder if when we continue to sin and don’t repent if our hearts were sincere in making Jesus our Lord. The definition for “lord” is: someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler. That is why I say that I wonder if we were sincere when it’s obvious, we haven’t yielded power, authority, influence or rule to Jesus.
John saw the same thing in those who said they belonged to Jesus and continued to sin. “If we say that we know Him, but do not obey His commands, we are liars and there is no truth in us.” (1John 2:4) We are lying to ourselves and lying to others, but not to God. Now, we are not talking about “falling” into a sin. Those occasions serve to demonstrate to us what we yet need to surrender to Christ. On those occasions we repent, turn from that sin and decide not to sin like that again. We allow the Lord to work in us to loathe it so that not only do we never want to do it again but will not sin like that again. “So, everyone who lives in union with Christ does not continue to sin; but whoever continues to sin has never seen Him or known Him.” (1John 3:6) What John is talking about is sin that we allow to entice us, knowing it’s wrong, making excuses for our weakness, but not repenting because we have a wrong idea of God’s merciful gift of forgiveness. I can almost see and hear the blaring sirens and flashing lights warning. It’s a “tell.” It tells us about our lack of love for the Lord, our lack of sincerely when we made Him Lord and possibly the status of our salvation. When Jesus returns, these liars will be hiding from the Lord knowing they didn’t fool Him at all. “And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” (1John 2:28 KJV)
“Remain united to Me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without Me. Those who do not remain in Me are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.” (John 15:4-6) John records the words of Jesus concerning this. If we stay close to Jesus, conversing and being in His Presence daily, we will not stray. How could we stray from the One we love and are with daily? We cannot possibly think we can keep from sin on our own strength. God’s supernatural work is necessary. Human strength is unable to keep us from sin. Repentance is our portion. We must decide to leave it. Surrender is our faith in a God Who is able to work sanctification in us. The fruit we produce is holy because it was worked in us by God, not us. We cannot produce holy fruit on our own. If we try, it will not be sustainable. Jesus gave the example of how united we have to be to Jesus. Like a branch that’s not connected to the vine, will wither and die, so we will wither and die without the Lord.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Imitate me, then, just as I imitate Christ.” (1Corinthians 11:1) Our mission in life here on earth is to imitate Christ. If you are a child of God, you know it, you feel it and you will pursue that in the process of sanctification (being made more into the image of Christ.) “It was to this that God called you, for Christ Himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in His steps.” (1Peter 2:21)
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