Quite the Contrast

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Darkness and light. Love and hate.

Could the contrast be any plainer?

How then do so many miss seeing the sharp distinction?

John does not take the time to explain why some people see shades of grey where only black and white exist, but he sharply attacks the problem head-on.

The love of the world is darkness, no matter how you attempt to explain it away. And, if you hate your brother, (and we could also say – as Jesus did, “If you love your brother less,”) then you are in darkness, and it doesn’t matter how often or how strongly you may say you are in the light.

John is the apostle of love, but he is also a preacher of reality. Stop deceiving yourself, he says.

Here he provides the evidence for those who would take the time to examine their lives according to the evidence he provides about life in Christ.

You say you know Jesus? What does that mean to you? Do you keep His commandments? Do you treat His commandments as commandments, or do you view them as pretty good suggestions for most occasions?

Is Jesus THE answer, or merely one of many possible suggestions in a menu of choices for you to consider, when a problem or need arises?

John encourages abiding in Christ. He was there when Jesus presented to concept to His disciples as being absolutely essential to eternal life, not merely an option to be considered. Every thought, every action, every deed, every word must be considered in the Light of Christ, according to His Word. This is what it means to abide.

All else is darkness.

-Pastor Bill