John has been sharing the way to determine whether a person really knows God or not – he or she keeps His commandments. (To Love God and Love your Neighbor as yourself.) To say that one knows God and not keep His commandments makes that person a liar, and they are without the truth. However, John continues his words with verse five of chapter two of First John:
But whoever keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
When a person keeps the word of God, God's love is perfected within them. The idea is to be continually perfected or made complete. The implication is that there is a shortage within and more needs to be done. When a person reads that he or she must keep the commandments of God as proof that they know Him, sometimes anxiety sets in. It is usually easy to find oneself loving God, but loving others is often more difficult. God is so lovable, but people can be challenging. However, these two commandments work hand in hand. We will see more about that in coming verses, but for now suffice it to say that we all need more perfecting in the area of love.
This is where John helps us. Keep His word, and the love of God is being perfected within us. Today we should be more loving than yesterday, and tomorrow we should be more loving than today. It's a process, and since we are involved within the process, we know that we are in Him. Remember, God desires fellowship with people. It was His reason for creating them in the first place, and He does everything necessary to bring people into relationship with Him.
Here are a few questions to ask: Am I loving toward God? Do I really love people? Do I love God more today than I did last year at this time? How about people? Do I love people more today than I did a year ago? Am I being perfected in the love of God? The answers to these questions will be revealing as to your status of fellowship with God.
Tomorrow we will take a look at John's words about the way we walk.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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