Tuesday May 15, 2007

“My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin.” 1 John 2:1a It’s true. Since I’ve been studying in 1 John sin has been less attractive to me. I am sinning less. It’s amazing. Of course, John is a realist and knows we’re still going to sin. So he finishes that verse: “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1b If you read 1 John you will sin less: it’s the point of the book. And it does it by making us realize God’s love, and letting us love Him back (1 John 4:10, 19). Listen to this familiar passage that brought me to grateful tears last night: “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God: and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it does not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Do not marvel if the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.” 1 John 3:1-3, 13-14) Ryan Originally posted at classicalRyan.xanga.com