Keeping His Commandments Walking With God

Keeping His Commandments Submission in Relationships Parent/child – overcomes deficient perspective Husband/wife – provides a single direction Employer/employee - clarifies responsibilities RELATIONSHIPS OFTEN REQUIRE A HIERARCHY The parent child relationship presents a hierarchy that overcomes a deficiency of perspective The husband wife relationship presents a hierarchy that allows for a couple to move in a single direction The employer employee hierarchy clarifies responsibilities

Keeping His Commandments These relationships require: Trust - on the part of both parties, that the other will meet their responsibilities Concern - on the part of the “head” that they provide loving leadership Submission - on the part of the “follower” that allows the relationship to function ALL SUCH RELATIONSHIPS REQUIRE: Trust - on the part of both, that the other will meet their responsibilities Concern - on the part of the “head” that they will be followed Submission - on the part of the “follower” that allows the relationship to function

Keeping His Commandments Obedience is: A necessary component in our walk with God The fulfillment of our part of the covenant Demonstration of trust in God’s concern for us It is the fulfillment of our part of our covenant with God Demonstrates trust in God’s concern for our well-being

Keeping His Commandments Defining Obedience 1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:1–3 (NASB95) More than rule keeping MORE THAN RULE KEEPING Obedience is an expression of our love for God - 1 Jn 5:1-3 His commandments are not burdensome because we are “born of God,” i.e. we have overcome the worldly tendency to satisfy our own sinful desires Reflects our attitude toward God more than our desire regarding any particular command

Keeping His Commandments Defining Obedience 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:13–15 (NASB95) More than rule keeping Recognition of God’s position, wisdom and grace RECOGNITION OF GOD’S POSITION, WISDOM AND GRACE John equates belief in the Son of God with obedience - 1Jn 5:13-15, 1-3 Seeking eternal life through relationship with God is an acknowledgement of His position as the God who grants eternal life Making supplication to Him demonstrates a trust in His wisdom and grace - 1Jn 5:14-15

Keeping His Commandments Defining Obedience 16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. 18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 1 John 5:16–18 (NASB95) More than rule keeping Recognition of God’s position, wisdom and grace Placing my will under God’s PLACING MY WILL UNDER GOD’S John is extolling the virtues of repenting and seeking forgiveness - 1Jn 5:16-18 This demonstrates the submission of will required to truly obey  The elder brother of Lk 15 demonstrates this reality The continual turning toward God described here is only accomplished through total submission - 1 Jn 5:18

Appealing for Fellowship God is Light 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 (NASB95) The phrase describes God’s nature Light represents holiness and righteousness If we desire to be in fellowship with Him, we cannot participate in darkness GOD IS LIGHT - 1 JN 1:5 The phrase describes God’s nature Light represents holiness and righteousness In Him is no darkness; therefore if we desire to be in fellowship with Him we cannot participate in darkness

Appealing for Fellowship Walking in the Light 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:6–7 (NASB95) Describes the Obedient Life Demonstrated as we: Confess our sins – 1 Jn. 1:9 Keep His commandments – 1 Jn. 2:3,5 Love our brethren – 1 Jn. 2:10 WALKING IN THE LIGHT - 1JN 1:6-7 Describes the obedient life  Notice that fellowship is conditioned on walking in the light - vs. 7 Walking in the light is demonstrated as we  Confess our sins - 1 Jn 1:9 Keep His commandments - 1Jn 2:3,5 Love our brethren - 1 Jn 2:10

Appealing for Fellowship Obedience apart from grace accomplishes nothing – 1 Jn. 3:5 Grace does not remove all conditions – 1 Jn. 3:6 Obedience serves as both request and confirmation that we abide in Him 5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. 1 John 3:5–6 (NASB95) THROUGH OBEDIENCE WE APPEAL TO HIM FOR FELLOWSHIP We understand that obedience apart from grace accomplishes nothing - 1 Jn 3:5 However, grace has not removed all conditions and has not rendered obedience unnecessary - 1 Jn 3:6 Our obedience serves as both request and confirmation that we abide in Him  Thru obedient faith we access His grace - 1 Jn 2:1-3

Appealing for Fellowship When we live obedient lives… We have life – 1 Jn. 3:14 We are “of the truth” – 1 Jn. 3:19 He abides in us – 1 Jn. 3:24 5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. 1 John 3:5–6 (NASB95) When we are living obedient lives, including the confession of sin as needed, we can be confident that: We have life - 1Jn 3:14 We are “of the truth” - 1 Jn 3:19 He abides in us, i.e. we have true fellowship with Him - 1Jn 3:24 The role of faith in this is implicit The pre-gnostics would have admitted Jesus is the Son of God, but would not admit to the need to live obediently As a result they walked in darkness Thus John leads us to the same place that James takes us - “faith without works is dead”

Coming to Know the Lord To “know” him is to develop a personal relationship with Christ John connects love an obedience in a manner that forces the heart to be the source of our obedient action  God’s law serves to show us the character of Christ 3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. 1 John 2:3–6 (NASB95) TO KNOW HIM EFFECTING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP - 1JN 2:3 “know” - used of knowing that something is the case (factual knowledge), “we know,” and of knowing Christ and the Father relationally, “that we know Him” To know Him is not to merely know facts but to have a relationship in which there is personal knowledge The text does not point us to a special prayer or feeling, but to a life of obedience to accomplish this goal -  LOVE AND OBEDIENCE - 1 JN 2:5 John connects love an obedience in a manner that forces the heart to be the source of our obedient action - our relationship is not with the commandment but with the commander The crucifixion of the flesh and its desires, the other centered service, the God focussed worship that we must participate in drives us to the kind of love John speaks of The more our life is characterized by obedience the more loving we should become because we are emulating God in these actions BECOMING MORE LIKE HIM - 1JN 2:6 The law of God serves to show us the character of Christ - Heb 5 As we seek His commandments and put them first in our lives we become more like Christ Obedience leads us to love others, have a sacrificial mindset and turn to the Father