Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Sunday, February 1, 2009

1 John Series 1 John 5:1-3 1 John Series 1 John 5:1-3 Proof of Being Perfected (Matured) in Love

John 5:3 His commandments to love are not burdensome.

"For this is the love of God" is emphasizing your personal love for God as the motivating virtue for your impersonal love directed toward man.

"That we keep" is the final purpose clause with contingency. The contingency is your relationship with God and His Plan, i.e. residence and function inside GPS. “That we might continue observing / executing.”

“His commandments", ENTOLE - an injunction, authoritative prescription, order, precept or command. These are God's orders passed down to the spiritual warrior.

“Are not burdensome”, meaning that they are never difficult. Why Not?

Because God has provided you with everything necessary to accomplish this task; salvation, +R, logistical grace, portfolio of invisible assets, 40+ things.

With all that provision we should be able to very simply walk in His Plan and keep His mandates. 1 Peter 1:22-23

There are two types of mandates God has given to us:

1. Residence mandates. We are commanded to live in our daily relationship with God. John 15:9-10

2. Functional mandates. We are commanded to daily exercise the command to love.

Eph 5:2, “And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

2 John 6, “And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.”

In God's system the ultimate purpose is to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ. The policy is grace, the authority is the sovereignty of God, and the power is the Holy Spirit and Word (GPS).

God's Power System (GPS) is ultimately an interlocking system of love.

Communion

Offering

Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, February 1, 2009 Tape # 09S-004 God’s Mandates Are Not Burdensome 1 John Series 1 John 5:3; 1 Peter 1:22-23; John 5:9-10; Eph 5:2 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2009