1 John 3:24 New American Standard Bible24 The one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
The life and person of Christ lives within us through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He had to return to the Father so that the Spirit could come (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our Paraclete, He is our helper, He is the one who equips and empowers us for service unto God. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to stand in difficult times and overcome the assaults of the enemy.
John says the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him. Walking in obedience to Christ and His commands is outward evidence of an inward reality. Jesus has commanded us to believe upon Him as Lord and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The only way this can be a reality in our lives is through the work of the Holy Spirit within our lives.
When we walk in love we will walk in obedience. Love for God means I have given all of my life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Love for my neighbor means that I have loved others sacrificially as Christ first loved us. The manifestation of the love of God in our lives is a sure sign that we are truly in right relationship with Almighty God.
We know that Christ abides in us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us an inner witness that we are truly children of God. Even if Satan comes against us with condemnation, it is simply based on lie and deception. The inner witness of the Holy Spirit within us shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are indeed in Christ. If we are in Christ, then condemnation has no place in our lives.
But over and over again John shows us the importance of abiding. We must abide in Christ. We must daily remain in Him. Even in those moments when we struggle and even fail, we must not run or turn from Christ. The love God has for us is not based on our behavior or performance. It isn’t fickle but unchanging like His very nature. Before we were in Christ, He loved us. When we do sin, we simply can draw near and confess that sin. Precious forgiveness is poured out upon us because of the precious sacrifice and suffering of Jesus Christ.
Comments