- What does this passage teach concerning God's will for a holy life?
- How does my life measure up to that Scripture; specifically, where and how do I fall short? (Be specific; don't generalize.)
- What definite steps of action do I need to take to obey?
I thought these would be handy to use in my own study of the Scriptures, so I applied it this morning as I read 1 John 2. In verses 9-10, God says, "Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling."
There are some pretty startling statements made here. The Holy Spirit grabbed my attention with these verses, so I decided to apply the questions above, prayerfully asking the Spirit to help me understand and apply it. What follows will be some of my thought process in these verses.
What This Passage Teaches Concerning God's Will for a Holy Life
This much seems obvious: love your brothers (and sisters). But then the question follows: who are my brothers and sisters? Like biological siblings? All of humanity? Someone else?
It's my understanding that John's use of the term "brothers" applies specifically to other believers. These are those who have been born of God and are therefore members of His eternal family. I'm not saying that we aren't supposed to love others, but this passage isn't addressing that specifically. Rather, this is talking about the way I am to relate to other believers who are united to Christ by faith. So this passage is calling me to love fellow Christians and not hate them.
How Do I Measure Up?
I think more highly of myself than I ought. So this is where I needed the Holy Spirit to shine His light into my heart and show me where I really stand. And my standing wasn't nearly what I thought it was.
First, I realized that there are many Christians that I am somewhat contemptuous towards. This exerts itself on social media many times and how I read stuff that people posts. I deem certain people as legalistic and others as not having as great a knowledge of the truth as I do. I typically don't comment on people's posts about stuff like that, but that hasn't stopped me from looking down on them nonetheless. It is wrong, and I found myself needing to repent about the way I have regarded others especially online.
But then something else came to light. Something that I know has been wrong, but I have treated it as "acceptably" wrong. I didn't feel bad about it even as I knew I probably shouldn't be doing it. And I realized that there are at least three people (that the Spirit immediately brought to mind) that I have shown outright contempt for. This has happened in terms of mocking them with a friend of mine. Sometimes I have mocked them with my wife as well. As the spiritual head of my household, subjecting my wife to this is unacceptable. My behavior is shameful in the way I have made fun of these people behind their backs with my friend. Again, I found myself repenting of the way I have been.
Steps of Action to Obey
The first course of action is, of course, repentance and prayer for the Spirit to cause me to be loving towards my fellow believers, not to be contemptuous, judgment, or cruel towards them. I ask that the Holy Spirit would grow me in love for them flowing out of God's love for me. And that love can be described as a gushing love (see Zephaniah 3:17 for an example of God's love for me). Christ died for them, just as he died for me, and I should likewise love them sacrificially, not judge them or mock them self-righteously.
Secondly, I need to confess my sin to my friend. Coupled with that is also "confronting" his sin of participating in the same thing. We have both been in the wrong, and we both need to stop. Both of us need to cease our mockery and instead speak well of those whom God has redeemed.
I also need to confess to my wife. I don't recall her ever participating in my hateful banter, but I must confess to her that I have been wrong to expose her to that.
Finally, I need to walk in love towards my friends. I need to not mock them and instead encourage them and pray for them. I need to give myself in service to them. I need to truly love them as God lays out in His Word. So I would pray for us all to grow in that more and more in our lives.
It's my understanding that John's use of the term "brothers" applies specifically to other believers. These are those who have been born of God and are therefore members of His eternal family. I'm not saying that we aren't supposed to love others, but this passage isn't addressing that specifically. Rather, this is talking about the way I am to relate to other believers who are united to Christ by faith. So this passage is calling me to love fellow Christians and not hate them.
How Do I Measure Up?
I think more highly of myself than I ought. So this is where I needed the Holy Spirit to shine His light into my heart and show me where I really stand. And my standing wasn't nearly what I thought it was.
First, I realized that there are many Christians that I am somewhat contemptuous towards. This exerts itself on social media many times and how I read stuff that people posts. I deem certain people as legalistic and others as not having as great a knowledge of the truth as I do. I typically don't comment on people's posts about stuff like that, but that hasn't stopped me from looking down on them nonetheless. It is wrong, and I found myself needing to repent about the way I have regarded others especially online.
But then something else came to light. Something that I know has been wrong, but I have treated it as "acceptably" wrong. I didn't feel bad about it even as I knew I probably shouldn't be doing it. And I realized that there are at least three people (that the Spirit immediately brought to mind) that I have shown outright contempt for. This has happened in terms of mocking them with a friend of mine. Sometimes I have mocked them with my wife as well. As the spiritual head of my household, subjecting my wife to this is unacceptable. My behavior is shameful in the way I have made fun of these people behind their backs with my friend. Again, I found myself repenting of the way I have been.
Steps of Action to Obey
The first course of action is, of course, repentance and prayer for the Spirit to cause me to be loving towards my fellow believers, not to be contemptuous, judgment, or cruel towards them. I ask that the Holy Spirit would grow me in love for them flowing out of God's love for me. And that love can be described as a gushing love (see Zephaniah 3:17 for an example of God's love for me). Christ died for them, just as he died for me, and I should likewise love them sacrificially, not judge them or mock them self-righteously.
Secondly, I need to confess my sin to my friend. Coupled with that is also "confronting" his sin of participating in the same thing. We have both been in the wrong, and we both need to stop. Both of us need to cease our mockery and instead speak well of those whom God has redeemed.
I also need to confess to my wife. I don't recall her ever participating in my hateful banter, but I must confess to her that I have been wrong to expose her to that.
Finally, I need to walk in love towards my friends. I need to not mock them and instead encourage them and pray for them. I need to give myself in service to them. I need to truly love them as God lays out in His Word. So I would pray for us all to grow in that more and more in our lives.
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