Tag Archives: 1 John

Isaiah 42, 1 John 5

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In Isaiah 42, the message of comfort continues. “Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you”.

The same God that created the heavens, that gives us life, has called us to be like Him, and will be with us on the way. Through God we can overcome the world by reflecting the love He showed us. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith“.

John concludes “we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true”. Let us use that understanding to serve and honour God, having confidence He will hear us.

Isaiah 41, 1 John 3-4

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Isaiah continues his message of hope in chapter 41, with God reminding Israel three times that He is with them, that He has chosen them and will help them. This is part of the comforting that Isaiah commenced in chapter 40.

God says “”You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  This is the God who causes coastlines to fear, the ends of the earth to tremble, who turns the wilderness into pools of water. This all-powerful deity has also said “I … hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you”“.

John reminds us that we have been called to also be part of this family that God comforts. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” God has shown His love, strengthening and helping us. It’s up to us to respond by loving not “in word or talk but in deed and in truth”.

1 John 1-2

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“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all… if we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin”.  John’s message is one of an eyewitness, who observed and loved the only perfect manifestation of God’s light by a human.

John pleads with his readers to keep God’s word, the word of life. Those who wish to do so should “walk in the same way in which [Jesus] walked”, love the Father, and abide in the Son and the Father.  This attitude and love must pervade every aspect of our life, as surely as light drives away darkness.

John’s motivation for sharing this advice was that his “joy may be complete”. How much more joy will our Father feel, if we, His children, demonstrate perfect love by keeping His commandments.

Zephaniah 3, 1 John 3-4

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Zephaniah 3 includes a description of future happiness, when the King of Israel is restored and when enemies have been cleared away, when Israel will be praised among all the peoples of the earth. It is a hope we share with natural Israel. But included in this description of future happiness is the idea that “The Lord is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil… The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save”.  Zephaniah emphasises the benefits and importance of God being in our midst.

Similar ideas are expressed by John. “We are God’s children now…when he appears we shall be like him”. Being God’s children requires us to practice righteousness, to “love one another, for love is from God…whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

The hope we have, the life we are to lead, both require God to be in the midst of us, pervading our character and affecting our way of life.

1 John 1-2

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John writes about the things he had heard and seen, so that his “joy may be complete”. He experienced joy as a result of sharing the hope he had, with those around him.

The message John shares includes the need to walk in the light.  “God is light”, so in order to have fellowship with Him, we must be filled with that same light, enlightened of our need to confess our sins, and seek forgiveness.

John then explains that we have an advocate through him we can be forgiven. It’s important for us to follow Jesus’ words in order for us to know him, and in order to demonstrate the love of God.  These words need to abide in us, to affect the core of our being, and to be seen in the way we treat each other with real love. So let us “walk in the same way in which [Jesus] walked”, reflecting the light of God’s character, experiencing the joy that comes from sharing our hope.

John 1

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Jesus is described by John as “the true light”. Those “who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  That true light has shined on us, showing us an example of God’s character perfectly reflected, through the gospel message.  It is up to us to believe, to “walk in the light, as [Jesus] is in the light”, knowing that we’ve been called out of darkness and given the chance to be God’s children.

Isaiah 42, 1 John 5

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“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you”. This passage might apply to Jesus, but I think it applies just as much to us. We serve an amazing God, so far beyond our understanding that He could create everything around us. This same God has also called us, you and me, to be righteous. Not only that, but He has stretched out His hand, to guide us and keep us on our journey.

We have been offered life and hope. “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.” We can have confidence in this hope, provided we demonstrate our love for God by keeping His commandments.

1 John 3-4

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Today we are reminded about the qualities of true love, demonstrated by Jesus in that “he laid down his life for us”. We are called children of God, comanded to “believe in the name of [God’s] son Jesus Christ and love one another”.

“Let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”