Whosoever committeth sin trangresseth
also the law: for sin is the transgression
of the law. And ye know that He was
manifested to take away our sins; and
in Him is no sin. Whosever abideth in Him
sinneth not: whoseoever sinneth
hath not seen Him, neither known Him.
1John 3:4-6
Can a person keep the law always? No! Our fallen nature and our corrupted soul does not desire the things of God, rather we desire that which pleases us first and foremost. Our eyes are cast upon those things we want, we lust for, even if they are not the best for us. A good example of this lustful desire is divorce. Divorce is rampart in the Christian Church and many are divorcing to get another partner rather than keep their vows, vows made before God. Some of us can relate to this sin and know that divorce is not always the answer to our problem. Our eyes are focused on the wrong solution. The solution to keep the law is to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was manifested to take away sin, our sin and in Him was, is, and never will be in Him. Why? It was God Himself who came to earth, not some manifestation, or an angel, it was God Who came. If your eyes are on Jesus Christ your eyes are on God. It was God who gave us the law and it is God Who demands that we keep the law. This keeping of the law cannot be done simply by the effort of man, but man has an important role in keeping the law: abide in Jesus Christ. If you love God then you will abide in Him and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you, to be in His word to add to your virtue knowledge. Abiding in Him means that you will no longer sin....right? No! Abiding in Jesus is an ongoing work by man and if you love Him then abiding in Him is an easy task. A man, or a woman loves their spouse and would do anything for their spouse so it is true of God who is Love and loves you through the death, resurrection and ascension into heaven by Jesus Christ. If you love God then you would do the same as you would do for your earthly spouse.... anything that would bring joy and happiness to the one you love. Those who preach and teach that a person can become perfect in this life, without sin in this life are wrong. They are wrong for God asks of us to confess our sins, not once, but every time we sin. If we continue to do over and over the same sin then it is possible that you do not know Him. It is for sure that you are not abiding in Him.
There are many deceivers in this world and even those who have associated themselves with the Church of God...(you). Run from them, change Churches, shout out loud their deception for we have a responsibility to not allow this deception to continue to mislead those who are earnestly seeking God. John writes: "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was maniested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whosever is born of God doth not commit sin: for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" (1John 3:7-8). Whoa......wait a minute..... John conjoins loving God with loving your brother! Are you getting it? Love is not just a love for God, it is not some hope that God will find you righteous, it is that you live a righteous life and that includes you loving your brother. When was the last time you spoke to a person who comes to your Church when you have never spoken to that person before? Do you ever invite someone from your Church to a lunch after Church, someone you have never spoken to or ever had a relationship with? Do you care? If you are abiding in Christ you will. Jesus cared for people even to the point of being called a drunkard, a glutton who sits and talks with sinners. This not some angel sent to earth to die for us, no, it was God who spoke with all even those downcast of society. Remember we all live from B to D.... birth to death. What will be said of you when God asks you about your life? Will it be that you lived for yourself, your family, or friends before living for God? God came to earth and it was God, the Second Person of the Trinity, His Wisdom whom God sent to earth to be fully man and fully God. God then died for your sins! Will you abide in the One who loves you with such deep love?
The Holy Spirit inspired John to continue in this vein: "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and sley his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous" (1John 3:11-12).
Consider you faith and make your election sure. Do not live according to the whims and desires of this world. Yes, you must provide, and yes, you have a responsibility to keep our government on the right track, and yes you have a responsibility to your Church, your brothers and sisters in Christ. Yes! More importantly you have a responsibility to God to live a righteous life. It may cost you everything in this life, it cost the life of the apostles and many more Christians, and it cost the life of the One sent by God, His Only Begotten Son to die for sin.
Will you abide in God, or will you continue on the wide and open path, will you choose the narrow road, that road leading to heaven?
O Jerusalem, wash thine
heart from wickendness,
that thou mayest be saved.
How long shall thy vain
thoughts lodge within thee?
Jeremiah 5:14
Arise and Abide in Him
Richard L. Crumb
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