The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 John 5:18,
"We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him."
"We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him."
Here is something I wrote about this verse in July, 2007:
Here is, yet again, a wonderful reassuring comment from John. It is God himself who keeps me safe within his family! In verse 13 he says he writes what he does so that those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith may know we have eternal life. Now he says that God himself (some commentators feel the reference is to God the Father, others to Jesus Christ – either way it is God) keeps us safe!
If left to myself I would have no assurance I could make it as a child of God. If it were up to me to perform at a certain level of spirituality I might not make it in. No doubt there are many who have a misguided notion that one day they will demand their entrance into the resurrection of life because as believers they performed certain spiritual disciplines, led an exemplary life, exercised their wills by "hanging in there" till the end, demonstrating their fitness for life in the Kingdom.
Not me. I freely confess I do not have it within myself to "keep myself" in the family of God through spiritual acumen. Thank God he has given me the Holy Spirit who transforms me. Thank God he has provided the Scriptures and wonderful brothers and sisters who encourage me in the faith. Thank God he superintends my relationship with him, keeping me in him, keeping me from being harmed, misguided, enticed or drawn away by "the evil one." Thank God for his grace toward me!!
This reminds me of so many passages of Scripture where we are told it is God himself who keeps us safe, who keeps us in him till that day. As Jude puts it, "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his presence without fault and with great joy…" Jude 24. Paul points to the assurance we have that God himself will keep us to the end in 1 Corinthians 1:8,9. There he claims it is due to the very faithfulness of God! "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."
How wonderful is the grace of God! It is by this grace I have been saved through faith, not by anything I have done. And it is by this grace that one day I will stand in the resurrection of life! From the first day of my salvation to resurrection day, it is his grace that gets me there! I'm looking forward to seeing you all there as well on that day!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Here is, yet again, a wonderful reassuring comment from John. It is God himself who keeps me safe within his family! In verse 13 he says he writes what he does so that those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith may know we have eternal life. Now he says that God himself (some commentators feel the reference is to God the Father, others to Jesus Christ – either way it is God) keeps us safe!
If left to myself I would have no assurance I could make it as a child of God. If it were up to me to perform at a certain level of spirituality I might not make it in. No doubt there are many who have a misguided notion that one day they will demand their entrance into the resurrection of life because as believers they performed certain spiritual disciplines, led an exemplary life, exercised their wills by "hanging in there" till the end, demonstrating their fitness for life in the Kingdom.
Not me. I freely confess I do not have it within myself to "keep myself" in the family of God through spiritual acumen. Thank God he has given me the Holy Spirit who transforms me. Thank God he has provided the Scriptures and wonderful brothers and sisters who encourage me in the faith. Thank God he superintends my relationship with him, keeping me in him, keeping me from being harmed, misguided, enticed or drawn away by "the evil one." Thank God for his grace toward me!!
This reminds me of so many passages of Scripture where we are told it is God himself who keeps us safe, who keeps us in him till that day. As Jude puts it, "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his presence without fault and with great joy…" Jude 24. Paul points to the assurance we have that God himself will keep us to the end in 1 Corinthians 1:8,9. There he claims it is due to the very faithfulness of God! "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."
How wonderful is the grace of God! It is by this grace I have been saved through faith, not by anything I have done. And it is by this grace that one day I will stand in the resurrection of life! From the first day of my salvation to resurrection day, it is his grace that gets me there! I'm looking forward to seeing you all there as well on that day!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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