What a sermon to preach this week...or should I say, what a text in 1 John 2:3-11. Read it http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%202:3-11&version=31 ...
As I wrestled with this text it was quite easy to see, John wasn't talking to the religious leaders who practiced a lot of good things, he was talking to those who really thought they knew God, who studied well, and had a "deep connection" through knowledge with him. John challenges the readers to realize that knowing God is about obeying his commands. The proof of our claims to follow Jesus, will be seen how we act.
So, when God calls us to change, to conquer an addiction, to start a new discipline, to forgive someone that's really made us angry, will we obey?
To hit home the point even more, John speaks about how God's love is made complete when we obey his commands. The completeness of God's love is made by having us unite faith and action. How profound - a bottled up faith, an ignored faith, without action hasn't revealed that God's love is at work.
Thankfully, we realize that in God's grace for us, he will call us to change only what we are capable of. We don't have to be overwhelmed, but know God's spirit will work in us, one area at a time.
