Text: 1 John 5:1-5
Shane Caliborne, a Christian activist writes in his book ‘The Irresistible revolution’ “All around you people will be tiptoeing through life, just to avoid to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe, Run, hop, skip or dance, just don’t tiptoe”.
In contrast to most N. T. Letters 1 John does not identify the author, although distinctive pasterns of style and ten references to ‘my dear children’ make it likely that the apostle John wrote it as an elderly man – which is also an early church tradition.
In this chapter John focuses on the relationship of the three fundamental elements so important to him in the knowledge of God: faith, love and obedience. Here faith requires not only that something is held to be true, but that a commitment has been made. God has taken up residence in us and a relationship has been established that one can’t help but confess (3:23; 4:2,4,15). Like the three legs of a stool, all are needed for experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus came to bring. And there are three historic facts, witnesses that are basis for entering into that fullness ( in live with O.T. law which required two or three witnesses – Deut 17:6; 19:5). Like the three legs of a stool all are needed for experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus came to bring. And there are three historic facts, witnesses that are the basis for entering into that fullness.
However in the pressured ordinaries of everyday life all this obeying and loving can just feel like hard work. Vibrant faith can appear elusive or even something to be avoided in case of too much is demanded of us. The commitment to remaining on the move on a faith journey with God can so easily be replaced by a strong desire to settle, to stay within comfort zones.(Heb 11: 13-16).
Sexual morality, gossip, church politics and the driven nature of many of our lives are some which seriously damages our relationships and go largely unchallenged. John does not explicitly mention these issues, but he does place great emphasis on the importance of loving relationships. In addressing the problems of heresy and being concerned about what his readers believe he appears especially interested in their behaviour as the evidence of their relationship with God. True belief that God is light is not about mere intellectual assent or some form of super-spirituality but is tested by whether but is tested by whether one walks in that light and obeys God’s commands. Believing God is righteous is demonstrated by whole life discipleship, and knowing he is a God of love must translate into an active love for others that is much more than warm fuzzy feelings.
The simple but radical requirement of love and obedience here points to the simplicity of Jesus’ own teaching and the response he requires of those who profess allegiance to him. This is about everyday lives marked by generosity and integrity in our dealings with others and being quick to deal with personal sin, as well as forgiving those around us their own failings. It flows from a deep heart commitment to model our lives on Jesus himself, and is outworked through active relationship with him, seeking to obey God’s commands in the stuff of our daily lives within the world he has placed us in.
In reality God’s commands are not burdensome. The secret and the means to overcoming the temptation to settle for less are already ours. When God entered into us and we trusted in Jesus we are given the relationship with him. Investment in that relationship brings an exchange of love that in turn motivates and empowers us to live the full in the everyday.
I conclude by reading another quotation by Shane Caliborne in the same book titled ‘The irresistible revolution’ “And I think that’s what our world is desperately in need of lovers- people who are building deep, genuine relationships with fellow strugglers along the way and who actually know the faces of the people behind the issue they are concerned about”.
May God bless this words....Amen.
Shane Caliborne, a Christian activist writes in his book ‘The Irresistible revolution’ “All around you people will be tiptoeing through life, just to avoid to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe, Run, hop, skip or dance, just don’t tiptoe”.
In contrast to most N. T. Letters 1 John does not identify the author, although distinctive pasterns of style and ten references to ‘my dear children’ make it likely that the apostle John wrote it as an elderly man – which is also an early church tradition.
In this chapter John focuses on the relationship of the three fundamental elements so important to him in the knowledge of God: faith, love and obedience. Here faith requires not only that something is held to be true, but that a commitment has been made. God has taken up residence in us and a relationship has been established that one can’t help but confess (3:23; 4:2,4,15). Like the three legs of a stool, all are needed for experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus came to bring. And there are three historic facts, witnesses that are basis for entering into that fullness ( in live with O.T. law which required two or three witnesses – Deut 17:6; 19:5). Like the three legs of a stool all are needed for experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus came to bring. And there are three historic facts, witnesses that are the basis for entering into that fullness.
However in the pressured ordinaries of everyday life all this obeying and loving can just feel like hard work. Vibrant faith can appear elusive or even something to be avoided in case of too much is demanded of us. The commitment to remaining on the move on a faith journey with God can so easily be replaced by a strong desire to settle, to stay within comfort zones.(Heb 11: 13-16).
Sexual morality, gossip, church politics and the driven nature of many of our lives are some which seriously damages our relationships and go largely unchallenged. John does not explicitly mention these issues, but he does place great emphasis on the importance of loving relationships. In addressing the problems of heresy and being concerned about what his readers believe he appears especially interested in their behaviour as the evidence of their relationship with God. True belief that God is light is not about mere intellectual assent or some form of super-spirituality but is tested by whether but is tested by whether one walks in that light and obeys God’s commands. Believing God is righteous is demonstrated by whole life discipleship, and knowing he is a God of love must translate into an active love for others that is much more than warm fuzzy feelings.
The simple but radical requirement of love and obedience here points to the simplicity of Jesus’ own teaching and the response he requires of those who profess allegiance to him. This is about everyday lives marked by generosity and integrity in our dealings with others and being quick to deal with personal sin, as well as forgiving those around us their own failings. It flows from a deep heart commitment to model our lives on Jesus himself, and is outworked through active relationship with him, seeking to obey God’s commands in the stuff of our daily lives within the world he has placed us in.
In reality God’s commands are not burdensome. The secret and the means to overcoming the temptation to settle for less are already ours. When God entered into us and we trusted in Jesus we are given the relationship with him. Investment in that relationship brings an exchange of love that in turn motivates and empowers us to live the full in the everyday.
I conclude by reading another quotation by Shane Caliborne in the same book titled ‘The irresistible revolution’ “And I think that’s what our world is desperately in need of lovers- people who are building deep, genuine relationships with fellow strugglers along the way and who actually know the faces of the people behind the issue they are concerned about”.
May God bless this words....Amen.
[J.Jeremiah Alfred, the leader of this meditation is a third year BD student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]
