 By James H. Cagle |
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he (Christ) walked” (1 John 2: 3-6 KJV).
There are multitudes that name the name of Christ and who say they are Christians who do not govern their life by the Word of God.
It’s not enough for us to say we’re a Christian, we must prove it by living a life of obedience to God’s Word.
The word “commandments” as used in our text is used in the general sense to mean the divine will of God as revealed in His Word (v. 5) and especially of the law of Christ (Gal. 6: 2; John 5).
There are plenty of people that profess to be Christians but because they do not walk in obedience to God’s Word, and produce the fruit of righteousness, aren’t Christians. These people as John said are “liars,” and do not truly know Jesus Christ and have not been born-again. As in John’s day so it is today that we have many who profess Jesus Christ but by their continual disobedience to God’s Word, and their habitual sinning, show that they do not possess Jesus Christ and they are liars (1 John 3: 6-10).
Obedience to God’s Word should not only be a test of whether or not someone who professes Christ is truly saved, but it should be a test we should use to see if we ourselves are saved.
There are so many who are wrapped up and totally involved in church activity and religion but, like Nicodemus, have never been born-again. They will do anything for the church, but their religion ends as they walk out the front door of the church. They are not obedient to God’s Word and they live like the lost because they are lost and not like a Christian because they aren’t Christian.
Obedience to God’s Word is clear and decisive evidence that one has been born-again. It’s proof that one has trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior, is indwelt by the Spirit, and has recognized the Lordship of Christ and the Scripture (KJV) as representative of God’s authority over their life.
