Whoever Keeps His Word

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:3-6 ESV)

A lot of people are convinced that if they pray a prayer to receive Christ, or if they make a public confession of him as Lord and Savior, that it means that they are now “in Christ,” in fellowship with the Lord, and that they are in an intimate (spiritually speaking) relationship with him. But one does not necessarily equal the other. For Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven (Matthew 7:21-23).

Obedience to our Lord Jesus is key to us knowing Jesus Christ and being in a relationship with him. It is also key to us having salvation from sin and eternal life with God in heaven. For, according to 1 John 1:5-10, if we claim to be in fellowship with Christ, but while we are still walking (in conduct, in practice) in sin, we are liars who do not practice the truth. And here it says that if we say that we know Jesus Christ/God, but we do not obey his commandments (New Covenant), we are liars, and the truth is not in us.

And we read in Romans 6:1-23 that God-given faith in Jesus Christ results in us being crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Therefore, we are not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its passions (lusts). For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it leads to righteousness and sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God.

Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Jesus we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience to his commands, then we have the hope of eternal life with God, but provided that we continue in him and in our walks of faith in him, steadfast in faith until the very end (Luke 9:23-26; Colossians 1:21-23).

And then we read in other Scriptures that if we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit, and in sin, and not in holiness and righteousness and in obedience to our Lord, not only are we not in fellowship with him, and not only do we not know him, but we are not born of God, so we are not the children of God, and so we do not have salvation from sin and eternal life with God, regardless of what our lips have professed or we believe that we believe about Jesus in our hearts.

So, please take this to heart, for the Scriptures don’t just teach this in one or two passages, but all throughout the New Testament this is taught us that Jesus died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and for him, and no longer for self. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so we will now honor God with our bodies. For God’s grace trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Draw Me Close To You  

Donnie McClurkin

Draw me close to You

Never let me go

I lay it all down again

To hear You say that I'm Your friend

You are my desire

And no one else will do

'Cause nothing else can take Your place

To feel the warmth of Your embrace

Help me find a way

Bring me back to You

Bring me back, oh Jesus

You're all I want

You're all I've ever needed

You're all I want

Help me know You are near

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAnwBixzuNo 

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