1 John 2:3-6 says,...

Today's verses are 1 John 2:3-6, which read,

v.3 - By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

This is pretty straight forward.  John is continuing his thought of what it means to be a genuine Christian.  The genuine Christian walks in fellowship with God.  The genuine Christian acknowledges sin and confesses it.  The genuine Christian lives a holy life and continues to lives that life because of the Advocate we have before God named Jesus and His act on the cross on our behalf.
 
Now John says a genuine Christian is someone who "keeps" the commandments of God.  "Keeps" means "attend to carefully, take care of."  There is an attachment of the genuine Christian to the commandments of God.  He is not just keeping them out of duty but with affection for them (the commandments).

v.4 - The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;...

John likes the word "liar" or he likes to use the word or it is just the best word to describe this situation.  "Liar" means "to speak deliberate falsehoods."  If someone says that he has this relationship with God but he is not actively following, caring for and about the commandments of God, then what he is saying about that relationship is false.

v.5 - ...but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.  By this we know that we are in Him..."

I am thankful when John gets to the positive side of the statement, the "truly" side.  The genuine Christian is one who keeps and cares about the word of God.  The result of it is that the love of God (what God loves) is being "perfected" or completed in him.  The genuine Christian is living his life on purpose or in the will and love of God.

v.6 - ...the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

"abides" - remains 
"ought" - to his advantage, owes 
"walk" - to make one's way, progress

The genuine Christian is someone who doesn't "just" say a prayer for salvation and that is it.  That prayer should lead to someone who remains in Christ and see the advantage to himself to progress through life in the same way as his Christ did.  

I wonder if John is writing to a bunch of Christians who have taken up again the ways of the world.  It is easy to do.  Actually Satan is working hard to convince us that it is okay.  The habit or way of obedience to God is one of the ways that you can examine yourself to see if you are a genuine Christian.  "Am I following the ways of Jesus?  Am I cherishing the ways of Jesus?  Am I living each day in the full fact that I am a child of God?"

"Lord, thank you for making it clear to me that the relationship I have with You is much more than just a prayer I said when I was 11.  Thank you for having a continued relationship with me that grows everyday as I progress along the road with You.  Help me to have You leading always.  Amen."

Pastor Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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