“WHOEVER CONFESSES THAT … “ 

 
Daily readings.. Judges 19, Isaiah 41, 1 John 3,4.
 
            What deep spiritual perceptions John unfolds in his First Epistle.  They are simple – yet they are profound!  “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” [1 John 4 v.7]  What is it to “know” God?  It is – to have a ‘real’ day-to-day relationship with him – a relationship in the spiritual sense.
 
            Now we ponder – deeply – on the next verse! “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”  The word ‘love’ has been almost totally ‘debased in today’s world – it has largely been put on a par with the word ‘like.’ 
 
            John tells us how the love of God was made known! “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” [v.9]  What does that mean? How do we “live through him.”? We meditate on the words of Jesus, John recorded in his gospel. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him.” [5 v.23]   How do we honour the Son?  We look ahead to John’s second epistle.” Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God.
 
Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” [v.9]   Let us “abide” – live –  by absorbing the “teaching.”
 
            Back to today’s 4th chapter and finish by asking ourselves whether v.15 is true of us!  May it be true, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” How do we “confess”?  The Father knows our answer – the heart-felt reality of our prayers, our abiding.