John – God and Love
“New rule!”, the opposing team who is losing shouts out. The rules change constantly to get the upper hand on winning. Finally, a fight ensues over the rules and the point of the game is lost in the battle. Mm.
No so with God and His commandments. “Nothing has changed”, John reminds us. Love God. Love Each Other. Love means following God’s commands to love. Why? Because He loves us, right now, before cleaning up, before thinking about His will and purpose for us, before we think about Him…He loves us. He loved us first. He loves us still. He will love us always. Nothing has changed. Beware of those who might tell you something different or try to be god in this world of constant change.
2 John, The Message
1-2 My dear congregation, I, your pastor, love you in very truth. And I’m not alone—everyone who knows the Truth that has taken up permanent residence in us loves you.
3 Let grace, mercy, and peace be with us in truth and love from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, Son of the Father!
4-6 I can’t tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth, exactly as commanded by the Father. But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other. Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed.
Don’t Walk Out on God
7 There are a lot of smooth-talking charlatans loose in the world who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ was truly human, a flesh-and-blood human being. Give them their true title: Deceiver! Antichrist!
8-9 And be very careful around them so you don’t lose out on what we’ve worked so diligently in together; I want you to get every reward you have coming to you. Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son.
10-11 If anyone shows up who doesn’t hold to this teaching, don’t invite him in and give him the run of the place. That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.
12-13 I have a lot more things to tell you, but I’d rather not use paper and ink. I hope to be there soon in person and have a heart-to-heart talk. That will be far more satisfying to both you and me. Everyone here in your sister congregation sends greetings.
Think about it….
Love God with all our hearts, minds and souls…even our bodies that He created. Love Others like He loves us. Revolutionary thought. Yes, nothing has changed with God. Nothing will separate from His love. No new rules or game changers. God is love. God loves you and I. Nothing has changed.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for being the unchanging, unstoppable, unrestrained, limitless God you are! Thank you for your consistent love for us. Help us to love each other like you love us. Help us to think of ways to show that love even today.
In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.
