“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” 1 John 4:17 NIV
Commentators offer several different interpretations of the phrase, “In this world we are like Jesus”, but in the context it seems to mean, as B. F. Westcott states (The Epistles of St. John [Eerdmans], p. 158), “The ground of boldness is present likeness to Christ.” John does not say, “so should we be,” but rather, “so are we.” Each of us needs to ask, “Am I at all like Jesus?” Does my life display any resemblance to the love of Jesus in this world? Would others, especially those who live with me, say that they see the love of Christ in my daily behaviour? Remembering such love will not ever be an exact representation of Christ’s love, even in the most godly of saints. Love is a fruit of the Spirit, and fruit always takes time and nurture to grow. But, if there’s no evidence that the fruit is growing, we need to examine the root to find out if the whole tree is bad. As Jesus said (Matthew 12:33), “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.” If we are not growing in love, we need to ask, “Am I truly born of God?” If we fear the day of judgment, it is evidence that we have not loved others as Jesus has loved us, and we are not walking in the power of the Holy Spirit each day, for it is He who spreads the love of Jesus abroad in our hearts.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Holy Spirit, work in my life that I will be more like Jesus.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, we confess and repent of not walking daily in the power of the Holy Spirit, so allowing for Him to spread the love of Jesus abroad in our hearts each day. AMEN
I.B.R.A. Readings
Genesis 1:9-13
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