© 15 Colin Melbourne
The Word of Life
The Holy Ghost writes to Spirit-filled believers, in the first epistle of John, emphasising his message is not another spiritual experience cooked up by a hermit in a cave, or a navel-gazer squatting under a tree, but is an eye-witness account of what he has actually seen, heard, and touched.
The Word was made Flesh: God’s Life manifested in a real human.
Believers share the sense of wonder.
John is telling us to believe his report as simple truth, and not some spiritual invention.
Life trumps Religion
He continues in that vein, testifying how believers can ensure they have really come to know the Living Christ: That they have been genuinely born of God, 1 Jn. 2:3 KJV;
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
Oh how Father yearns for His children to be confident in Christ and certain of their right-standing in Him.
God doesn’t want us grovelling in the dust afraid of Him, diffident, hardly daring to believe He cares about us, or that we dare approach Him.
No! That attitude is the product of religion and sin-consciousness.
Repent from religion; Believe on Christ. Trust that He has put away your sins once and for all, and given you His perfect right-standing with God. Use the privilege of asking Father boldly in Jesus’ Name, and God will delight to confirm your faith in His word.
We have Life: Not religion.
Divine Life: Not dead works.
We have liberty through Jesus: Not bondage to fear, doubt, and anxiety.
Test Yourself
This scripture shows how to acquire holy confidence;
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
How eminently practical a test of ourselves: So clear.
How do you know if you really know Jesus?
You keep His commandments.
Which are; to believe and follow Him, walking in His love. Jn. 14:1,11-12, 13:34-35 KJV;
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
It is Gospel truth: The first person to know you have been born again is yourself.
When the Creator of the Universe has come into your heart; made you a new creature in Christ Jesus, replaced your sinful nature with His Life and divine nature, then you surely do not need anybody to tell you: You’re busy telling everyone else!
It’s that profound: That real.
The Evidence
The proof follows immediately: You begin to follow Jesus from your heart.
You quit the nasty things, and enjoy doing the good stuff.
There’s something new in the core of your being that leads you to love everyone, even your enemies.
It wasn’t there before you received Christ: But now God’s love is shed abroad in your heart, and it is your joy to let it bubble out. Rom. 5:5 KJV;
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
People think you’re strange, especially cynics and enemies.
But you don’t mind, because you get a kick-inside from expressing God’s love.
You grow in the knowledge of His Love, and He reveals Himself to you. Jn. 14:21 KJV;
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Manifest myself to him: God in the Flesh promised He’d show, make clear, demonstrate, and prove Himself, to those who love Him and keep His word.
Begin to trust and obey Jesus’ command, He will fulfil His promise to you whatever sins you have committed in the past.
Knowing about Christianity, is one thing: Being a Christian is another.
Knowing about Jesus is one thing: Knowing Jesus is another.
Jesus wants all believers to know Him intimately by experiencing fellowship with Him.
If your walk with Jesus is fickle or stale, He doesn’t condemn you, the Holy Ghost lovingly points you to the word, 1 Jn. 2:3 KJV;
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
Release all your cares and concerns into His Hands. Trust Him to deal with them, and begin walking in divine love: Allow His love in your heart to lead you.
Jesus will manifest Himself to you, and you will know the Living God.
How You Can Be Led By The Spirit of God Once you’ve received Christ as Lord, and been filled with His Spirit, you must learn to follow His tender leading. This wonderful book is packed with practical advice on how to walk in the Spirit of God.
© 15 Colin Melbourne
