"Hebrews 13, 1 John 1-4"
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I don't know what the word of the year should be for 2020, but one of the contenders has to be "Uncertainty." Call it a crisis of confidence — in our future, in our government, in our news, maybe even in ourselves. If we’re not careful, doubt and fear can overwhelm us and dominate our lives. But as a well-known hymn says, "When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay, On Christ the solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand." This week, we'll find some solid ground in Hebrews and First John.
Confident the Lord Is With Us
On Monday (Heb. 13), we finish Hebrews, with its encouragement to hold onto our confidence (Heb. 3:6,14; 10:35). After inviting us to boldly "draw near to the throne" (Heb. 4:16; cf. 10:19-22), the book concludes with a call to confidence in his ever-present help, "for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Heb. 13:5-6).
Even if we have to bear shame with Christ "outside the gate" (Heb. 13:10-13), we know the city we seek is eternal (Heb. 13:13-14), and our hope is worth the cost.
Confident We’re Forgiven
Tuesday's reading (1 John 1) emphasizes "fellowship" (1 John 1:3,6-7), our close association with God and Christ, which we share with all who "walk in the light" (1 John 1:7). Since God is light, we can't have fellowship with him while walking in darkness (1 John 1:5-6), a sobering thought. But — John assures us — if we confess our sins, we can count on him to forgive us (1 John 1:9).
- Why's it so important for us to honestly acknowledge our sin?
Confident We’re His Children
This book's purpose is to give confidence in what we can "know" (1 John 2:21; 5:13) — a word used nearly forty times. How do "we know that we have come to know him" (1 John 2:3)? On Wednesday (1 John 2), John says we know because we keep his commandments and "walk in the same way" that he walked (1 John 2:3-6). That means loving each other (1 John 2:7-11) and not loving worldly things (1 John 2:15-17). We know we're God's children because "everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him" (1 John 2:29).
Thursday's reading (1 John 3) exclaims in wonder, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are" (1 John 3:1). When Christ returns, we'll become like him (1 John 3:2, cf. Rom. 8:29; Php. 3:20-21). While we wait, we imitate him by keeping ourselves from continually practicing sin (1 John 3:6-8; cf. 1:7-9) and by actively loving people (1 John 3:17-18). So our lifestyle makes it "evident who are the children of God" (1 John 3:10). And even when "our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything" (1 John 3:20).
- How do Christ's actions define love?
Confident at Judgment
On Friday (1 John 4), John says to "test the spirits" (1 John 4:1) — to examine all teaching and ensure that it aligns with what the apostles taught (1 John 4:6). He particularly confronts teachers who distort the gospel and question Christ's incarnation (1 John 4:2-3; cf. 1 John 1:1-3; 2:22-23; 2 John 7; John 1:14).
God is love (1 John 4:16), and as we imitate his love and abide in it, love is "perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment ... There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:17-18).
- How do we know what real love is? And who initiated the relationship of love between God and us?
