The lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to...

This week we have been looking at a section of a letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of John. So far this week, we have seen John explain that everyone who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others is engaging in a lifestyle of lawlessness. And because of that reality, John explains that sin is lawlessness. John is revealing the reality that, at the end of the day, acts of omission and commission against God and others is ultimately about a lawless rebellion against God.  And because of that reality, everyone who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others is revealing the reality of a lawless rebellion against God.

By contrast,  the person who remains connected with God as they are mystically and spiritually united with Jesus will not engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others. The point that John wanted to drive home to the readers of his letter throughout history is that the person who has  truly recognized Jesus for who He truly is; the person who has identified themselves as having a genuine and authentic relationship with God will not engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

John then explained that if we know that Jesus is totally just and right in character and actions, then the person engages in a lifestyle that is committed to doing what is just and right reveals the reality that they have a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus. By contrast, the person who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others reveals the reality that they are demonstrating a connection with the lifestyle of lawless rebellion of the Devil.

John wanted to make sure that the reader of his letter would not be misled in a way that caused them to go astray in their relationship with Jesus to instead embrace the idea that they could remain in genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus while engaging in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

John then explained that because children tend to take on the characteristics and character of their parents, no one who is born of God engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others. John then explained that the reason that is the case is due to the fact that His seed abides in him. John’s point here is that the very nature and character of God remains present in the life of a person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus. And because of that reality, John explains that a person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus cannot sin because they are a part of the family of God as a child of God as a result of God’s transformational activity in their lives.

A commitment to a lifestyle of lawless rebellion against God is not possible for a person who lives in a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus because of the presence of the very nature and character of God that is present in their lives, as they have a new heart and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence. John then reinforced this reality by reminding the readers of his letter throughout history that anyone who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to refusing to do what is just, fair, and right reveals the reality that they are not a child of God who is a part of the family of God.

In addition, John explained that anyone who does not demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others reveals the reality that they are not a child of God who is a part of the family of God. John then proceeds to provide the evidence to back his claims as he concludes this section of his letter in 1 John 3:11:

 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; ¹² not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous.

As we have talked about earlier in this series, when John refers to the beginning here, he is referring to the first time that the members of the church had heard the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. And as part of the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that they had heard from the beginning, John reminded the readers of his letter of a command that Jesus gave His followers throughout history. A command that is recorded for us in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible, called the gospel of John. So let’s look at the command together, beginning in John 13:34-35:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Notice what Jesus did not say. Jesus did not say "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love the right doctrine and theology." Jesus did not say "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for the ideas about God." Jesus did not say "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love doing things for God in order to earn favor with God." That is not what Jesus said.

Instead, Jesus said that all men, in other words all humanity, whether religious or irreligious, whether near or far from God, would arrive at the conclusion that you are a disciple; that you are a follower of Jesus who knows and does what Jesus knows and does, by your love for one another. All humanity, whether religious or irreligious, whether near or far from God, would arrive at the conclusion that a person has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a result of the reality that they loved others as Jesus had loved them.

John then pointed the members of the church at Ephesus to an event from history that is preserved and recorded for us in a section of the very first letter in the Bible, called the book of Genesis. In Genesis chapter four, we read of an event from history involving Adam and Eve’s son, named Cain, and his brother Abel. Cain grew up to follow in his father’s footsteps as a farmer, while Abel grew up to become a shepherd who took care of domesticated animals.

Just as God’s people today worship the Lord by giving back a portion of the financial resources we have been given, Cain and Abel gave back a portion of the resources that they had been given. Cain responded to God’s provision to him as a farmer by giving back a portion of the produce that God had provided him. Abel also responded to God’s provision to him as a shepherd by giving back a portion of the animals that God had provided him.

Yet, while both Cain and Abel responded to God’s provision by giving back to God a portion of the resources that they had received as an act of worship, we see God have differing responses to their acts of worship. God accepted Abel’s act of worship, but rejected Cain’s act of worship.

Cain responded to the rejection of his act of worship with an anger that was evident in his attitude, his actions, and even his posture. Cain responded to the Lord accepting Abel’s offering, but rejecting his offering by hunting Abel down and killing him. Cain, in a cold hearted and premeditated fashion, took the life of his younger brother.

You see, Cain’s murder of Abel was an external manifestation of the reality that sin, selfishness, and rebellion had dominated his life. Cain’s lack of faith revealed itself in his act of worship and his response to God rejecting his offering. Instead of recognizing that selfishness and rebellion was dominating his life, Cain sought vengeance that flowed from jealousy and envy of Abel.

John pointed the members of the church at Ephesus to this event from history as evidence that Cain embraced and engaged in a lifestyle that was committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others that revealed a lawless rebellion against God. And that lawless rebellion against God revealed the reality that Cain demonstrated the characteristics of the devil by engaging in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God.

And it is here, in this section of this letter, that we discover a timeless truth when it comes to connecting in true community. And that timeless truth is this: The lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to.  Just as it was for followers of Jesus in John’s day; just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to.

The timeless reality is that the person who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others is revealing the reality of a lawless rebellion against God. The timeless reality is that the person who remains connected with God as they are mystically and spiritually united with Jesus will not engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others. The person who has truly recognized Jesus for who He truly is; the person who has identified themselves as having a genuine and authentic relationship with God will not engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

The timeless reality is that the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus will not be misled in a way that causes them to go astray in their relationship with Jesus to instead embrace the idea that they could remain in genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus while engaging in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

The timeless reality is that, because children tend to take on the characteristics and character of their parents, no one who is born of God engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others. The timeless reality is that the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a part of the family of God cannot engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebel against God, because they have been brought into the family of God. A commitment to a lifestyle of lawless rebellion against God is not possible for a person who lives in a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus because of the presence of the very nature and character of God that is present in their lives. The timeless reality is that all humanity, whether religious or irreligious, whether near or far from God, would arrive at the conclusion that a person has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a result of how they love others as Jesus had loved them.

So here is a question to consider: What does the lifestyle that you are committed to living reveal about who or what you are committed and connected to? What does the lifestyle that you are committed to living reveal about who or what you are a child of and have taken that characteristics and character of?

Because, as we have discovered, The lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to.