“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
– 1 John 3:18
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you feel loved? Do you feel loved by the kids who are in your school? Do you feel loved by your teachers? Do you feel loved by your dad and ma? Do you feel loved by God? What does it mean to you to be loved? Do you think that the love that your dad and ma have for you is different than the love that God has for you? Where do you think that love originates? Do you think that you are able to – without the help of God, love another guy, gal or kid? What do you think that Apostle John wanted to get across to his readers when he wrote what now is 1 John 3? Love was one of the core themes in Apostle John’s writings. Apostle John often emphasized love in what he penned. Love to Apostle John is seen in compassionate actions versus in dispassionate words. Verse 18 says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” When your grandpaa arrived a couple of days ago at Adventures in Missions office in Gainesville, Georgia – after having been away from Adventures in Missions office for about three weeks during which time he did setup in Costa Rica and then led an Adventures in Missions short term ministry team that went to El Guyabo, Nicaragua, a customer service rep who works in Adventures in Missions office – when she saw your grandpaa, got up from her cubicle desk, walked to where your grandpaa was standing, gave your grandpaa a big hug and told your grandpaa that she loved him. Do you think that your grandpaa was okay with Laura thinking that she needed to give him a hug – and to tell your grandpaa that she loved him? First of all, you know that your grandpaa does not do hugs and secondly, when your grandpaa is told by a gal that she loves him, your grandpaa will tell the gal that he really does not want her love – that he would much prefer to have instead her respect. When Laura began to work for Adventures in Missions earlier this year, your grandpaa was asked to help Laura with raising the money that Adventures in Missions told her that she needed to raise for her to remain working for Adventures in Missions. Laura should have at least six weeks ago sent out her first prayer/news support letter. Laura has still not sent out her first fund raising letter to her mailing list which . . . your grandpaa does not doubt that Laura has really appreciated the times that he and she have talked about whatever but . . . your grandpaa at no time will ever have the kind of feelings for Laura from being workplace acquaintances to the feelings that your grandpaa has for your dad, your ma and you kids which are even different than what your grandpaa has for your grandmaa who your grandpaa knows loves him as unconditionally as a gal could love a guy on planet Earth and who your grandpaa knows is the most beautiful earthly treasure that he will ever have on planet Earth. Your grandpaa also struggles with the flippant use of the love word when this love word – even though it has a more significant Greek meaning in how it was used by Apostle John in the context of God – as God the Father, and God – as God the Son, frames how you were so important to God that He sent His only Son to planet Earth in order for His Son – Who is Jesus Christ, to because of your sins be cruelly executed by being nailed to and hung on a cross.
Do you sin? Why do you sin? Do you enjoy sinning? What are some of the sins that are plaguing you? From where do you think that sin germinates? Do you think that you are the only kids who sin? Do you think that God is pleased that you sin? Sin is another of the core themes in Apostle John’s writings. The devil per Apostle John drives sin. Because the devil is lawless, the devil wants all guys, gals and kids who have lived, are living and will live on planet Earth to be lawless just like him. Sin would not have relevance except that God created life norms that the Ten Commandments encapsulate and which God – as God the Father, mandated His specially chosen guys and gals and now His specially elected guys, gals and kids – who God – as God the Father, adopted for Himself before He created planet Earth, to always be obedient to. God – as God the Spirit, only awakens Christ-follower guys, gals and kids to an understanding of the negative import that the devil has on his or her life. Sin per Apostle John defines unmistakably the lifestyles of guys, gals and kids who are non-Christ-follower. Even though a Christ-follower guy, gal or kid is inherently going to be constantly oppressed by sin, a Christ-follower guy, gal or kid knows that without a doubt – because of the assurance that God – as God the Spirit, is telling him or her that he or she is destined for an eternal existence in heaven with God – as God the Father, in the holy purified way that God – as God the Father, is which per Apostle John no one will know until that very moment when God – as God the Son, appears and is seen.
Are you looking forward to living eternally in heaven? What do you think that it is going to be like to live forever in heaven? What is keeping you today from really looking forward to spending life after death in heaven? How firmly cemented is your confidence in the Living Word – which is the Bible, which promises that you will not be condemned by God – as God the Father, because of you having internalized through believing categorically that what His only Son – who is Jesus Christ, did for you on a cross when He used His body as a ransom payment to pay for your sinful disobedience towards Him and because He bore you again into His family of believers? Guys, gals and kids per Apostle John will get this when God – as God the Spirit, fills them with a hope that exudes true love.
1 John 3 (1149)