Three tests to evaluate if we truly lead a Christian life
Jonatán Toledo
(Audio: English, Spanish) ->Alternate
SUMMARY: The letter of First John is about being an authentic Christian and holding onto the genuine gospel. The purpose of the letter is for believers to know that they have eternal life. The letter warns against idolatry, which can take many forms, including money, success, power, comfort, and even good things. The pressure on Christians to adapt the Bible to what is commonly accepted in the world is a danger, and Christians must be authentic in the face of this pressure. The Book of First John gives three tests to evaluate if one is in the real faith: believing in the real Jesus, obeying God's commands, and loving others. Some things, such as belief in Jesus' death and resurrection on the cross for salvation, are not negotiable in orthodox Christian belief.
The authenticity of one's faith in Jesus is tested in three ways: the doctrinal test, the ethical test, and the social test. The doctrinal test requires one to believe in Jesus' death and resurrection on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. The ethical test requires one to change and become more like Jesus as the Holy Spirit works in them. The social test requires one to love their brothers and sisters in Christ. The world is under the control of the evil one, but the blood of Jesus covers and protects authentic Christians. The Son of God has given understanding so that one may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, even His son Jesus Christ. We must come back to the heart of worship and rid ourselves of idols to live genuinely as Christians.
Let's consecrate ourselves before God and ask for forgiveness for our idols and compromise. We ask for a revival in our lives and a renewed relationship with God. We trust in God's faithfulness to keep us from falling and present us before His Glorious Presence. God bless us all in Jesus' Name. Amen.
The authenticity of one's faith in Jesus is tested in three ways: the doctrinal test, the ethical test, and the social test. The doctrinal test requires one to believe in Jesus' death and resurrection on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. The ethical test requires one to change and become more like Jesus as the Holy Spirit works in them. The social test requires one to love their brothers and sisters in Christ. The world is under the control of the evil one, but the blood of Jesus covers and protects authentic Christians. The Son of God has given understanding so that one may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, even His son Jesus Christ. We must come back to the heart of worship and rid ourselves of idols to live genuinely as Christians.
Let's consecrate ourselves before God and ask for forgiveness for our idols and compromise. We ask for a revival in our lives and a renewed relationship with God. We trust in God's faithfulness to keep us from falling and present us before His Glorious Presence. God bless us all in Jesus' Name. Amen.
First John is a letter that deals with what it means to be an authentic Christian. It's written to a community of early Christians that were being bombarded by people who had adopted a false version of christianity.
They were extremely tempted and pressured to adopt and change it to make it more acceptable to the society in which they lived and this letter is all about what it means to be genuine, what it means to be an authentic Christian and hold on to that and whether the signs that we can read or the test that we can do to evaluate if we've got the genuine article or something false in counter effect.
They were extremely tempted and pressured to adopt and change it to make it more acceptable to the society in which they lived and this letter is all about what it means to be genuine, what it means to be an authentic Christian and hold on to that and whether the signs that we can read or the test that we can do to evaluate if we've got the genuine article or something false in counter effect.
