Grace to you and peace from God the Father. We have been considering the book of 1 John for some time but have in between considered other lessons as the Lord has helped us. Yesterday, we were able to see and understand that as believers we have a very strong influence in the lives of believers and unbelievers alike. While we can cause other believers to walk continually in the faith by the the life we live, we can make unbelievers come to God through Christ in repentance. You still remember, don't you?
Also before now, about three days back, we considered from the book of 1 John 3 the lesson, "How we are to love as believers" and from that we learnt that as much as we seek to tell people through our words that we love them, we must seek also to show by our actions that what we say is true. We are not to love only in words but also in deed and in truth. Glory to God. I am certain these series has been a blessing to you. It is my prayer that the Lord would continually reach you through his word and that you be blessed by the reason of it. Amen.
Today, we shall be considering something very important still from the book of 1 John 3. We are gradually approaching the end of the chapter. The lesson for today is something we as believers must pay attention to. It is important therefore that lessons like this be brought our way by the leading of the Spirit that we may know what it is we need to do and how it is we have to live. Hallelujah! Let's see the passage of scripture below,
"And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. [20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. [21] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God" (1 John 3:19-21).
The apostle John who is the author of this book as inspired by the Holy Spirit seeks in this passage of scripture to reveal something very important to us, that is, the standard by which we are to assess ourselves that we are of the truth and can assure our hearts before God. There's the need for daily self examination as believers. We must seek daily to live our lives for him alone who has called us onto himself. For some reasons, it is perceived that the succeeding verses (20, 21) are in no way connected to the preceding verse (19).
It can be said that verse 19 seems to be the concluding thought on 1 John 3:17, 18; that if we love not in words only but also in truth and indeed, it means that we are indeed of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him that we have done as he would want us to do. Glory to God. In verse 20, we see a different line of thought, perhaps another important message (that which points to the heart, that is, the conscience as a judge). If indeed we have a heart (not the heart as an organ) but the conscience, we would not have peace when we do wrong against God.
It is true many times we err and when we do, our conscience if it has not been silenced judges that what we have done is wrong. If it so be that our conscience can judge us, how much more God who is greater than our conscience? How much more God who knows all things and from whom nothing can be hidden? However, if our heart does not condemn us, it means that we have done nothing wrong to be condemned for and this gives confidence towards God that we are doing as he wants us to do. If your heart judges you when you do a thing, you should know what to do, and that may mean asking the Lord for forgiveness. Do not silence your conscience. The Lord help us to be doers of his word in Christ's name. Amen.
Thought for the day: Do not silence your conscience. If you err and your conscience judges you, see it as God speaking through your conscience to you and even if you silence your conscience from speaking, can you silence God who is greater than your conscience and knows all things?
Gospel Today is a comforting, exhorting, edifying and inspiring devotional published by the Delightsome Land Christian Ministry. For questions, enquiries/testimonies, please call/WhatsApp: 08174915361, 08053662272 or Email: [email protected].
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