08 19 08 Things That Matter

“We know what love is because Jesus Christ gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters. Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. If he doesn't take pity on them, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, don't just talk about love. Put your love into action. Then it will truly be love.” (1 John 3:16-18 NIrV)

John writes to the believers in Asia Minor to defend the faith against the growing movement of Gnosticism, which blended Eastern mysticism and Greek dualism (matter is evil; spirit is good). As John writes (around 90A.D.) the movement is growing and by the second century there would be Gnostic gospels, epistles, and an entire theological system. If God was a spirit, how could He possibly create matter (things)? Something much lower must have created this earth! Jesus could not have really had an earthly body and suffered such pain if he were God. Imagine the things that were falsely taught as truth!

Is it so much different today? We are so tied up in legalism, prosperity preaching, and cults that we forget that the Bible is all about Jesus, not me, the church, my ministry, or the pastor! In fact, we have put so much emphasis on the physical things in life; we lack the spiritual influence and emphasis. Have we come full-circle or what?

We ask for things. We get angry at God when things don’t work out. We are angry at the government because we are paying more for things and not able to get the things we think we need, or do the things we used to do. Physical things indeed have a price tag. But none has a higher price tag than what Jesus paid on the cross!

We owe the Savior our life. We owe Him our soul. We owe Him every breath we take, yet we can never pay Him back! Today we talk and talk and talk about the things of God, yet we want them mainly for me! As John reminds us above, love is an action, not something we can earn or purchase. Love is a physical, emotional, and spiritual commitment. God is love. To truly be a Christ-follower we need to live in 24/7 love. This requires sacrifice, discipline, others–thinking, trust, and faith; faith in the person of Jesus Christ. What I have is God’s and His to give, take, or have me share with others. I neither own nor deserve anything! These are the THINGS THAT MATTER!

Jesus came to rock the world’s system of doing things. His way is still the only way. Some are still trying to teach, preach, and live their way and believe they are getting away with it. John would simply say this: stop misleading and start living the truth. This is what Jesus did! He knew where His reward was…do we?