Journey of faith: Obedience & Reverence (Day 2)

DAY02 Like Jesus

Today’s Bible Reading

1 John 2:5-11

Whoever claims to live in [Jesus] must live as Jesus did. - 1 John 2:6

During a family church service the speaker talked about the first of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3) She suggested some ways for the children to keep this command. She said, “Nothing should come before God—not sweets, not schoolwork, not video games.” She told them that putting God first meant that time with Him reading the Bible and praying should come before anything else.

An older kid in the group spoke up with a thought-provoking question. She asked if being a Christian was about keeping rules, or if instead God wanted to be involved in all areas of our life.

Sometimes we make the mistake of viewing the Bible as a list of rules. Certainly obeying God (John 14:21) and spending time with Him is important, but not because we need to be rule-keepers. Jesus and the Father had a loving relationship. When we have a relationship with God, we want to spend time with Him and obey Him so we can become more like Jesus. John said, “He who says he abides in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6, NKJV). He’s the example we can follow.

When we want to understand how to love, or how to be humble, or how to have faith, or even how to set our priorities, we can look at Jesus and follow His example.

By Ames Chen

Questions:

1. List down the opposite pairs that you can find in this passage (1 John 2:8-11).

2. Is John writing a new command or an old command to his readers (1 John 2:7-8)? Explain your answer.

3. Think of someone in your squad, your company, or in your sphere of acquaintance whom you dislike, or even hate. How can you obey (1 John 2:9-11), and love this person instead so that you will be living in light and not in darkness?

Prayer:

Father, as I look ahead to another day, I want to be led by Your Spirit. Give understanding in my priorities, but most of all sensitivity to live like Jesus did— filled with Your love and power. Amen.