Walk as He walked
The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is all about Jesus; but not about Jesus in a vacuum. It's about Jesus and Redemption. It's about what God has done in behalf of the fallen race. It's about the amazing self-sacrifice of God Himself in order to restore us to what we were originally given, and even more. In short, the Bible is about salvation, and that's a key theme in 1 John, as well.
Consider what 1 John 1:9, 1 John 2:2, and 1 John 4:9, 10 say about how are we given salvation? Let us read the verses,
1Jn1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jn4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1Jn4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
The means of our salvation is Christ's blood (1 John 1:7; 5:6, 8); that is, His atoning sacrifice (1 John 2:2, 4:10). The Cross is not mentioned in 1 John directly. However, blood and atoning sacrifice point to the Cross. It is not the example of Jesus that saves us, as important as that is. It is His death. And yet, 1 John 2:6 calls us to walk as He did. Let us read this verse,
1Jn2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
How do we reconcile the two? Is John trying to say that there is such a thing as walking around as if you are saved? What would that look like? When we follow John's reasoning we understand what He is saying. In 1 John 2:16, John talks of those who abide. Who abides or dwells in Him?
1Jn4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God? It is He who believes it. Who believes it?
1Jn5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself…
Who is the witness in us?
1Jn5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
1Jn5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
It is the Holy Spirit. It is by the Spirit that we know that He abides in us. When He abides in us, we abide in Him, and keep His commandments.
1Jn4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1Jn3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Those who walk as Jesus walked are those who continually believe that Jesus saved them. Those who walk as Jesus walked are those in whom the Spirit continually dwells (1 John 4:15). When God through the Holy Spirit dwells in us we love one another (1 John 4:12), because His love dwells in us. It is this love, agape, that other will make others know that we walk as Jesus walked.
Raul Diaz
www.wolfsoath.com
