Obedience And Light - Lesson 4 Sample

by Glenn Davis
(Prince George)

Note: There is no right or wrong format for recording your devotional reading. Record it as best suits you. This is how I did it this time. Students - do not read this until after you have posted your own Lesson 4.

1 John 1:7

But if we walk = It is a choice we must make. God does not force us to walk. We must choose to walk. And we walk, not run. God is not in a rush. Often my daily life is lived in a rush, so much to do, so much I want to accomplish, etc. I must learn to slow down and walk. God is not running and I do not want to get ahead of Him.

In the light = Sin brings darkness, God brings light. His light will shine into every corner of my life. No darkness can remain. This is scary. Darkness hides things I am afraid of being exposed, but in God there is no fear. He is love. He wants to remove all shame and darkness. Let the Light shine.

As He is in the light = God lives in light, He does not know darkness - not even a shadow. If we are to approach God, we must also learn to live in the light. To experience the love and companionship of God, I must live in the light. Darkness must flee, cherished sins must be abandoned. My face must be toward the light.

We have fellowship with one another = People - even in the world - long for true relationships. This is not possible outside of God. They may penetrate to certain levels, but only in God?s light can we truly be free to know each other. It is only as we have confidence in God and His forgiveness that we can let go of sin and live without a mask. Fear keeps the masks up. To the degree that I walk in the light I can drop the mask and let others see who I really am. Those who still walk with a degree of darkness may indeed reject or scorn me, but those who walk in the light - and God Himself - will accept me. True relationship will be possible.

And the blood of Jesus = This is only possible because of the blood of Jesus shed on calvary. Without that darkness would win the day in my life. May my heart ever be mindful and thankful for the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.

His Son = Jesus is God, the second Person of the trinity. Man a very man and God a very God.

Purifies us from all sin = The blood of Christ washes the sin and darkness from my life. There is no sin so great that it is not covered. Jesus cleanses me. I can walk in the light. It is not an idle dream, but a reality if I will but come. I cannot purify myself, no amount of work or fighting with sin will ever purify me. I come to Christ, He purifies me through He blood, I must then choose to stand in what He has done.

1 John 2:5

But if anyone obeys His Word = Obedience is not optional. The mark of the Christian is obedience to the Word of God. Everyone else will pick and choose the parts that sound good to them - or reject it entirely. The true Christians seeks to live in obedience to the Word of God whether or not he likes it or agrees with it. His love for and commitment to Christ motivates him on.

God?s love is truly made complete in him = Obedience is how God?s love is formed in us. As we obey God, His love grows in us until it becomes complete. Jesus totally obeyed, and totally walked in the love of God. If we would be complete, experience the fullness of what God has for us, we must walk in obedience.

This is how we know we are in Him = Our assurance of salvation comes from the fact that we desire to walk in complete obedience like Jesus. We fail in many areas, but we get up, get forgiveness, and keep going. We continue to study, to work at, and to apply the Word of God in our lives. Our desire to to walk in perfect obedience and we keeping working on our performance. This is not working for salvation, but working out our salvation by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3:3

Everyone = No exceptions. This statement applies to everyone.

Who has this hope in him = The hope is the belief that we will see Christ and be changed into His image - previous verses. This hope is in us. It becomes part of the fabric of our being. This does not mean we become so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Just the opposite. Because of this hope are very active on this earth for our Lord.

Purifies himself = Because we know we will see Jesus and be changed to be like Him, we begin the process now. We work on rooting sin out of our lives. We want to do those things that are pleasing to Jesus. We want and work toward having our lives reflect His purity now. The devil may tempt us but our goal is purity before God.

Just as He is pure = Jesus is pure in every way, on every level. He is our model. He sets the standard. Because we love Him we want to be like Him and we work toward that end.

1 John 4:9

This is how God showed His love = love is active not passive. God loved so Him must express His love somehow. If we love we must be active. We cannot truly love someone passively. Love drives us to action.

Among us = God is complete in Himself. He did not have to show us love, but He has revealed His love to us. He has acted on our behalf. He has come among us.

He sent = God action involved sending Someone to us and on our behalf. He did not wait until we came to Him - that would never happen. He took the first step. Although He was in the injured party, He initiated reconciliation.

His one and only Son = God did not hold back. He did not settle for second best. He gave all He had, His beloved Son, His only Son. Love gives and gives and does not hold back. That is why is it impossible to love unless God is living in us and when that happens it will cost us - but we are happy to do it.
Why is the Holy Spirit not considered a Son?

Into the world = Jesus came to us. He meets us where we are at. He does not expect us to come to Him - an impossibility. He comes to us. He degrades Himself to be identified with us, yet He does it joyfully because He loves us.

That we might live though Him = Life is only available through Jesus Christ. Existence is not life. True life, knowing God, can only come from God. We cannot be complete outside of Him. We must know Him, live in Him, and let Him live in us. There is no other path to life.

1 John 5:3

This is love for God - Not only does God love us, but we are to return that love to Him. We cannot love Him unless He first loves us, but when that happens we must respond in the love He gives us by loving Him in return. We love God with the same kind of love that He has for us - unconditional and complete.

To obey His commands - Our love for God is shown in very practical ways. It is not some sentimental feeling. Our love is revealed in our obedience to His ways - whether we feel like it or not - whether we agree with it or like it or not. Love is shown in obedience. If we insist on having our own way, living life in our own style, doing our own thing, choosing our ways above God?s ways, we are not in love with God. We may mouth great words and claim to have great spiritual experiences but it is all love of self not love of God. The only way to show love to God is obedience to His revealed Word.

And His commands - God, as King of the universe, gives commands. These are not suggestions. These are not ?if you feel like it? or ?when you get around to it.? These are commands - laws - that are to be obedience and for which we will give an account on judgment day.

Are not burdensome - Unlike human rulers, God?s commands are not harsh. They are not designed to benefit Him at all. All His commands are for our own benefit! When we understand this we realize that His laws are not hard to keep, they make sense, they lead us into prosperity on every level. Like David, we come to delight in the law of God. It is a joy to study, understand, and then apply the law. It is not a legalistic burden, but true joy.