[Biblemat] A) KNOWING GOD

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Wednesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my ancient files:

KNOWING GOD

     "Now by this we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His command-
ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His Word, 
truly the love of God is perfected in him.  By
this we know that we are in Him.  He who says he abides in 
Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 Jno. 2:3-
6).

     The apostle John explains how a Christian truly knows
God.  He explains that we know God by keeping His comman-
dments, walking as He walked, and having the love of God
perfected in us by keeping His Word.  The word "perfected"
indicates completed or brought to maturity or to its fullness.
Knowing God equals the perfected love of God dwelling in us
because we are people of His Word and His Walk.

     It is apparent that we are people who know God -- our lives are real and 
active in God's love.  We are truly showing
love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ.  True light 
comes forth from our keeping the new commandment.  Child-
ren of God love their neighbors as themselves, and they love
God with all their heart, soul, and mind (1 Jno. 2:7-11; Matt.
22:35-40).

         "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone 
who loves is born of God and knows God.  He
who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  In
this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has
sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live
through Him.  In this is love, not that we love God, but that He
loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one anoth-
er" (1 Jno. 4:7-11; Jno. 13:34,35).

     Consider carefully how love, knowledge, and obedience are entwined 
together.  Again, John writes, "And we have
known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love
and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (1
Jno. 4:16).

     Do you know God?  If your answer is "yes," then the truth
of your answer is revealed in how you keep God's Word, how
you walk as He walked, and how you treat your neighbors and your brothers and 
sisters in Christ according to His love!
----------- Ron Drumm.   </HTML>
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