1 John 2:3-10
Many people have a caricature of Christianity—a distortion. Not everyone who claims to be saved is saved. So what is a true Christian?
A Born-Again Christian Submits to Christ as Lord
The Bible says, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-4).
Jesus has a right to command us. “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).
Does that mean that if you have ever broken one of God’s commandments, you are not saved? No.
The word “keep” is an interesting word. It means “to value,” as you would value a treasure. Do you respect the commandments of God? Do you guard them?
This word “keep” was a sailor’s word. To sail across the trackless sea, men had to guide themselves by the stars—called “keeping the stars.” Born-again believers keep the commandments of Jesus. That does not mean they never sin: a man steering the ship may get blown off course, but he sees and corrects the course.
Is the burning ambition of your life to please Him, to keep His word, to keep His commandments? If not, the Apostle John says you are not saved—you are lying.
A Born-Again Christian Aims for Christlike Attributes
“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
The walk means the lifestyle. His life is in you. “As He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17b).
Christlike Attributes
How did Jesus walk?
Honesty
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). To walk in the light means nothing hidden. One great mark of walking as Jesus did is that you will be honest.
Purity
"Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). If there is filth, immorality, pornography, or any impurity in your life, that is not the lifestyle of Jesus.
Righteousness
“He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (1 John 3:7b).
Righteousness isn’t merely not doing certain things. “I don’t steal, get drunk or curse.” Well, neither does a telephone pole. Jesus went about doing good. (See Acts 10:38.)
The secret of walking as Jesus walked is to abide in Him. Jesus Himself explains it: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4).
A Born-Again Christian Shows the Love of Jesus
“He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him” (1 John 2:9-10).
If His love is in you, then you will love others. If your heart is headquarters for hate, you are not saved. “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5b).
Real love is not just saying, “I love you.” Christlike love is serving, sanctifying, and steadfast.
You are not saved by submitting to Christ’s lordship, or showing God’s love, or doing good works. But if you are saved, you will do all of those things.
