His Word - 1 John 2:1-6

1 John 2:1-6 ESV 

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Knowing God manifests in our lives by living according to His word, by walking as He walked. When we obey God, His love in our lives is complete. His word is life and is transforming and this is the effect on lives abiding in His word. 

Are we perfect in our walk? No. But we walk with the one who is perfect. 

Jesus Christ is the word, the word of God. 

If We Confess - 1 John 1:5-10

1 John 1:5-10 ESV 

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

When God said "Let there be light", He was sharing Himself with creation. God is light. This light would come to be clothed in the flesh of man. Once the door to salvation was opened, the light of God continues to grow in the world and expand in the flesh of men. Darkness is left behind as believers come to the light. 

Adam was expelled from the Garden and was clothed in animal skins by God. Jesus brings us back into the Garden and will clothe us in immortal bodies. 

John tells us that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. This does not mean we no longer sin. It means that He has paid the price of sin once and for all. Forgiveness is ours if we confess our sins. If we ask, we receive. If we do not ask, we do not receive. 

By confession, we wash our feet from the dirt of the world. The water of repentance and the blood of Jesus restore us to righteousness. This is walking in the light. 

Made Manifest - 1 John 1:1-4

1 John 1:1-4 ESV 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

The exact image of God has taken form in the shape of the man named Jesus. He is full of the Holy Spirit, for the fullness of God was pleased to dwell in Him. 

No longer are we fated to remain in the darkness, empty and without form. The light of the world is revealed in a man so that the light of God would be revealed to men. We are becoming the true image of God as we enter the life of His light. 

The light shines among us in the manner most accessible to us which is in the form of one of us. Through this man, light is infused and made manifest in men in the fulfillment of God's will. 

I Will Send You Elijah - Malachi 4:5-6

Malachi 4:5-6 ESV 

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Elijah returns to witness to those in Jerusalem. 

Moses will return to witness as well. He was not able to enter the promised land due to disobedience. He fully obeys the Lord this time. The heart of Israel turns to God and they escape utter destruction. 

Elijah finally dies along with Moses. He and Moses are then resurrected and enter heaven. 

It may be the saints of the Church will enter with them. They will be spared of the wrath to come. God knows. 

The great tribulation begins. 

Unless - 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 ESV 

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Holding fast to the gospel is our work in our salvation. It is reaching the end with the same belief in Christ and His saving power. 

Paul tells us it is possible to believe, but believe in vain. It is not a one time confession in the past as it is an ongoing confession taking place in the present. 

We are warned in the Ten Commandments to not take the Lord's name in vain. We are to be faithful as He is faithful. In doing so we will not be put to shame, but share in the glorious life of God. 

First Importance - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV 

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

What is the most important understanding for a Christian?

The Resurrection. 

He was raised on the third day, and that according to Scripture. There is testimony of this truth before and after this marvelous thing took place. If you can confirm this by His presence in your heart, you rose with Him. 

He has risen. He has risen indeed!

His Day

We celebrate Good Friday today. Passover on the Jewish calendar is not until April 22. 

It might be good to consider God's calendar to observe His day.