Loving One Another | 1 John 2:15-24 Meditations

1 John 2:15-24
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

"That we should love one another." Ah, yes. We've probably all heard it many, many times.
The Bible agrees - it says this is the message we've heard from the beginning (1 John 3:11)!

1 John 2:24 has the command to "Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning..." The question, then, must be "What is it that is heard from the beginning?"

And we all know - it is "that we should love one another." (1 John 3:11)

And 1 John 2:24 now says that I should let that thought - that I should love one another - abide in myself.
God called me to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), and now He is calling me to let the message that I heard from the beginning abide in myself. 

To transform me through the renewing of my mind (Rom. 12:2).
Fascinating how God doesn't tell me "Try harder!", but rather, abide. Him in me, me in Him, His Word in me.

As I meditate on this message to love one another, think on this message, let this message abide in me, this message will affect my beliefs and my actions, transforming my life.

It's true. The past couple days I challenged myself to think this message whenever I got thirsty (very random, I know... It was because I was thirsty when I was trying to think of an application :P).

One of the first things it did was to convict me of how much I didn't love others. And I began to see how much the Father loves me. And how much those around me (a.k.a. family) loved me.

But then thoughts really do turn into actions.
While I was washing the dishes the other day, it seemed like the Father was prompting me to help by tidying up the rest of the kitchen as well. It wasn't that difficult, and because of the whole "I should love one another" thing, I just quickly straightened up the counters.

On a side note, I found out the next day that guests were coming that same day. Yours truly usually has the job of cleaning kitchens on such occasions, and it was so nice to have it already tidied up.

The whole thing was no big deal, yet it's incredible how much the Father delights in His children. And how wonderful it is to feel His pleasure.

After that, I was encouraged to listen to His voice and show His love. It's hard, though! Still hard. Because it often means giving up my agenda, my wants, my will.

"If you want to be happily married to the Lamb, you must be divorced to yourself."
That's the paraphrased version of a quote I came across. How true it is!

He calls me to love Him, and then to love others. And to care neither of the big and long to-do list nor the clock that reminds me of the big and long to-do list.
How outrageous! Shouldn't I at least get to keep my most beloved, wide and lofty, big and long to-do list? But no, He calls me to forsake all, and follow Him.

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof" -  that's my to-do's, my desires, and my will right there. And God promises they'll all pass away! "But he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 John 2:17)
He cares for His children. And in His presence is fullness of joy! (Psalm 16:11)

When He calls me to help so-and-so prep lunch, it's not because He would like to make memorizing the verses on the card in my hand a painfully slow chore, generously topped with a variety of distractions. No!

He is a loving Father, and He urges me, His beloved, to love - as He loved.

Because "if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you" - that ye should love one another - "ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father." (1 John 2:24)
And in His presence is fullness of joy.

Thoughts, Notes, Lists, and such. Disclaimer somewhere in here.

Attributes of the Father:

• Has love
• All that is in the world (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) is not of Him
• Has will
• If one denied Jesus, one would not have the Him
• If one acknowledged Jesus, one would have Him
• Can be "continued in"

Attributes of the Son:

• If one denied Him, one would be a liar 
• If one denied Him, one would not have the Father
• If one acknowledged Him, one would have the Father
• Can be "continued in"

Attributes of the Holy Spirit:

• Has anointing (unction) 

Cross-References:

vs 15 --> Ga.l 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
vs 15 --> Col. 3:1-2  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
vs 16 --> Gal. 5:16-17  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
vs 17 --> 1 Tim. 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
vs 18 --> 2 Tim. 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
vs 18 --> Rev. 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
vs 19 --> John 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

vs 20 --> 2 Cor. 1:21-22  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

vs 23 --> John 10:30  I and my Father are one. 

vs 24 --> 1 John 3:11  For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
vs 24 --> John 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

menō in 1 John 2:15-24

• "...he that doeth the will of God menō for ever." (vs 17)
• "...if they had been of us, they would no doubt have menō with us..." (vs 19)
• "Let that therefore menō in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall menō in you, ye also shall menō in the Son, and in the Father." (vs 24)

Mini Study - The Will of God

Note: This study was done on the Greek word thelēma in the New Testament (Strong's G2307).

What is the will of God?

• That none of the little ones perish (Matt. 18:14)
• That of all which He has given Jesus,  should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day (John 6:39)
• That everyone which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and He will raise them up at the last day (John 6:40)
• That Jesus gave Himself for our sins, that Jesus might deliver us from this present evil world (Gal. 1:4)
• That we are predestined to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself (Eph. 1:5)
• That we should abstain from fornication (1 Thes. 4:3)
• That everyone of us should know how to possess our vessel in sanctification and honour (1 Thes. 4:4)
• That none of us go beyond and defraud our brother in any matter (1 Thes. 4:6)
• That we would give thanks in everything (1 Thes. 5:18)
• That with well doing we may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (1 Pet. 2:15)
• That all things are and were created (Rev. 4:11)

Characteristics of the will of God

• Knowable (Rom. 2:18)
• Good (Rom. 12:2)
• Acceptable (Rom. 12:2)
• Perfect (Rom. 12:2)
• Has good pleasure (Eph. 1:5)
• We are sanctified by it, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Heb 10:10)

What should we do with the will of God?

• Prove it, by not being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2)
• Understand it (Eph. 5:17)
• Do it from the heart (Eph 6:6)
• Stand perfect and complete in all of it (Col. 4:12)
• Live the rest of our earthly lives to it, not to the lusts of men (1 Pet. 4:2)

What happens when we follow the will of God?

• We enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 7:21)
• We are called Jesus' brother/sister/mother (Matt. 12:50, Mark 3:35)
• We will know if Jesus' doctrine is His or God's (John 7:17)
• God will hear us (John 9:31, 1 John 5:14)
• We will abide forever (1 John 2:17)

Jesus and the will of God

• Jesus asked that the Father's will be done (Matt. 26:42)
• Jesus' food (meat) = do God's will (John 4:24)
• Jesus sought the Father's will (John 5:30)

Notes:

Will and kingdom seem to have some kind of a link.

If know the Lord's will, but don't do it, shall be beaten with many stripes (Luke 12:47)

The sons of God are born according to God's will (John 1:12-13)

Ananias to Saul (Paul): "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth." (Acts 22:14)

Paul prayed that we might be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (Col 1:9)

"Now the God of peace... Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Heb. 13:21-22)

Mini Study - Anointing/Unction

Anointing/Unction (1 John 2:20) Gr. chrisma
1. Anything smeared on, unguent, ointment, usually prepared by the Hebrews from oil and aromatic herbs. Anointing was the inaugural ceremony for priests

Definition above taken from Outline of Biblical Usage

Characteristics of chrisma (this word only occurs twice in the NT):

• From the Holy One (1 John 2:20)
• Teaches you of all things (1 John 2:27)

The Three Anointed Types of People in the OT

• Prophets (1 Kings 19:16)
• Priests (Ex. 28:41)
• Kings (1 Sam. 15:1)

Anointing oil described:

• With spices (Ex 25:6)
• Recipe: 500 shekels of pure myrrh, 250 shekels of sweet cinnamon, 250 shekels of sweet calamus, 500 shekels of cassia, 1 hin of olive oil (Ex. 30:23-24)
• Holy - whatever is anointed with the holy anointing oil is most holy and sanctified, and whatever touches them is holy (Ex 30:29, 31)

Notes:

• God anoints with oil of gladness (Psalm 45:7)
• God is the saving strength of His anointed (Psalm 28:8)
• "the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek" (Isa. 61:1)
• God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power (Acts 10:38)
• "...I shall be anointed with fresh oil." (Psalm 92:10)