Living for God

We are not saved by works, but we are saved unto good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). Another way of stating it is that we don’t do good works in order to be accepted of God, but we do good works because we are accepted of God and already have a relationship with Him by grace through faith in His Son! So what are some of the things that we should do because we love the one who first loved us, and the one who has made us eternally His own (1 John 4:19)!

We should readily acknowledge our sin while taking time to confess (say the same thing about sin as God does) before God our sin because He already knows and sees it (1 John 1:9). There is no way of pulling the wool over God’s eyes! We must love God enough not to try to hide or reason away our sin, and in turn recognize the love of God for us in providing an advocate with Him, Jesus Christ, the righteous one (1 John 2:1). The desire of our heart should be sweet and close fellowship with God just as much as it is His deep desire to have fellowship with us. He gave His only Son to provide a  continual communion (having things in common) with Him (1John 1:7; 2:2).

Out of our fellowship with God and His Son should come a natural inclination toward others who are of the family of God, our brothers and sisters in Christ (2 John 2:9-10). Love must prevail in our church relationships as a distinctive mark of true disciples of Christ (1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11, 12)! Our love for one another will necessitate spending time with born again believers in church fellowship and providing for each other in times of need as opportunity allows (1 John 4:21-5:1; 3:17-18).

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Fulfilling the expectations of God should be joyous when we understand His loving purposes.