TO KNOW: HIS CODE OF CONDUCT

TO KNOW: HIS CODE OF CONDUCT

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Dear fellow travelers,

  Do you understand that DTs (Daily Thoughts) are mine, a personal journaling that I share with you? As such I reread them as a continuing exercise in personal examination. I wrote the TO KNOW series beginning in 2009. Today’s was initially penned on Monday, January 19, 2009. In re-airing the series it fell on this Sunday.

Philia,

Ed Bullock

Matthew LITV 22:35-40 And one of them, a lawyer, questioned Him, testing Him, and saying,  Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." [Deut.6:5] This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." [Lev.19:18] 40 On these two commandments all the Law and the Prophets hang.

1John 2:1-5 My little children, I write these things to you so that you do not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation relating to our sins, and not relating to ours only, but also relating to all the world. And by this we know that we have known Him, if we keep His commands. The one saying, I have known Him, and not keeping His commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that one. But whoever keeps His Word, truly in this one the love of God has been perfected [fulfilled and made complete]. By this we know that we are in Him.

  Everybody has within them a code of conduct that cannot be hidden. It springs forth from our basic foundational beliefs; who and what we trust in. Our code is revealed in everyday relationships involving decisions and ensuing actions; especially exposed when personal relationships investment, expense, credit, and success are concerned.

  Our public actions and reactions to life before family, friend, acquaintance and stranger, shows our true character. For example, a biggie for me is “Do I act and react in 1Corinthians 13 charitable love, God’s Word that should be core item in my innermost code of conduct? Or do I typically respond with making life all about me; revealing defensive protectionism sans candid examination, denial of truth, blame shifting, self-pitying remarks, bringing in a raft of sidebar issues, et al?”    

  Indeed our common reactions reveal the code of conduct present and growing within us, a matter of tremendous social consequence, but far above such local temporal manner and results is the eternal issue involved for the professing Christian. (This is especially so for those without blessed assurance of everlasting life. A terrible state in which to dwell!)

  John, with his many “knowing” statements tells us yet again that we can definitely know. How so in today’s selected passage? = by whether we live the truth that is within us, uncovered in the observed keeping, or not, of Jesus Christ’ commandments.

   “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” (1Jn.2:3) is evidential assurance. (Lest anyone be confused by this, please note that the word is “assurance”, not “insurance” as in “premiums paid”; we are not saved by keeping Christ’ commandments; His John 1:12 family keep His commandments because we are saved. Eph.2:1-10)

  Let us continue in prayer for certainty that delivers us from hindrance of stumbling in doubt, with our hope solidly placed in John’s 3:16 recorded Truth of His love and grace. Then we will be of the same confidence in God’s testimony and exhortation as he lettered in 1John.  EBB4