"THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL"

“THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL”

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

  Without assurance in a relationship there is sorrowful anxiety. This is so in employment, friendship, marriage, parenting, and with salvation hope. Not knowing for certain is a terrible condition. We all have experienced this in relationships. The apostle John recognized this among the body of Christ and wrote a letter addressing the angst. For those suffering I encourage the prayerful reading of 1John taking careful note of knowing in the context. To aid I’m providing those verses from KJV suggesting you read them in your personal Bible.

   2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him [Jesus], if we keep his commandments. 4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 11  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 13  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.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. 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. 29  If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

   3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 5  And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

   4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 7  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 13  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 16  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

   5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 18  We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 19  And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20  And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

  Now do we know full joy?

EBB4

PS. Verses 3:6 and 5:18 singularly may be difficult for those not reading in the context of John’s letter. The verses address those no longer engineering and practicing sin as their lifestyle as opposed to those doing so.