Good Morning Friends,
“See that what you have heard from the
beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in
the Father. And this is what he promised us -- even eternal life. I am writing
these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you,
the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone
to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that
anointing is real, not counterfeit -- just as it has taught you, remain in him.
And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be
confident and unashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous,
you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.” (1 John
2:24-29)
Three times in this section John urges us to
hang on.
“See that what you have heard remains in you.”
“Remain in Him.”
“Continue in Him.”
Being a Christian was not easy in the day in
which John wrote. The Christians were often persecuted. Coming to Christ often
resulted in economic hardship, including the loss of job. A relationship with
Christ often strained family relationships, even severed them. Sometimes the
cost included prison and torture and even death. The costs of
being a Christian were high in John’s day.
The costs for being a Christian still can be
high in our day!
In some parts of the world people still face
these same costs when they come to Christ. Even in our lives they may have been
costs – loss of relationships because those you ran with didn’t want to be
around you anymore after you came to Christ – loss of jobs because you wouldn’t
do what was required because it violated your conscience. Most of us haven’t
faced the most significant kinds of costs – prison, torture and death. But John’s
point is that Christ is worth it – worthy whatever it costs to follow Him.
Even when we don’t face persecution or high
cost for following Christ, there still is the temptation to let go. We still
need the urging to hang on.
Remember -- a relationship with Christ is
right -- hang on.
Remember -- a relationship with Christ is
worth it -- hang on.
Remember -- He keeps hanging on to you --
hang on to Him.
His, by Grace,
Steve
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