I John: Perfected, better than love, love!!

December 24th, I John

       I John was written to a postmodern audience, before anyone knew what postmodern means. Proof to me that much of life is more cyclical than linear. Ecclesiastes reminds us that everything that is "new" has been done before. I John wants to establish truth through testimony, rather than rational thought. We act like we're uncomfortable with that and really just get over it. "That which we have heard, that we have seen with our eyes, which  we have looked upon, and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life- the life was made manifest and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and made manifest to us." 
       This isn't an attempt at systematic theology, this is we are giving testimony to that which we have experienced. In an age that starts off an argument with..."Well it's been my experience that..." Why not go there with people. People will argue with you about Jesus being God and any of a thousand other items, but people in our day simply refuse to argue with someone's experience. Here's what God has done for me!!! Here's what God can and will do for you when you choose to surrender your life to Him.
      The strong theme of this book is the Love of God and our call to love one another...and no you can't love each other but not like each other. Unless you feel comfortable saying God loves me, but he doesn't really like me. If you do feel comfortable saying that please come talk to me!!
      4:12 "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us." What I love about this verse is the fuller perspective of God's love and us. Too often we think in terms of God loving me, like this is the end of the process. But God's love is made perfect when it continues out from us into the lives of others. It even says it's perfected in us. In to us, out from us is how this love of God works. I've seen a lot of perfected love from a lot of people...praise be to God!!