Continue in My Love
What does Jesus mean when He tells us, “Continue in My love.”
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. – Jhn 15:9 KJV
Jesus is God manifest in the flesh.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. – 1Ti 3:16 KJV
The Revelation of Jesus (Revelation 1:1)
Paul received the gospel that he preached by revelation (Galatians 1:11-12). It is what Peter is trying to teach in his letters to the church.
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; – 1Pe 1:13 KJV
Come Alive
For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. – 2Co 4:11 KJV
When you are enjoying the abundant life (John 10:10), you will suffer persecution! It is guaranteed that your joy in the Lord enthralls people whether they are receiving it or not. 3 John 1:2 tells us that God’s will for us is to know that we are loved by God! And that God wishes above all things that we be wealthy, healthy, and wise!!! This infuriates religious people. I know because I was angry in my “hypocrite” ditch!
The Disciple Jesus Loves
We see the disciple at the foot of the cross. John wasn’t talking about coming to the foot of the cross. He was there. Where were Mary’s other sons? In unbelief!
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! – Jhn 19:26 KJV
I believe John may be the only disciple who received the revelation of the love of God while He walked the earth in a physical body called by the name, Jesus. This revelation is what carried John to the foot of the cross and gave him the ability to receive and give to us the book of Revelation.
Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. – Jhn 20:2 KJV (Also John 21:7, 20)
Let’s Continue in His Love
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. – Jhn 3:16 KJV
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. – Jhn 3:17 KJV
God is love (1 John 4:16). He loves us and commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27). And to go even further and love our spouse and the church as He has loved us (Colossians 3:19, Titus 2:4, John 15:12). He defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. And yet, so many Christians still go around judging others and especially their own family and the church. Judging others while justifying our disobedience is sin, and it is deadly (Romans 6:23). Don’t be deceived (Galatians 6:7)!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. – Jhn 3:16 KJV
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. – Jhn 3:17 KJV
Judgment
Notice the description of God’s judgment starts off with every human being described as already dead! They have experienced physical death!
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. – Rev 20:12 KJV
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. – Rev 20:13 KJV
All the books will be open, and we all will be judged according to our works! Fear not “good and faithful servants” who do not accuse God of being evil (Matthew 25:23-26).
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. – 1Jo 4:17 KJV
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, – Heb 10:19 KJV
Read 1 John 4 and meditate on what John is trying to tell us about the love of God. This love is to us first. And only when we learn to receive God’s love for us personally can we allow Him to flow through us into this hurt, lost, and dying world.
Meditate
To understand the Scriptures, one must meditate on them. I did a search on “judg*” at Blue Letter Bible just for what the New Testament says. I highly recommend checking it out by clicking on the link in the quote below. If you want to gain wisdom about judgment now in this lifetime and the final judgment for all of humanity study those Scriptures.
“judg*”
Blue Letter Bible
occurs 201 times in 166 verses in your custom selection ‘ in ‘The New Testament” in the KJV.
Page 1 / 4 exact matches (Mat 5:21–Jhn 18:33)
When studying the Bible, there are a few key questions to ask. Who is speaking? To whom is this message being delivered? Is the subject dealing with the present (which is our past), the future (which may be our present), or eternity? This life or the life/death to come? God wants to reveal Himself and these things to you even more than you want to know. Why? Because He loves you! Yes, YOU!
Other good questions to ask yourself while reading and studying the Scripture are as follows:
- “Who do I look like in this story?”
- “And who do I sound like?”
- “Do I look and sound like my Lord, Jesus?”
- “Or do I look and sound like His accusers?”
- “Do I look and sound like Paul?”
- “Or, do I look and sound like his accusers?”
- “Am I the blind man?”
- “What did Jesus say about healing?”
- “Am I the woman at the well or caught in the act of adultery?”
- “Why did Jesus tell her to go and sin no more after He chose not to condemn her?”
- “Did Jesus threaten to put something worse on her?”
- “Or was He warning her that the wages of sin are death and that if she continues in sin, she is actually choosing death for herself?”
Now is the Day of Salvation!
I pray that you will choose life and love! Hopefully, you took time to study judgment to see that there is a time and place for it. We should only judge ourselves and repent as needed. Unless we are called to judge in the courts and counsels, we should leave that to those who are called. And we are to cover others with love and allow the goodness of God to lead them to repentance (1 Peter 4:8, Romans 2:4).
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.) – 2Co 6:2 KJV
A Royal Priesthood
Peter is describing the church, here, now, in this lifetime!
But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: – 1Pe 2:9 KJV
Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. – 1Pe 2:10 KJV
Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; – 1Pe 2:11 KJV
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by [your] good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. – 1Pe 2:12 KJV
Is Peter describing you and the people you associate with the most? See How to Have Life Eternal and remember that Jesus says, “Continue in My love.”