In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 JOHN 2:1,2

MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:

Strive for obedience, but rest in the grace that covers your shortcomings through Christ’s work.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have spoken with many people who have created for themselves lists of the changes which are necessary to get into Heaven. The list generally looks something like this:

IN ORDER TO GET INTO HEAVEN, I NEED TO STOP….

AND IN ORDER TO GET INTO HEAVEN,I NEED TO START…

With almost everyone the need to stop list comes first and then the need to start. There are several problems with the list. First, we need to realize we can’t do a negative so as long as we are focused on the stopping of something without replacing it with something else we never actually get to the I need to start list. The lists need to be inverted. When we start doing the things God wants us to do they take up the space and time for doing the things we aren’t supposed to do.

BUT

The real heart of the issue with these statements and therefore the real problem is with the word “I”. The idea that by starting or stopping anything “I” can get myself into Heaven or earn it goes right back to the works righteousness model of Christianity which is not the true core of Christianity at all. My getting into Heaven is not based on anything I do or don’t do. Getting a soul into Heaven is based on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The only thing needed to get to Heaven is confession of your sin to Jesus and repentance from that sin and that is a heart condition not based in the works we do but in the belief we hold.

Our repentance causes us to begin to strive or move towards righteousness and holiness…BUT… it is the Holy Spirit at work within us that gives us success in that striving not our own effort…AND.. that work of building success is progressive.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS MATTER, BECAUSE THESE WORDS HERE ONLY BEGIN TO EXPLAIN IT.