1Jn 2:4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
Christians [and hecklers, why not invite you, you'll come anyway]....your thoughts?
2007-12-23 14:15:24 · 16 answers · asked by John[nottheapostle] 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
getting some great answers...looks like nearly everybody is getting it right....nearly......
yes, there is no arguing with this scripture...it is VERY CLEAR....
2007-12-23 14:26:51 · update #1
You can say "I'm a Christian" all you want, but it will ultimately be shown through your actions. This is basically saying you should try to live like Jesus did (because obviously no one will ever be as perfect as he was). You can't just say it. Your life has to be a living example of it.
2007-12-23 14:19:40 · answer #1 · answered by Britt 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
(1 John 2:3-4) . . .. 4 He that says: “I have come to know him,” and yet is not observing his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this [person]. . .
(Titus 1:15-16) . . .. 16 They publicly declare they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of any sort.
(1 John 1:6) 6Â If we make the statement: “We are having a sharing with him,” and yet we go on walking in the darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.
If you practice sin,worship idols,celebrate pagan holidays and claim to be a christian then you are lying and will be judged by Jesus.
2007-12-23 22:30:24 · answer #2 · answered by gary d 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, you must ask, what are His commandments?
Mat 22:36 Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?
Mat 22:37 And Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Deut. 6:5)
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Lev. 19:18)
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments all the Law and the Prophets hang.
If you are a believer in Christ, you will love God with all your heart, your soul and your mind and you will love and care about others. If you do not love God nor have love for others, you are not a believer.
2007-12-23 22:21:13 · answer #3 · answered by BrotherMichael 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "know Him" refers to having a relationship with Him. In order to have a relationship with God, then you would focus your desires toward His, just as you would toward anyone that you choose to have a relationship with. That. of course, does not mean that you will always succeed. After all, you can not get along with everyone that you have a relationship with all the time. You will disappoint them sometimes because you are not perfect. But if you willingly disappoint them continually then you really do not have a relationship with them and if you claim that you do then you are lying. That is what John is telling us.
Hope that helps.
2007-12-23 22:22:34 · answer #4 · answered by gilliamichael 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
John the Apostle writing under the Inspiration of The Holy Spirit, wrote exactly what He was Inspired to write. Therefore, it means exactly what it says.
Jesus said (Gospel of John Chapter 14) if you love me, keep my commandments.
You interpret the Bible through the looking glass of the Bible.
Any Questions? frank@higherpowerworldwide.com
2007-12-23 22:21:46 · answer #5 · answered by Pastor In Kentucky 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The only way to obey the commandments is to walk in the Spirit.
2007-12-23 22:29:52 · answer #6 · answered by Doma 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No argument.
This reads better when put in context-Here:
1 John 2 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
1 John 2
1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for[a] the sins of the whole world.
3We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God's love[b] is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
7Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him[c] to make him stumble. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.
12I write to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
13I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
14I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do Not Love the World
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Warning Against Antichrists
18Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.[d] 21I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. 23No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24See 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. 25And this is what he promised us—even eternal life.
26I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27As 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.
Children of God
28And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
29If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
2007-12-23 22:19:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It means if you claim to be a Christian.You then will live according to the commandments of God.
2007-12-23 22:20:23 · answer #8 · answered by paula r 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Just common sense. anyone that can think at all knows what it means. It has nothing to do with religion though. Religions use it as a tool.
2007-12-23 22:58:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Exactly what it says. Some say they know God but they don't do as God wants them to.
2007-12-24 00:16:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋