“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” [1]
Three characteristics of a follower of Jesus noted above are:
Faith that Jesus is the Messiah
Love for the Messiah and for God
Love for God and God’s children expressed via commandment keeping
Jesus our Messiah set the example of obedience for us...
“He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [2]
Our Heavenly Father honors His Son above all others for His obedience to die for unworthy sinners, and every sinner shall one day bow knee and confess Jesus is the Messiah. In this way, shall God the Father be honored.
John the Baptist steadfastly proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus said of John, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.” [3]
Judas Iscariot betrayed the Messiah for thirty pieces of silver... the price of a slave. Jesus said of Judas, “The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” [4]
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” [5]
Faith in Christ is the one thing the world cannot overcome. This is why the early Church Christians were devoted to proclaiming Jesus. Many were clamoring for honorable mention in the court of human opinion in their day, but the early Church Christians knew it was greater to be mentioned before the Father in heaven by Christ...
“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” [6] And so they set themselves to proclaiming Jesus, and “the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved.” [7]
“Dear Heavenly Father, please revive in Your Church today a zeal to proclaim Your Son as the Messiah. And may you add to the Church daily saved souls. I pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen.”
[1] 1 John 5:1-3
[2] Philippians 2:8-11
[3] Matthew 11:11
[4] Matthew 26:24
[5] 1 John 5:4-5
[6] Matthew 10:32
[7] Acts 2:47
Bearing witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus!
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