The Test of Faith in God

SCRIPTURE: 1 JOHN 4:15, 20-21
¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.

²⁰ If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

OBSERVATION: I have known people who acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God and say they love Him; yet, they behave in hateful ways toward others in the Body of Christ. Clearly, according to these scriptures, this is not supposed to be.

APPLICATION: I have to look at the whole Word together to understand truth. It's easy to say I acknowledge Jesus as my Savior and that I love Him. The test of whether I really believe those words is in how I speak about and treat my fellow believers. Do I harbor resentments? Do I feel superior to some? Do I have any prejudices toward others of different ethnic or socio-economic backgrounds? If I do, repentance is in order. I cannot love God but despise others.

PRAYER: Father in heaven, you are holy. May I live in Your light and never deceive myself about my own level of spiritual connectedness with You. You care very little how much I say I love You if I don't demonstrate my love toward others in my actions. Perfect my heart so I may be like You in all I say and do. In Jesus' Name, Amen.