I am sure that John was a pastor, and a good one at that. We get to the end of his book where he lays down some impressive challenges, and we read these words: "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). What a great starting place? It's a great assurance that even we who still continue to become ensnared in sinful behavior are not cast away from God, but still embraced by God and we can be confident approaching God.
After all, sin carries enough shame with it. The power of sin to repeat itself in our lives comes when shame tries to hide that sin. And the more we try to bury sin, the more ashamed we get. It is similar to Edgar Allen Poe's "The Telltale Heart," when a murderer drives himself mad believing that he is hearing the heartbeat of his victim. Eventually, he cannot hide the crime anymore. That power of shame is one that John tries to gently sooth away by reminding us that we can go before God with everything. And we have a reliable testimony about who God is- that God is love (1 John 4:8). So today, celebrate the fact that Christ has won victory for us and that when we feel overcome by sin or the pressures of the systems in which we participate, "the Son of God has come and has given us understanding" (1 John 5:20). Delight that we know the true god and eternal life. Amen.
Please join me for Amos 1 tomorrow.
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