The love of God perfected

1Jn 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Keeping the word of God PERFECTS US in GOD'S LOVE.

Do we want to know that we know HIM? Then keep His commandments.

Do we want to have the LOVE of GOD perfected in us? Then keep His commands.

We CAN know we are in Him and NOT fooled into believing we are when we really aren't.

Does this mean you'll be perfect? No. It means you'll be forgiven, fully forgiven, fully covered in HIS love.

So what happens when you realize that you are coveting daily- breaking a commandment of our Savior's? Does this mean you are NOT in God's love, that you don't know God? Absolutely NOT.

Contradictory? It might appear so but the truth is in the heart.

Was Paul loved by God? Did Paul know God, did he know that He knew God? YES.

This same Paul spoke these words--

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

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So tell me, did Paul know the EXACT same struggle that we today are facing?

We would KEEP the law of God the spiritual law that is His MORAL law as He has commanded us- this spiritual law will be written upon our hearts and we will keep it fully in our changed flesh when our Savior returns to give us new life. That new flesh we are given will no longer be carnal but changed into a spiritual nature no longer corrupted by sin.

We have to KNOW this--

FOR I DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD AFTER THE INWARD MAN.

This delight in the law of God is a spiritual delight. This delight in the law makes us feel the stinging pain of conscience when we see ourselves sinning. The deep need to repent, to ask for forgiveness to seek to be free from the propensity towards the sins we cherish, the sins we enjoy- that our carnal nature exalts in making us slaves to those sins, making us believe we cannot be happy without those sins, that our lives would be deprived of a need if we have to give up something we find so convenient, so pleasurable, so normal, natural, so status quo, so conformed to the world that we can't imagine our lives at all without the sins whatever they may be.

We are called to be PILGRIMS, to be STRANGERS walking in a strange land not to be natives to the land, not people at home and content in this world, not seeking to plant our roots deep in this worldly sin stained soil. Heaven is our HOME. Heaven is where our Savior has prepared a place for us! Heaven is the place sought for by all of those who would be God's. This world is NOT our home! Is it any wonder Satan does every thing in His power to get us to believe differently?

1Jn 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

God's word tells us to LOVE.
God's word tells us to have FAITH.
God's word tells us we have an ADVOCATE with the FATHER.
God's word tells us that when we fall to the carnal flesh we have a SAVIOR and it's to HIM we must go, HE has the righteousness we need, we do not possess it.
We must keep God's commandments and He commands that we LOVE HIM, and LOVE EACH OTHER.

More on this tomorrow ALL by the grace and mercy of our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!

In HIS LOVE.