The Real Thing

1 John 2:3-11
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Have you ever been to Pacific Mall? If you have, you would know how many things sold there are "boot-leg," or for us Chinese people, "fan ban." They look like it's real, they work the same way, but they're artificial. They aren't the real thing.


"But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." [1 John 2:5-6]


Just as things can be boot-leg, Christians can be "boot-leg" too. They're called Sunday Christians, or lukewarm Christians. As much as I hate to admit, I was a Sunday Christians for years before I actually began to understand and realize the beauty of the gospel. These Christians look like they're Christians, act like they may be Christians, but once they step outside the church building, they have a completely different lives. Also, when we're lukewarm, we pretend to be with Christ, try to act like we're having a strengthening relationship with him, when ultimately, it's a flat line. A way to examine yourself is to understand whether or not you are lukewarm. Francis Chan's Crazy Love had an entire chapter on it, and it is outlined here [http://bethelgrace.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/are-you-lukewarm/#more-214] if you are interested.


Ultimately, just as Christ lived, we must live the same way. That's how we know we're the real thing. When we abide in God, everything falls into place. 


"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But 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." [1 John 2:9-11]


When we love others, we're walking in the light. That means we can see anything that could make us stumble, and be smart and avoid it. When we hate our brother, which means anyone, we are walking in the dark. We cannot see anything that might trip us and cause us to stumble, nor can we see anything at all; we are blind. When we claim to be in the light, we're truly walking in darkness. Although we may act, talk, and seem like a Christian, their efforts will be futile. If it's night-time and you can't see anything, you might pull out your iPhone with the flashlight app, or even a physical flashlight. You can see for a period of time, but when your battery runs out, you're in the dark again. In the same way, when you claim to be a Christian, but is truly lukewarm, you are the same. You can pretend for a certain period of time, but when you're standing in front of the almighty judge, will you still claim to be in him if you do not live the way he did?

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Obedience to God is an expression of our love for God.