Key Verse: "...What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2b).
In today's Epistle 1 John 3:1-7, the disciple John assures believers in Christ-centered witnessing paschal communities, that they are Children of God, while living in their present human flesh, in the mind of the spirit. As they walk in the light of the mind of the spirit, they will imitate Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery. They will become like Jesus Christ. Their sins will be forgiven. They will be delivered from the deception, slavery, bondage, sins and death of the mind of the flesh. In the mind of the spirit, like Jesus Christ, believers will pass over into the new and glorified life with the Godhead, which Jesus Christ, revealed, taught and modeled, while here on earth (Luke 9:18-23).
In Jesus Christ as Messiah, the Godhead has revealed Divine Love for all mankind, while we were yet sinners (John 3:16-17). Jesus Christ revealed God's eternal plan for mankind's forgiveness, regeneration, redemption, spiritual adoption and spiritual formation as sons and daughters of God, Our Father. True knowledge about who Jesus Christ really is, cannot be truly discerned and know by believers, who choose to dwell in the mind of the flesh. Jesus Christ can only be known, imitated and truly followed by believers, who choose to dwell in and live their lives, in the mind of the spirit (Romans 8:1-17, 1 John 3:1).
The true knowledge and glorious liberty of salvation is withheld and hidden from believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, who choose to live their lives in the mind of the flesh. Christlikeness can only be realized in believers who live their lives in the mind of the spirit. Jesus Christ's vision of the kingdom of God and kingdom living here on earth as it is in heaven, can only be discerned, proclaimed and manifested by believers, who choose to live their lives, under the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, in the mind of the spirit (John 8:32, 14:6, 16:5-11; 1 John 3:2).
The eternal hope and prayer of Christ-centered spiritually awake believers are for spiritual cleansing from the sins and death of the inappropriate dominion of the mind of the flesh. These believers recognize and honor Jesus Christ's sinlessness as Messiah, Savior and Way-shower. They therefore seek to be like Jesus Christ. They discern and know the truth about Jesus Christ, by steadfastly follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit (Luke 9:23). Their eternal quest is for peace of mind, loving relationships, worthy goals and ideals, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation and kingdom here on earth, as children of God, who follow Jesus Christ, in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit (Philippians 2:5-8, 1 John 3:3).
In todays Epistle, the Apostle John defines sin and salvation. He describes sin as lawlessness. He declares that those who commit sin are guilty of lawlessness. Scripture declares that Jesus Christ was revealed to take away mankind's sins, which are caused by the Man of Lawlessness, who must be revealed and destroyed (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). The text declares that no believer who abides in Christ, will choose to live their lives, in the dominion of the mind of the flesh (1 John 3:4-5).
By abiding in Christ, believers' lives in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups remain centered in the mind of the spirit. John reminds believers that no believer who has discerned, encountered, and abides in Jesus Christ in the mind of the spirit, can or will be comfortable committing the sins of the mind of the flesh. He assures his readers that believers who choose to live in the mind of the flesh, have never truly discerned, encountered or known Jesus Christ, in the mind of the spirit (1 John 3:6).
The Apostle John encouraged believers, within witnessing paschal faith communities, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, not to be deceived by living their lives in the mind of the flesh. John assures believers, who follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit, that they are living in righteousness. Like the apostle Paul, John declares that Jesus Christ is the full manifestation of the wisdom, power and righteousness of the Godhead in human flesh (1 Corinthians 1:18-25, 1 John 3:7).
Are you willing to live your life in the mind of the spirit, by seeking and serving Christ in all persons, and loving your neighbor as yourself? Do you now recognize why believers, who choose to live in the mind of the flesh, often despise and reject believers in their witnessing paschal faith communities, who choose to follow Jesus Christ, by living their lives in the mind of the spirit? Do yo believe that you are the image of God in the creative process of becoming the likeness of god, in human flesh? Does your life and witness prove to you and others, that Jesus Christ as Messiah is the righteousness of God in human flesh?
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