First John, Then Me: Basics

By Pastor Christian in Thinking About Sunday on 2/23/09

This morning we began a series in 1st John called “First John, Then Me.” If you missed it or just want to hear it gain, please visit our podcast page, look for this series and select message #1: “Back to the Basics.”

As I mentioned this morning, John was facing difficult ideological circumstances when he wrote this letter to the people of Asia-minor. Because they had begun to let a Greek Dualistic philosophies take the core out of their Christian faith. Namely that Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word of God had never really become a flesh and blood man.

Because John had grown up around Jesus, participated in his ministry and spent his lifetime espousing and protecting this VERY TRUTH, he had a particularly strong reaction to this lie.

Consequently, he begins his letter by being VERY clear that the WORD OF LIFE actually came to earth. Six times he mentions seeing him, twice hearing, and even touching the Word that came as a man. He is expressively clear that Jesus was actually physical, actually human, and most certainly God.

This simple, but profoundly complex reality is the foundation of our faith and it was right for John to push people back to those basics.

Yesterday, I talked about our tendency to allow our Faith rooted in facts to slide into ideas rooted in religion. I think we can all admit that at least the tendency resides in our minds.

I suggested some ways to keep yourself close to the Truth. I ask you now, how do you fight this fight. How do you struggle to keep your faith out of the realm of ideas and firmly planted in the world of the concrete?

When our faith is rooted in reality we can change the world. When our faith is rooted in ideas, we can only enter the debate.

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