Do you know God? Think about it. Do you honestly know Him? If someone asked you how would you explain to them your relationship with Jesus Christ? The Apostle John shows us how. He tells us that we know that we know him by our obedience.
1 John 2:3-6
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Keep His Word
While John is known as the apostle of Love, he doesn’t pull any punches when he writes. He gets right to the point and states your obedience shows that you know God. People are really good at identifying with Christ and talking about Him but what truly matters is if you obey Him. Do you keep His Word? Is your heart wholly given over to Him? Do you love others as He has loved you? This is obedience.
Love Perfected in You
That obedience has a payoff. If you keep His commandments the love of God will be perfected in you. That means it will become more pure and potent. It will grow and benefit those around you. We should never worry about obeying God because the payoff is much higher than the act of obedience. Be known for your love.
An Everday Act
John finishes up this section by talking about our walk. He takes the obedience of verses 3-4 and makes it a daily requirement. Obedience isn’t a one-time thing but an everyday act. Through our daily obedience, our life begins to resemble Jesus. That discipleship process is working through us to transform us into his image. Daily obedience is more than just doing what is right and keeping from doing what is wrong. It is a process of changing us from the inside out where we grow in love and maturity.