John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Jesus cannot be separated from His Word; they’re identical. What was in John’s mind when he spoke the Word? John took an illustration from the Old Testament, where the Word has the authority to create (Genesis 1:3,9, Psalm 33:6) and through His Word, the Lord communicates personally with His people (Genesis 15:1). It’s not a coincidence if the same John from the book of Revelation, wrote about a personal relationship between the Lord and His seven churches (Revelation 2-3). The seven churches are churches that have been redeemed by His blood and were saved by grace through faith. This relationship is illustrated through a series of Word that cover the good praises, warnings and even ‘threats.’ They end with a command: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).
By nature, a personal relationship with the Lord is there when God’s people respond to His Word, commands and statutes. Therefore, John wrote in his letter: “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.” (1 John 2:3-5). “ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:10).
1 John 2:5 clearly reveals that the love of God is perfected when it moves us to obedience. The love for God is not just a feeling, but it’s also a moral response. It’s also necessary to emphasize that the obedience and moral response asked by John, is not a momentarily action. The word “keeps” in this verse, in the original language, uses a grammar that means an action that is done continuously. Therefore, this verse can be read as: “But whoever keeps His Word continuously, truly the love of God is perfected in him.”
We are the Johns of the end times, those who are intimate with Jesus (John 13:23, 25), who continuously do His will because of love (John 15:10), and who are in fear and trembling for Him (Revelation 1:17). MARANATHA!
Adapted from the Central Article 2016, GBI Gatot Subroto Jakarta