We Know Him if We Keep His Commands

1 John 2:3 “We know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commands.”

            Lord, You know how very sad the day was when I asked my dad if he knew for sure if he was going to heaven and he said, “Timi, no one can be sure if they will spend eternity with God in Heaven until after they die.”  He had been under the impression (false teaching) that when we get to Heaven, You weigh the good things we have done against the bad.  If the good outweighs the bad you’re in.

            Ephesians 2:8-9 and 1 John 5:13, as well as Isaiah 64:6 tell us differently.  They state (in Plyter Paraphrase) that my salvation does not depend on me at all and that all of my best works are like filthy rags to God.  The ONLY criterion of true salvation is who Jesus is and His work on my behalf on the cross!  I can never be good enough, do enough good, or work hard enough to earn Salvation.  I can never earn it and I can never deserve it.  It is a gift of His grace and mercy alone.

             Jesus IS the perfect sacrifice and His blood alone cleanses me from all sin so I might approach the Father and call Him “ABBA” (Daddy).  Hallelujah! I will KNOW if I know Him if I keep His commands.  “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 ASV.   If I was not truthful in that confession and do not obey His commands, it is because I am not a new creation, the old things have not passes away, I do not have the Holy Spirit living within me as my prompter and guide convicting me of my sin. I have been deceived by THE EVIL ONE (or have deceived myself) and  my body and soul and will be cast into Hell to burn for eternity after I die.

            If I were to never sin again after salvation, I would not need 1 John 1:9.  But if I practice all of the old sins and do not obey Your commands daily, I would have to check my heart and confess I lied to You and myself the day I said I trusted You.