EP 003 1st John 2s4-6 Why the teaching on Jesus as our example has been neglected

In the last episode, we went straight to the heart of the theme of this podcast.

John 13, Jesus washes the disciples' feet, and he says, and I quote, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another's feet.

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." Now, from that, we drew the inescapable conclusion that this statement cannot apply to this action alone as if there was something unique about it.

It was an act of love, but all Jesus' actions were acts of love, and in his life, he was 100% consistent.

So the starting point of our podcast journey is plain, clear, and indisputable.

Every single thing that Jesus did as an act of love is in some way and at some level the example that we are to follow.

That's our reference point, and that's what we're going to explore.

Now, it's reinforced by today's reading, which is 1 John 2:4-6, and here it is: "Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them, and this is how we know we are in him." Let's underline it.

"Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." The Greek means literally, "Must walk as Jesus walked." Now, here again, we have a plain and unambiguous statement that we are to live, to walk like Jesus, to follow his way of life.

And if we ought to do it, then that means we can do it.

The evidence that we are in Christ, says John, is the appearance of the likeness of Christ in us.

And that's a pretty obvious point to make.

The picture of abiding or remaining or living in Christ goes back to Jesus' own words in John 15, which we look at in a later episode.

The fruit on the branches which stay connected to the vine.

Christ is the vine, we're the branches, and Christlikeness is the fruit that appears because the fruit comes from the nature of the vine.

So those two texts alone establish our core point beyond dispute.

We are to follow the example of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.