The Apple doesn't fall far from The Tree

Hello friends! We are on chapter 3 of 1 John in our series so let's hop into it!

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us, is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (Verses 1 - 3)

What love, indeed, that He has lavished on us. He is so good. He is enough to be able to carry the sin of everyone on his shoulders. He is Immanuel (God with us). He is waiting for the day when He returns and takes what is His - us, children of God. He will come and gather us in His arms and take us up to Heaven. He is the best that has ever come and the best that is yet to come. He is the only greatness that exists in this world. He is enough. He is the Almighty. The way maker. He can walk on water. He can do anything. And when He comes back, we will see Him as He is - in all of His splendor.

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him there is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. Not one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (Verses 4 - 6)

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil as been sinning since the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the child of the devil are; anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (Verses 7- 10)

God is of love, so if we are born of God then we have love for others. Just as they say, the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree. If you have no idea what that means, basically, people say that when a child acts so similar to their mother or father. So, when we are children of God, we act like Him in love and good deeds.

The apple doesn't fall far from the apple tree. God is the apple tree in this metaphor because trees are made of wood, prove to be strong, and endure storms. But we are like the apple that fades away after the harvest is over.

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. (Verses 11 - 15)

So, once again, we will break this chapter into two parts so it's not so long. Some of you may have noticed that I haven't been posting on Sundays, per my schedule. Well, Sundays a little difficult due to church and errands; that sort of thing. So, let's just stick with Tuesdays and Thursdays. I didn't bring this up yet because I did not know if this was going to be a short term issue. How did I post everyday for 3 whole months? Whew.

Anyway, my friends, you are children of God. So, let the light of life shine in you. Treat others with the love that the Father lavishes on you. Be the apple that is closets to the tree. Be like Christ because you are a child of the one true King.