The Lord wants His children to have joy and that without limitations. He wants Christians to experience the fulness of joy that only comes from right relationships. This fulness only exists in the lives of believers as certain conditions are met. The right relationship involves fellowship with God which in turn evolves into the right kind of fellowship with other believers. According to today's passage, the words of the Lord Jesus bring fulness of joy to the saint of God. Additionally, answered prayer offers fulness of joy (John 16:24). In addition to our fellowship with the Lord, the Bible suggests that fellowship with other believers also yields fulness of joy (2 John 1:12). Every astute Bible student recognizes that these two fellowships are inextricably linked (1 John 1:3). No dedicated Christian can experience true fellowship with other dedicated believers without first having the right kind of fellowship with God Almighty.
Josiah was a godly king who began his reign at the age of eight years old. Because of his genuine appreciation for the Lord, he would later commission the people to work upon the house of God. It was during this work that the high priest found the book of the law of the Lord. As the scripture was read before Josiah, he rent his clothes recognizing God’s wrath was about to come upon His people. Josiah could have become hardened in heart against the Lord; however, he chose not to allow this to happen. Unlike many of his counterparts, Josiah humbled himself. What made Josiah different? His tender heart made all the difference (2 Kings 22:19). Josiah’s humility was not feigned; it was the natural outpouring of a heart tender toward the things of God.
People love comparing themselves to those whom they deem less righteous or unspiritual. By finding someone living on a spiritually lower level, any wrong doing can seem quite justified in one’s own eyes. Another way to get by with certain character flaws is by distinguishing between what men call big and little sins. As long as someone refuses to commit the big sins, he considers himself decent, upright, and sometimes spiritually superior. One of the most prevalent areas is that of telling lies. Those who err in this area equate some lies as “white lies” (lies deemed less harmful than the big ones). Yet, the Bible doesn’t make any such distinction. According to the Bible, truth and lies are at opposite ends of the spectrum.“No lie is of the truth” (1 John 2:21). Truth tainted by error or falsehood ceases to be truth. Regardless of how simple a lie may appear, no lie has as its source pure truth. If truth was the basis for a statement, then it would remain truth.
The Bible associates love with action. In this passage, the Bible speaks of the believer’s love for other believers, relating it to the Lord’s crucifixion. If a Christian knows and recognizes the love of God, it should drastically affect his relationships. He cannot deal with others as the world would because the love of God has formed compassion within in his heart. This matter is so important to the Lord that He provided believers with a scenario to help judge their level of compassion. The book of First John says that if a brother has a need, and another brother can help him with his need, yet refuses, he lacks compassion (see also James 2:15-16). Therefore, one’s deeds, not simply one’s words alone, demonstrate true love!
