One of "Them"...

You don't need any special tools to spot them. It's not hard to pick them out of a crowd. They are all around you all day long. You bump into them shuffling through your cafeteria line and sit behind them on the bus. Maybe you ARE one of them. Well, are you?

In case you are lost, "they" are the die-hard fans of the world. "Fans of what?," you may ask. The answer could be virtually anything. Maybe "they" are crazy for a certain sports team like the guys in the picture, willing to lay aside all pride and paint themselves up for the big game to show their team spirit. "They" could be passionate about a certain book series, hobby, or music group. "They" talk about it, read about it, even dream about it. Whatever "they" get excited about, it is obvious from just a few minutes around them; you can't help but notice the evidence everywhere.

Read 1 John 2:3-6, then go back and read verse 6 over again.

1. John explicitly tells us what the evidence of knowing God is in verse 3. What is it?
2. What are the commandments of the Lord? Is it limited to just the Ten we find in Exodus 20?
3. What should we expect to receive as we stay faithful to the Lord and keep the commandments He has given us? (Check out verse 5 for a hint...)
4. Verse 6 is the key to today's passage. What does it mean to "walk" as Jesus did? What would it look like in your life?
5. The evidence of a relationship with God is living by the rules He has made. If someone were to evaluate your life, what evidence is there that shows you know God?

John's purpose in writing this passage is to show that our relationship with the Lord will be evidenced in whether we keep the laws He has given. These are not only the Ten Commandments that He gave to Moses on those stone tablets. It's His complete Word that is to be followed as we seek to grow in Him. As we learn to walk as Jesus walked, remember that we cannot reach perfection this side of Heaven; however, it is to always be the goal for which we aim. Our Christian faith should stand out and be evident because we are to be known as those who love God and follow His will. "They" should be us!