Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Friday after the Last Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: 1 John 3:19-24 (NKJV)
 
3:19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
 
24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
 
Devotion
 
Certainly, we have trouble comprehending yesterday’s words about how we don’t sin, even though we do sin. We know what we see in our lives more thoroughly than we understand the Gospel! The Holy Spirit, therefore, comforts us through John: “if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” That is, “You see that your flesh has led you to thoughts, words, or deeds condemned by the Law, and if you dwelt in these, they would condemn you…but the Holy Spirit keeps you desiring forgiveness and trusting that Jesus atoned for your sins with the sins of the whole world, so tell your heart, ‘God knows better’ and sees Jesus’ obedience in place of your sin, crediting you with having kept His commandments for Jesus’ sake.”
 
St. Paul looks at his own conduct (see Rom. 5–7, especially 6:1-3,11-15; 7:7-9, 14-20, 23-25), and concludes by faith and against sight: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,” because, by definition, through faith we “do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit,” because “what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son” (Rom. 8:1, 3)! Seeing flesh still rebelling against God’s commandments, John cites God’s most important desire: “that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ,” as He who believes in Him is not condemned, “by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.”
 
Prayer: Grant, dear Father, that the comforting of our heart by Your grace would lead us to rejoice by being conformed to Your will in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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