By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Christianity is a great mystery in many ways. Jesus being born of a virgin is clouded in mystery. Jesus living a sinless life is mysterious to us. Jesus raising from the dead is mysterious. Jesus being the propitiation for our sins is a mystery. Jesus giving us new life and indwelling in us via the Spirit of God is a true mystery for the human mind. But, what is not a mystery is what genuine belief in Jesus looks like on an every day journey of faith. In the above passage we have one of the simplest descriptions of what it means to be a Christian - a Christ-like one. We are to lay our lives down for others as He laid His life down for us. It is that simple. We make it totally confusing when we get out side the above element of walking in faith. We are to give our lives for the lives of others because that is what Jesus did for us. It is a simple message. It is a simple mantra. It is a simple description. It is not simple to perform, but it is simple to state. Paul stated it this way to the church at Corinth:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN! That statement carries such weight of importance in the Christian life. The is what John is saying in the above simple statement about our faith. We are not our own, we belong to Christ and, like Christ, we are to be the servants of others and put them first. That is the simple and profound message of Christianity.
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