It’s Simple, Christianity!
“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.”
1 John 3:23 (NKJV)
There are many things in life which are simple—when you know how. Riding a bike, driving a car, walking a tightrope. Well, perhaps I’ll give that last one a miss…
But for most Christians Christianity is difficult. We keep on sinning. We keep on failing to do what we think we should, or keep on doing what we know we shouldn’t.
The apostle John was in the business of making Christianity really, really simple. He tells us the heart and core of everything involved with this Christianity-thing. He tells us that the Father gave two things for us to remember – and only two. And they are really, really simple—too simple, so many believe. But really, that’s what Christianity is all about at its heart.
First, that we believe that Jesus is the Father’s Son, and therefore is of God and is God. When we believe on His name, it means we believe all that He is. That He is our Saviour. That He died for us. That He lives for us, because He was resurrected. That today, as the book of Hebrews elaborates for us, His current role is to intervene minute by minute before His Father on our behalf, sinners as we continue to be, missing the mark as we continue to do.
Secondly, to love one another. Now, that’s a command from Jesus himself. He’s the one who told His followers to practise that: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34). And that’s it. They are the two requirements. Nothing else. Oh, all sorts of things flow from those two commands, but that requires us to consider the Christian way of life for the rest of our lifetimes. But at the heart and core of Christianity, that’s it. Simple, as the meerkat Aleksandr lisps in the car insurance adverts!
Prayer
Most merciful Father, thank You that you have made Christianity simple, understandable and practical. In Your loving kindness towards us, You have always known that human beings are fragile, flawed and fallible yet You continue to love us, to care for us, and to welcome us into Your community as sons and daughters. Help us always to acknowledge the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
Study by John Stettaford