RE: He says only those that keep the commandments know him. Only those that walk as he walked.
That is a very exclusive group, that excludes most that call themselves “Christian.”
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I don’t think he means keep his commandments PERFECTLY.
If that were so then NO ONE can call themselves Christian.
The late Pastor Adrian Rogers explains it by saying that the understanding is in the word “keep”.
Which means a true Christian keeps his commandments in the same way a sailor “keeps the stars” ( old way of saying ) and uses them to STIR them to the right direction and uses the stars as their guide in life. It doesn’t mean that in moments of carelessness they could not turn their eyes away from the stars and get blown off course. But a sailor will come back to the stars to go to his destination.
In the same way Christians might be blown off course by sometimes in moments of weakness, ignoring God’s commandments, but the PATTERN and TREND of a true Christian’s life will be the KEEP God’s commandments.
If a person sins callously without a tinge of conscience or repentance whatsoever and deliberately defends what is clearly against God’s word as right, there is reason to doubt that he knows Jesus Christ.
SEE FOR INSTANCE: The Presbyterian Church (USA), which recently sanctioned gay marriage and ordained a gay couple (Lesbians) to be pastors
If that were so then NO ONE can call themselves Christian.” <<
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You didn't read 1John far enough!
He blew that ridiculous lie to hell where it belongs.
1John 5:
[2] By this we know that we love the children of God,
[3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
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