Don't appear before God until you've lawyered-up. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 36 Q. How does the holy conception and birth of Christ benefit you? A. He is our mediator, and with his innocence and perfect holiness he removes from God’s sight my sin—mine since I was conceived. Summary As we noticed yesterday, we've been turning to the book of Hebrews often the last few weeks, and in fact, we're going to come right back to this same book again tomorrow. Whereas the gospel accounts focus on the things Jesus did historically, and Paul's epistles teach us about how the doctrines of grace Jesus made possible ought to shape our lives as we look forward to His return, the book of Hebrews explains how Jesus fulfilled the role of mediator that the Old Testament spends so much time introducing in books that are often hard to wrap our head around like Leviticus and Deuteronomy. A defense attorney is a good example of a mediator: a person who stands between the judge and the accused, making sure that the defendant's case is presented well and that all exculpatory evidence is made known. But there are some shortcomings with this analogy. The defense attorney can never perfectly represent the defendant because their experiences have been so different. The attorney is never as motivated to win as the defendant, because the attorney won't have to serve the sentence if convicted. Worst, the defense attorney has nearly zero chance of exonerating the defendant if the evidence is massively overwhelming, as it is in the case of our sin before God. But you can be confident that you have perfect representation before the throne of God in heaven, because Jesus is your 'merciful and faithful high priest (mediator).' He perfectly represents you before God in ways that no defense attorney ever could. In order for Jesus to be your perfect mediator, v17 indicates that 'He had to be made like his brothers in every way.' As amazing and powerful as what the angelic host is, there are no angels that are qualified to represent you before God, because ultimately, an angel will never know what it's like to be you. But Jesus does, because Jesus took on flesh and faced the same sort of trials you face: Because Jesus himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted (v18). Dig Deeper This is the third time now that the catechism has mentioned the word 'mediator' when referring to Jesus, emphasizing the importance of this concept. The problem is that most Christians are not very quick to think of Jesus first of all as their mediator. People often consider Him their friend they can count on, especially when times are tough. For many Jesus is primarily a guide and example for how to live. Unfortunately, most people - even Christians - don't really know much at all about Jesus. Knowing Jesus is your friend and example in life is certainly important, but be sure to first of all know Jesus can be your perfect mediator. He does this by being a: Prophet: representing God to you by teaching you God's will for your salvation; Priest: representing you to God, not just presenting testimony on your behalf, but by providing His own innocence and perfect holiness as if it were your own. Jesus is able to be this perfect mediator because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He always was and will be fully divine, so since He perfectly represents God, you ought to listen to Him. But Jesus was also born of the virgin Mary. He took on your humanity and experienced the same temptations you do, so He can perfectly represent you before God. Be reminded that He continues to do so every minute of every day. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, sitting on the throne, before whom all people must give an account. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for your mediator, Jesus Christ, and pray for the strength to listen to Him and fully trust Him in every regard. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 1

Christ's virgin birth is more than just trivial doctrine. Your confidence depends on it! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 35 Q. What does it mean that he “was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary”? A. That the eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal God, took to himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit, from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, a truly human nature so that he might become David’s true descendant, like his brothers in every way except for sin. Summary We've often ended up here in the book of Hebrews this year as we've been reminding ourselves what our only comfort in life and in death is: the fact that in life and in death we belong to Jesus Christ. One of the key themes of this book, and the reason it has the name Hebrews, is that it shows how Jesus fulfilled all of the requirements the Old Testament priests (remember, Jesus is anointed (christos) as a prophet, priest, and king). As our high priest, Jesus is our perfect mediator - He stands between us and God, so that when God looks at you, He sees Christ! Often skepticism grabs ahold of us with the temptation that since Jesus was so perfect, and never fell into sin, that He really doesn't know what it is that you're struggling with on a day to day basis. Be sure to memorize v15, so that when this doubt sets in, these words will remind you that your Savior does empathize with you, since He faced the same temptations that you do. This verse is given to comfort you, not to intimidate you. Jesus knows first hand the difficulty you face every day, but yet He doesn't just leave you to try and work through things on your own. Rather, He invites you to confidently approach God's throne of grace so that you can overcome trials and temptations in His strength, and through His grace and mercy. Dig Deeper The fact that Jesus had no earthly father may not seem as important as the fact that He was resurrected from the grave, but it really is. If Jesus had descended from Adam, as every other human being has, then He would have inherited Adam's sin, just as every other human being has. If that were the case, He wouldn't be qualified to pay for the sins of others, since He also would have been born sinful, and His death and subsequent resurrection really wouldn't matter. But Jesus didn't descend from Adam. Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, is a brand new Adam. Because 'He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary,' He was born holy and blameless. Although He suffered great temptations, He never succumbed to them, and instead lived the sinless, perfect life that God had originally commanded Adam to live. Jesus didn't become man just to prove that He could live sinlessly even though everyone else couldn't. He didn't come to Earth just to give an example so that you could live perfectly like Him if you would just try harder. He did it so that He could give you the one thing that you need more than anything else, and the one thing that you'll never attain on your own as a descendent of Adam. When you put your trust in Him, you go from being in Adam to being in Christ. He gives you that perfect righteousness that God demands that only He was able to accomplish, so you can confidently approach God's throne! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sits on the throne of grace where we can receive mercy and grace. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God that you have a Savior that can empathize with your weakness, and ask for the strength you need to overcome it as He did. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - James 5

God built you a house through Jesus, the Son of God and the son of David. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 35 Q. What does it mean that he “was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary”? A. That the eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal God, took to himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit, from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, a truly human nature so that he might become David’s true descendant, like his brothers in every way except for sin. Summary After David had fully established his kingdom in Israel, he expressed his desire to build a house for God, since God's presence still was within the tabernacle, a tent designed to move as Israel moved. David approached the prophet Nathan to be sure his idea of building a permanent temple was consistent with God's will. Nathan initially gave David the green light, telling David that the Lord was with him. But that night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, revealing that David would not be the one to build Him a house, rather God would be the one who built a House - a never ending dynasty - for David. This passage is significant as it establishes the concept of the Davidic Covenant, which promises a lasting dynasty and kingdom for David's descendants, ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ as the eternal king from the line of David. Dig Deeper Yesterday we were reminded of the importance of Jesus' miraculous virgin birth. The importance of this doctrine isn't necessarily the biological uniqueness of Jesus not having an earthly father, but as we'll focus on tomorrow, the point is that Jesus is a new Adam rather than a descendent of the first Adam. But at the same time, Jesus is fully human and through his mother Mary, He does have a biological heritage, and it's one that's very important: the fact that Jesus is a descendent of David fulfills the promise that David's throne will be established forever. It's often easy to just pray that Jesus will be with us in our horizontal relationships: our jobs, families and other immediate concerns. Of course Jesus will be with us in these things, and it is important to pray for them, but passages like this one remind us that God's concerns for us are much bigger than the particular challenges we struggle with on a day to day basis. God fulfilled this amazing promise to King David years about 1,000 later on Christmas morning, and what's more, He's included you in these promises! You have been chosen by God to be included in Christ, and so to reign with Him in a kingdom that will never end. God didn't need David to build a house for Him, rather God built a house for us through David! So whatever it is that's weighing you down today, take it to the Lord in prayer for sure, but even more so, be reminded that you're included in the Kingdom of God. Know that God will "plant you so that you can have a home of your own and no longer be disturbed (v10)." AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who rules over all things with His Son, who sits on David's throne forever. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God to continually remind you of your kingdom citizenship in the midst of worldly struggles. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - James 4

Jesus Christ has been controversial since the moment He was conceived. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 35 Q. What does it mean that he “was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary”? A. That the eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal God, took to himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit, from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, a truly human nature so that he might become David’s true descendant, like his brothers in every way except for sin. Summary Imagine how terrified Mary, probably 11 or 12 years old here, felt when Gabriel, one of God's chief angels, appeared before her. Luke, who is somewhat known for his dry sense of humor in how he reported the facts in his gospel and the book of Acts, writes that Mary was 'greatly troubled' and that she 'wondered what kind of greeting this might be.' I'll bet she wondered! My guess is that Gabriel's announcement that she was 'highly favored' and that the 'Lord is with you' didn't immediately take root in her mind. She was probably too flabbergasted for it to register. But as if those opening announcements weren't shocking enough, the next thing Gabriel said would have pushed most people completely over the edge. Mary would bear a child - but not just an ordinary child - one who would be called 'the Son of the Most High.' Somehow Mary is able to gather her wits at this point and push back on Gabriel a bit. Everything she'd been taught about the birds and the bees argued against what she was being told. She was a virgin, and this sort of thing doesn't happen to girls like her! Gabriel's reply probably made sense to him, but imagine what it would be like for Mary to hear that she would become pregnant when the power of the Holy Spirit of the Most High would overshadowed her. I wonder, did those words comfort her or terrify her more? But Gabriel still has one more shock for Mary. It turns out that barren old Aunt Elizabeth had been pregnant for six months now. Dig Deeper The doctrine of the virgin birth is one of the most doubted and disbelieved in all of Christian history. Some people have denied it because they deny all of the supernatural and miraculous claims the Bible makes, but others seem to be willing to accept many of the Bible's miracles, but draw the line at a virgin conceiving a child. No doubt young Mary struggled with these doubts as well. Think of how she must of tossed and turned at night wondering who in the world would believe her story. It was even too much for Joseph, until Gabriel showed up to set him straight at least. As we're going to see this week, the doctrine of the virgin birth is not just some Biblical oddity that you can take or leave. In fact, your entire salvation depends on this bizarre sounding account being true. Mary's resolve seems to strengthen upon hearing the last thing Gabriel said to her: For no word from God will ever fail (v37) Look at how Mary aligns her life with God's will after hearing this. "I am the Lord's servant," she said. Make sure your life models Mary's faithfulness, even when God's will seems shocking or contrary to everything you thought you knew. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose will often looks so different than what we expect. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray the words Mary prays upon hearing this shocking news: "May your word to me be fulfilled." ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - James 3

You've been set free by Jesus, but it's not a free for all. You must use your freedom to glorify God. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 34 Q. Why do you call Jesus “our Lord”? A. Because— not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood— he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own. Summary In his first letter to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul is addressing many issues that the church is struggling with. As he works his way through these issues, he continues to point the people back to God, reminding the church what it means to be a follower of Christ. Our verses for today come at the end of a section where he is warning them of the dangers of sexual immorality. Paul reminds the Corinthians (and us) that we are not free to do whatever we want to do, because our lives have been bought at a price. Our freedom from sin and death cost Jesus his life. Dig Deeper Why do you think the Heidelberg Catechism keeps pointing you back to the idea of salvation in Jesus Christ? We have looked at this topic several times already this year, and we are only in the month of March. Why does the Catechism continue to focus on it? Because you need to hear it. If you were to read through the book of Acts, 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, or 2 Timothy, you would find topics that are just as relevant today as they were when those books of the Bible were first written. Even though Satan has been defeated by Jesus, the world is not fully rid of him yet. Satan has a way of manipulating people through lies and half-truths. One such lie is that your worth is defined by who you are or what you have done. That is why the Catechism reminds you that you cannot earn your salvation; you can't buy it. Your worth is not defined by who you are, nor what you have done. What matters is to whom you belong. If you have given your life to Jesus, you are a child of God. It really is that simple. The challenge comes in the day-to-day stuff that you deal with. For example, the world is constantly telling you that you are not enough, or that you should be make your personal desire for success and control your top priority in life. That's why the Heidelberg Catechism continues to come back to the topic of salvation in Jesus Christ. You need to hear over and over again that your salvation is found in Christ alone. That once you're forgiven, your sin is completely washed away. With the freedom you've been given in Jesus, you must honor God with your entire life. You're not live for just for yourself, but rather for the glory of God. You have been set free from your sin. Go and serve the Lord! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has given you His Holy Spirit; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the freedom you have in Christ, and pray that you will use this freedom to live fully for God's glory. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - James 2

Jesus died to set you free from the Devil's tyranny! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 34 Q. Why do you call Jesus “our Lord”? A. Because— not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood— he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own. Summary Hebrews has become one of my favorite books because of its in-depth focus on the high priesthood of Jesus. It may not get the love that Romans does, but Hebrews shows how Jesus fulfilled the requirements found in the law of Moses. The point of the Old Testament law is to show us our sin (Rom. 7:7). Unfortunately, the law cannot free us from sin. While it tells us what our sin is, and to keep ourselves from sinning, the law cannot save us. Jesus took on flesh and blood, he shared in our humanity, so that he could break the power of sin and death. Jesus took on flesh so that he could fulfill the law and truly set us free. Dig Deeper We know that we cannot buy or earn our way into heaven. You cannot keep the law perfectly, and there is nothing you can do to save yourself. It is beyond your control. The only way to be saved from your sins is by the precious blood of Jesus. Salvation is found in Christ alone. Jesus died so that you could live. Through his death and resurrection Jesus defeated sin and death. He truly sets you free. When you become a child of God, you no longer live in the guilt of your sin. The sin that you have committed is forgiven in Jesus... it is wiped clean, when you repent. That sin that has held you back, that tells you that you are not enough, has been taken by Jesus and it is no longer yours to bear. That is why salvation in Jesus is incredibly freeing. That sin you committed five years ago that you still think about from time to time, it is no longer yours to bear. Once you repent of your sin, Jesus forgives you. You do not need to live in shame or guilt. You are forgiven! Not only that, but you need not fear death. As a child of God, you have been promised everlasting life. You know that death is not the end. Jesus died so that you could live. You will get to live with God in heaven for eternity. What a gift! You call Jesus 'Lord' because with his precious blood he has set you free. You are free in Jesus. Praise be to God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Holy God who gives us freedom; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Help me to let go of the guilt and shame of my sin, so that I can live in the freedom you have given me ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - James 1

If you have to ask how much salvation costs, you can't afford it. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 34 Q. Why do you call Jesus “our Lord”? A. Because— not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood— he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own. Summary In 1 Peter, the apostle Peter is writing to the churches in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (what is now modern-day Turkey). They are enduring persecution for being Christians, and he is writing to encourage them. One of his points of encouragement focuses on being holy because they now belong to God through Jesus Christ. His encouragement focuses on the cost of their salvation. Their salvation was not bought with silver or gold, things that are perishable, but with the precious blood of Jesus. Dig Deeper The Reformation started because a man named Martin Luther spoke out against indulgences, among other things. On October 31, 1517 he nailed his ninety-five theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The Roman Catholic Church was selling indulgences to raise money to rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. At that time, the Roman Catholic Church claimed that indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation. Essentially, you could buy a loved one’s way into heaven. This was an especially powerful tactic that focused on those who had already died. If you were unsure of your deceased loved one’s salvation, you could buy an indulgence and they would be saved. Luther correctly stated that was unbiblical, and therefore, untrue. A person cannot buy their way into heaven, nor can they purchase the salvation of another. While we may understand this biblical truth, we may not always live it. At times, we may think our hard work, our acts of kindness, our worldly success, or our status make us good enough. If we do enough good things, we will be worthy of God’s love and have earned our salvation. That simply isn’t true. No amount of good works will earn salvation. No amount of worldly success will be enough for heavenly glory. No amount of money is enough, because salvation cannot be purchased. If we cannot buy or earn our salvation, how then can we be saved? We will explore that over the next two days. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Heavenly Father, you are merciful and full of grace; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Help me to remember that I cannot buy your love or earn my salvation, so that I show you gratitude by the way I live. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 6

You're not just 'sort of' God's child, in Christ you've been fully adopted! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 33 Q. Why is he called God’s “only begotten Son” when we also are God’s children? A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God. We, however, are adopted children of God— adopted by grace through Christ. Summary Yesterday, we looked at the divinity of Jesus. Since he is the eternal, natural Son of God, that is why we say he is God’s “only begotten Son” in the Apostles’ Creed. So where does that leave us, since we are also God’s children? In Ephesians 1, the Apostle Paul states that we are adopted through Jesus Christ. The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture. Adoption in ancient Roman times was different from how we practice adoption today in North America. The upper-class citizens of Rome would want a male heir to pass on their wealth, titles, and property to. If they didn't have a male heir, they would adopt one. Then when the boy would grow up, he would become their son in all respects, receiving the inheritance of his adoptive family. Dig Deeper When the Apostle Paul says that God predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, he is saying that we are children of God in every sense. We are not God, like Jesus is God, but we are God’s children through adoption. We get all the benefits of being a child of God. There is no formal legal process that we go through, like filling out adoption papers. Our adoption is through Jesus Christ. When we repent of our sin, and turn to Jesus for forgiveness, we become children of God. The benefits of being a child of God are amazing. First, we receive forgiveness of our sins. We are cleansed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Second, we are adopted into the Body of Christ, the Church. We become a part of the family of God. Third, the Holy Spirit is sent daily to renew and cleanse us. We are not left on our own, but have the Holy Spirit with us daily renewing our minds. Finally, we have the promise of the resurrection. When Jesus returns, we will be resurrected to eternal life with God. That is what it means to be a child of God. We get all those gifts from God through Jesus Christ. While Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, all who call on Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior become adopted children of God. We truly become children of God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Lord, you my true Father, the giver of life and grace; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I trust in the power of Jesus Christ, and know that I am your child. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 5

Jesus is not a God or like God... He IS God. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 33 Q. Why is he called God’s “only begotten Son” when we also are God’s children? A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God. We, however, are adopted children of God— adopted by grace through Christ. Summary The gospel of John begins differently than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Matthew gives us the genealogy of Jesus. Mark begins with a prophecy of Isaiah, and then writes about John the Baptist. Luke, after briefly introducing his purpose, also begins by writing about John the Baptist. John’s introduction is a theological statement about who Jesus is. Before he gets into the life of Jesus, John very clearly states that Jesus is God. John is setting the tone for the rest of his gospel, leaving no doubt that Jesus is God, even though some rejected him as such. John’s prologue (John 1:1-18), builds on the very first statement of Jesus being the Word, speaking of his presence and action during creation, his incarnation as the Christ (Jesus becoming flesh), and concluding by acknowledging Jesus’ knowledge of God because he is God. Dig Deeper During some of our earlier devotions, we looked at the importance of Jesus’ divinity. Without being God, Jesus could not bear the weight of God’s wrath for our sin. The catechism is now teaching on the Apostles’ Creed, and so it is once again it reminds us of the divinity of Jesus; Jesus is God, just as the Father is God, just as the Holy Spirit is God. We must not think that Jesus was created by God, or is somehow lesser than God. He has always existed, that is why John says, “In the beginning was the Word.” One of the differences between Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons and Christians is our understanding of Jesus. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons believe that Jesus was created by God. They believe he was the first created being, and held an exalted position. But as we read John 1:3, we know that cannot be true. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. How could Jesus be a created being when all things were made through him and for him? Jesus is the eternal Word, made flesh. He has always existed, and will always exist. He was present during creation and active in it; through him all things were made. Jesus Christ is the eternal, natural Son of God. If you believe he is anything less than that, he cannot save you from our sins. You must believe Jesus is who the Bible says he is. Jesus is God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Jesus, you are the eternal Word; you are God. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that although the world doesn't recognize Jesus that you will and that you will live accordingly (v10-12) ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 4

The title is more than a religious label; you share an anointing with our Savior. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 32 Q. But why are you called a Christian? A. Because by faith I am a member of Christ and so I share in his anointing. I am anointed to confess his name, to present myself to him as a living sacrifice of thanks, to strive with a good conscience against sin and the devil in this life, and afterward to reign with Christ over all creation for all eternity. Summary This past week, we have focused on the significance of Jesus’s mediatorial office of prophet, priest, and king bound up in his title of Christ, the anointed one. Since those who follow Jesus are called Christians, a word that literally means 'little Christs,' what does it mean to share in this title? Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 32 applies how the prophet, priest, and king roles translate into the life of a Christian, as well. By faith, you are united with Christ and are anointed by the Holy Spirit to live for Him. John brings up this anointing in this passage of his first letter. The first marker is knowing and confessing the truth that Jesus is the Christ! This is the work of the Christian as a prophet: professing the truth of God, which God’s Word and Spirit testify to us. Those who deny Jesus as Christ are the deceivers. This past week, we have heard from many places in the Bible that Jesus is fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah: He is the true Prophet, Priest, and King. Yet these claims faced opposition through false teachers who tried to lead these young Christians astray that John is addressing. So, John directs them to abide in the truth of God’s Word that they have been taught from the beginning. This means you need to meditate on (think deeply about) Jesus and the promise of eternal life. Dig Deeper It can be easy to forget what it means to be a Christian in today’s world. We face different opponents and false teachers than John’s audience did in the first century, but his advice is still sound. His language in this passage echoes the promise of the new covenant described in Jeremiah 31, especially verses 33 through 34, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Make sure you personally know God and His grace! Christ delivered on the new covenant promises and shared its blessings by sending the Holy Spirit. So that in claiming the name Christian, as prophets, we can boldly confess Jesus as the Christ proclaiming the truths of His Word. As a priesthood of believers, we can live as sacrifices of thanks because of Christ’s once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross. And as royalty belonging to God’s kingdom, we strive in this world against sin and the devil while looking forward to reigning with our Lord for eternity. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The Holy One who is righteousness and truth ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Abide in Jesus and what He teaches you through His Word. “Fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience” (1 Tim 1:18-19) ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 3