We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them.
This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.
Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
1 John 2:3-8
In 1 John, the Holy Spirit issues a strong warning:
We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
In other words, our obedience is one of the clearest indicators of our relationship with God. John puts it quite plainly: If we say that we know God, but do not do what He commands, we are lying and the truth is not in us.
This is a sharp and sobering warning—one that should cause all of us to pause and examine the condition of our heart and life. Don’t leave this devotional without examining your heart and life in light of it.
But I wonder today if I can encourage you with a different reading of this important verse.
What if the instruction could also be read this way:
If we don’t obey his commands, it might be because we don’t actually know Him well enough.
As if to say, “The more we get to know God—who He is, what He’s done, and what He promises—the more we will naturally want to follow His commands.”
And that does make sense, doesn’t it?
Think about who God is:
He is the all-powerful Creator of the universe who reigns over it. But more than that, He is personal, loving, merciful, and kind. He knows each of us intimately and He desires what is best for our life and our soul. And the more we see that in God and recognize His faithfulness and work in our lives, the more likely we are to submit to His will.
Because why wouldn’t we follow the One who loves us most and knows us best?
The more we get to know God, the more we desire to follow Him fully.
So today, be both warned and encouraged.
Take John’s warning seriously: If we say we know Him but refuse to obey, the truth is not in us.
But also be encouraged with this thought: If you want to grow in obedience, begin by growing in your relationship with God.
Because the more you seek, set aside time, and discipline yourself to know the One True God—and the Son He sent to save us—the more drawn we become to follow and obey.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I desperately want to know you today. As I seek you, reveal your true self to me and help me draw close to you. Show me your love, your grace, your power, your wisdom—and let my obedience flow from a heart that knows and trusts you fully. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.