"...Let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous." 1 John 3:7 NKJV
The Christ-followers receiving John's letter had been bombarded with arguments concerning how they live. It seems there was a promotion of allowing habitual sinful patterns to persist among Christ-followers. John urges his readers to not be deceived by such teaching. Righteousness is how Christ-followers are to walk. Righteousness is obeying God - doing what God says. Righteousness can simply be defined as walking like Christ. This is clearly God's plan and provision for His people.
The basis for walking in righteousness is one's love relationship with God. Jesus loved the Father and walked according to His will. Christ-followers walk in righteousness (as Jesus walked) based on the love relationship they experience with God. The more intense our love for God the more clearly we walk in obedience to God. Love is the motive for righteousness - obedience. Don't be deceived otherwise.
Spiritual Leadership Concepts:
-Spiritual leaders encourage Christ-followers to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.
-Spiritual leaders encourage Christ-followers to walk in righteousness as Jesus walked.
-Spiritual leaders do not promote allowance for habitual sinful patterns to persist among Christ-followers.
ONE STEP FURTHER:
Let me recommend to you a resource that will help Christ-followers increase their love relationship with God. I highly recommend the resource, Heart Transformation for Kingdom Living, as a means of enhancing your capacity to experience God's love.
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©2010 IMD International, Spiritual Leadership Concept is a periodic email-based ministry of IMD International written by Phil Largent. This is intended as an encouragement and exhortation to those in leadership as well as those headed toward leadership. To unsubscribe to this word of encouragement, reply to
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