John 13 Part 2: Blessed in Doing

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

John 13:17

Some things in life are esoteric. Meaning that they are very unusual and understood or liked by only a small number of people. But God does mean that our Christian faith should be this way. He hasn't hidden Himself or His ways. He has put Himself on display for all to see in the general revelation of creation, and in both the specific revelations of His Word and His Son, Jesus Christ. He has done this so that we can seek Him, find Him, know Him and be like Him.

Jesus told His disciples. "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." (John 14:8-9) He came to show us what God is like. Yesterday we examined how Jesus told His disciples to be just like Him. Jesus wants us to follow His example. And here is where the rubber meets the road. Christianity is not meant to be a belief that is only in our hearts. God tells us that Faith without works is dead (James 2:17-26). We do not do works to be saved; we do works because we are saved. Human beings act on what they believe. This is evident in every part of our society. Beliefs mold and shape our thoughts, actions, habits, and character.

Many who call themselves Christians are Christians in name only. It is a religious tag that people place upon themselves. It means no more than saying where you live or what ethnicity you come from. That type of Christianity is useless and will bless no one. The blessing comes in the doing. Doing what God has said comes from our being His disciples. We are not "human doings". We are human beings. But the being includes the doing. We do what we are. It is evident in our lives.

Jesus has said that we will be blessed (happy, favored) if we do what He says. This isn't the first time He has given us this instruction. In closing the Sermon on the Mount Jesus stated that whoever heard and put them into practice [His Words] would be like a wise man. (Matthew 7:27-29) When we truly believe what He says, we will find ourselves doing His will. And when we find ourselves in the midst of the doing, we will find ourselves in the midst of His blessing.

Blessings to you!