If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.
1 John 4:15 (NIV)
Abiding
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is an important part of Canada’s Constitution. Among other things, constitutions outline the rules and laws of a country. They also outline the kind of government a country has and how it should work. A right is something a person has. It is also something a person can do. Provinces did not have to follow the Bill of Rights which was the predecessor to the Charter, but they do have to abide by the Charter.
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If you have an abiding respect for someone, you have known them, or known about them, for a long time. If you are a law-abiding citizen it means that you have lived for a long time consistently obeying the laws of the land. Abiding is also a principle of the Kingdom of God. 1 John 4:15 says “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.” As we consistently deepen our relationship with Jesus, as we lean on Him through the challenging times that come our way, as we find our peace as we trust Him daily, as we spend time with Him in His word and in prayer, we abide in Christ. But there is more here. Our relationship with Christ is not meant to be selfishly kept a secret. We are called to publicly proclaim our faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. As we do, we will constantly have the assurance that Jesus dwells in us and we abide in Him. We experience the promise that Jesus made to His first disciples that He would never leave them or forsake them. And that promise is for us as well.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley