THINK TOGETHER.
Can you think of a law that if you disobeyed it, you would die?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 19:16. Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die.
Commandments keep us from harm and danger don't they? We have rules so that people can be safe. Like a speed limit, or other driving laws. These exist so that we don't all crash into things and get hurt or even die. What other commandments or laws can you think of that keep you safe?
There is a deeper way to read today's proverb too. Yes, Solomon meant that if we obey the rules we will live a better life. But when it says whoever keeps THE commandment it makes us ask the question that people asked Jesus – what is the most important commandment? Do you remember Jesus' answer? That's right. He said that the most important commandment is to love God and then to love others. Anyone who obeys this commandment perfectly will have eternal life.
But what's the problem with this? Yep, that's right, no one obeys God's commandment perfectly do they? No one has loved God perfectly. No one has loved others perfectly. That is except Jesus. That's why God tells us that the commandment we all can obey is to trust in him for eternal life.
1 John 3:23. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ.
We'll never perfectly love, but we can trust in the One who did – Jesus Christ. And when we do we keep our life, as Solomon said. Have you trusted in Jesus alone to save you from your disobedience? Have you trusted in his obedience to God's commandment, rather than your own? I pray that you have.
Because of Jesus we don't have to obey perfectly to have eternal life.
With Jesus we can keep the commandment to believe in him.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Make 1 John 3:23a a family memory verse.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, I believe in you. I trust in your obedience, not my own. Save me! Amen.
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