You know the truth.

1 John 2:21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. What is the truth that John’s readers knew? As we look back over what John wrote up to this point, it seems clear that the truth he had in mind is that Jesus of Nazareth is the true God, eternal life, in the flesh through whom the wrath of God was averted by giving His life (His shed blood) as a payment for sins. He was then raised from the dead and now lives to give eternal life (which is to know the Father and the Son) to everyone the Father gave to Him (John 17:2-3). John had just written that they had an anointing from God, and therefore they knew Jesus is life and that they have His life within them. The person who doesn’t believe these things lives by lies, and no lie is of the truth. If a person lives to love with Jesus, he understands and believes the truth that Jesus, the same person who walked on the earth and gave His life for him, now lives in and through him. That’s why he lives to love! He knows the truth like John’s readers knew the truth. Jesus lived to glorify His Father by carrying the fruit of His life. We live to glorify the Father by carrying the fruit of the life of His Son. I’m not saying these things because I don’t think you know the truth. My guess is that if you are listening to my podcast, you do know it. Therefore, I know you are encouraged by what John wrote about knowing Jesus. I hope you’ll rejoice in the Lord today because by His mercy and grace, you know and walk with Him who is the way, the truth, and the life.