By This We Know He in Us (1 John 3:24)

“Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:24 NKJV)

How do we know that Christ is in us? “He who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him,” says John. That is exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ had the relationship with the Father during His earthly messianic ministry. “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” (John 14:10 NKJV) The Father God and the Son Jesus are one, one unity (John 17:21-23).

How did Jesus demonstrate His obedience to the will of the Father, the commandments of God? “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8 NKJV) Charles Wesley wrote in a hymn, “'Tis mystery all: th' Immortal dies!” Nothing could snatch away His life but He gave up His spirit in order to fulfill the will and commandment of the Father. The will of God is to save all the people who are chosen before the creation of the world. He did not save Himself although he could, but laid down His life for the friends and children of Father.

Throughout this letter, John clearly identifies what the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ is. It is to love one another. “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” (1 John 3:23 NKJV)

When we manifest our brotherly love to others in our midst, it is evident that Christ abides in us. Why so? It is because that is exactly what our Lord Jesus does in us. Jesus Christ gave us the examples of brotherly love in the parable of the sheep and the goats. It is to care one of the least in our midst like feeding the hungry and thirsty, inviting strangers, clothing the unclothed, looking after the sick, visiting a friend in prison (Matthew 25:31-46).