EPIPHANY III – WEDNESDAY

LESSON: 1 JOHN 3:11-18

No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12

I have often remarked how faith makes us free lords and love makes us slaves. Through faith we become gods and partakers of the nature and name of God as the psalmist declares, “I say, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you.’” Psalm 82:6. Through love we become at the same time the poorest of men.

By faith we are in need of nothing and always have full supply; in love we are the servants of all men. By faith we receive good things from above, from God; in love we let them flow out below to our neighbor.

With us it is something like it was with Christ during His earthly ministry. According to His godhead He lacked nothing; but according to His humanity He was the servant of all who needed His help.

We have often said that we also through faith are born as God’s children and gods, lords and kings, just as Christ in eternity was born true God from the Father. Nevertheless, through love we are to do good to our neighbor, just as Christ was born a man to help us all. Just as Christ became man only to serve us after being God in eternity, we also do good to our neighbor and show him our love only after we have become righteous, free from sin, living and blessed children of God.

SL.XI.481,7

AE 76,252

PRAYER: By faith in Christ you have made us free lords and kinds, O God, thus conferring upon us all the spiritual blessings we need for our salvation. Grant us your grace, that in the power and strength of all this we may prove our faith in love and service to our neighbor. Amen.