Love for the Children of God and Protecting Your Crowns

Good evening to all!

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 5:2-5

The relevance of the above picture of Jesus and Peter, walking on water is to show that part of obedience to God is to have FAITH. He never says "Thou shalt have faith", but it is still required of a Child of God. Works without faith will NOT get you into heaven and nor will Faith without works.

Reference: NKJV--1 John 5:2-5: The love of God demands obedience (see John 14:15). However, rather than being burdensome, God's commands free believers to be the people they were originally created to be: holy beings who clearly reflect the image of God. (5:4)"Whatever" speaks of the new nature of the child of God. Regeneration (that is, our spiritual rebirth) provides victory over the world which is opposed to God. The faith that overcomes the world is faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (see v. 5) , who died for us. The one who overcomes the world obeys God rather than following the expectations of the world. If we love God, we will find obeying Him a pleasure. ***Now this is not to say it will be easy for the newcomer to Christ. It seems like I have run into quite a few (myself included) that thought as soon as I was baptized in the Name of Jesus, and received the Holy Ghost, that I would no longer want to continue my bad habits, or do the things of the world I was doing before. Even after being "born again", you are still human and it takes a "mindset" to repent (or turn away from your old ways). When I decided to quit smoking , even though God delivered me from it, I still had to use Nicorette and Nicoderm Patches for a few weeks. He has Never contended that He would make everything rosy and easy, Just that He would be with us. Yes, you can argue well, if you had to use the gum and patches, then that is what did it. NOPE! I've tried before using the gum and patches and couldn't do it. It was only when God gave me the courage to commit to quitting and stick it out, that I quit. I give God the glory for that and many other things which have been changed in my life. If I didn't have the Holy Ghost to guide me and help me through a lot of my decisions, no telling where I would be. Sorry for the poor quality of picture, but receiving the Holy Ghost and Being Baptized is a requirement also according to Acts 2:38 to receive Salvation. Therefore it also requires obedience to get Salvation.

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Jesus said, "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you...I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name."
Revelation 3:10-12

Goodness! This is rather a lengthy but informative reference: Christ's promise to keep the believers from the hour of trial is most likely a promise that He will remove them before the period of unparalleled tribulation. However, some take this promise to mean that believers will not be removed but rather protected, during the trial. The hour of trial is another way of referring to the unparalleled judgment of the great tribulation" predicted in Dan. 12:` and Matt. 24:21. (3:11) The Christian must always be ready for Jesus' coming. Christ's return with expected suddenness is an incentive to persevere in faithful service. Through misconduct one can lose a crown that had been previously attained (see 2 John 8). The crown signifies the royal authority given to the victorious coheirs of Christ,. The judgment seat of Christ will be an occasion of either reward or regret. (2 Cor. 5:10). (3:12) Christ promises that the faithful believer will be a pillar, the most stable and permanent part of a building. To be a pillar in the temple implies a prominent place of service in Christ's kingdom. He who overcomes; the overcomer is identified with the names of God (signifying His ownership); The city of My God, the New Jerusalem (citizenship in the heavenly city); and Christ's new name (the full revelation of His character). The latter also implies special intimacy (vv. 4,21, 2:7, 17). The overcomer is associated with the ultimate rulers and the governing center of the universe throughout all eternity .

Every time I read something about Christ's return and the time after, I feel excited inside. I am so looking forward to it. I just pray that I can keep this verse in my heart and mind so that I will make myself stay ready for His coming.

Good night to all and May God Bless!