“We never graduate from the foundations upon which our faith is built.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 1, 2025
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 1 John 2:7-8, NIV
There’s a dangerous temptation in the Christian life to prize and prioritize what is “new.” Often, we convince ourselves that our previous habits, rhythms, tools, and resources have grown stale, and thus our life with God needs to be revived and revitalized. And so, we seek out the latest devotional book, an all-new study Bible, or latch onto a Christian pastor or personality in the hopes of mixing things up.
Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with a new study Bible or inspirational teacher. The danger lives at the level of motive. Ask yourself “why?” Why do I do the things that I do? Why do I crave the new over the old? Why am I drawn to that which is novel instead of contenting myself in that which is timeless?
In 1 John 2, we’re reminded that the message of Christ is unchanging. And not just the message, in some abstract form, but the person of Christ is the embodiment of timeless truth. “The true light is already shining.” Throughout this chapter, John reminds believers of the lives they are meant to live. “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness” (1 John 2:9). “Do not love the world or anything in the world” (1 John 2:15). “Whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17).
If you’ve followed Christ for any amount of time, these words from John may feel overly familiar, and their familiarity may tempt you to downplay their significance or centrality in your life. Yet we must receive them alongside his words from verse 7: these truths are the foundation of the Christian faith that have been proclaimed since the beginning, and they are meant to forever orient and shape the contours of our lives. In this way, you and I are always beginners in faith, for we never “graduate” from the foundations upon which our faith is built.
When you feel an itch for something new and fresh, first reflect upon your life through the words of John. Do I love my neighbor and lay down my life for others? Am I overcome by a love for the world and a desire for things that are fleeting and passing away? Do I long to do the will of God above all else?
These are the timeless questions of faith that will never lead you astray and will instead firmly plant your feet on the ancient path that leads to life.
Prayer
Father, lead us in the way that is timeless and true, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Where have you sought that which is new and novel instead of clinging to the timeless truths of our faith?
Related Reading
John 13:34-35; Romans 13:8-10; 2 John 1:5-6
Worship Resource
The Worship Initiative: Teach Me to Number My Days
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