The rewards of God are God Himself. What could be greater! 1 John perhaps gives more detailed instruction on the five levels of spiritual growth than any other NT scripture.

As a babe (Grk. NEPIOS), you know God as Savior. His first revelation to you is as Savior, and you’re thunderstruck to think that the God of the universe would save YOU. First reward – I am loved! Corinthians tells us that babes act just like unsaved ones (1Cor. 3:3), yet they can praise and get revelation. You don’t know Him as Father yet, or that you are in a family. You must become humble and begin to grow before you start seeing that insight. At the young child (Grk. PAIDION) level you know God as Father. The reward – I have a true Father; I am deeply and personally loved! Father ABBA supplies all your needs continually. At this level you begin to understand you are in a family.

As a TEKNON, what I call a teenager, you perceive God as Lord. The reward – I am valued, not rejected, He wants to own all of me! While believers want to give Him 10%, as Lord He rightfully demands control of the 100% of your finances and everything else, as He teaches you to walk like Him and be more than a conqueror. You begin to perceive God as King at the HUIOS, the ‘son’ level, of spiritual growth, as He teaches you to sit on a throne at His right hand. The reward – my personal calling and positioning as a king under the King of kings!

At the PATER level, you perceive God as the Ancient of days, the Almighty. The reward – the intimate secrets of God are revealed to you as you are called His friend (Ps. 25:14 ‘The Lord confides in those who fear Him…’). Jesus called the twelve His friends and they became the apostles of the Lamb (Rv.21:14), true PATERES. Quick sidenote – who took Judas’ place among the apostles of the Lamb? Paul.

At each level of spiritual growth, ABBA reveals more and more of Himself and your faith grows by leaps and bounds, your love is perfected, brought to full maturity, and your hope becomes a sure and faithful anchor of the soul. You become humble and powerful, prescient and confident, joyful and forceful, fat and abounding.

THE FIRST GREAT PROMISE – THE LOVE OF GOD PERFECTED

I was flying to Dr. Jack’s memorial in SoCal when my heart just got lite up by 1 John! The context of 1 John deals with fellowship – KOINONIA – a full and intimate sharing, as in the days of Eden.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Gen 2:25 NKJV

In my understanding, this has nothing to do with clothing and everything to do with their relationship with God and each other. They had nothing to hide, and nothing to be ashamed of. All that changed after they sinned! Before the fall, they walked in sweet fellowship, Adam with his wife and both with the Lord. Some teachers have speculated that they walked thirty years or more in this condition. The Father walked with them and taught them to rule over the earth. Much wisdom was imparted, because even today there are great ancient mysteries that point to knowledge that has been lost. Adam and Eve named the animals and then talked with them. Adam had 100% use of his brain, where today we operate at about ten percent. Adam may have had the ability to transport himself, like Jesus did and the evangelist Stephen. The Spirit of God moved mightily in Adam, unencumbered by sin and its nature of slavery. All was perfect in Eden, but Eden was lost! In 1 John, the Lord seeks on a personal basis to restore Eden…

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life —  the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us —  that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship (Grk. KOINONIA) with us; and truly our fellowship (Grk. KOINONIA) is with the Father – ABBA – and with His Son – YESHUA HAMASHIACH – Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:1-4 NKJV

There is a place where joy flows, where favor flows, where revelation flows, where miracles abound, where the will of God is done on earth as it’s done in Heaven. It’s called KOINONIA – fellowship!

For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isa 57:15 NKJV

KOINONIA is the place where God dwells…

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him (Grk. KOINONIA), and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship (Grk. KOINONIA) with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:5-9 NKJV

Where is freedom and why is freedom lost? Freedom is found and extends out of KOINONIA. When the nature of Christ is not allowed to rule over sin in an individual, when we don’t rule over ourselves, then men and women of God must step in to help restore that relationship for that person, for us. If servants of God are not successful, or don’t even try, then the local government’s police (Grk. POLIS, the WALL, against sinful conduct in society) forces may need to step in to restrain sinful conduct. If the police – the lesser magistrates – are not effective, then the more powerful federal authority will interpose to bring order through tyranny. Freedom lost! Eden lost! Such has been the sad history of sinful fallen man…

How does the nature of Christ work in us to deal with our sins which have resulted in breaking the fellowship with ABBA? Through the convicting power of God’s Word. When the Word is allowed to reign in us, it ‘rights the ship’ in fellowship and we get back to smooth sailing! Eden begins to dawn again…

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 1:9-2:2 NKJV

Do you realize that Jesus is your Advocate, your defense attorney in every situation, because He is your defense attorney against sin? The only thing that anyone can rightfully bring against us is because of sin. So we confess our sins immediately and ask the Lord to fight on our behalf against those who would seek to punish us for our sins, or seek through our weakness, our sins, to use our mistakes for their advantage over us. He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness and restore our authority to walk confidently immediately in any situation. Yes, He will! Let Him fight for you, and you fight alongside Him. A&E should have walked in authority in Eden and not followed the serpent…

Now I’ve said all this to get to the great promise of the love of God perfected in you and I.

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps (Grk. TEREO) His word, truly the love of God is perfected (Grk. TELEIOO – brought to full maturity) in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:3-6 NKJV

What does ‘the love of God perfected’ look like? Jesus, the last Adam (1Co 15:45). See the connection to Eden? Do you see how KOINONIA – pure, sweet, transparent fellowship and the joy and power that flows from it – is about restoring Edenic relationships, without the burdens of shame and fear, with ABBA and YESHUA and with each other? How is this accomplished?

TEREO means to keep by stewardship, almost like in ownership, where you have a stake in the outcome of the person/place/ thing you are stewarding. Jesus said, “While I was with them…I kept (Grk. TEREO) them in Your name.” John 17:12. ABBA gave them to Jesus, and Jesus stewarded them, like a shepherd would care for his sheep. Do you see how we are to care, to watch over, to TEREO His commandments, His word? And, if we do that, if we abide in KOINONIA by ‘TEREO’ing His commandments, the love of God will be perfected (Grk TELEIOO), brought to full maturity in us. What a promise!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect (Grk. TELEIOS), just as your Father in heaven is perfect (Grk. TELEIOS). Matt 5:43-48 NKJV

The love of God is passively perfected in us as we abide in KOINONIA with ABBA, and YESHUA, and each other, by stewarding His commandments. And the reward is great! We know ABBA more and more as He perfects His nature in our practical lives and walks. Eden is restored, and our joy is full. Amen? Love you!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…