Living Love in Action a reflection on 1 John 2:1 6 on the daily Bible refresh hello my friend Dr. Brad Mellor here with the Daily Bible Refresh.

This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.

In a bit I will read the New Testament lessons selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.

The reading is understandable.

I use the Message version relatable.

Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.

We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.

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Here's Today's reading from First John 2:1:6 Reading from the Message I write this, dear children, to guide you out of sin.

But if anyone does sin, we have a priest friend in the presence of the Father, Jesus Christ, Righteous Jesus.

When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good.

Not only ours, but the whole world's the only way to know we're in Him.

Here's how we can be sure that we know God in the right way.

Keep his commandments Someone claims I know him well, but he doesn't keep his commandments.

He's obviously a liar.

His life doesn't match his words.

But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God.

God's mature love.

This is the only way to be sure we're in God.

Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived well, friends.

In this reflection we really explore what it means to truly know and live in God's presence.

Here's three points to pon Three points to ponder.

The first is the universal solution.

John speaks of Jesus solving, quote, the sin problem not just for believers, but for the whole world.

This radical inclusivity suggests that divine love and reconciliation extend far beyond religious boundaries.

It challenges us to reject exclusionary theology and embrace a more expansive understanding of God's healing presence in all creation.

A second point is about going beyond guilt and shame.

While John writes to guide us out of sin, he immediately provides assurance of our priest friend Jesus.

This shifts the focus from shame based religion to a relationship of loving and support.

When we stumble we have an advocate who stands with us, not against us.

This understanding invites us to move beyond punitive views of spirituality toward a more compassionate practice.

The third is about love and action.

The text challenges us to align our words with our actions.

In progressive Christianity, this means actively working for justice, inclusion and compassion.

Keeping God's commandments isn't about rigid rule following, but about embodying divine love in tangible ways, just as Jesus demonstrated through his radical welcome of the marginalized.

Let's talk about an action step for the day.

Choose a social issue that matters to you.

It might be climate, justice or racial equality, or dealing with folks who are poor or have economic disadvantages, or perhaps LGBTQ + rights, economic justice, etc.

So take a concrete action today that aligns with your beliefs, with your behavior.

And this might mean making a donation, or maybe reaching out, or writing to a senator or a legislator, or maybe having a difficult discussion with somebody we're going to come back and have a prayer here in just a minute, but I want you to know that we have a resource just for you.

It's going to help you with your at home Bible study practices.

It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Method.

You can pick it up for free at our website, voiceofgod daily.com let's pray.

Oh God, you are a loving presence and we thank you for accepting us exactly as we are while leaving us too much to leave us unchanged.

When we fall short, remind us of your endless grace when we're when our actions don't match our words.

Give us courage to realign with love.

Help us to move beyond mere belief to embody your compassion and all we do.

Guide us in living as Jesus lived, breaking down walls, lifting up the marginalized, and creating a beloved community.

Amen.

My friend.

I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.

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My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your Daily Bible Refresh.

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Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.