Real

"Whoever continues to follow the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son," 2 John 9.

What's the teaching of Christ? It's this command (command? does he command? yes, he does): Love one another. Do it, and you have access to God. Pretty straightforward, isn't it? Don't do it, you don't have God. Pretty sobering, isn't it? But wait a minute! Does the phrase "follow the teaching of Christ" refer to something Jesus taught, or does it refer to some teachings about Jesus? Yes, indeed. Got that right. It does. What he taught: Love one another. What is taught about him: Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Anyone who advances teaching beyond this is the antichrist. Is a worker of wicked works. Whoa! that's pretty harsh, isn't it? But that's what it says.

We find a brother or sister today and serve them in the love of Christ. Jesus, the very real man, helped very real people in this very real world, and we do, too. And, together, we give thanks to the one who loved us, for real.