November 25, 2015 BY THIS WE KNOW
1 John 4:7-8, 16-18: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love cast our fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
These verses speak volumes and they give clear insight as to the nature of the love of God. Also, there are some truths presented within these verses that are quite shocking-such as: if we don’t love, we don’t know God; and if we love, we do know God; and if we fear, we do not understand love; and if we love, we are like God! The obvious is that there is a definite, dynamic, and unalterable relationship between knowing God and loving God, and knowing God and loving others. As you read these verses, you see that everything is “wrapped up” and centers around the love of God. The love that is presented here is not the “eros” love that is a selfish type of love; nor is it the “philos” love which is a love between friends or companions; but rather is an “agape” love which is a divine love that comes from God. All believers are recipients of this agape love and they are also able to be conduits of this love to others. Agape love is not based on feelings and emotions, nor is it based on behavior or on circumstances. We need to be alert to the fact that perhaps all too often, our love is based on the behavior of others-if they do something we don’t like-we react or pout. The greatest blessing to come to believers is that they can experience the love that comes only from God-a love unlike any other. It is awesome to see that whoever has this agape love, is born of God AND knows God! Many blessings or associated with experiencing the love of God; one being that His love brings confidence. When we know the love of God, we have no dread or fear of the judgement of God. The one who abides in God’s love has no fear, because perfect love cast our fear. Another blessing is that we can love one another with a perfect love-not a love based on how they may act or what their personality may be, nor whether they love us in return or not. The prevailing truth of these scriptures challenge us at our core; and in fact reveal whether or not we do indeed know the love of God. The overriding message of the word of God is that “God so loved the world that He gave”, and the love that He gives transcends everything, and radically transforms our lives. If by chance we have somehow forgotten our own transformation, or if we have never been transformed by His love, let us be quick to realize that we stand in need of being renewed in His love, or we stand in need of experiencing His love for the first time. Jesus said that if we seek Him, He will let us find Him. God is ready to flood us with His great love-a love that will change everything about us. His love is a love that brings hope, confidence, peace and joy, it dispels fear, and it causes us to love others unconditionally. As we live in His love, we are like Him in this world! Let us no longer live in mere selfish love; but let us be lifted to the highest heights by the love of God.
1 John 4:12-13: “No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”
1 John 4:19: “We love, because He first loved us.”
Blessings,
Buddy
1 John 4:7-8, 16-18: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love cast our fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
These verses speak volumes and they give clear insight as to the nature of the love of God. Also, there are some truths presented within these verses that are quite shocking-such as: if we don’t love, we don’t know God; and if we love, we do know God; and if we fear, we do not understand love; and if we love, we are like God! The obvious is that there is a definite, dynamic, and unalterable relationship between knowing God and loving God, and knowing God and loving others. As you read these verses, you see that everything is “wrapped up” and centers around the love of God. The love that is presented here is not the “eros” love that is a selfish type of love; nor is it the “philos” love which is a love between friends or companions; but rather is an “agape” love which is a divine love that comes from God. All believers are recipients of this agape love and they are also able to be conduits of this love to others. Agape love is not based on feelings and emotions, nor is it based on behavior or on circumstances. We need to be alert to the fact that perhaps all too often, our love is based on the behavior of others-if they do something we don’t like-we react or pout. The greatest blessing to come to believers is that they can experience the love that comes only from God-a love unlike any other. It is awesome to see that whoever has this agape love, is born of God AND knows God! Many blessings or associated with experiencing the love of God; one being that His love brings confidence. When we know the love of God, we have no dread or fear of the judgement of God. The one who abides in God’s love has no fear, because perfect love cast our fear. Another blessing is that we can love one another with a perfect love-not a love based on how they may act or what their personality may be, nor whether they love us in return or not. The prevailing truth of these scriptures challenge us at our core; and in fact reveal whether or not we do indeed know the love of God. The overriding message of the word of God is that “God so loved the world that He gave”, and the love that He gives transcends everything, and radically transforms our lives. If by chance we have somehow forgotten our own transformation, or if we have never been transformed by His love, let us be quick to realize that we stand in need of being renewed in His love, or we stand in need of experiencing His love for the first time. Jesus said that if we seek Him, He will let us find Him. God is ready to flood us with His great love-a love that will change everything about us. His love is a love that brings hope, confidence, peace and joy, it dispels fear, and it causes us to love others unconditionally. As we live in His love, we are like Him in this world! Let us no longer live in mere selfish love; but let us be lifted to the highest heights by the love of God.
1 John 4:12-13: “No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”
1 John 4:19: “We love, because He first loved us.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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