1 John Chapter 4 Pt. 4 God's Love In Us Flows Out To Others

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1 John 4:16  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 

John circles back to the vast topic of the love of God and His heart to save sinners from eternal condemnation.

God is love and we learned that the Holy Ghost sheds abroad, or generously pours His love into each believer's heart. 

God loved us while we were still dead in trespasses and sins before Him.  (See Romans 5:5-8). 

John wrote about this wonderful love of God in his gospel. 

John 3:16-18  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17)  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18)  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, was the only way for man to be saved from sin. 

Whosoever turns to Jesus Christ with repentant faith shall be saved and granted eternal life. 

All who remain in unbelief are already condemned. This means that the wrath and judgment of God is waiting for them when they die.

It does not mean that they can never be saved, for all believers in Christ, were once unbelievers.

The love of God brings salvation from sin to eternal life. The love of God restores us to a right relationship with God and fills us with heavenly hope.

This is the love that John speaks of and if we claim to be a Christian but we lack God's love in our heart, then we have made a false profession of faith in Christ. 

1 John 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

Our love to God as Creator, Sovereign Ruler, Life Giver and Savior, becomes more mature. 

Our Great God and Eternal King is the perfection of all beauty, excellence, and loveliness, in Himself. 

He graciously confers on all believers in Christ His own love, which changes how we love God and others. 

Love to God will give us peace and satisfaction of spirit, in the day when it will be most needed. It is the greatest pleasure and blessing imaginable.

Our love to God assures us of God's love to us, and consequently of the friendship we enjoy with the Son of God. The more we love our friend and King, the more we can trust his love. 

As God is good and loving, and faithful to his promise, so we are persuaded of His love, and the joyful fruits of His love are manifest in us (See Galatians 5:22-23).

This wonderful love of God in us and our love for Him, gives us boldness in the day of judgment. 

This is the idea of having freedom of speech, and liberty of access. 

One day, we will see the Lord Jesus Christ our Judge, who died for us, who regenerated our hearts, and who Himself fills us, and we will boldly declare our love for Him. 

2 Timothy 4:8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Jesus will give the crown of righteousness to all that love his appearing. And we have this boldness towards Christ because of our conformity to him by the renewing of our minds  (See Romans 12:1-2)

Because as Jesus is so are we in this world. Love conformed us to Jesus as He was the great lover of God and man, He has taught us to love one another. 

Romans 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

1 Corinthians 15:45-49  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46)  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47)  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48)  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49) And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

He will not deny his own image as it is imprinted upon our heart. The Holy Spirit constantly works to conform each believer to the image of Jesus Christ (See Colossians 3:10). 

We are all born with the image of Adam, and possess the fallen nature. But, God is doing a mighty work of love in us to renew our minds and make us more like Jesus.  

When we pass into eternity, we shall fully bear the heavenly image of the second Adam, Jesus Christ. 

Love teaches us to conform in suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ. We suffer for Him and with Him, and therefore have great hope and trust that we shall be glorified together with him (See 2 Timothy 2:12). 

1 John 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 

A believer who feels that he loves God with all his heart, can never dread Him as his Judge. Each believer in Christ is made a partaker of His Spirit, and the Spirit bears witness in our conscience, that we are a child of God.  

The Christian will not have a fear that produces terror or brings torment. God's perfect love that was poured into us matures day by day as we walk with the Lord, casts out all fear. 

The fullness of God's love, removes all terror relative to this day of judgment. Fear has no place in love. 

Bold confidence based on God's love, cannot coexist with fear. His love, when perfected, gives bold confidence, casts out fear (See Hebrews 2:14-15). The design of Christ’s propitiatory death was to deliver us from this bondage of fear.

1 John 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us. 

Our love for God grows in proportion to our understanding of His love for us. The more we grasp His pure, unmerited and boundless love for unworthy sinners, the more we will love and serve Him with joyful hearts. 

1 John 4:20-21  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21)  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 

John concluded this section by giving us another litmus test. Those who say they love God but who hate their brother in Christ, are liars. 

We see our brethren in Christ when we meet together for worship, or share a meal in our homes. If we cannot love those we know and see, how can we love God whom we have not yet seen? 

If we love not our brother, it is a proof that the love of God is not in us. 

If we have not the love of God in us, it is evident that we cannot love God, for God can be loved only through the influence of His own love in us.  

A man who hates his neighbor does not love God. He who does not love God has not the love of God in him, and he who has not the love of God in him, can neither love God nor man rightly.

Thoughts to Ponder...

Thus, the importance of Jesus command to love one another, looms large over our lives. Love one another is one of the distinctive traits of the Christian life. It is a witness to the world that sinners lack this kind of love. 

We must live out this truth in the strength of the Holy Spirit, for our natural tendency is to try to live the Christian life by our own strength. 

Are you an unbeliever today? Be assured of God's love for you and turn to Jesus Christ with repentant faith, and He will save you. He will grant you eternal life and send His Spirit into your heart to regenerate it.

Believers, let us check our own soul. Do we love one another as Christ commands? Are we rejoicing in the great love that God has for us? Are we being shaped by His love poured into our heart by the Holy Spirit?

Let us pray heartily and earnestly about these things. 

Let us ask the Lord to show us our heart, that we might confess any sins or shortcomings, and be cleansed and forgiven, as He promises.

Bob




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